Finally Home

98. Tyler

Samantha's confidence and maybe comfort, I think, in her situation, increased after the basketball game.

I consider us very lucky that we can provide these sorts of experiences and resources for our kids. I know not everyone can, and Samantha understands that, too. 

I walked out of school with her while Jenna took the younger two in her car.

"So, how was school?" I asked, after stowing Sam's chair in the bed of my truck and helping her into the car.

"Not as bad as I thought," she admitted.

"Told ya so," I smirked.

She stuck her tongue out at me. I smiled. My goofy teenager.

Her phone dinged and she smiled and started typing.

"Uncle B says hi," she said.

"Tell him I said 'hi back'," I said, pulling away from the school.

We got home just after Jenna, who was getting the girls out of her car. I got Samantha's chair out, and helped her into it then went to help Jenna.

"How is she?" Jenna asked me quietly.

"She's okay. Really, she's okay. She said school wasn't as bad as she expected. Then stuck her tongue out at me when I said 'told ya so'," I smiled. Jenna smiled back as she looked over at Samantha, navigating her way up the walkway.

"She's going to be okay," I said. "She still has some work to do, as usual. But she's going to be okay."

"I think so," Jenna agreed.

Rosie ran up the walkway to Sam's side. I watched as Sam locked her wheels, picked Rosie up and put her in her lap.

They rolled up the path and Sam let them into the house. I could hear Rosie laughing. When Jenna and I came in with Junie and all the baby gear, Sam was in the entryway spinning her chair, with Rosie laughing.

"Phew," Sam said, holding Rosie. "Ok, RosieRo that's enough. I'm tired. And dizzy now," she laughed. I smiled at my two older girls. Fourteen years between them, and tighter than anything.

"Sam, homework?" Jenna asked.

"Nah. They don't give homework to the crippled kids," she grinned.

"Nice try. Get to it," Jenna smiled.

Samantha pretended to grumble and rolled over to the table and started pulling out her books.

Rosie climbed into the chair beside her and watched.

I watched Sam as she worked through her homework. About an hour later, as she was finishing up, I think, I noticed her rubbing her right thigh and grimacing.

"Sam? You okay?" I asked. She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded.

"That's not very convincing. What's wrong?"

"My leg hurts," she said.

"Alright. Take a homework break. Come here," I said. She pushed back from the table and rolled over to me. I picked her up and brought her over to the couch and laid her down.

"Okay, where does it hurt?"

"My calf. It's cramping up," she said.

"Right or left?" I asked.

"Right."

Phantom pains. Okay. We can deal with this.

"Okay. Lay back, close your eyes, I'll massage it."