Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapter 33 Let Me Back In

"Oh yea, right. Sure." Gwen turns down the stove and walks over. "What do you need help with?"

I chew the inside of my cheek, feeling embarrassed now. "Everything. I- I can't pick up the coffee pot or pour it. And....yeah, I can't really hold the cup well. You have to make sure I have a good grip before letting go, or I'll drop it." I can feel the heat rising to my face. 

Gwen looks at me for a moment, not realizing how much help I really need with life and a look of sympathy washes over her face.

"Don't you dare." I furrow my brows at my younger sister. "Don't start feeling bad for me. I'm used to this shit, ok? I'm doing PT and getting my coordination back as best I can."

"Sorry... I didn't mean - Here." She drops the subject and pours me a cup of coffee. She puts the mug in my hand but is about to let go too early.

"Wait!  I don't have it..." I suddenly get nervous. The coffee is hot. That's all I need... 3rd degree burns. Gwen is startled at first but then holds the cup until I can concentrate more on my grip. But now I'm flustered, and my coordination isn't working like I need to.

"You know what. Nevermind. I don't need coffee." I frown. "Take it. I ca-can't" 

The look on my sister's face right now.... she looks like she is going to cry. I get it the girls haven't been around me a ton but thought for sure they knew what they were getting into. I don't think Gwen really thought much about it until now.

"Sit down... I'll come help you when I'm done cooking, ok?"

I nod, now mortified...completely and utterly embarrassed. I miss being with everyone who knows how to take care of me. My sisters are amazing but it's going to be a learning process for them all and there's a LOT of them. I'm now feeling a little down and out having to explain all the things I can't do. When I was with Nate and all of them, I never had to talk about it. Sometimes 
I'd even forget I had issues..unless I dropped a fork or something, but even then, Casey or whoever was helping me would just quickly pick it up without drawing attention to me. 

But with my sisters, everything is still new to them, and the shock factor is setting in.

*****

*Trisha*

"She WHAT?!" It's ten in the morning here in Milan, which means it's only around 1am in California, so Nate getting a call from Paul isn't good.

Everyone is in our suite eating breakfast before we have our "Spa Day" and all stop eating and listen to the one-sided conversation now.

"Only Julia. That big heart of hers is going to get her into trouble." Nate looks at Jonah, shaking his head. "She's helping other people detox now. At one in the morning."

"Now what?" I ask.

"Julia is helping someone go through detox... Mike Maloney."

"Huh...." I scoff a little and look away.

"Huh- what? Spit it out."

"Nothing. He's just a very attractive guy. She can relate to him. They're both going to detox and at the Avalon...." I say in a nonchalant way while stabbing a piece of fruit from my plate.

"Stop." Nate doesn't take me seriously, but just watch. I'm calling it first.

"I don't know... doesn't she have some kinda.. hyperactive sex drive or something? Hyperwhatever, whatever?"

How is Nate not worried about Mike Maloney around Julia?

***

Even while getting ready, even while our driver brings us to the well-known high-end spa in Milan, I can tell Nate's brain is going a mile a minute thinking of Julia. His brain just doesn't shut off, and it's killing him that nothing is in his control anymore.