34. One day at a time

The sun peeked in through the window, causing a searing, bright, white light behind my eyes. I opened my eyes and glared at the window, daylight poured into my room. I couldn't see much skyline from my position, but I could tell it was bright and full, no soft colors. Which meant I had missed the sunrise again! "NO!" I gasped. Pat was sound asleep beside me with one arm under my neck the other wrapped around my waist; he moved just a little at my exclamation. I bit my lip in guilt. I tried to ease my way out of his arms but ended up just settling back into the nook of Pat's shoulder. He shifted slightly. "Sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

He leaned over and nuzzled the top of my head. "Morning, doll," he whispered groggily. I grinned. Now that he was awake, I could squirm and move as much as I wanted, and I made a point of it. That was a mistake, every muscle protested. 

"Morning. Sorry about last night. Can you please help me sit up? I hate sleeping on my back. Everything is stiff. Please," I pleaded as I let out a soft cry of pain. He chuckled softly.

"You really are a get up and go type gal, aren't you?" He teased. 

"It's what makes me so lovable. Could you picture me as anything else?" I teased back. 

"No, doll. I can't," he said sleepily as he helped me sit up. He rolled over to his back, stretched, and yawned.

"I'm jealous," I pouted as I playfully poked his ribs. He opened his eyes and looked at me with a smirk.

"I'll help you stretch, doll. You're not allowed to pass out in pain though," he insisted.

"No promises. I'm riddled in color and my lungs haven't been cooperating," I retorted. I looked over at him and grinned. "Plus, I didn't get my solar panels charged; I missed the richest light of day. I told you what it means to me! So there's a chance that the pain will overtake the joy!" I poked his side again and whispered, "and I'll blame you." He chuckled and pulled me back down to the bed and laid on top of me. I started to laugh as he breathed on my neck. "What are you doing? You're tickling me! Stop! Pat," I giggled. 

"Siphoning your pain away. Your joy is not allowed to disappear; I won't let it. You can't blame me for needing sleep. So, I'll siphon your pain away to keep your joy in place. I can't imagine what the world would be like if you weren't cheerful. I don't know how you do it, doll. You're so happy and the day's barely begun. I thought you said you missed your charging time," he teased as he leaned back and rested on his forearms, pushing his body away from mine; the only point of contact was our knees and down. 

"Yes, sir. No disappearing cheer, sir!" I teased as I pushed his chest. He feigned hurt as he leaned back and shifted his weight to his hips again so he could sit up. I laughed at him. 

"Don't call me, sir. I'm your friend and you don't have show me respect like that," he murmured with a grin. "Besides, you aren't military, so you shouldn't talk like that to me, civilian."

"Sorry, I'm probably never going to stop calling you sir. It's respectful. I didn't mean to upset you; it sounded like the right thing to say. Can we get up now? I want some french toast. And I have to apologize to Tyler."

"Umm. No. I wanna stay in bed. Someone scared me last night, and I'm tired," he teased as he let me sit up again -sitting directly beside him- and met my eye. "It's a terrifying thought, doll, to think that you could have hurt yourself because you were trying to do this on your own." 

"I wouldn't have scared you if you didn't scare me first. I couldn't place where I was. Do you have any idea how terrifying that is?" I asked in a serious tone. He bopped my nose and I wrinkled it at him, causing him to chuckle softly. I put my hand over my head and bent side to side, wincing in pain. 

"Take it easy. You're not allowed to hurt yourself," Pat instructed as he pulled my arm back down and sat me up tall. He yawned into his fist. I pushed his shoulder repeatedly. He chuckled as he met my eye again, "yes, ma'am?"

"Come on! Wake up! I recant what I said last night. I'll take some Ibuprofen or Tylenol with breakfast. Can I cook?" Pat's eyes grew in concern.

"Doll, you can't even sit up on your own right now; you're swaying a bunch. How about one week of healing first, okay?" Pat bartered. I stared at him and pressed my lips together. "Please," he begged softly. I rolled my eyes and nodded. "Good girl. Thank you. I'll make it two weeks if you ask again. Got it, doll?" I gave him a skeptical look. "My house, my rules," he teased. I nodded.

"Fine. You win. Would you like to help me out of bed or should I try that myself?" I asked with a grin. He shook his head.

"Told you, I'm scared you're going to hurt yourself if you do this by yourself, so no. Now what am I going to do with you, doll?" Pat chastised softly as he wrapped his arms around my waist again. 

"Love me for who I am," I replied as I kissed his cheek and wiggled out of his arms, rolling painfully to the side of the bed.

"I can do that," he agreed, pulling me back to the center of the bed. "Please behave, doll. Let me put my leg on first, then I'll help you. I don't have the best single leg balance." I nodded and he moved to the side of the bed.

"What, you don't think I'd make a good left leg? I know you make an excellent right one," I teased. He chuckled softly and shook his head. "So what time is it?" Pat looked at his watch as he stood up. 

"8:28, doll. You gotta hot date?" He teased as he pulled me to the edge of the bed.

"Yep; it's the only hot date I'll ever get. My food is usually scalding hot when I bite into it and I'm looking forward to that plate of french toast," I snickered. He offered me his hand and helped me stand. I felt woozy and swayed in his arms, leaning against him more.

