Tiny Tim

Chapter 19

Even though Nora was openly mocking my decision to refuse visitors while I was incapacitated, she and the rest of the Millers seemed to respect it. Which I greatly appreciated, as it would be another two days before the doctors decided that I would get my catheter removed and be allowed to use the bathroom. My ‘silent solitude’, as Nora had called it, was interrupted in the afternoon of the following day when I received an unexpected text message from Ava.

“hey kathy asked if I could give her your phone number”

I stared at her message for a full minute before I decided to reply.

“Who TF is Kathy?”

“girl from cheer team bout my height red hair”

“No idea who you’re talking about. So, no.”

“why would she ask for your number though”

“Don’t know, don’t care. Just don’t give my number to other people.”

Of course I knew who Kathy was as soon as Ava gave her description. It was the girlfriend of the guy who made fun of me for only having slept with one single girl. The guy I put down for thinking he was God’s gift to women, simply because he knew how to throw a ball. His girlfriend suddenly asking for my number did not make me excited. No matter what the two of them had planned that would require my phone number, I wanted no part in it. I was more concerned about Ava’s inability to use punctuation in her texts, than the remote possibility of hooking up with Kathy.

It didn’t end there, though. About two hours later, when I was just trying to distract myself with a little work on my laptop, I got another text from Ava.

“mindy and laureen are asking for your number too”

“Who TF are Mindy and Laureen now?”

“other girls from cheer team”

“Only girls from the cheer team I know are You, Mia, and Joan. That’s it. Answer is still no. Don’t give my number to other people.”

“mindy wants 2 know if U R seeing someone.”

“Tell her that I am, so she stops asking.”

“Why are they asking me for your number and if you have a gf. what happened”

“We played Truth or Dare at Mia’s. Things escalated. I’m a Sex God now and their boyfriends can’t compare anymore.”

“Yeah right” This was followed by a multitude of eyeroll and laughing emojis. At least she took it with humor.

This wasn’t good. Mia had suggested that my popularity might have gone up after her friends saw me push Campbell out of the room, which would probably entail a significant improvement of my school life. Though, at that moment, I had other scenarios on my mind.

If Ava asked her friends why they wanted my number, they would surely tell her about what really happened at Mia’s. Consequently, she should be able to guess that I was in the hospital. At that moment, I would learn whether or not the rest of the family somehow shared Aaron’s renewed resentment towards me.

But, thinking about it, Ava did not ask about where or how I was. So, either her friends hadn’t told her yet, or she really didn’t care. Or, maybe, she did know, but had also learned about my wish to not be on display, and they simply chose to respect that. But if that was the case, why wouldn’t she even ask how I was? Thinking about it further, though, I remembered Aaron showing up because the hospital called him. If he knew, the rest of the family should know as well. That was days ago, so I should have heard something by now, but maybe this was the logical outcome after they had seen how reluctant I was to let them help me after being stabbed?

My thoughts kept circling around that question, making up countless possible explanations for this situation. All the while, I couldn’t even decide how I would feel about any of those possible explanations. Only one thing I knew for certain: The family seeing me this helpless was something I wanted even less than Nora and Mia seeing me like this. I couldn’t tell how long I sat there, lost in my thoughts, until I was abruptly brought back to reality by the dulled sounds of distant explosions.

After looking around confused for a moment, I realized that it was pitch dark outside and colorful sparks were visible in the distance, partly obscured by the treeline. Then my phone went off, announcing the various New Year’s greetings. Last year, I had gotten those solely from the people at work, so I was expecting the same now. To my surprise, now I got messages from the people at work, all of the Millers, almost my entire family except for Aaron and Logan, and a few girls I had met at Mia’s party. Apparently, someone had given out my number.

And then it hit me. By my own choice, I was sitting alone in my hospital room on New Years Eve. And I even almost missed it completely over contemplating the current situation, while everyone else was probably celebrating right now.

I watched the pretty lights for a while, before I slid further down the bed to put my head on my pillow and get to sleep.

The next day, my long awaited liberation came about. After almost a week of being restricted to lying in that bed, the swelling in my leg wound had reduced enough, and, in the absence of any signs of infection or inflammation, I would finally be freed of my catheter!

You can not imagine the elation I felt when I was finally sitting on the porcelain behind a closed door, instead of having someone watch me use a bedpan. Though the broken collarbone quickly reminded me of my remaining restrictions after the deed was done. Being allowed out of bed was proof that my healing process had progressed smoothly, so being discharged the following week was a real possibility now.

Despite the doctor’s warnings, I tried to get out of bed as soon as the catheter was out and almost fell flat on my face. The leg did not hurt at all anymore while I was lying in bed, but when I tried to use my thigh muscles to walk, it suddenly hurt a lot! According to the doctors, who expected that outcome and had a wheelchair already waiting for me, it would take a while and quite some painful effort before I could make full use of that leg again. At least I could wear shorts again, not to mention enjoy my last few sponge baths without a tube in my dick!

Two days later, on the morning of January 3rd, I was released, and immediately realized just how complicated my life would be in the near future.

I managed to put some sweatpants on, and was even able to pull a shirt over my head with only slightly unbearable pain levels, but tying my shoes one-handed was simply impossible. Dressing myself would be a challenge, but I could manage as soon as I got my hands on a shoehorn. At least I didn’t have to climb stairs to get into my apartment. I realized the real problem when they wheeled me out of the building, though.

The Land Rover I drove when chauffeuring Mia was an automatic, but since I was out of commission, they had driven it back to the company parking lot. My Jeep, however, was a manual. With my right arm strapped to my torso, there was no way for me to safely shift gears while driving. Even if I managed to dress myself, I couldn’t drive anywhere myself. At that particular moment, I couldn’t even call for a cap, since I had no money in my pocket that wasn’t dyed red.

I was just standing in front of the hospital’s entrance, pondering on whether I should call Paul and ask him for a ride, when the problem was solved by an unexpected benefactor.

“Need a ride?” Jack’s voice called out from a few feet to my side.

“Oh!” was my entire comment upon realizing who just called out to me.

Truth was, I wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea. I was used to being on my own and having to constantly defend myself, so people seeing me in this state, and people knowing I needed help, made me ... anxious. That was also the main reason why I didn’t want the Millers to visit me before. Ultimately, though, I didn’t have much of a choice. Even if I blew him off now to call someone else instead, he already knew anyway.

“Yes. Thanks. I didn’t plan that far ahead, to be honest.”

He just grinned and patiently watched me as I shuffled towards his waiting car. He then helped me into the passenger seat, put my bag and crutch in the backseat, and we drove off. He was quiet for about five minutes before he spoke up in a confusingly regretful voice.

“Dad told me what you said when he thanked you for saving Mia.”

“Uh ... Sorry, but what did I say?”

“That he should thank me instead of you.” The regret was gone from his voice. Now he sounded stern. Almost angry. And I had no clue why.

“Is that a bad thing somehow? You did good. You reacted when the others were panicking.”

“I fucking locked you out of the safe-room!” he suddenly got loud. “You took a bullet for my sister, and instead of fucking helping you, I slammed the door in your face!”

