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A couple of minutes later, the doctor wheeled Timothy into the hallway and said, “He’s all set, and I gave him the name of a colleague in San Francisco. She can help with pain management, follow-up appointments, and removing the casts in a few weeks.”
I thanked him and asked Timothy, “Do you have everything?”
“I think so.” He patted the shopping bag on his lap as he said that. I’d bought him a few things while he’d been in the hospital, including some baggy shorts that could be pulled on over his cast.
I picked up the bag and fell into step with them as Daniel wheeled Timothy down the hall. “Wait,” Timothy said, “I just realized they never gave me a bill. I don’t have health insurance, so I’ll need to see about setting up some sort of payment plan.”
“It’s all taken care of,” I said, as we reached the elevators and I pushed the button.
“What do you mean?”
“I paid it, so you have nothing to worry about.”
Timothy looked stunned, and he exclaimed, “But that must have been so expensive!”
“It’s fine.”
“I can’t let you do that.” His eyes started to fill with tears. “It’s too much.”
Daniel patted his shoulder and told him, “I know you’re used to taking care of everything on your own, but let him do this for you, T. He can afford it, and besides, it obviously means a lot to him to get to help you.”
Timothy looked at his friend, and then he turned to me and whispered, “Thank you, Aleksei. I don’t even know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything.”
I laughed when Daniel planted a loud, wet kiss on my cheek and announced, “I knew you were a good guy.”
When we reached the parking lot, Daniel went to get Timothy’s bags from his car. Meanwhile, my boyfriend looked at the big, dark blue van I’d rented and asked, “What exactly is happening here?”
“It’s made to accommodate wheelchairs, and there’s a lift to get you inside. You can’t sit in a regular passenger seat with your cast, and I thought this would be a better idea than trying to fit you into a back seat.”
Daniel joined us and handed me two bags as he told his friend, “I looked all over my brother’s house, and I’m pretty sure that’s everything you brought with you from San Francisco.”
“Thanks. Oh, and speaking of your brother, I just realized I don’t know what happened to his skateboard—the one I was riding when I crashed.”
“I actually found it on the side of the road in the neighborhood. Not that Donny would’ve cared if you’d lost it. He has, like, twenty more.” He gave his friend a careful hug and said, “Take it easy, T, and I’ll see you in a few days when you’re back in San Fran.”
After he left, I put the bags in the van and spent a few minutes trying to figure out how the chair lift worked. When I finally figured it out, I turned to Timothy and was surprised to find tears streaming down his cheeks. I rushed to his side and crouched down beside him as I asked, “Are you alright, Tima? Are you in pain? Should I go get the doctor?”
“No, it’s not that. While I was watching you with the lift, it finally dawned on me what a colossal burden I’m going to be to you over these next few weeks. I’m so sorry, Aleksei. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
I ran my hand over his cheek and said softly, “I love you, Tima. You could never be a burden to me.”
A sob slipped from him, and he held his good arm out to me. I hugged him gingerly, and then I smiled at him and said, “Besides, it’ll all even out in the end. Let’s not forget that I’m fifteen years older than you. So, thirty years from now, you’ll have to pre-chew my food for me, massage lotion into my bunions, and constantly make sure my toupee is on straight.”
“That’s a fantastic mental picture, but in thirty years, you’ll only be seventy-five. Nana and her husband are both much older than that, and I can guarantee you nobody’s prechewing their food for them. Also, that’s so gross! Why wouldn’t you just use a blender?”
“It’s all about the personal touch. Now, come on. Let’s load your ass into this van and drive to sin city, where we’ll party like it’s 1999.”
He walked right into my set-up by pointing out, “I was six in 1999.”
“Exactly. And just like when you were six, there’ll be no drinking, no carousing, and a very early bedtime.” That made him roll his eyes, but he was also chuckling. Mission accomplished.
23
Timothy
Even though I felt less than stellar and was hopped up on pain pills, I was so glad I got to attend Romy and Marcus’s wedding reception. They’d gotten a permit to close off the street Romy had grown up on, and the whole block was decked out with a million white lights, which lit up the night. It was pure magic.