"And you wanted to do this yourself. Doll, you would definitely hurt yourself," he whispered in my ear. I leaned back and looked at him.

"I'm fine. I just need to find my land legs again; I feel like I've been out to sea. Really, I'm okay. To prove it to you, and so you know I'm not doing this alone, I'll let you pick out an outfit for me if you take me to the bathroom right now," I bargained with a smile. He chuckled.

"You are trouble, doll. But like Tyler said last night. We'll happily cater to your every whim and desire," he grinned down at me. Then he put on his British accent and bowed to me as he held my hand, "your wish is my command, doll." I laughed again. He picked me up and carried me to the bathroom. He allowed me to stand. I braced myself against the wall. He held onto my hip and in a low voice, asked, "can you behave for three minutes? I'm going to get dressed really quick." I nodded. He grinned and pointed his finger at me as he slowly backed out of the room. "No funny business. No hopping, doll." I saluted him and he chuckled and shut the door, leaving me alone. I was just finishing up as he knocked on the door.

"That wasn't three minutes!" I accused. He chuckled. "I need thirty more seconds."

"One. Two. Three," he counted. I chuckled and finished what I was doing. "Twenty-four. Twenty-five. I'm coming in whether you're ready or not. Twenty-seven." I flushed as he said thirty and opened the door. I blushed and gave him a faux pout. He had changed, wearing black cargo shorts, a white t-shirt, and a orange plaid button up shirt, with the top two button left undone. He picked me up and carried me to the sink. "Army time is very efficient," he whispered as I washed my hand.

"No. They're military. It's a lot of hurry up and wait. That much I do know," I teased as I made eye contact in the mirror. I gasped. He leaned back and looked at me in concern. "My face! The bruise is mostly gone on my right side!" I explained as I shook out my wet hand and touched my cheek. Under my lip was still green and my right temple had a nasty scab, but my cheek looked amazing - almost normal. I moved my hand to my chin and traced around my lips. A small bruise surrounded the cut on the bottom lip, but it hardly stood out. My left jaw was muddy: green, yellow, and purple mixed together. My left eye was a whole mess and left me feeling nauseated. I rolled my eyes and looked back at my right cheek as I smiled and touched it again. "Small victories!" I whispered with a grin.

"You are full of surprises, doll," Pat said kindly as he took the hand towel off the rack and dried my hand then my face.

"Thank you. Life would be boring if I didn't try and keep it interesting. Plus I have a reputation to live up to," I stated as I pointed to the embroidered sunshine on the towel as he hung it up. He chuckled again. 

"You're living up to it. You are most definitely a ray of sunshine," he praised. I blushed and looked down.

"So now what? Can I get dressed? Or are we just going to stand here in the bathroom admiring my bruises?" I inquired. Pat picked me up and carried me into the room. He set me by the dresser, held onto my hip as he opened the closet, and pulled out a strapless turquoise summer dress.

"This will probably be the easiest thing for you to put on yourself. Right?" Pat asked. I nodded as I felt the fabric.

"It's too pretty," I murmured. "I don't know if I can pull that off!" Pat laughed.

"Doll, that's what you're worried about?! You could probably pull off wearing a burlap sack and still look amazing," he insisted. I ducked my head to my chest and blushed. "I'm only partially kidding," he whispered causing me to look up again. He smiled warmly at me and dug through the closet again. "I never thought you were one that was concerned with what she wore," he stated as he rifled through the closet some more.

"I've just never been around the fancy, pretty clothes. It draws attention, and I'm not a fan of that," I admitted as he pulled out a ¾ sleeved white lacy top to go over the dress.

"It may not cover the bruises completely, but it will give you a little less stares?" He asked searching for my approval. I looked at the outfit together, grabbed them, and looked at Pat. 

"It'll work. Thank you. Now shoo. Can't have you in here now when I'm getting dressed. I'm a very private person! I hate having people around me all the time," I teased. Pat picked me up and carried me to the bed.

"And you're not allowed to hurt yourself, doll. Holler when you're ready," he instructed as he helped me out of my sling. I saluted him again and he kissed my forehead. "Behave, doll," he whispered then he disappeared out the door, closing it softly behind him. I tried to take off the shirt. I was successful but only after causing my arm lots of unnecessary pain. I blinked back the tears as I stared at the dress. No zippers or buttons. I grinned and put it on quickly. I wasn't going to attempt to put the blouse on by myself. 

"Pat!" I yelled as I dried my eyes. A short while later he came into the room. "I should have gone under not over," I explained as he noticed my wet cheeks. He dried them and smiled sweetly at me. "Will you please help me with the jacket? I bumped my shoulder taking off your shirt and I could really use the help," I begged. Pat smiled and eased my arm into the shirt. Then he helped me back into the sling.

"Thank you for asking for help; I'm sure it's not easy for you," he replied warmly then gestured to my outfit. "See. You look stunning. This color makes your eyes look like real gems. Do you want to button the blouse?" He gestured to my dark chest. I looked down at it, then looked back at him with a smile.

"Nah. It's my pop of color! I always need a different color in my outfit that stands out," I teased. "I want my french toast!"