That surprised me. But what surprised me even more was the sudden drop in my anxiety level.

“So?” I asked calmly, which made him look at me like I lost my mind. Only then did I understand how this must have been eating away at him for the entire week I was in the hospital. “Jack, you did good! I mean that! There were ... what? Nineteen people on your side of the door? ‘The needs of the many’, and all that.”

“The What now?” he asked, visibly confused, but had also calmed down a little.

“Seriously, Jack. That movie is possibly a cultural heritage at this point.” I shook my head in disapproval. “What if I hadn’t been able to take him down? How many of you would’ve been shot if that door was still open?”

“Yeah, sounds nice when you put it like that in retrospect, but at the end of the day, I was ... simply...” his voice trailed off, but I already knew what he was complaining about.

“Course you were. I’d be surprised if you weren’t. Some random asshole with a gun showed up in your house and started shooting people! Ever heard of Fight or Flight?” he hesitantly nodded his head. “You might think you chose Flight because you slammed the door shut. But Flight would’ve meant running. Instead, you had the presence of mind to not only slam the door to protect yourself like you claimed. You grabbed Mia and pulled her into the room before you closed it. You did your job as her big brother.”

He drove on for a minute or two, eyes focused on the road, before he responded.

“Thank you, Tim.”

“I didn’t say that to make you feel better. I meant every word. Now, if you wanna help me, I’ve been craving a proper meal for a damn week, but I’m pretty sure whatever I have in my fridge has gone bad by now.”

“Grocery store it is, then!” he proclaimed, in a distinctly better mood, and drove us to a store relatively near to my apartment. That made me stop.

“Jack? I just realized that I never told you where I live. How did you know which direction to drive in?”

“Well, about that...” Suddenly, he looked a little guilty again. “Mom and Mia MAY be waiting for us at your place?”

He really ended that sentence like it was a question. I wasn’t sure if he was asking for permission or acceptance.

“Why?”

“Mom has something to talk with you about. Don’t ask me, she didn’t tell me.” he quickly prevented my obvious question from being asked. “But when Mia heard, she insisted on coming too, to ‘make sure you settle back in Okay’. I think she just wants to see your place. Dad would probably be there as well if he didn’t have to work.”

As he looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction, my first impulse was to ask them to leave as soon as we arrived. But, honestly, Nora and Mia were the two people outside my workplace that I’d deem most likely to actually care for me, given how I saved Mia’s life and witnessed Nora’s behavior after Aaron showed up in the hospital. The deciding factor, however, was how I felt two nights before. Sitting all alone in that sterile Hospital Room on New Year’s Eve sucked.

“Alright.” I nodded after reaching a conclusion. “Let’s finish up so they won’t wait too long.”

After that, we drove to my apartment building and, as threatened, were greeted by Nora and Mia, who looked a little worried about the way I groaned while moving, but accepted my assurance that I was okay.

Entering my apartment, Mia and Jack acted much like Ava had on her first visit, though they quickly found different things that held their interest. While Nora helped me put the groceries away and clean out my fridge, Jack inspected my TV-assembly, and Mia took a good look at the photo collage of Tess. So, I took that opportunity to speak with Nora.

“Jack tells me you have something to talk about?”

“Yes. It’s actually George’s idea, but I think you’ll like it.” she smiled. “Seeing as you are a little restricted for now, we thought it would help if we hired a housekeeper for you.”

“What for?” I had expected a lot of things, but not that.

“You can barely walk, Tim. Much less push a vacuum around. How do you plan on carrying around a basket full of wet clothes? And I won’t let you live on pizza for the six weeks it’s going to take your collarbone to heal, young man!”

I had to blink a few times after hearing all that. Not because of what she said, but because of how she said it. I know this probably sounds weird, but it sounded every bit like a mother scolding her child, and it made me grin.

It did not change my stance, though. I conceded that it probably wouldn’t be the end of the world if they saw me injured, but accepting their help and thereby admitting that I needed it ... that was still not going to happen. Also, there was no way in hell I would let a complete stranger rummage through my home under the pretense of cleaning.

“Okay, MOM.” I chuckled, and she raised an eyebrow at me. “I really appreciate it, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Right now, the only two things I really can’t do are tying my shoes, and driving. And the only reason I can’t drive is that my Jeep’s a manual. I’d have to reach over with my left to shift gears.”

“Are you sure?” she asked in a doubting tone.

“It’s not like I can’t move the arm at all. The hand works fine, so I can hold stuff” I didn’t point out that I couldn’t lift the arm, or move it in any way that required my chest muscles. She eyed the sling holding my arm critically, but ultimately nodded. “My vacuum barely weighs twenty pounds, so I can easily handle it one-handed. And if you look over there, you’ll notice the dryer is directly facing my washing machine, so no need to carry around wet clothes.”

“Still...” She sounded worried.

“Look, I promised Mia to call if I need anything. I have no desire to starve. So, if I notice that I was wrong, I will call you and take you up on your offer. How about that?”

She pondered my words for a moment, and then nodded.

“Fine. But I will talk with George about it. He is determined to help you out while you recover. I’m afraid it’s a question of principle with him, and I’m not inclined to talk him out of it. Which brings me to my next point.”

By now, Mia had joined us in the kitchen and was intently listening. Nora grabbed her purse, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to me. After I had unsuccessfully tried to open it, Mia took it from me with an exasperated eye roll, opening it for me.

“Physical Therapy?” I asked after studying the papers.

“Yes. I hear they are the best in town when it comes to limb injuries. We took the liberty of booking your sessions for the next two months in advance. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of the cost! We insist!”

Her tone told me, in no uncertain terms, that this was non-negotiable. Honestly, that place looked expensive, so I was reluctant to accept. But the hospital had indeed warned me about the need for physical therapy, so I knew I would have to do it regardless. Why not accept this offer and have ‘the best’ work on me?.

“Thank you.” That made Nora and Mia smile.

“Yo, Dude. Where’s your toilet?” Jack suddenly injected himself.

“Through that door and to the left, Honey.” Nora informed him before I even had a chance, pointing at the direction of my bedroom, not realizing what she had just done.

Mia immediately got a very suspicious look, as her eyes jumped between Nora, me, and the doorway her mother had just pointed out.

“How do you know where his bathroom is?” There was no confusion in Mia’s voice. Instead, and I could be wrong here, it sounded more like an accusation. It did not phase Nora at all, as she calmly and instantly had her reply ready.

“Don’t you remember how he took me shopping the week before Christmas? We had to stop by here because he was waiting for a delivery.”

“Oh.” It seemed like Mia had bought that explanation. Crisis averted.

“So, you’re sure you’ll be fine for the time being?” Nora asked me like nothing remotely concerning had happened.

“Yes. Very sure. And if I discover that I was wrong, I’ll keep my promise.”

“Okay. We will hold you to that.” Nora smiled, before she turned to join her son who just walked out of the bathroom and towards the door. Mia, however, stayed behind for a moment.

“You sure you don’t want me to stay a little longer?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t think I’m a good host right now. There’s not much I can do for the moment.” I replied innocently.

