Born a Crime

outdoor sitting area by the entrance
to the emergency room. Andrew
was standing there waiting for me,
alone, his clothes smeared with
blood. He still looked perfectly
calm, completely stoic. Then the
moment he looked up and saw me
he broke down and started bawling.
It was like he’d been holding it
together the whole morning and
then everything broke loose at once
and he lost it. I ran to him and
hugged him and he cried and cried.
His cry was different from mine,
though. My cry was one of pain and
anger. His cry was one of
helplessness.