Chapter 22

Target managed to provide everything Teri and the children needed to get through the night. I decided to add a few items to their shopping list, and picked up two mini laptops, a bunch of age appropriate DVD's, and a shopping cart full of games, toys, computer programs, and other goodies. Due to space, all that had to go in with the security guys in the second vehicle.

For Teri, I bought thirteen hundred count sheets, fleece blankets, every hair care product that the salesgirl suggested, along with blow dryers, perfume, body wash, creams and lotions.

I like shopping for others. It's just me that I hate shopping for.

Whatever...

Next door to Target was a pool, fireplace, and hot tub store, so I left Teri and the kids with a guard, and a fresh debit card, and walked next door. I picked out an eight person hot tub and bought it, with instructions for delivery and set up before noon the next morning. The hot tub salesman included all the 'stuff' like chlorine, clarifier, and the like, so I wouldn't have to run back right away because we didn't have everything we needed.

When that was accomplished, I rejoined everyone, and we headed for the farm. Shopping might have energized Teri for a little while, but they were totally exhausted, and both children were asleep almost before we pulled out of the parking lot.

We were home by ten-thirty, and the guards carried the children to a bedroom in the hall, while I showed Teri to her suite at the back. Even exhausted, she walked around the room with amazement in her eyes. I understood, because twelve hours ago she was living in a cardboard box next to an outside exhaust fan, and hoping to live one more day. Now she was being introduced to her new suite of rooms, with a new wardrobe, money in her new purse, and plenty of clothes to wear.

I showed her the separate shower and bathtub, and acquainted her with the rain shower head and how to adjust the flow. When I left her, she was silently crying, randomly touching things, and generally letting go of some of her fear, hurt, and anxiety. She needed rest, and stability. Nothing substitutes for a good night's rest, and I left her so she could.

The children were passed out in the middle of the big bed in the middle bedroom, and so I tossed a quilt over them and left the bathroom light on in case they woke up and got scared. There was a light in the hallway and another in the kitchen that I left burning for the same reason. Before I went upstairs, I took a piece of poster board and printed, "Your Mom Is That Way, ' with a big arrow, and taped it to their bedroom door, showing the way to Teri's room.

The fireplace looked so inviting that I started it up, got a warm fleece blanket to throw over me, and slept on the couch so I'd be nearby if the kids had a problem. The kids hadn't met Sammy, and he only saw them when they were unconscious, so I made a mental note to be aware of that when they woke up, so they wouldn't get scared. The flames and heat put me out pretty fast, and with Sammy curled up beside me, I slept like a baby.

I was up and had breakfast almost ready before any of them appeared in the morning. Teri was first. She poked her head out of her bedroom, looked around as if she was a bit confused, and went in search of the kids. It wasn't hard to find them, and she stopped to take in my homemade sign on the way into their room.

I heard sounds that sounded a lot like frustration, so I tip-toed down the hall to see what the problem was. Teri was trying to undress Judy, who had, by the smell of things, had an accident in her sleep. Rather than barge in, I spoke from the hallway, "Teri, its Kevin. Do you need a hand getting Judy changed?"

I heard her sudden intake of breath and figured she hoped I wouldn't discover Judy's problem. Instead of letting her stew about it, I said. "I've been through that with other children and understand the issues. She's been living such a stressful life, and accidents are inevitable while their systems adjust to normalcy. If you need a strong pair of arms, let me know. I can hold her while you clean her up and get her into fresh clothes."

The silence told me she might prefer to handle this problem alone, so I'd started back towards the kitchen, when I heard, "If you're sure you don't mind helping. She's a mess, though, and maybe you don't want to deal with it..."

I walked in and gently lifted Judy up so Teri could get her clothes off, and start cleaning around her bottom. Judy apparently had suffered multiple bouts, and her under and outer clothes were soiled. The stench was strong, but not as strong as before they bathed at the hotel.

Improvement is improvement.

Judy never really woke up, as her mother cleaned and dressed her. It got me thinking about medications. "Did the doctor renew Judy's medications, yesterday?"

She gave me a slightly scared look. "Yes. He said she had been off her drugs for too long. I hope it wasn't presumptuous of me to let him refill her pills..."

"Of course not," I nearly snapped at her. "I insisted that the doctor take care of anything and everything. The reason I'm asking is, I think that restarting some drugs, causes children to be very sleepy, just like this, and if she doesn't wake up when she gets the urge, her body still has to go, so she goes..."

It sounded perfectly logical and Teri agreed.

We chatted while Teri finished getting Judy presentable and checked the sheets to ensure they hadn't been soiled. After I laid Judy back down on the bed, Teri woke Timmy, and he joined us for breakfast.

When he appeared in the kitchen, Timmy looked somewhat lost, scared, and hopeful, all at the same time. His hair went every which way, and Teri immediately went to work correcting it. His face was very ruddy from living out in the weather, but he seemed healthy which was amazing.

Everything about Timmy made me think he was nervous, so I asked, "Timmy, my friend, are you scared of me? Cause I'm not very scary, unless someone tried to hurt you. Because if someone tried to hurt you, or Judy, or your mommy, I'd become scary pretty fast, but not to you..."