Quietly Lori got out of the bed. It was dark in the living room, there was only a little bit of light coming from the alarm clock on the nightstand and from the recorder. She couldn't see anyone in the dim light. Carefully she made her way over to the washing room. She put her hand on the side of the medicine cabinet, palm down. The medicine cabinet came loose from the wall and Lori opened it further. Hidden behind the medicine cabinet was a safe. She punched in the code and retrieved her gun and a flashlight from the safe. She locked the safe and put the medicine cabinet back. She turned the flashlight on and went back to the living room. With her flashlight and gun ready she scanned the room. Nothing was to be seen. She turned to the kitchen and scanned it. Nothing here either and Ella was still asleep in her crate. The back door was still closed as well. Lori quietly made her way upstairs via the back stairs. Quietly she opened and closed the security gate at the top of the stairs. She scanned the hallway but nothing was there. There was the noise again. Gun ready Lori moved towards the sound. It sounded like it came from girls' bedroom. Carefully Lori made her way to the girls' bedroom. She listened at the door. Carefully she opened the door to the bedroom.
The girls heard the bedroom door open and Lori could hear them giggling as they tried to crawl back into the bed as fast as possible. Lori put the gun in her pajama pants and opened the door as she turned the lights on. Myra and Julie weren't fast enough to crawl back into their beds.
"Girls? What were you doing?"
"Nothing mommy," Julie giggled.
"Oh no? Then why did I caught you sneaking back into the bed? It's 3am. You girls should be asleep."
"We no sweep, we play," Myra answered.
"No, it's time for sleeping now. Back in bed and go to sleep, now."
"Yes mommy," Myra and Julie replied.
Lori tucked them both in and gave them a kiss. "I mean it girls. Go back to sleep. No more playing."
"Yes mommy."
Lori turned down the light and wanted to walk back downstairs. At that moment she heard a cry coming from the boys' room. She walked in and noticed it was Finn who was crying.
"Hey little buddy," Lori told softly as she picked him up. "What's wrong? Oh I see the problem. You have a wet diaper."
Lori took him over to the changing table and changed his diaper. Lori rocked him in her arms until he had fallen asleep again and she put him back in his crib. Just as she was about to leave Charlie started crying. He had a wet diaper too. Lori changed his diaper too and rocked him back to sleep. Once Charlie was asleep Lori placed him back in his crib again and she went downstairs. She put her gun and the flashlight back in the safe before going back to bed.
"Everything okay honey?" Callen asked as Lori crawled back into the bed.
"Oh G, I didn't know you were awake."
"The boys woke me up. Everything okay?"
"Yeah just a wet diaper. They are asleep again."
"Ah okay. I noticed you weren't in bed anymore when they started crying."
"No I wasn't. I was already upstairs. I heard a noise so I went to check it out."
"Everything okay?" Callen asked concerned.
"Yeah. Myra and Julie had decided they didn't want to sleep, they wanted to play."
"They were playing? At 3am?"
"Yeah they were. But they are back asleep again."
"Okay good."
"Come on let's go back to sleep."
Lori lay back down on the bed and crawled up to Callen. She lay her head down next to his and wrapped her arm around his chest. She gave him a soft kiss and snuggled against him.
….
The next morning Callen woke up around 8am and he had to go out to use the bedroom. He hated admitting it but he knew he couldn't do it by himself just yet. He looked next to him and saw that Lori was still asleep. He hated waking her up for this. The walker wasn't standing next to the bed and neither was the wheelchair. Callen knew he wouldn't make it to the bedroom without either one. He looked around where they were. The wheelchair was standing next to the front door and so was the walker. It was only a short walk.
'Maybe I can make that,' Callen thought to himself.
Quietly and carefully Callen got up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Callen grabbed the head rest to try and pull himself up. He tried but he couldn't pull himself up.
"Argh," Callen cursed.
"Hmmm, G," Lori spoke still half asleep. "You okay G?"
"Yeah it's fine honey, go back to sleep."
Lori opened her eyes and saw that Callen was sitting on the edge of the bed and that he tried to pull himself up again.
"G, wait. What do you need?"
"I need to use the bathroom."
"I'll help you." Lori got up from the bed and went over to Callen's side after grabbing the wheelchair. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peacefully sleeping."
"G, I'm here for you, you can wake me anytime."
Lori helped Callen up and got him in the wheelchair.
"I know. I just hate feeling so depended. I saw the wheelchair and the walker standing there and I thought I could make it but I couldn't pull myself up."
Lori took Callen to the downstairs bathroom and helped him onto the toilet. Once he was done Lori helped him over to the sink so he could wash his hands and helped him back into the wheelchair.
"Do you want to go back to bed?"
"Yeah. We can get some more rest before the kids wake up."
Lori took Callen back to the bed. As Lori wanted to help him get up from the wheelchair Callen pulled her down so Lori was sitting on his lap.
