Kevin the comforter,

Chapter two, The Morning After

Kevin's alarm clock went off at 6:00 a.m., as it took him an hour and a half, to get ready in the morning. Then he had to make and eat breakfast and leave for work by 8:15. Kevin, didn't get a chance to turn the alarm clock off, as Joan beat him to it. Joan, what was she doing in his bed? Still rather drowsy, it took Kevin, a while to remember, that she'd come into his room during the night, after having a nightmare.

Still lying in bed, Kevin got his train of thoughts started. They'd talked a little. She'd said, that he, often freightened her and that Luke and she both avoided him. Wow, was that ever an eye opener! His siblings avoiding him, because of his unpredicable, often bad moods and short fuse. How come, he hadn't noticed that they, avoided him? Often he wasn't feeling too hot, dealing with the changes his body, had and was going through, ever since the accident. He'd been so proud of his wel defined body and now, it was falling to pieces, bit by bit. His once muscular legs, turning into two thin sticks, which looked like they'd break, if anyone heavier than a toddler would sit on his lap! Lately, his lower abdominal muscles, had been turning into flab and there was nothing he could do about it! He couldn't even go everywhere he wanted to any more, as there were obstacles that he couldn't overcome, like stairs, steep slopes and uneven paths. On top of that, people out on the streets stared at him. Also, he had heard people say things to each other like; "such a handsome guy, too bad he's crippled! This was really hard for him to deal with, emotionally, which made him moody and easily triggered an outburst of anger.

Kevin glanced over at his alarm clock, which told him, that he really had to hurry, as it was now 6:15! Somehow, Joan, had moved his chair, to the right side of the bed, so he didn't have to wake her up, in order to get out of bed . As quietly as he could, Kevin hoisted his feet one by one, onto the foot board of his chair and then transfered the rest of his body into its seat, which was akward, as he now, had to grab hold of the left arm rest and he was used to grabbing the right, getting out of bed on the other side. Somehow he managed to get into his chair, without falling or making too much noise. Getting himself ready in the morning, wasn't only time consuming, it was also rather strenuous, as he had to make so many transfers, in and out of his chair and that while his strenght was down, first thing in the morning.

Once in his bathroom, Kevin laid out everything, he'd need after he'd showered on a shelf, next to the sink. By now it was routine, yet he didn't take it too lightly, there were so many things to remember, being drowsy as he was, he could easily forget something, which could mess up his whole day! Transfering, into his shower chair, Kevin wheeled over to the corner, where the shower was. He emptied his bladder using a catheter. Then he turned on the shower, he didn't have to worry about the temperature being too hot or cold, as it had been fitted with a thermostat, to prevent him scolding himself accidentally. Kevin, felt his body relax, and his back ache subside a bit, as the warm water ran over his body, he then soaped himself in and let the water rinse the soap away in foamy streams. As Kevin dries himself off, a sleepy looking Joan, wearing her bathrobe, enters the bathroom. Kevin offers her the shower and ask her to draw the curtain, for her and his privacy. As Joan walks past Kevin, who is sitting by the sink, she puts her hands on his shoulders and gives him a peck on the cheek and says "Thanx, for being your old self last night and now!" A few tears, begin to roll from her eyes. Kevin, wheeled himself away from the sink, raised the left arm rest and pulled Joan gently onto his towel covered lap. He gently, strokes away the tears from her right cheek, with the back of his left hand, as his palm is rough with callouse.

Joan, leans against Kevin's chest, cherishing the moment, his nearness soothing her, as it has done so many times before, so long ago! Joan, turns her head, until she looks upon Kevin's smiling face and smiles back at him. At the moment, she isn't afraid to be near him, as he is in a good mood. "Kevin, right now, you're the perfect big brother!" Joan told Kevin in a perky voice. "Joan, I'll do my best to try and be nicer around you guys, it's just that my emotions overwhelm me!" A sad look appeared on his face. Gently, Joan said,"don't fret about it Kev. I'll try to remind myself that it's not personal, if you do have a ill temper or bad mood." Then, she hit the shower.

Kevin administered the atributes, that he'd put on the shelf, before heading for the shower.He was putting pieces of cotton, between his toes, to prevent fungus infections, which he otherwise would sustain, as Joan came out of the shower.