“You haven’t had a proper shower in a week, right? I could help with that.”

“YEAH, I’M JUST GONNA LEAVE NOW.” Jack shouted from the living room, covering his ears with his hands while his mother had trouble concealing her laughter.

Mia’s eyes widened as her face got a little red. She stood on her toes, gave me a peck on the cheek, and quickly joined her mother and brother on their way out. I smiled happily the whole time I watched them leave. Not because they left, but because I genuinely enjoyed their company. I was already planning to invite them over again, once I got a handle on my kitchen.

A few minutes after they left, my doorbell rang. Wondering if they forgot anything, I activated the monitor to see who was at the gate, and my smile died. On the sidewalk, looking incredibly insecure as she nervously fidgeted with a piece of paper, stood my mother. She was flanked by John and Danielle. It could be an effect of the camera, but she looked different. Like she lost weight, but not in a healthy way. I remembered the conversation I had with John the day before Mia’s party, where he mentioned that Claire had trouble sleeping and stopped eating.

“Yes?” I asked, after pressing the button for the intercom.

“Oh! Honey? It’s me. It’s your mo ... It’s Claire.” she stammered, and I saw Danielle place a hand on Claire’s shoulder for support. “Could I talk to you? Just ... just for a minute, I promise!”

She was basically pleading, looking desperate as she wrung her hands in anticipation. I was, for the second time that day, remembering my lonely New Years Eve, and found myself entertaining the idea of letting her in, even if it would mean that she would get to see me in such a weakened state. I could also get answers to my questions about how much they knew, and why nobody but Aaron made an appearance. But why did they have to come as a package!?

By the time I looked at the monitor again, I noticed how long I had been debating this with myself. I could see Claire’s shoulders had slumped and her head was hanging low. Now John was rubbing her back, like he was comforting her. Just as they turned to leave, I pressed the button to open the gate. They abruptly stopped, turned, and Claire quickly rushed towards the front door, which I also opened for her with the push of another button.

I took a deep breath to steady myself. As I looked through the peephole, I could see Claire do the same. I leaned my crutch against the wall so I could use my one good hand to turn the door knob, and pulled the door with me as I hopped backwards on my right leg. I could see Claire’s eyes fly wide open as I reached for my crutch to stabilize myself again.

“What happened to you!?” she shouted and rushed through the door to hold me by the waist, like I needed her support to stay upright.

As soon as the sound of her voice ebbed away, I could hear fast paced feet sprint towards my door.

“You don’t know?” I asked, my eyes narrowed and my brows frowning. I was sure she knew. Aaron definitely knew! So she had to know.

“No! Oh god, Baby. Sit down!” she insisted and started gently pushing me towards my living room sofa.

“Holy Shit!” I heard John’s voice and Danielle’s gasp once they stepped through the door after Claire and got a good look at me.

“You really don’t know?” I asked again, this time in a clearly doubting tone, after sitting down.

“No! How would I? What happened? Are you Okay? Of course you’re not okay, I’m sorry, I just...” I wasn’t sure how I should take her continuous stammering, so I interrupted her.

“The hospital called you guys to sign the paperwork.”

For some reason, that information caused Danielle’s expression to darken.

“Nobody called me!” Claire protested.

“Well, they must have called. Aaron showed up the day I got out of the ICU to sign what they needed.”

Claire just blinked at me in shock, visibly unable to comprehend what I just told her, and I heard John growl something unintelligible.

“That rotten bastard!” Danielle suddenly called out, before turning to Claire. “They must have called the house phone.”

Then it clicked. Claire had moved out. John had even told me about her and Ava moving in with him. I had thought about that when I wondered why Aaron was so cold towards me!

“I can’t believe he wouldn’t tell me about something like that! How could he not tell me that one of our children is in the hospital!?” Claire breathed out, staring into space and shaking her head. “I don’t believe this.”

“What happened?” John asked that question for the third time, but his voice was surprisingly demanding.

“You know the client I was with on Christmas Eve? Ava’s friend, Mia?” They all nodded. “She invited me to a party the day after Christmas. Then her mother’s stalker showed up and shot me four times.”

“He ... WHAT!?” they sputtered.

“Yes, we were equally surprised.” I tried to joke, but just like the time I was assaulted in front of the house, my humor fell flat, so I continued. “Two got stopped by my vest, though. I got one in the shoulder that also broke my collarbone, and one in the leg. Was in the hospital the entire last week and got released today.”

By the time I finished, Claire’s breath was stuttering and her body trembled. I actually couldn’t tell if she was angry or trying to stop herself from crying.

“The entire week...” she whispered between heaved breaths. “You were in the hospital, all alone, the entire week.”

Danielle sat next to Claire and took one of her hands in an attempt to calm her down. I wasn’t entirely sure how I should deal with this. There was no way she was just acting. She was genuinely hurting on my behalf. And she was genuinely disturbed about not being able to be there for me while I was in the hospital. At least, that’s what this looked like for me. Still, even now I would rather have them leave as soon as possible, so I could limp through the apartment in peace.

I got to my feet, or rather on my foot, and moved into the kitchen to get Claire a glass of water. Only when I turned did I notice how John was directly behind me and watching my every move closely, like he was ready to catch me if I were to slip or something. That just enforced my need to get them out of my space.

I reluctantly handed John the glass so he could bring it to Claire. There just wasn’t any way for me to carry it, unless I left my crutch behind to jump the entire way back to the sofa on my healthy leg, probably losing half the water by the time I reached her.

“You said you wanted to talk. What about?” I asked, after she had taken a sip and I was back at the sofa.

“I ... yes ... of course.” Claire collected herself. “Honey, I came to apologize.”

All three of them looked at me like it was my turn to say something now. I wasn’t sure what they expected, however. Then it suddenly hit me. The last time I had heard about Claire, it was after John had given her the good news that I was willing to give her another chance. Though, in my opinion, he had grossly misrepresented my words.

“Okay. What for?”

“For ambushing you on Christmas Eve. I’m sorry if that caused any problems with your job. I was ... desperate. But John apparently told you already. He told me that you wanted to know exactly how we got to that point, and I want to give this to you.”

This was taking quite a toll out of her. Then she started looking around, until Danielle handed her the mangled paper I had seen her hold when she was standing in front of the gate.

“I thought ... I was afraid ... If I tried to just tell you, you’d get mad at me and tell me to leave before I could finish. Then I would never get the chance to actually apologize. So ... I wrote it down.”

As she looked at me pleadingly, I was disturbed at how much it affected me. Just like there was genuine hurt before, now there was genuine hope and sadness in her eyes. On an impulse, I took the paper out of her outstretched hand and nodded. It was actually multiple pages of paper. Again, I was slightly disturbed at how much it affected me when Claire’s visible worry was replaced by a relieved and hopeful smile.

“Okay. I’ll read it.”

“Thank you, Honey.” she whispered.

“But it’ll have to wait, since I have some things to take care of before that.”

When I said that, I was fully expecting them to get the hint and give me the space I obviously needed. I thought wrong.

“Of course, Honey. Take as long as you need. I’m just glad you accepted it.” Claire said, not making an effort to get up from the sofa. “Is there anything we can help you with? Do you need anything from the pharmacy?”

