Blackbird by Jessica MacIntyre Page A

climbed into his brother’s car he stayed silent while the engine turned over, and didn’t speak a word until they pulled into the parking lot at the hospital where Paul was going to pick up the drug test collection supplies. “Are you going to hate us all forever?”
                  “No,” he sighed when he finally spoke. “Probably not. But I will for a little while.”
                  Paul simply nodded and headed inside. When he returned twenty minutes later Robert was leaning with his head against the window. “Try not to take it so hard.”
                  He wanted to scream at him. Wanted to ask how he could not be taking this hard. It was their mother after all. After a moment he decided to bite his tongue. There was no point trying to make someone care about something they so obviously didn’t. “What are we doing with the dogs?”
                  Paul thought for a moment as if this was something he hadn’t thought of at all. “We could try to find homes for them I guess. But they’re old, might be best to put them down.”
                  “I’ll take them,” he said without thinking.
                  “Well, ok. You sure you have time for two old Yorkies? You’re pretty busy.”
                  “Between me and Billie we can figure it out.”
                  “Ok then,” Paul said pulling back on to the road.
                  “I hope this works,” Robert said, shifting the subject to what they were about to do next.
                  “I’m sure it will. If people think they are going to get better perks at work they’ll submit to almost anything. Especially at the kind of job they’re working.”
                  Robert wanted to argue that it was a good job, but he had to admit that working in a bar was usually just an in-between thing most people did when they were at a crossroad in their lives. They had very few long term employees. People these days just didn’t see bartending and waitressing as a career.
                  As soon as they arrived Robert pulled a few of the staff members aside for a brief meeting, took a deep breath and prepared to lie. “Ok, guys. Good news. We’re upping your insurance benefits.” There were smiles all around. It occurred to him for the first time that now he’d actually have to do just that. An expensive price to pay for his curiosity over one lone employee. “This is my brother, Paul. Some of you know him. He’s a doctor and so for your convenience I’ve brought him in to take blood and urine samples. I could have given you rec forms but you know the kind of wait there is at the blood clinic at the hospital, so Paul offered to come down and do it himself. It will only take a second and then we can all get on with our day.”
                  To his surprise only one or two raised their eyebrows, but seeing nobody else question it they decided to go along. They dispersed to do their work until called and one by one Paul took each person, gave them a small jar and had them fill it, then took them into the office to draw blood.
                  Billie sat at a table toward the back going over some paperwork as Paul went about his business. “Did you have to do this now? We’re a little overwhelmed today.”
                  “We are? Why?”
                  “Ricky is still out sick and Chelle hasn’t shown up. Didn’t even bother to call.”
                  Shit! This whole lie might be for nothing if she wasn’t here. At first he was annoyed and then a sliver of panic set in as he realized how out of character that was for her. She was always on time, and usually early. “That’s not like her.”
                  “I’d call but she never did supply us with a phone number. That address she gave us was no good either. The T4