Different Is Good

Thirty One

Jess and Morris held onto Lindsey's arms as they led him out to the car from the hospital. Today was the day he was going home after almost another month in the hospital. He had come a long way physically but his speech was still nonexistent. Stevie followed close behind, biting her nails nervously as she was scared he would break
Stevie felt a hand in her shoulder, Ruth, who had been a comfort to her a lot recently. She relied on her a lot, and she was a great placeholder for her own mother. Sara was with Barbara, Stevie unable to hold her because she was shaking like a leaf.

"It's going to be okay." Ruth's voice was warm and tender, making Stevie stop biting her nails momentarily to give her a small smile.

"I hope so," Stevie replied.
"Once he gets settled back in with Morris and I, he will be okay," Ruth assured her

"He's staying with you?"

"I thought that was decided...you're in no condition to care for him."
Stevie felt physically sick. She couldn't imagine leaving him. "I-I just wanted a little help. I thought..."

"It's for the best. You have to take care of yourself, and you're going to be raising Sara without Lindsey's help. You have enough stress to deal with." Ruth said and it made sense, even if it broke her heart. She felt as if Lindsey was being taken away from her.
"I can come see him, right?" Stevie asked

"Of course you can! You can help with his meals and baths and bed. You can help care for him and see him anytime you like. It's just not safe for you to hold him up."
Stevie nodded sadly. "I'm proud of you for staying with him and trying to help in his recovery."

"I'm not going anywhere." Ruth saw her determination, her devotion to her son and smiled.

"Did I congratulate you on the news yet?" Ruth asked.

Stevie shook her head. "We've all been busy, so worried about Lindsey. It's okay."
"You'll handle this like a pro, Stevie. We will have to tie Lindsey to the bed to keep him from trying to help! We don't want him getting hurt, do we?"
"No, of course not. I want him to get better as quickly as possible. Not just for me, but for Sara and himself as well. He loves being a father. I can tell it hurts him that he can't hug her, or play with her."
"He will be able too one day, he will be our Lindsey again soon."

Stevie smiled sadly and nodded, sliding into the back seat next to Lindsey, kissing his cheek, "You okay?" She asked
He nodded, and Stevie took his hand. She pressed her lips to his knuckles, smoothing the back of his hand with her palm. "I love you" she told him. He wanted so badly to answer and when she didn't hear the usual 'I love you too, Steph', it hurt her more than she had imagined. He simply nodded his acknowledgement.

Stevie turned to look out the window, hiding her tears from the man beside her.
He leaned down and kissed her shoulder, sorrow filling his eyes as he saw her tears. She could hear him grunting, almost as if he were trying to force the words from him brain
She wiped away her tears, turning to look at him. She saw her pain reflected in his eyes and she kissed him. "One day, we will have a house with a big backyard. The kids will be running through the sprinkler in the summer time, and we will have been married for years. One day, all of this will be a distant memory," she dreamed aloud.
He nodded, kissing her in return. Lindsey took her hand and held it all the way to his parents house. He gave her a strange look, "You're staying with your parents, baby. I physically can't care for you..."
He looked out the window, then looked at her. As she got out of the car when his father had parked in the driveway, Lindsey held onto her hand, afraid she would let go and be gone forever.

"It's going to be okay," she told him, echoing the words his mother spoke to her. She tried her best to believe it.
He grunted in response, letting his father help him inside where his mother had made him a bed on the couch. "I figured you wouldn't appreciate stairs right now," Ruth explained to him, messing with his shirt and straightening his hair
He nodded again, looking at Stevie who was too far away for his liking. He grunted again and Stevie pointed to herself. He nodded. She stepped closer and he continued to grunt. She was confused as to what he wanted. She was close again. "I wish you could write notes. We could talk much better that way."