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“Anyone could see he was hurt. No big deal. Anyway, shouldn’t you be back inside looking after him?”

Technically, yes, but the nurse was more than capable of strapping his ankle up, and she’d likely do a better job of it.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay. You ran out of there in a hurry.”

Should I ask him about his father and why Logan seemed so scared of him? It wasn’t something a doctor would usually do, and there was nothing in his records to suggest anything untoward.

“She fucking hates me. Ever since he came along.”

“Logan?”

“Nah, fucking Brian. Last one in a long line of tossers she’s been with over the years.”

“He’s not your dad.” I leant on the wall next to him.

He shook his head and took another drag on his cigarette. As much as I wanted to find out what was going on, duty called. I glanced back at the main entrance. I should get back in there.

“She’ll be playing merry hell if you don’t go back inside. I love my brother, don’t get me wrong, but he’s her little prince.”

“You sound resentful.” I took in his long brown hair, tied loosely in a bun.

He shrugged. “Maybe I am, but who would give a fuck if I was?”

He rubbed the cigarette on the wall, extinguishing it, and placed the butt in his pocket. I had visions of it reigniting and setting fire to his clothes, but I was sure he knew what he was doing.

He pushed off the wall and walked away without a backward glance.

I knew shit like this happened, that not everyone had a happy family. I’d heard so many stories like his working in the hospital, but his hit home more than any other.

Why that was, I had no idea.

By the time I arrived back at Logan’s cubicle, he was ready to go.

“Don’t forget what I said. Stay off it for a while. Nurse Bennett here will take you to the entrance in our speedy wheelchair. No racing, though. We don’t need to see you back here.” I held my fist out and was rewarded with a reciprocal fist bump.

“Did you see where my other son went? I swear he’s never around when you need him.”

Not one to cast aspersions, but it was she who wasn’t around when her son needed her. Frankie had been the one to bring him in.

“I’m guessing he left,” I said tersely, annoyed at how she’d treated him. “Is there anyone to look after Logan during the day? Frankie mentioned you work.”

“Yeah, but I’ll have to take a day or two unpaid. Brian won’t like that, but what can you do when you’ve got kids, eh?”

I wouldn’t know, but I said no more. I waved at Logan as he departed, his mother fussing with his hair.

“Did you find his brother?” Lydia, Nurse Bennett, asked as we walked back to the nurses’ station.

“Yeah, I did, but he’s gone now. Did anything strike you as odd?”

“No more than usual. We get all sorts in here; you should know that by now. How long have you been here now?”

“Six months, give or take.”

“Aw, you’re such a baby.” She laughed and sat on the only available chair.

“I’m almost twenty-six. Hardly a baby.” I scribbled on Logan’s chart and handed it back to her.

“But you’re a baby doctor.”