I never imagined I’d have to say those words about my own father. This was the man who held my hand through every childhood fear, who worked himself tired making sure Garrett and I never went without. Now he sat trembling in a police station, afraid of causing trouble, while his own son looked away. Folks, how could my brother abandon the very man who’d never once abandoned us?

PART 2

A supervising officer came out a few minutes later. I explained what I’d observed, then returned to Dad while they arranged an ambulance. I also asked that his account be taken privately, without Garrett or Tanya listening.

Tanya approached before the paramedics arrived.

“You always do this,” she said, folding her arms. “You show up after months away and act like you know what’s going on.”

“I’m trying to get Dad medical care.”

“He needs psychiatric care. He accused me of stealing from him tonight. Then he started yelling and waving his arms around.”

Garrett finally looked at me.

“Sis, things have been getting bad. He’s forgetting stuff.”

“Then why didn’t you call me?”

He hesitated. “We didn’t want to worry you.”

“You let him get taken to a police station in the middle of the night, but you didn’t want to worry me?”

Tanya stepped closer. “Don’t make this about Garrett. We’ve been the ones looking after your father.”

I looked directly at my brother.

“Did you see what happened tonight?”

His mouth tightened. “It was a mess. Everybody was upset.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“I don’t want to get into it here.”