“Yes, I could use a little peace and quiet. So, if you could go home, that would be awesome.” I said calmly while extending my good arm to gesture towards the door, though Claire looked like I slapped her.

“But ... Honey, don’t you need someone to help you?” Claire asked, as she got off the sofa and stood in front of me, looking concerned.

“No, I really don’t need help. I’m good. You can leave.”

“Honey, you’re clearly hurting. Please, let me help you!” she implored, but I REALLY didn’t want them to.

“I don’t need, nor do I want, YOUR help! Now, for the THIRD time, I’d like you to leave!” I finally snapped, and the effect was imminent.

Claire’s shoulders had slumped and her head was hanging again. As she was looking at the floor, I could still see the tears creep into her eyes before she quietly spoke.

“Of course, Honey. I understand. I’ll leave you be. I’m sorry.”

And with that, she turned and walked out through the door. I didn’t care for John’s unhappy look before he followed her outside. Danielle, however, stayed rooted to her spot.

“What?” I asked, challenging her to try me at that moment, though she didn’t bite. When she opened her mouth, it sounded more understanding than accusing.

“I don’t blame you, Tim. But you need to know that she really is suffering. I spent a lot of time with her since they moved in with us. She does love you. And she is desperately looking for ways to gain your forgiveness.”

Then she turned and followed after the other two. I hobbled to the door and locked it, but on a whim, I activated the monitor. I saw Claire slowly walk towards the gate, her shoulders shaking and one hand covering her eyes, John close behind her.

I took another deep breath to steady myself, just like before I opened the door for them, and turned to my coffee table where Claire’s letter was waiting for me. It took me a long time, during which I simply stood there and looked at it, before I sat back down and started reading.

With a single eyebrow raised in skepticism, I flipped the last page of Claire’s handwritten letter to find the printed bank statement. The grandparents truly had deposited fifty-thousand dollars in a college fund, which meant that I truly didn’t have to worry about my siblings’ tuitions anymore. Or at least before I turned eighteen and could remove the parents from my bank account. There was only one big problem with that. I was not included in the listed beneficiaries.

While I had told the grandparents that I wasn’t planning on attending college after high school, John and Danielle should have told them by now that I was indeed planning on taking college courses that would cost me a four-digit sum to start out. So, while I appreciated the reassurance, I kind of would have expected to be included in that fund, especially after I had paid eighteen grand for Logan’s education.

I also wasn’t sure how to feel about Claire’s letter. While it sounded genuine and sincere, and I could actually feel her remorse, it didn’t even touch on half the things I would have liked to hear about. Yes, she had listed the main events that had led to our current situation, and she had attempted to explain her motivation behind some of them. There still wasn’t anything in that letter I didn’t already know, except for the age at which she put me on formula, perhaps.

I had told John that I wanted to know exactly how we got to this point, not just speculation about the highlights. I asked for that because she still couldn’t tell me why she would change and suddenly treat me like her actual child. The only takeaway I got from Claire’s written words, however, was that she confused my self-preservation with independence, and, when she realized her big mistake, she accepted it anyway, since sleeping with Logan was more pleasurable than working on our relationship. In short, that letter contained no reason for me to expect anything to change.

On the other hand, while the letter may not contain an explicit reason for me to trust her again, her actions over the holidays could indeed indicate a change. She did separate from Aaron to protect her daughter. She was trying to get my attention. She did show undeniable regret over no longer being part of my life. Maybe, when I kept asking them what changed so I could believe anything they said, this was my answer. They simply couldn’t put it into words.

By the time I reached that non-conclusion, I had sat on the sofa for over an hour, and my stomach was making noises announcing my need to finally eat something proper. I dropped the letter back onto the coffee table, got off the sofa, and hobbled into the kitchen eager to prepare something that didn’t taste like sludge.

Seriously, I understand that it is easier for hospitals to make the same meal for everyone, so everyone gets something that doesn’t contain allergens, spices that could upset a patient’s stomach, or anything that would influence their blood sugar too much. But I like to taste and chew my food!

Another frustrating thirty minutes later, though, I found myself ogling the takeout menus hanging on my fridge, despite promising Nora I wouldn’t rely on those. It was surprising how many unconscious movements my arm normally makes that now hurt like hell, though I could deal with those. The real problem was how much longer everything took. I had the foresight to gather everything I needed before I started, so I wouldn’t have to jump around on one leg. But simply standing on one leg, since I couldn’t lean on my crutch AND prepare food with only my left hand, was taking a big toll on me.

Before I could reach for the takeout menus, however, I heard a key being inserted into the lock of my apartment door, and spun around with my biggest kitchen knife raised over my head ready to be thrown at the intruder.

I paused when Ava waltzed in, carrying the same overstuffed sports bag she had used the last time she moved here. My astonishment grew when, right after Ava, Claire walked in as well, also carrying an overstuffed bag.

“How the fuck did you do that!?” I asked a shocked Ava, and noticed I was still ready to throw the knife. She quickly raised her hands over her head, pointing at the keys she was holding.

“I still have the keys you gave me.”

“Oh.” I remembered giving her those keys, and realized she never gave them back. I lowered the knife, and looked at Claire. “And what are you two doing here?”

Claire stepped forward, squared herself out as she took a deep breath, and spoke in a stern voice.

“Even if you deny it, you do need help. Danny thinks you just don’t want to admit it because we are the ones who hurt you the most, so you don’t want to seem vulnerable in front of us. But I am your mother, and I will take care of you!” she said the last part with absolute conviction, even punctuated it with a subtle nod at the end.

Fucking Danny and her uncanny ability to only reach the right conclusions when it’s the least convenient for me. When I angrily stared at Claire, the confidence she had displayed until then wavered, and she started fidgeting again. Then she spoke in a much smaller, imploring voice.

“Please, Baby. Let me do this for you. I promise I won’t get in the way. I just can’t go back knowing how much you’re hurting again.”

That pleading tone of hers affected me in a much different way than her attempt at being stern. My eyes started roaming her body, taking in the full effect of her unhealthy weight loss. Then they involuntarily jumped to the letter on my coffee table, and when Claire followed my gaze, I thought I could see her bottom lip tremble a little. Finally, I turned back to look at the kitchen counter, taking in the barely started lunch I had been working on for almost an hour, with no hope of finishing it by myself. I made a decision.

“You know where the guest room is.” I sighed, before hopping back into the kitchen.

The only thing I actually finished was the sauce. I managed to cut up the chicken into more or less equally sized chunks and place them in a bowl with the seasoning, but then had trouble mixing it all because I couldn’t hold the bowl in place. I managed to fill the rice and water into a pot, but then it was so heavy I couldn’t get it out of the sink without the help of my dominant hand.

Just when I sighed in frustration about my misery, without saying a word, Claire reached past me and heaved the pot out of the sink. She placed it on the stove before looking at me expectantly, still not saying a word. Oddly enough, her silence made it much easier for me to accept her help.

I handed her the spoon and pointed at the bowl containing the chicken and seasoning. She immediately understood and started mixing it thoroughly. Just then, Ava joined us.

