Chapter 19:

The next morning was Monday. For most of the teenagers in Dillon it just meant another day of high school. For Julie Taylor and JD McCoy it would be the beginning of the rest of their lives.

JD awoke and was fed breakfast and then given a Navy blue suit with a white shirt and navy tie and navy dress shoes to change into before being driven to the court house. He had a lawyer who he had spoken with for several hours yesterday and he knew what he was expected to say. He was a bundle of nerves but he was glad at least that he would see his parents. His lawyer was encouraging and seemed hopeful that JD would get bail and be sent home till either a trial or sentencing. JD didn't even think hope was possible at the moment. He just felt scared and nervous and confused. He still wanted to speak with Julie but had stopped asking for now.

Julie woke up to Tim softly kissing her neck.

She smiled.

He stopped and looked at her.

"Hey, don't stop I liked that." she said seductively.

He chuckled and went back to her neck and kissed and nibbled and licked.

She moaned and he kissed her lips.

She used her left hand and tried to pull him closer.

"Careful now Jules… your ribs."

She sighed.

"I have to pee."

He chuckled. "Of course you do."

"I wish i didn't... I could probably let you do that to me and kiss you back all day." She smiled.

He pushed the nurse button and helped her get up.

"Me too Jules... me too."

Nurse Lisa came and unhooked her and followed her to the bathroom.

"Um… Lisa?"

"Yes Julie?"

"I'm embarrassed but… I… this bathroom visit is… um… I…"

"You need to poop?" She asked confidently.

Julie turned bright red.

"Yes."

"Okay… well I can step out for privacy if that's what you want."

"Well yes… but…"

"Just tell me what you need Julie… it's why I'm here. Don't be embarrassed."

Julie took a deep breath. This is so embarrassing.

"I'm a little nervous about um... wiping with my left hand to be honest. I just figured out the pee part…"

"Okay. Relax. Just do what you can and if you need help I'm here. Trust me hun, I have seen a whole lot of things on this job. A little poop is not a problem."

"Okay." Julie pulled her shorts and panties down.

"Okay, I'll step out. Just holler or push that red button on the wall when you are done or need help."

"Thank you." She said sitting on the toilet.

Lisa stepped back into the room and Tim looked up confused.

"I'm just going to step into another patient's room. Julie assured me she is fine and will call or push the button when she is finished."

"Okay…" Tim said. That's weird… they've never just left her before…

He pulled both his bag and her bag out and put them on the spare bed. He put her dirty clothes bag up there too. He wasn't sure when they would be leaving but he knew she wouldn't want to forget anything.

He made sure all of is clothing was in his bag including his jacket. He had taken a shower earlier this morning before he woke her up and put on his last clean shirt and his jeans along with clean socks and his boots. His stuff was ready. So he thought he would work on hers.

He put her books in her bag along with her card from the church, Whiskers and Jake. He figured the flowers and balloons would have to be carried. The basket from the church now held all the snacks so he guessed that too would need to be carried. He wasn't sure if they would give her another shower. She had another outfit in her bag so they could. He decided he would just leave it like that for now.

He sat in the recliner and looked at the clock. It was 7:45. Her parents would be here soon. Hopefully with breakfast.

In the bathroom, Julie had finished her business and attempted a wipe. Then she attempted again to be sure... she lifted her left leg, trying out different positions. To gauge which would be the easiest and most efficient.

Jeez… I am never taking either of my hands for granted again as long as I live. This is ridicules. I feel so bad for people who have to do this permanently.

She pushed the nurse button and waited for Lisa.

Lisa came in and Julie was still on the toilet.

"Okay Julie, what's going on?"

"I'm… this is so embarrassing."

"Relax and tell me."

"I'm done and I tried but I just… I'm not exactly sure if I'm…um... fully clean." She said horrified.

"Okay stand up and I'll check. No worries hun."

Julie followed instructions and was given the all clean.

"Oh thank God." She said pulling up her panties and shorts.

She washed her hand.

"Lisa… would I be allowed another shower before I go… or is that not allowed?"

She smiled.

"Yes, we can give you another one but do you mind waiting till after breakfast? I've got a new patient coming up in from surgery in about 15 minutes."

"Yeah yeah that's fine. I just figured you guys could help me better than my mom. Thank you. Um… one more thing…Do I stink?"

Lisa smiled again and pulled out some bath and body works spray from her pocket and offered it to Julie.

It was warm vanilla sugar. One of her favorite scents.

She sprayed herself and gave it back.

"Thank you. You are a really amazing nurse."

Lisa beamed.

Julie came out and got back into bed. Lisa hooked up her IV again and checked all of her vitals and wrote things in her chart.

