22. Cast

"You look happy," a voice whispered. Pat shifted beside me. "Am I interrupting anything?" The voice snickered in a slightly louder tone. 

"No. She's just had a long morning. She asked me to stay, so I did," Pat replied in a whisper. My hand was bent at the elbow and nestled between us. He gently caressed my fingers before moving a strand of hair behind my ear. 

"So that's a yes? Well d****t. You're royally screwed, man," the voice teased in surprise. 

"Maybe. I haven't asked her about that. Based on everything she shared earlier, I won't for a while. Right now, I'm okay with this," Pat admitted softly. 

"Dude, beyond major props. Not many people would have your patience. What about the other thing? She say yes to that?" 

"She actually hasn't responded to that yet. It has been brought up, but she didn't commit one way or the other. We'll see. I'm hopeful, but I won't hold my breath. She needs to feel productive." My head seemed foggy as I tried to make sense of their conversation. Had they jumped around? Did I miss something? Was I still dreaming? I couldn't answer a single question. "There's more to her than we thought but she's definitely the strongest person either of us know," Pat whispered. 

"Awesome possum! Popcorn? Good. I wasn't planning on sharing anyways. So whacha watching?" Awesome possum? I racked my brain trying to recall where I heard that phrase before and came up with up drawing a blank. I listened a little harder, there was a faint background noise but I couldn't make any of the sounds out. 

"History channel. Good background noise. Quiet enough to let her sleep, yet the pictures are interesting to look at." Something crashed in the room a loud bang causing my eyes shoot open, my breathing to labor, and me to panic. I gasped in fright. Once again, tears threatened to spill. Pat rested his hand on the side of my cheek caught the tears on my eyes before they fell. "Shh, doll," he whispered.

"No! Not again," I cried in a harsh whisper, my voice faltering. "Is it time? Please! End the nightmare, I'm done fighting," I continued mentally as I felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. My machines beeped quickly as my heart rate and blood pressure climbed. I wrapped my fingers around Pat's shirt and closed my eyes tightly as I leaned into his chest.

"Shhh! Annette, you're okay. You're safe. You don't have to fight anymore, doll. I'm sorry you were scared, but you really safe are. That was just a medical cart running into the door. Do you know where you are?" He cooed in my ear as he stroked my hair. I looked at him, nodded, and tried to calm my breathing. I kept my eyes on him, ignoring the commotion by my feet. "Good. With me, doll. In and out." I nodded and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He smiled kindly, and moved his hand down to his chest, wrapping his fingers around my hand. "Shhh. You're fine," he repeated in a whisper as he gently rubbed my hand. I allowed him to pull my hand off his shirt, thinking maybe I had pinched him or something. He didn't say anything about it, just looked at me in concern and let me grab his hand so I could hold it tightly.

The doctor finally started to speak at my feet. His nasally voice instantly irritated me. "Sorry to startle you. My name is Dr. Brandt. I'm going to look at your leg. Are you okay, miss?" I took a deep breath and nodded, keeping my eyes on Pat as I took another deep breath. He moved his arm behind me, tickling my side. I shifted into him again and blushed. Pat stopped moving his arm and rubbed my left side gently.

"Would you like to sit up, doll?" Pat asked in a whisper, causing me to look up at him. I nodded. He grinned and supported my back as he sat up, keeping me in his arms. Slowly I leaned forward so that he could untangle himself and stand up. He adjusted my pillows and helped me lean into them, not once letting go of my hand. "I'll help you sit the bed up in just a moment," he promised as he bounced and shifted beside me. I nodded and looked at the ceiling as I finally released his hand. Dr. Brandt lowered the sling and my leg rested on the bed. I looked over at Pat. He sat in the chair beside my bed and was reattaching his prosthetic leg. Josh sat behind him on the cot with a smirk on his face, eating a bag of popcorn. I wanted to slap my head. Duh! Of course it was Josh. He didn't seem to have a filter when it came to what was on his mind and awesome possum seemed to be his catchphrase. 

"How's the pain?" The doctor asked. Pain? My whole body screamed. 

"In what area?" I rasped, still avoiding his gaze as I blinked back another tear. I couldn't cry right now. I wasn't going to let them win. I could be strong. I had to be strong. Pat looked up and reached for the water bottle beside him and handed it to me. I happily took a sip. "I ache all over. There isn't a single muscle that doesn't hurt," I replied crossly. I shook my head and took a deep breath. I finally looked at the doctor and smiled, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to rude. I don't like waking up like that." 

"I can't think of one person that does," he chuckled. "Again. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to cause you distress. Let's focus on the pain in your right leg right now. On a scale of 1-10, even on your morphine, how would you rate your pain?" 

