"He's going to be alright, Jack. I know it."
"Ya said he can barely walk. What if-"
"Jack, trust me. He'll be fine. He survived the Refuge, didn't he?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Jack. Crutchie's tougher than a lot of us realize. He'll be fine."
Jack leaned back in his chair, sighing. The floorboards creaked as he glanced over to Crutchie, who was sleeping on the couch. Snoring. Jack chuckled, and turned back to Katherine. He set his chair back on the ground, reaching across the table to take his wife's hands.
"I'm glad you're alright," he said softly. Katherine gave him a sheepish smile. "Me too." The last two nights had been fraught with worry for Jack as he awaited the arrival of Katherine and Crutchie, safe and sound back at the apartment. Katherine had noticed the dark circles under his eyes right away, and tried to send him up to bed. Jack had refused, instead getting them both hot soup and blankets. Crutchie had finished the meal in minutes, and had quickly lied down to sleep. Jack and Katherine had stayed up talking.
"So where's the wheeler?" was Jack's present question.
Katherine glanced to the table. "We had to leave it behind. Crutchie's aunt took it so we wouldn't be caught as soon as we entered Manhattan."
"Woah, wait," Jack frowned. "Crutchie's got an aunt?"
"They met in the reform center," Katherine explained, sliding a faded photograph over to him. Jack glanced down, peering at the people in the picture. A tall woman with light hair stared back at him, sitting in a high-backed chair with her hands neatly folded in front of her. A stern man with one hand on the chair stood behind her, gazing at the camera fondly. A little boy of about ten years old stood next to him, hands clasped behind his back. He was the spitting image of his father, with dark hair and eyes. Sitting next to him on the floor was Crutchie, Jack realized. He must have been only about five or six when the picture was taken, and was trying very hard not to smile. He must have been laughing at something behind the camera. He held a small wooden crutch in his arms, wearing a small suit that was just a bit crumpled. His right leg was turned inwards, just as Jack knew it was today, and looked exactly like the woman who must have been his mother. Jack glanced to the couch and held up the picture, comparing the little boy in the photograph and his friend. Yeah, it was him.
Jack looked back to Katherine as Crutchie let out a snore. "So who's his aunt?"
"Rosa," Katherine said. "I don't know her last name. But she helped us escape."
"Was it as bad as the Refuge?" Jack asked.
Katherine hesitated. "Worse," she stated, and looked over as someone knocked on the door.
"We're not expecting anyone," she said, and started to rise from her chair. Jack got up first and walked over. "God, I hope it's not your fathah," he stated, and pulled open the door.
Leaning on the front stoop was the bicycle, shining as bright as it had been when Katherine had first received it. A red ribbon was tied around the handlebars, with a small paper tag attached. Jack bent down, reading the address written on it. A newspaper was also on the front stoop, with an article circled on the front page. He stood up the bicycle, leaning it against the wall, and smiled.
"Jack? Who's there?" came Katherine's voice from within.
"Your birthday present," he responded, and Katherine joined him. She gasped at the sight of the bicycle, and wrapped her arm around Jack. "How did it get here?"
"Beats me," Jack shrugged, and Katherine bent down to retrieve the newspaper, quickly scanning the article. She smiled and stood back up, entering the apartment again after giving Jack a quick kiss.
"So whaddawe gonna do about the wheeler?" Jack asked. "An', uh, breakin' Crutchie out from jail. Won't your father notice?"
Katherine smiled mysteriously, setting the newspaper on the table. "I believe my father has more to worry about than an escaped cripple."
Jack gave her a questioning glance, and looked over to the circled article in the newspaper. He laughed outloud, and drew Katherine into an embrace.
"Those boys," he whispered. "When will they learn?"
Katherine gazed lovingly into his eyes. "I believe they knew just what to do," she stated, and kissed him long and hard.
"Yous kissin' again?" grumbled a voice from the couch. "I liked it better when I was asleep!"
Crutchie had woken up.