Maria helped Sofia get Jim settled into her car and then Maria followed Sofia to their house, where the process was reversed. Once inside the two women helped him to the bedroom and tucked him in snugly for a nap. Then Sofia showed Maria the room across the hall where she would stay and Maria brought in her bag and began to arrange her things.

Sofia stepped into the hall and peeked into their bedroom to see Jim watching the door. When he saw her, a smile broke out on his face. She walked in quietly. "You are supposed to be napping," she said softly.

He patted the bed next to him, indicating for her to join him. She chuckled as she made her way across the room to him. "You might not get any sleep that way."

"That's okay too," he muttered. "You give me peace."

As she settled on the bed next to him, she stared into his expressive blue eyes. "Jim, that's the most beautiful thing you've ever said to me," she whispered.

He held out his right arm to gather her into him and soon her head was resting on his shoulder. "I've missed you so much," she whispered. He squeezed her and kissed the top of her head, his hand absent mindedly stroking her arm as it lay over his chest. She felt the rhythm of his breathing and the listened to his heartbeat, happy to simply have him home.

Holding her like this made Jim feel like things were almost normal again. He wanted to do more than hold her, but he knew that where the imagination was willing, the body wasn't ready yet. But holding her reassured him that the 'more' would come sooner rather than later. For now, just having her so close was enough….more than enough. He savored the feel of her beneath his fingers and the smell of her hair near his face. The warmth of her body next to his provided so much more than just physical warmth; it nourished his soul. He was going to be okay after all. "Love you," he whispered into her hair with a gentleness that the moment demanded.

Contentedly, she moaned softly, her hand gently passing over his chest, her fingers aimlessly caressing him. "Go to sleep, my love. I'll be here when you wake up."

She was indeed still there when he woke. Apparently she had drifted into a nap with him. Someone had thrown an afghan over her; Maria probably. He lay there, listening to her breathing and relishing the feel of her, still in the crook of his arm. In his estimation, there was no better way to wake up.

He heard a sound from the hall and looked up to see Maria peeking in. She smiled and whispered, "just checking up on you."

He motioned for her to come in. I need to get to the bathroom," he whispered, not wanting to wake Sofia. Maria nodded and brought the walker close to the bed. Somehow he managed to disentangle himself from his Sleeping Beauty but couldn't figure out how to sit up without disturbing her. The point became moot, however, as she began to stir. Opening her eyes, she realized what Jim was attempting and sat up. As he moved his legs to the side of the bed and sat up to position himself for the walker. Sofia started to get up but Maria stopped her. "It's okay; I'll help him get to the bathroom. You rest a little while longer."

Sofia settled back into the bed as she watched Jim make his way across the room with the walker. Maria walked a long with him, just in case. Sofia had to admit that she was feeling pride for her husband just then. He had worked hard in his therapy and this was the result. He wasn't all back but he walked better every day.

Later, after Jim was back in the bed, Sofia made her way to the kitchen to prepare supper for them. Actually, she was preparing several suppers; there was the one she fixed for Jeb and then the one she would prepare for Jim. Since he couldn't chew, everything had to be liquid or close to it. And then, Sofia decided to make a salad and soup for Maria and herself. Maria made her way into the kitchen about then. "I hope soup and salad will be okay for supper," Sofia said.

"Sounds good," answered Maria. "Jim might like the soup too but of course the salad would be difficult."

"Yeah…" agreed Sofia surprised that she hadn't considered the soup for him. She was going to puree some vegetables and make a shake for him, but he might appreciate eating 'normal' food. "Thanks Maria. I know it will help him feel more like normal."

"Look, as long as we're talking about his care here….I'm going to offer something that experience has taught me."

Sofia stopped what she was doing and looked sideways at the other woman. "Okay…"

"Let me do all the personal care stuff, especially the trips to the bathroom. I've found that most men don't like feeling so dependent and they really don't like it when they think their wives see them that way. To him, you having to help him to the bathroom is like you helping Jeb with his potty training. In their messed up little minds, it makes them feel less like men. He needs you to see him as the man he has always been."

Sofia thought about Maria's advice. "I understand," she said slowly. But occasionally I am going to help him with bathing… if you get my drift," she said suggestively.

Maria smiled. "And I heard you talking at the hospital about him looking twice at me. Just to put your mind at ease…I'm gay. I'd be more likely to be interested in you than him. But I'm cool with it if you want to tease him about me being interested in him."

Sofia chuckled. "I might. He uses humor to deal with things. We'll see…." The two women were quiet a moment as they quietly entered an agreement about who would be in charge of the different aspects of his recovery. Then Sofia asked, "do you think it might be good for him to eat at the table? You know, a real sit down dinner…"

"Good idea. I think he's up to it. It'll help with that being normal thing."

Sofia put the soup on simmer as she fed Jeb. He was gleeful to have both his Mommy and his Daddy at home. And he was home too. He'd been spending a lot of time at the Willows house. As the toddler finished eating, Maria walked in and suggested that she take Jeb and give him a bath while Sofia and Jim have dinner. "It'll give you two some time alone together in a normal couple kind of way," she offered.

Sofia smiled. "I like the way you think." Having Maria around was proving to be a good thing.

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Still good? What next? More happy, more angst, steamy stuff? Input please.