"Constant 7½-8," I replied with certainty. He pressed his fingers down on my foot and squeezed each toe. They tingled like I had sat on them for a long time causing me to exclaim in a squeaky voice, "ow! My toes are numb, like they're full of static." 

"Good! I'm happy to hear that you felt that. You are still getting circulation to your toes. The swelling on the foot itself has reduced. Can I have a single pillow please? Now let's take a look at the leg," Dr. Brandt insisted as he lifted my foot up and propped the pillow under my knee, my calf floated barely above the bed. He unhooked the latches and began to unwind my leg. I leaned back into my single pillow and grimaced.

"Where's Nurse Malloy?" I asked. Pat stood up and went out the propped open door. 

"Doing her job, I'm sure. I was scheduled to come check you out and see if we can't take this flimsy brace off and get a cast on you. Would you like me to stop?" Dr. Brandt asked just as Pat and Janell entered the room. Pat had an extra pillow. He walked over to me, took my water and set it on the table, offered me his hand which I took, and pulled me up. He placed the pillow behind me before he propped the bed up and sat down again in the chair beside me. Janell looked at me and smiled as she gave me a little nod. 

"You can continue. Just making sure that you're supposed to be here. Someone tried to draw my blood earlier. Apparently I have a no draw order. I don't know everything that needs to happen, but as long as I have Janell's approval, you may continue," I replied. The doctor nodded. I looked over at Pat. "Can you please help adjust my pillows again? My arm feels full of static too. I just don't want them behind my back so I have to stretch or bend it so much," I begged.   

Janell stepped up to the bed after washing her hands. "Need a hand, doc?" She asked.

At the same time, Pat smiled and replied, "of course, doll. Do you need anything else" I shook my head and looked at the doctor as he was now the one talking. Pat adjusted my pillows so one was behind my shoulders and the other was half on that pillow and behind my head. 

"Welcome! Yes of course. So far so good. Let's get her in a cast. For her break it's definitely better than the splint. I'm not seeing much swelling," Dr. Brandt instructed. Janell nodded and began filling up a bucket with cold water. "Color or white?" He asked me. 

"I definitely need a pop of color," I confirmed. He grinned as he kept his focus on my leg. I looked back over at Pat who was now slouching in the chair beside me. He pointed to his body randomly and scowled as he pointed back at me.

"Not good," he mouthed causing me to giggle and point to my bruises. He grinned and gave me a curt nod.

"So what are my color options? My friends don't like the versions I came up with of adding color to my wardrobe," I teased. Pat put his head down and shook it as he chuckled softly. Josh smirked at me and nodded.

"Pink, blue, or purple. The pink will match your nails," the doctor remarked.  

"Ew. No. I can't do that color for long periods of time. Blue, please," I replied, but refused to look back at him. The doctor grunted his approval as he took off the last layer of the ace bandage and ran his fingers up both sides of my leg, pressing all around. I turned back towards him with a small scowl as his fingers stung my leg. In the middle of my leg was a long white bandage. I looked at it with piqued curiosity, hoping to see how it looked underneath. The bruises didn't bother me too much, nor did the small surface scratches. My now black calf concerned me some, but I could see the bruise was smaller than it was and turning muddy. The doctor was taking his time and I was growing inpatient. I never had broken a bone before and was curious if now I would have a weird bump in the middle of my shin. He finally removed the bandage and kept pressing. I noticed one long incision down the middle of my shin and two diagonal cuts above and below the incision to the left. All appeared to be jagged and wouldn't heal in a straight line. I was disappointed, but didn't say anything. Had I been awake, I probably would have just fixed it myself. However, a professional fixed it and it was probably for the best. "Well at least there won't be a gross knob on my leg. Just the ugliest of scars. Just what I need," I thought with a grimace and an eye roll. I whimpered as the doctor pressed near the middle of my leg. Once again, I fought the urge to cry, turning my head in pain. The doctor didn't notice but Pat did, his brow furrowed in concern as he caught my eye. I pursed my lips and closed my eyes, refusing to see the look of pity that was bound to follow.

"No residual fluid. Now tell me, miss, did you feel pressure all down your leg, on both sides?" Dr. Brandt asked. Not trusting my voice, I nodded as I turned back towards him and opened my eyes, but he wasn't looking. I sighed.  

"Yes," I whimpered. "The middle is exceptionally painful." 

