Hi! Thanks so much for coming back for this story. It is a quick update after the last one (and a very long one), but since my personal situation makes updates a bit irregular, I just try to get out chapters when I can. Chapter 7-8 are also almost done, so you can expect those soon as well. I hope youa re still interested in this story! Views are going down a bit, but I enjoy writing this story, so I hope you enjoy reading it too! Thanks so much again and please enjoy this next chapter!
It was the end of shift when Kelly got in the car, driving home. He knew Gabby was going home to pick up some stuff, but he went to go see Matt now. Yesterday afternoon he had been moved to a rehabilitation center.
It was still strange being on shift without Matthew. As he had not been very open to them while he had been in the hospital, it was hard to say how he was improving. Kelly had of course seen him, and he didn't have high hopes Matt was coming back to work, but some of the others still had hopes of Matt coming back to work.
At the center, he ha asked for the room at the reception and he was led there. Matt was already dressed on the bed and Kelly guessed he had already talked to his doctor and had had therapy.
''Good morning, look at you with this massive room.'' Kelly said. It was a large room and a bit homelier than the sterile hospital room.
''Good morning!'' Matt smiled, looking up at his friend.
''Back on the medication?'' Kelly asked concerned as he was hooked up to an IV.
''Hey, sorry, had a bad night, but trying to look a bit better before Gabby comes.'' Matt admitted.
''Bad in what way?'' Kelly asked concerned.
''Lots of neck pain, tense muscles. I don't feel it, but when my body shakes it keeps me awake.''
''Shit man.'' Kelly sighed, looking at his friend.
''it will be fine.'' Matt promised him, ''Plus I still have to take a lot of medication, but that was not what I wanted to ask. I wanted to ask you if you can go into the city and buy something for me – well, I mean, a gift for Gabby. But from me.''
''Of course, just tell me what.'' Kelly nodded, glad there was finally something he could help his friend with.
Matt showed him the picture, sending it to him then.
''I will go and get it and try to get it back to you.''
''Thanks, you are a great friend.'' Matt smiled.
Kelly saw his friend was tired and needed to go for therapy soon and he left him alone.
Gabby made her way to the rehabilitation center for the first time as well, after picking up some stuff from home. There, she was told Matt was still out for physical therapy, but was let into the room already and waited by the window for Matt to come back. The room was on the second floor and looking down she saw the garden. There was a small table with a second chair, and she knew she could have dinner together here with him if she took it. Hopefully that would finally make them feel a bit more like husband and wife again.
A staff member of the center brought Matt back and helped him back on the bed.
''Hey, sorry, I am really tired.'' He admitted as he was back on the bed and Gabby kissed him.
''That is fine, nice room you have here.'' She said, smiling and looking around at all the stuff he had had at the hospital already, and was here as well. The wall was decorated with cards and it made her happy the staff looked after her husband so well.
''They moved everything for me.'' Matt chuckled and smiled at her.
''Spoiled prince.'' She joked, kissing him. She sat down on the edge of the bed, glad it was a bit more of a private room than the hospital room and he moved his hand to her leg. She laid her hand over his. It was still hard and there was not much he could do with his hand, but as he was moving his arm and his hand a bit again, he was just glad that there was some improvement.
She looked at the wheelchair that was in the corner of the room and even though he hated it, he was glad that he would be able to get around again.
''I took some stuff for your new room.'' She said as she started unpacking the bag.
''Show me.'' He smiled from the bed and looked as she pulled out some framed pictures, as well as the throw from the couch and another stack of clothing. Putting the clothes away, she put the pictures on the table across from his bed and covered him with the throw.
''Thanks, I feel at home now.'' He said, ''except I really miss you.''
''Well, you are a lot closer now, so it will be a lot easier to visit you.'' Gabby smiled, trying to keep him positive. ''They said its fine too if I make dinner and take it here. We can eat together again.''
''I like that.'' He smiled and she moved towards him, kissing him.
''But – will you also clean up the mess of me at dinner?'' He joked and she nodded. ''Yeah, only cause I like you.''
