Flash Fiction Friday, Week 50: What's Best for Father

This week, the prompt was to write a story about sisters, and the genre was drama. Sometimes, between sisters, drama is all you get.

WHAT’S BEST FOR FATHER

“Are you okay, Sarah? I expected you to arrive long before this. Did your plane have engine trouble or some other problem? These days, traveling by any means can be scary. I would hate to imagine anything bad happening to the best sister in the world.”

“Lillian, I’m the one who has the best sister in the universe. Besides, I’m fine. Nothing went wrong with the plane. We were delayed due to a storm and had a layover in some small airport for hours. I was more concerned for you having to be here alone with Father since he is so ill.”

“It’s bad enough being stuck in large airports, but in a small strip? Not much to do to pass the time, I’m sure. The important thing is that you’re okay. I was worried because I know how you get.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? How do I get?”

“Well, Sarah, you get all worked up over nothing all the time.”

“Really, Lillian? I don’t get any more worked up than you do over everything.”

“Look, the doctor called me and asked me to come since Father needs full-time care.”

“The doctor called me first and asked me to come. Father can certainly do without your kind of care.”

“My kind of care? I would care for him better than you, that’s for sure.”

“Very funny. You always were the joke of the family. I’m going to go talk to Father and you’d better stay away. He always wants to speak with me privately since he’s afraid of you.”

“You’re the one he’s terrified of – you and your big mouth. You’re always yelling and giving everyone a headache. Father told me he’s been having horrible headaches lately.”

“I’m not surprised since you’re the one who’s been here with him. I’ve only just arrived. Leave us alone. I’ll go reassure him that I won’t let you get to him. That’s always concerned him.”

“Sarah, he lives in mortal terror of you. He told me that the minute I got here. Go in there if you must, but he was resting quietly. Don’t get him all agitated. If you do, he’ll make all kinds of weird sounds and I won’t be able to hear myself think. I’ll have to give him a dose of a sedative I got from my doctor. It will put him out for a minimum of 6 hours.”

“Poor Lillian. As if you ever think about anything that matters. If he makes weird noises, it’s only because he knows you’re in the house. If I’m not able to sleep because he’s in there rambling on and on, it will be all your fault. For your information, I got a much more powerful sedative from my doctor than yours could ever prescribe. Mine will keep him quiet for at least 36.”

***

“Sarah, do you have to make so much noise making a sandwich?

“Shut up for one minute, Lillian. Did someone knock on the door?”

“Do the world a favor and shut up for an hour. Yes, someone knocked on the door. Go open it.”

“I AM opening the door. See? Mrs. Hopper. What do you want? You don’t need to check on our father anymore because my sister and I are here. I thought we made that clear with you when we called.”

“Yes, Ms. Sarah. You and Ms. Lillian made that abundantly clear. The reason I’m here now is to make sure you both were all right since your dad was found wandering alone by the train station. Someone called for an ambulance and the hospital called me since they knew I had been looking in on him. The important thing is that nothing has happened to either one of you. Apparently, he can’t be left alone for even a short period of time now. Let me know if you both need to be out and I’ll come over and sit with him.”

“Lillian, what is she talking about? For your information, Ms. Nosy Neighbor, our father is resting comfortably in his bed waiting for his lunch, which I was in the middle preparing when you so rudely interrupted me.”

“I’m going to ignore the name-calling, Ms. Sarah, because my concern is only for the welfare of your dad. I would suggest that you go and check on him because he is not resting in his bed. The nurse said a man saw your father walking back and forth across the tracks at the station, mumbling to himself. Evidently, he told the man he was waiting for the train because his weekend leave was over and needed to get back to his platoon.

“I told the hospital I would go check on his daughters who were staying with him. I’m happy to see nothing has happened to either one of you. Now, you can take offense at what I’m about to say, but I don’t care. Your dad left the house without either of you knowing about it. You ought to be ashamed. I’m going home now, but let me warn you. If he ends up coming back here with you and I find out you’re not making sure he’s safe, I’m going to call the police. Someone has to protect that poor man.”

“Close the door, Lillian. This woman has crossed the line for the last time. I’m going to check on Father.”

***

“Lillian, my God, that old biddy was right. Father’s not in his room. She said he was walking back and forth across the train tracks. When I think of what could have happened, it makes me sick to my stomach. What if he had been hit by the train? What if some nasty people had taken advantage and robbed him and beat him up? There’s no way he could defend himself against something like that.”

“I know, Sarah. It’s frightening. He thought he was back in the Army. That poor old man walked all the way into town to the train station. It’s a blessing that he wasn’t hit by a car walking along the road like that. All that talk when I got here first about his bad headaches mixing him up meant something serious was going on, but you didn’t do anything about it, did you?”

“What do you mean ‘all that talk when you got here first’? You know my plane was delayed due to weather. I got here as quickly as I could after his doctor called me. Father told me about his headaches too; although, he went into much more detail with me than you because he knew I’d understand since I’m not as self-centered as you are. Wait. I didn’t do anything about it? What stopped you? See. All you think about is you. At least, I was making his lunch. Where were you? Sitting with your feet up?”

“Yes, you bitch. This trip has been hard on me coming all the way from Phoenix. You were making him lunch? Big deal. What do you want – a medal? Didn’t you hear him leave? That’s it. I’m taking him back with me. There’s a nice facility that’s twenty minutes from where I live.”

“Bitch? Me? Look at the lazy skank talk so big. He’s coming back to Boston with me. I can get him admitted into a care home immediately that’s ten minutes from my house.”

“We’ll just see. I’m going to Mercy to make arrangements.”

“You’d better let me have him because I’ll put him in a better place than you ever could.”

“You wouldn’t know a better place if it bit you on the ass. I want what’s best for MY father.”

“I want what’s best for MY father.”

“Sarah, I’ll drive so you don’t add miles on your rented car.”

“That would be great, Lillian. Thanks tons for helping me save on the charges.”