"Good. Good. You did have surgery here in the middle. I couldn't align your leg properly without it. You also had clots removed," the doctor explained as he pointed out the individual cuts. "Now the stitches look good. You're healing as intended. No residual blood leaking out. Let's just put a fresh cover on this, then we'll cover it with the sock," he talked to himself. I rolled my eyes again and leaned back into my bed, taking a deep breath as I stared at the ceiling. "Now I need you to move your foot. Tilt it up and down. Then tilt it side to side. It will be painful." I bit my lip and tried to do what he asked as silently three tears fell down my cheek. "Motor movement is limited, but it's to be expected. Best way to wrap this will be to hang it over the bed. Scoot. Let's get this done." I clamped down tighter on my lip, sat up again, and put my right hand down on the bed. I braced and got ready to push with my left leg as I lifted my body with my right arm, focusing on how I was meant to do this. 

"I can do this," I whispered under my breath. Pat stood up. He wordlessly tucked his arm behind my shoulders and the other under both knees and slid me to the edge of the bed with ease. He stood close to the edge bracing my hip against his hip. I looked at him gratefully. "Thank you," I murmured as I tried to scoot away slightly. Jolts of pain shot through my leg and pressure on my hip was not helping. Pat nodded and gave me a small smirk before returning his glare at the doctor. I bit my lip and leaned into his chest. With his left arm, he supported my back. He took my hand in his right hand and rubbed it softly.

"Yes. Yes. Perfect. Thank you. Now, sweetheart, I need you not to let your foot hang limp. You need to flex it slightly. It's going to be stuck in this position for a while so I would suggest a 45° angle, it will probably be the most comfortable, long term position. Yep. Just like that. Now we're going to put this thermal sock on and begin," Dr. Brandt explained as he slid the sock up my leg and I inhaled sharply, burying my head into the side of Pat's arm as I blinked back tears. I closed my eyes and breathed into his bicep as he pulled me in tighter. I inhaled sharply and fought back a sob. 

"Hey! Yo, doc! I think you're causing more pain than helping," Josh stated, causing the doctor to stop his work on me. "No offense, dude, but she's more than just a little banged up and you seem not to care."  

"I'll be done momentarily. My patient seems not to mind," Dr. Brandt retorted and I squeezed Pat's hand as I opened my eyes and looked around the room. Pat was watching me, Josh and Dr. Brandt seemed to be having a stare down, and Janell's back was turned towards me. More tears silently fell. Pat removed his hand from my back and caught my tears. "I haven't heard her utter a peep or cry. If she had a problem, she would have told me off," the doctor snapped.

"Unlikely, but that's only because she hates conflict. Not to mention, she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Everyone knows this! Even if they've just met her," Josh interjected. I looked at him in shock before turning towards the doctor. He was glaring at Josh and if looks could kill, Josh would be dead. Janell hid a smile as she placed the bucket of water by the doctor's feet and got something else ready to go on the cart. "Look at her, doc! Seriously. Her face is contorted in pain and she's crying. Clearly, you are hurting her." The doctor finally looked up at me. 

"Well? Do you have your own mouth? Or has Snoody McPhearson over there taken over your vocal cords," he snarled at me. His expression scared me and I squeezed Pat's hand tighter as I tried to flinch away. 

"I'm uncomfortable and the pain is increasing, but I want this done quickly so I'm not saying anything until your job is done. You're clearly on a mission, so I'll let you get back to it. I'm trying to cooperate. My hip is also fractured and so moving this leg at all is killer. And even the smallest motion is a lot. Please continue," I pleaded as another hot tear fell down my cheek. The doctor nodded and finished pulling up the sock to my knee. Janell came over to my machines and upped my morphine and headed back to the cart. Pat released my hand and lifted my thigh to try and ease my discomfort. I smiled gratefully at him. He returned the smile and playfully tousled my hair before turning towards the doctor with a scowl. Janell and the doctor worked quickly wrapping my socked leg in cotton. I looked over at Josh as he looked at me sympathetically. "Thanks," I mouthed. He nodded then continued to glare at the doctor too. So I followed his gaze. The doctor continued to mutter to himself as Janell handed him stuff. I ignored what they were doing and looked at Pat then back at Josh; they were both so angry. "So have I been replaced at work?" I asked with a hint of humor. Both men looked at me, their faces instantly softening. I smiled, pleased that I had gotten the result I wanted. 

"Definitely replaced. I've never seen Linda there so often," Josh teased. He threw a few popcorn kernels at Pat's head. "Mainly I think she's just there to make sure Pat doesn't do anything stupid." 

"If that was her concern she would be there all the time. For starters, Pat never comes in at the same time, nor does he stay the same length of time at any given point. I mean, I know you're unpredictable, but you would just throw Linda for a loop if she had to be there every time you were there. But it's good that you have someone that keeps you in line," I teased, causing both men to laugh. I looked up at Pat. "Unless you did something while I was gone that required her supervision. Umm, like burn the place down?" He smiled warmly at me as he picked up the popcorn on my bed.

