It had been six months since her stroke, and Nora was able to move around with her cane. Her balance was still kind of bad, but she was able to manage.
"Frasier, could you take me to the bar?" Nora asked her husband after he got the kids off to school.
"Are you sure you're up to it?" Frasier was always worried that Nora would exhaust herself and end up back in the hospital again. Two months ago she exhausted herself and ended up collapsing. She had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days and have breathing treatments.
"I just want to sit there with everyone."
"Let me go tell your dad."
Frasier walked into the playroom where John was with the girls, "John, Nora wants to go visit the bar. I'm going to take her over there."
"I need to go to the shop today at some point. I can drive her there for ya."
"Sure, thanks," Frasier went to tell Nora before switching places with John.
John went to the living room where his daughter was sitting, "Hey sweetheart, you ready to go?"
"Yeah, thank you for taking me," Nora answered.
"Anything for my little girl," that made Nora smile, "here," John reached out a hand to help Nora up. "You sure you want to take your cane and not your walker?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," Nora didn't start walking.
"Hey, are you alright?" John said concerned.
"I, umm, I," Nora was embarrassed to ask.
"You having trouble finding the words?"
"No, I, umm, I have to use the bathroom."
"That's all," John said, "you had me worried there. You haven't had trouble with your speech in months. Do you want me to get Frasier? I can help you if you're comfortable."
"Would you be offended if I asked for Frasier?"
"Not at all," John had Nora sit while he got Frasier. Frasier helped Nora and then she and John headed to Cheers.
"You sure, you'll be alright if I leave?" John asked as they entered the elevator.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Nora said.
The elevator reached the bar and the doors opened. John took his daughter's hand to help her, "Nora!" Sam yelled and hopped over the bar. He ran over and hugged his sister, "what are you doing here?"
"I work here," Nora joked, "I'm just kidding. I wanted to come here and visit. I'm so tired of my house."
"I would be too with all those kids," Sam said.
"You only have two fewer kids than me."
"Yeah, exactly, two whole kids. Think about what only two kids are like and add them to four."
"I added three to three."
"It's not my fault you didn't get Frasier fixed." Nora laughed at her brother, "Hey, why don't we find you a seat?"
"Can it be at the bar?" Nora asked as Sam and John helped her down the two steps in the bar.
"If you can sit there then sure. I can help you onto the stool. Here you can sit right here on the corner by Norm's stool. Give dad your cane and I'll lift you up." Nora handed her cane to her father and Sam lifted her up onto the stool. "Dad, I can put the cane on a shelf behind the bar for now."
"Thanks, do you want me to pick you up when I'm done?" John asked his daughter. "I can call you before I leave and see if you want to go home."
"Yeah, call first," Nora said, "Thanks, daddy." Nora hugged her father.
"Don't worry Dad, I've got her," Sam said and John left the bar.
"Evening everybody."
"Norm!"
"What'll you have Norm?" Sam asked.
"I'll have a little sex on the beach," Norm said as he sat, "oh, and a beer." Norm saw Nora sitting by him, "hey stranger, what are you doing here?"
"Waiting for that sex on the beach," Nora joked.
"Hey, Nora," Carla walked out of the office, "you wanna take my shift? Just play up the whole heart surgery/stroke story and you'll get crazy tips."
"Carla, what about my cane?"
"Use it," Carla said, "it'll make you even more money. Plus if someone gets handsy you can hit 'em with it."
"You are just a barrel of laughs," Nora said.
"I try," Carla smiled, "I'm glad you're hanging out here. I miss having ya around."
"I miss this place too."
"Who do you miss more?" Carla asked.
"Carla!" Nora said.
"Yeah, who have you missed the most?" Cliff asked.
"I'd like to know that too," Norm said.
"Yeah, me too," Sam added.
"Me too," Woody and Rebecca said at once.
"You all have been visiting me constantly. I haven't had time to miss any of you. I just miss this place and the fun we all have at the expense of each other."
Everyone groaned and went back to what they were doing.
"So, Nora, you seem a lot better," Sam said to his sister.
"I really do feel a great deal better."
"Hello everyone," Diane said as she walked in.
"And now I'm hoping for another stroke," Nora joked making everyone around her laugh. Nora cared about her sister-in-law, but like she said before they all make jokes at the expense of each other.
"Nora," Diane went and hugged her sister-in-law, "how are you?"
"I'm pretty good, and you?"
"Same as always," Diane smiled.
"It's been a while," Nora said to Diane.
"Yeah, sorry, I've been busy writing a new novel." Diane hadn't been to see Nora in four months and it bothered Nora more than she thought. "With the twins, it's just a bit chaotic trying to write and care for them."