"One track mind, doll. One track mind," Pat chuckled at me. "Alright. I sent Tyler a text; he'll know where to find us. Let's go eat." I grinned at him as he pulled me up. I stood there as he looked me over. "Sorry, doll. I'm buttoning this one. Those black bruises do not look good and if you're afraid of people staring, then we shouldn't draw attention to you. There. Now we can go." He scooped me up in his arms and carried me out to his truck. "I'll be right back. Wheelchair." I nodded as I buckled up. Pat came back out in a under a minute.  

As soon as he got in the truck and buckled up, I spoke up, "I guess I should have grabbed some money. It's not fair to make you pay for everything. Will you please let me repay you?" He gave me a sideways glance as we traveled down the road. 

"Doll, like I told you in the hospital. I offered you my home. I never asked you to pay for anything, nor do I expect you to do so. I'm happy to do this; I'm happy to help you. Doll, you never let people help you, you're always so generous and friendly, and you're always guarded. I appreciate the fact that you opened up to me and are letting me help you; I know how difficult it is for you. It's time for people to help you, and right now, I'm more than willing to do so. My help comes with making sure you're fed, feel safe, and are comfortable. So that means digging out my wallet if needed; paying for breakfast is needed. You won't be putting me out," Pat insisted. I bit my lip. "If it'll make you feel better. I'll start charging you rent: one penny per day." I looked at him. He was grinning.

"You're shorting yourself, sir!" I teased.

"I don't think I am. You pay me in smiles and laughter. I get to enjoy the pleasure of your company. If anything, I'm shorting you, doll," he teased as he parked the truck.

"You make up for it: siphoning my sunshine. I think you got the wrong thing in bed earlier," I teased as I rubbed my side softly. He laughed and got out of the truck. I unbuckled my seatbelt and waited patiently for him to come around. He opened my door and helped me into the wheelchair. 

"Well, doll. Even doing that, your panels still have given you enough energy to spread cheer around," he stated. I grinned at him. He turned me around backwards and offered his hand. "Shall we?" I grinned and took his hand. He returned my smile and began wheeling me away.

"And you call me difficult! Here you are doing everything backwards!" I teased. He leaned in closer and kissed the top of my head. "Keeping an eye on your mischievous mug makes it worth it I guess." He laughed again.

"I'm not the mischievous one. After all, danger runs from me, remember?" He retorted. I grinned and shook my head. We were through the double doors and weaving through the tables and guests. Once again he parked me perfectly at the counter. 

"Show off," I teased. He sat down beside me and grinned. 

"Good morning, Emily!" Pat greeted her politely. 

"Morning, Pat. Annette. It's good to see you both." I grinned. Emily continued, "what can I get for you? I'm just assuming you don't need the menu." I nodded.

"French toast and orange juice. What's the fresh fruit selection today?" I asked. Pat chuckled.

"I'll get back to you on that, Annette," Emily replied.

"Biscuits and gravy. Side of links. Side of hash browns. Coffee." Pat ordered. Emily smiled and walked away.

"Thanks, Em!" I hollered after her. She gave me a small wave and a smile. Josh walked by. "I thought Linda said she was working? Not Josh," I stated as I looked at Pat questionably.

"She is," another voice piped up. Linda was on the stove. I smiled at her.

"Morning, ma'am!" I replied with a chuckle. She gave me a small nod and went back to work. I looked back at Pat. He had an amused smirk on his face. "What?!"

"Nothing, doll. You're so full of cheer. It's infectious. Look at table three," Pat ordered. I looked over my left shoulder near the cash register. A couple and a baby occupied that table. "Ever since we walked in, they looked weary and not making eye contact. Now, they're smiling, laughing, and making goo-goo eyes at each other." 

"They either got enough to eat or the coffee finally kicked in," I countered with a grin as I looked back at my breakfast companion. Pat shook his head then gestured to his left, down the counter. I looked over: one of the regulars sat at the end, but I never caught his name. "I know him. Eggs over easy, two pancakes, and blueberry syrup. Plus five cups of coffee. He's only here once every week. Doesn't look like he's been here long."

"That's Mr. Wilson. He actually comes in three times a week. The only time I see him smile is when you work, doll," Pat explained. I gave him a skeptical glance. "I'm in here a lot, doll. I have to make small talk with the other regulars. The people I consider my friends are too busy to keep up a good conversation," he teased as he barely touched his pointer finger to my side.

"Circumstantial. You don't need to boost my ego; I know I don't make that much of a diff-" Pat cut me off by putting a single finger over my lips.

"Don't," he warned. I nodded. "You won't be allowed to say another word if you say you don't matter or make a difference." I nodded again around a grin. He smiled and removed his finger. "You had more to say," he reminded me gently.

"Right! So like I was saying, I never felt like I made that big of an impact on those around me," I began. Pat shot me a warning glance. "It's true! I've always been invisible. You guys showed me differently when you showed me the cans and giant card in the back. And I'm sorry that I couldn't keep up a good conversation. I had guests to take care of," I teased. He chuckled. Emily finally came back with a coffee for Pat, an orange juice for me, and a bowl of fresh strawberries. I grinned. "Thanks Emily. This looks delicious."

