Transcendental (Working Title) Completed First Draft Revising Rewriting Editing

Mother

Devlin POV

I schooled my expression as I arrived at the hospital just in time to witness Michaels mother, obviously drunk, chastising Michael for some unknown reason. I gritted my teeth as I pulled my truck up to the curb directly in front of them, close enough to startle Michael's mother back a step. As I hopped out of the truck I noticed immediately Michael was barely remaining upright. His face bright red and a mask of pain with eyes that looked ready to tear up. He was clinging to the walker he had been given to take home with him to assist him with walking as he worked with physical therapy to get back on his feet.

"Hey Mrs. Onassis, I thought you were working today and I was picking Michael up." I lied smoothly as I quickly snaked an arm around Michaels torso just as his knees were about to buckle. She didn't respond and just looked at me blankly and with perhaps a little disdain. I had no idea why the damn woman had so much animosity in her, and couldn't bring myself to care. 

I continued, unperturbed. "Well, since I'm here now I'll just bring him home, I am sure you have a lot to do." Michael who normally wouldn't ask for and rarely accepted help, didn't even argue as I reached around him more firmly, leaning his full weight against me and breathing a sigh of relief as my arms instinctively wrapped firmly around Michael and held him to my chest, taking his full weight easily. 

I looked down at Michael with a frown on my face at my friends condition. "I gotcha buddy," I said softly, scowling at Michael's useless drunk of a mother who hadn't stopped mumbling complaints. "I got him now Mrs. Onassis, you can head home." I said in a tone that did not invite argument as I tossed the walker into the back of the truck, one arm still easily supporting Michael and holding him closely.

Michael's mother's face screwed up in anger for a moment and I felt the vein in my forehead pulse. "I... Got. Him. Now... Mrs. Onassis..." I repeated in a clipped low growl. Her eyes widened for a brief moment as she instinctively retreated a step. "Fine, I don't have time for this anyways, and I won't be home tonight Michael." She said dismissively before turning on her heel without another word for her only son.

I took a deep breath in an effort to put my anger to the side. I looked down at the curly blond haired head buried against me, trembling slightly. And the hand fisting my shirt so tightly its knuckles were white. I felt an intense protective instinct well up from deep within me and wrapped my other arm around Michael's waist, supporting him fully as I heard an almost inaudible whimper.

"Hey Michael, you ok?" I asked softly, tearful blue eyes turned up to him and all thoughts of anger fled. He squeezed Michael gently, holding him tightly to his chest, "I'm here now Michael, your going to be ok, I got you." Michael exhaled a shaky breath and leaned into Devlin more fully, taking respite in his strong embrace. "Now let's get you home." Michael sighed as he nodded, looking up at the truck and its height with a jaundiced eye. 

I chuckled as I opened the truck door, and before Michael knew what was happening, I had gently lifted him into the truck and he was sitting in the comfortable seat. I hopped down and closed the door of the truck , my lips pressed into a thin line as he walked around to his drivers seat. I knew "home" wasn't such a great place for Michael. When I hoped up into my own seat and closed the door, I glanced over at Michael, who's eyes were downcast and held a profound sadness.

"She said I was to much of a burden and that I always have been." He said the words quietly, but I heard the unspoken pain in them. I felt anger at the bitch ripple through me quickly. What kind of mother says that to her only child after said child has a near life threatening accident? I didn't know how to respond, I wanted to say a lot of things, but regardless how satisfying it would be to go on a verbal tirade about the many ways Mrs. Onassis failed at motherhood, it wouldn't help my already hurting friend. So I said nothing and just buckled Michael in carefully , making sure he was comfortably settled in the seat before fastening my own seat belt. Then started up the big truck as it gave a satisfying rumble.

We silently made the relatively short drive to Michaels house, unsurprisingly his mother's car was absent. I bit back my opinion and kept my mouth shut. Michael had his hands in his lap and while I couldn't see his face fully, I could certainly see the bent head and slumped shoulders.

We both remained silent as I got out and then in turn carefully got Michael out of the truck and leaned him against it while I grabbed the walker and set it in front of him. Michael took a deep shuddering breath as he placed his hands on it and slowly dragged himself forward along the walk to the front of his house.

I frowned at the difficulty Michael was having "Michael are you sure your ready for all of this?" I asked after we had made the painfully slow trek from the truck into Michael's bedroom and helped my friend settle onto his bed. Michael sighed heavily and shook his head. "No, but when the therapist discussed options, mom said no to the wheelchair, and told me she wasn't going to have me lazing around in a wheelchair all day while she waited on me. But the therapist said that for now, I am only supposed to be using the walker for short distances, like, from the bed to the bathroom. For at least a week. But mom left the wheelchair in the room at the hospital , she wouldn't even bring it. "

I pinched the bridge of my nose hard in an effort to remain calm, then nodded "I'll go back, pick it up and drop it off before I head home." I heard Michaels breath hitch softly. "Michael, I know she is your mom, but I feel like you would be better off staying at my house where we can be certain your taken care of properly." But Michael was already shaking his head, this wasn't the first time this topic had been brought up. "I can't expect people to work their lives around waiting on me." He said firmly, letting me know the topic was closed.

I knew that was Michael's mother's opinion. And I had no choice but to let the matter drop. "Fine, but I'm going to stop over at least once a day to change your wraps and do your stretches on days you don't go to therapy to have it done." Michael knew better then to argue with me when I got that stubborn set to my chin. He nodded and smiled weakly. "Alright then lets get you settled into bed and get you to sleep so I can go pick up what we need and get back before you wake." I said as I was already pulling off his shoes and socks, he just nodded, likely to tired to argue.

Within a few moments, Michael was in his PJ's and fast asleep tucked under the covers. It felt good that he was out of the hospital finally, despite the circumstances surrounding us at the moment. We were finally one step closer to getting life back to normal... Well, back to 'our' normal.