"You look like a pro to me," Sam chimed in and his wife glared at him.
"You could always bring the girls to my house to play with my girls."
"Thank you, but I don't want to trouble John. I know he's got a lot on his plate."
"Sam," Nora turned to her brother, "can I have my cane?"
"Why? What are you going to do with it?" Sam asked remembering Nora and Carla's conversation.
"Use it to help me get to the bathroom."
"As long as you use it for good and not evil," Sam said as he handed his sister her cane. "You need help getting down?"
"Probably a little," Nora said.
"I got her Sammy," Norm said as he got up and help Nora off of the stool.
"Thank you Norm," Nora said, "I can't believe you got up for me," she joked.
"What can I say, you worm your way into everyone's heart."
"So, I'm a heartworm?"
"Not the words I would choose, but okay."
Nora started making her way towards the bathroom. Carla came over and put her tray and apron on the bar, "Sam, I'm going to make sure she's okay."
"Thanks, Carla," Sam said as Carla turned to go to the bathroom.
"Carla," Nora was just getting ready to walk into a stall.
"Why don't you use the handicapped stall, so I can help you?"
"You don't have to help me."
"Let me try this a different way," Carla paused, "go to the handicapped stall before I lock you in a room with Diane and no windows!"
Nora smiled, "that's not very nice to say to a cripple. Could you give me a hand? I have trouble keeping my balance when I turn around."
"Sure," Carla went and helped Nora turn and walk into the handicapped stall. Carla locked the door behind her and went to put a seat cover down. "Here, I'll get your pants."
"Thank you," Nora said. When Carla was done, Nora grabbed onto the railing and slowly lowered herself. Carla stood nearby in case Nora faltered. Carla took Nora's cane when Nora was done so she could finish. She helped Nora up and out to the sink. Once Nora was done washing her hands, Carla gave her cane back to her and washed her own hands. When they came back out, Sam helped Nora get on the stool again. "So, Sam," Nora started, "what's wrong with Diane?"
"I'll need you to be more specific."
"Why is she avoiding me?"
"Oh, that," Sam said, "I don't know."
"Liar, tell me."
"Let's go talk in the office," Sam said.
"Really, I just got up here," Nora said, but Norm came over to help her down again. "Don't let go yet," Nora told Norm as she tried to balance herself. Sam walked over and took his sister's arm, "here, let me help you." Sam held onto Nora as they walked to the office. Once inside he helped her to sit on the couch and rolled the desk chair to sit in front of her. "I'm gonna tell you everything, but if you have another stroke after, that's on you."
"I think the first one is on me too."
"After your stroke and surgery, dad and I started to go to more meetings. Just for a little extra support. When you came home, dad stopped coming. He said that he couldn't leave you and Frasier with your kids like that. I guess that seeing you sick and struggling, and helping take care of you and the kids all day has taken its toll on him emotionally."
"Sam, what are you saying?"
"Dad has been drinking again."
"What?" Nora was stunned. Their father had been sober for over forty years. "I've never seen him drunk, and he's been telling me that he's been going to meetings. He goes after the kids are in bed."
"Is he home before you go to bed?"
Nora thought for a moment before realizing what she hadn't seen this whole time, "no he's never home before I go to bed."
"Now, that has something to do with why Diane is avoiding you. One day I got a call from another bar owner I'm friends with."
"So not Garry," Nora joked.
"Right," Sam chuckled before getting serious again, "anyway, dad was wasted and I was called to pick him up. He begged me not to take him to your house. He didn't want you to see him like that. When we got to my place, Diane came out to make sure everything was okay. Dad started talking as you do when you're drunk. He was rambling about this and that. He told Diane that he didn't agree with you and didn't think Diane was a stuck up, boring, pampered, bitch with a stick up her ass."
Nora's eyes got wide, "what!? I have never said that. Did you tell her that?" Sam was silent, "Sam!"
"Look, I didn't know because it's honestly possible that someone would say that about Diane. I promise that I will talk to her."
"What about dad?"
"I don't know. I have asked him to go to meetings with me, but he never does. You can't force someone to get help. They have to make that decision."
"When he calls, tell him I want him to come and get me. I want to talk to him," Nora said.
John came over after he called Sam. Nora was waiting on the couch in the office for her father. "Hey, you ready to go? What's wrong? You look upset."
"You started drinking again?" Nora got right to the point, "Sam told me."
"I'm handling it, okay?"
"No!" Nora pushed herself up in anger. "You are not handling it."
"Who are you to tell me..."
