Chapter 43

Lee stepped outside to answer a call.

"Dad?"

"Hey, champ. Where are you?"

"I, um…"

"You're um what?"

"I had to go to the hospital. Alice is in the hospital."

"Alice. Who's Alice? Is she one of your little girlfriends? Wait, hold on. Do you mean your uncle's wife? That Alice?"

"Yes, Dad," he answered quietly.

"Well, damn. Is she sick? Is she dead? I sure hope so," he snorted.

Lee winced as he listened to his father's insensitive voice. "She's okay, Dad. Nothing happened to her, and that's not really nice," he added quietly.

"Excuse me? What did you just say to me?"

"I… It wasn't really that important. I was just talking to myself."

"I sure hope you were," he said.

"..."