Chapter 5

The first few days were pretty hard. I didn’t know how to act or feel in the new house. I didn’t want to be annoying; I didn’t want them to think I was being needy. I was just so grateful that I could have a normal bed and a normal home again. I was so thankful for Bob and I was happy to be out of the hospital. Only that I didn’t have the courage to keep asking different questions from him or Kyle, that I was dying to know. I knew Gladys, Kyle’s mom, had been living with them a while back. I knew she had left, but I had no idea why. I also knew that his little sister, Kim, had had SIDS when she was 3 months old. I wondered that probably had something to do with it. But I wasn’t brave enough to ask.

The first complication was getting up and down the stairs. One of them had to carry me, which was embarrassing enough. So, on the first day, I kind of just stayed in my new room, lying on my bed, earbuds in, and thought about everything. Since my arms were getting stronger, I was able to lift myself into the wheelchair when needed. I could go to the bathroom by myself which was a major plus now.

I found out Bob cooked amazing food. Even though Kyle said they mostly get takeout since his dad works a lot, he was like a professional. He made a huge amount of food since Kyle was literally able to eat as much as I could in a week.

During the first night, I had quite a few panic attacks. The nightmares were suffocating my mind and every time I woke up, I was a sobbing mess. So, neither I nor Bob could get much sleep. Every time I fell asleep, he stayed in the armchair in my room just in case. I woke up so many times I’m not even sure I could count.

On the second day, he had to go back to work. He was incredibly worried about me and Olive, and it was adorable to see a grown man worry like that, but Kyle promised not to go anywhere, so he was able to go to work in peace. Taking care of my little sister never used to be as hard as it was now. She was a toddler now. And god did she like to explore everything. So, while Kyle tried to handle it, knowing I couldn’t move too well inside the house, he was so tired when I managed to put her down for a nap.

We just watched movies and talked most of the time after that. As we did the day after that. But I never asked him the important questions that were haunting me. I finally did it on the fourth day.

“Hey Kyle?” I asked as casually as possible as I was half sitting-half lying on the couch, looking at him making some sandwiches in the opened kitchen area.

“Yeah?”

“How come you’re not in school right now?”

I couldn’t see his reaction because his back was towards me, but I could almost hear the smirk in his answer, “Who else could take care of you?”

I held back my eye roll at that. “I mean… Aren’t you falling behind?”

“Aren’t you?” he asked, setting my plate down on my lap and handing me a glass of juice.

“I mean, yeah, but… I’m kind of, you know.”

“Injured?”

“Mh-hmm. I have to sleep like 11 hours a day, I can’t go to school right now…”

He swallowed the big bite of his sandwich and started talking, letting me eat mine. “I’ve been studying online right now,” he said. “Even though Collarpie looks really nostalgic and old, the school has an online system, too. It’s a small town, everyone knows everyone. A lot of people get bullied. So, I know a few kids from the school who do it at home.”

“So, you’re not staying behind because of me?” I asked in relief.

He smiled softly. “Just a bit. I still have to do all the tests I’ve missed when I go back to school.”

“And when is that?” I asked carefully.

“January. With you.”

I took a small shaky breath. “I’m going to school in January?”

He frowned worriedly. “You have to finish school, Lizzie. It’s just half of the junior year and then the senior one. It’s not that bad.”

“You said many people get bullied. What if somebody hurts me? I mean I can’t defend myself or anything.”

I was slowly starting spiraling until his hand touched mine, sending fire up my veins and relaxing my breathing. “Calm down,” he said with his calm and deep voice. “Nobody will hurt you. I’ll be there. And once my friends meet you, they’ll be there too. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Do you think I’ll be able to walk? Just a little?” I asked hopefully.

He sighed. “Lizzie…”

“Please. Do you?”

He swallowed quietly, staring into my teary blue eyes as he shook his head just a bit. “Not in January. Maybe a few months after that.”

“April?” I asked carefully.

He nodded. “Maybe.” At least he was honest. “Look, Lizzie, the school here isn’t that bad. I’m kind of a nerd, but I have a lot of different friends and they’re all really nice. I won’t leave you alone at school. Plus, dad’s the sheriff of this town… When he tells the school secretary to get us into the same classes, they will.”

I smiled at that a little, blinking away the last tears I had. “Will you help me catch up?”

He sighed. “Right now?”

“I don’t know, whenever you feel like it.”

“In January?” he asked with a smirk.

“Kyle,” I chuckled.

“Alright alright. I’ll get some stuff for tomorrow. What grades do you have?”

“B in math, C in English. Most of the others are A-s.”

“Oh wow,” he chuckled. “I can help you with English. What about literature, you like that?”

“Yeah, it’s alright,” I shrugged. “I read books. I like to study new things. Just I have really bad handwriting and I can’t form sentences on paper.”

He nodded slowly. “I have a D in History,” he said. “You can help me with that.”

#

A day later Kyle found out he’ll have to do the tests before December 22nd, which was kind of a shitty move from the school, but we all understood why it was like that. He needed to get his grades before the Christmas break. While he was studying, trying to memorize the stuff, I was too. I was helping him, asking him different questions, showing him my methods. He only had a week.

