Show me love.

Eighteen

"I'll need to get used to this." Dad mumbles as he wheeled himself through the tight door frame. His first day home from hospital with still no movement from the waist down, but a strength in his thigh muscle giving him some type of hope. "God. You really out did yourself here, babe."

I smile. Jason and I had spent two days rearranging the house to be as accomadating as possible. Moving things into the lower kitchen cupboards - even removing the cupboard from beneath the sink - disassembling the dining table and storing it in the guest room upstairs, bringing his bed downstairs and Jason even insisted on buying a new television for him.

"It even has netflix on it." I grin. "No more moaning about having nothing to watch now."

"You two went too far with all this." He sighs. "I feel like a burden."

I frown. "You're never, ever, a burden. You're my dad."

His adjustment to this newfound life was one that he evidently struggled with. I attended the past few physio treatments with him before he was discharged, and seeing the frustration it brought made me so upset I often used the excuse of a business call just to escape and cry in the hallway. Now he was home with the reassurance that he was at least getting some strength back, he was seemingly more determined even if he had a painfully long way to go.

I throw his washing into the machine and kick the door shut with my foot. "Hey dad, can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Would you be upset if Jason took me away on vacation for my birthday if I was your only child?" I ask. "Like, it's not a big birthday. It's only twenty-eight, but Jason's never spent his birthday away from his family and I don't want to overstep my boundary by planning something his parents will be upset by."

He smiled. "God your mom did good with you, didn't she?" He cleared his throat before it croaked. "But in honesty, I think that's a tough one. For me, I think it would be lovely to see you being treated by your significant other and them going through the efforts to surprise you with something relaxing like a vacation especially after you work so hard. But then, Jason is an only child and his parents did have trouble with him, didn't they? "

I nod.

He winces. "It might be a bit... sensitive."

I sigh. "I thought that. I don't know what to do! Jason's made it clear he doesn't want a party, but I take him away anywhere then I'm scared about stepping on his mom's toes."

"Call her, ask her opinion. What's the harm it can do?"

I hated the feeling of possibly upsetting someone, especially Rachel.

"Anyway, I stocked the fridge and Steve is already on his way" I explain. "You're sure you don't mind me leaving you? I feel bad since you're only home."

He rolls his eyes. "I'm almost sixty, I don't need babysitting. Go. People need your expertise in colours and... stuff."

I roll my eyes with a smile and kiss his cheek. "Love you dad."

"Love you too." He says softly.

I passed Steve on the way out and with his cheeky reassurance that dad was in capable hands whilst holding up a four pack of beer, I narrowed my eyes and reminded him about the list of medication he was on. They were non-alcoholic.

Graham drove me to my building along with Freddy, my new bodyguard. Jason recruited him the day after Georgia and David's baby shower almost two weeks ago. He was from the city, thirty-six with one little girl, Bella, and his high school sweetheart for a wife, Brianna. She was beautiful and very sweet.