Jack felt a pang of jealousy -- hard as a slap -- when Nick greeted Evie and then asked for their father. What about him? He was the one who paid for all this, back when Dad and Marissa said they couldn't afford it, even after Nick attacked him with a knife --
He managed to rein himself in, enough to croak, his voice weak and thick with unshed tears: "Nicky, Dad, uhm, Dad..." Fuck, this was hard. Clearing his throat, he took a shy step toward his brother, arms opened, wanting to hug Nick. "Dad passed away."