"G, what are….."
Before Lori could finish her sentence Callen already pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. Lori wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. It felt so good to kiss him like this. It had been a while since they had made love with Lori just having had the boys. The boys were now three months old and Lori felt ready to make love again but now this was going on with Callen. As they were kissing Lori wanted nothing more than to take Callen to bed and make love to him but she knew that Callen wasn't strong enough to do it just yet.
"G," Lori spoke in between kisses.
"What honey?" Callen replied, breaking the kiss and moving down to her neck.
"We have to stop."
"Hmmm," Callen smirked against her skin.
"G, that does feel good but we have to stop. We can't make love yet."
"Who said anything about making love?" Callen smirked at her as he looked her in the eye before going back to kiss her neck again.
"I know honey….. oh that feels good," Lori moaned as Callen kissed her spot.
She wanted him so bad but now wasn't the right time. Not until he was cleared.
"G, stop," Lori said and she pushed him away.
"Why? You seemed to enjoy it."
"I did and as much as I'm loving it we can't. Not until you've been cleared. It may be too soon for your back."
"Argh, that stupid back. It's been so long since I made love to my wife."
"I know honey and trust me I want it so badly but we just need to wait till the doctor clears you."
Lori wanted to kiss Callen again but they were interrupted.
"Mommy!" The girls yelled at the top of the stairs.
"Coming girls, just a minute," Lori called upstairs. "Do you want back into the bed or on the couch?"
"The bed is fine."
Lori got up from Callen's lap and helped him into the bed. Once Callen was in the bed Lori went up the stairs.
"Hey Myra, hey Julie," Lori greeted the girls who were standing there all dressed.
"Hey mommy," Myra and Julie replied.
"Did you two have a nice sleep?" Lori asked as she opened the safety gate.
"Yes mommy."
The girls walked downstairs followed by Lori.
"Daddy!" Myra and Julie squealed and ran up to the bed.
"Hey sweeties," Callen greeted them.
Myra and Julie crawled onto the bed and carefully gave Callen a hug. Callen gave them both a soft kiss. Lori walked to the kitchen to let Ella out. Ella was fully awake and jumping up and down in her crate when Lori walked in.
"Hey Ella." Lori went to the crate and opened the gate. Happily Ella ran out and crawled up to Lori to get some love. "Hey sweetie. Hey Ella. Come on sweetie, do you wanna go out?"
Ella happily followed Lori to the living room.
"Hey Ella," Myra and Julie spoke and climbed off the bed to give Ella some love.
As Myra and Julie were playing with Ella Lori got dressed so she could take Ella out for a walk.
"Come on Ella," Lori called once she was ready and she grabbed Ella's leash.
Ella happily ran up to Lori and Lori put the leash on.
"Can you girls keep daddy company?"
"Yes mommy."
Lori took Ella outside and went to the grass so Ella could do her business. About fifteen minutes later Lori was back at the house. Ella had peed and pooped. Lori undid Ella's leash after hanging up her own jacket. Ella followed Lori to the kitchen, knowing she would get her kibble. Lori grabbed the cup and put some kibble in it.
"Ella sit," Lori said to Ella. Ella sat down on her butt and Lori put the kibble in Ella's bowl. Ella wanted to go eat right away but Lori pushed her back. "No Ella, wait. Ella sit." Ella sat back down again. "Okay go ahead Ella."
Lori stepped away and Ella went to her bowl. Lori gave her some fresh water as Ella was eating. Lori washed her hands and went back to the living room. Myra and Julie were sitting on the bed with Callen watching some TV.
"Do you want some breakfast?" Lori asked.
"Yes mommy," Myra and Julie answered without taking their eyes off the screen.
Lori went back into the kitchen and made the family some breakfast. They sat down on the bed to eat it. Just as Lori had finished her breakfast the boys woke up and started crying. Lori walked upstairs and went into the boys' room.
"Hey my little boys."
Lori first picked Charlie up, changed his diaper and got him dressed. She put Charlie back down in his crib and did the same to Finn. Once she had dressed Finn as well Lori picked Charlie back up and went downstairs. Lori walked to the bed and handed Finn to Callen.
"Hey little buddy."
Lori went into the kitchen with Charlie. Just after Lori had walked into the kitchen Finn started crying.
"Honey, our little boy is hungry," Callen called towards the kitchen.
"I know that, I'm already warming up the bottle."
"Okay. It's okay little buddy, it's coming."
Callen tried to get Finn to suck on his pacifier but he wouldn't take it so Callen put his pink in Finn's mouth. This helped a little. A little later Lori walked into the living room with a bottle for Finn and a crying Charlie in her arms. Lori handed the bottle to Callen and sat down on the bed as well.
