Song Five - A Trophy Father's Trophy Son by Sleeping with Sirens
* * * * * * * * * *
"I'm sorry we had to bring you out here so late," said the policeman to Evan as he approached him in front of the entrance of the hospital. Evan stuffed his keys into his pocket as he shook the cops hand.
"Its okay sir, it's not your fault."
"Yeah, well, we would have called someone else but he said you were the only person he could call and the only person that would help him."
The policeman's words made Evan cringe. He ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a sigh.
"Where is he?"
Side by side the two men walked into the hospital, right past the front desk and down the hospital corridor. The hospital was rather quiet for a Saturday night. Usually, Saturday nights are hectic because people tended to get drunk and do a lot of stupid things.
"We would have took him down to the station but he got injured so we brought him here."
"Injured?" Evan questioned, worry slightly seeping out of his voice. "What kind of injury?"
"Nothing fatal. His alcohol level was pretty high so, though we let him off with a warning, we didn't want him out and about. He should be sobered up by now."
The two men made a left and instantly Evan could hear that familiar voice ringing his ear.
"He's in here," the cop pointed to the door that they approached. They stepped inside to see the curtain covering the hospital bed.
"So that's legal in France? You can really marry a dead person?" Asked a female voice behind the curtain.
"Yeah, I was just as surprised as you were. Imagine how I felt when I showed up at the wedding and there was no groom. It was crazy."
Evan rolled his eyes at his father's voice.
"Wow, that's so interesting. It must have been fun traveling all over the world. What are you doing in Miami?"
"Good question," Evan joined the conversation, pushing the curtain aside.
The woman talking was a young brunette in pink scrubs. She was wrapping Evan's father, Joseph's hand and wrist in bandages.
Joseph who looked great for a guy who not only got in a bar fight but is currently handcuffed to a hospital bed smiled brightly at the sight of his son.
"Evan, buddy. It's nice to see you. I knew you'd come."
Evan pursed his lips together, not hiding that he wasn't happy to see his Father.
"You look great, bud. I mean better than me." He gestured to his sprained hand, "as you can see I got into a bit of an altercation." He chuckled slightly.
The nurse and cop eyed one another, feeling the thick tension in the room.
"You're all set." the nurse finished wrapping up his hand. "Try not to use your hand for a week or two. Just rest as much as you can."
Joseph looked at his hand in disappointment, "you got it, doc," he sighed.
The nurse bowed her head to the three men before quickly leaving the room.
As he took his keys out of his pocket, the policeman walked over to Joseph.
He uncuffed his non-injured hand, "you're free to go but next time you indulge in a bar fight-"
"'Yeah, yeah, I'll get put away," Joseph stood as he twisted his wrist. "This isn't my first rodeo."
Noticing that Evan hadn't said anything, Joseph looked over at him.
"You gonna say something or are you that unhappy to see your father?"
Without another word Evan turned away, leaving the room.
"Come on, E. Don't be like that," Joseph followed him down the hospital corridor. "At least talk to me."
"Why are you here, Joseph?" Evan turned around to face him. "I haven't heard from you since I was seventeen. Since Mom died and you left me-"
"Don't do that," Joseph snapped. "Don't you dare. I was there! You pushed me away, you told me not to come to her funeral."
"You were there because you felt guilty for leaving us while you went to travel the world. If Mom hadn't died, you wouldn't even have shown up. You would have sent one those stupid ass letters that you think for some reason made up for your absence."
"Don't do that, don't blame me for not being there! I wanted to be there and you know that. I couldn't be there because of your mother and Mag-"
"Don't you dare mention my mother . . . or my grandmother." Evan stepped up to Joseph in rage. "You don't get to do that. You don't get that right."
Seeing the pain in his son's eyes caused Joseph to calm down; he reeled himself back, calming down his own emotions too.
