L. Ann Marie (6 page)

I throw him chin.  He closes the door and I'm finally alone with my Mandy.  "Finally, I get to talk to you baby.  I love the Brothers and the kids but sometimes it gets crazy."  I turn so I'm leaning toward her.  I can't be on my side but this works.  "I was thinking of when we went up to Maine and ate at the restaurant on the water.  We laughed so much.  I want to do that again; I didn't tell you but I like holding your hand walking around all the little the shops.  I never did that before."  I hold her hand tight.

"I've never done anything we've done together.  No one has ever ridden on my bike more than once.  I've never taken a woman to the movies or for a walk.  I've never gone to an art museum.  I'm glad you liked that, I liked watching you there; you were so happy."  I can still see her smile when she saw something she liked, the right side of her mouth would turn up, as if it was saying 'this is just as it should be'.  It was fuckin cute.

"I've never talked so much.  I like talking to you, I miss talking to you.  Jeremy said you know I'm ok.  I'm glad baby, I didn't want you thinking something happened to me.  You need to keep fighting and come back to me.  I love you, Mandy.  I should have told you.  When we got hit all I could think was I love you and didn't want you to be hurt.  I didn't even know how much until I almost lost you.  I hope you can hear me now.  I won't ever forget to tell you."  I close my eyes and try to stretch my back.  It's fuckin killing me.  I lay flat but keep her hand.  I need to hit the button again but I don't want her to wake up alone.  "I don't want you to feel alone but I need to hit the drug button, baby.  Squeeze my hand if you can.  I don't want to miss you waking up.  I love you, Mandy."  I hit the button and wait.

Three days

Bob

"Bob!  Noooo!"

Fuck!  I reach for her hand.  "I'm here baby, right here with you."  I hold her hand tight.  Fuckin bed rails keep me from moving closer.  My heart is racing.  "Just a dream, Amanda, just a dream."

She opens her eyes.  "You're right here."  She's breathing hard and has tears going down the sides of her head.

I squeeze her hand, "I'm right here.  I wish I could get to you so I can hold you."

She looks over.  "Just a dream.  I hate that fuckin dream."  She turns toward me.  Her breathing calms.

"When we get out of here we'll give you a better one."  I watch her face.

She gets a small smile on her face.  "Yeah.  I love you, Bob.  I was scared."

"I know babe.  I'm fine.  I love you too."  Since she woke up she's told me she loves me.  It was just like with me, she was afraid of losing me without me knowing how she felt.  I'm so fuckin glad she's ok and we got to tell each other, I don't care if that makes me a pussy.  I'll be a pussy with Amanda's arm wrapped around me and a smile on my face.

"I hate this bed."  She sits up with a moan.  I watch her take a breath and swing her legs over the side.  The right one is bandaged all the way to her ankle.  She stands and pulls the IV stand, walking around to my side.  "Maybe we can get someone to put the bars in the middle down."  She keeps walking, she limps but doesn't say anything about it.  I watch with a smile, she's got Mickey Mouse pajama on.  When she gets to my side, I'm already moved over and help her slide up with me.  She puts her head on my chest, I kiss it and tighten my arm around her.  I wait for her breathing to level out then hit my drug button and fall asleep.

Amanda

I feel his chest under my face and smile.  I like being right here.  He's ok and loves me.  I open my eyes and look up to see he's watching me.  "Hi."

"I love to see you wake up with a smile."  His voice is gravelly and my body notices.  Fuckin hormones can't take a break for a damn hospital stay.  I smile at him.

The nurse moves closer, she's smiling with her stethoscope in her ears, she checks his heartbeat.  I try to move so she can check him but he holds on to me.  "You're fine, sweetie."  She says.  I relax back onto him.

They told me about the other hospital with the bitchy nurses and being moved.  I'm glad they moved us, I can't imagine what it feels like to lose a leg then have to rely on bitchy nurses for everything.  Since I woke up yesterday everyone has been so nice and upbeat.  I bet that makes it easier for him.  I try not to let it show but I'm worried about what happens when we leave the hospital.  I hope he's still calm and taking it in stride.  I smile at the pun.

"Your turn, sweetie.  I'll need you to sit up for this."  Bob releases me and helps me sit.  My fuckin hip screams at me.  I get my legs over the side and nod to her that I'm ready.  "Your hip still hurting, Amanda?"  She's concerned.

"Yeah but I can do this."  I try to get her moving on.  Bob lost his leg and I haven't heard one complaint out of him.  He grunts and groans turning and moving to the chair but no complaints.  She isn't going to get one out of me because of a bruise and scrape.