They laughed and she was glad he was in a good mood. She bit her lip, knew she had to tell him something,
''Matt, I know you are not going to like it, but Boden is coming by today.''
Matt didn't say anything, looking past her out of the window.
''Sure.'' He sighed then.
There was a knock on the door and Matt was taken for occupational therapy. Gabby did her best to make the room a bit more personal and cozy with all the stuff she had taken. Matt would at least be here for a few months, and even though she knew she could not make it his home, she hoped that he would at least feel comfortable being here.
Matt was in occupational therapy. He had it two times a day now, and even though he didn't really like it, he knew it was the way so he could improve.
It was only the first day, but he knew that there would be more of a rhythm in his days soon. Two times occupational therapy, two times physical therapy and meeting with a psychologist twice a week.
It was a bit upsetting to learn all the things that had been so easy on him the past 34 years, but all he wanted now was to get better, so that he could go home, and be with Gabby again. It would take a long time, he knew that for sure, but knew he had to fight for it too.
After working on his fine motor skills for an hour, he was brought back to his room and Gabby was there, sitting in a chair by the window. The therapist helped him back on the bed and Gabby moved the chair closer.
''Hey, you still here?'' He said a bit surprised, as he had expected she would go home while he was gone.
''I waited for you. I have nowhere to be all day so I want to be with you here all day.'' She smiled.
''I really like what you did to the room.'' He smiled. She had put some candles and even a fake plant around now and even though it made the room a bit more cluttery, it really made him feel special she put in all this effort. It made him feel loved and feel the room a bit more like home.
''New splints?'' She asked as she looked at his hands. The fingers weren't stretched out now, like with the last ones, but more curled, and it looked like he could finally grip some things again.
It was a bit confronting as well, seeing how everything was different for her husband now.
''Yeah, should make it possible for me to move the chair as well.'' He explained as she took his hands in hers. He pinched her hands as much as she could.
''Do you want to get outside to meet Boden?'' Gabby asked as the weather was nice, and there was a little garden they could sit to talk.
''Yeah….I got this bar, so I can start working on getting myself around.'' Matt smiled, looking at the bar above his bed. Although he was not able to get himself around yet, it was a nice idea that he could finally look forward to doing things himself again. He grabbed the bar above the bed and struggling, with some help with Gabby, he managed to pull himself up. She was holding him and helped him sit down in the wheelchair. In the weeks since the accident he had lost a lot of muscle mas sand weight, and she was shocked how light he had become.
Sitting down in the chair, he was worried about falling over, but sitting back then, he was also glad to be out of bed. She helped him get his jacket on and they made their way outside. It was the first time he was outside since the accident, and he liked to see the garden.
There were some table as well and Gabby made sure he was comfortable, getting something drink and came back then.
''Are you okay?''
''Yeah, it is nice to be outside.'' Matt smiled. Gabby nodded. She couldn't imagine what it was like to be stuck inside all the time like he had been. He hoped that he would get to go out on his own now soon
''Aren't you cold?'' She asked a bit concerned.
''Honestly Gabby, I can't really tell.'' Matt admitted. She was holding his hand, making sure he was not getting too cold.
Looking towards the restaurant of the center he saw Kelly then. He knew what Kelly was here for and looked at Gabby.
''I think I might be cold, do you think you can get the throw from the bed?'' He asked and she nodded, Kelly sneaking out when she was gone.
''Did you get it?''
''Yeah.'' Kelly smiled, handing the nicely wrapped box to him. Nervous, Matt tried to grab it and dropped it then.
''Can you put it in my jacket pocket?'' He asked and Kelly did so.
''Your grip is getting better.'' Kelly said, even though his friend had dropped it, he was able to bend his fingers a bit now.
''Yeah, I am really glad about the recovery so far.'' Matt said with a small smile. He wished it was going a lot sooner and he was already better, but for now this made him very glad he had survived and was progressing.
Gabby came walking outside with the blanket.
''Hey Kelly!'' She said a bit surprised.
''Just came to say hi.'' Kelly said, leaving soon. Gabby wanted to lay the throw over Matt but feeling his neck she looked a bit questioned.
