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“Don’t laugh. Getting in the car was a pain in the ass. I don’t know how you guys are going to get me out,” he says with a laugh.
“We’ll be just fine.” Debbie undoes her seat belt, then opens her car door before walking over to where I’m standing, holding a pair of crutches I got from the backseat that I rest against the car.
Thankfully, it’s his right leg, so we can easily swing it out of the car. He still has this cage-like apparatus connected to his leg, and just the sight of it brings tears to my eyes that I quickly blink away. The last thing he needs is me getting emotional right now.
“Okay, bring your other leg out,” Debbie says as I hold his right hand to give him balance.
He does as she suggested, and with one foot on the ground, he looks at the two of us, both much smaller than him in comparison, and laughs. “Are you guys even going to be able to lift me out of this car?”
“You’re darn right we are. Now, grab on to me,” Debbie says with determination that only a mother can have.
Aaron shakes his head as he reaches his other hand out to her.
“Wrap it around my neck,” she says. “Ready? On three. One, two, three.”
We grunt as we pull him up, and Aaron tries to push his way out of the car with one leg.
Once he’s standing, we all smile at our job done right, and she grabs the crutches and hands them to him.
He positions them under his arms, and we slowly make our way to the house, Debbie and me on either side of him. We walk him directly to the couch, where Debbie quickly props up his leg with a mountain of pillows she had there waiting for his arrival.
“Are you comfortable?” she asks once she thinks she’s got everything situated.
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Okay, let me go get the rest of the stuff from the hospital out of the car.”
She leaves us, and he turns to me. “Thank you for being here.”
I sit down on the recliner next to him and place my arm on his shoulder. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be. Just glad to see you’re home.”
He drops his head back with a sigh. “Me too. Being in the hospital was no fun. I’m so ready for my own bed tonight.”
“Well, hate to break it to you,” Debbie says as she walks back in, carrying a bag. “Doc said the couch is the best place to sleep for a few weeks so we can keep you propped up, and you’ll have that side of the couch to keep you there.” She points to the back of the couch against the wall.
Aaron lets out a huff but doesn’t argue with his mom.
I reach for the remote and hand it to him. “At least you have the bigger TV out here.”
He shakes his head and grabs it from me, turning it on and flipping to ESPN—what he always watches anytime the TV is on.
“I didn’t have time to run to the store before I left to get you, so I’m going to take off now. Any special requests?” Debbie asks.
Aaron gives her his list of his favorites, including chips and salsa as well as bagels with cream cheese. Funny how we’ve grown older, but our favorite snack food has stayed the same.
When we’re all alone, he turns his head my way. “Does Beau know you’re here?”
I nod. “Yeah. He’s been worried about you too.”
He turns his attention back to the TV. “I heard he stayed that first night.”
“You gave us all a big scare.”
He lets out a breath. “We should have been celebrating the win.”
“And we will, as soon as you’re better. The school is planning a big pep rally for when you’re able to come back.”
He rubs his lips together and nods, not really responding in any way as he stares at the TV but I know he’s not really looking at it at all.
