"Well dis place don't look so bad." Sandy smiled at her brother as their father helped him out of the backseat of her car and into his wheelchair.
"Oh yeah." Randy agreed sarcastically as his mother handed him one of his packed gym bags before the family of four started to head towards the rehabilitation facility, he was likely going to call home for the next year. "I'm sure all da ladies are gonna be swooning at da idea of me bringing 'em home ta all dis."
"Come on now, honey." Donna nearly begged of her son. "Try ta be a bit more positive."
"Or at least learn ta keep yer mouth shut." Dean, his father, suggested as they finally made it through the front door controlled by a movement sensor.
"But my mouth is pretty much da only part of me dat is still workin' properly!" Randy grinned proudly of, what he considered, his perfect come back.
"God help us all." Sandy teased as she looked over her shoulder and smiled back at her brother.
"Hello!" A young and overly bubbly female mouse ran up to greet the squirrel family. "You must be Mr. Cheeks!" She smiled brightly showing off her perfectly white teeth that matched her fur, and sun dress, in color perfectly.
"He's Mr. Cheeks." Randy grinned cockily as he lightly shook the overly attractive rodent's hand while his head did a quick nod, in his father's direction, that was directly behind him. "I'm Randy, and da stunning beauty in front of me is?"
"OH my!" The female mouse turned away and looked at Sandy with a light blush as she placed one of her hands over her chest as if trying to catch her breath. "I see you weren't exaggerating about his ability to flirt."
"Ta be fair I said his attempts at flattery, but all and all ya still have muh permission ta smack him over da head." Sandy gave her brother an overly large smile as he cast her a glare as she saw so fit to visit his new home, before him, and warn the staff of his flirtatious ways.
"Oh, I'm sure it wouldn't come to that." The young white rodent kept her chipper tone as she turned her attention back to the squirrel in the wheelchair. "I'm Anna, the Hospitality Director here at Great Lakes Rehabilitation."
"Mighty fancy title fer a lady as young as yerself." Randy thought out loud getting a smack over his head from his mother. "Hey!" Randy looked at his mom annoyed while rubbing his head.
"It's not polite to call attention ta a ladies age." Donna scolded her son as he started to grumbled under his breath about her embarrassing him.
"Oh, it's alright." Anna reassured Randy's mother. "I get that all the time. I've truly been blessed with good genes in that regard, so no offence taken!" She then turned and motioned for the family to follow behind her. "Please leave the bags up front here, and let me show all of you around the facility!"
Randy stayed mostly quiet, for once, as his parents and sister now talked up the good-looking hospitality director of his new holding cell. Randy found himself no longer feeling near as cocky as he looked around at the other residence. Most were a mess, and likely not having much more time left in this world, as they hobbled around taking the focus off the detreating building and placing it squarely on the fact this location also served as a hospice, and not just a physical rehabilitations facility.
The younger male squirrel in the family wasn't fulling understanding why his family seemed caught up, and excited, about this new drop off point for him. Was it that they were just glade to push him off on someone else, or was it really because they thought it would be good for him? How could they not be seeing the horrors he currently was? The people barely moving around seemingly lost, and the build up of dirt and grim in the coroners of nearly every part of the building they entered. Sure, the window curtains where open and gave the surroundings a bright glow, but it only aided in showing off the damnation seeping out of the very core of this location.
Randy wanted nothing more than to now ask his sister if they could go home, but he stayed silent. As he knew full well her home had never really been his home... at least not since they were young children. Shadow, Sandy's soon to be husband, was one of Randy's least favorite people, but after this viewing he'd gladly come crawling back on his belly to be allowed to stay in the hedgehogs home once more.
"And here is your room!" Anna raised her arms above her head while she turned around and smiled happily at her new tenant and his family. "Your roommate, Jasper, is an older gentleman who is recovering from a hip injury. He comes off a bit grumpy at first, but I'm sure the two of you will become great friends!"
"Kay." Randy responded with his current terrible mood not being lost on those around him.
"As you can see both beds..." She gestured to the small low sitting beds on opposite sides of the room. "Are facing in different directions, so your television viewing won't bother one another. We also provide headphones, so to keep in the spirit of keeping your personal time personal. And of course, all is upgradable if you so see fit to do!" Anna smiled at Randy trying far too hard to lift his mood as he was obviously sinking into a deep depression that she'd likely seen many times before.
"Wow! I can see dat!" Dean nudged his son while pointing to his unknown roommates large flatscreen TV. "What is dat? A 60 inch?" Dean let out a whistle before rubbing his son on the head. "I know what someone is gonna be getting fer Christmas!"
"It's a 55 inch, I believe." Anna responded while giving Randy a sympathetic smile once he finally found the will to look in her direction again.
"Well, my son is gonna do his new best friend one better, so y'all better be ready ta install as 60 inch TV in here before da New Year!" Dean puffed out his chest proudly as if he was doing himself, and his son, a favor by talking up a "maybe" gift that was more than five months removed.
"Can I go ta sleep?" Randy finally insisted more than asked.
"Don't ya wanna check out da ice cream shop before it closes?" Sandy asked as her brother pulled the bedding half down his bed before trying to get onto it, only to end up slipping down and hitting his chin on the floor.