"Get off of it!" Nora yelled.
"Look, you shouldn't be getting so worked up."
"Nora," Sam walked into the office and shut the door, "honey, calm down."
"No! I won't calm down," Nora turned to her father, "why didn't you talk to me?"
"You have a lot going on and my generation was taught to keep our feelings to ourselves. To deal with it on our own."
"How did that work out for you?"
"I'm not going to stand here and take this. Are you coming with me or not?"
"I'm not getting in a car with someone who's been drinking. I can smell the alcohol on your breath."
"Sam, here are my keys," John handed Sam his car keys, "I'll just hail a cab." John walked out of the office and out of the bar.
Sam turned to his sister and saw her shaking. He caught her just as her knees gave out. Sam helped her to sit on the couch. "You okay?"
"Yeah, it's just the emotion and everything."
"I should have never told you."
"No, you should have."
"Why don't you take a nap?"
"Yeah, I should." Nora laid down on the couch and Sam covered her with a blanket.
Sam had called Frasier to give him a heads up about what happened and to tell him that he would make sure Nora got home. Nora was exhausted from her fight with her father. "Nora, honey, wake up. It's time to go home."
Nora woke up and found her brother kneeling by the couch, "what time is it?"
"Two in the morning."
"I slept that long. Damn, now I won't sleep tonight."
"I'm pretty sure you will. I'll help you sit up and go make sure everything is turned off and locked up. That will give you some time to wake up a bit."
"Thank you," Nora said as her brother helped her sit up. Sam left the office but left the door open so Nora could yell if she needed him. Nora had closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. All of a sudden she heard the office door shut. When she looked up, she saw her very angry father. "Daddy, what are you..."
"Don't 'daddy' me," John was drunk off his ass. Nora became afraid when her father locked the office door. "How dare you after everything I have done for you," he slurred. "You ungrateful little bitch. I've put my life on hold to help you and your family, and this is how you treat me."
"Nora," Sam's voice came from the other side, "why's the door locked?"
"Go away, son!" John yelled.
"Dad?" Sam couldn't understand how his father got into the bar without him noticing, "unlock the door. I'll drive you both home."
"No, your sister needs to hear this."
Sam went about looking for the key to the office door only to realize his keys were missing. John had grabbed them before going into the office. Now he had to find another way to help Nora.
"I'm sorry about before. I was in shock," Nora said emotionally.
"This is my life and I will live it my way," John said as he pulled Nora up by her wrists.
"Daddy, I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I ever set foot in this bar and into your life," John threw Nora to the ground. Sam heard his sister scream and said 'fuck it', and called the cops. Nora crawled towards the wall and tried to pull herself up. "Need a hand?" John grabbed his daughter's wrists again and pulled her off of the floor by them before pinning her to the wall. He leaned closer to his daughter's ear, "your mother was right about you." John threw her to the floor towards the couch. He grabbed her ankle to pull her closer, but Nora was able to grab her cane. Once she was closer, she hit her father in the head with her cane, and he fell to the floor. The police arrived and broke down the door. They arrested John and called the paramedics for Nora.
Sam ran into the office and to his sister who was sitting on the floor against the couch, "you okay, honey." Nora broke down and Sam held her and rocked her until the paramedics came.
"You know, I'm damn tired of hospitals," Nora said from her hospital bed.
"Really? Here I was thinking you loved them. I was even going to see if I could book you a vacation at one." That made Nora laugh, but she winced in pain, "sorry."
"It's alright," Nora smiled, "thank you."
"Hey, what are big brothers for?"
Nora didn't break anything, but she had a great deal of bruising. Sam called to tell Frasier, but since Nora wasn't seriously injured Frasier agreed to wait for Sam to bring Nora home. Nora was finally discharged and Sam drove her home. After he parked he turned to his sister, "listen, I can't begin to understand all of the emotions you are feeling right now or how you feel at all. I get what it's like for parents to let you down. John let me down today, but I am here for you always."
"Thank you," Nora tried to hold it together. Sam got out and helped Nora get out of the car and into the house.
Frasier was waiting on the stairs for them. When he saw his wife, he stood up and rushed to her, taking her into his arms, "thank God you're not hurt," Frasier held his wife as she began to release the emotions from the day. "That's it, you cry, and get it all out." Frasier rubbed his wife's back as she cried. Sam waited to leave until Nora had calmed down a bit. He said his good-byes and left. "You need me to carry you upstairs?"
Nora sniffled, "just hold onto me, please."
"Of course," Frasier had one arm around his wife and her free hand in his.
Frasier held Nora extra close that night and it helped her to feel safe.