Chapter 6 - The Lie Roman's Father Took to His Grave
Roman woke in a private hospital room the following afternoon.
Elise stood beside the window.
He looked around.
“No handcuffs.”
“Apparently being shot doesn't automatically make you a criminal.”
“Good policy.”
“You lost a lot of blood.”
“You sound disappointed.”
“I spent four hours keeping you alive. Don't ruin my work.”
Roman smiled.
Then his expression changed.
“Anthony.”
Elise nodded toward the door.
“Dominic is outside.”
Roman's face hardened.
“Send him in.”
Dominic entered slowly.
Roman said nothing.
Dominic sat.
“I lied to you.”
“Yes.”
“I lied to your father too.”
Roman's eyes narrowed.
“Explain.”
“Anthony didn't die.”
Roman stopped breathing for a moment.
“You know that?”
“I know he was alive six years ago.”
Roman swung his legs out of bed.
Elise immediately pushed him back.
“Absolutely not.”
Roman ignored her.
“Where?”
Dominic reached into his coat and pulled out an envelope.
“Boston.”
Roman stared at it.
“He contacted me once.”
“When?”
“Six years ago.”
“And you never told me.”
“He made me promise.”
Roman laughed bitterly.
“Everyone seems to enjoy protecting me with lies.”
Dominic looked ashamed.
“Anthony said he didn't want to come back while your father was alive.”
“My father died four years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“He didn't know if you believed the old story.”
Roman stared at him.
“He thought I believed he killed Daniel.”
“He thought everyone did.”
Elise quietly said, “Then call him.”
Roman looked at the envelope.
Inside was a phone number.
His hand shook slightly.
He dialed.
One ring.
Two.
A man answered.
“Hello?”
Roman couldn't speak.
The voice was older.
But unmistakable.
“Anthony?”
Silence.
Then—
“Roman?”
Roman closed his eyes.
Seventeen years disappeared.
“Yeah.”
Anthony breathed out.
“My God.”
Roman's voice cracked.
“You're alive.”
“So are you, apparently. That's what the news says.”
“You saw?”
“Hard to miss.”
Roman glanced at Elise.
“I know the truth.”
Silence.
“All of it?”
“Daniel. Carter. Container 47.”
Anthony exhaled.
“I tried to tell Dad.”
“I know.”
“He chose Vincent over me.”
“I know.”
“He told me if I stayed, he'd have me killed.”
Roman looked toward the window.
“I didn't know that.”
“I didn't want you involved.”
“I was eighteen.”
“You were a kid.”
“I was your brother.”
Anthony's voice softened.
“You still are.”
Roman couldn't answer.
Anthony continued.
“I heard Dad died. I thought about coming back.”
“Why didn't you?”
“Because I didn't know who you had become.”
Roman looked at the bruises on his hands.
“That makes two of us.”
Then Noah entered the room carrying a drawing.
Elise frowned.
“Noah, I told you to wait with Grandma.”
“I finished it.”
He walked to Roman's bed.
“Who are you talking to?”
“My brother.”
Noah smiled.
“Tell him hi.”
Roman swallowed.
“Anthony?”
“Yeah?”
“A five-year-old wants to say hello.”
There was a long pause.
Then Anthony laughed.
Roman hadn't heard that sound since he was eighteen.
“Put him on.”
Noah took the phone.
“Hi. I'm Noah. Your brother got shot but my mom fixed him.”
Elise covered her face.
Roman almost laughed.
Anthony said something.
Noah nodded seriously.
“Yes. She is very bossy.”
Elise pointed toward the door.
“Noah.”
He handed the phone back.
Roman said, “Come home.”
Anthony was silent.
Roman continued.
“Dad's gone. Carter's in custody. Daniel's name will be cleared.”
“And mine?”
“That too.”
“What about you?”
Roman looked at Elise.
“What about me?”
“What are you going to do with the life Dad left you?”
Roman had no immediate answer.
Eventually he said:
“Change it.”
Anthony exhaled.
“Then maybe I come home.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
Roman looked at the rain beyond the hospital window.
“Don't make me wait seventeen more years.”
“I won't.”
The call ended.
Elise sat beside the bed.
“You okay?”
“No.”
She nodded.
“Good answer.”
Roman looked at her.
“You knew calling him might hurt.”
“Yes.”
“And you told me to do it anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because lies don't stop hurting just because nobody says them out loud.”
Roman studied her.
“You're talking about your mother.”
Elise's expression softened.
“And yours.”
Roman nodded.
“What happens now?”
“For you? Surgery recovery. Physical therapy. Probably terrible hospital food.”
“I meant after that.”
Elise smiled slightly.
“That part is your decision.”
Roman looked toward Noah, who was proudly hanging his drawing on the wall.
It showed three people beneath a huge black umbrella.
Noah in yellow boots.
Elise.
Roman.
Above them, in crooked letters:
EVERYBODY IS OKAY NOW.
Roman stared at it for a long time.
Nobody had told Noah that yet.
May you like
But Roman was beginning to think the kid had a strange habit of being right.
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