“What are you making?” she asked, sounding way too happy for someone who, just minutes prior, almost got a kitchen knife thrown at them.

“Sesame chicken in hoisin sauce, rice, and bacon wrapped snow peas.” I answered matter of fact. “You get to wrap the snow peas.”

“Nice. Picking up right where we left off before Christmas!” she beamed and stepped past me, eager to continue her cooking lessons.

I instructed her on how to wrap the bundles so they wouldn’t come apart while frying, and turned on the stove so the rice could cook while Claire, like on autopilot, started roasting the seasoned chicken. Then I suddenly realized I had nothing to do anymore. They were working well together, so, even if I could do anything, I wasn’t needed. So, I chose to sit on one of the bar stools and watched them work. Honestly, I thought I could get used to this.

When everything was cooked just right, they prepared the plates, laid the table, and we could eat. After I had spent almost an hour desperately trying to make myself something to eat, those two had completed seventy percent of the work within fifteen minutes. There was no way they’d leave again after that demonstration, and everyone at the table knew it. Even their complimenting my recipe did not help me over this defeat.

After I had filled myself with the first decent food in a week, I decided it was time for my first shower in a week as well. I had not noticed Claire following me into my bedroom, until I had grabbed my change of clothes and ‘walked’ out of my closet.

“What do you need?” I asked, seeing her demure stance.

“I said I’d help you. That is obviously something you will need help with.”

“No way.” I refused her as decidedly as possible.

“Honey, please! What if you slip?” she was pleading again. I already hated it when she did that, but this was not something I would budge on.

“I have a little stool on the balcony that I use as a table. I’ll place it in the shower and sit on it.”

“But wha...” she started.

“I said No! I’m not getting into the bathroom with you!”

There it was again. That look on her face like I had slapped her.

“Okay. I’m sorry.” she said in a meek voice, hanging her head to look at her feet. “Do ... Do you want me to get your sister instead?”

I groaned.

“Look. I’m not getting in there with Ava either. I don’t want you in there because the last time the nurse put my arm into that sling, she warned me about something she lovingly called ‘The Armpit of Doom’.” Hearing this, her head shot up and she looked at me with big eyes, before she tried to suppress a chuckle. “Trust me on this. You don’t want to help me there. But if you would get me the stool from the balcony, that would be nice.”

She hesitated for a moment, but eventually left the room to return with the little seat. She placed it in the tub before reluctantly leaving, though she stopped at the door.

“I ... I’ll be right outside the door, Honey.”

She didn’t give me time to respond, as she already started to close the door from the outside. I noticed, however, that I didn’t hear the latch snap. I figured it would be the best I could hope for without throwing a temper tantrum.

I grunted and groaned while getting out of my clothes, and felt a little out of breath when I was successful at last. When I removed my arm out of the sling, however, a rather loud sound of pain escaped my mouth.

“Are you Okay, Honey?” I heard Claire’s concerned voice, and saw her fingertips reach around the door, ready to push it open should the need arise.

“Yes. Progressing smoothly. Thanks.”

“O-Okay. Remember, I’m here! Just ... say the word.” It was remarkable how clearly I could hear the inner conflict in her voice, between the need to respect my wishes and the urge to help.

I shook my head, but couldn’t stop myself from grinning. This was just too surreal. Honestly, Danny was right. Under different circumstances, I would enjoy their eager servitude greatly. If they wanted to bathe me, bathe away! But as things were, I did not want them to see me weak. I wanted them to know that I didn’t need their help, and that I was perfectly fine without them. This current situation was the complete opposite of what I wanted, and it wasn’t easy for me to come to terms with it.

Since the hospital staff had flat out refused to place waterproof gauze pads on my packed leg wound, I opted for a navy shower despite desperately wanting to enjoy the hot water a little longer. It would have done wonders on my strained muscles and aching back from the prolonged time I was standing in the kitchen while leaning on my right leg only.

I can tell you, the ‘Armpit of Doom’ is a thing! And I realized that it wouldn’t be just the one with the sling, but it’s also hard to clean your left armpit with only your left hand. Especially for a righty like me. After finishing my much too short shower and drying myself, I actually opted to simply use some surgical disinfectant as a deodorant to keep myself odorless for a while. Then it came to getting dressed, and the pained groaning started again.

By the time I had accomplished even that task, I finally capitulated and asked Claire to help me back into the sling. I hadn’t even completely said her name, when the door flew open and she jumped into the bathroom. Seeing me being more or less fine, she took a deep breath and helped me out. She immediately noticed how beat I was, and, without a word, ushered me into bed where I instantly passed out.

I woke up maybe half an hour later. I still felt drained, but waking up in this familiar environment instead of the sterile hospital room had me in a way better mood than the days before. Then I heard their voices in the living room. I carefully got out of bed and crept towards my door as quietly as possible. Looking round the corner, I saw Claire and Ava sit on the sofa.

They seemed to be discussing what they saw in the photos and selfies of me and Tess. They went on for a few minutes, commenting on all the places and situations we documented with those photos, until their tone turned sad.

“I can’t believe how happy he looks in them.” Claire remarked.

“Yes. It’s sure been a while since I’ve seen him like that.” Ava commented.

“She is beautiful. They both look so much in love.”

“Yeah.” Ava shifted a little. “She ... was beautiful.”

Hearing Ava correct her slip up and reminding her of Tess’ fate, Claire stared at her daughter for a moment before seemingly looking at the floor, shaking her head.

“Does ... Have you heard anything about him looking to date again?”

“No.” Ava sighed. “Some girls from the cheer team asked for his number and if he’s single. They’re, like, the most popular girls in school, and they wanted to invite him to their New Year Eve party. But he ... well ... he was very clear about not giving his number out. I mean, it’s been over three months since she died. I don’t know how long it’s normal to ... you know...”

“He must still miss her so much.” Claire leaned forward, covering her face with her hands. I could barely hear her muffled voice when she spoke again. “How do I fix this, Sweety? How can I ever make this up to him? I don’t know what to do!”

Ava reached over to wrap her arms around her mother and pulled her into an embrace. I watched on as the two of them simply held each other wordlessly for about a minute, but could hear one or both of them sniffle from time to time. I decided to creep back into my room.

At least now I knew why Ava never asked how I was, when her friends asked for my number and relationship status. They hadn’t told her about what happened at Mia’s party.

The next day, I had to visit my GP so he could check on my wounds himself. Before that, however, I learned how the following few weeks would play out with the two of them living with me. I came out of my room in the morning to find Claire already in the kitchen.

“Making breakfast?” I asked, noticing the smell of bacon and the already set table.

Hearing my voice, she turned to me, folded her hands in front of the apron she must have brought with her, and looked at the floor by my feet. The weirdness of this display was enhanced further when she spoke with the same meek voice she used the day before, after I had kicked her out.

“Morning, Honey. I asked Ava what you like for breakfast. I hope that is Okay.”

She had even found the prepared dough pieces in the freezer and used them to make the bread rolls. I blinked at her for a few seconds before I found my voice.