"You're welcome, Annette. I like whipped cream with my strawberries, do you want some?" She asked. I grinned and nodded.  "Be right back. It's good to see you again." Pat smiled and took one of my strawberries. He popped it in his mouth.

"Hey! Get your own!" I chided.

"Hey! Haven't you heard of sharing?" He teased around a mouth full. I chuckled. "I love your honesty. Can I prove to you that you make a difference?" He asked kindly. I pursed my lips and gave him a curt nod. He looked back down to Mr. Wilson. "Morning, Frank."

"Morning, Pat," Mr. Wilson replied sleepily. He raised his cup of coffee to me. "Good morning to you too, sweetheart. I'm sorry to see you off your feet. It's good to see you again though." I smiled and he gave me a small grin before he took another sip of coffee.

"Happy to be back, sir. Thank you," I replied sincerely. He put his coffee down and grinned again. I looked down the empty counter; four empty spots were between Pat and Frank. "Sir, you're welcome to join us. Having breakfast alone is no fun I hear. Pat and I wouldn't mind some extra company for conversation," I offered. Then I looked at Pat apologetically; I should have asked first. He just grinned.

"Of course, Frank. You're welcome to join us," Pat offered and pulled out the chair to his left. Frank shook his head.

"I'm good. I'm not much of a conversationalist until after my third cup of joe anyways," Frank retorted with a smirk. Emily walked back by with a bowl of whipped cream but didn't stop as she dropped it off.

"I find that hard to believe, sir! You always talked with me when I served you. Granted it was always short snippets, but we talked," I countered as I picked up a strawberry and dipped it in the whipped cream. I grinned as Frank moved two seats closer and I stuck the strawberry in my mouth, enjoying the juicy sweetness. Pat winked at me as he sipped on his coffee.

"You seem to have this bubble of joy that surrounds you. It's hard to ignore you. You give off this presence that is warm and inviting. You wake up the world, even before they drink their coffee," Frank admitted. I blushed.

"Told you, doll," Pat murmured as he put his coffee down again.

"Everyone keeps saying that. I'm just being me. I don't do anything different. Joe calls it my perpetual cheer and he was always saying that I needed to put it in the coffee. Everyone would be set for life," I told them as I ate another strawberry.

"I believe it. I know I'd be set at least of the week if I had even an ounce of your joy," Frank replied with a grin. Josh walked back by and dropped off a coffee pot as he looked at his order pad again. "I'm ready to order, son, if you are." Josh nodded and flipped to a fresh page in his order pad. "Two eggs over easy, two pancakes." Josh nodded again and turned in multiple orders -including Mr. Wilson's order- before running off again. 

"Told ya," I whispered into Pat's ear as he looked over his right shoulder and around the the restaurant again.

"Guess we regulars need to switch it up more," he chuckled softly in my ear. I grinned and pulled back. 

"You do that plenty. I can never predict what you'll order," I countered. Pat gave me his full attention. 

"Do you believe me now, doll?" He asked. I pursed my lips and tilted my head to my right shoulder. "Okay, well I'll keep trying to convince you. Are you done with your strawberries already?" I shook my head.

"Waiting for my french toast. I'm bouncing in anticipation," I retorted with a grin. 

"I believe this is your's, Annette," Josh stated as he put the food in front of us. "Emily seems to be busy with her big table. Syrup?" 

"Thanks, Josh! I've been looking forward to this for a while. No. No syrup. Can I just have butter and powdered sugar," I stated and picked up my fork and held onto it with my lips. Josh, Pat, and Frank all laughed at me. "What?!" Josh turned around and got me the extra items I requested. I bounced my left knee as I spread the butter and sprinkled the sugar.

"The things you get excited about. It's just food, but you're looking at it like you've been given a million bucks. Not everyone would be happy to do this one handed but you, you look like it's nothing," Pat snickered. I shrugged, removed the fork from my mouth, and took a bite. I closed my eyes and savored the flavor. I opened up my eyes again and grinned. 

"This is better than I thought it could be!" I remarked. Pat chuckled and worked on his own breakfast.

"See that's just what I mean. We don't need your cheer in our coffee. You spread it with the simplest tasks; I'm sure you've given us several ounces, but yet haven't lost a single gram. Your reaction is better than a million bucks," Frank replied as he took another sip of coffee. I grinned at him and took a sip of juice. He nodded politely. "I hope to see you waiting on people again soon. It's always a joy to watch you work. Pat, enjoy your breakfast. It's good to see you again." Pat took a sip of his coffee before answering. 

"Always good to see you, Frank. Take care," he replied. Frank nodded and Pat and I ate in silence for a little bit. "I told ya, doll. People are drawn to you." I looked at him and grinned as I took another bite.

"Maybe now I can actually let people in. My brothers say my wall is too thick. You seemed to have found a way through though," I replied. He grinned and pushed his plate back. I looked at it in shock. "How are you done already?" I looked down at my plate. I was given two pieces of french toast, cut in half for a total of four on the plate. My small bowl of strawberries was down to two, but I had only eaten half of my second piece of french toast. I looked back at Pat and pulled my plate closer. "You're not getting my food," I insisted as I glared and smirked at him. He laughed. 

"No worries, doll. I wouldn't take your food away. Not when you've been asking for that for at least the past three days. Are you feeling full?" Pat asked as he draped his arm over my back and stroked my right arm tenderly. I looked at him and smiled.

