Leave a Trace: Book Two

Chapter Nineteen: Stubborness Explained

Chapter Nineteen: Stubborness Explained

"He said four to six weeks." Zane argues. "I feel fine, Rose. I'm fine."

"No. Absolutely not." I say.

"Why?!" He raises his voice in frustration.

"I'm so sick of having this fight with you, Alexander." I seethe. "It's every day! Every single day! 'Rose, let me go to the store' 'Rose, I'm fine, I can go get your new phone' 'Rose, I'm going to go look at trucks so I can drive the babies around.'" I pause. "Rose this, Rose that." I slam the dish towel down my kitchen counter. "I'm fucking done arguing with you about it!"

"Then let me to go to the store!" He explodes. "You're being unrealistic!"

Our entire family is at our house for the day before Christmas Eve. We're having the holiday here since it's easier with him being ill and all. He got out of the hospital six days after he woke up and both of us were specifically told that he can get up and walk around but he can't be up for long, he can't drive, and if he leaves the house he needs to be in a wheelchair in the store.

The doctor said that this needs to stay this way until he says otherwise.

"You got out of the hospital four days ago!" I yell at him. "Four days!" I hold up four fingers. "You're not fucking going out!"

"I'm going stir crazy! I can't do anything! I feel fine!"

"Quit bitching!" I snap. "I sat in the house for four months straight! Four fucking months, Alexander! You've been sitting around for four days!"

Our family comes over a lot to see how he's doing and help me the best they can and since he got out, we've had this fight every single day. They used to butt in but last time Madison tired to say something to her son, he told her that if she didn't stay out of his relationship, he would kick her out.

"You sat in the house for four months because you let yourself get stressed out! That was your fault!"

I want to slap him across the face right now. I'm so done with this fucking argument.

"You know what?" I say finally. "Go get dressed. We're going to leave."

His face lights up.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Get dressed."

He practically skips to the bedroom.

"You heard the doctor." Madison says.

"I'm taking him to a fucking rehab." I say. "And they can help him heal."

She pauses, and then she looks impressed.

"Can you guys keep the twins? I'll be gone for an hour tops."

"Sure." Mom says.

Zane comes skipping over to me like a giant child about to go to the candy store. I grab my purse and the keys to the car and walk out.

_____

"Why are we at a rehab?" He asks.

He spent the entire ride with his face glued to the window.

"It's an errand I have to run. Come on."

He gets out without argument and I walk to the door and rip it open.

He follows behind me.