“Yeah ... Sure. Uh ... Thanks.”

I was a little unsure about this situation, and decided to simply sit down at my small kitchen table. She immediately filled a plate, placed it in front of me and a quick peck on my cheek, and then continued on in the kitchen.

Following breakfast, I was planning to repeat the bathroom-procedure from the previous day. Claire had a different idea, though, as she insisted on not simply standing in front of the door this time.

“We talked about this yesterday, Claire.” I complained. “It worked out fine without you, didn’t it?”

“No, Honey, it didn’t. You managed to clean yourself up, but the pain almost took you out. There is no need for you to torture yourself when your sister and I are perfectly happy to help you out! I will not let you do this by yourself and possibly hurt yourself even more than you already are.”

I was surprised how adamant she was about this. Especially since it was such a sudden stark contrast to the demure display I had just witnessed in the kitchen. Honestly, I preferred her this way. If I wanted to live with a slave, I wouldn’t have helped Ava, but instead abused it like Aaron and Logan had. So, while I was reluctant to let her help me, I was also reluctant to discourage her new conviction.

“Fine.” I groaned, and saw her expression light up. “Let’s get this over with.”

She was unbelievably careful taking off my clothes. She wasn’t as practiced as the nurses in the hospital, but still managed to do it while causing only minimal discomfort on my part. When I sat down on the little stool in my tub, she made sure the water had the right temperature before letting it anywhere near me.

“Don’t worry about getting the wounds wet. The doctor’s appointment is in two hours, and they’ll change all the bandages and the packing anyway.” I informed her, and she nodded.

She still turned the water off after getting me sufficiently wet, and opted to gently scrub me down with a sponge. I watched her face attentively the whole time. When she slowly lifted my right arm and heard my pained reaction, there was what seemed like genuine worry in her eyes. That calmed me down a little. When she started working the soapy sponge around my lower stomach, though, there was a quick and obvious reaction I didn’t like, and I could see a glint in her eyes as they locked onto my erection.

She moved the sponge further down, rubbing it over my balls, and finally wrapped it around my shaft to clean in with slow strokes.

“I think it’s clean now.” I said after a few strokes. The coldness in my voice surprised even myself a little, and her hand immediately stopped moving.

“But ... Don’t you want me to...” she asked, confused.

“No.”

“Oh. I understand. I’m sorry, Honey.” she sounded meek again and hung her head, but this time I couldn’t give in. “D ... Do you want me to get your sister for this?”

“It’ll go away on its own once you stop stimulating it. Can we just finish, please?”

“Of course.”

It was clear that she wasn’t just disappointed, she was hurt. But I couldn’t help her with that. I may haven’t had a chance to jerk off in a week, but I’d rather stay celibate for another five weeks until my collarbone stops tormenting me, than to become dependent on them for that as well.

She finished with the sponge bath, rinsed me off, and then dried me off without another word. Even when she helped me get dressed, I got the impression that I had just beaten her into submission by refusing to let her jerk me off.

When it was time for the first appointment with my GP, she insisted on driving me, and I realized that she seemed to have time on her hands despite Tuesday being a weekday.

“I take it you haven’t found a new job yet?” I asked her.

“No.” she sounded a little uncertain. “But I have to admit that I haven’t honestly looked into getting a new job. At least not since Thanksgiving. I was too occupied with the ... trouble at home.”

“Hm. Understandable.”

“And ... since I’m now looking after you, I thought ... I would at least wait until you can use your arm again before I start looking again.”

I had suspected as much. Though, it gave me an idea that would possibly help me accept her help.

“Well, when you’re taking care of me, how about I just pay you what I would otherwise pay for a day nurse?” I offered.

“Pay me?” She sounded confused at first, but then her voice shifted to a mixture of nervousness and embarrassment. “How much ... would that be?”

“I googled that yesterday. Lowest for the level of care I need right now would be somewhere around $420 a week. I obviously can’t afford that while paying the rent and everything else. So, if you would do it for half, while living with me for free...”

“Yes!” she quickly accepted after her eyes grew big towards the end of my offer. “Thank you, Honey!”

The eagerness in her voice surprised me. She must have had some money troubles. Well, I knew they had money troubles, but maybe they got even worse somehow. She was, after all, already living in my apartment for free, and before she moved herself into my apartment, she was living in John’s house for free, so it’s not like she was facing some kind of existential crisis. Though, who knows what Aaron had done to their bank account after his wife and daughter left him.

And then, from the very back of my head, another thought struck me. She didn’t even let me finish my offer after she heard that she would be living with me. Maybe that was the reason she accepted so eagerly. Not the money, but the assurance of being able to stay with me?

My thought process was interrupted when the examination started. Just like when I was stabbed, he didn’t let me wait long before calling me in. First thing he did was order some X-Rays. Then I went back to have my wounds examined. Claire kept to the background, in the very same pose she had used in the kitchen, causing the doctor to throw her a few irritated side glances. Though, when he started unpacking my wound and removed the gauze pad from my shoulder, she got her first actual look at the damage on my body, and gasped as a sad look overtook her face.

“Why are these wet, Mr. Brown?” the doctor asked in obvious displeasure. “I imagine you’ve been through this often enough to know that you shouldn’t shower with these kinds of wounds.”

The way he phrased it, it sounded like I constantly had some kind of deep wound on my body. Something Claire heard as well, as I could see another wave of sorrow wash over her face when I glanced over to her.

“Listen, Doc. I’ll have to pull down my pants to let you and at least one of your pretty nurses put their faces close to my junk, in order to have this leg examined. That is NOT going to happen unless I take a proper shower beforehand.”

His nurse giggled hearing my words, and the Doctor started to grin.

“Well, I guess you have enough experience to be careful. Make sure that no soap comes into direct contact with that bullet wound. That would be bad. And it would hurt!”

“Promised.” I answered, as he smeared some kind of iodine ointment on a thin gauze strip.

“Now, this might sting a little.”

“AHFFFUUUUuuuucckKKK!” I growled through my teeth when he suddenly started pushing the damn gauze strip into the hole in my leg, using a giant cotton swab to pack it.

Claire immediately was by my side. She seemed torn between wanting to hold my hand, and the urge to run away. She compromised by holding my hand, but kept her back turned to what the doctor was doing. I could be biased, but there was a lot of gauze going into my leg, and I failed to see why less of it wouldn’t work just as fine.

After that was done, he took a look at my shoulder and determined that I should return in two days’ time, so he could remove the multitude of stitches and go over the X-Rays with me. I had to blink a few small tears out of my eyes by the time he was done, but we managed to get me dressed and out of the building.

“Are you Okay, Honey? Do you need anything? Can I do anything?” Claire was almost frantic again.

“I’ll be fine, thanks. Let’s go home and pick up Ava.”

“What for?”

“Doesn’t she need any supplies for school? I know I do!”

I also needed some other things that I couldn’t ask them to get for me, so I needed her to drive me. But I also couldn’t get those things with either Claire or Ava looking over my shoulder, so I needed them occupied with their own shopping spree.

“Wait ... You...” She half turned back to the doctor’s office’s entrance, and finally realized that we simply left the building without stopping at the front desk. “He didn’t give you a sick note?!”

