Finding Jaime

Chapter 50

Pete POV

After a month in the hospital, we were finally able to bring Jaime home. He was walking unassisted, his speech was slow, but normal and he barely stuttered anymore. Mostly, he only stuttered when he was excited, mad, any sort of emotional outburst.

He was a little unsteady on his feet, but he was doing it mostly on his own.  He has a walker if he needs it and at first he used it towards the end of the day as he got more tired. His stamina was taking some time to return, too.

The school year was almost over so we, after discussing it with Jaime, decided he would finish the year at home with the tutor. For the first week home, he could barely make it through the day, and he only had the tutor from ten until two. Those four hours knocked him out and he often slept until the boys got home from school.

I stayed around the house as much as I could to be there for Jaime if he needed something.

His tutor had just left and Jaime was still sitting in the kitchen looking over his homework. His phone rang and I heard him pick up. I didn't want to eavesdrop, so I left the kitchen and went out onto the back patio.

"Well f-f-fuck y-you, J-J-J-Justin!" Jaime was shouting. "Lose my n-number, a-a-a-asshole!"

He disconnected the call and slammed his phone down on the table. I really hoped those Otterbox cases were as durable as they say.

"Jaime? What was that?" I asked coming into the kitchen. He spun around and nearly lost his balance, caught himself and glared at me.

"F-f-Fucking J-J-J-Justin m-m-m-making e-excuses why n-n-none of them c-c-came to v-visit me in the h-h-h-h-hospital. Then he started t-t-talking about the n-n-night, well, tha-that n-night, and how they're g-g-g-glad I didn't r-r-r-rat them out and some other B-B-B-B-bullshit."

"I had noticed while you were in the hospital none of your friends came. Mrs. Lopez came, but not Emanuel," I said, hoping he wouldn't now direct his anger at me. "And that girl who said she was your girlfriend? Marni? Madison?"

"Sh-sh-she's not my g-g-g-girl f-f-friend!" Jaime exclaimed.

"I know, I know, I didn't say she was," I said, defensively.

Jaime was frowning.

"I g-g-g-g-..." he stuttered.

"Jaime, calm down and try again," he said.

He blew out in frustration and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.  It took a minute but he started again.

"I g-guess m-my friends aren't r-r-really g-g-great friends," he frowned.

I didn't say anything. This was something Jaime needed to work out for himself. 

"Fuck this," he said, looking at his homework and throwing down his pen. He stormed off and I heard his bedroom door slam. Meagan came in just then with the groceries and Marvel.

"What did you do?" She asked.

"Me? I didn't do anything!" I said defending myself.

"Then why is Jaime slamming doors?"

"First of all, why do you assume it's because of me?"

"You seem to push his buttons the most," Meagan shrugged. "Maybe not intentionally, but you have."

"Fair. But no. This time it was his so-called friends."

"What happened?" Meagan asked as she started unpacking the groceries.

"He's realizing his friends ... aren't great. His friend Justin called and he said Justin made all sorts of excuses as to why they never once visited him in the hospital," I said.

"What about that girlfriend?" Meagan smiled.

"So not his girlfriend," I laughed.

"Oh, I know. She was so transparent I could practically see through her," Meagan smiled.

"Don't let Jaime hear you call her his girlfriend, though," I smiled. "He is very adamant that she is not his girlfriend."

Meagan smiled again.

"Mama?" Marvel asked.

"Yes baby?" She asked.

"Jaime is sad?" Marvel asked.

"I think he's a little upset, yes."

"Can we make him cookies?" Marvel asked. I smiled. Marvel just adores Jaime.

"I think that is a great idea," Meagan said. "Let me finish putting away the groceries and maybe Daddy can help you get the ingredients?"

I nodded and Marvel and I went into the pantry to get flour and sugar and other cookie ingredients. The three of us worked together making chocolate chip cookies and then, when they were done, and had cooled off some, we put some on a plate and Marvel and I took them upstairs. She knocked on Jaime's door.

"Go away!" He called from inside. Marvel looked up at me.

"Tell him it's you. He can't see through the door," I smiled.

"Jaime, is Marvel!" She called out. "I has somfin for you!"

"Oh. Ok. Come on in, Mar," I heard Jaime say. He could not get enough of his sister.

She carefully opened his door and took the plate of cookies from me.

"You is sad. So we maked you cookies!" Marvel said proudly. I followed her in with two glasses of milk, her zippy cup hanging off my belt.

"You made cookies?" Jaime asked her, and looked over at me. I smiled.

"Mama and daddy and me maked you cookies!" She beamed as she climbed up on Jaime's bed.

"And I brought the milk," I said, handing Jaime a glass of milk and pulling the desk chair over.

"Have a cookie, Jaime," Marvel said, picking up a cookie and brandishing it at Jaime.

"How can I resist?" Jaime smiled at his sister. He smiled at me. "Thanks, Dad."

"No problem. It was Marvel's idea, though," I smiled.

"Thanks Marvel," he smiled.

"You like choco chip cookies?" Marvel asked.

"I do," Jaime smiled as he bit into the cookie. "Still warm."

"You like choco chip cookies and choco chip pancakes!" Marvel smiled.

Jaime nodded and smiled at Marvel. The three of us sat and ate cookies while Marvel sat in Jaime's lap on his bed.

He sighed and looked over at me.

"Maybe next year I should just go somewhere up here," he said. "F- uh, forget those guys."

He hadn't stuttered. He'd caught himself before he swore in front of Marvel. It was sort of cute to see. But I'd never tell him that.