Chapter 2

"Tommy, Tommy, can you hear me sweetie?"

Tommy could hear his mother's voice but it sounded so far away and why did he feel worse than he could ever remember. He slowly came awake and could somewhat focus on his mother but she was still blurry and indistinct.

"Honey, you were in an accident." She explained softly, "you were hit by a car on your bike. But you're going to be okay. You're in the hospital and the doctors have fixed you up but your going to be sore and will have to stay home awhile to get better."

Susan looked down at her oldest child; he looked so helpless. She could still hear the squeal of the tires and blaring of the horn, followed by the dull crunch as the car hit her boy. He had been unconscious for two days in the hospital and it was going to be a few months before he could be up walking again. She looked at the casts covering both his arms and another on his lower right leg. But it could have been far worse and that he had not been killed was a simple miracle.

The doctors had told her that she could take him home but he would need to stay in bed and be cared for around the clock for weeks to come. She was going to take her baby home and do just that – somehow.

Susan Roberts was 36 and a single parent since her husband's death five years earlier. It had been a hard time for the family of three and she still struggled at her secretarial job to support them. Her boss had understood and given her three weeks off with pay to care for Tommy but time was running out. She only had another weekend before she had to go back to work. She had checked on home healthcare but there was no way she could afford it. There was really only one option left and she knew it wasn't going to be a popular one.

"Lori, sit down dear I need to talk to you," Susan said. She laid out the situation to her young daughter and took a breath before continuing. "So, I need you to stay home with your brother and take care of him while I'm at work. I've checked with your school and they can send your assignments as well as a teacher who will stop by every few days.

They are going to do the same for Tommy.

Lori just nodded, obviously overcome with immensity of the news.

Susan took another breath and continued, "Your going to have to do everything I've been doing for your brother – everything. Do you understand?

"I think so," Lori stammered.

Susan smiled, "That's my girl, but lets go over everything anyway."

She then explained to her daughter about giving Tommy his medicine and making sure he was comfortable. Susan explained that Lori would need to write all his schoolwork down for him and a dozen other responsibilities. Then she got to the hard part.

"You know Tommy's been hurt real bad and he needs us for just about everything. It is like caring for a baby and that means he will need our help for some things that are going to be embarrassing for both of you. That includes washing and helping him go to the bathroom.

Lori flushed with embarrassment but understood that it was necessary. She was also a bit excited by the prospect of seeing a boy's privates, even if it was her brother.

To say that Tommy was less than enthused by the news his mother related would be an understatement. It was bad enough that he had to have his mother's help to pee and wipe his butt; that his bratty little sister would now being doing it was just too much. But even as he complained, he knew there really was no other option.