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“Oh, I just came up from the basement. I was checking to see if you had any beer in the fridge down there for Taz.”
I was absolutely no good at fibbing, at least not spur of the moment fibbing.
“Lindsey, there is beer on the bottom shelf in this fridge, see?” Slate replied, pointing to the bottom shelf.
“Oh, so there is; my bad. Would you grab one for Taz? Where’s Mom?” I asked, taking Bryce from him.
“The medical transport van is a few minutes behind us. She’ll be here in a few,” Slate replied, tossing a beer to Taz, who was now standing at the kitchen breakfast bar. He opened one for himself. Slate looked worn out.
“You mean she had to be transported by an ambulance?”
“It’s a long drive, Lindsey. She needs to lie on her back for the next two months. She can only get up to use the bathroom and shower once a day. That is it until she sees her doctor here.”
“When will that be?”
“We have an initial appointment Monday with her OB/GYN, but that will involve more testing. We will know more once he gets the results back and confirms what the hospital in Indianapolis diagnosed.”
“Do you want me to take her to her appointment? I asked. “I can probably handle both her and Bryce.”
“I want to clarify some things before she gets here, okay?”
I nodded.
“I truly appreciate the sacrifice you’ve made in doing this. I don’t want you to totally give up your life. I’m going to be leaving for Baltimore on Tuesday. I won’t be able to help at all for the next week, maybe longer.”
“Baltimore?” I asked, as if this was news to me.
“Yeah. I’m on assignment. I’ll be calling in when I can though. I’ve arranged for a home healthcare nurse to come in once a day for a few hours so that she can help your mother shower and change, prepare dinner for them so you can get out for a few hours. She’ll also check your mother’s vitals and report her condition to the doctor. I know it’s not much, but you’re going to need a breather being cooped up here 24/7. So I encourage you to take advantage of it for your own wellbeing, got it?”
“Yes. Thanks, Slate.”
“Also, I have a cleaning service that will come in once a week to do the major cleaning. All you need to do is keep the house picked up from this little whirlwind here, handle him and do laundry. Will that work?”
“It’s no problem at all, Slate.”
“Okay, good.”
Bryce was squirming in my arms now, starting to fuss.
“He’s probably ready to go down for the night, Lindsey.”
“I’ll handle it,” I said, heading towards the nursery with him.
I gave Bryce a quick sponge bath and put a clean diaper and jammies on him. He had his thumb in his mouth. That was a sure sign he was tired.
I put him in his crib and wound up his musical mobile. He rolled unto his side; thumb in mouth and within five minutes, his eyelids closed. I pulled his little blanket up to his waist. The poor little guy was probably confused with all the commotion in his life recently.
I left his nightlight on, leaving the door to his nursery slightly ajar.
When I got out to the main hall, Mom was coming in the door. Slate had his arm around her. I was surprised at how pale she looked.
“Lindsey,” she said, her face brightening. “I’m so sorry that you had to come home like this, honey.”
“Mom, stop. I mean it. The most important thing is getting you into bed so you can rest.”
“Rest is all I seem to be able to do lately. The pain medication that doctor put me on sees to that.”
“I’ll help her get ready for bed, Slate.”