"No. I didn't do anything at work, but I'm about to do something stupid alright," Pat jeered back, pulling me closer to his chest so I could lean against him. I willingly complied; I just felt so weak, and leaning with my shoulder helped keep my hip away from him. Pat picked up the few kernels that landed on me and placing them on the table behind him. "Just as soon as you get put back in your nest of safety, doll. And to him. Popcorn everywhere. Ugh. It's like you think you get it all and then there's a few more pieces." I shook my head as I grinned and he picked up another kernel or two. 

"Whatever you do, just don't get banned from seeing me. I'd be heartbroken," I teased, dramatically grabbing my chest and pouting at them. 

Pat held up three fingers. "Scouts honor, ma'am. I'll behave." I smiled at him and he moved his hand back to support me from behind. I snuggled into his arm and he rubbed my back soothingly. 

"Good. You can always make up for it though if you give me more of those m&ms," I teased. Pat chuckled.

"I'll get you more in a bit, doll," he promised. I smiled at him before pouting. 

"I can't have some now? I know we didn't finish that bag yesterday," I retorted. He grinned and shook his head.

"No we didn't, but I can't get them right now, they're out of reach. I wouldn't trust Josh to get them. He's got a tendency of not behaving," Pat replied warmly. I looked over his arm and gave Josh a pointed look.

"Speaking of, are you going to do something to get yourself banned from seeing me?" I asked. I wanted visitors, even if it was just Josh; I hated being alone.

"No promises. I like to live on the wild side," Josh remarked with a grin. The three of us chuckled.

"Hold still!" Dr. Brandt barked. Josh and Pat instantly turned their faces towards him in disgust. I looked at Pat; I hated him looking so mean.

"Talk to me," I commanded. Pat looked at me and grinned, instantly losing his fierce gaze. "Tell me anything. Please. It helps keep my mind off the pain. Plus, the last time I watched you glare at someone, they came back," I teased in a whisper. He chuckled softly and there was an emotion I couldn't place that crossed his eyes, but I felt frozen to the spot and was unable to look away.

"Anything you want, doll. If that's the case, can I stick around then?" He asked. I grinned, wrapped my arm around his waist, and snuggled into his chest as I looked back at the doctor.

"I'd like that. Besides, you haven't given me a joke of the day," I replied.

Pat chuckled as he played with my hair and continued, "Thank you. I'll think of one later, promise, but for now, I'll just talk to you. So the work place has been different this week. This might shock you." I leaned back and put my hand in my lap so I could look at him, he shifted his arm so I was resting on his elbow, not on his forearm. He smiled warmly at me as Josh snickered softly. "Joe has stepped up to the be the resident drop of sunshine!" Pat exclaimed.

"Yeah! And it's super scary," Josh added. I looked over Pat's arm at Josh who was mimicking Joe's voice pretty well, "keep you head up. You should be smiling and dancing the day away. Life's too short for frowns. Skip, dance, love!" I grinned and Josh went back to his normal voice, "okay, so maybe those aren't his exact words, but it's pretty damn close. We really need you back. You have no idea!" I smiled sadly at both of them as I played with the blanket on my lap.

"I don't think I can come back, guys. For starters, I can't stand. Second, my arm is a little useless. Can't exactly be a good server all banged up like this," I explained morosely. 

"Even if you were just there at the counter eating, it would help the mood. Maybe Joe would stop trying to be so perky. It just doesn't work for him," Josh remarked.

"I've always found him to be a cheerful man," I countered.

"Cheerful, sure. Perky, no," Pat chuckled. "That's your role, doll. Anyone else and it just seems like they're spazzing out on something."

"Oh! I get it. So it's the role you need to take on!" I teased. "Lighten up, Pat! You're always so serious. It'd do you some good to be a source of perkiness. I can teach you," I teased as I grinned at him. He pouted slightly, but his eyes twinkled with merriment.

"I'm hopeless, doll. You can't teach me. I've gotta remain serious and stuff because you are just so bubbly and perky all the time," he replied.

"All about balance, huh? What about when I'm not around? You can't just be a murky mire all the time. Otherwise life is gonna be kinda dull. I don't think anyone would like to be considered boring," I remarked. Pat grinned.

"You're right, doll," he murmured softly.

"She's got you pegged. I've always thought you've been kinda bland, Pat," Josh snickered at the same time.

