Finding Jaime

Chapter 25

Jaime stayed in the hospital for two more days. His bloodwork finally came back in all normal ranges and his kidneys seemed to be alright. Dr Axmith gave us a referral to a nephrologist, a kidney doctor, to follow up with to ensure there was no permanent damage.

We packed up his Xbox and I helped him get dressed in clean sweatpants and a t-shirt. Putting his left arm up hurt too much to put the shirt on himself, so I helped him. I tied his right shoe onto his foot and put a sock on his left foot to cover his toes.

"That looks ridiculous," he smiled.

"Too bad," I laughed.

Meagan was waiting in the car downstairs. I helped Jaime into the wheelchair the hospital insisted he needed to take off the unit. He held his bag of clothes that he'd worn in the hospital. We'd brought him some pyjama bottoms to wear under his hospital gown. He also had the bag with the Xbox on his lap. I had his crutches.

As soon as we got to the car, Meagan took Jaime's bags and put them in the trunk. Jaime got out of the chair and reached for his crutches. He winced as his ribs still hurt.

"Take it easy," I said. "I'll hand them to you."

He took them and went over to the car. Meagan came over to him and very gently hugged him.

"I'm so glad you're coming home," she said. "We really missed having you around."

Jaime laughed.

"Really?  You missed the sullen, angry teenager who kept slamming doors?"

"Well, we didn't miss that teenager. We missed the teenager from Friday night and Saturday. The one who calls pancakes Pam Cakes for Marvel, and plays mine craft on the Xbox with Saint, and who somehow managed to entrance Bronx the minute he met you."

"Ah. Yeah. That's the one that's coming home," he said. "I promise."

"Good," I said. "Because as much as I tried to like that other one, this one is much easier to talk to."

Jaime's cheeks reddened.

Marvel was sitting in her car seat in the back of the car and squealed when Jaime opened the door.

"Jaime!!" She squealed. "You coming home?"

"You bet, Mar. I'm coming home," he smiled at her.

"Momma!  We can have Pam cakes when we get home?"

Meagan laughed.

"If Jaime's hungry and wants some, sure. We can have Pam cakes."

"With choko chips?" Jaime asked, tickling Marvel's leg.

I smiled.

"Definitely with choko chips," I said.

Marvel clapped her hands.

——————————————
Jaime POV

Marvel was so excited to see me when I opened the car door. I don't know if anyone told her they were coming to pick me and Dad up. I mean, she's not even three yet. I doubt she even knew it was the hospital even.

She asked if we could have pancakes when we got home. Meagan said sure, if I wanted. I asked if they could have chocolate chips, but the way Marvel says it. Dad smiled and said sure.

We pulled away from the hospital where I'd been for the past week. It felt so good to get out of there. To be going home.

And I really was going home. With my family. I smiled as I looked out the window and watched the city pass by.

Marvel was singing something to herself. Dad was playing with the radio and Meagan kept looking back at me in the mirror and smiling. I smiled back. I doubt I'll ever call her 'Mom', but she is my step-mom. And she's been amazing.

We pulled into the driveway and Meagan pulled up to the door.

"Welcome home, sweetie," she said, smiling again at me through the mirror.

"Thanks, Meagan," I smiled.

Pete helped me out of the car while Meagan got Mar out of her car seat. I hobbled my way into the house.

"You want to try going upstairs?" Pete asked.

"Nah. I'll hang out down here if that's okay," I said.

"Of course. I'll take your stuff upstairs. I'll hook up your Xbox."

"I don't have a TV," I said.

"Now you do," he said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Are you trying to buy my affection, Mr. Wentz?" I said.

"Smartass," he said again. "Go sit down in the living room or something."

Meagan followed close to me and Marvel was on my other side.

"I help, Jaime," she said to me.

"Thanks, Mar," I said. "Are you gonna be my nurse?"

Her face lit up.

"I be Jaime's nurse momma!"

Meagan smiled at her.

"Jaime couldn't ask for a better nurse. He's gonna be in the best hands," she said, helping me sit down on the couch without hurting my ribs too much.

"The boys will be home from school around four," she said.

"Okay," I said.

"Momma, we can have Pam cakes now?" Mar asked Meagan.

"Will nurse Marvel help make the pancakes?"

"Yes!" She said and bounded out into the kitchen.

"Jaime, do you want anything while I'm making the pancakes?" Meagan asked from the kitchen.

"No thanks," I said. "I'm okay for now."

"You need to keep hydrated. I'll bring you some water."

"Okay," I acquiesced.

She brought me a bottle of water and went back into the kitchen. Pete, Dad, came down just then and came into the living room.

"Hey," he said, putting a pillow under my cast and sitting on the end of the couch. He handed me my phone.

"I think we should probably have each other's phone numbers," he said. "So if you get lost again, you can call. You have a passcode and I'm not going to invade your privacy trying to figure it out."

I laughed.

"You probably could have figured it out. It's so simple no one would ever try it because it's too obvious."

"1, 2, 3, 4?" He asked.

"Not quite that obvious. 0000," I laughed. He did too.

"It's not like I have state secrets on it anyway," I said. "Some pictures of Mom and my friends at school. Some pictures I took because I like taking pictures, and music. And a few apps for school. I mean, my phone is so boring, Mar would be completely safe playing on it."

Dad laughed. He took my phone and put his number in it, then called himself from my phone and put my number in his phone.

"I'll also put Meagan's and the boys' numbers in here."

"Okay," I shrugged.

Meagan came in with a plate of pancakes and Marvel carefully carried her own little plate.

"Eat up," she smiled.

Dad stayed on the couch while Marvel sat on the floor at the coffee table and we ate our Pam cakes.

When we were done, Marvel sat at the table and coloured.  I fell asleep.