“Don’t need one. And even if I did...” I quickly added to stop her protest. “ ... I’ve been out of school for six weeks already. I kinda have to go back, or my attendance drops too low.”

“Are you su...”

“YES!”

I really didn’t mean to get loud, but after what just happened in there, I couldn’t help but be on edge. And having to constantly reassure her, which basically amounted to constantly arguing about what I needed and wanted, got me riled up. Once again, she hung her head and apologized in that submissive pose. I just rolled my eyes and got into the car.

Back in my apartment, I recovered some cash from my closet while Claire was fetching Ava, and then returned to the living room to wait for them.

“We’re going shopping?” Ava asked, half suspicious and half hopeful.

“Yeah. Let’s get everything you need for school.”

“Everything? I might need a few clothes.” she carefully tested the waters.

“Sweetheart, don’t impose on your brother.” Claire abolished her.

“No, that’s fine.” I quickly interjected, thankful for Ava’s unknowing assistance in having them occupied while I did what needed to be done. “I’m pretty sure I got enough for the both of you to get whatever you need, and our school supplies.”

“Of course, Honey. I’m sorry.” Claire immediately confirmed.

“Alright, that’s it!” I snapped at her. “Why the fuck are you behaving like I bought you on an Ukranian website and you can’t file for naturalization yet?”

This took her aback.

“I ju ... just...” she threw a look at Ava. I couldn’t tell whether she was looking for words or support. Then she continued in a quiet voice. “I just don’t know what else to do to make you happy.”

And then it dawned on me. That must have been the conclusion they reached on the sofa, after I had crept back into my room.

“You want to make me happy by playing the ... what? Submissive slave?” I asked incredulously.

“No. More like ... devoted wife.” Ava clarified.

“Seriously?” I asked, and they both nodded. Apparently, my joke about buying her on an Ukrainian website wasn’t so far off. “Okay, listen. Dial down the servant act. While I’m hurt, I need a caregiver, not a damn slave.”

Both of their eyes widened immensely as they stared at me open mouthed. I think they had expected me to simply tell them off, instead of asking them for something else. And they especially didn’t expect me to ask Claire to be exactly what she wanted to be for me according to her letter.

Suddenly, a massive bright smile spread across their faces, and while Ava skipped to the door to hold it open for me, Claire rushed to my side to help me get outside and into the car.

The shopping in the Mall went off pretty smoothly. Once Claire and Ava were looking for clothes, I hobbled out of the door and visited every store I could find that sold paysafecards and VISA Gift Cards for cash. By the time the two women were done, I had bought ten cards, charged with one-hundred dollars each.

Back home, I immediately went to my computer and got to work. I had developed and published quite a few browser AddOns and Apps over the past few years, and had the option to place a “Support the Developer”-button on my profile pages. My plan was to use that button to transfer the cards I just bought to my PayPal account, and then transfer the funds from my PayPal account to my bank account.

This way, I could safely include that money in my tax forms, and didn’t have to worry about anyone trying to track that money’s origin. I had previously dismissed the idea, since it was unreasonably time-consuming in relation to how little money I could clean that way. There were also only so many stores I could buy the cards from before they would start to recognize and possibly report me, especially with all my current injuries. Crutches and bandages left very lasting impressions on peoples’ memories, since it’s relatively uncommon to see it on people. Also, PayPal and similar services have a history of closing people’s accounts down for suspicion of fraudulent activities, if the accounts fill up too quickly.

By the end of the week, my PayPal account would be a thousand dollars heavier. In addition to that, I could deposit eight-hundred dollars a month directly into my account without exceeding the ten-thousand dollar yearly limit. There was only one other problem I needed Claire’s help with before I could put any of it into my bank account, but we could address that later. I wasn’t sure how she would react with the way she had acted the past two days. At least, when dinnertime came around, I could already tell that she had taken my request to heart. She was less of a catalog wife, and more like ... a mother, really. I wasn’t opposed to that.

We followed a pretty set pattern for the following two days, with Claire helping me in the bathroom, Ava helping me when cleaning the apartment, and both of them helping me in the kitchen. Until my next visit to the doctor presented me with the next catastrophe. After he had repacked my leg, which I really didn’t think was necessary but got overruled, he removed the stitches from my shoulder. Then he cleared me to start physical therapy.

According to him, there was a recommended rest period for wounds depending on their severity, but the earlier I started PT, the more effective it would be. When I told him about the place the Millers had booked for me, he was very eager to send me on my way. Apparently, they really were the best, and he had quickly confirmed with them that I could show up for my first session.

In short, it was hell. The guy working with me was not only sickeningly upbeat and optimistic while he tortured me, he was also relentless. I’m not gonna lie, I had to unsuccessfully try and suppress more than one sound of agony when he made me leg press. It didn’t get better when he informed me that I was pressing all of twenty pounds. All the while, Claire was standing by the sideline, biting her nails.

By the time we were done, I was reduced to a panting mess that could barely find the strength to leave the room again. Claire had to support me most of the way back to the car and into the apartment.

“Holy!” I heard Ava’s gasp. “Why’s he pale like a ghost? What the hell happened!?”

“Don’t get me started!” Claire said, then heatedly let out a breath of air. “First the doctor digs around in his wounds, then the physical therapist makes him exercise the leg to exhaustion. Help me get him into his bed, Sweetheart.”

As soon as I was lying down, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of fading pain. I felt them relieve me of my shirt, pants, and socks, but couldn’t bother to complain or protest. Then something remarkable happened.

I felt Claire carefully lie down to my left, and push one arm under my head. Then I felt my face being gently cradled to her chest, as she dragged her fingernails through the short hair on my neck and softly hummed to me. This was unbelievably comforting. Just like two months earlier, that Mom-smell filled my nostrils again. That distinct smell of times past, when the world wasn’t such a scary place yet and my Mother would always comfort me. Without even realizing that I was doing it, I started rubbing my face against her supple, ample breasts, until she reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her chest, revealing her bra-clad bosom to me.

Suddenly, I was rubbing my face against the bare skin above her bra cups. Her skin was warm and soft, her smell was more intense, and I buried my face in her malleable pillows.

“Is that Okay, Baby?” she whispered, and I just nodded.

Encouraged by my nod, the hand that wasn’t cradling my head to her bosom reached up. She pushed it into her bra to pull out her breast and adjusted it so her hard protruding nipple was poking against my lips. Like on instinct, I opened my mouth, closed my lips around the bumpy areola in front of me, and started sucking on it.

“Oooooh!” I heard Claire’s breathy whisper. “My good boy. Go ahead, suckle on Mommy. Let me nurse you.”

She let go of her breast, and placed the now free hand back in my neck to scratch the sensitive skin. Again I felt goosebumps spread across my whole body, and this time I was sure she could clearly see the effect it had on me. This time, we were in a much bigger bed, in a brightly lit room, where nothing obscured her view. I no longer cared. This was too good, and I was in no state to be embarrassed about her finding my sensitive spots.