"Done!" Dr. Brandt exclaimed. Janell dumped the water down the sink and cleaned up their mess. Pat lifted me up again and moved me back to the center of the bed, tucking the pillow under my leg. "Now, missy, rules for your cast," Dr. Brandt began as he rubbed his hands together. I sighed and looked at him in annoyance. "Bare with me, there's quite a few. Most obvious is of course-"

"-keeping it dry. Wrap a towel at the top before covering it in plastic for a shower. Don't bump it. Don't put anything in it, no matter how bad it makes me itch. Elevate it. Ice is good but can be difficult to get the coolness through the cast. I'm curious about socks and slippers though," I interrupted as I met his eye.

"Uh. Right. Also, no pressure on your foot for a minimum of three months, not even a little.  We want your bones to heal properly. If you set even a toe on the ground, you may have a harder time healing. After the three month period, you can try to balance with your toes braced against the floor. I'll see you every 4-6 weeks. You can keep your foot warm however you like, watch out for swelling. Have you had one before? I didn't see one mentioned in your medical history," Dr. Brandt exclaimed looking in my file again. 

"No. My brother had three," I explained. The doctor nodded and left, taking the cart blocking my door with him. I looked down at my leg. Two fingers below my kneecap and a single finger past my heel is how long my cast was. My pink and black toes seemed to clash and complement the cobalt blue cast at the same time. I giggled, "well that was fun."

"Sorry about Dr. Brandt. He's an old man stuck in his ways. However he is the best with the broken bones and putting the casts on. Efficient and quick," Janell kindly explained as she came to the left side of my bed. She looked at the guys. "I need five minutes. Will you please give us some privacy? I think the cafeteria has some cherry pie today." They nodded. Pat shut the curtain on the right side of the room and both of them left, closing the door behind them. Janell grabbed my teddy bear and set it on my bed while she unclasped my arm sling. I studied my ridiculously pink nails as she drawled on. "I get the next two days off. Mikayla will be your head nurse on those days. I wanted to check your ribs again. Also, we need to test your arm's range of motion too." I nodded as she gently set my arm on the bear. "You still aren't getting enough oxygen. You're getting about 91% into your lungs. It's not bad, but 95-100% is ideal. If you drop below 90% we start having issues: your machines beep, your lips turn blue, your heart rate slows, and you get light headed. All of which I'm sure you noticed." I nodded as she unbuttoned my shirt and poked my ribs gently. I bit my lip in pain and closed my eyes. "If it goes below 80% you start to experience organ failure and you start to become a vegetable. So now we have this new mask, I think it would be wise for you to wear it for a little bit, but not necessary right now. And I think after dinner, should have your nurse wrap your ribs again. It's about as best as we can do for pain management. Now, we can also remove your catheter. I believe it's time." I grinned as she buttoned up my shirt again and listened to my lungs. "I don't hear any more fluid in your lungs. So whatever was there earlier cleared up. Now with your left hand, I need you to raise each finger individually. Wonderful! Can you make a fist? Great! Now your wrist, tilt it up and down then move it in a circle. Hmm. Not as much motion as we would like, but everything seems to be just fine. Can you feel this?" She asked tracing her finger up my arm. I nodded. "Any sore spots?"

"Not particularly. The whole arm aches; my whole body aches. But my arm, it tingles like I was sleeping on it weird. You didn't have to up my morphine. I hate feeling drugged," I replied honestly. She nodded. 

"That's understandable. We don't expect you to have full range of motion on your arm and and for at least a month or two. I'll turn down your morphine again before I leave; like I said, that doctor is good with what he does. He just doesn't care much for your comfort level. You slept through lunch. Are you hungry?" Janell asked as she helped me back into my arm sling. Next she moved back over to the morphine drip and lowered the dosage.

"Surprisingly, no. Is the mask safe? What was causing the sweet smell in the other one?" I asked. Janell turned on the mask and smelled it. 

"I don't smell anything goofy in this one. We haven't gotten the results back yet, but it was definitely tampered with. Whatever they used made you relapse. Had we used it any more than we did, you probably would have been killed. Kinda gave you a false reading. Your oxygen increased but hidden problems arose. Things are looking better. You just woke up again and there's nothing new that's wrong," she replied offering me the mask. I nodded and let her put it on me. 91% was low even for my standards. The sooner I could keep my oxygen levels up, the better off I'd be and the sooner I could leave. Janell got a pair of gloves on and moved the blanket off of my feet. "Do you want something to wear? Slight pinch, little tug. There, you're free." I smiled and noticed Jess had left one bag on the chair. I pointed to it as she disposed of her gloves and the catheter bag. She nodded and washed her hands before rifling through the bag and pulled out a pair of underwear and a pair of black shorts. "Will these work?" I nodded and she helped me put them on. "Alright. You're nearly ready to go home, just need to do a few more things. Remember. Do not try to go to the bathroom yourself, keep coughing to keep your lungs from building up with fluid, and don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

I lifted the mask slightly off of my face. "Thank you, Mrs. Malloy, er um, Janell. I appreciate all you've done for me. Am I still on a food restriction?" I put the mask back on my face and took a deep breath. Janell covered my left leg again with the blanket and draped it over my right hip.