"No, I'm not full," I stated stubbornly as I took another bite. "I have to eat more than half of my food!" 

"There's no hurry, doll," Pat chuckled. I looked at him. "We can stay here as long as you like. Just finish what you can." I nodded and popped another strawberry covered in whipped cream in my mouth. 

"It's so good! Not finishing it seems like a waste," I insisted as I glared at my plate. "It mocks me with it's goodness," I pouted. He chuckled as he finished the last strawberry and I pushed my plate towards him. "I can't. I feel like I'm going to burst." He smiled warmly at me, folded up my toast, ate it in two bites, and cleaned up our spots. I looked at him and smiled. "Thanks for breakfast."

"You bet, doll," Pat replied softly as he sat down again. Emily came back around with the coffee. "Can I get the check, Em?" She looked flustered but dug through her pockets and gave him our tab. Emily turned around and kept working away. "Finish your juice, doll and we can leave. I'm going to say goodbye to Linda before we go." I nodded.

"So what's on the agenda today?" I asked and took another sip of juice. He looked at his phone for a moment before looking at me again.

"No plans, doll. Tyler just sent me a message. Noah and Jess will be here for dinner. Tyler starts his job today. Apparently he's doing maintenance work at the hotel. Mondays are usually my full workout day. I continue with my therapy even though I'm better. It's just nice to have a routine. I do it all from home; so I'm don't have to go anywhere. Maybe we can find some exercises you can do too."

"Or I could spend all day in bed with a book! I'm not capable of fully working out right now. I gotta take it slow," I chuckled. Pat joined in. "I'd hate to get in your way," I murmured before I bit my lip and looked down. 

Pat pushed my hair behind my ear causing me to look up again. "You wouldn't be in my way. You'd be safely on the couch where I can get to you quickly if you start having another episode. And you're absolutely correct; you will not be attempting any exercises without help," he whispered with a smirk. I blushed, nodded, and looked back at juice. I picked it up and downed it. He stood up, ruffled my hair, and walked into the kitchen. 

Josh came barreling through with his arms full of plates. "Annette!" I looked up at him as he cleared them into the dish cart. "Linda's putting your sandwich down for the lunch special. We need to know what to call it."

"Call it what it is; it's just a chicken strip sandwich. Tyler didn't like my name yesterday for it, and I have no idea honestly," I stated as I shrugged my right shoulder.

"She's created a sandwich?" Frank piped up, speaking around a mouthful. Josh nodded.

"The best grilled cheese I ever had. Topped with bacon, chicken strips, with fried mushrooms, onions, and jalapenos, and a raw tomato. She had several of us try it last night," Josh stated as he filled up another coffee craft and started a new pot.

"That sounds delicious. You made that?" Frank looked at me. I nodded. "Call it the Chicken Joy. I'm going to need one to go if your chef won't mind making it early."

"I'm sure she won't mind. What do you think, Annette? Chicken Joy?" Josh asked with a chuckle. I grinned.

"Thank you, sir. Chicken Joy sounds like delightful name. I hope you enjoy it, sir. Josh wouldn't it be just as easy to call it a chicken strip sandwich?" I asked as I bit my lip. "Either way you guys are going to have to let people know what's on it." Pat came back out and stood behind me.

Josh nodded, "it'll give us something to think over. Thanks, Annette. Take care, Pat." 

"See you around, Josh," I replied. Pat wheeled me by Frank. "Sir, it was nice to see you again. I'm sorry I never caught your name before; I was a little busy." He stuck his hand out and I shook it.

"Take care, Ms. Annette. Keep smiling, and please, call me Frank," he grinned.

"Thank you. Have a good day, Frank," I replied with a smile. I looked back up at Pat. "Ready?" He grinned and nodded. He pushed me expertly through the maze of tables. A gal I hadn't met yet was working the till. 

"Hey, Pat. How was your food today?" She asked as he handed over the ticket.

"Delicious as always. I have to keep coming back. Thanks for asking, Trish," Pat replied. "Have you met Annette yet?" Trish shook her head as I extended my arm.

"I've seen her around, but she was usually too busy to notice. I haven't had the pleasure in meeting you yet. I'm Trish. Nice to meet you, Annette," she said kindly as she shook my hand. I grinned at her.

"That's right! You hardly work this till," Pat commented. Trish smiled at me.

"I usually work in the gift shop. Vanessa got sick and Raymond is on vacation. Julia is working the afternoon. Fred worked last night. And I think there's one more, but I can't remember. Anyways, I was one of the few people who was available to take another shift and that's been trained on the food cashier; it's not just gift shop knick knacks," she explained. "Anything else for you guys today?"

"Maybe later. I'm sure we'll be back," Pat chuckled as he paid. "Ready, doll?" I nodded and stifled a yawn as he pushed me towards the door. "I saw that. So do you want to go back to bed?"

"No. No more sleep. I think I need some Ibuprofen and ice," I stated then shuddered. "I hate being cold, but every joint aches." Pat chuckled and pushed me backwards through the doors, staying behind me. Once outside again, he pushed me forward.

