When Neil came home, his wrist had already begun to swell.
He said it was nothing, in the same careless tone he always used, as if it were just another hit from practice. His injured hand hung loosely at his side, and he had not even taken off his jacket properly. Cindy saw it at once. She frowned and told him to sit down. He started to say he did not need to, but before he could finish, she gave him one look, and he gave in with a laugh, dropping onto the couch as if he had finally surrendered.
Eric was not home yet, so Cindy sent him a photo. A few minutes later, her phone rang.
She answered, said a couple of things, then handed the phone to Neil.
The moment Neil took it, his face tightened. “Dad, it’s not broken.”
Whatever Eric said on the other end made him lean back into the couc
