Ryan was never so happy to be sitting in the passenger seat of the Range Rover. He had begun to think they were never going to let him out of the hospital. It took all night and a good part of the morning before the doctor would discharge him. They ran this test and that test and took blood for this or that, and each time discussed the results with Sandy and Kirsten. They 'allowed' him to listen, but wouldn't allow him any input as to what a waste he thought it all was. Each time he tried to voice his opinion, he was quickly quieted with a look or the tone.
He was never alone long enough to tell the doctor himself, since Sandy and Kirsten didn't leave. They both stayed all day and all night. Every time Ryan woke up, they were there. It would have been comforting to know they cared so much if they still weren't so mad. At one point during the night he again tried to tell them it would be alright if they wanted to go home and get some sleep, but that offer was again met with a couple of looks. After that, Ryan decided it would be best to just keep quiet.
But as Ryan sat in the Range Rover, he realized that he could deal with the lecture he knew was coming, because at least it meant he was going home. He just hoped he could figure out how to make it up to Seth and Marissa. He had tried a couple of times to ask them how Marissa was. The only answer he could get was that she was doing as well as expected and that she missed him. Aside from that, they would tell him to worry about himself for now.
It wasn't until Sandy began to walk away from the Range Rover that Ryan found out that they bought Teresa's car, and Sandy was driving it home.
"I don't know how I'm going to be able to pay you guys back." Ryan said as he eyed the yellow convertible following behind them.
Kirsten didn't take her eyes off the road when she asked,
"For what?"
"For Teresa," Ryan told her, "I know about the money that you gave her."
Kirsten just shrugged her shoulders and said,
"I didn't give her. I bought her car," Kirsten told him, "Between you and Seth, I figured we could use another car."
"You didn't have to. I....." Ryan started to say, but wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to say.
"You what?" Kirsten asked him, "Ryan, put your head back, close your eyes and take a nap. It's about an hour until we get home. I'll wake you up when we get there."
"I..." Ryan again began, but still couldn't figure out what to say to her.
Kirsten just looked at him and said,
"Now."
Ryan decided to just do as he was told. He didn't want to start an argument with Kirsten that he knew he couldn't win.
He jumped when he heard Kirsten say,
"Ryan, wake up. We're home."
He was surprised how quickly he fell asleep after Kirsten's order to rest, but at least it made the drive home go fast. Unfortunately, an hour sitting in the car made Ryan even more stiff and sore then lying in a hospital bed, so Sandy had to help him out of the car, and up the front stairs, and then down the entrance way stairs.
Ryan stood in the entrance way trying to catch his breath, as he looked up at all the stairs he needed to climb to his new room.
"Come on, kid. Let's get you upstairs." Sandy said.
"You know," Ryan told him, " I think I'd be better off in the pool house. A lot less stairs."
Kirsten laughed. Ryan was nothing if not persistent.
"Nice try." she told him, "Don't worry. We just need to get you up the stairs. It'll be a few days before you'll need to worry about coming down again. Remember, the doctor said complete bed rest."
"But..." he started until Sandy told him,
"No pool house, Ryan. Your room is upstairs now. Same as Seth."
As Ryan got to the landing, he stopped to catch his breath, which was hard to do since it still hurt like hell to breath.
"What about Seth?" he finally managed to ask.
"I promised I'd call him as soon as we got here. Let him know you were home and make arrangements to get him home." Sandy told him.
"Can I talk to him?" Ryan asked.
"Sure." Kirsten said, "After you get some sleep."
"But all I've done for the past two days is sleep. I slept all the way home in the car." Ryan whined. Yeah, he knew he was whining, but he also knew he wanted to talk to Seth.
"The doctor said you needed bed rest. Give your body a chance to recover, and your injuries a chance to heal. So whether you like it or not, you're going to bed, and you're going to stay there. You can talk to Seth later." Kirsten told him.
Ryan looked at Kirsten. He knew enough this time not to argue with her, but he couldn't help but think there was more to why he couldn't talk to Seth on the phone.
"He's still really mad, isn't he?" He asked Kirsten.
"Ryan," Sandy told him, "Seth is upset. He missed you. And I think it would be better if you two talked face to face. Now over the phone when you're not feeling well is not the best time to talk."
So Seth is mad, Ryan thought. That shouldn't have come as a surprise to Ryan, but it still hurt for Sandy to confirm the truth. They were all mad at him, so why did they want him home so bad?
