AUTHOR'S NOTE: I had to repost this episode due to the original post being flawed and not showing up for me.
Episode 25: Pig Pen Goes Home
CHAPTER 1: THE NEXT STEP FORWARD
The day had arrived that Pig Pen would finally return home. He had Frieda with him. While still in the hospital, he had his hearing for his drunk driving and would avoid jail time, but would have to speak at schools in the area about drunk driving, which he agreed to due to him now having some free time on account of his injuries and being unable to work. The doctor came in.
"Are you ready, Mr. Pen?" he asked.
"I am, doc," said Pig Pen.
"Come on, baby," said Frieda. "Let's go home." And Pig Pen wheeled himself out of the hospital in his new wheelchair Frieda bought for him. It was one of those low-back wheelchairs so he wouldn't have to rely on someone pushing him around so much. He did have a standard wheelchair, however, for emergencies. Charlie was outside the hospital with his SUV and ready to help his friend in.
"Ready to go, man?" asked Charlie.
"You know it, bro!" said Pig Pen, smiling. And Charlie picked his friend up and put him in the back seat. Frieda got in the back with him. Pat was sitting up front. And Charlie took off for Pig Pen's place.
Luckily, his apartment was on the ground level, so it would be easily accessible for wheelchairs to get around. Frieda would soon begin to set things up so it would be easier for him to move around. Pig Pen, for his part, was optimistic about his situation. He was determined to be as independent as possible, but did appreciate his friends and Frieda helping him. As he wheeled himself into his apartment, he looked around and saw his place was cleaned up. Frieda had cleaned it when she wasn't at the hospital.
"This place was a mess before the accident," he said to her. "Did you clean it?"
"I did, Matt," said Frieda, smiling. "I wanted you to know that this can be a new beginning for us. I want to be with you and only you. Never again will I take our love for granted, baby."
"I believe you, Frieda. I'm sorry for being an asshole towards you, myself, when it came to our breakup. I never want us to be apart again."
"And no one, or nothing, will do that, my love." The two of them started kissing. Charlie and Pat cleared their throats.
"That's sweet and all, but did you two forget we were still here?" asked Pat, with an eyebrow raised. Pig Pen and Frieda blushed with embarrassment.
"Sorry about the PDA, you two," said Pig Pen.
"It's okay, man," assured Charlie. "If you two are all set, I have to get back to the recruitment center and drop Pat off at Ray's."
"Where's your car, Frieda?" asked Pig Pen.
"It's here already," Frieda replied. "I had Charlie pick me up from here when we came to get you."
"Yeah, since you won't be driving anytime soon," Charlie responded, "and I'm not talking about your license being suspended but the fact that your ride is totaled, Might as well have Frieda here to take you where you need to go."
"I'm cool with that," said Pig Pen, looking at his girlfriend. "We are never going to be apart again!"
"Amen to that, baby!" cooed Frieda. And the two of them started kissing again.
"We better leave the lovebirds to their business, Chuck," said Pat.
"Definitely," agreed Charlie. "See you two later." Frieda waved her hand at them while she was still kissing Pig Pen. Charlie and Pat left to go to their jobs.
NEXT CHAPTER: LUCY VAN PELT; WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