She finishes and writes on the clipboard.  "I'm going to move you back to your bed and drop the side.  It would be better for you to have some space without worrying about falling out of the bed.  You can't be relaxed and heal that way."

"Thank you."  I stand and she moves the IV rolley thing with me.  She's a damn good nurse, I was going to ask her but she beat me to it.

Once she gets the beds moved back together, Bob thanks her, smiling.  She just nods at him with a smile.  "You're good together.  When you're happy you're healing.  We even try to get rid of the good ones like you."  She says chuckling as she walks out the door and I laugh.

"I like her; she's not like the other bitches."  He turns back to me.  "I like this better."

"Me too."  I move closer to him and set my bed so it's at the same level as his.  "I like this position.  You have it down to a science here."

He laughs.  "Six days of trial and error gets me to perfect."  He leans and kisses my lips.  Moving back he grunts but he doesn't hit his button.  I want to ask him why he's not using it but I've never lost a body part, maybe he doesn't need it.  I heard the doctor tell him he should use it as needed.  "I hope breakfast is soon, I'm fuckin starving."

I lean for my phone and text Peg.  Danny told me she'd be waiting for an order every morning.  I put the spare pillow behind me and turn his way.  My hip doesn't hurt so much this way but my leg burns like a bastard.  We just look at each other, sometimes talking, sometimes quiet.

Danny comes in with a big smile.  "Special delivery."  I thank him.

"Thanks, Brother.  I was getting worried that I'm turning into you.  I'm always fuckin starving."  Bob's serious and it makes me laugh.

"Amanda, you have a test scheduled for this morning.  If it comes back good we're breaking you both out today.  Because of the threat, you can't go back to your apartment.  I know that sucks but we've been working on a house for you on the compound.  It's three bedrooms but I think you'll like it."  He looks at Bob.  "All one floor and we have a temporary ramp up so you don't have to climb stairs.  CJ hooked Tiny up with some HA accessories and they outfitted your truck and bike so you can drive when you're ready."  Holy shit!

"Thank you."  I say with tears in my eyes, they are so fuckin nice.

"My bike made it?"  I look at Bob; he's surprised.

Danny watches him.  "Dave's working on it but your other two bikes have a hand shifter and pegs for crutches until you get the leg Mitch is working on."

"Fuck, thanks.  I thought they put training wheels or something on it."  He blows out a relieved breath.  I smile at him and turn so I can adjust the bed to eat.

"You ain't fuckin decrepit just healing, Brother."  Danny laughs.  He's a good person to keep popping in.  He's always laughing and smiling.  Rich too but I think Rich has been busy.  Bob throws him chin and opens the bag putting food on his tray.  "You're all moved into the house, the only thing missing with your things is you."  His eyes are shining, he's cute being excited to get us home.

"I'm excited.  I've seen your other work; I can't wait to see it."  I tell him with my own smile.

He looks at me with the smile still in place.  "Cloud helped me; did you do the work on your apartment?"

"Yeah, it took me three damn years but I did it."

"You did a good fuckin job, Amanda.  Kellan said you did just about everything yourself.  The guys just moved big shit for you.  If you need a new job let me know.  I have a construction crew that could use your attention to detail."

I take the bagel Bob holds out for me and laugh.  "Thanks but no thanks.  That shit was hard."  They both laugh at me.  It really was, I had to YouTube everything for directions.

Bob

Danny came back for us.  We had to wait for Mitch's doctor to come in.  The asswipes in Boston missed Amanda's fractured hip.  Fuckin morons.  He measures her for a brace taking pictures of her leg and doing something with the computer and then he sends it all to Mitch.  They'll make it at the lab and have it delivered tomorrow.  She'll be able to walk around with less pain.  Mitch will work around the scrapes so it doesn't aggravate them.

He measures me too but he doesn't say why.  Then he explained the thing I was afraid to ask about: sex.  She has to wait a few weeks because of where the fracture is.  Thank fuck.  I was worried about how that would work with one fuckin leg.  I keep pushing it out of my head, now I have some time to see how this is going to work.

With us both on crutches, we make it up the ramp and into the house.  I move back and lean on the wall to laugh.  Mandy is in shock, making me laugh more.  Danny and CJ are just smiling at her.  "It was a lot of work for you to leave behind, the doctor said you need to be comfortable so Danny and Cloud made sure you were."  CJ tells her, holding her hand.

She looks at Danny, "Unfuckinbelievable.  Thank you."