"Do you want any ice packs this morning and pain medicine?" She asked.

"Yes please." She knew she was going to be traveling and may as well start before the pain does. She didn't want it to be a miserable day.

A few minutes later she was brought a breakfast tray.

"Thank you." She told Tim when he got her table ready and even opened her orange juice carton and the yogurt lid.

Today she had scrambled eggs, a large piece of ham, little potato bites, a blueberry yogurt and a banana.

"Wow… this is a lot"

Tim nodded and looked knowing she would need help with the eggs, yogurt and at least opening the banana.

"Ya know… they really don't cater to your one handed needs very well." He said.

Julie nodded.

"I know. I noticed that too. My mom said she would get easy to open tings for at the house. I really hope she does. I love having you help me but i'd like to be able to take care of myself... Uh...Do you like ham?" She asked. She had noticed her rambling and tried to shut it down but she was feeling nervous about just about everything today. Going home seemed like a big deal in itself plus she knew that over at the courthouse at some point today a judge would be making a decision that would matter to her.

He nodded as she stabbed it with the fork and handed it over.

"Thank you." He said.

She grabbed the spoon and started for the eggs.

She was still eating when her parents arrived with GB 15 minutes later. They had her in a stroller today for convenience.

Tami pushed the stroller over to the foot board of the extra bed and then pulled the front close to a chair and sat down.

"Hey Jules. You doing alright?" Eric asked.

"Yes."

Tim was a little nervous of his position sitting on her bed, but he was just there to help her if she needed it. She was actually doing a good job. She had finished the eggs and potatoes and was working on the yogurt.

"Anyone want a banana?" She asked.

Tami ended up eating most of it and giving a few bites to Gracie Belle.

A little after 9 Lisa came back and said Julie could have her shower now if she wanted.

"Yes! Please!" She exclaimed with a smile.

Tim was now on the spare bed with the bags so he pulled out her orange shorts, black panties and the navy blue t-shirt.

He passed them to Tami when the nurse asked if she'd like to come in and observe since she would need to help her at home. The boys were on Gracie Belle duty.

Julie was unhooked from the IV, her arm was unwrapped and the plastic wrap was put on top of the stitches. Then Julie walked in to the bathroom.

Tami made a mental note to buy some more plastic wrap and she sat on the toilet out of the way.

Lisa got another nurse to come in as well and Julie started undressing.

"Mostly she just needs help with her hair and washing her back and her right side, which you'll need to still be pretty gentle with, and then getting dressed can be difficult because she might already be tired out by that time."

Julie agreed.

Lisa took out the braids and Julie stepped under the water and adjusted the temperature.

Julie did a great job but did notice the bruise on her inner thigh was a little more tender and when she soaped it up and winced all eyes were drawn to it and her mother gasped. There was no mistaking it for anything but a hand print.

Julie turned away embarrassed.

She was handed a towel and she dried off carefully.

"I'm tired." She stated before she could even get dressed.

Tami popped up and Julie sat down on the toilet lid.

Lisa used another towel and dried Julie's hair and then brushed it while she sat.

"Do you want braids again?" Lisa asked.

Julie nodded. "If you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all… I have a little boy at home who never lets me touch his hair so I get all my little girl hair playing fun out while I'm at work."

Julie smiled. Lisa seems like she would be a great mom. She thought.

Once her hair was done, Julie stood up to try getting dressed again.

She did fine till she got to the shirt again.

She put her injured arm in the sleeve first then her head then the other sleeve. It worked better than her first try. She just needed help pulling the right side down.

"Whew." Julie said.

"Who knew showering and getting dressed took so much effort?" Tami asked.

Julie gave a small smile.

She sat back in the bed and was given her last big shot of morphine. Her ice packs were placed in their correct spots and her arm was being re-wrapped. (Tami watched so she knew how to wrap it after showers) Julie fell asleep before Lisa was even finished.

"Why is she so tired?" Eric asked.

"Hun, that was a workout for our girl. She did so good but just watching her was painful. She has a big bruise on her thigh and her ribs… well they just look awful. She's tired because it was a lot of effort for her."

"Oh." He said quietly.

Tim nodded. He knew about the bruises and he knew she was really tired after yesterday's shower too.

"Maybe this nap will help her recharge before we get her home." Tim said.

Right around 11 Dr. Collins and Nurse Lisa came in. He had spoken with Lisa and asked how Julie was and she told her about her shower and her dose of morphine at 9. He asked her to check vitals once more and then go ahead and remove the IV and sit in for the discharge.

Lisa unhooked the IV and pulled out the tube. Julie didn't even stir. She put a bandage on it and checked her BP.

Right on cue Julie woke up when the cuff squeezed her arm.

"Oh… hi." She said sleepily.

