Chapter 2

"Well Tiger are you ready to go home?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, get me out of here."

"I brought you some clothes that I left at the nurse's station. As soon as they come in and get you dressed they will wheel you down to the car and we can be on our way. I've already stopped by the admitting to sign you out."

Unable to grab or hold on to anything Jaxon was helped into the front seat by the nurse and his mother. The nurse had him stand facing her and then sit with his feet still on the ground. Once Jaxon was seated the nurse swung his legs in thereby pivoting his body so he was then facing forward and fastened his seat belt. After thanking the nurse his mother came around and got in and started the car. Before pulling out she asked, "Are you doing OK honey?" and patted him on the leg.

"I'm fine mom. This is just going to take a little getting used to. I sure screwed up my summer."

"Your father and I talked about it and we're going to try to make it pleasant as possible for you. We know it will be trying at times but if you don't dwell on the downside it might not be too bad and there is your birthday party to look forward to. Maybe you and I can plan some new stuff for it.

Your father and I have set up the rec room for you. You won't have to climb any stairs and there's that nice big bathroom right there and you can have easy access to the outside and the pool area. I'm afraid that you won't be able to get in the pool but you can sit on the side and drape your legs in. The couch in front of the TV opens into a bed which while not as comfortable as your bed is still quite comfortable. How does that sound."

When they had built the house Carlton and Emily designed the rec room with their kids in mind. They wanted an outside door to pool and back yard area so the kids and their friends could come in and out to the bathroom without tramping through the house. The bathroom off the rec room was extra big so that more than one kid of the same sex could be in there at the same time. There was a giant shower stall with multiple shower heads and a hand held fixture as well as a bathtub with a hand held shower nozzle and a double sink and linen closet. There were racks and hooks around the walls with beach towels and bathing suits hanging.

"All right I guess. I'd rather be in my room but I understand that it would be more work for you coming up and down the stairs all day so yes it will be fine."

"They are delivering a single bed to set up for me tomorrow in here."

"Why?"

"Because if someone isn't down there with you we would have to have some kind of intercom installed and there's no guarantee that your dad or I would hear it during the dead of the night. Plus me getting up would wake your dad and there's no need for that."

"OK, makes sense," Jaxon said with resignation at the thought of having his mother as his roommate. "Man this is going to be one big fuck up," he said to himself.

Emily had not broached the hard part yet and the realization hadn't hit Jaxon.

Emily and Carlton had had a heated discussion on the subject last night when deciding on Jaxon taking residence in the rec room.

"Carlton someone has to do it and I'm sure it will not be you and even if you would do it you would have to stop work for four to six weeks. Are you prepared to do that?"

"But Em' it will be embarrassing for Jax. He is not a toddler anymore he is almost fifteen."

"Well what do you want to do Carlton hire nurses around the clock when their totally working time might be three hours?"

They both agreed that that didn't make sense and the only answer was for Emily to be the one to take care of Jaxon and he would just have to bare the embarrassment as best he could. Emily was sure that Jaxon would get used to it. She would have to limit his liquid intake and the amount of roughage in his diet she thought with a chuckle.

When they arrived home Emily came around and opened Jaxon's door and released his seat belt. Then she assisted him in swinging his legs out of the car. "Jax put your right arm around my neck so you can help me get you up and don't put any pressure on your left arm or hand."

With Jaxon's arm around her neck Emily slipped her arms around his torso and squeezing lifted Jaxon onto his feet. A little unsteady because of his injuries Jaxon nevertheless managed to straighten and walk, with his mother's assistance up the front stairs and into the house. His body hurt all over and getting into the house It was awkward because he was unable to use any of the banisters to stead himself. Once in the rec room he was glad to sit on the side of what would be his bed for the next four to six weeks.