While Joan dried herself off, Kevin transfered from his shower chair, into his wheel chair, in order to not get his bedroom floor wet.

At 7:20, Helen, went to Joan's room, to ask her, if she wanted toast or pancakes for breakfast. To her surprise, she found Joan's bed all messed up and empty, as was the rest of the room. Where could Joan be then? As Helen had just left the bathroom, she knew her daughter wouln't be there. She'd just woken up Luke, Joan hadn't been in his room. Could it be that Joan had gotten up really early and had gone to Adam's house to pick him up, to walk with him to school? Helen, knew that it wasn't like Joan, to get up before the last minute, but then, Joan had done stranger things lately, hadn't she!

Luke was the first one to come downstairs, as always. He sat down and had his usual ham and cheese toast. "Luke, did you happen to hear Joan, leave this morning?"

"Sorry mom, I was sleeping like a log, when you woke me up, so I wouldn't have heard her. She missing?"

"No, just not in her room. She probably just got up early, went to Adam's house to walk with him to school." Helen said calmly, smiling at Luke, "Yeah, you're probably right mom."

Once in his room, Kevin, glanced at the clock, above the bedroom door, which read 7:30, he then, wheeled himself over to the shelves holding his clothes, picked out what he needed and put it in his lap, and then headed for the left side of his bed, where with a sweep, he threw the clothes onto it. In one fluent motion, he transferd himself onto the bed, Joan trailing him, wearing her bathrobe for lack of beter, absent mindedly lifted his legs onto the bed.

Realizing what she'd just done, she wondered how Kevin would react, as normally, he would have been really mad at someone helping him, without having been asked to do so! She needn't have worried, as with a reassuring smile, he thanked her. Wow, Joan thought to herself, my big brother, must be coming down with something, as he's way, too friendly!

Joan left Kevin's room, heading for her own, not only to get dressed, but also to give him some privacy, while he put his clothes on.

Helen and Luke, both looked up, as they heard the chair lift running, bringing Kevin downstairs. Helen was a bit shocked, to see her eldest son looking rather perky, as she hadn't seen him looking anything but angry lately. She certainly hoped, his high spirits were there to stay for a while, as that would be a welcoming change to his ill temper, drepressive and angry moods.

Helen, looked away, as Kevin hoisted himself into his wheel chair, as she still couldn't bare to see her son's vulnerability. As Kevin seated himself at the table though, Helen said 'Good morning Kevin" and gave him a hug and a smile.

Returning her smile, Kevin said "Good morning mom! Is there any toast left?"

"Sure, I'll just make you some!" Helen said, giving Kevin a big smile, as his good mood, cheered her up.

After finishing his toast, Kevin washed down a couple of Cranberry capsules and a few heavy duty vitamin C tablets, to keep bladder infections at bay, as a paraplegic, he was very susceptible to these infections, which often lead to bladder cancer, which kills 80 of people with paraplegia. Kevin, did not want to fall under those 80 percent, if he could help it!

"Mom, do you want me to carry out the gargabe, as Joan has left the house and obviously didn't do her chore this morning!" Luke inquired, with a speck of sarcasm in his voice.

"Who's left the house!" Joan said, calling from the top of the stairs.

"Oh where did you come from? I looked for you all over the house!" Helen exclaimed.

"You obviously didn't look in Kevin's room, as that's where I was!" Joan informed her mother, a bit obnoxiously.

Looking confused, Helen asked Kevin if this was so. Somewhat proud, as Joan had turned to him and no one else, Kevin replied "Yeah mom! Like in the old days, she ended up in my bed! Needing her big brother's comfort and protection after a nightmare!"

Helen gave Joan a hug, before she sat down a plate, with some toast for her daughter.

After Joan had finished her breakfast, Kevin asked if he should drop her and Luke off at school, as he was running ahead of his scheduel. Neither reclined this offer, which didn't come along all that often. Helen, hugged Joan and Luke and wished them a nice day at school, as they went out the door. As she gave her oldest son a longer hug than usual, she said tenderly "Kevin, thank you for being so nice to Joan and giving them a ride to school! Also, I would like to say, that your pearkiness this morning, it's a welcoming change, which makes me happy! Now be off and take care!"

"You too mom!" Kevin said, hugging her back. As he wheeled out the door, both he and Helen had a smile covering their faces from ear to ear.