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“Just go,” I assured him. “I’ll be fine. Your dad will be fine. Trust me. I’ll get in touch with you if you’re needed.”
He paused, looked at his dad and back at me.
“Go on. You don’t want to be late and miss the flight.”
With that, he pulled me in for a deep hug and rushed from the hospital. I was sure a part of this was a coping tactic, and that he needed to go punch a man into oblivion to feel better, which was fine. He needed to feel normal when his life was spiraling out of control. Fighting was his normal. Any way that I could help him, any way that I could keep him from going down a bad path, was fine by me.
I stepped into Cisco’s room where, like Bones had said, he was fast asleep. I sat myself on the chair by his bed, looking down at his weak, fragile frame. My heart went out to both of them. It was obvious now, with Cisco in his hospital gown, that he really was dying.
This was bad. This was really bad. I didn’t know how Bones was going to deal with that if he did die. I didn’t know how I would.
In great need of a distraction, I flicked the crappy old hospital room television on to watch mindless commercials and some lame sitcom I’d never seen. I kept the volume low, but somehow that seemed to be loud enough to wake Cisco.
He grumbled, sitting upright.
“Hey, Pops. Can I get you something?”
“Just some water, please.”
As he gulped down the cool liquid I handed to him, color began to return to his face, and it wasn’t long before a weak smile spread across his lips.
“How long have you been sitting there?” He glanced around. “Did Bones go to the fight? I told him he better not miss it. You should be there, too. I don’t want you guys fucking up a good thing because of me.”
I grinned at him before taking his hand in mine. “I made sure Bones got on that flight. Don’t worry. You gave us quite the scare.”
“I’m fine,” he insisted, sitting up even more, wincing through the pain. “Just being an old man.”
We didn’t discuss the cancer in our house. Cisco preferred it that way, and out of respect, I honored his wishes. But this time, I needed to ask, “Did the doctors say the cancer is spreading?”
Cisco shrugged. “It is what it is. We all have an expiration date.”
“Is it treatable?”
“Bones wants to believe that. It’s the fighter in him,” Cisco said, “but my body knows the truth.”
“He is a fighter. He’s not going to stop fighting for you.”
“He’s not going to win this one,” he said, sincerely, “and you need to help me make him see that. Help him deal with that.”
“I know,” I reassured Cisco, but inside I felt a mess. “I know.”
“And I know you love my son. You both have for years. I might be an old man, but I’m not blind. I can see how much you love each other.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”
“I’m glad you both found each other. That’s all a father can ask for. But I need to talk to you about something else, something important,” Cisco said, suddenly serious.
I nodded, bracing myself for the worst. I could see the pain in his eyes, the weight of his burden. He was dying, and he wanted to make things right before he went.
“I want you to promise me something. I want you to promise me that you’ll take care of Bones after I’m gone. He’s going to need you, more than ever, and I know you’ll be there for him.”
“Of course. I promise.” My voice choked with emotion.
“You’re a good man, Lotto. Bones and I would not have been able to do this life without you. And I know you’ve always felt like an outsider looking in, but you aren’t. I’m so fucking proud of you. You are the strength. The spine.”
Cisco’s words hit me like a wave, washing over me and leaving me breathless. I had always felt like an outsider in their family, despite their warm acceptance. But hearing Cisco say that I was a part of their family, that I was their strength, meant everything to me.
“So this Ari girl?” he continued. “Tell me about this. Where do you fit in?”
I drew a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. I hadn’t expected Cisco to bring up Ari, but I should have known he wouldn’t miss a thing.
“Ari is... she’s someone special. But it’s complicated.”
“That’s what Bones said. He said there are four of you. Like a polyamorous relationship or something like that?”
I nodded, feeling my cheeks heat up. I wasn’t used to talking about my relationship with Bones, let alone with his father. But Cisco had always been open-minded, and I knew he deserved to know the truth.
