A/N: Sorry it took me so long, but real life is interfering. I have the story written though, it just needs to be typed. So I promise I�m gonna finish it!!!
Have fun!
Chapter 2
Kevin had spent most of the following week in bed. When his fever hadn�t broken, Helen had insisted on calling a doctor and had Kevin take antibiotics. By Friday morning his temperature was finally almost back to normal and apart from a headache he felt better. He had spent a sunny morning sleeping on the porch and was now back upstairs, watching TV.
Helen was cleaning the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Wiping her hands off at the kitchen towel she made her way over to the front door.
�Hello.� She stared at the three guests in surprise. �Matt? Tom? Beth? What are you doing here?� She had immediately recognized Kevin�s old friends.
�Hi, Mrs Girardi.� Beth smiled insecurely. �How are you?�
�Fine, thank you. Come on in.� She stepped aside to let the three young people enter, still shocked. Ever since the accident, apart from few visits to the hospital they had hardly heard from Kevin�s friends. He had refused to answer calls and people had felt uncomfortable around him.
�Thanks.� Matt, a tall guy with cereal blue eyes, ark-blond spiky hair, and wire-framed glasses reacted first. Kevin used t play baseball with him, Helen remembered. Tom had also been on the team, albeit he had never been as good as his two best friends. But he had grown significantly and was now topping Matt by a few inches. His brown curly hair stubbornly refused to stay out of his equally brown eyes. And then there was Beth, Kevin�s high school sweetheart.
�Actually, we�re here to see Kevin.� Tom looked around, taking in the lift at the staircase. �Matt and I, we�ll have a game tomorrow, just an hour from here, and we wondered if Kevin would like to�to come with us��
Helen smiled at the three nervous kids. �He�s gonna be really happy about you showing up. I just don�t know if he�s up to�� She saw the shock in the three pairs of eyes. �He�s had the flu,� she elaborated quickly. �This is actually the first day he�s feeling better. And I...� She remembered a conversation between her and her husband. Kevin was an adult, not a baby. He would have to make that decision himself. �I think you should just ask him. He�s upstairs. Come on.�
She preceded the three up the stairs and knocked on kevin�s door. �You got visitors!� She stuck her head in, watching hers on dozing beneath his bedding but immediately blinking.
�What?�
�Friends of yours.�
She waited until he had reached for the trapeze and sat himself up before she pushed the door open the rest of the way. �Come on in.�
Kevin watched in disbelief as three of his best friends nervously entered the room. �Hi, Kev.� Tom was the first to step closer, offering a handshake.
�Hey,� Kevin smiled insecurely, feeling a little self-conscious and definitely shocked by the unexpected appearance.
Matt was next and when the two guys stepped aside a beautiful, petite blonde sweetly smiled at him. �Hello, Kevin.� She bent down to embrace him, and for a moment Kevin forgot everything around him. He took in her scent and the softness of her hair against his cheek. God, he had missed her! They had broken up after the accident. It�s been the one and only mature decision. He didn�t have room for her, and Anne hadn�t signed up for any of this. But now, that he saw her, he realized how much he had really missed her.
Beth straightened and looked at him shyly. �How are you?�
�I�m fine. I just look like a monster because of this damn cold.�
An awkward silence spread in the room.
Again it was Tom who took the first step and spoke. �Listen, uhm, we, Matt and I, we have a game tomorrow. We wondered if you would like to come. It�s only like eighty miles from here and we would be back tomorrow night, and�I mean, if you don�t wanna, we understand, but, you know,�� He helplessly looked at the other guy and then back at Kevin, propped up on his elbows.
�I really appreciate you guys stopping by and maybe I�d�but I still feel a little groggy and beat and I don�t wanna�I mean you guys sure wanna party tonight, and I don�t wanna��
Matt vigorously interrupted Kevin. �Cut it out, Kev. We�re your friends, we should�ve come a lot earlier, and we didn�t. But now�please, for old time�s sake.�
Kevin shook his head. �You won�t get back old times. It�s all changed- for me. I�m not sure you�ve realized that yet, but I can�t even get out of this damn bed without trouble.�
�Kevin, please, give us a chance,� Beth whispered.
Kevin looked up, seeing the sincerity in the eyes of all his friends. �Of course, I�d love to come. It�s just� not that easy.�
�It�s gonna be fine. We booked a hotel room, it�s accessible, we checked. And when Tom and I play, Beth�s still there.�
�I�m not sure if I�m still contagious though.� Kevin coughed as if to emphasize his point.
�We�ll live.� Tim grinned. �Great.�
Kevin sat up further, pulling his legs over the edge of the bed in the wake. He felt all eyes onhim as he transferred to his wheelchair. He was grateful enough strength had returned to his arms. When he was seated in his chair he looked up. �I�ll have to pack some stuff. You can wait downstairs and have my mom make you some sandwiches.�
Helen put a plate on the table when the three entered the kitchen. �You�ve had along ride.� She waved at the sandwiches. �Help yourself.�
�Thanks, Mrs Girardi.�
�What did he say?�
�He�s gonna come. Hope that�s okay.� Tom answered before taking a big bite.
Helen shrugged. �Not like my opinion counts anyway. But I really think it�s a good idea. It�s just, he�s still a little weak on his f�� She stopped the sentence abruptly. �It�s gonna be the first game for him, since, you know. I�m a little worried about how he�s gonna deal.�
�I�m gonna stay with him. No need to worry.� Beth smiled.
�You guys ready?� Kevin wheeled into the kitchen, a bag on his lap and his jacket thrown across it. �My Mom gave you all the instructions on how to baby-sit me?�
�She just asked us to have you in bed by eight.� Tom teased.
�Okay, let�s move. We have training at six!�
Helen watched her eldest son making his way to the black minivan Matt was driving from where she was leaning against the frame of the front door and smiled happily.
This was right where he should be, off to a game with his friends. A wave of sadness washed over her. No matter how right it felt it was never gonna happen for him. She sighed. There was no use in looking back. She just hoped he was going to have fun. What would it do to him, watching his friends play, knowing that was exactly where he was supposed to be? Maybe, hopefully, it would help him find closure.
TBC