"Nope. As far as I'm concerned you can eat and drink whatever you like. With all the help and support you have, I wouldn't be surprised if the doctor agreed to release you tomorrow. Although, since tomorrow is Sunday, you'll probably be released Monday morning. You've been a great patient, Annette. Thank you again for everything you have done. Thank you for taking care of my Lo and making sure she came back to me. You'll have to stop in and have dinner with us one night," she declared. I smiled and nodded in agreement. "I'll see you later, hun. I probably won't see you the rest of my shift. Other patients need me too, and you have some of the best friends and support I've ever seen." She grabbed my hand and squeezed it affectionately.

"Thanks, Janell," I whispered as she left the room. I sighed and closed my eyes as I leaned into my pillows. I jumped with a start as Pat and Josh came back into the room, making my door click. Pat looked at me in the mask and his face went ashen. Josh looked solemn and gave me a look of pity. I removed it slightly so they could hear me talk. "It's just a precaution. I didn't have another episode. I promise. I'm borderline too low," I explained. Pat nodded and smiled.

"Sure. I called your family while we were waiting. They'll be here soon-ish. Whatever that means," he replied as he leaned against the wall at the foot of my bed. Josh looked bored as he sat down on the cot again, picked up his popcorn and the remote, and began flicking through the channels. I looked at my machines and grinned. My machine for my o2 levels said 93%, so I took off the oxygen mask and looked at Pat, playing with the mask in my hand.

"You can sit beside me if you like. You make a good brace," I offered. Pat grinned, walked over, and sat crooked on the bed beside me after turning off the oxygen and putting the mask away. I leaned into him and gave him a sly grin as I poked his side playfully. "So yesterday, you said you would come visit with Linda. Instead you bring a cop to be followed by Josh?! You said he hates me and all he does is mess up my room with popcorn. What gives?" I teased as I continued to poke him. Pat chuckled and wrapped his fingers around mine and lowered it back to my lap before returning his hand back to his side.

"Annette, let's get one thing clear. I don't hate you, no matter what this yay-hoo has said. Did you not want to see me?" Josh shot me look of feigned pain and threw two more handfuls of popcorn in my direction before looking at the tv again. 

"JOSH!" I giggled trying to pick up what I could.

"Believe it or not, he cares about you too," Pat chuckled as he picked at my hair. "Even if he got popcorn in your hair." I blushed and looked down. 

"Better not be a single kernel in my bed. I'm in enough pain as is. You know the story Princess and the Pea? Well, I'm sure I could feel a piece of lint with how much pain I'm in now. Popcorn kernels are going to feel like a bed of nails," I teased. Josh smiled at me around a mouthful. When it was gone, he cleared his throat.

"I'll behave. No more popcorn throwing. Promise. Are you really in that much pain or are you just yanking our chains? I mean you look like you are but then you laugh and smile so I'm not getting a good read. Tell me the truth, Annette. Are you in so much pain that even a piece of lint might hurt you?" Josh inquired. I bit my lip and looked down, but bobbed my head twice.

"That much pain is present. I just don't want to admit it," I confessed softly. 

"If that's the case, doll, I'm going to insist you lay back into the pillows. They're a lot more comfortable than my hard body," Pat murmured as he stood up, propped both pillows behind me again, and walked to the garbage, depositing the popcorn kernels in there.

"Josh, Pat said you hated me because you're pulling my early morning shifts. Good news is you just live down the street, right? I mean so you can kinda sleep in. I was up at four everyday. Okay, maybe it was closer to five," I confessed looking over at Josh.

"Oh! That. Yeah. I definitely hate you for that. I liked being able to sleep until at least 7:58 before I had to get ready for work at 8:10.

"Josh, that shift starts at eight sharp. No wonder you were always late," I teased. He grinned.

"I know. So I really hate waking up for the opening shift because I'm always late. Our guests hate it too because I barely get one pot of coffee brewing before I had tables show up," he replied as he grinned at me. "You're an even better morning person than Bertie. She's grumpy until she gets help at eight. Everyone admires you for it, Net." I grinned as Pat sat down again.

"Thank you," I replied softly. "I slept until eight this morning; it was late for me." Both men chuckled. I shook my finger at Pat. "Just because he replaced me at work doesn't mean you can pull a fast one on me," I warned.

"Hey now! I had every intention to bring Linda; she's been deeply concerned about you," Pat admitted. I nodded and giggled, wincing and holding my side.

