Remember Me.

06

I unhook him from the van and wheel him up to the porch. I pause when I notice there is a small step up to the front door.
I take a deep breath and tilt his chair back to get it inside and then pick up the back. I successfully got him inside the house.
"I'll have someone put a ramp there." I say more to myself than him.
He remains silent and I look up the stairs where all of the bedrooms are located. I sigh and rack my brain for ideas.
"I need to go make a phone call. Don't...go anywhere." I tell him. He doesn't even acknowledge that I spoke. He continues to stare at the ground.
I walk outside and call my agent.
"Hello?" he answers.
"Hey, I need your help."
"Yeah you sure do. You and Dempsey are on the cover of every magazine. How's he doing?" he asks.
"That's why I'm calling. I need some ramps and an elevator installed in my house. Who do I call?" I ask.
"You called the right person. I'll take care of it. How soon do you need them?"
"I need the elevator by tonight. The ramps as soon as possible."
"Alright. I'll get right on it."
"Thank you so much." I say with relief.
"Not a problem dear." he says before hanging up.
I walk back inside and see Patrick reaching for the tv remote. His chair is keeping him from reaching it.
"Dammit!" he says angrily. I walk over and when I hand it to him, I see that he has tears in his eyes.
"These things are useless. I don't see why they left them attached to me." he says, punching his legs.
"And I smell. I haven't showered in days and I can't even do it by myself. I can't even piss on my own! What kind of life is this? Why would I want to live like this?" he shouts.
"Patrick, I can help. I'll help you with the shower-"
"Ellen no. I...I..I don't want you to see me naked."
"Oh come on Pat. Don't be a baby." I say smiling. I wheel him into the large bathroom on the bottom floor and grab a towel.
I turn on the water and turn back to him. His face shows a flurry of emotions. Sad, frustrated, embarrassed. I grab the bottom of his shirt and begin to pull it up. His hands stop me.
"I..I just thought that the first time you saw my body...I didn't want it to be like this. You showering me because I was unable to do it myself. I can't do this El." he says, a single tear sliding down his cheek. I brush it away with my finger and place my hands on his cheeks.
"Patrick. I respect your wishes but it's bound to happen eventually. You can't expect to go your whole life without a shower. And if it makes you feel better, I'll leave your underwear on." He nods slightly and I kiss his cheek.
I grab the bottom of his shirt again and pull it up and over his head.
"I can undress myself. I still have use of my hands. For now." he says.
"Sure but I do it much better." I say. He chuckles and shakes his head. I unbuckle his belt and pull it out of the loops.
"You know, just because you can't use your legs, doesn't give you the excuse to stop working out." I tell him.
"Excuse me?" I unbutton his pants.
"You gotta work to keep your upper body looking this good."
He lifts himself up by pushing down on the arms of his chair. His biceps flex and his pecks bulge. I pull his pants down his legs and he lets himself back in the chair when his pants are past his knees.
I lay the clothes on the counter and look from Patrick to the tub. Am I strong enough to lift him?
Patrick must've seen a worried look on my face because he begins to chuckle.
"It's okay. I'll forgive you if you drop me." he says. I roll my eyes. I put my arms under his and use all of my strength to lift him out of his chair.
I pivot, grunting at the effort, and sit him on the edge of the tub. He grabs both sides of the tub and lowers himself down to sit. He grabs his legs, which are on the edge of the tub, and places them inside.
I grab the shower head and hand it to him. He takes it and I close the curtain.
"I'm still in here. I'm going to sit on the counter. Tell me if you need anything." He doesn't respond.
I waited in silence, listening to the rush of water. Beneath the sound of rushing water, I can hear faint sobs. I slowly open the curtain and see him sobbing into his hands.
I slide behind him letting the water soak every part of me and rub his upper arms. I kiss his shoulder and hug him.
"I'm so sorry this happened to you Pat." I whisper. He continues to cry, his sobs echoing through the house. I hold him until the water goes cold and his sobs are replaced by shivers.
"Let's get out." I tell him. He nods, lifting himself to the edge of the tub. I grab the towel and wrap it tightly around him. I wheel the chair up to the edge of the tub and help him lift himself into the chair.
I wheel him into the foyer and run back to grab his clothes. The doorbell rings and I run to answer it.