Serve Me

“If she’s got help, no problem. But, she might get dizzy looking down them with the concussion she’s got, so a general ‘nay’ unless someone’ll help her down every single time.”

“Alright. What about diet? Anything I should stay away from with her swelling and stuff?”

“Anything that prompts inflammation will be bad, but if you just stick to a healthy diet that isn’t rich in breads, you’ll be good. Lots of water, no soda, and absolutely no caffeine.”

“Chelsea’s not gonna like that,” I mused lowly.

“No one ever does,” Ash smirked.

“Whose care is she being released into?” she asked.

“Mine.” Ash pursed her lips.

“Bet her momma didn’t like that.”

“Not at first, but I gave her a key to the house so she could come by whenever she wanted.”

“That’s good,” Ash smiled, “you’re a good man, Flynn.”

“Thanks,” I sighed.

“Just… know your limits,” she warned.

“What’s that mean?”

“Flynn, this is Chelsea. There isn’t a person around here, new or old, that doesn’t know y’all’s story. What she did rocked this little Oklahoma town, and there are just as many people worried about you as they are about her.”

“I’m a big boy, I can take care of myself.”

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn't be reminded of that every once in a while.”

The silence that hung between us was tense. I didn’t stop to think about how this would look: a boy whose college love abandoned him the morning after graduation suddenly comes back into town, half kills herself, and then that same boy takes her in to rehabilitate her as he sees fit.

“I’ll be careful,” I assured her.

“Good,” she smirked.

“Oh! Another thing to keep in mind: no cars. People with concussions ge

t motion sickness very quickly, so once you get her home, no more gettin’ in that truck of yours.”

“What about grocery shopping and stuff?” I asked.

“Don’t leave her alone. Which means you’ll need to do that while she’s still here.”

“Thanks for lettin’ me know,” I said. “Uh… when are we looking at discharging her?”

“Well, I’m gonna check back in on her tonight before I go home, but if all looks good and her brain swelling has continued to dissipate, we should be able to send her home tomorrow.”

“Perfect. Thanks, As-... I mean, doc.”

“Anytime, Bullhead,” she winked.

I trotted back to Chelsea’s room and saw her father sitting by her bedside. He was drawing circles on the back of her hand while Chelsea slept, and when he slowly rose his eyes up and connected them with mine, I gave him a slight nod and left. I knew he’d stay with Chelsea until I got back, and that meant I could get some stuff in my kitchen before tomorrow. I reached in and grabbed my wallet off the corner table and told Barber I was going grocery shopping, and he shewed me off and down the hallway. I’m sure he wanted to spend some time alone with his daughter, and if I played my cards right, I could even set up her bedroom before I came back.

I made my way to my truck and headed to the grocery store and stocked up on all sorts of things. I figured the easier it was to eat, the more inclined she would be to eat, so I picked up ingredients for many different kinds of soups. I knew Chelsea loved my cabbage stew, so I picked up a couple heads to get marinating in a pot before I headed back to the hospital. I picked up some apples and some peanut butter, thinking maybe if she wanted a snack that would be a good one. She was a glutton for homemade macaroni and cheese, so I piled in the ingredients and made sure that was a staple in her diet.

Plus, if I made too much, it was easy to spoon out and reheat, which would give her some of her independence back. I had a feeling it was going to be very hard for Chelsea to let me take care of her, being all independent like she was. So, I was determined to give her as much as she could do on her own as I possibly could.