Chapter 20 #2
“I’m always going to champion the underdog and I positively loathe bullies, which is what those nurses were being to those patients who were unconscious and unable to say anything.
But I was able to, so I did! I also never left your side unless it was to use your bathroom to shower.
Bruce catered meals in for me since hospital food kind of sucks, and I kept him apprised of your condition.
To say the man was beyond livid that the owner of that particular rig tried to cheap his way on the repairs is an understatement, Dex!
He got the best attorney he could for not only you and Rex, but for Oceanic as well.
He said he told the attorney to ‘take them to the cleaners’ because ‘my boys have been loyal to Oceanic, so we’re going to repay that loyalty tenfold’ if possible. ”
“It’s been a great company to work for, that’s for sure,” I reply.
Do I care that we’re having this heart-to-heart in the middle of the chicken coop with hens making their noises as they watch over their chicks?
Absolutely not. Wherever my wife needs me, or for that matter the rest of my family, I’m going to be there.
“You’re telling me! Now that you’re feeling better, we’re going to need to revisit our budget and finances,” she says, giggling. “Because there are way too many zeroes going on in there right now, even after I prepaid the electric company for a year using the budget plan as a guide.”
“Really? We’ll do that later, keep telling me about the hospital and all that jazz,” I reply.
Hell, we didn’t have to worry about money before this unfortunate incident, so I suspect we really don’t have to now, but I want to be smart about it and make sure we have some things in place for our future.
She takes a deep breath and mumbles, “I didn’t know crying was such thirsty work.”
“Hang on, Dynamo, I have something for you that Abuela sent out,” I tell her, reaching into my side pocket and pulling out the bottled water. After I loosen the top, I hand it to her and watch as she takes a huge gulp before replacing the cap and setting it between her legs.
“Dynamo, huh?” she teases, giggling. At my look she raises her hands and says, “Okay, okay. And now, back to the story. As you know, you didn’t get a shower until I was finally able to get that sorted out, which means your sheets weren’t changed.
The excuses I heard ranged anywhere from, he’s got an infection to we’re afraid to move him in case we accidentally do something to make him worse, can you believe that shit?
I did what I could, Dex, sliding clean sheets that I snatched from the linen closets under you whenever possible, but I still lodged a complaint with the Agency to Health Care Administration because of how you were treated, so I suspect that eventually, heads will roll.
Thank goodness Nonna and Abuela weren’t able to come to the hospital, because I feel pretty confident that spatulas and rolling pins would’ve been flying around some folks’ heads.
Anyhow, you know how it was once you were awake and of course, that we fought to keep you from going to rehab.
I’m so glad we got the new doctor because he was awesome about getting your pain under control.
Truly, getting you home was the best thing ever, even with nurses and therapists coming in and out all day, every day. ”
“I have to agree with you there, sweetheart,” I tell her.
“I was just thinking that this morning because even with all that traffic, I’m able to sleep with you in my arms, see and hear my grandmothers argue the way they do, and spend time with the kids.
I know I’m not up to full strength by any means, but I feel a helluva lot better than I did a month ago, that’s for sure.
I also wanted to say that I’m beyond impressed at everything you accomplished around here while I was in rehab.
I know it’s because you couldn’t sleep since you weren't allowed to stay with me, but promise me that now that I’m home, you’ll contain your activities to daylight hours? ”
She starts laughing because she knows I’m telling the truth.
We now have a fully functional backyard oasis—the pool has been installed, along with a deck all around it, as well as a way for me to get into and out of it.
A huge hot tub is on the patio, something she had ordered when the physical therapist suggested one, saying it would help after sessions.
In addition to the fancy chicken coop, she put up a pen for goats, and also planted a garden, which Abuela and Nonna are overseeing with help from the kids when it comes to weeding.
“I guess I can promise that. Hopefully, now that we’re going to be in our bedroom, I’ll be too exhausted to do anything besides sleep,” she replies.
“Oh, you’re gonna be exhausted alright, wife of mine,” I retort, before leaning down to capture her lips with mine. “What say we go inside and see what we can rustle up from Abuela for lunch?”
“Sounds like a good plan to me. Thanks for listening to my nervous breakdown, Dex. I love you so much, and when it all hit me what you went through, I realized that you didn’t know how I felt and if you died, I’d never get to tell you,” she confesses.
“Well, I didn’t die, and we’re both blessed that our friendship turned into something far greater and longer lasting than either one of us expected or anticipated,” I reply, helping her up.