Meanwhile, I was going to physical therapy for a few hours every day. Bob would drive me, in the police car which kind of sucked, but I understood since he had to work at the same time. The hospital was a lot smaller and there weren’t many people, but their equipment was amazing. My physical therapists were very kind to me and looked really sorry when I told them about what happened. They asked me about what I had learned to do so far and were super impressed that I was able to move my right leg and bend it from my knee, holding it up straight for a few seconds before my muscles gave up.

They kept bending my legs and helping me stretch them. Both of the men promised that at least my right leg was going to be ready for walking by February if I kept practicing and if my mind was strong enough.

The first time we went to the hospital, there were a few other kids in the huge room. Two little boys, an older woman, an old man, and a boy about my age. His hair was piercing red, and his eyes were brown and sympathetic when he saw me. I could see him giving a small wave to Bob who probably did the same, and then a small smile to me. I didn’t know why he was there or what was wrong with him, but he looked perfectly normal for me.

#

On the 20th, Wednesday, when dad drove me home from the appointment, the same redheaded guy was sitting in the living room with Kyle, both of them studying. I frowned in confusion and looked at Bob, who just shrugged in response. “Hey baby,” he said, picking up Olive who ran to us. “How’s your day?” he asked.

“I play,” she announced with her cute baby accent, making me smile as I removed my boots, leaning down a lot.

“And did you get something to eat?”

“Maconi.”

“Macaroni?” Bob chuckled.

“And cheese!” Kyle added from the living room, leaning back on the couch to see us around the corner. He gave me a smile, nudging his head invitingly, and then waved at dad, disappearing again.

“I’m going back to work, I’ll be back soon, okay?” he asked both me and Olive. I gave him a slight smile and a nod while my sister answered with okay. “Kyle, make Lizzie some food!” he shouted when placing my little sister down.

“Got it!”

“I can take care of myself,” I protested.

The man ruffled my hair and pulled his hand away before I had the chance to push it off, a smile on my face. “I know you can. So, go and study with the boys.”

I sighed. “I swear to god if I’m not out of this thing soon enough, I’ll sue whoever invented car crashes and wheelchairs and spinal cords,” I mumbled as I went, making Bob laugh.

“Bye guys.”

“Bye,” we all said as I reached the couch that the boys were sitting on, their books and notebooks all over the floor. “Well, that’s a productive way to study,” I murmured.

“Do you believe in God?” the redhead asked me. I frowned deeply, looking at him in confusion as did Kyle. “I’m pretty sure you’d have to sue God if you’re looking for the person who invented spinal cords…”

At that both me and Kyle chuckled. “He’d be glad to do it with you,” Kyle said.

“Right…” I started slowly. “Why are you in the hospital sometimes?”

“I broke my elbow during a football practice,” the redhead explained. “I got the cast off a month ago, but I can’t move my hand.”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” I said sadly. “Can you still play?”

“No. Not until it’ll heal.”

“What do the doctors say?”

“That it’ll take time. Some more months. But so far I can’t even grab stuff with my fingers, so I’m not sure if I believe them. My nerves are damaged… I’m sorry about your legs. And your family.”

I gave him a small smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. Kyle cleared his throat quietly, “Well this isn’t at all as awkward as I thought it would be.” I smiled at him, and this time it was a genuine one. “Lizzie, this is Alfie. The one I told you about, remember?”

I nodded, all of it fitting itself together now. “What are you two studying?” I asked.

“History,” Alfie said. “I have a test tomorrow and Kyle has like 8.”

“4 tomorrow, 4 the day after that,” Kyle murmured, looking at me. “Help me make cheat sheets? Please?”

“Like for what?”

“Spanish. Math. History. Science.”

“Oh wow.”

“And for Friday—”

“Kyle,” I chuckled, making Alfie laugh as well as the boy with the old grey hat on his head looked sheepish. “You’ve studied so much; I don’t think it’s possible to fail. Even I know all these things by heart now.”

He sighed and changed the topic. “You wanna get on the couch?”

“Yes,” I said, making him get up. “I swear if my legs aren’t going to work soon enough—”

“We know; you’re going to court and suing God, got it,” Kyle said, moving my chair to the right place, right next to the couch. “Ready?”

“Yep,” I replied, using the abs under my stomach not to get hurt as his arms wrapped themselves around me, under the armpits, hands clenching together right under my boobs. He got me off the chair and helped me to sit down as carefully as he could. I gave him a thankful smile afterward and ignored the way his hand brushed against my bra as he pulled his hands away.

I helped myself to sit back on the couch and while the boys talked, I got my left leg pulled up on the couch with the help of my hands and smiled big when I was able to do it by myself with the right one. It was a process. And I was proud of myself.

Kyle had it in his nature by now to help us, which was why when Olive started climbing onto the couch to get onto my lap, he lifted her up on it immediately, without even stopping talking with Alfie. I smirked at him, seeing that he didn’t even notice. My little sister set herself between the couch and my thighs, managing to make some more room for herself and lie down in a very weird position.

I chuckled when she smiled up at me but tried to get up again. “Is that comfortable?”

“Yeah,” she lied, trying to pull herself up. I rolled my eyes, sitting her up again and helped her sit normally so that she could cuddle with me like she apparently wanted to do. I didn’t mind either. Ever since I woke up in that white plain room, I had needed more of the touching and caring part. I just wanted people to hug me now. It felt comforting.