"Linda will still come see you! She filled in for your the rest of your shift today; I got off at noon. It's only 4:37. I'm sure she's probably on her way now. If she left right at three, she should be pulling up any minute; she drives under the speed limit. When Pat failed to check in a couple hours ago, I offered to come up here and give the restaurant family an update. Then I found some awesome popcorn and just couldn't leave," Josh bantered, "but I can tell when I'm not welcome." He pouted as he stood up.

"You can stay. I'm happy to see you too. You would even be a welcome sight if Pat wasn't here to clean up the popcorn in my hair. Thanks for coming up," I sincerely replied.

"You're welcome, Annette. Thanks for not kicking me out, because I heard there was going to be pizza. It's my one true weakness," he smirked as he wandered over to my table of gifts. 

"I thought it was any girl that looked your way," I teased. He looked at me and winked. "I know. Far fetched thought. Oh! Hey! Since you're over there, can you bring me all of the cards? I haven't had a chance to read them yet." Pat sat in the chair and played with his prosthetic leg again. Josh nodded rounding up the cards. I looked back at Pat and pursed my lips. He was studying his hands as he held his fingers together and flexed them. "Pat," I quietly remarked. His eyes shot up and he smiled at me. I took a deep breath and spoke quickly but softly, "is your offer still good?" He looked at me in surprise as Josh handed me all the cards and sat down on the cot again, watching us closely. "Thanks, Josh. The offer to stay with you, Pat?" Pat grinned and nodded. "Janell just told me that she expects me to be released soon -like in the next day or two- all because of the support system I have. I want to accept your offer, but I feel guilty with my family inviting themselves over. I don't know how often they'll swing by, and it's not fair to you. I'm unable to pay rent or help with groceries or utilities. I'm terrible company, but I'm going to need help." I took a deep breath and looked down at my hand, once again blinking back tears. I hated feeling so emotional. "Noah's right; I would prefer to be with him, but he's currently homeless. I trust you. The number of people I trust is quite limited. Yes, Josh, you are on that list too. Anyways, Pat, you offered and as much I hate to admit it, I need the help. So if it won't be a problem, and you don't mind waiting until I can pay you back, can I please stay with you?" Pat stood up, grabbed my hand, and sat on the edge of the bed by my knee. He used his other hand and lifted my chin so my eyes met his. 

He spoke softly but with sincerity and conviction, "Annette, I never asked you to pay for anything. I just asked if you needed a place to stay and offered mine. That includes my help with whatever you need. Your brother talked to me. He was planning on renting some rooms at the hotel there if you chose to accept my help. It's not as close as here, but he could still be at your side in 10 minutes if you needed and he walked. They've been actively looking for a place to rent in your town so that the commute to school is easier when you do go. That's the reason you don't see them very often. You're always going to be welcome at my place. You won't burden me at all. As for the money, well, let's just say your company will be payment enough. So with that being said, would you like to be my house guest for a while?" He smiled sweetly at me and I returned it, dropping my eyes again. I bit my lip and nodded slowly.

"See. I told you she'd say yes!" Josh blurted out as he stuffed another handful of popcorn in his mouth. I blushed and Pat stroked my cheek.

"I'm sure Linda wouldn't mind housing you either if you would rather stay with a female," he murmured. I shook my head and met his gaze.

"Please don't!" Pat looked at me in shock. "Linda's great, but I would definitely feel like a burden to her. Not to mention, if I fell, she would hurt herself trying to help me stand again. I can't. She shouldn't! I feel like I'm stealing your time-" Pat placed his hand over my mouth to keep me from saying any more. Josh snickered softly and I panted in a panic.

"Now you stop. I'm here to help you, doll; whatever that means and whatever you're comfortable with. Breathe. You're fine. You don't need to panic and I won't make you stay with someone else. I offered you my home and you just accepted; I'm probably your best option. I told you that I have plenty of time to help you out. You won't be stealing any of my time. I love to help out, doesn't matter where. I don't work, I have a lot of free time, and you do need help. I mean have you seen yourself? I doubt you can stand on your own right now," Pat teased as he gestured to my arm and gently stroked a bruise. I blushed and looked down.

"I haven't tried to stand in at least three days, but I betcha if I had help getting to my foot, I'd manage," I countered. 

"We wouldn't let you, Net," Josh interjected. I looked over at him. He grinned. "Pat's right. You're pretty fragile looking - his words at breakfast! Don't argue. If you haven't been on your feet for three days, you're going to have some severe balance issues. Between Pat and I, we can keep you from hurting yourself if that's the case." I blushed again and looked back at Pat. He smiled and nodded in agreement.