His new room was nice. Ryan was thankful it wasn't a bright blue like Seth's. It was more of a gray-blue color. Ryan immediately noticed his soccer ball, his weights, his IPod, laptop and radio. All the extras that he didn't bring with him to Chino. Not only did they keep them, but they moved them into his new bedroom. He knew that if he looked in the closet he would find the suits and tuxedos that had been bought for him, and the drawers held the expensive clothes that he knew not to bring back to Chino. It suddenly didn't bother Ryan any longer that he didn't have the pool house. This room was done just for him. It was his, with all of his stuff.
"This is nice. Thanks." was about all Ryan could think to say. He knew if he attempted to tell them that they really didn't need to go to the trouble, well, then he would be in trouble, again.
"Do you need to..." Kirsten said as she pointed to the bathroom.
"Yeah." Ryan said as he shuffled towards the bathroom.
"Do you need any help?" Kirsten asked.
Ryan tried not to laugh. For one thing, he knew it would hurt and for another, he knew Kirsten was just trying to be helpful.
"Ah, no. Thanks. I got it," he told her, as he shut the door behind him. . After he was finished, he opened the door and noticed that Kirsten had already turned back the blankets on the bed. She really expected him to follow the doctor's order and stay in bed. Actually, he couldn't and wouldn't admit it to them, but he was tired. He was also sore, and the thought of lying in bed actually sounded good to him, at least for a little while.
"As soon as you're settled, I'll go out and fill your prescriptions. Is there anything you need while I'm out?" Sandy asked as he helped Ryan get into bed.
"Don't forget to call Seth." Ryan reminded him.
"I mean besides calling Seth, is there anything else you need?" Sandy asked.
Ryan just shook his head. There wasn't anything he could think of that he could possibly need for them to do. They already did enough. Again. After Sandy got Ryan into the bed, Kirsten began to adjust the blankets around him and fuss with his pillow until he finally seemed comfortable.
"See," Kirsten told him, "And you made a face in the hospital when I gave you your sweatpants and tee shirt to put on. Now aren't you glad you're comfortable?"
"It wasn't so much the sweatpants and tee shirt as when you handed me my slippers. I was leaving the hospital in the clothes I wear to bed. It was just a little embarrassing," he told her.
"Well, we could have brought you home in a hospital gown, did you think of that?" Kirsten joked, "Besides, since you were coming home to go to bed, it made more sense for you to put these on instead of getting dressed to get undressed at home. I doubt anyone noticed or cared what you were wearing."
Ryan just nodded. He didn't want to think about the argument he and Kirsten almost got into when she handed him his pajamas to wear home. She was right, and he didn't want to admit it. He just wanted to relax.
Ryan wasn't sure how long he was asleep. Sandy woke him up to take some pills. He didn't even bother to ask Sandy what they were. He assumed one was for pain and another was the antibiotic Kirsten told him about. He didn't really care. They told him to take them so he took them, and then he fell asleep again.
Kirsten woke him up again later on, telling him he had to eat. He still didn't have much of an appetite. He didn't know how to explain to Kirsten or Sandy that after you get punched and kicked in the gut you really didn't feel much like eating for a while. Luckily, it was only soup that he had to eat, so maybe they knew.
Ryan was surprised the next time he woke up to find it dark in his room. As he tried to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, he realized it must be about time for another pain pill since he was in pain, again. He didn't know what time it was, or where Sandy and Kirsten were. He hoped they were sleeping, although that would mean he couldn't have something for the pain. As Ryan shuffled slowly into the bathroom, he figured he'd just have to manage until morning.
"Hey, let me help you." Ryan heard Kirsten's voice as he walked out of the bathroom. It scared him for a second to hear her and not see her.
"What time is it?" Ryan asked as Kirsten helped him into the bed, and again began to fix the covers around him
"Late. Here's your percocet," she said as she handed the pill to him.
"Thanks. How'd you know? Why aren't you asleep?" Ryan asked. He was really thankful for the pain pill, but he didn't like the thought that Kirsten was awake for another night because of him.
