"Frasier, where are the children?" Nora asked when her husband entered the living room.
"They went shopping for school clothes with Debra, Amy, and their cousins."
"Oh," Nora's face dropped. She had always taken her kids shopping for school clothes and it was one of her favorite days of the year.
"Darling, I figured you weren't up to it. I'm sorry, I should have asked."
"I'm not up to it, but I am sad that I have to miss it."
"I'm sure you will be able to go with them next year and you could do two days instead of one."
"Yeah," Nora was lost in her own thoughts.
"Is there something else?"
"Frasier, why is Tony avoiding me? I see him sneak off every time the boys walk by this room and I'm in it. He thinks I haven't noticed."
"I don't know," Frasier said, "when they get home we can ask him."
The kids showed their parents all of their new clothes. Well everyone except Tony. After the kids all took their new clothes upstairs, Tony walked into the living room. "Dad, Charlie said you wanted to see me."
"Have a seat," Frasier waited until Tony was seated on a chair, "it has come to my attention that you have been avoiding your mother and I would like to know why."
Tony sat there nervously, "I'm not really ready to talk about it. Tomorrow when you take me to my therapy session, dad, I'll tell my therapist to confirm that I am talking about it and trying to work through my feelings."
Nora answered for her husband, "that's fine, you can go sweetheart." Tony stood and left the room.
"You didn't trust me to finish the conversation did you?"
"I sure as hell didn't," Nora said making Frasier laugh.
Tony's psychiatrist confirmed the following day that he was talking about avoiding his mother and working through it. The psychiatrist told Frasier that once Tony was ready and Nora was up to it that it would be beneficial for her to join them for a session.
"Morning mama," the six children came down the stairs for breakfast.
"Do you need any help?" Savannah asked.
Nora smiled, "I'll get breakfast ready, but I might need you all to get your own plates."
"That's fine," Charlie said.
Nora had propped her cane in the corner of the counter. She held onto the counter whenever she needed to go somewhere else. "Mom, we're heading out," Charlie said. He drove himself and his brothers to school since all three went to high school.
"Okay," Nora started to make her way over to her sons but had to stop. "Any chance you can meet me halfway?"
Charlie and Henry helped their mother to one of the chairs at the kitchen table. The three boys hugged their mother and left. The girls were worried about their mother and felt that she was doing too much. "Mama, we have enough time to clean the kitchen," Ella said.
"I can do it," Nora said unconvincingly, "I just need a little break."
"Why didn't anyone wake us?" Debra asked when she and Ray walked into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry, I guess we didn't think to," Nora said.
"Girls, I'll take care of the kitchen," Debra said.
Nora said and kissed each of her daughters. "Now, the bus will be here soon."
"Wait," Lenora said to her mother, "here's your cane." The girl had gone to retrieve her mother's walking aid.
"Thank you, girls."
The girls noticed their mother's body shaking a bit. "Mama, why don't you rest on the couch for now?" Ella suggested.
"I'm okay here." Debra went with the girls to wait for the bus. Ray just stood in the kitchen. "Ray, would you like something to eat?"
"I can get it. I just don't know what I want."
Nora stood unsteadily and walked towards the stove. "I'll make you something."
"Really, I'm fine."
Debra walked in, "Ray! Are you just gonna stand there and let her do that?" she rushed over and took her sister-in-law by the arm.
"Don't be mad," Nora said, "he told me not to, but I wanted to."
Debra helped Nora back to the table, "remember what happened the last time you tried to rush your recovery?"
"Yeah, I guess I miss being a mom."
"You're still a mom."
"Not in the same sense. My children are taking care of me more than I'm taking care of them."
"I don't know what you're going through, so I don't know what to say. Just let people help you until you are in better shape."
"I better go start getting ready." Nora stood and walked to her bedroom. Frasier entered the bedroom five minutes later and found his wife sitting on the bed.
"Did they tattle on me?" Nora smiled at her husband as he walked in and sat beside her.
"I hear you have been quite naughty."
Nora laughed, "don't even start. We both know I can't do that." After the laughter died down Nora continued, "I made breakfast and had the kids serve themselves. I was careful the entire time, but when I went to hug the boys I was suddenly tired. I think I worried everyone because when I stood, I was a bit shakey." Nora looked at her hand, "I still am."
"Well, we are all still learning about your injury, and while it doesn't sound like you did too much for some reason your body is telling you to slow down."
Nora and Frasier learned that she had permanent damage from her TBI. The TBI damaged the area that controls motor skills.
"Frasier, I don't know how we're going to tell the children," Nora said as she and Frasier walked into the house.
"It'll be fine."
"What about Tony?"
"He has made great progress with his psychiatrist. It will be difficult, but at least he can talk to someone." Tony was still avoiding Nora and not speaking to her. He would hug her when he left for school, but that was it.
Frasier and Nora waited for their children to get home from school. Frasier had them all gather in the living room.
"Okay, so this is just another family meeting for us to go over what your mother's doctor said at her appointment. Now, we have all know that your mother suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash. The doctors have determined that there is permanent damage to the part of your mother's brain that controls her motor skills. Now, before you all panic, she's going to continue with physical therapy to recover as much as possible. Once a cell or nerve dies, though, you can't bring it back."
"What happens now?" Savannah asked.
Nora found the courage to speak, "well, like your father said I will continue with physical therapy. I am probably going to need a cane to walk for the rest of my life. Sometimes my muscles will spaz or my body parts may shake. It's not your job to take care of me. I may ask you to help me from time to time like you did the other day. Your dad and I are going to figure this out. I want you to let me know when you are having friends over. That way I can go to the bedroom and you won't have to be embarrassed. I will make myself scarce when it comes to public events so you are not embarrassed."
The kids weren't saying anything and Nora really wished they were. Tony got up and left the room without saying a word. His siblings soon followed to comfort their brother. Nora bent over and put her hand over her mouth as she cried. Frasier held his wife and their children were on the stairs listening to their mother break down.
That evening Frasier was making dinner when his wife walked in, "dinner is almost ready."
"I'm going to lie down for a little while," Nora said.
"Are you alright?"
"I think I'm just tired from all the emotion of the day. I'll eat later, I promise." Nora turned and went to their bedroom. Frasier knew his wife wasn't telling the whole truth, but he decided to let it go.
As they sat down to dinner the Crane children noticed their mother was nowhere to be seen. "Where's mom?" Henry asked.
"She went to lay down. Said she was tired from all the emotion," Frasier answered.
"You don't believe her do you?" Ella asked.
"She looked tired, but I do believe there's more to it."
"We don't want mom to disappear from our lives," Lenora said.
"I think that's something she needs to hear," Frasier said.
"Maybe we should talk to her tomorrow," Van suggested.
"Yeah, after she gets some rest," Charlie agreed.
Frasier was proud of his children, and he hoped that they would do the right thing. At the same time, he remembered what happened ten years ago when Nora had a stroke. He could just see this turning into that.