Recap of
Chapter18
Still enjoying their romantic getaway, Matthew shows
Cassie his swimming skills. They only have eyes for each other and celebrate
New Year’s Eve in the intimacy of the private island. They return to Cassie’s
parents for a few days and they receive an upsetting phone call from the
ex-boyfriend’s father. Cassie accepts to grant his request and drops the
charges against his son.
I’ll try to
forget the flight back to Chicago; otherwise I’ll never travel by plane again.
Nothing major happened except for a few spasms. Nevertheless, for me the flight
was the most unpleasant part of our trip. I think I developed a fear of flying.
Well, my bladder mainly did. We both resume our activities, but after ten days
of heat, sun, idleness and luxury, it’s
a bit hard to get back on tracks and go back to work. The weather is terrible
with a temperature below 30. It is snowing and cold. I am happy to return to
the center though and it is mutual. My fellow sufferers, as I got used to call
them are waiting for me with sincere impatience.
“Wow Matt!
Where have you been to get this tan? It really fits you well. You look like a
playboy.”
“Thanks guys. I
was in Florida with Cassie and we had a good time.”
They all know
her by now and they like her.
“I am back now and
I’ m going to make you work hard.”
“It’s not really
work with you Matt. We enjoy it and you are an inspiration.”
“Enough with
the compliments! It is not going to keep you away from your ROMs and lots of
stretching.”
They all laugh
and we start our session. As I inquire about Tim’s absence I sadly learn he is
in bed with mumps. I decide to pay him a visit after work. In order to do so I will
leave earlier than usual. I take a break from the exercises to call my parents
who just got back from their European trip, and they seem really enthusiastic
about it. They already planned a video and photos showing for the next
week-end. Abby came twice during the week to have dinner with us, and I am
looking forward to meet my hockey buddies after tomorrow’s game. My last call
is for Cassie to let her know I’ll pick her up at six as scheduled. Her car broke
down two days after our return. She can’t afford a new one right now and she
refused categorically my financial aid. She has a pride too. If I didn’t have
to come here every day, I would leave her mine but it is not that easy to take
a cab twice a day, in the cold, and have the drivers put my chair in the trunk
for me. I will always have a problem with that. My chair being handled by some
strangers is another invasion of privacy, of my intimacy. At least my car is in
the building garage, and I don’t have to go out on the street; same for the
Rehab center which has a covered parking and…lots of handicapped spots.
I am thinking
about a present to bring Tim. I recall he asked several times for one of my
hockey sticks as a trophy. I think it’s a good idea but he will have to wait
until next time. I have quite a bunch of them in one of my closet.
I call his mom
and realize I don’t even know her name, “Hi… Hmm…This is Matthew Vincent
calling.”
“Oh, hi Matthew!
How are you?”
“I am good
thank you, but I heard Tim is sick and I would like to visit him, if it is
possible of course.”
“Oh! He would
be thrilled to see you, but he has mumps and it is contagious. I don’t want you
to catch it.”
“I have been
vaccinated and I am immune to the disease.”
“You are sure?”
“Yes, I called
my doctor and he said it’s ok.”
It is true. I
called the surgeon who fixed my back and has all my records. He told me the infected
person is not contagious after five days of swelling. With my condition he
still advised me not to get too close. A bad infection could have drastic
complications on my weaken immune system. Tim missed two rehab sessions. That’s
already two weeks, so I wisely assume he is not contagious anymore. I am safe.
“Ok then. That’s
very nice of you. I am not going to tell him you are coming so you can surprise
him.”
She gives me
her address and I park in her driveway forty five minutes later. The weather
has worsened. It’s colder and the snow froze on the ground leaving patches of
black ice here and there. The ride which shouldn’t take more than twenty
minutes took me twice the time.
It is a simple
but pleasant house in a humble neighborhood, and I am sadly wondering how they
financially manage with a deceased soldier’s pension. I know Tim’s mother works
as a school teacher, but with her son’s accident she had to quit until he was
able to return to school himself, which he does now. I hope they still make
ends meet and I wish she will find someone nice to share the future. It’s
unfair to be a widow so young and after Tim’s accident she shouldn’t be lonely.
