• The next morning, Jacob woke to the sound of something thudding to the floor. Groggily, he realized the sound came from his father's room. Jacob jumped out of his bed and completly woke up. He rushed into his father's room, panting as the short use of adrenaline wore off. He found his lying face down on the floor. Jacob sighed as he realized that his father was more angry than hurt. His father pulled himself into his wheelchair with a curse.
    "D*mn bed!" His father leaned over the arm rest of the wheelchair to pick up his pillow that had falled with him and threw it back on the bed. "D*amn it all." he muttered. Jacob cleared his throat, and his father's face swung up to meet his.
    "Are you okay, Dad?" Jacob asked, walking over to his dad. He grabbed the handles of the wheel chair and pushed his his father to the kitchen. "I told you to call me if you wanted out of bed, Dad. You're not as strong anymore."
    "I know, but I just can't take this anymore." his father muttered. "I'm sorry. I'm okay."
    "Are you sure?" he asked. When his father nodded, he continued speaking. "Is there anuthing you want for breakfast?"
    "I'm not hungry." he replied. Jacob looked down at his father for a little. "Honestly, Jake, I'm not hungry." his father said for reassurance. Jacob nodded, though he knew his father couldn't see. But his father seemed to since it because he sighed contently.
    "Um. The try-outs are today."
    "Good luck, Jake. I know your mother would be proud of you." The light in his father's blue eyes dulled in pain as he said the last part.
    With that, Jacob brought up the visit to his hospital. "Um. I'm going to visit Mom today. Do... Do you want to come?" Jacob's father stared up at him with sad eyes and Jacob had to look away from them. "Please, Dad. I know she'll like that. You haven't seen her in awhile." He said looking anywhere but his father.
    "O... Okay." his father stammered. "I think I'm ready." Jacob nodded, still not looking at his father.
    "I'll go call Janette. I won't be home all day, so i'll see if she can drop you off at my school and we'll go to the hospital from there, okay?" Jacob didn't get a reply from his dad, so he raised his to him. His dad nodded slowly then nodded again, but more firmly this round.
    Jacob left his father in the kitched and went into the living room. He picked up the phone and dialed Janette's, his aunt who had taken him home from the hospital the night of the incident, number.
    "Hello?" Janette's voice asked from the other line.
    "Hey. It's me, Jacob."
    "Hey. What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.
    "Nothing," replied, reasurringly, "I was just wondering if you can drop my dad at my school, after the try-outs today." Jacob waited for her to reply.
    "Of course I can. What time does try-outs end?"
    "Four." he replied.
    "Are you sure he's ready?" Janette asked suddenly and solemnly. Jacob pulled the phone away from his ear long enough to blink at it.
    Putting it back to his ear, he asked, "How'd you know?"
    "Well for starters, it's been awhile since you called. And the last time you called was for the same thing, but under a different circumstance. Second, your voice gave you away." She answered.
    "Yeah. He says he is. True. It's been awhile."
    "Is there anything else?"
    "No. And thanks. I love you."
    "Okay. I love you too. Goodbye sweety."
    "Bye." Jacob replied. He was answered by the click of his aunt's phone being hung up. Jacob clicked his own phone off and turned around to head back into the kitchen. He jumped as he found his father in the living with him. "She said she can drop you off. I got to go earliy to pick up Daren. We're going to go to the try-outs together. Okay?"
    His father nodded. "Be careful, Jake."
    Jacob nodded and replied, "I will. I promise." With that he grabbed his coat of the couch and his bag that held his gym clothes and headed out the front door. "Bye." he called out from over his shoulder before the door snapped shut between them.

    Jacob knocked on the door to Mary's house. When the door opened, he greeted Mary with a smile. Mary smiled back. "He's in his room. Come in." She said as she stepped back. Jacob nodded and scooted around her.
    "Is he ready?" He asked as she turned around to face him again. She nodded and he turned to go up stairs.
    "Is your father going to see her with you?" She asked quietly. Jacob stopped on the first step and looked back at her over his shoulder.
    "Yeah." he replied quietly. Mary nodded and left it at that. Jacob made his way up the stairs.
    Stopping at the last door down the hallway, he knocked. He opened the door at Daren's 'Come in.' Smiling, Jacob threw himself on Daren's bed. "You ready?" He asked, sitting up.
    Daren stuck his head out of his closet. "Yeah. I'm just trying to find my basketball shoes." He pulled his head back in out of Jacob's view and picked back up his rumaging. "Ahah! Found ya." Daren cheered. Jacob first saw Daren's hands holding out his shoes, followed by his arms, body. "I knew I didn't loose them." he laughed.
    Jacob chuckled "Dang!" he said with a snap of his fingers, " Need a better hiding place."
    "Haha, funny." Daren replied sarcastically. He shoved the shoes into his back then placed the strap on his shoulder and looked down at Jacob. "Ready." He said and he walked out of his bedroom. Jacob stood up and jumped down the stairs after Daren.
    "Good luck guys." Mary's voice yelled from the kitchen. "I'll be there with Dad when he gets back."
    "Okay. Bye, sis" Daren yelled back before shutting the door behind him.