Chapter 155: Roll the Dice

It was almost dinner time by the time Jacqui was able to get her father home. Sophia had gone on ahead earlier to prepare a meal and make sure his bed was ready for him. Nothing was broken, luckily, just bruised and banged up. He was on some pain pills Jacqui was sure would make him loopy for the rest of the night. With his behavior at the hospital, loopy was good. It kept him from bitching at her again.

Once Bert was settled in his bed, pillows propped behind his head, television blaring through reruns of Law & Order, Jacqui fixed herself a steaming cup of orange spice tea and settled into her plush sofa, doing her best to allow the stress of the day to flow from her taut nerves. She was furious with Sophia, even though the fault was partially Bert's. He knew better than to push himself and to put Sophia in that position. He was lucky he hadn't hit his head on a rock or part of the steps going down to the backyard. Jacqui closed her eyes, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. H