“What can I do? What do you need from me? Your mom.”
“I need to get out of here.”
“Where do you want to go?”
* * *
“You’re nervous.” Mom shuts off the car.
I stare at the front door to Dorothy’s house. “No. Maybe. Well, it’s because she lives with her parents. If they’re here, they’ll answer the door. Then I have to explain myself to them. That part makes me a little nervous.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m out of my comfort zone here as well since I’m the mother dropping off her injured thirty-eight-year-old son with an overnight bag. Hi, could you look after my boy? He needs help getting around, going to the bathroom, and cooking food. Here’s my number. Call me if he’s a burden.”
I laugh. “Yes. This is crazy. Hopefully my patient transporter, EMT, nursing student girlfriend will show up and demonstrate her caregiving skills.”
“Maybe I should stick around.”
“That would be safe. But I don’t want to be safe. I don’t want her to feel like she has an easy out.”
“Eli, you need to let her go or seriously hold on to her, but don’t string her along.” She rests her hand on mine.
“I know.”
She helps me out of the car as best that she can and situates my crutches under my arms. Yes, I’m stubbornly using both crutches even with my ribs protesting. Physical therapy has helped.
It takes us forever to get to the door, three knocks before Kellie answers the door, and one huge breath of courage to deliver my speech.
“Oh my gosh, Eli! W-what an unexpected surprise. Dorothy didn’t say you were coming. She’s not even home from work yet. Come in. Do you need some help? Hi, Lori. So nice to see you again.”
“It’s so nice to see you too. Sorry for the unexpected disruption.”
“It’s no problem. Have a seat wherever you’ll be most comfortable. Actually the most comfortable chair is in Dorothy’s game room, but there’s only one.”
“Perfect.” I work my way to the game room and her expensive reclining chair with all the bells and whistles.
“Oh … okay. Can I get either of you something to drink while you wait?”
“I’m not staying.” Mom wrinkles her nose while depositing my overnight bag just inside the door to the game room as I ease into the soft fabric, letting my crutches drop to the floor on either side of the chair.
“Oh.” Kellie narrows her eyes at my bag before shifting her attention to my mom and then to me.
“Dorothy hasn’t been able to make time to come see me, so I thought I’d surprise her. But since it’s late, and I can’t drive, I brought a bag. I’ll figure out how to get home tomorrow. Hope this is okay.” I smile.
Kellie grins as if my intentions are quite clear. She most likely knows enough about the previous weeks to know that Dorothy simply isn’t ready to see me. “Sounds like the best idea I’ve heard in a long time.”
Yeah, she knows.
“Great.” Mom clasps her hands next to her chest. “Looks like you’re good, Eli. So … I’ll head home.”
“He’s in good hands.” Kellie winks at my mom and walks her to the door.
They murmur a few more things to each other, but I can’t make out the words. After the door shuts, Kellie brings me some water and a bag of microwave popcorn.
“Dorothy really misses Roman.” She hands me the popcorn and stands next to the chair, tightening the sash on her robe.
“He adores her. She’s his superhero. I’m sure he would love to show her his Flash costume that my mom and Julie bought him for Halloween. He’s going to have it worn out before he gets a chance to go out trick or treating in it.”
Kellie laughs. “Oh Dorothy would love to see it.”
“Kellie, I’m … I’m sorry. I feel like I’m failing Dorothy at the moment because I’m injured and dealing with my ex-wife living with me again and my family always around helping me. I just …”
“Dorothy thinks you belong with Dr. Hathaway.” She blurts the words out so quickly, it takes me a few seconds to process them. “I want to believe that she’ll tell you that to your face, but it might come out as a different version. However, those were the words she said to me. And it’s not because she doesn’t like you. She does … so much so. But … you need to know where her head is right now, and I fear she won’t be able to adequately articulate her thoughts. You see, her grandfather cheated on her grandmother many years ago. Not just cheated, he fell in love with another woman. My brother was three at the time—Roman’s age. I hadn’t even been conceived. My father left his new love to go back to his family. My mother took him back. Had she not taken him back, I wouldn’t be here, therefore Dorothy wouldn’t be here. She knows the story. It’s been retold to her many times.”