She needs support, kindness and a man’s affection. Tim also needs a father
figure and sometimes I have the feeling he is getting too attached to me. We
have a special bond and I like him a lot but I don’t want him to have
expectations I can’t fulfilled. I know a few bachelors from the Center who
commented highly on Tim’s mother and asked me about her. Maybe I should
investigate further how serious they are and try some introduction without
being a matchmaker. One of them is a military veteran and I saw him talk with
Tim’s mom a few times. They seemed to like each other and they probably have a
lot to talk about. I am not sure if it’s good or bad though to have another
soldier in her life but time will tell. This patient is retired from the army
anyway. He had a Hummer accident in Afghanistan. His vehicle hit a land mine
and he is lucky to be alive. He was ejected during the blast and suffered a shattered
pelvis and numerous leg fractures. Fortunately he is recovering well and if he
will keep a limp he won’t need a wheelchair or crutches forever. He already can
walk on his own with a simple cane. Everybody has the right to a second chance
and maybe those two are a match.
Lost in my
thoughts I assemble my wheelchair and transfer as fast as I can because it’s
really freezing outside. Low temperatures have a negative effect on my legs and
I became very sensitive to the cold myself. I notice the temporary ramp leading
to the door, and I am puzzled because Tim doesn’t need a wheelchair anymore. I
wheel myself up and I have my answer. Tim’s mother opens the door before I have
time to ring the bell. She is dressed like she had recently been outside in the
freezing cold. She has no hat on, but disheveled hair as if she just removed one.
She still wears a padded jacket and I see wet gloves on the entrance side
table. Her nose is all red and her eyes are tearful. I am upset, “Did you just
put the ramp back, out there in the cold?”
She looks
embarrassed like a child caught doing something foolish, “Yes, but the neighbor
helped me.”
“You make me
feel bad. You didn’t have to do that.”
“You seem to
forget I had a wheelchair user here. How would you climb those six steps
without the ramp?”
She has a
point. Surely not on my ass in this weather, “Well…we would have asked for the
neighbor’s help!”
We laugh and
she escorts me to Tim’s bedroom which is at the far end of the house. He didn’t
hear me coming, and when I roll into the room he screams with joy, “Matt! You
came to see me, in my home!”
“Yes, I wanted
to know how you were doing.”
He answers with
a sorry voice, “You can’t come near me because I am contagious. I don’t have a
fever anymore, but I am still swollen. Don’t you think I look like a pear?
That’s what Mom tells me.”
I chuckle
because it is true. His cheeks and neck are still a bit swollen and it gives
him a funny face.
“Don’t worry, I
can’t catch it but I won’t hug you just this time.”
Saying so, I
wheel next to the bed and high-five him.
“So what are
you up to buddy?”
“I didn’t come
for my exercises because I was sick, and I don’t like the therapist who
replaced you anyway.”
I chuckle, “I
am back now and you have a few more sessions left.”
“Yes, but I
will be very sad when they will be over.”
“Don’t say
that. You should be happy. It means you are much better and you don’t need them
anymore. And we can still see each other elsewhere. How about coming to watch a
hockey game one day?”
“Yay! I’d love
that.”
“Then it is a
deal.”
“I can’t wait
feeling better. I am so bored in my bedroom all day.”
I look at the
small TV set on a chest of drawers facing his bed. There is a Play Station
connected to it. I nod at the screen, “You want to play a game?”
“Oh, that will
be awesome! My mom doesn’t know how to play and my friends are not allowed to
see me yet.”
“Ok. So let’s
do it.”
By the console
there are a bunch of CDs that I list out loud, “Tomb raider 1, 2 and 3, Gran
Turismo, Need for speed, Crash Banditcoot and Tetris.” They are old games because
I know them all, but it’s an old Play Station. Tim is elated, “Do you like
racing cars?”
“Sure.”
“Ok, let’s do a
race. Pick up Gran Turismo.”
