The weekend ticked by at a snail's pace. The family spent their days with Louise and that time was good. It was the evenings when the going got tough. Tina and Gene were bored without their sister's crazy schemes and whacky games. Bob and Linda had some difficult conversations. Teddy would come on Tuesday to discuss updating the apartment to make things more accessible. Currently the plan was to install a stair lift, widen the bathroom door and replace the tub with a shower. Gene was going to miss his baths but understood a shower would be easier and safer for Louise. They would also install special bars on the walls beside the toilet and replace the pedestal bathroom sink with a lower wall mounted sink. Louise's bedroom was a whole other matter.
"Isn't all of that going to be expensive?" Louise asked after Bob and Linda explained everything to her.
"Yes, but we are looking into grants to help us cover the costs, but first I am going to talk to Mr. Fishodor. Technically he is supposed to pay for repairs. Most of the time we just get Teddy to do everything because he will usually work us ASAP. Rather than us having to wait for Mr. Fishodor handle everything." Bob explained.
"Still, that is a lot of changes for just me." Louise commented.
"It's not just for you. Your mom and I aren't getting any younger and since the only way I see us actually moving out of the apartment. Is if we end up losing the restaurant. We are going to grow old there and we are going to need these modifications eventually." Bob explained.
Monday morning Bob headed out to have his meeting with Mr. Fishodor. A strong feeling of unease washed over him as he walked to his landlord's office. Mr. Fishodor was actually quite understanding for the most part. Considering the number of times, the Belchers had been late on rent payments. Realistically Bob knew they would have been evicted years ago under most other landlords. Still Mr. Fishodor's reasoning was that he saw how hard Bob worked and for that reason he was patient with the rent. Would he be patient knowing that the restaurant had not been open in nearly two weeks? Even if he knew the circumstances. Everybody had a limit and it's not like Mr. Fishodor had never threatened them with eviction. It actually did happen a lot. Bob's nerves had been jangled for days now. He stressed constantly and exactly bring it up around the family, specifically Louise.
"You wanted to talk to me, Bob?" Mr. Fishodor asked.
"Yes sir." Bob sighed.
"To what does this pertain? Is it the reason you have not bothered to open your restaurant for over a week?" Mr. Fishodor questioned.
"It does actually." Bob replied.
"Well considering how frequently you are behind on rent. Which is due next week I may add." Mr. Fishodor remarked.
"I am aware of that Mr. Fishodor and trust me under normal circumstances. I would never, ever be closed this long but we uh, we had a family emergency last week. We have uh been going back and forth between home and the hospital. Things are OK now, but we just don't feel right opening." Bob explained.
"I'm going to need you to back it up, Bob. Who is in the hospital? What happened?" Mr. Fishodor questioned.
"Louise" Bob whispered.
"Louise? The itty bitty one in bunny ears? Why on Earth would she be in the hospital? She's just a kid." Mr. Fishodor gasped.
"She was in accident at school. For legal reasons and for the protection of the other child involved. I can't go into details, but basically, she fell off the monkey bars and now she is paralyzed from the waist down." Bob explained voice shaking.
"Paralyzed? Louise!" Mr. Fishodor cried.
"Yes" Bob whispered.
"Bob, My God, Bob. I… I am so sorry." Mr. Fishodor stammered.
"Thank you" Bob replied awkwardly.
"Well that certainly explains why you have been closed and I am assuming you will be late on rent." Mr. Fishodor commented.
"Yes, sir we will do our best to make a down payment, but we will not be able to pay the full amount next month and of course we already have a stack of medical bills. We are going to be behind for at least a couple more months." Bob explained.
"Of course, you can pay as you are able. Just please don't let it get out to the other tenants. I cannot be making this generous of an offer willy nilly." Mr. Fishodor explained.
"No need to worry." Bob assured.
"Very well" Mr. Fishodor replied.
"Uh there is another thing." Bob began.
"Go on." Mr. Fishodor instructed.
"Due to Louise's disability, we are going to need to make some modifications to our apartment. Teddy is coming over tomorrow to talk us through exactly what will be done and to make a few of the faster changes. Most of these changes will be in the bathroom. We will need grab bars beside the toilet, and we are going to try to replace the tub with a shower. Assuming we can find something that will work in our space. If not, we will just buy a shower chair and install bars in and around the tub as well. We will also need to replace our sink with a lower wall mounted sink. The other and unless we are able to replace the tub most expensive change is that we will be that we will need a lift to get Louise safely and independently up and down the stairs." Bob explained.
"I am familiar with the ADA, Bob. I understand that I have no choice but to ensure these changes are made. Just have the bill on my desk ASAP and I will make sure everything is taken care of." Mr. Fishodor explained.
"Really?" Bob gasped.
"Of course, Bob but uh I guess that you should know that I am not just doing this to be in compliance with the ADA." Mr. Fishodor sighed.
"You're not?" Bob questioned.
"Bob that Louise of yours. She is something special. She saved my life a few months ago. Making sure she is comfortable and safe truly is the least that I can do. Again, just don't let the other tenants get wind of this. The last I need is more of them rooting for me to be near drowning just so they can save my life. Just so they can get rent breaks and their houses made all fancy if they end up paralyzed." Mr. Fishodor laughed trying to lighten the mood.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Bob assured as he laughed nervously.
Tina slammed her locker closed. For Louise's sake she had put on her brave face. Her parents had insisted that she not tell Louise about her involvement in the incident. Not because they were worried about Louise blaming her, but rather because they were worried about further distressing Louise. Of course, Tina had agreed but that did not make her any less distressed. It just meant she was not talking about it around Louise.
"Tina! Hold up!" A semi familiar voice called.