"I forgot to grab some pain medication for you. Sorry, doll. You make it easy for everyone around forget that you're in pain. You made Frank's day. He's been pretty morose the past couple of weeks. He just so happened to miss the days you were working when he came in last week. He came in on Saturday and found out what happened; commenting on how bitter the air was around the place, which led me to explain what happened. He helped spread the word. He was the one who suggested sharing your picture: give the people a face to a name. He called every day asking for an update. When he found out you were in the hospital, he was relieved like the rest of us. He was concerned about you. Apparently you remind him of his daughter. She too was kidnapped years ago. They found her body a month later. She was only 15," Pat explained sadly as he parked the wheelchair by his truck. He offered me his hand and helped me stand. I held onto his shoulder for extra support as he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my forehead then rested his forehead on mine as he closed his eyes. "He was very hopeful you wouldn't meet the same fate. He was the one strand of hope that we all held onto. 'She's strong and delightful to be around. She'll come back' he told us over and over again. He was right," Pat breathed. I took a gasped and looked into his eyes as they shot open. I bit my lip as I slowly released my breath that I was holding, and backed away. "When Frank first saw me wheel you it in, his eyes lit up. Finally a happy ending." I put my hand on Pat's chest.

"I like happy endings," I replied with a grin and he grinned back. He kissed my head again and backed away. "Pat, I'm really dizzy," I stated, noticing my words were slurring as I grabbed onto his shirt. He looked at me in concern. He scooped me up and put me in his truck, facing out the door. He placed both hands on my face and peered into my eyes as my hand fell to my lap, causing another one of his buttons to come undone. "I feel fine, I'm just dizzy," I reiterated.

"Pain level, doll?" He asked as he moved one hand to my wrist and took my pulse. I leaned into his hand on my face and closed my eyes. "DOLL!" I opened my eyes again.

"Intense. 8 or 9?" I said. I furrowed my brow. "I didn't mean to ruin your day."

"Don't apologize, doll," Pat stated as he placed a finger to my lips. "Like I said, you make it easy for people to forget you are in pain. Remember how I also told you that we need to stay ahead of the pain or you'll pass out. I think we need to give you the stronger medicine. I'll cut it in half. Maybe that will keep you from feeling drugged up. My day isn't ruined doll. This has been a fun morning. Let's get you home. Okay, doll?" I nodded and leaned into him. "Whoa! Doll! No falling." I wrapped my arm around his waist and gave him a squeeze.

"I was just going for a hug," I murmured. He wrapped both arms around my back and gave me a gentle squeeze as he rested his head against mine and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for breakfast. I loved the french toast. Thank you for putting your life on hold to care for me. I'm ready to go home," I whispered. He kissed the top of my head once more and turned my body so I was facing forward in his truck.

"You're welcome, doll," he whispered into my hair then shut the door. He drove home and carried me inside. "Bed or couch?" I thought about it for a minute.

"Where will you be?" I asked.

"Wherever you are, doll. I'm not risking you falling and hurting yourself. Like I said at breakfast, I'm sticking close in case you have another episode; I think this qualifies as one," Pat stated firmly. I bit my lip as I thought some more. He noticed my indecisiveness, carried me to the breakfast nook, and set me in one of the high stools. He walked around the other side and got me a glass, filled it with water, and rummaged through a cabinet above the breakfast nook. He handed me the glass of water, I noticed the single rose and grinned. I took my drinking water and pushed it aside, then I grabbed the glass with the rose in it and smelled the flower. I stroked the petals tenderly and looked over at Pat. He had gotten out my prescription medication and had poured several onto a cutting board. He cut one in half and slid it over to me before cutting the rest of the pills. I finally made a decision.

"I think I'd like to go through those cans and smell all the flowers. I should probably make Jess' day and look at my clothes before she gets here too. If that's okay with you? Truth be told, it sound dreadfully boring and I know you won't get much of a workout done. I don't want to disrupt your day," I stated softly as he scooped up all the pills he poured out and put them back in the bottle. He looked up at me and grinned.

"That's just fine, doll. I'd love to help out with that. You get to stay in bed and boss me around all while being surrounded by pretty things," he teased. I chuckled. He looked down at the pill in front of me and scowled. I grinned sheepishly and picked up my drinking water. I took a sip, put the half pill in my mouth, and swallowed. He nodded in satisfaction. "The day's still young; I'm sure I'll be able to fit my workout in today sometime. Plus if you end up falling asleep again, you'll already be in bed. It's for your own good. Unless someone is holding you on the couch, you're not sleeping there. You move around a lot when you sleep!" I blushed and looked down.

"Sorry. I didn't mean for you to have to do that," I replied softly. He grinned and put the knife and cutting board in the sink.

"Oh, once I was in the bed with you, you hardly moved. Like I said yesterday though, I checked on you several times last night. You seemed to have gotten in a fight with my fleece blanket. I think the blanket won," he teased.

"Oh well next time I'll be sure to kick you then," I teased back. "I am sorry for making you do that. Thank you for making sure I kept breathing," I told him sincerely. He smiled at me then gave me a confused glance I picked up my water and finished it in one breath. "No dehydration allowed, right?" I asked as I panted for air. He grinned at me and nodded. 