"I set my alarm." she told him, "It's time for you to take something for the pain, which I can tell you obviously need. Go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
Kirsten left after kissing Ryan on his forehead. He just smiled to himself. No matter what, it was still nice to be home. They still hadn't talked yet about what happened. Ryan knew he still had that coming, but at least Seth would be home soon. He would do what ever it took to make amends with Seth, and then world domination to follow, Ryan thought as he drifted off to sleep again.
He was never alone long enough to tell the doctor himself, since Sandy and Kirsten didn't leave. They both stayed all day and all night. Every time Ryan woke up, they were there. It would have been comforting to know they cared so much if they still weren't so mad. At one point during the night he again tried to tell them it would be alright if they wanted to go home and get some sleep, but that offer was again met with a couple of looks. After that, Ryan decided it would be best to just keep quiet.
But as Ryan sat in the Range Rover, he realized that he could deal with the lecture he knew was coming, because at least it meant he was going home. He just hoped he could figure out how to make it up to Seth and Marissa. He had tried a couple of times to ask them how Marissa was. The only answer he could get was that she was doing as well as expected and that she missed him. Aside from that, they would tell him to worry about himself for now.
It wasn't until Sandy began to walk away from the Range Rover that Ryan found out that they bought Teresa's car, and Sandy was driving it home.
"I don't know how I'm going to be able to pay you guys back." Ryan said as he eyed the yellow convertible following behind them.
Kirsten didn't take her eyes off the road when she asked,
"For what?"
"For Teresa," Ryan told her, "I know about the money that you gave her."
Kirsten just shrugged her shoulders and said,
"I didn't give her. I bought her car," Kirsten told him, "Between you and Seth, I figured we could use another car."
"You didn't have to. I....." Ryan started to say, but wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to say.
"You what?" Kirsten asked him, "Ryan, put your head back, close your eyes and take a nap. It's about an hour until we get home. I'll wake you up when we get there."
"I..." Ryan again began, but still couldn't figure out what to say to her.
Kirsten just looked at him and said,
"Now."
Ryan decided to just do as he was told. He didn't want to start an argument with Kirsten that he knew he couldn't win.
He jumped when he heard Kirsten say,
"Ryan, wake up. We're home."
He was surprised how quickly he fell asleep after Kirsten's order to rest, but at least it made the drive home go fast. Unfortunately, an hour sitting in the car made Ryan even more stiff and sore then lying in a hospital bed, so Sandy had to help him out of the car, and up the front stairs, and then down the entrance way stairs.
Ryan stood in the entrance way trying to catch his breath, as he looked up at all the stairs he needed to climb to his new room.
"Come on, kid. Let's get you upstairs." Sandy said.
"You know," Ryan told him, " I think I'd be better off in the pool house. A lot less stairs."
Kirsten laughed. Ryan was nothing if not persistent.
"Nice try." she told him, "Don't worry. We just need to get you up the stairs. It'll be a few days before you'll need to worry about coming down again. Remember, the doctor said complete bed rest."
"But..." he started until Sandy told him,
"No pool house, Ryan. Your room is upstairs now. Same as Seth."
As Ryan got to the landing, he stopped to catch his breath, which was hard to do since it still hurt like hell to breath.
"What about Seth?" he finally managed to ask.
"I promised I'd call him as soon as we got here. Let him know you were home and make arrangements to get him home." Sandy told him.
"Can I talk to him?" Ryan asked.
"Sure." Kirsten said, "After you get some sleep."
"But all I've done for the past two days is sleep. I slept all the way home in the car." Ryan whined. Yeah, he knew he was whining, but he also knew he wanted to talk to Seth.
"The doctor said you needed bed rest. Give your body a chance to recover, and your injuries a chance to heal. So whether you like it or not, you're going to bed, and you're going to stay there. You can talk to Seth later." Kirsten told him.
Ryan looked at Kirsten. He knew enough this time not to argue with her, but he couldn't help but think there was more to why he couldn't talk to Seth on the phone.
"He's still really mad, isn't he?" He asked Kirsten.
"Ryan," Sandy told him, "Seth is upset. He missed you. And I think it would be better if you two talked face to face. Now over the phone when you're not feeling well is not the best time to talk."
So Seth is mad, Ryan thought. That shouldn't have come as a surprise to Ryan, but it still hurt for Sandy to confirm the truth. They were all mad at him, so why did they want him home so bad?
