Chapter 3

Bam ran his hand over the cat's back a few more times and laid the pool stick across the table. He sat the cat on the floor and was about to wheel himself away from the pool table. Looking up he saw Novak standing there with a pool stick.

"Rack 'em up again."

"What?"

"You up for a game?"

"I…" Bam glanced back at the table then at Novak "Yeah sure. Sure beats playing alone." He said emotionless

Bam turned his chair back around and began to rack up the balls for a game.

"You wanna break?" Bam asked

"Sure."

Novak hit the cue ball, breaking the other balls apart. A striped ball rolled into one of the pockets.

"You're solids, buddy." He said as he got ready for his second shot

The two of them played for a while without speaking very much to each other Bam misses his shot, allowing Novak to take his turn. He lined up for his shot and was about to hit the cue ball.

"It's nice to see you out of bed."

Bam nearly threw his stick down "You're not going to be like them are you?"

"No, I just meant that, I couldn't play pool by myself if you stayed in bed like you were. That's all."

"Ok fine. I guess this isn't so bad… a little awkward playing sitting down the whole time."

"You're doing fine. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks." He said dejectedly

The two of them continued their game of pool, while Jenn, Phil and April watched from nearby. They all knew that with Bam's paralysis, there were going to be some big adjustments for everyone.

"See? This is what he needs." Said April, softly "He needs to just be able to do the things he's always done, and have everyone else treat him like normal. It's the only way he's going to get out of bed finally. It doesn't matter to me what he does, just as long as he's not spending his whole time moping in bed." Jenn sighed "It's just a shame that he can't do… everything that he used to do. That's the part, I believe, that's bothering him the most about this."

Phil shook his head "Bam might be starting to do things other than lie around, but look at him. He still needs some cheering up. I just can't stand to see him like this."

"I know Phil. It's hard for all of us not seeing a smile on Bam's face, or hearing him laugh at all… but what can we do?"

"All I know is I can't keep standing here watching him and talking about him any more.'

Jenn walked over to the pool table and stood by Bam's side. Bam sat there with his pool stick across the arms of the chair, awaiting his turn. Jenn paced a hand on his shoulder.

"How's it going?"

"I'm getting my ass kicked by Novak."

"You don't seem to be doing that bad."

"I'm still losing to him." He sighed and looked away from her "I can all ready see that nothing is going to go right for me. I should have just stayed in bed. That way I wouldn't have to go through this."

"Go through what? Losing a game of pool? God, Bam, why are you being so dramatic?"

Bam looked as if he were trying to fight back tears. He picked up the pool stick and laid it on the table.

"Know what Novak? Let's just say you won." He started to wheel himself away

"Where are you going?"

"Just…" Bam stopped for a second "Just never mind about me. I don't feel like being around any one right now."

"You're not going back to bed are you?" Jenn asked with a slight scolding tone in her voice

"No I'm not going back to bed! Even though that's where I really want to go."

Bam wheeled himself away from everyone. He manages to bring himself out onto the deck and sat where he could look over the railing as best as he could. It didn't take long before tears began to fall from his sad blue eyes. He brought one hand to his face to wipe the tears away, but the tears full faster than he could wipe them.

"This isn't fair." He said with a sniff "Why'd this have to happen to me?"

He leaned his head against the back of the chair as he silently wept.