''You are hot. I don't think you should have the throw on.''
''What you think is best.'' Matt told her and she put it away, sitting down beside him again.
''Boden should be here soon.''
She held out the cup of water to him and he drank some with a straw. It was one of his first goals, because he did not like he needed help with something as simple as drinking but was glad that his wife was here to help him.
They saw Boden coming and Matt wished he could get up to meet the chief, but barely managed to extend his hand.
''It is great to finally see you again.'' Boden said, shaking Matts hand and Matt nodded.
''it is good to see you too.'' Matt said. Last time he had seen Boden only for a few minutes, in his room, but he felt a lot better seeing his old chief now.
''Any update on the CFD?'' Matt asked a bit nervous. He had bene thinking about it a lot recently.
''The CFD has cleared your slate, and you got moved into disability. They still don't agree with what you did on the radio, but the last thing they want is for you to lose all care.'' Boden said. ''They want you to know that if there is anything they can do for you, you can contact them. Me personally? I still hope to see you back in the firehouse.''
Gabby pinched his hand, so glad to hear this. It meant that they would not have to worry about losing insurance and going bankrupt.
''That is really great to hear chief, thanks so much.'' Matt sighed relieved, tears filling his eyes.
''You look a lot better than you did the last time I saw you, and I hope to see you recover a lot more.''
''I will. I might not get back on the ladders, but you can rest assured I will do my best.'' Matt smiled and Gabby looked at him. Up until yesterday, he had still been talking about full recovery and now it seemed he had accepted that was not going to happen.
Boden left and Gabby got a bit more water. Even though Matt was not sure how long he could keep up sitting outside here, he was happy to sit outside with her, and it was nice to finally have the sun on his face again.
''I uhm…I asked Kelly to get something for you…don't worry, I gave him a picture of what he had to get.'' Matt chuckled a bit, nervously. He tried to grab the gift from his pocket, but his hand was not cooperating.
''Can you ehm, can you grab something from my pocket?'' He asked then and Gabby did so, taking out the little gift.
''What is this?''
''You will have to unpack it.'' Matt smiled, and Gabby did so. She ripped the paper off and saw the box of a jeweler in the big mal they went to sometimes. Opening it, nervous, she saw a small silver necklace.
''It is so beautiful.''
''You like it?'' Matt asked nervous.
''I love it, you didn't have to-''
''But I wanted to, and you deserve it.'' Matt said and kissed her on her cheek. Gabby looked at the pretty necklace again and put it on then.
''I love it Matt, thank you so much.''
''I am glad you do. But I think we need to go back to my room soon.'' Matt said, his neck starting to hurt a bit and they made their way back to the room. In the room he wrapped his arms around her neck she helped him get back on the bed. It was still hard to do, but they knew Matt would still recover more so that things like this would get easier. She got his shoes off and put his legs on the bed then as well.
''I really like the necklace.'' Gabby said as she looked at it in the mirror.
''I am glad you do.'' He smiled. She had been amazing to him these last few weeks and he was glad he could finally thank her in a way.
''We need to talk about the future.'' Matt said and she nodded. She was holding his hand on the bed and even though they had wanted to avoid this, she knew they had to.
''I spoke with my doctor this morning before you were here. We talked about my hopes and expectations and reality.''
''That must have been hard.''
''Yeah.'' Matt admitted, ''but I hope I can recover as far as they expect. That is that I will be able to use my hands enough to be in independent…and I know it is not what we hoped for –''
''Matt, anything is enough for me.''
''But I won't be able to walk, or go back either firefighting or contracting…and I won't be able to do everything for myself. I won't get all the feeling in my body back, and I can't blame you if you can't deal with that.'' He said sad. Even though he trusted Gabby, and he believed in their love for each other, he knew it was a lot.
''It will always be enough for me. All I need in my life is you…and it won't be easy, but I know we can do it.'' Gabby assured him. They shared a hug, Gabby wrapping her arms around him. She knew it was going to be hard, and that it would take a while to get adjusted to this situation, but she didn't care. She loved him so much, and no matter what would happen, she would never leave him.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it and please let me know what you thought!