"Benj?" Tina recalled whirling around and facing Wagstaff's only other wheelchair using student.
"That's me." Benj laughed.
"To what do I owe the honor? Do you need help with something? Are kids playing hooky in the handicapped stall again?" Tina questioned.
"No, the toilet is fine. I went in after Alex Papasian, so it smelled pretty gnarly but it's available and in working order." Benj assured.
"That's good" Tina replied.
"I uh I heard about Louise's accident." Benj commented.
"I think the whole school knows about it by now." Tina replied.
"Yeah well, I understand what Louise is facing. Not fully of course I have been in a wheelchair since I was two years old. My circumstances are completely different, but I know what it's like to be in a chair. I would gladly talk to Louise. Show her the ropes show her a few hacks for making things easier getting around school and the town. All the fun things that are accessible." Benj offered.
"Well, that is a very generous offer, but it would have to be up to Louise, and she can be stubborn. She does not exactly like accepting help." Tina explained.
"Yeah, I know. I was shocked when she came to me for help with that Amelia Earhart project." Benj recalled.
"Hey Benj? Can I ask you something personal? Something about your disability. OK can I ask you a few things?" Tina questioned.
"Ask away. Not every person with a disability will be so willing but I am glad to answer appropriate questions." Benj replied.
"Do you hurt? Do paraplegics hurt? Will Louise hurt?" Tina asked.
"I personally do not usually feel pain. We all get aches and pains, though yes there are other paraplegics who do feel varying degrees of pain. As for Louise I cannot answer that. To answer that question. You would have to speak to Louise or her doctor." Benj explained.
"OK" Tina sighed it wasn't the answer she had wanted but at least Benj was honest.
"Your next question?" Benj asked.
"How hard is your life? Is life going to be harder for Louise?" Tina asked.
"I do have more hardships than most kids my age and I am afraid Louise will face the same difficulties. That being said Louise does have one major advantage." Benj replied.
"What is that?" Tina asked.
"She has amazing siblings who will always have her back." Benj replied.
"Thank you" Tina smiled.
"And one last question. I have to get to class." Benj declared.
"Does being paralyzed does it make you know romance and crushes harder?" Tina asked.
"Being paralyzed no. Being mainly attracted to older girls yes. Though Courtney Wheeler did ask me to the Halloween Hop next month." Benj assured.
"Yeah, my brother dated Courtney she can be…" Tina trailed off.
"Annoying I know but she is the first girl to ask me out." Benj reminded.
"Alright! Tina! Benjamin! That is enough pep talk! Get to class!" Mr. Frond ordered.
"Oh no!" Tina cried.
"Don't take it personally. He is just jealous of my puppets." Benj laughed.
"You just wheeled yourself into detention!" Mr. Frond snapped.
As promised Teddy came over on Tuesday afternoon. He showed the family how he would widen the bathroom door and assessed the shower area. Unfortunately, due to the small size of the Belcher's bathroom. They were unable to install a shower stall. Bob and Linda were willing to knock out the wall and downsize their bedroom in order to make things easier on Louise, but as Teddy pointed out. That would more than double the costs of renovation and only make things slightly easier. Instead, they found a shower chair at the drug store. Teddy installed the grab bars by the toilet and ordered ones for the tub. They also went ahead and purchased and installed the new sink. They were still looking at lifts for the stairs. The cheapest options were thousands of dollars and Teddy was not overly familiar with stairlifts. Linda made a mental note to look up Benj in the school directory and ask if she could make any recommendations. Louise was small and carrying her up and down stairs would do in the meantime.
Next came the more challenging matter. The matter of Louise's bedroom. Her loft bed was completely inaccessible and there was nothing Teddy could do to change that. Of course, they could just put Louise back in her old bed but that was the easy part. Louise's room was so small. With her old platform bed frame and her basic furniture. There would not be room to properly maneuver her chair. There was only one real solution. Bob and Linda just prayed that Tina and Gene would be on board.
"You wanted to talk to us." Tina commented as she took a seat at the table.
"Is Louise coming home?" Gene asked eagerly.
"She is coming home tomorrow!" Linda cried.
"Alright!" Gene cried.
"That is great, but the doctors told us Wednesday the other day." Tina reminded.
"Um as you know Louise is going to face many new challenges." Bob began.
"Now there are things we can all do to make it easier for her." Linda added.
"Which brings us to kind of a big ask." Bob announced.
"Now do not be afraid to say no if you want. You are still allowed to think of yourselves and within reason be selfish." Linda added.
"Exactly what your mom said. Anyway, without further ado." Bob added.
"Would one of you being willing to trade rooms with Louise?!" Linda questioned.
"Again, it is a huge ask but making Louise's room accessible is going to be a major challenge. Now Tina, your room is the biggest. It would be easiest for Louise." Bob explained.
"I don't know! I know I am terrible! But I like my room." Tina replied.
"You are not terrible, Tina. You have the right to say no. Besides Louise seems to like the smaller space. I think she's a little agoraphobic. Not bad like Brenda. Because she can go outside and do everything but well maybe agoraphobic isn't the appropriate term. Anyway, she likes smaller spaces, but Gene you can still say no." Bob rambled.
"I'll do it!" Gene announced.
"God! What is wrong with me?!" Tina cried.
"Tina there is nothing wrong with you." Bob assured.
"Then why don't I want to give up my room?" Tina questioned.
"Because you have already given up so much for your siblings." Linda reminded.
"You know what I will do it. I will let Louise have my room!" Tina declared.
"Are you sure?" Linda asked.
"It's the least I can do." Tina insisted.
"Are you sure? Because I really don't mind." Gene assured.
"How about we let Louise decide?" Bob suggested.