I mean, how could I not enjoy this? I had trust issues. And abandonment issues. And Mommy issues, no question about those. But can you fucking blame me!? What she was doing in that exact moment addressed all of those issues, while also touching on all the insecurities and needs I had tried my best to keep suppressed for years! And I was too fucking exhausted to try and keep that up.

“I see you like sucking on Mommy’s breasts.”

I don’t know why, I just nodded again without letting go of her nipple. I started swirling my tongue around it as I continued to suck on it.

“Ava! Come over here.” Claire suddenly called out, and I soon heard Ava announce her presence. “Your brother needs your help with this, Sweetheart.”

I didn’t know what Claire meant by ‘this’, since I was completely absorbed in her soft breasts. But I felt the mattress shift when Ava lay down on top of my right leg. Going by the feeling of skin on my own skin, she was naked.

“Pull down his shorts. Carefully! Do not hurt your brother!” Claire’s voice was stern, demanding. Then it returned to the alluring soft whisper I loved so much. “Did my Baby Boy’s cock get hard for Mommy? Don’t you worry, Baby. Let Mommy and your Big Sister take care of the hurt. Just keep suckling on my boobies while we make you feel really good.”

And with that, I felt my shorts slide down my legs and past my feet, before Ava pressed her tight body against my skin. I could feel her smaller breasts press into my thigh, and my shin rub against her sex. Then I felt delicate fingers wrap themselves around my dick.

“Mhmmmm, Mom, he’s ROCK hard and pulsing!” Ava commented.

“Well, take care of him already. Show your brother how much you care for him.”

And as soon as Claire had finished her instructions, I felt a soft pair of plumb lips kiss the tip of my cock, before they parted and slid down my shaft. I felt the skin of my Cock being pulled into Ava’s warm mouth when she started sucking, while her lips slid up and down my length and her tongue massaged my crown. I could hear the soft moan escaping her throat while she pleasured me. The heavenly sensation after my prolonged abstinence caused me to involuntarily bite down on Claire’s nipple.

“Yes, Baby.” she giggled. “I remember you did that when you were a little boy, too! Bite Mommy’s nipples if you want to.” As she said that, she pressed my face into her tit with more force. “I’m sorry Mommy doesn’t have any milk for you. I hope you can enjoy sucking on them regardless.”

I didn’t last long. Within maybe two minutes of being totally absorbed in this soft, comforting, and loving embrace, while Ava sucked the life out of me, I started spurting into her mouth as violent spasms ran through my body. All of a sudden, I heard Ava gag and felt her pull her head back.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Claire proclaimed, and immediately I felt my dick slam into Ava’s throat as her face was smashed into my groin. Finally opening one eye, I could see that Claire had reached down to place a hand on the back of Ava’s head, forcefully pushing her down onto my pole. “Don’t you ruin your brother’s orgasm! Swallow all of it. Keep his Cock in your throat until he is done!”

She grabbed a handful of Ava’s hair, and pulled her head from side to side, rubbing her face into my groin and causing my dick to rub along the walls of her throat. Once again, seeing Ava being used to such a degree pressed one of my buttons. Especially since Claire was utterly dominating her, while she was acting like a caring and loving Mommy for me. I felt my orgasm reach a new high, and, while Ava’s face progressively reddened, I could hear her choke on the never ending stream of semen shooting out of me.

I would have been concerned for Ava if she hadn’t started fondling my balls as if to coax as much cum out of them as possible, and I could feel her literally dripping wet pussy rub against my leg.

After what felt like an eternity, the spasms eventually stopped and Claire allowed Ava to pull her head off my Cock. As soon as my cock vacated her throat, she immediately swallowed once loudly, then took a few deep quick breaths, and finally swallowed a few more times.

“Was that good, Baby? Did you enjoy your sister choking on your fat cock?” Claire cooed in a loving voice, and I nodded. “That’s good. Mommy wants her Baby Boy to be happy and to feel good. Your big sister is a submissive little cumslut, so you can use her however you want to get all this bottled up cum out of your system. She likes it that way.”

As if on cue, I felt Ava lean back down and start kissing all around my shaft.

“Oh my, Baby.” Claire said in surprise. “You’re not getting soft? Do you still have more for your sister?”

For the first time since all this started, I released Claire’s nipple to say something.

“It’s been a while since I had a chance to...” I let my voice trail off. For some weird reason I couldn’t immediately point out, using profanity in front of Claire felt wrong at that moment.

“How long, Baby? You can tell Mommy, don’t be embarrassed.” Claire asked in a concerned voice.

“25th.” I reluctantly admitted, and buried my head back in her naked breasts to feel her hard nipples rub over my face.

“25th? You mean... December 25th!?” Claire was shocked. I nodded and couldn’t resist the urge to resume sucking on her nippple. She reached down, grabbed my dick, and pushed it to the right. “Ava, lay your head sideways on your brother’s stomach, so you face this magnificent cock of his.”

“Yes!” Ava moaned eagerly and did as told.

“Get comfortable, because you will stay there and keep sucking him off until you completely emptied his balls. You will swallow everything he gives you, you understand?” I felt Ava nod against my stomach. “Good girl.”

While Claire resumed cradling my head, cooing softly into my ear, Ava grabbed my shaft with her own hand and started slowly rubbing it while suckling on my tip. Simultaneously, I could feel Ava starting to rub her naked pussy against my shin again.

“I’m sorry, Baby.” Claire cooed while one of her hands slid over my chest and down my stomach, before she started dragging her nails across my lower stomach and pubic bone in a big, continuous circle. “I would tell your sister to fuck you with her tight little pussy, but I’m scared it would put too much of a strain on your wounds. Enjoy this for as long as you need. Mommy and your Big Sister will work your cock until your balls are completely drained. Then you can sleep. We both love you.”

And they did just as Claire had promised.

After Ava had coaxed a second load out of me, and kept sucking and swallowing through my orgasm, it took her a moment to get me hard again while Claire continuously encouraged me to give my sister’s mouth more of the cum she craved so much. To my surprise, they eventually succeeded, and the whole thing started again. When Ava swallowed the third load without ever taking her lips off my cock, I was completely done. Despite both of their best efforts, I wouldn’t grow hard for a fourth run. I was utterly spent. But I was also completely relaxed and could only think about succumbing to my exhaustion.

All the pain in my body was gone! The pain in my leg and chest was gone, because I wasn’t straining my wounds while being comforted like this. The pain in my back was gone, that came from leaning on that damn crutch the whole day. And my muscle pain was gone, because this session had freed every muscle in my body of its tension. This was heaven. I was totally relaxed and, for the first time in years, felt like someone cared for me. I couldn’t express how thankful I was.

“Sleep, my Baby. Just close your eyes. Mommy will be here if you need anything.” I heard Claire’s soothing voice again.

Without even questioning what I was doing, I reached down with my left hand and cupped Ava’s face, which was still lying on my hip, suckling on the tip of my softened dick like it was a pacifier. I could hear Ava sigh in content over the unexpected affectionate contact. I just couldn’t help it after what they had just done for me.

“Thanks, Sis.” I mumbled my sleepy reply, and could hear both of them gasp. “Thanks, Mom.”

And then I was out.