Lisa smiled.

"Dr. Collins is here to speak with you and your family and discharge you."

"Okay."

Thirty – one questions, 2 prescriptions and a hospital bag of supplies (a sling, special ice packs, a few bandages, ect.) later and Julie was sitting in a wheelchair with her arm in her lap on her vanilla scented pillow ready to go.

Tim had both duffel bags, and the 2 vases of flowers. Her dad had the balloons and the basket of food. And her mom had the medical supplies and she pushed Gracie.

Lisa called a volunteer from the front to push her wheelchair out. Hospital Policy…. Blah blah blah.

Outside Tim and Eric put everything in the back while Tami buckled Gracie in. Then Eric put the stroller in.

Julie stood up and moved towards the back seat. With her pillow in her hand she couldn't even open the door. Tim saw and opened it.

"Thanks." She said with a flash of a smile.

She carefully climbed in and waited for someone to buckle her. Eric did it. Then shut the door.

Eric told Tim they would see him at the house and got in the suv.

"Dad, where's Tim?"

"He has his truck, baby."

Of course he does idiot. Julie thought.

In the driveway Julie noticed right away two more gift baskets and some flowers in front of the door.

Tami took GB in and grabbed the baskets and flowers and put them on the dining table. Eric opened Julie's door and unbuckled her.

Tim parked on the street and made his way to Julie.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Actually I'm a little dizzy." She said nervously.

Tim nodded. "Just sit for a minute. It's probably from your medicine. Let your mom and dad unload everything." He smiled.

She took a deep breath. And stood up.

She wobbled and Tim had his hands on her hips in an instant.

"I got you. Relax"

She did. She took a deepish breath and steadied herself.

"I'm okay."

He released her hips and backed out of her way but followed her inside, He threw his duffel in his truck and gathered hers and the flowers after she was seated on the couch. She wouldn't have made it to her room yet.

Tim put the flowers on the dining table with the now 3 baskets and other flowers. Then took her duffel to her bedroom. He was unsure where she wanted it so he just put it on the floor by her bed.

Julie was tucked into the left corner of the couch with her arm on her lap on her pillow. This was the straightest she had sat in days and she loved it. She wanted to lean her back against the arm rest and pop her back like she had done so many times before but she was afraid it would hurt.

"Who are the new baskets from?" She asked Tim when he returned. Tami was changing Gracie again and Eric was in the kitchen.

Tim pulled the card out from the biggest one. It was full of expensive looking gourmet snacks. Tim hesitated when he saw the name. He placed that card back and pulled the other one. This basket was filled with homemade looking treats, cookies and her favorite chocolate bars along with a magazine. He read it and put it back too.

"Tim?" Julie asked expectantly. Tim came over and sat on the couch by her feet.

"Well the small one has a lot of yummy looking treats it's from Matt and Mrs. Saracen."

"Oh."

"Yeah…"

"And the other one?"

Tim's jaw clenched. That made Julie nervous. Who could it be? She wondered.

"Mr. Garrity." Tim said gruffly.

He got up and got the card and let her read it.

'Julie, I apologize for insinuating that you were anything but a victim. I now know I made a mistake. I hope you heal quickly and enjoy the snacks. – Mr. Buddy Garrity.'

"Well jeez… I'm pretty sure that's the weirdest apology I've ever read." She said.

"He's an ass. That was a shit apology... and he called you a victim."

Julie just thought. I am a victim...

Eric took the card and read it.

"I agree with Tim." He said and put the card back with the basket.

"Although Jules… looks like you have plenty of nice snacks." He added.

"Yeah and I bet I know who can help eat them." She said quietly, kicking her feet at Tim's thigh. He wrapped his hand around her ankle.

"Maybe…" He clicked on the TV and turned to Lifetime. He had quickly found out Julie had a thing for Lifetime movies.

She smiled and moved both of her feet onto his lap. He scooted a little closer and relaxed and put his left arm on the back of the couch and his right on the arm rest.

Tami made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and then after everyone ate she grabbed Julie's bag of dirty clothes to wash.

"Tim hunny, do you have clothes you want me to wash in your bag?"

"Uh…well i do... but... do you mind?"

"Not at all. Where are they?"

"I'll get um."

He got his duffel out of his truck and brought it to the laundry room.

"You really don't mind Mrs. T?"

"Nope I need a full load anyway."

Tim dumped everything in except his jacket. He put his bag and the jacket in Julie's room and came back and Julie was asleep. Head flopped back on the arm of the couch.

He gently scooted her down and pulled a throw blanket over her.

"Sweet Dreams Julie." He whispered. He picked a snack from one of the baskets and gently put her feet back in his lap and switched the TV and settled in.