His new room was nice. Ryan was thankful it wasn't a bright blue like Seth's. It was more of a gray-blue color. Ryan immediately noticed his soccer ball, his weights, his IPod, laptop and radio. All the extras that he didn't bring with him to Chino. Not only did they keep them, but they moved them into his new bedroom. He knew that if he looked in the closet he would find the suits and tuxedos that had been bought for him, and the drawers held the expensive clothes that he knew not to bring back to Chino. It suddenly didn't bother Ryan any longer that he didn't have the pool house. This room was done just for him. It was his, with all of his stuff.
"This is nice. Thanks." was about all Ryan could think to say. He knew if he attempted to tell them that they really didn't need to go to the trouble, well, then he would be in trouble, again.
"Do you need to..." Kirsten said as she pointed to the bathroom.
"Yeah." Ryan said as he shuffled towards the bathroom.
"Do you need any help?" Kirsten asked.
Ryan tried not to laugh. For one thing, he knew it would hurt and for another, he knew Kirsten was just trying to be helpful.
"Ah, no. Thanks. I got it," he told her, as he shut the door behind him. . After he was finished, he opened the door and noticed that Kirsten had already turned back the blankets on the bed. She really expected him to follow the doctor's order and stay in bed. Actually, he couldn't and wouldn't admit it to them, but he was tired. He was also sore, and the thought of lying in bed actually sounded good to him, at least for a little while.
"As soon as you're settled, I'll go out and fill your prescriptions. Is there anything you need while I'm out?" Sandy asked as he helped Ryan get into bed.
"Don't forget to call Seth." Ryan reminded him.
"I mean besides calling Seth, is there anything else you need?" Sandy asked.
Ryan just shook his head. There wasn't anything he could think of that he could possibly need for them to do. They already did enough. Again. After Sandy got Ryan into the bed, Kirsten began to adjust the blankets around him and fuss with his pillow until he finally seemed comfortable.
"See," Kirsten told him, "And you made a face in the hospital when I gave you your sweatpants and tee shirt to put on. Now aren't you glad you're comfortable?"
"It wasn't so much the sweatpants and tee shirt as when you handed me my slippers. I was leaving the hospital in the clothes I wear to bed. It was just a little embarrassing," he told her.
"Well, we could have brought you home in a hospital gown, did you think of that?" Kirsten joked, "Besides, since you were coming home to go to bed, it made more sense for you to put these on instead of getting dressed to get undressed at home. I doubt anyone noticed or cared what you were wearing."
Ryan just nodded. He didn't want to think about the argument he and Kirsten almost got into when she handed him his pajamas to wear home. She was right, and he didn't want to admit it. He just wanted to relax.
Ryan wasn't sure how long he was asleep. Sandy woke him up to take some pills. He didn't even bother to ask Sandy what they were. He assumed one was for pain and another was the antibiotic Kirsten told him about. He didn't really care. They told him to take them so he took them, and then he fell asleep again.
Kirsten woke him up again later on, telling him he had to eat. He still didn't have much of an appetite. He didn't know how to explain to Kirsten or Sandy that after you get punched and kicked in the gut you really didn't feel much like eating for a while. Luckily, it was only soup that he had to eat, so maybe they knew.
Ryan was surprised the next time he woke up to find it dark in his room. As he tried to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, he realized it must be about time for another pain pill since he was in pain, again. He didn't know what time it was, or where Sandy and Kirsten were. He hoped they were sleeping, although that would mean he couldn't have something for the pain. As Ryan shuffled slowly into the bathroom, he figured he'd just have to manage until morning.
"Hey, let me help you." Ryan heard Kirsten's voice as he walked out of the bathroom. It scared him for a second to hear her and not see her.
"What time is it?" Ryan asked as Kirsten helped him into the bed, and again began to fix the covers around him
"Late. Here's your percocet," she said as she handed the pill to him.
"Thanks. How'd you know? Why aren't you asleep?" Ryan asked. He was really thankful for the pain pill, but he didn't like the thought that Kirsten was awake for another night because of him.
"I set my alarm." she told him, "It's time for you to take something for the pain, which I can tell you obviously need. Go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
Kirsten left after kissing Ryan on his forehead. He just smiled to himself. No matter what, it was still nice to be home. They still hadn't talked yet about what happened. Ryan knew he still had that coming, but at least Seth would be home soon. He would do what ever it took to make amends with Seth, and then world domination to follow, Ryan thought as he drifted off to sleep again.