Chapter 16: TLC

Wednesday, Joe got some help from Mark and Jason, and they loaded Megan into his SUV so he could take her to a local orthopedic doctor that the clinic at the College recommended. He’d arranged with the clinic in Killington to send the x-rays taken in Vermont along with the Vermont doctor’s report. An orderly the size of a doorway helped extract Megan from the car at the doctor’s office in Dillon, and she went in for an exam.

Megan’s spirits had sunk lower each day since Sunday as she realized how limited she was and how she constantly needed something for her leg pain. She had stopped taking the opioids, but become worried about becoming ‘hooked’ on Extra Strength Tylenol.

Joe commented to the nurse as he logged in Megan, “I called all around and you have the reputation as the best doctor in the northeast. I want the best for Megan, even if the insurance doesn’t cover it.”

The nurse checked and said, “The policy she has through Harbridge College will be adequate for all the charges. All our patients get the best care we can offer, so rest easy.”

The nurse studied Joe a moment.

“This girl is important to you, I can tell.”

Joe got a little choked up and nodded. The pair were interrupted when another nurse came out to get the wheelchair Megan was in. Megan pleaded with the nurse for me to go with her, and that was allowed.

The nurse warned, “Given the nature of your cast we can ask Professor Basehart to step out of the room for that part of the exam.”

Megan grabbed Joe’s hand and held on tight. Without thinking she said, “Oh, no. He can stay. He’s seen it all anyway.”

The nurse looked over the top of her eyeglasses at Joe as he blushed up a nice pink hue. The doctor came into the room about then like a gust of warm air. The exam started instantly, and went along at a rapid pace. Megan’s x-rays were on a lighted panel on the wall. He had the nurse take another set to be sure that nothing had shifted in her transport.

Dr. Sayers commented, “The upper break in your femur is what is called a ‘green stick’ fracture. As far as you’re concerned Megan, all things being equal, that’s good because it will heal in half the time. What that means is that in about a month, we should be able to remove the upper part of your cast, leaving you from the knee down not from the waist down. You’ll be more mobile, and will be able to move around a little on crutches. I mean that ‘little’ comment. I don’t want you thinking you can suddenly motor around campus in anything other than a wheel chair for the next two months. The crutches would be for use from room to room, or to go to the bathroom.”

There was some discussion about bed pans and urinating, that resulted in the nurse presenting Megan with a Porta-Jill. The small plastic device that cupped over her vulva and captured the expended liquid for disposal. Megan looked relieved. At least that part of her voiding would be easier.

An appointment was made for a month unless Megan felt something was wrong. Possible symptoms were also discussed about what ‘wrong’ might mean. The orderly helped get Megan back in Joe’s car and he transported her home to Colburn House.

Joe asked, “If you weren’t able to live here where would you go?”

Megan shook her head, “Nowhere. Colburn House is my only home. My mother can’t take me in and my father died years ago of an aneurysm, so it’s just me and wherever I have a room. As you see, I travel light. I do have a storage locker on the outskirts of Dillon with some other junk and sporting goods stuff in it – my summer hiking gear and such.”

After a pause, Megan added, “Thank you for taking me to the doctors. I didn’t know what I’d do. I could tell ... I mean ... what you kind of said to the nurse. I can tell you love me, and that’s very important to me.”

Joe nodded, “I do love you.”

“And I love you ... and Marjorie ... and all the others. I know it’s over a year away, but I am already feeling some angst about the Colburn 14 breaking apart and going separate ways.”

Joe said, “I think it’s part of adulthood. You’re called upon to leave behind close friends as you move along in your career. You won’t separate from everyone, though. Some of us will remain geographically close to you, so we’ll be available for social visits.”

Megan laughed, “Socio-sexual, I hope. I’m already horny and I haven’t even been without since Saturday night. By the time a month passes, I’ll be climbing the walls.”

Joe laughed as they pulled into the Colburn House parking lot. Mark and Jason came running from the house to help bring Megan inside.

Two days prior, Joe had worked with Megan and couple of others in the house to ensure that Megan had the wherewithal to keep up with her classes. Joe’s classes were no problem. For another, one of the others in Colburn House would video the lecture. For yet another, the classroom had video gear and he arranged for a webcast to be made of the lecture.

Megan was taking sociology as an elective and the teacher for that class was none other than Professor Michael Wolf that Gail had started dating only a few days earlier. Gail arranged for him to give tutoring sessions to Megan. Of course, as part of the deal, she got to see him and got him to take her out about once a week.

As most of the Colburn 14 sat with Megan with in living room Wednesday evening, Joe reflected on how they all needed the outside resources of the college and perhaps even the town as part of their network.

Beth commented, “So, we just make sure we love everybody. We help them; they help us. It’s that way all over the world but a lot of people just forget.”

Megan said in an unhappy tone, “I hope you can figure out a way to love me with half my pussy covered with a plaster cast.”

Joe laughed, “I saw what you’re dealing with at the doctor’s office. Your openings and clit are available.”

“Yeah, but who want to make love to a pussy where they have to push their tongue or cock against a wall of plaster.”

