Three days later the doctors authorized Johnny to receive visitors, but he didn't want to see anyone.
"But the team is worried about you and wants to see you, Johnny" Steve said.
"Sorry, but I don't want anyone to see me like this" Johnny said, lying on the bed.
Steve was a little annoyed. "No one will laugh or make fun of you, Johnny. How am I going to tell them that you don't want their visit?" Steve asked.
Catherine had gone to breakfast, and when she entered the room she saw Johnny curled up in bed and Steve was upset with him.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Danny, Lou, Tani, Jerry and Junior said they'll come and see him today, but he said he don't want them to come in. How will I tell them that, Catherine?"
"If he doesn't want it, it's his right, Steve. We can't force him to do this" Catherine said.
"I just don't want them to see me like this, Catherine. Please don't let them come" Johnny said, taking her hand.
"They'll not come. I'll call Junior and explain it to him" Catherine told him and stroked his head. "Don't be nervous, dear".
"I like them, but I don't want anyone to see me crooked" Johnny said, letting the tears fall, and Steve regretted being annoyed with him.
"All right, Johnny. I'm sorry I fought you".
"Ok", Johnny replied.
"I'll call them" Steve told Catherine and left the room.
"I have good news for you. Doctors said you're going to start physical therapy today, my love" Catherine told Johnny.
"Do you think I'll go back to being like I was before?" Johnny asked.
"Of course" Catherine replied.
"If Amanda comes back here, don't let her see me too, please" Johnny told Catherine.
"All right" Catherine replied.
"I need to go to the bathroom. Can you call Steve?"
"Sure, dear. I'll call him".
Catherine got up and went into the hall. Steve was sat and looked worried.
"Hey" Catherine said.
"Hey, Cath. I'm sorry I lost my temper with him".
"You look worried" Catherine told him, stroking his head.
"I'm afraid I can't afford to pay the hospital bill if he stays here too long" Steve said.
"Don't worry about it, my father's money will pay for all his treatment. It's fair, after everything my father did to us".
"I wish I didn't need it" Steve told her.
"He needs your help to go to the bathroom. I can't help him because he's embarrassed" Catherine told Steve.
"Come on" Steve said and got up to go back to Johnny's room.
A few days later, Johnny was able to go home. Steve asked the Governor for a vacation to stay home with Johnny and help Catherine take care of him. Johnny's face was almost normal, but his arm and leg were very slowly improving.
More few days passed, but Johnny was getting sadder every day, eating almost nothing and Catherine thought he was depressed.
Johnny was lying in the bedroom and Steve and Catherine were in the kitchen. She was cutting some vegetables over the sink as he was stood at the kitchen door, his hands in the pockets of his pants, watching the backyard.
"Steve, I'm very worried about him. I think we should tell him the truth so maybe he'll feel better".
"Or he's going to get worse, Cath".
"I can't stand seeing my son that way" Catherine said.
"I need to go to the grocery store, can you make a list of what you want?" Steve told her.
"I'll make the list and I'll ask Johnny if he wants anything".
"Ok" Steve replied.
Catherine went to Johnny's room and he was in the dark. This worried her even more, but she respected him.
"Honey, Steve's going to the grocery store. You want him to buy you something?"
"No Catherine, thank you".
"Okay, I'll make a list of things I want him to buy, and then I'll come back and talk to you for a bit" Catherine told Johnny.
"All right, Catherine" he answered desencouraged.
"I'll be right back" Catherine said and left the room.
She made the shopping list and handed it to Steve.
"What are all these things for child? Yogurt, biscuit, porridge, chocolate" Steve said as he read the list.
"They're for Johnny, maybe he's encouraged to eat" Catherine replied.
"He's 17 years old, not 17 months old, Cath."
"Buy what I asked for" she said and ended the conversation.
"Alright, you're the boss!" Steve said. He felt she was nervous.
After Steve left, Catherine went to Johnny's room.
"Honey, can I come in and talk?"
"Yes" he replied.
Catherine came in and sat down on the bed. "Don't you want to sit down in the backyard? The day is so beautiful! Or how about a drive around the island?" There are places you don't know and I want to show them to you".
"No, I'm fine here" Johnny replied.
"You're not well, Johnny! And you won't let me help you, it's making me so sad" Catherine said, feeling the tears stream down her face.
Johnny turned to look at her when he realized she was crying.
"I'm sorry, Catherine. I don't want to sadden you".
"But you're doing it".
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience I'm causing you. It wasn't for me to be here bothering you and Steve, but my mother didn't want me" Johnny said. He wiped away a few tears.
"What would you tell your mother if you found her?" Catherine asked.
"I would ask why she didn't want me, why she threw me out, why she didn't give me a chance, why she treated me worse than an animal. An animal doesn't abandon her puppies, but she abandoned me" Johnny said, revealing all his pain and frustration to Catherine.
Johnny's words hit her heart like a spear. "Maybe that's not how it happened, Johnny".
"Nothing justifies abandoning a child, Catherine".
"You're being too hard" Catherine told him.
"If I found her, I couldn't to look at her" Johnny said, sitting up in bed.
Catherine hugged him, and he put his arm around her.
"But I was lucky to meet you and Steve. I don't want to meet her because she doesn't deserve me, she's the worst person on the planet for me" Johnny said and they were both crying.
Catherine couldn't stand so many accusations, so many hurt that he had of her. She knew that Steve would be annoyed that she told the truth to their son without him being present, but her heart could no longer hide it from him, though she was afraid Johnny would hate her.
"I'm your mother, Johnny. And I never abandoned you".