Everything You've Got
Part 21
by $imone

"Your ride's here," the nurse surprised me.  Already a week 
in the hospital and I was "Comin' Home." I was nervous with 
my new medication.  I had come to enjoy it, and leaving my 
JELL-O and WWF was not something I was ready to face.

I slipped back into my evening dress from the Unplugged 
session just as Peter opened the door.  "I didn't see 
anything," he shuffled about, hand over his eyes.
I rolled my eyes, covering my bandage, "Please! You've seen 
more than this! Now where's Gene?"

"Sorry toots', you're riding with me today.  Now let's go." 
I followed him carrying my bag to his Porsche.  I must've 
looked like a wounded hooker.  I pulled out my half-empty 
bottle of vicodin and popped it in my mouth.  This road had 
too many bumps; more than I could bear.

"Hey, let me see the strength on those," he asked, gaining 
speed.  I handed him the bottle while he carefully studied 
it, opened it up, and threw the remains out the window.  I 
looked up at him in shock.

"Excuse me, but what the fuck am I supposed to do now?" I 
started fighting him for the steering wheel, but he reached 
over with his switchblade and put it to my wound.

"Do you want this done the easy way or the hard way?" He 
raised his eyebrows, "It's amazing how stitches can pop so 
easily." I looked at him and loosened the grip on the 
wheel.  "Good girl, I thought so," he released the clip 
from his knife and put it in his back pocket.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do now?" I repeated, 
fiercely chewing the last vicodin.
"I have something in my apartment for you.  You'll have the 
shakes and sweats for a little while, but these will help." 
He ran into his apartment and came out with a bottle of...

"Tramadol? What is this stuff?" 

"I'm surprised you haven't heard of it, Lil' Miss Pharmacy.  
Look, just follow the directions on the bottle and you 
should be ok and not an addict by the time it's finished.  
Now, if the same thing ever happens to me, I want you to do 
the same thing." I was speechless.

He pulled into the driveway.  Home at last! The gates 
slowly opened, like something out of a horror film.  I was 
nervous I'd forget something important.  I was nervous 
about my sweating situation.  I was nervous about how Gene 
felt.  I remembered Paul's words echoing through my brain.  
I couldn't shake them.

That all changed when I saw Gene.  He helped me out of the 
car pulling me close to his body.  I could feel his heart 
pulsating on mine.  I looked over and saw Peter wink at 
him.  "It's so good to have you home," he lifted me and 
swung me around.  "How's the medication situation?"

"Well, Peter helped me.  He threw my vicodin out the window 
and gave me something non-narcotic for the pain." 

Gene pulled Peter into a firm embrace, "Thanks, man." You 
could see the relief in his face.  Gene lifted me and 
dragged my luggage behind.  We waved goodbye to Peter and I 
let Gene take over all control.  He carried me into our 
bedroom and delicately placed me on the bed, as if I was 
some china doll, ready to break.  He helped me undress, but 
not into something I was expecting.  He pulled down my 
panties and pulled up my red silk pajama pants.  He threw 
down a plethora of KISS shirts from the 80s.  I picked up 
my favorite from the "Creatures" tour.

"Why an 80s shirt?"

"The kids & I have been planning this for some time.  
Sophie wanted to see what you would look like with 'Uncle 
Eric'." I was touched.  A tear began to trickle down my 
face.  "Look, all you have to do is be Mom again. Think you 
can do that?" I nodded as he kissed me.

Slowly, Nicholas & Sophie made their way into the room. 
"Mom?" Nicholas' eyes widened, "You got shot by our old 
mom?" I nodded. "Which side?"

I smiled, "The right side." Sophie held up her hands and 
made an L-shape with her left hand.  
She slowly lifted up her right hand, "This side?"

I nodded, "Where did you learn that?"

"Pre-school," she smiled, proudly.  Nicholas laid down in 
his pj's on my left, and just in the nick of time, Gene 
came in, popped a video in the VCR, and lay down next to me 
with Sophie on his stomach.

"What are we watching?"

"Aladdin," they said in unison.

"Surprise, Mommy.  Welcome home," Sophie said innocently, 
sucking her thumb.  I pulled her off Gene's belly and we 
hugged, like we hadn't seen each other in years.
Gene took Sophie back onto his lap and squeezed my hand.  I 
threw my arm over Nick and kissed them each.  This is 
better than any drug, I decided, and I never wanted to let 
go.