"Randy!" Everyone called out as they rushed to his aid.
The young male squirrel kept focusing on breathing while trying to avoid the taste of blood in his mouth from slightly biting his tongue.
"Oh Randy! I'm so sorry! I'll be sure to get a seat in here to help you transition from your chair to your bed better. This is completely my fault!" Anna apologized again before hugged onto the young man after his parents helped him up to a sitting position.
The seemingly young, very feminine, mouse ran off to likely make good on her promise.
"She's good." Randy laughed now wiping some blood from his lips with the long sleeves of his gray Carhartt sweater.
"HA!" Dean now laughed out loud slapping his son on the shoulder. "Glad ya still had enough blood in yer head ta notice, son! I was worried fer a while." He continued to chuckle until his wife gave him a nasty glare.
"What?" Donna now asked looking down on her son and husband, as her daughter did the same out of striking distance.
"She's a sales lady ma!" Randy jumped in. "She is sweet as can be but it's only ta bring in da bread fer her and her higher ups."
"Den why did she-?" Donna started only to get cut off by her son.
"I fell and got hurt and dat is on their dime... so day gotta kiss ass so I don't start talking about suing. Not dat I would, but... dey don't know dat." Randy sighed.
Donna now looked at her husband upset as he shrugged before helping his son into his new bed. "Why are ya looking at me like dat after finding out our boy ain't near as daft as we thought he was!"
"Pa!" Sandy snapped at her father while Randy laughed.
"AW, come on Sandy! You always knew you were da smart one." Randy teased while getting a bright smile from his sister in relief of seeing her brother less broken again.
"Thanks, fer everything." He now somewhat reluctantly said to his twin.
"Of course." She spoke softly.
"I'll miss bugging ya daily big sis, but sounds like I got more den a few old men to cause suffering ta here." Randy gave Sandy his best fake smile as she returned her own to him.
"Be good!" Donna stressed as his father just nodded his head in disapproval, behind her, with a chuckle.
"Thanks, fer seeing me through dis." Randy sighed to his parents.
"Should we pick ya up fer dinner in a few hours?" Sandy asked as their parents embraced Randy to say goodbye.
"Nah. I think it'd be better if I just focus on settling in here fer a while." Randy then hugged his sister as his folks walked towards the bedroom entrance.
"Well, yer gonna have ta put up with us dropping by fer lunch before our flight tomorrow." Donna waved happily at her son.
"I'll have muh secretary make it happen!" Randy returned a goodbye waved to his family as they finally showed themselves out. The male squirrel sighed with disappointment as he now noticed his TV remote was sitting on his dresser, next to his small flat screen television, located in front of his bed.
"Randy?" A female voice called from the entrance of his room that was located behind him.
"Don't mind me. I'm just trying ta escape." Randy grinned to himself after getting an amused laugh out of the hospitality director. Making women laugh always were some of his proudest moments in life, and he really needed that little thrill... especially in his constantly fluctuating mental state.
"Well I hope you can forgive me for interrupting your getaway, but.." Anna let out a bit of a grunt as she sat down the backless wooden seat next to his bedside. "Hopefully you can make some use of this before you get too far away." She sighed happily as she took a seat on it and helped him adjust his covers over his legs.
"How da heck am I gonna be able ta get away now dat you tucked me in?" He chuckled getting a shy grin out of her as she continued to fuss with his light blanket. "Now all I need is a bottle. Rum will do fine."
She now glanced over at him as he winked at her getting more of a blush on her face. Damn was she good.
"I'm sorry I missed sending off your family properly." She now stood up and played with closing his currents that were across from him.
"It's fine, darlin. I had ta shoo 'em off so I could get ta work at becoming da life of dis here party all on my lonesome."
"Please know that you're never alone here." Anna now turned to him and looked at him with complete seriousness as her eyes gave way to worry. "I understand this transition is difficult for most people, but we want to make sure you know we're here to aid you in healing." She walked up to Randy and grasped his hand now causing him to be unable to fight off a blush. "You can reach me anytime at extension #1001." She pointed at the landline phone seated on his bedside table. "I can help you with just about anything but alcohol." She gave him an apologetic grin. "This is a dry facility; however, I'd be more than happy with talking you through any thoughts of relapse."
"Damn it, Sandy!" Randy screamed at his sister in his head for volunteering so much about his struggles in life with this woman. Then again... it was her job to help him. "Thanks, but I think with all dats gone down in my life da last month I'll be doing ok staying sober." He said not even noticing his eyes getting a bit watery at first. He turned away from the lone facility employee, that he'd really met so far, in an attempt to save what little pride he had left.
"You're not the only one that's struggled with addiction in your life, Randy." She then released his hand and kissed him on his forehead causing him nearly choke on his own breath. "Talk with you soon." She then turned and left the room quietly.
"Fuck..." Randy muttered after a minute of silence. He then looked down at the tent he was pitching in his bed and then at the TV remote he'd gotten distracted about again. "Why do ya always gotta work against me?" The brown furred squirrel asked his now hard penis. "At least ya are still working ta a point." He sighed before plopping himself down more on his bed and closing his eyes in the hopes of having far too nice of a nap.
