Running on Insulin

Chapter 63

Samantha woke up about an hour later.  She was still pretty groggy, but she was awake. 

"Hey baby," I said to her. "How do you feel?"

"Okay, I think," she said. "Sorry about lunch." 

I smiled. 

"Raincheck," I said. 

Tyler went to get a nurse or a doctor to make sure we could leave, and once Samantha got the all clear, Josh and Tyler left the room so I could help Samantha get dressed again. 

"Okay, kiddo," I said, helping her get down off the bed. "Ready to go home?"

She nodded. 

She was a little unsteady on her feet, owing to the sedation and pain killer she was on. I held on to her as we headed out of the hospital and out to our car. 

I helped her into the backseat and climbed in beside her. Tyler drove us home carefully, and Samantha leaned on me. She dozed off as we drove home. 

"Hey baby," I said, as we pulled into the driveway. "Time to wake up. We're home."

Samantha opened her eyes and looked around. I helped her out of the car and into the house. 

"Sam, let's get you some dinner, okay?" I said. "You  haven't eaten anything since breakfast."

"I'm not hungry," she said. 

"I know. We'll have something light. Maybe some eggs?"

"Okay," she said. She sat at the kitchen table, since it wouldn't require her to climb  onto a stool at the breakfast bar. She tried to make herself comfortable and still lean on the table. Josh went over to take her blood sugar and help her with her insulin. 

"Blood sugar is kind of low," Josh said. "Like, under 70?"

"I just need some juice," Samantha said. "And a little less insulin for the eggs. Ma - Jenna? Can I have toast too?" 

"Finding your appetite?" I asked, smiling at her. 

"Kinda," she said. 

Josh handed her a juice box and I tossed a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster while I warmed up the pan to make her eggs. 

Samantha was dozing off, sitting at the table. 

"Josh, can you keep her awake long enough to eat?"

Josh poked Samantha. 

"Wake up kiddo. At least until you've eaten."

"Whatever they gave me at the hospital, I'm really tired."

"I know, kiddo. But, you gotta eat something and then you can go up to bed, okay?"

"Uh huh," she said, her eyes drooping. Josh prodded her again and she opened her eyes. 

The toast and eggs were ready and I brought Sam her plate and a fork. 

"Where's Tyler?" she asked, looking around.  

"He went out to get your prescriptions. He'll be home soon," I said. 

"Oh," Samantha said, her head drooping towards her eggs. Her head bounced back up. 

"Okay, come one. Eat up so we can get you up to bed," Josh said. 

Samantha ate, relatively slowly, but she finished her meal. 

"Feel better?"  I asked. 

"No. My side hurts a bit."

"You know what kid, you're pretty funny," Josh said to her. 

We helped Samantha up and walked her upstairs to her room.  I sat her down on her bed and took off her shoes.  I helped her lie down and she groaned a little. 

"When Tyler gets home, we'll get you some of your pain meds, okay?" I said. Sam nodded. 

"Does this mean I can skip tomorrow?" Sam asked. 

I sighed. 

"I wish it did. But let's get that over with, okay?"

"I guess," Samantha said, as she started getting dozy again. I covered her up with her blankets, kissed her on the forehead and left her to sleep. 

Josh and I left her room and I left the door open a little bit. 

"That kid took that like a trooper," Josh said as we walked down the stairs. "The beating I mean. I mean, yeah, she's hurting, but she's not all that phased by it."

"She told the paramedics she's had worse than this. I can't imagine how bad her dad hit her." I said. 

Tyler walked in just then as we were coming into the living room. 

"Where's Sam?" he asked, putting the bag from the pharmacy down. 

"In bed.  She could barely keep her eyes open to eat," I said, clearing her plate. "She's going to need those pain pills when she wakes up."

"How's she feeling?" he asked. 

"She's sore, but I think she's still got so much pain medication and sedation left in her system, that she's gonna sleep for a good while.  I'll check on her in a couple of hours, to be sure."

"Poor kid," Tyler shook his head. 

"This is going to look great to her - to Stanley - tomorrow," Josh said. 

"Fuck," Tyler said. "He's going to think we did it."

"Who cares? He isn't her parent anymore. All you have to do is present his kid for him to 'say goodbye' to." Even Josh was using air quotes. He didn't believe Stanley, either. 

The three of us sat around the kitchen table, pretty much quietly thinking to ourselves. Once in a while one of us would say something, but it wasn't really directed at anyone. More like, thinking out loud. 

"Do you guys hear something?" I asked, suddenly. 

"Like what?" Tyler asked. 

"Crying?" I asked. 

We sat and listened. The boys didn't seem to hear anything, but I was sure I could hear crying coming from Samantha's room. I jumped up and ran up the stairs. Sure enough, Samantha was lying on her side, holding her broken ribs and crying. 

"Samantha," I said, sitting beside her on the bed.  "Shh, shhh, I'm here."

"It hurts," she whined. 

"I know, baby. Tyler's going to bring you some medicine, okay?"

"It really, really hurts," she cried. 

"I know," I said. I didn't want to rub her back in case it hurt her broken ribs more. "Just squeeze my hand,  okay?" I said, giving her my hand. She squeezed it. Hard. 

"You're strong, kid," I said to her. 

Tyler came upstairs with the prescription and a glass of water. I helped Samantha sit up and take one of the pills. Her face was red from crying. I got a washcloth from her bathroom and wiped her face while I smiled at her. 

"That'll help in a few minutes.  Why don't we check your blood sugar while we're at it? Your doctor said that your blood sugar could go up or down with injuries."

I tested her sugar and it was fine. 

"Okay, kiddo. Do you want to stay in bed, or do you want to come back downstairs?"

"Can I come downstairs?"

"Sure. We'll watch some TV. Sound good?"

Samantha nodded and we helped her out of bed and downstairs. The four of us sat in the living room and Samantha lay against me. While we watched TV, Samantha fell asleep again. Unsurprisingly. She was on a pain killer and it was getting late. Plus, she'd had one hell of a day. And another one the next. Tyler carried her up to bed and the two of us went to bed, getting ready for the emotional day we likely  had ahead of us.