"I know Charlie, it's coming," Lori spoke to Charlie as she was busy opening her blouse. Lori exposed her breast and brought Charlie closer. As soon as the nipple was in reach Charlie started sucking. "There that's better huh."
Finn was drinking hungrily from the bottle as well. The girls sat on the end of the bed and watched TV. They stayed in bed until the show had ended. Myra and Julie went to their play corner to play and Lori put Finn and Charlie in their play pens. Ella was playing with her toys and dragging them across the room.
"Uhm Miss Ella, are you gonna clean up your toys yourself?" Lori spoke causing Myra and Julie to giggle.
Lori put some of her toys back in her box. She went to the bed and helped Callen get dressed. She grabbed his walker so Callen could walk over to the couch. As soon as Callen went to walk with the walker Ella came to sniff the strange object, causing her to be in the way for Callen.
"Ella, no. Go away," Lori spoke. Ella didn't move. "Girls, call Ella over."
"Ella, Ella," Myra and Julie called and squeaked with her toy causing Ella to go over to them. "Good girl Ella."
Now that Ella was out of the way Callen resumed walking to the couch. Callen was a bit tired when he finally sat down on the couch. Lori put his feet on an ottoman and put a blanket over him.
"You good?" Lori asked.
"Yeah I'm good."
Lori turned the TV on and gave Callen the remote so he could watch some TV. Lori went to do some chores.
That evening after the kids were in bed Lori took Callen to the washing room. They had made a shower unit in there so Callen could take a shower. The shower unit also featured a chair so Callen could sit. Lori helped Callen undress and helped him over to the chair . Lori turned the shower on so Callen was underneath the shower already. She went to undress herself too and joined Callen in the shower. Lori grabbed the shampoo and washed Callen's hair. She grabbed the handheld shower and moved it over Callen's hair so she could wash out the shampoo. Once his hair was finished Lori went to wash Callen.
"You good G?" Lori asked.
"Yeah I'm good. Just feels weird. I'm a grown man and I can't even wash myself."
"I know G. But I'm here to help you, I don't mind."
"Thank you Lori."
"No problem. You were there to take care of me when I was pregnant and when I had that car accident. Now it's my turn to take care of you."
Lori finished washing Callen, dried him off and got him dressed. Lori dried herself a bit off too and put her robe on. Lori helped Callen into the wheelchair and took him back to the living room.
"Shall I put you in bed already?"
"Yeah sure that's fine."
Lori walked to the bed and helped Callen into the bed. She made sure he was comfortable and tucked him in.
"You need anything before I go to take a shower myself?"
"No I'm good."
"Alright."
Lori gave him a soft kiss and went upstairs to shower herself. She changed into her pajamas and blow dried her hair. She went to check on the kids before going back downstairs. She grabbed something to drink and some snacks before she joined Callen in the bed.
…..
That Monday Lori had taken the day off so she could be at home when Abby, their home care nurse, would arrive and so that she could take Callen to PT.
Just after 8.30am Emily arrived. The girls didn't have pre-school today.
"Good morning Myra, Julie," Emily greeted them.
"Mowning Emily."
"They have already eaten and the boys have been fed too," Lori told Emily.
"That's good."
"We'll be back in about an hour."
"Sure, that's fine. Don't worry about us. How are you doing Callen?"
"It's going a bit better. But I still can't do much."
"Yeah it's gonna take some time."
"Yeah more time than I want."
"Yeah, we always say it takes too long when we're healing from something."
"Yeah, I'm doing everything I can to get back on my feet as soon as possible." Callen saw that Lori gave him a look. "But don't worry Lori, I won't push myself too far."
"You better not."
"I won't, promise."
"Good. We should get going."
Lori helped Callen into his wheelchair and took him to the car. Lori drove him to the hospital and took him to PT. They waited until they were called in. Lori wheeled Callen in.
"Good morning Mr. Carter, how are you feeling today?"
"I'm good. Slowly getting better but still too slow for my liking."
"I can understand that sir. But you have to let your body heal. It will take time."
"I know, it just sucks."
"I can't argue with you on that one. How did your exercises go?"
"They went fine but I was tired after I did them."
"That's to be expected. Shall we get started?"
"Yeah sure."
Joey helped Callen up from the wheelchair and took him to the exam table. Joey first did a few exams on Callen. Joey moved Callen's legs around and pressed down a bit on his back. It was all going fine so far. Joey helped Callen up and took him over to the parallel bars.
"Oh Greg, take slow, small steps and keep your hands on the railing."
Lori watched as Callen slowly stepped forward with his hands on the railing.
"That's very good sir. Keep going."
It went better than the previous time but it was still too little for Callen's liking. Callen did a few more exercises before PT was up. He got some more exercises to do at home. They made a new appointment before Lori took him back home.
Lori drove back home. They were on a bridge when suddenly they heard sirens all around them. Lori slowed a bit down so they could pass but they were boxed in.