Chapter 12

Joe jerked awake, eyes wide, his breath coming in rapid gasps. It took a moment for his mind to catch up to his body. It was disconcerting to wake from a nightmare while still trapped within the dream world. It always took him a minute or more to realize he was home and safe. The strangest thing was the more he healed physically the worse and more frequent the nightmares became.

It had been three weeks since he had found out about his neck. In that time his fingers had finally been untaped, though he still had to be careful using them. Dr. Bates had made sure he understood that though the bones had healed they would continue to be sore and weak for a while yet. He needed to gradually increase usage to rebuild the strength in them.

His ribs too were nearly healed, another week and they would be as healed as possible. Joe could hardly wait. Not only would he be able to move more easily, though he had to admit the pain was mostly gone now, but treatment on his neck could be started after he was given the all clear on his ribs. The Chiropractor had examined him once, looking over the x-rays Dr. Bates had taken and taking some of his own. Dr. Riley, the Chiropractor, wanted to wait until his ribs were fully healed so he didn't put any extra stress on them, prolonging the healing process. He had explained that when he manipulated the vertebrae of Joe's neck it would affect the rest of his spine as well and while it wasn't likely to add stress to his healing ribs he preferred to err on the side of caution.

Even with all of the progress he'd made, Joe was still stuck in the wheelchair for a while as his feet still had a great deal of healing to do. Dr. Lai had warned him, and Dr. Bates had confirmed, that it could take months for his feet to heal enough to allow him to walk. Though not permanently crippled by the torture it had caused a good deal of nerve damage in his feet and that would take a while to heal.

These were the thoughts running through Joe's mind as he waited for either his father or brother to appear. He never heard it himself but the last few nights he had cried out as he woke from the nightmares. Expecting his father or Frank he was taken by surprise when the door opened to admit his aunt instead.

"Are you alright Joe?" Gertrude quietly asked.

Joe nodded, "Sorry I woke you up." She must have noticed him trying to see past her.

"I told your father to go back to bed." She had of course heard her nephew screaming the last few nights, followed soon after by her brother or Frank moving down the stairs. Tonight she had gone to bed in her robe, slippers next to the bed, allowing her to meet Fenton in the hall. The man needed his sleep; besides what did men know of dealing with nightmares? Moving into the room she sat down on the edge of Joe's bed, brushing the hair from his eyes with one hand. "You need a haircut."

"I like it the way it is."

Gertrude fixed him with a penetrating look. "Don't you mean the girls like it the way it is?" She nearly laughed at her nephew's reaction.

Joe blushed. "I, uh, maybe?"

She did laugh then. "I'm not as old as you and your brother think I am Joseph Hardy." Softening her gaze she smoothed his hair back again. "How bad was the nightmare?" she quietly asked.

Joe shrugged. "Bad enough I guess."

"Must have been pretty bad to have you screaming."

"I guess." He looked down, his fingers playing with the edges of the blanket.

"You've been doing that a lot lately." Gertrude laid her hand on top of Joe's, stopping his nervous movements. "Maybe you need to talk about it," she suggested.

"What good would that do?"

"It might help you to deal with what happened."

"By giving Dad or Frank, or you nightmares?" Joe scoffed.

Gertrude sighed. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She stood up and walked to the door. "You want marshmallows?"

"Huh?"

"In your cocoa."

"Oh, yeah that'd be nice," Joe smiled. He hadn't thought of it before but suddenly a cup of cocoa sounded really good. He was reminded of his childhood, waking from one of his frequent nightmares to the sight of his aunt. She would hold out a hand and lead him down the stairs where she would fix them each a cup of hot cocoa. Sitting at the table, sipping the hot, sweet drink they would talk out the nightmare.

"Here you are, one cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows, just the way you like it," Gertrude announced as she bustled into the room. "Do you need help?"

"I got it." Moving carefully Joe pushed himself up until he was sitting. "Thanks," he smiled as his aunt moved the pillows to stand behind him, giving his back support. He sipped the hot drink, letting it soothe nerves still jangled from the nightmare.

"Now about these nightmares..."

"I really don't want to talk about them Auntie," Joe quickly interrupted. He knew his aunt meant well but he really didn't want to burden his family with the reality reflected in his nightmares.

"Don't interrupt Joseph, it's rude," Gertrude admonished.

"Yes ma'am." Joe smiled into his cup as he took another sip.

"I would listen if you wanted to talk, as would your father or brother but in all honesty I'd rather not hear the details. I'm sure my imagination is more than capable of creating pictures of what those horrible people put you through." She knew this next sentence would surprise her nephew, it had surprised her when she'd first considered it. "I was actually suggesting you talk to somebody outside the family, a professional."

Joe stared, completely dumbfounded by his aunt's words. "Are you alright Aunt Gertrude?"

"I know I've always scoffed at psychiatry, stuff and nonsense I called it and most of the time it is. I have realized, recently, that perhaps there are times it can be helpful."

"And you think now is one of those times?"

"I do," Gertrude confirmed. "You can't continue like this Joe, waking up screaming every night, spending the rest of the night awake."

"How did you know?" Joe blurted before he had time to realize the admission he was making.

Gertrude chuckled. "I raised you didn't I? And the dark circles under your eyes are a pretty good clue, especially when combined with the redness."

"It'll probably pass," Joe protested. "It's only been a few nights," he lied.

"That you've woke up screaming yes but how many nights have you had nightmares before that?" Not for nothing had she raised her brother's children. Familiarity with the boy before her easily allowed her to see through the lie.

Joe looked away. "Do you really think it would help?" If his aunt, who had never cared for psychiatry thought it would help he thought he should probably consider it.

"Yes dear I think it could help. Keeping it to yourself certainly isn't doing you any good and I know you well enough to know you'll not talk to your father or brother about it."

Joe mechanically took several sips of his cocoa as he mulled over his aunt's suggestion. He set the cup aside and turned to his aunt. "I'll ask Dr. Bates if he knows somebody. Thanks Aunt Gertrude," the grateful smile he shot her way was soon split by a large yawn. "Think the cocoa did the trick," he grinned sleepily.

"It always does," Gertrude smiled as she helped him rearrange his pillows so he could once more lie flat upon the bed. "Think you can sleep now?"

Joe nodded, letting his eyes slip shut.

Gertrude gathered up the cups, at the door she paused looking back at her nephew. Yes the cocoa always helped, the small amount of valerian root tincture didn't hurt either she smiled. Leaving her nephew to his sleep she quietly left the room.

TBC...

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