Game Over: Life's Over

Freedom

I woke up early the next day and in my bed. I must have been carried to my room after I fell asleep in the living room. Even my blanket was with me.

I grabbed my phone from the bedside table. I'd left it there to go watch the movie so I had a missed message from Mom telling me good night. I clicked on the message and hit the call symbol. I rolled onto my back and waited through the rings before Mom answered.

"Hey, sweetie. Good morning. What are you doing up so early?"

"I just woke up. I wanted to talk to you before you went to work."

"That's sweet of you."

"How have you been, Mom? I feel like we haven't talked in a while."

"Well, we've messaged back and forth but it's certainly not the same. I wish I could see you every day. It's hard not being close to you like we used to be."

"I know." I missed Mom more than I could ever tell her. I liked Eric and Theo and they took good care of me but it wasn't the same as the love Mom gave me. A parent's love was the best thing a kid could get.

"How have you been?"

"For the most part, I've been fine. Theo took me to the doctor yesterday and then I got this really cool couch. It's a couch just for me. I can move around the cushions to make the couch look like whatever I want. I can't wait until you can see it."

"How did your appointment go? Anything I should know?

"It went fine. I haven't shrunk any so that was good to hear. I had to get blood taken and I hate that."

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I know that's hard for you to avoid considering your condition."

"I hate that I have to do it so often. That's the only part that stinks. I don't mind going to the doctor. I just hate the needles."

"Now, you at least have some time before you have to do it again. Try to keep that in mind."

"I keep telling myself that."

"I haven't talked to Eric and Theo about it yet but I was hoping to have you stay this weekend. I made a few modifications so it's safe for you. I don't have as much as Eric and Theo but it should be enough for a visit."

My eyes widened. I was excited at the thought of getting to go home. I knew things would be different as I didn't live there anymore and I was a different person but the sense of normalcy excited me. Going home would make me feel like the old Jacob again. "Do you think they'd let me go?"

"I'll talk to them. It'll be nice to have you home again."

I wished I could move back home with her. Eric and Theo were nice and they were really trying to give me a great life considering my situation but I wanted to be with Mom. I wanted to be where I was comfortable.

"I have to get ready for work but it was good talking to you, sweetie."

"Yeah. Can we talk later? If you have time."

"Of course. I love you, baby."

"I love you, too, Mom."

I put my phone on the bedside table and plugged it in to charge. As I laid back down in bed, I could feel my wet diaper squishing between my legs. I groaned and covered my face with my hands. Whenever I finally had a moment where I felt normal, it was taken away from me quicker than I could imagine.

—-

I tossed my book on the table and sighed. I was finally done. Finally done with school and homework and reading books. It felt like it took forever.

But I was done and couldn't be more excited.

I got up from the table and walked into the kitchen. Theo was cleaning some dishes in the sink. He was always cleaning something. It was like he couldn't let the house get dirty. Maybe it bothered him so much that he had to clean it.

"Hey, Jake."

"I'm done."

Theo looked over his shoulder at me with raised eyebrows. "Done with what?"

I sat down on one of the bar stools at the counter. "School. I'm completely done with all the work I had."

He turned around completely this time. "That's great, Jake. Let me check out the website to see what else we need to do to get your diploma."

I nodded. I was ready to be done with school. I didn't want to even think about it. After losing all my friends and being outcasted for having a condition out of my control, I wanted to forget school and everything about it. I was ready to move on with my life.

I had some good memories in high school and even good times with Alex. It wasn't all bad. But knowing how bad things ended... It was hard for me to think back fondly.

Theo wiped his hands off on a hand towel then set it down on the counter. "Do you want something to snack on? It won't be long before I make lunch but if you're hungry, I can get you something."

I nodded.

He opened up the fridge and stared inside before he reached in. He walked over to me and put a Gogurt down on the counter. "Do you want a water bottle or a sippy cup?"

I was surprised he gave me the option. It felt like he was just going to give me whatever he wanted me to have. "Um... the sippy cup's okay. I was gonna go watch TV anyway."

Theo walked over to the sink and opened the cabinet to the left. He grabbed out a blue sippy cup and started filling it up with water. He put a few ice cubes in it before he handed it over to me. "You'll have to call your mom and tell her the good news."

I swallowed a mouthful of strawberry yogurt. "I just talked to her this morning."

"Oh, you did?"

I nodded. "Before I got out of bed."

"She'll certainly be surprised to hear from you again."

"Well... she mentioned wanting to talk to you and Eric actually."

He raised his eyebrows. "About what?"

"She wanted to see if I could stay the weekend with her. She said she got the house ready for me and she wanted to have me over."

He leaned against the counter. "I don't see why not."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She's your mom. It's kind of hard to argue with her."

I laughed. "Yeah, not to mention she's a lawyer so she argues for a living. We'd never win against her."

He laughed. "Let me talk it over with Eric first, just to be sure. As long as she has the house set up for you, I don't think we have anything to worry about."

I grabbed my gogurt and sippy cup and slid off the stool I sat on. "Thanks for being okay with this. I was worried you might say no."

Theo shook his head. "Eric and I are very reasonable. We know your condition can be hard for you so we want to make things easier in any way that we can."

"Thanks."

He walked back over to the sink. "Go watch some TV. Enjoy your new freedom."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't sure that having my condition was considered 'freedom'. I was stuck with a constant babysitter because I couldn't be trusted alone.

That wasn't freedom.