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"So, you want me to give up law and pursue an acting career?" Ricky asked. Ha! Take that you old fart!

"You know darn well what I mean."

"Unfortunately, I do."

Lee smiled, exposing nicotine stained teeth protruding through thin shriveled lips. He held his belly as
gut-retching laughter overtook him and his whole body shook. Ricky started laughing too, not because he found
anything funny but because he hadn't heard him laugh in weeks. Tears poured from his eyes and followed the
creases of his face until they dripped onto his shirt.

The laughter dissipated, replaced by uncontrollable coughing, leaving him spewing blood-tinged phlegm down his
chin and his lungs sucking futile for air. His face turned red and his eyes were bulging. Ricky ran to the kitchen
and came back with a glass of water and held it to his father lips and helped him drink in between coughs. He
dabbed up the mucous with the damp towel Nadine always kept nearby and rubbed his back. The coughing at
last subsided and his color returned to normal.

"You okay?" Ricky's heart was racing and his hair was matted with sweat.

"Yeah I'm okay." He cleared his throat and spit into the towel while Ricky held it.

"Damn, I thought today would be the day I'd get my inheritance."

"Not today you smart ass. Now quit hogging the fan. Can't you see I'm a sick old man?"

Ricky ignored him.

"You hungry?"

"Yeah." Lee cleared his throat and rested his head on the back of his chair, his breaths still heavy and forced.

Ricky put out Lee's cigarette, turned the fan towards him, and walked into the kitchen. He opened the pan of
chicken and went to get the plates. He stopped, picked up the telephone and dialed Linda's number. He couldn't
leave his dad tonight.