Back to Health: Slow Recovery

Lesson 4: Save Me

~August 29th, 2012. 9:13am

Lynnette scribbled her report into the chart sheet on the kitchen counter, compiling her notes together for the week, and she clamped it together into Michael's health files that were saved into large white binders. She heard as he began down the stairs, and he turned the corner holding a plastic button in his hand with a face of defeat,
"I've torn another one off my coat."

Lynnette looked up as he wore his thin reading glasses over his nose, being dressed completely in his colorful dark brown three piece suit with dark orange paisley print on the vest. She found it so beautiful and she came close inspecting his torn, missing button.

"I don't have orange thread. Let me see if we can engineer another way to fix you. I used to do this trick all the time."

She turned to the pantry and began inside finding a loaf of bread, and she twisted away the metal tie from the plastic bag. She stripped away the colored paper, leaving the thin metal frame, and she came close. Michael watched as her eyes focused down to his coat and she held his broken button atop the torn thread where it had detached and she looped the metal bread tie through the button and through his coat, making a temporary bind until she could sew it properly.

Michael could only watch her focused eyes peer down onto his coat, fixing him like she always has, and he saw as she began to smile with a playful comment.

"Alright, Scarecrow. That should hold you together just for today."

He giggled under his breath, and she dusted off his shoulders and around his long sleeves. She buttoned his coat carefully, and Michael's eyes bounced from her eyes down to her lips as she was looking away. He carefully placed his palms to cup around her arms, gently holding her close, and before he cradled her chin upwards to face him, there was a heavy knock at the front door. They both startled with a jump, and Lynne sighed in relief that it was only the door.

Michael heard as the doorman, Nathan welcomed the crowd inside, and Lynnette asked, checking her watch,
"Well, they're early, aren't they."

"Of course they are." Michael sighed, and he headed for the foyer. Lynnette continued her notes until the room began to roar in commotion. Janet entered first, making Lynnette turn around as her voice was carrying through the whole ranch. She sat down her armful of decorations, and Lynnette came forward, ensuring she wouldn't drop anything.

"How are you?!" Janet greeted her, pulling her lovingly into a hug, and Lynnette obliged, assuring Janet she was fine. They chatted like friends for well over half an hour until Janet pulled her away to seclude themselves into a nearby hallway close to the nearby den as everyone was gathered around Michael, and she asked softly,
"How's he been?"

Lynnette nodded, and she said, being as honest as she could, "The chest pains are getting better. It's rare now that he has an episode, but we're managing really good. His weight hasn't changed, no matter what kind of diet I push onto him. The wind could knock him over. It scares me still. But, he's been getting along very well. You're welcome to read my notes if you need more specifics."

"No, baby." She said softly, assuring that it wasn't necessary,
"I trust you. I just - I know he can be a little disagreeable, but I never worry about that when he's with you. He changes for you, and I'm glad you're here for him."

Lynnette wondered why this conversation wasn't in reverse as she should be the one telling his own family that she's glad they're here for him. Michael was lonely. As much as Janet's check-ins were a blessing, they didn't come as much as Michael would like. Even when they did, they were prone to bickering. Even if the topic was an inch deep in meaning, they fought to the death. Lynnette never inserted herself in his family issues, but sometimes she did find herself playing mediator.