Almost instantly, every male hand in the room was raised, amid raucous laughter. Megan was left blushing, but she’d brought it on herself.

Carlos went a knelt in front of her. “Megan, we love you in mind, body, and spirit. You have a small body problem, but it is temporary. We’ll work around it to keep you happy. We’ll adapt.”

Morgan had heard Megan’s remarks and run off to her room. She returned with a large Hitachi vibrator with the electric cord training behind. “This’ll help, too. I bet it’ll even works through the plaster. I have other attachments. You can borrow this, but I do want it back eventually. You can use this and that huge dildo in your desk drawer.” Again the room laughed and Megan blushed. Several wondered how Morgan knew what was in Megan’s desk.

For a month, the routine in Colburn House seemed to revolve around Megan. She’d be brought down in the morning, usually by two of the guys. She’d be placed on one of the sofas along with her laptop, crutches, cellphone, a bell for signaling she needed help, and a few other comfort items, and then have a breakfast tray brought to her. People would go off to classes, and Megan would start on either her homework or tuning into a morning class.

Mid-morning one of the girls would assist for bathroom break using the Porta-Jill. Several students were always home for lunch, and made sure Megan got fed and had company. Afternoon was study and-or classes. Any handouts or videos on thumb drives that Megan needed would reach her.

All serious work was stopped just after five o’clock, and an hour-long cocktail party would take place. Megan was always included if not the center of attention. Everyone shared their triumphs and disasters, often with great laughter or sympathy. Everyone would blend into dinner. Megan would get positioned in a good chair at the table.

Valentine and Marjorie both sold houses in the ten- to twenty-million range. Valentine locked in a new listing for her office for one in the same range. Her colleague Janet praised her work and anointed Valentine not as her assistant, but as her equal. Valentine had made over a quarter-of-a-million dollars since the start of the semester.

The students with intern assignments always had stories to tell, if not about what they were doing, then about what their sponsoring company was doing or something humorous about some character they were working with.

Sometime after dinner, Megan would get transported back to her studio apartment, helped by some of the girls to change her clothes into night gear, do her ablutions, and then get in bed. Weekends were only slightly different because there were no classes, but more casual conversations in the living room.

Of course, there were the orgasms. Megan was correct; the waist-to-knee cast was not conducive to intercourse. That left other options for everyone to please their friend and lover. Megan usually wanted to return the favor, too; so, she’d be giving as well as receiving from all of her colleagues.

Usually, over the lunch hour, one of the group at home for lunch would take time to deliver at least one pleasant sexually-laden episode of cunnilingus to Megan. After dinner, the event would happen again. There was no set rotation, but Megan never went without. The last man or woman to tuck her into bed made sure she went to sleep happy and at least partially sated.

Four weeks passed by quickly. The check-up by the doctor resulted in the removal of the cast from waist to knee. By this time, too, all of the pain associated with the accident had diminished. Megan came home to Colburn House still in a cast, but more mobile, and eager to have full-out sex. Since Joe had again driven his student to the doctor and back home, he was the first since her accident to help satisfy her nymphomaniac needs. It cost him an entire afternoon, but he deemed it time well spent. Marjorie laughed when she confronted the couple in their bed.

Megan continued to take her classes remotely since the remaining cast, while better, did still not allow the kind of mobility many seemed to have with a broken lower leg. At least she could maneuver around Colburn House without jeopardy except for needing help with the stairs.

Joe returned from teaching a late afternoon class one Wednesday to find Dane and a cute younger college girl at the card table in the living room with a mass of papers in front of them. Dane called Joe over.

“Joe, this is Lauren Ladd. She’s a junior.” Lauren this is Professor Joe Basehart.”

Lauren greeted Joe politely and explained. “I’ve never done case studies before. Dane is helping me understand how to analyze one. I’m in the Management 301 class, and this is the first time they appear.”

Joe smiled, “So, you’re doing the Marks & Spencer case?”

Lauren looked surprised that he knew the case and nodded, “Yes, and also a case about Bethlehem Steel. Just so you know, when I started algebra and had to find ‘X’, I was also at a complete loss as to what that meant until I got some tutoring.” She grinned.

Joe laughed, “I’ve taught both cases. They’re good starter case studies once you get over the hurdle of no outside problem structure. I assume you got some study questions?”

“Yeah, but they’re kind of general. What’s right with the company and what’s wrong? Should management do anything differently?”

Dane volunteered, “I was teaching her about SWOT analysis as a starting point.”

Joe said, “Good place to start. On those two cases it also helps to do a stakeholder analysis and take a look at how their communications within and without works. If you’ve gotten into leadership models, you might think about which ones apply to the key players in each company.”

“Thank you.” Lauren looked at Dane who was smiling.

Dane smiled, “Those were on my list, too. Thanks.”

Joe noticed the mutual looks of infatuation on Dane and Lauren. He chuckled to himself about discovering a potentially budding romance between Dane and the booby brunette. He asked, “How did you two meet if I may ask?”

Dane responded, “Oh, she was sitting on a bench inside the doors of the graduate classroom building looking really puzzled and lost. As I walked by, I could see she had a case study open in front of her. I just asked if she were having problems with it.”