"That's correct, doll. I should be thanking you for letting me sleep next to you last night; it helped eased a lot of my anxiety. I hate seeing anyone in pain, especially since you are so frail looking already. The hospital should have kept you longer, but I will help you out however you'll allow. I know that you are uncomfortable and all this is new for you, but it really is all about making sure you're safe. I will never cross the lines or force you to do something. If you don't like me hovering, speak up. I'll stop. Breathing is a must and we're all going to worry about you and that for a while. Now, you took a pain pill and you need to ice your muscles; it'll help the healing process," he replied as he opened up his freezer and pulled out two soft ice packs. I scowled at them. 

"I know, but I really don't want those. I guess I better though; I'm in so much pain and everything needs to stop swelling some. Shoulder and hip. After we go to the room, not now," I demanded with a grin.

"You got it, doll," Pat chuckled as he scooped me up, locking my right arm under his left arm. The ice packs were sandwiched between his abs and my ribs. He stopped in the hallway just outside my bedroom. "Ooh! You're right. Those are cold. But this is icing your ribs, so maybe I could just stay right here." I squirmed in his arms.

"No! No! No! Let me down. I gave you my terms," I shrieked with a giggle as I kicked my legs. "OW! Mistake," I gasped as I leaned into him and tried to apply pressure to my ribs. He walked into the bedroom and set me on the edge of the bed. "Please! Pressure," I begged as I pulled his hand to my ribs and he pressed gently, sitting beside me. I tugged his right arm too and he threaded it under my sling and pressed against the left side as well. I leaned into him, blushing bright red and rested my hand on his left arm. His hands and fingers didn't move. I gasped and blinked back several tears.

"Shh. Even breaths, 'Nettie," he whispered, trying to help calm me down. He rested his head on mine and began exaggerating his breathing. "Don't over exert yourself." I nodded. When I felt like the jolt of pain was subsiding, I sat up and pushed his hand away. 

"Thank you," I murmured as he dropped both hands to his lap.

"You bet, doll. Now behave. No more hurting yourself," Pat ordered as he bopped my nose then dried my eyes as he stood up again. I looked up at him and grinned. I gave him another salute. "I give up, doll. Saluting and calling me sir; you aren't going to drop it. So if you want to, you can, but only in my house. You have much to learn about the military life. For starters, you obey when a command is given and you never do things on your own. You never try and fight when someone is helping you. And above everything else, you listen to those with more medical training then you," he whispered as he shook his head and propped up the pillows by the headrest. I looked at him skeptically. I knew I didn't have any medical training, but I taught myself a lot and the knowledge I had I knew was more than most people. I didn't feel like arguing with him and explaining how I knew what I did know. So I nodded. He picked me up again and placed my back against the pillows. The fourth and final pillow he stuck under my right leg. I curled my left leg under my right thigh. "Now ice, doll," he ordered. I shifted and put one ice pack under my right hip. The other ice pack, I tucked under my lacy shirt on my left shoulder. "Do you want to start with the clothes, flowers, or cans?" He asked with a smirk as he watched me frown in disappointment as the cold snuck into my skin.

"Clothes intimidate me. Life isn't about money. So that leaves the flowers," I explained as I played nervously with the edge of my lacy top. Pat nodded and grabbed the first vase. A square, deep violet, glass vase held a delicate bouquet of lilac bellflowers. "These are pretty!" I exclaimed and touched the flower. "Bellflowers are one of my favorites. I love the upside down blossoms! Who are these from?" I smelled the flower and grinned.

Pat removed the card and read it quickly. "The bartenders. Max must have had his wife pick out a bundle. He doesn't have an eye for the delicate items. So you like these the best?" Pat chuckled.

"I do. Truthfully, I like all sorts of flowers, but I don't have a green thumb. I always kill my plants. I try to stay away from the gardening scene," I admitted and dropped my hand away from the flowers. Pat chuckled and brought me over the next vase. "Morning glories!" I exclaimed. "Those came from someone's garden."

"For someone who doesn't like gardening, you sure do seem to know your flowers." Pat teased as he brought the terracotta vase over. I smelled the flowers and sneezed. I immediately held onto my side to ease the pain that came with and Pat tried to pull the flowers away. I stopped him and stroked the petals tenderly. "Yes. These came from Linda's garden."

"She's going to hate me for killing them," I pouted and pressed the soil. "They need water, I do know that much." Pat chuckled as he set it back on the dresser. He looked at me in concern as I sneezed two more times; I couldn't hide the fact it was hurting me. I smiled at him when I was done. "What's next? I'll be alright," I swore. He smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes.

"Okay. I'm keeping them over here unless you ask then. I'll put these morning glories on the breakfast counter and help you care for them," he promised as he pointed to the remaining flowers. "These daisies came from Bertie. Emily and Justin got you these. I'm not sure what they're called."