"There's some things that are different.  Your bathroom and closet are redesigned.  The extra room is on the spare side; I made it an office.  The basement is finished, you can see it when you can make it down there.  There's a temporary gym in one bay of the garage, PT will come here for that, Bob; Aleena is your therapist.  You're running completely solar, John from Baxter's will handle maintenance on that.  Cameras surround the house, there are none inside.  If you need help, you get to the keypad or out the door where a camera can pick you up.  Yeah?"

She's watching him nervously now.  "Yeah.   Are we in danger here?"

"Surveillance is heavy here.  Security is 24/7.  If you weren't safe, we wouldn't be either.  You're safe here, when you go back to work you'll have a guard with you.  You know how that works.  You have two safe rooms but I'll show them to you another day."  Danny says.

Amanda

I nod.  "Yeah."  Fuck, for the first time I realize someone was trying to kill me or Bob or both.

His arms go around me.  "We're going to be safe here, Mandy."  I put my arm on his feeling his muscles, he'll keep me safe.  I nod, looking up at him with a smile.

"Brother, I don't need to give you a tour, you know where everything is.  I put a bar above your bed so you can get up easier.  When it isn't needed you can take it down or change it to something new."  He's smiling, I laugh.  "Mitch said we didn't need HA throughout because you wouldn't be in a chair; the bar, closet and bathroom are your only concessions.  You need something added you tell me.  Yeah?"

"Yeah, thanks, Brother."

"Guys meet in the patio after nine.  We use it to regroup or just unwind.  You're welcome to come over if you're up to it."  He slaps Bob's shoulder as he guides CJ out.

"Thank you!"  I say as the door is closing.  "He's a little crazy, isn't he?"

Bob laughs, pulling me into him.  "I fuckin love his crazy.  He's always been the scariest mother or the guy that would literally move earth to keep his friends and family happy and safe.  I'm fuckin ecstatic we fall into the friend category."

"Yeah.  Let's go check it out and be freaked together."  I reposition the crutches and move away looking at my stuff in a bigger area but exactly the same.  I have a laundry room outside the mud room.  I love it!

I open a drawer finding my clothes in my dresser.  Fuckin creepy as hell but sweet too.  "Babe, you need to come in here."  I follow his voice to the bathroom.

"Holy shit!  I never saw a claw foot tub that big.  Look at this place.  This is fuckin crazy cool."

He laughs.  "There's a bar for me in shower."  I look and see it hanging from the ceiling, it's just a grab bar really, but I feel the tears fall.  They thought of everything to make him comfortable but it's all understated.  They love him enough to give him his space and the tools he needs to get used to a new way of living.  They're better than family.  I hug him, happy to be right here with him.  "Love the fuckin Brotherhood."  He says squeezing me.

I smile.  Me too.

Bob

Doc and Sally come to change bandages.  Sally takes Amanda to the bedroom while Doc sits me at the table.  "How are you doing, Bob?"

"I'm good, Doc."

He shakes his head.  "You're like Danny, Steve and Jess, I can't read minds and I need to know what the fuck is happening.  I know you have pain so I need you to tell me about it.  This isn't like a row of stitches on your arm, Brother.  I had Sally go into the bedroom so you could talk to me."

I throw chin then get it all out fast so I don’t have to do this again.  "It hurts but not so bad.  I don't want to take the fuckin drugs they gave me.  Moving around is fairly easy on the crutches.  I fell on my ass today because I forgot the leg wasn't there; thank fuck Mandy was taking a nap.  I thought it would hit me when I got home but I'm still ok with it being gone.  Do I need to be worried about that?"  Fuck, I sound like a pussy.

He smiles, "No, Brother.  No cure for Badass."  He slaps my shoulder.  "I have some pain killers that won't knock you out.  Take what they gave you to sleep and what I give you during the day.  Try it out tomorrow, if it's still too much, I'll lower the dosage.  Too much pain is bad for your body and can put you in shock."  He waits for my nod.  "Did you get hurt when you fell?  I know your back still had some swelling."

"No, I got a jolt but stretching helped ease it."

He nods and starts cleaning my stump.  "I'm not sure where you stand with Amanda seeing this."

Fuck.  "I don't want her seeing it like this.  I don't mind when the sock thing is on."

"I wouldn't want her to see it either but it's healing nice and quickly.  Has Jeremy been to see you?"  I'm surprised but nod.  "When you’re ready you can come into the clinic to change the dressing."

"Can I drive tomorrow?"  Fuck that would be good.

"You need Security and no meds while driving.  The only thing stopping you would be the meds.  Tiny had a hand pedal put in your truck.  Try it out on the compound, it won't take long for you to get used to the pedal.  When you're good, come see me at the clinic."  He tapes the wrap and puts a new sock on.