Stained Red
Chapter 27
Note- OMG I am so sorry that this wasn't posted till today. I could have sworn that I did this on Thursday, but apparently I'm losing my mind. So I am extremely sorry for my special-ness. I hope everyone had a happy holiday and that you all enjoy this chapter.
After a little over two weeks in the ICU and extreme physical therapy, Carter was permitted to go home. He sat on a chair across from the bed with his head leaning back against the wall and his eyes closed. Benton and Mark entered the room with a wheelchair ready to help Carter on his way home. Mark had set up his van in the front of the hospital waiting for the trip. Carter slowly lowered his head and opened his tired eyes. "Hey Carter… you ready?" Benton asked after noticing a distanced look in Carter's eyes.
Carter shook his head as he spoke in a sad lost voice, with his eyes and head lowered to stare at his hands in his lap. "Uh… yeah, but I couldn't get a hold of…um… any of my family… and my great landlord evicted me three days ago… so…" Carter laughed slightly and with a slight smile looked up into their eyes "Yeah, let's go."
Mark kneeled down beside Carter, "It's okay you can stay with me." Benton was about to chime in when Mark realized his fault. "Wait, sorry Carter I didn't realize. My apartments on the fifth floor and with Rachel and all I'm sorry…"
Before Mark could continue his apology Carter cut him off. "It's ok I understand, honestly steps don't really seem like fun and I know you just want to help so... Thank you for the thought and everything else." Carter searched his mind for any solution. "I'm sorry about this, I just…"
Benton finally had put all of his solutions and thoughts in order as he finally began to speak. "You can stay with me, you've seen my house we have an extra room on the bottom floor so no stairs and Jackie and the kids have just moved out so there is room and it could work. We could stop off and pick up your stuff."
Carter smiled at the kindness he felt from the help that was being offered to him, but he just hated to make them feel obligated to his cause. "You don't have to do that, I could…"
"Carter" Benton waited for Carter's full attention. "I know I don't have to, I want to. That's it no more discussion you will stay with me. Now lets go… Where can we pick up your stuff?"
Carter thought for a moment "They said they were keeping my things in a storage holding a few blocks away from my apartment building."
They set Carter up in the wheel chair and brought him to the van, where they maneuvered and locked the chair into the back. They stopped at the storage facility and picked up Carter's clothes before heading to Benton's house. Once there, Mark and Benton helped Carter inside and set him up in the spare bedroom. Carter thanked them as he yawned from exhaustion. After a few short goodbyes Benton and Mark left Carter in the room to get some coffee, after Carter insisted that he was ok.
Carter sat in the wheel chair and rolled himself closer to the newly made bed. He felt weakened by every movement he made. He lifted himself slightly from the chair and moved onto the bed, he cringed with pain as hot tears ran down his face. He quickly swiped them awaywhile slowly and carefully trying to relax on the bed. Although he felt chilled he was unwilling to get up to retrieve a blanket that lingered across the room on a small wooden chair. He laid his head down and quickly fell asleep with the pain still present.
Benton entered the room after Mark had left to return to the hospital, he was prepared to talk to Carter, but found that he was asleep. Benton looked at Carter and noticed a slight shiver, he retrieved the blanket and covered Carter gently, with one last glance he turned off the lamp by the bed and exited the room closing the door two thirds of the way to allow a bit of light into the darkened room. Benton walked throughout the house and began to clean up to avoid the worry he felt. After two hours of none stop cleaning the phone pulled him from his work. "Hello?" he answered in a sleepy voice. "Oh hi Mark… yeah he is asleep… oh that's good… how long?… a week? Are you sure? Who will cover?…ok…thanks Mark… yeah…bye." Benton hung up the phone and settled in on the couch. Although his bedroom was upstairs he wasn't comfortable being so far away in case he was needed. He turned on the TV and soon was asleep with the varying colors illuminating his still form.
Note- Ok there we have it… some how, some way, some day I will find a way to conclude this story. Maybe not today and well not tomorrow either but eventually. Anyway hope you enjoyed this update and review, and with hope I will remember to post in a few days… if I find time, maybe tomorrow. So have a good day/night…and smile, be happy.