Life changes.

Too much.

I wake up to a bang and jump. I look around and see a note on Austin’s pillow.
 Took kid’s out. Sleep good baby. Love you, Austin aka your sexy fiancée.

I smile at the ending and even laugh a little I place the note back down and get out of bed and head downstairs to see what Alex is into. I reach the bottom and don’t see the kitchen light on or the living room light. I turn and head towards the guest room. I knock on the door before opening it and seeing Alex on the floor trying to get up. I shake my head. “What the hell are you doing?” He turns his head and when he sees me his eyes go wide. “I..I..I was trying to get up.” He puts his head down and I shake my head before walking over and grabbing his arm. He wraps it around me and somehow we manage to get him on the bed. I bend down and pick up his crutch and hand it to him. He goes to get it and winces. I lay it on the bed and look at him. He puts his head down and I sigh. “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!” I turn and walk out. I throw on a pair of sweats I had in a basket in the living room and a pair of flip flops. Grabbing my phone I put it in the back pocket of the sweats and put the edge of my key in my mouth as I walk back into the room.

I walk over and again somehow we get him up and to my car. I close the door and walk back to the house to close the wide open door and lock it. Turning I head to my car. I get in and start the car. “Ally?” I look in the mirror and back out, “Just don’t.” I put the car in drive and head towards the hospital. I pull up to the emergency exit because there is no way I can get him from the parking lot to the entrance. A couple nurses come out and I open the door and they look at me confused. “He was released yesterday and just fell.” They nod and get a wheelchair and get him in it before wheeling him away. One stops and turns back to me. “Ask for him at the desk.” I nod and get back in my car and drive around to the visitor parking lot and find a spot. I park and take my phone out and call Austin.

I hear his voice and it has laughter in it. “Hey baby. Aubrey don’t throw your food.” I laugh, “Hey.” His laugh goes away immediately, “What happened? Are you okay? Did Alex do something? Do I need to come home?” I laugh a little, “I am fine. You can stay out with the kids. Alex decided he would try to get up himself and fell. I helped him up and he was wincing so, hospital it was.” I already know Austin is shaking his head, “Ally, he is too much. We, you can’t take care of Alex, Aubrey, Aiden, and yourself. It is too much.” I nod, “I know Austin. I know.” Its quiet for a minute. I look at my phone and see twenty minutes has passed since I dropped Alex off. “I should go get him.” Austin sigh’s, “Ally, its too much not just physically but emotionally too.” I nod, “I know.” “Why are we doing this if in the end it might hurt you?” I sigh, “He has no one else.” Austin sighs, “Just let me know when it get to be too much. He is not your responsibility. Hell, I am not even your responsibility. You have three, you, Aubrey and Aiden, that’s it.” I look through my windshield at the hospital, “I know baby, I know. Trust me. I get it. I will tell you if it gets to be too much.” He takes a breath, “I mean it, tell me when its too much. I love you.” I smile, “I love you too. See you soon.”

Hanging up I place my phone in the cup holder and grab my keys before getting out. I put the keys in my pocket as I head towards the hospital entrance. I walk in and spot the nurses desk. I smile, “Hi, where is Alex Northman.” She types into the computer, “E-3.” I look at her and she smiles, “Follow me sweetie.” I follow the nice nurse back through some doors and into the emergency room. She stops at a curtain and smiles, “In there.” She turns and walks away before I open the curtain. I see the doctor and  he smiles, “Hi, are you the girlfriend?” I stop and stare at him, “No.” He just swallows and smiles, “My bad. Anyway Alex is fine, he did however do some more damage to his arm but no biggie, just another week in the cast.” I look at Alex and he puts his head down. I smile at the doctor, “Thank you, when can we leave?” He looks at the papers, “He can go now. He has his pain pills and everything so he is good to go.” I smile and shake his hand, “Thank you.” He smiles and hands me a wheel chair, “This is going home with him. So no more falls.” I nod, “Thank you. It will help.”  He shakes Alex’s good hand and walks out. I look at him and he puts his head down again. “Get in the chair.” I place it next to the table and he moves himself into it with his head down.

I wheel him out and leave him at the emergency entrance as I go and get my car. I pull up and get out. I walk around to the passenger side and open the door. Taking his good arm he grabs the door and pulls himself into the car. I shake my head as I push the door closed. “Show off.” I fold up the chair and place it in the trunk before going back to the drivers side and getting in. Taking the car out of park I drive out of the hospital and head home.

“We wont be having any of this shit happening again.” I look at him quickly and see him staring at me, “I was just trying to get up. Austin told me he was leaving and you were sleeping in.” I look at him again and grip the wheel tighter, “Do you not get it? You broke your leg and had surgery on your leg. You have a broken arm. Alex, you cant fucking just get up.” He puts his head down again and mumbles, “I didn’t want to ask for help.” I heard him though. I see Taco Bell and pull in and drive around to the drive thru. I look at him, “Want something?” He nod and looks at the menu, “A quesoburrito and three tacos.” I nod and lean out the window, “Can I get three meat and cheese tacos and a steak quesadilla. Also three tacos with everything and a quesoburrito. Also two cokes.” She reads it back and tells me to pull up.  I pay the lady and get my drinks. I hand Alex his and he starts to drink from it as I place mine in the cup holder. I move my phone so he can put his drink In the other cup holder. I turn back and grab the bag and look at Alex before placing the food on his lap. I smile at the lady and drive away. I get back on the road and head home.

I am almost home when I hear Alex really talk, “Can we stop and get a movie?” I look at him and start to tell him no before nodding. I pull into the store near the house and park in front of the redbox. “What do you want?” He shrugs, “If its just me something scary. If it’s for Austin, You and me something funny.” I nod and start to get out when he hands me his card. I push it back and he shakes his head and hands it to me. I get out and walk up to the machine and look through it. I find A Haunted House 2 and decide to get a scary movie for him and get Oculus and Curse of Chucky. After I have the movies I turn and walk back to the car.

I hand him the movies before pulling out and getting back on the road. I pull into the driveway a few minutes later. “Thank you.” I turn to him, “Alex, I mean it. No more of this shit. You can’t do what you want right now and I know it sucks and makes you mad but there’s nothing to do but deal with it.” He nods, “I know. Thanks for the movies and the food.” I nod and get out and get his chair I push it around to the door and open it. He gets in then grabs the food and movies and put them on his lap. I hand him his drink and he holds it. I grab my and we start toward the house. I get to the step and look at him before laughing. I did not think this through. He looks back at me. “I have a plan.” He get out of his chair and moves himself up the two little steps and sits there. I carry the chair up and place it down and hold it as he climbs back in. “Good job.”

I unlock the door and push him in. I close the door and take the drinks and head into the living room. I turn to get him when I see him moving my way with his one arm. I smile, “Chair was a good option, you can get around and not hurt yourself.” Soon as I say that he runs into the wall. “Opps, well close. It will get better.” I get up and walk over and push him to the couch. He looks at me and I help him get on the couch. I grab a movie and put it in. I get the food out and pull the table closer. He puts his bad leg on it and looks at me. I shrug and he grabs his food before starting to eat.  I start the movie. Maybe this whole thing wont be too much after all. Get him some movies and that will keep him entertained for awhile. The wheelchair should help him get around some. These three weeks should fly by and then the arm cast comes off.  I look over at him getting into the movie Oculus and eating his taco. He seems content, this shouldn’t be too much at all. Actually we may end up being friends again. Not like we were before but maybe friends.