"I'll give you space if you want it, doll, but for now, will you just accept the fact that you're safe and that we care?" I gulped and nodded. 

"Well in that case, I'm going to take advantage of your offer to help now. Will you help me to the bathroom door? I can take it from there. And yes, I want the space," I insisted as I flushed red in embarrassment.

"Yes, ma'am. See, it's not that hard to ask for help," he replied with a smile as he stood up. He unhooked the oxygen reader on my finger and released the IV tubes in my arm, leaving the needle in place. I flung the blanket off my leg and he cradled me in his arms and walked me to the bathroom door. "I'm not setting you down by the door," he whispered. I wrapped my right arm around his neck and hid my face in his chest, blushing even brighter. He placed me down inside the bathroom between the sink and toilet. He kept his arm around my waist and braced my arm against the wall as I tried to keep my balance; Josh was right, I was severely off balance. Slowly, Pat stepped back, released me, and watched me carefully. When I felt stable, I nodded at him. "Just holler when you need me, doll. Please don't hurt yourself. Ask for help if you need it; you've already proved it's not difficult," he quipped as he walked out of the bathroom and shut the door behind him. 

I shook my head and mumbled under my breath, "yeah it really is that hard to ask for help. I'll holler when I get to the door." I grabbed onto the rail with my right hand. Carefully, I hopped backwards over to the toilet, my left leg screamed as I felt like my calf was falling off the bone. I let out a muffled yelp. "Freaking Ronnie. Freaking bamboo rod! Freaking complex," I mumbled. As I sat down, I noticed I was already exhausted and drained of energy. "This is going to be fun," I muttered. On the other side of my door, I heard loud guffaws and chortling and a loud 'shhh': more than two voices. Tyler and Noah must be back. I smiled and finished what I was doing. Carefully, I stood up and flushed. I soon realized that pulling up my pants with one arm and off balance was no easy task. I took it slow and accomplished it without hurting myself. I grinned. Maybe this won't be so bad. My balance was skewed and I had no more strength left. I lowered myself to the ground. My hand held onto the handrail as I scooted myself alongside the wall. I slowly made my way to the sink and stood up. Not only did every muscle in my body scream in protest, I was now out of energy and breath. I leaned against the wall and inhaled as deep as I could. I felt faint again. Deciding to suck it up, I quickly washed my hand and looked around for a towel. I was in trouble now. If I grasped the handrail while my hand was wet, I was more likely to slip and fall. Therefore injuring myself further. I tried to dry my hand on my shirt, but it was thin and didn't dry anything at all. Water still dripped from my hand and now my torso was soaked. Flustered, I shook my hand out and braced by back against the wall as I felt wobbly. I didn't like people in the bathroom with me, but I had no other choice. Defeated, I leaned against the wall again, dropped my chin to my chest, and voiced loudly, "Pat! I give up! I need help please." I crossed my right hand over my chest and took several deep breaths. "You're going to have to hurry unless you want to scoop me up off the floor. I was wrong. I can't do this," I thought as I looked down at my left foot; my whole leg was shaking.

The door slowly opened, I raised my head, and Pat poked his head in with a mischievous glint in his eye, "you rang, doll?" 

"Shut up and get over here please! I give up and I need help," I repeated. "I can hardly breathe and my hand is wet; I'll hurt myself if I grabbed onto the rail," I explained as he walked over to me with a goofy look on his face. I studied him a moment and pushed on his chest before he picked me up. "Why are you acting so impish?" He just grinned at me as he grabbed my hand and lowered it.

"No reason. Can I give you the joke of the day now?" He asked kindly. I nodded and took another deep breath. "What do the skeletons order when they go out to eat?" I bit my lip and thought it over. 

"I don't know, Pat. What do they order?" I panted. He rested both hands on my hips.

"Spare ribs," he whispered. I grinned.

"Guess I'm going on the skeleton diet. I need a few of those," I teased. He chuckled. 

"Sounds like a plan. Close your eyes," he instructed. I looked at him carefully. "Please, doll? And let me pick you up; you look ready to collapse." 

"Fine. As long as you promise NOT to put me back in that bed," I conceded as I gave him a hug and looked up at him, holding onto his waist. "Thank you for making me smile and being a great friend," I whispered as I closed my eyes.

"You're welcome, doll," Pat chuckled softly as he pulled my arm around his neck. He picked me up in a fluid motion -cradling me in his arms, my right side against his body- breathed on my neck, and whispered, "yes, ma'am. No bed." I grinned and he began walking. I smelled pizza. Yep. Tyler was definitely back. Pat lowered me into a seat. "Okay, now you can open your eyes," he instructed with a hint of delight as he bopped my nose.