I sort of passed out and didn't remember much. My right leg now encased in a full leg cast from my hip to my toes. The plaster was itchy and I all I wanted to do was scratch my leg. It was also bent in such a position, and hung up by a sling. The plaster was white so I could still turn it into a masterpiece. This thought brightened my spirits, more then anything else that day.
Erika came and visited me first thing that morning and boy was I glad to see her. We talked for about a half hour before the cops needed me for details. I showed them the license plate number I had written down and what kind of a car it was , and what the man looked like. They were happy with all of the information I provided and were sorry about me getting hurt on the job. Now although I could not stand on my leg I was able to move around a bit. I would sit in the chair by the window, and daydream a little. During day number two Bradin's aunt Ava had come and visited with me. She was very nice to talk to. She didn't want Bradin to know the circumstances under which I had hurt my leg. As She figured it might upset him terribly, which wasn't good for his condition.
"what does He have?" I asked , excited that I might know at last.
"well…" She stated, almost hesitant to tell me.
" He has Acute Leukemia" She flatly stated , as though I should have known all along.
"what… " "no, not Bradin… He really doesn't have cancer"
" no Becky…" what you have to understand is that He does have cancer" She paused .
"and that his future is in danger." She added as an afterthought.
" really?" how fast is it spreading?" I asked in complete shock.
By the third day I was tired of the hospital. I was told that I could be released by mid-afternoon if I mastered getting around on my crutches. The crutches were very entertaining to use for the first part of the day. I would wobble and shake and fall onto the bed, and then laugh at myself for being so stupid. But by early evening I was mobile enough to go home. Before I went home though I wanted to see Bradin, so I had my mom wait downstairs, and I said I'd be back in a minute. I wasn't sure what to expect, Bradin had not heard about my accident. I swaggered down the halls on my crutches, which didn't look out of place at a hospital. I was sure He wouldn't like me now that I was handicapped. I stopped as I neared bradin's room, what would He think?
I opened the door with one arm and gracefully maneuvered into his room. His aunt Ava had briefed me to say I had tripped over my brothers skateboard. Yea, right… this would never happen to me.
Today being Thursday, my mom wanted me to go to school tomorrow and pick up my work. She didn't want me to go back to school, until I got better on my crutches. As much as I wanted to see my friends I didn't really want to face the girls that saw me with Bradin on Saturday night. After I quietly said goodbye to Bradin, took one glance over my shoulder and left the room, slowly. When I got to the elevator , I could not but help think about Bradin. My mother was standing in the lobby to sign me out. The only sound on the car ride home was and old Beatles song playing on the radio.
When we got home, my mother told me to lie on the couch and prop my foot up.
"doctors orders" She said.
I obeyed. This was the life, I could not believe my luck. Although my leg hurt badly, it was worth it to have people wait on me. For the rest of the evening I was treated like royalty, which for once was great. My mother even brought me dinner on a tray to eat on the couch, which until now had been forbidden.