Fix My Feet When They're Stumblin'

Chapter 44

    At long last, the day had finally arrived. Nearly a month spent in Saint Luke's hospital, and their time had finally come to an end. The final paperwork had been signed. Brandon had been cleared for discharge after several days of intensive preparatory therapy drilling him on walking and stair safety, building his endurance. Now, finally, they could go home.

    Tana waited near the open door to Brandon's room as Mandy prepped him and settled him in the wheelchair, dressed in his favorite red sweatshirt and black sweatpants, his faithful, cracked old hiking boots back on his restless feet. Ryan's sunglasses perched jauntily on his face, shielding his sensitive eyes from the light - the only thing he's wearing that's less than five or ten years old, Tana noted wryly to herself.

    "I d-don't need - I can...I can..."

    "I know you can walk, dear, but it's hospital policy - and besides, it's a very long way to your car, you know," Mandy teased, winking at Tana as she fended off Brandon's half-hearted protestations with ease. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride!"

    Brandon sighed, but obediently fell silent, taking one last look around the room that had been his home for the last month. "Ready."

    Mandy glanced at Tana questioningly, and she nodded, smiling. "We've got everything, I promise. We'll get out of your hair now, Mandy."

    The nurse chuckled as she propelled the chair forward, turning slowly into the hallway to join Ronnie and Olivia as they waited with the children. "I'm not sure I want you guys out of my hair, honestly. I've kinda gotten used to having Mr. Flowers around."

    "We'll miss you, too, Mandy!" Ammon said, racing ahead of Mandy and Brandon to hit the button for the elevator.

    "You guys have to promise me you'll be good for your mom and dad, okay?" Mandy asked softly as she backed the wheelchair into the crowded elevator car, smiling down at Ammon and Henry beside her. They nodded enthusiastically, and Ammon zipped his lips with his fingers.

    The children had had a meeting with Brandon's neuropsychologist themselves that week, alongside Tana, and they had clearly taken their instructions for doing their part to help their dad to heart. All three were doing their best to keep their voices down around Brandon, and trying to avoid all speaking at once.

    As the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, revealing the first floor, Gunnar slipped through and ran for the glass doors, waiting impatiently by the silver button on the wall engraved with a handicapped symbol as the rest of the group drew near. With a dramatic flourish, he pressed the button, grinning as the doors slid open in front of them.

    "That's so cool," he whispered to Henry as he passed by, ruffling his little brother's hair with a grin. "You can open the car doors if you want, Henry! When Auntie Liv brings it, I mean," he added, watching as Olivia retrieved her keys from her purse and stroked Ronnie's arm in farewell before proceeding along the sidewalk to the nearby parking garage.

    "Thank you, kids, you're all being very helpful," Tana said with a smile, then they all waited quietly, watching the cars drive by.

    "Well, Mr. Flowers, I'm really going to miss you, you know," Mandy said softly, bending down so her mouth was near his ear. "You're gonna keep doing great, I promise. Just remember to be kind to yourself, okay? And take your meds, and your naps, and make sure you go to all of your therapy sessions."

    Brandon turned his head, smiling slightly at her. "You...you s-sure you don't w-want...don't want to come h-home with...with us and - and move in?" he whispered, the mischief in his eyes hidden by the dark sunglasses. "We h-have room, M-Mandy."

    Mandy smiled brightly at him. "Mr. Vannucci actually invited me yesterday, you two are clearly in cahoots. My answer is the same now - but I wish I could, honey. Thank you for the offer, just the same."

    Brandon shrugged and returned his gaze to his knees as he sat in the wheelchair, sighing softly. Tana bit her lip, watching him. He seems so sad...the last few days in particular.

    "Brandon, are you okay?" she whispered, reaching for his shoulder and squeezing, hoping to reassure him. Her husband only sighed in answer, tilting his head gratefully toward her hand as it rested on his shoulder.

     Tana's eyes were drawn to the long scar that sliced through the back of his skull, surrounded by short, dark hairs nearly grown back to their normal length. He's been through so much. Very carefully, she raised her hand and stroked his cheek, littered with the tiny nicks and cuts that were now everpresent. Small, ugly reminders of his constant struggle for independence.

    "I love you," she said softly, touching his pale cheek again with soft fingers. He smiled and leaned into her hand, but his face was strained and she was certain that the smile didn't reach his eyes behind the sunglasses.

    Finally, a familiar blue van pulled up to the curb, and Henry ran forward and jerked the passenger and side doors open, grinning at the group. "You m-make a good...a good d-doorman, Henry," Brandon said softly, smiling at his youngest as he puffed his chest out with pride at the compliment.

    "Okay, Mandy and Ronnie, can you help Brandon in first? Ronnie and Brandon will both be in the back, then the kids will take the middle, and I'll be up front with Liv," Tana directed. She watched, her heart thumping loudly in her ears as Brandon rose to his feet and eyed the stair into the van uncertainly. Olivia lowered the middle seats into the floor of the van, allowing for easier access to the back row.

    Ronnie laid his crutches on the carpeted van floor, the perched on the edge and swung his legs up beside him. Carefully, he crawled to the back row and heaved himself up on the bench seat, then dumped his crutches over the back, into the trunk with their luggage.

    Brandon approached the open door and clutched the plastic grip tightly, and Mandy hovered just behind him. "Go ahead, Mr. Flowers. Right foot up, then left, just like you've been doing with Ryan."

    Taking a deep breath, Brandon raised his right foot onto the wide plastic step, following with the left. Another step brought him onto the van's carpeted floor, and he straightened as much as the ceiling would allow and shuffled back to Ronnie, watching his feet studiously on the unfamiliar surface.

    "Hey, little brother," Ronnie whispered, patting the seat next to him and reaching out to guide him into it. Finally settled, Ronnie stretched his arm over his chest and grabbed Brandon's seat belt, quickly fastening it before doing his own. "We're all set back here," he called softly through the open door.

    Olivia raised the middle row of seats once again, and the children clambered in, whispering excitedly, and then Olivia and Tana took their seats as well.

    "Alright, is everyone ready to start heading home?" Soft murmurs of assent filled the van, and Olivia pulled away from Saint Luke's hospital for the last time.