I smile at his
overjoyed enthusiasm and insert the disc in the console. Then, I wheel backwards
beside the bed. His mom who left us alone in the room is back with cookies,
snacks and beverages.
“Matthew, would
you care for something hot?”
“Coffee would
be great, thanks Mrs…. I am sorry I
don’t even know your name.”
“Mitchell, but
please call me Joyce as you are only Matthew for me.”
We smile at
each other and she leaves us alone.
I have never
been a video game addict, but I played like any other kids with friends when I
was in middle school. Ok, I confess, even in high school. I get caught in the
game with Tim and we play intensely for over an hour. I let him win but it’s
tight. He is a good player.
“Let’s play
another game.”
“Well, I can’t.
It is time for me to go Tim. It’s already late.”
He looks truly
disappointed, “You’re sure you have to leave now? I was really having a good
time.”
“I was too Tim.
But I have to pick up Cassie at work and I don’t want her to wait for me. Do
you?”
“I guess not.
So she is your girlfriend for real now?”
“She is
indeed.”
“Do you live together?”
I chuckle, “Nope, but we see each other very often.”
“Are you going
to marry her and make babies?”
I am totally
caught off guard with this one. Even if I wanted to answer his innocent but nosy
question, I wouldn’t be able to, because I don’t know about that myself.
“You are a very
curious little dude, you know that? I really have to go now. See you next week
at the center.”
I ruffle his
hair and wheel myself out waving at him over my shoulder. His mother escorts me
to the door.
“Thank you so
much for coming Matthew. I didn’t know how to entertain him anymore. You made
his day.”
“No problem. It
brought me a few years back for a while and I enjoyed myself as much as he did.”
As she opens
the front door for me, thick snowflakes find their way in the house.
“Please stay
inside. No need to catch a cold. One sick kid is enough in the household.”
As I’m ready to
wheel down the ramp I turn my head slightly to her, “Joyce, thank you for this.
It was very thoughtful of you.”
“You are very
welcome. It’s the least I could do after all what you did for my son.”
She smiles
shyly at me, waving me goodbye.
It is five o’clock,
so I have one hour to drive back to the city and be on time for Cassie. It is
already dark and snowing hard, and I am very cautious on the way back because
the visibility is very bad. Fortunately there are not a lot of cars driving
tonight, and we are not one after the other, stuck in traffic.
I reach the
city center ten minutes before Cassie’s day of work is over. I know she is very
busy and she will be tired. I plan on ordering a takeout dinner which we will
eat cuddled in front of the TV. Or maybe in bed? I take advantage of a red
light to look for the number of the Chinese restaurant close to my building on
my car display screen. The light turns green and I am ready to make a right on Michigan,
when I am blinded by headlights flashing through my windshield. The vehicle is
moving very fast and is getting closer without slowing down. As the distance
reduces, I notice it’s a truck and its trailer is zigzagging abnormally,
swerving from side to side. The driver who obviously lost control is honking
like crazy and sliding on the icy surface straight to me. I speed up but with a
screech my rear tires skid and continue to spin uselessly in the middle of the
intersection. Shit! Come on Matt move out of here! Now my driver’s side is facing
the unstoppable truck which is about to T-bone me. It all happens in seconds
but I have time to see my life pass before my eyes. I tell myself I lived it
well despite an unfortunate twist of fate, and my last thought is for Cassie
who is going to wait for me. Helpless I brace myself for the impact. I feel my
body slam violently against the door in a terrible noise of crushed metal. My
head bumps against the side window which smashes to pieces. The airbag pops out
while I lose consciousness.
Great chapter, thank you for the update!
ReplyDeleteI crying! Please Matt be ok. Please please!
ReplyDeleteGreat chapter. I hope Matt is OK, can't wait for the next instalment.
ReplyDeleteOMG! No...............
ReplyDeleteSuspense is killing me!
I'll have to trust that with such an ending, you will somehow come to Matt's rescue . . .
ReplyDeleteWaaaa! Oh no!
ReplyDelete