Chapter 11

Recovery from the minor wound proved to be a real bitch. The wound was four inches above the hip which had been replaced. After a week of barely getting out of bed, I went in and had my orthopedist do a full work up on my hip joint. The flesh wound did a lot more damage than I would have imagined possible. The slug ricocheted around under the skin, moving around chewing up the soft tissues.

Of course if I had done the right thing for the hip, I would have taken all the weight off it immediately. That of course would have resulted in my immediate death and that of Rose as well. So I didn’t blame myself for making my hip worse by remaining mobile enough to kill the bad guys and save the good girl. I’d be willing to answer to god for that decision, but not to anyone else. It just was what it was, with no going back.

Doing all that just added to the amount of scar tissue. Which was what made the mobility of the fake joint questionable. The answer seemed to be wait for the new wound to heal, then go back in and clean up the first surgery. Not the best of all outcomes, but remaining the same was not an option either. The only people I interacted with during that two months were health care professionals, and people who were happy to see me down. In other words all of the people I worked with prior to the second battle of the Alamo east.

In the mean time I was pretty much an invalid. I could make it to the bathroom and to shower. I could even hop around on my good leg to cook an egg, or toast the bread for a sandwich, but that was about all I was good for at that time. Thia came by for her once a week grocery grocery shopping trip. I hated that I had to depend on her, but that was the wheel of life turning. I had wiped her ass when she was a kid at least I wasn’t that bad yet.

Her lawyer friend was a god send, since she dealt with all the money matters for both Rose and I. There was no doubt she was figuring out how she could screw me, figuratively speaking. I stayed true to myself and became a hermit.

From the time of the gun powder smell filling the air, and then the smoke from the burning leaves adding it’s stench was a mere month. Which was also my recovery time for the gunshot wound. During my recovery the only visitor I had, other than family, was Rose Ritter.

After that month, rather than have his holding attached, or worse yet investigated, the big brother decided to settle our claims. Besides it would look better for his kid brother at the sentencing. By thanksgiving of that year I was looking at going into the hospital for surgery. I considered it like aligning the front end on a car. Something minor, but necessary now and then. I had to be in the hospital after Thanksgiving but before Christmas. Which pretty much meant the whole season was blown to hell. I heard the car pull into my parking lot, so I made sure the colt was easily accessible.

The voice outside belonged to Thia. “Daddy don’t shoot, it’s just us,” she said.

“Well come on in, you have a key,” I shouted back. She came in with a cardboard box. “Is your husband working today.”

“Or something,” Thia said.

“So what did you bring me?” I asked.

“The best turkey sandwich you ever ate,” she said.

“Jon is that right,” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said with a smile.

“You better eat it now, since you are having surgery early tomorrow,” Thia said.

“Fat chance of that,” I said. “Nothing in the medical field happens on time.”

“Okay, but if you throw up all over the surgery don’t blame me,” she said.

“I might, but you won’t be there since I have to go to Greensboro for the roto rooter service,” I said.

“Speaking of which, are you sure you don’t want me to drive you over,” Thia asked.

“No thanks, you are going to bring me home that is more than enough. Rose wants to do it, so let her.” I said.

“God knows she owes you,” Thia said.

“She doesn’t owe me anything. Things just came together, so that I could help,” I said.

“And ended you up on the cripple list,” Thia said.

I shut up and turned away when she said that. “I’m sorry dad. I didn’t mean it that way. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

“Good, because this is the only version this model comes in,” I said that as I reached out and hugged her. I didn’t dare kiss her with Jon around.

“I’ve got a friend at Cone. I will know how it went before you do,” she said. “They are going to insist that you stay over night I’m sure.”

“That is what the doctor said, but we will see,” I admitted.

“What time is she coming?” Thia asked.

“She said not to worry, she would be here,” I said.

“All right,” she said then left.

I shook Jon’s hand, then kissed Thia on the forehead. I waved as they got in their SUV and drove away. I heard the fat cat make a noise at the same time.

“Fat cat did mama let you out again, so I could kitty sit?” I asked. “She keeps doing that, you will end up as the entree at a Chinese restaurant.” It was chilly standing on the porch, but I was dressed for it. Within ten minutes Rose pulled up in her new economy car.

She climbed out of the car and walked up and then kissed me as a good friend would. “How do you like my new car?” she asked.

“It looks like a very sensible car. It should work for your new business just fine,” I said. “So how do you like working with us old and crippled folks?”

“I just love it. I’m already enrolled in the spring LPN course at the community college,” she said.

“Good for you,” I said.

“Do I finally get to sleep in the same bed with you?” she asked.

“As long as you respect my limits,” I said as I went into the bedroom.

I didn’t sleep well. I knew I wouldn’t, so I left the bed and moved to the sofa.

The drive to Greensboro began at four AM. It began two hours earlier than my appointment because we stopped for breakfast at a highway diner. It looked like a diner, it was open 24hours, and it looked like one of those diners made from the body of a world war two bomber, other wise it had nothing in common with a real diner. Hell the eggs weren’t even greasy.