"They look like carnations, but I've never seen them have so many colors. May I see them please?" I asked. Pat brought me over the elegant crystal vase with the multicolored flowers. I grabbed a single flower out of the vase and studied it closely. The originally white carnation looked like it had been dipped in a rainbow. The individual petals remained white, but the outer rim was colored. I looked down the stem and chuckled. "They are carnations! Good ol' chemistry," I murmured. Pat gave me a confused look as I twirled the flower in my fingers. I handed it to him and turned his hand upside down as he sat beside me. "They split the stem in three sections. Each section was put in colored water: red, blue, and yellow." I showed him. Pat grinned and flipped the flower around again as I traced up the stem. "The colored water traveled up the stem and transformed the the petals to the different shades." I touched the purple petal, "the lines crossed and we got a mixed reaction; it's stunning. I might have a new favorite!" I chuckled. Pat joined me. I looked at the petals again but refused to smell them; I've never liked the smell of a carnation. 

"I think I found you a great new way to add a pop of color to your everyday wardrobe," Pat teased as he put the flower in my hair behind my ear. I grinned, shook my head, took it out, and put it back in the wide mouthed vase with the others.

"I don't like wearing flowers. They attract bees," I giggled and sneezed again. "Ow! Okay! Okay! Keep them over there there," I ordered as I held on to the right side of my ribs. Pat put the flowers on the floor beside the bed and looked at me in concern. When I moved my arm away, Pat picked up the carnations, moved back to the dresser, and pointed to the pink tulips as he put the carnations down. "Let me guess. Josh or Vanessa?"

"Neither: Joe. Vanessa picked out these calla lilies. Josh picked out these violets," Pat explained pointing to each one. I grinned. He pointed to the wildflower bouquet. "The rest of the staff bought these. Did you want to smell any of them?" I shook my head. The only flowers left were the daffodils. 

"Maybe later. The pollen is making me sneeze and it hurts. Did you pick out the daffodils?" I asked with a grin. Pat tried to hide his smile.

"Ray of sunshine, doll. That's what I think of when I think of ways to describe you. Daffodils and sunflowers were the only things that reminded me of the sun. However, sunflowers are a dime a dozen," Pat confessed. I giggled. 

"Thank you. I love them. I agree with you. Sunflowers look great growing on the hillside; you see them everywhere. You don't see a lot of daffodils around. You're a hopeless romantic. Your girl will be a lucky girl indeed. I mean you've done so much to make me feel special with the little reminders of sunshine everywhere - giving me good energy and warmth. I can only imagine what you'll do for her to remind her of your love and affection. Will you let me know when she says yes?" I asked and smiled at him. 

"I'll let you know, doll," Pat chuckled softly as he walked over to the cans. He brought them to the bed and opened them. I poured the cash on the bed and gasped. Pat studied me in concern.

"There's not a lot of little bills! If this is in every can," I trailed off as I gasped again. I grabbed a handful of money, the smallest bill was $20. I looked up at him. "I can't accept this money, Pat!"

"Doll, think of it all as your tips from Friday. You had a really good shift," Pat said softly as he pushed my hair behind my ear. I shook my head.

"I can't. It's too much. I can't!" I panted. He sat down on the bed again and rested his hand on my face as he gently cupped my jaw. 

"Look at me, doll," Pat ordered. I looked up at him. He took two deep breaths and I copied him. "Calm down, doll. Okay?" I nodded. "How much did you have in your bank account?"

"I don't know, just about $6,000. I knew that I had pay for most of my own college. I've applied for scholarships and grants. I won't even know if I received them now. I wanted a life away from my parents. I didn't want to have to rely on them or anyone," I stated as I took another breath. Pat gently stroked my cheek.

"You don't have to rely on anyone. This is a blessing, a gift. Your dad commandeered all of your money. He was trying to ensure you didn't have a future. Now you do, doll," he spoke softly. I leaned into him and took another breath. "You are going to do amazing things. Would you like me to help you count and sort the money?" I nodded and sat up.

"Yeah. It's a bit overwhelming," I admitted. I pulled back and pushed my hair back. I chuckled. "Do you have any hair-tyes?" Pat laughed and stood up. He went into the bathroom and came out with my hairbrush and a hair-tye. He brushed my hair again and pulled it into a high ponytail. The last loop, he folded my hair in half and left it in a semi-bun. I smiled; my hair rested on my hairline by my neck, not down my back or clinging to my neck anymore. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome. Now let's sort through this," Pat said as he dumped another can out. I let out a sigh of relief, the biggest bill in this one was a $10. "This looks better, huh?" Pay teased. I smiled and began separating the bills. He continued to pour buckets by me. It took us 45 minutes to sort and count everything. "$9,673. Not counting this bucket of change. Doll. You have a great future ahead of you. You can do anything. You earned each cent." I smiled weakly at him.

"Can you please store it somewhere? I can't look at it right now," I mumbled. 

"Sure, doll. Do you want to look at clothes now? I'd hate to overwhelm you. You're pretty pale," he stated.

"It's my natural shade," I retorted with a chuckle.

"I've heard this argument before. I only mention it because you don't even have a hint of color left in your cheeks. Well, aside from the bruises. You have no flush, no glow, no nothing. You look sickly and faint," he replied as he stroked my cheek in concern. "Executive decision, we're not going through the clothes now. Come on. Let's go watch a tv show."

"Fine. First, I get a bathroom break, then I'm all yours, sir," I teased.

"Yes, ma'am," Pat chuckled as he picked me up and carried me to the bathroom. "I'll take the morning glories to the kitchen. Be back shortly, doll," he murmured as he shut the door.