Author's Note: Thanks to shygirlwhore for her careful editing and her thoughtful comments and suggestions. She's awesome!
*
The summer after my freshman year in college, my Mom informed me that I had to move out of our basement apartment. My Aunt Claire, her much younger sister, was moving in. Claire was a Olympic-caliber equestrian jumper. She would be training for the national championships at a brand new facility that had just been built near our city.
I remember going to watch Claire ride with Mom when I was younger. If you've ever watched horse jumping on tv, it probably didn't seem that impressive. But, in person? Seeing how big those jumps are? I was a pissed off teenager with a smart phone and a bunch of friends, but once I got a look at what she did, I put my phone away. It was harrowing, like watching someone rock climb without any safety gear.
Also, I think some people see horseback riding as kind of like riding a motorcycle. Any slob can do it, right? Not true. Claire was a fucking athlete. No doubt about it. I remember feeling a little bit guilty about eyeballing her ass in those tight white riding pants. She was twelve years younger than Mom and eight years older than me. She really looked good.
But, I was pissed when I found out about the basement apartment. Mom let me move down there right after I graduated, and I loved the privacy. It was key for having friends or girls over because I didn't have to go through the house. I had my own pretty nice bathroom, kitchen, and den area. Now, I lost it to Aunt fucking Claire for the whole summer. I had to move back to my shitty old room upstairs.
Mom's an anti-trust attorney, protecting huge companies from the government. I learned long ago that she had to read enormously long documents and that settling a case out of the courtroom was always, always, always cause for celebration. When she couldn't settle and went to trial? Damn. She was gone for weeks. Hell, months, even.
You're wondering about my Dad, maybe. Nah. He's not in the picture.
Anyways, two major events coincided to change my summer from bad to something else. First, a case Mom felt positive was going to settle at the eleventh hour? Didn't settle. Went to trial. She spent two insane weeks basically living at her office and preparing, and then she flew out to D.C. for the trial. Second, the day Mom took off, Aunt Claire got thrown from her horse, broke both arms and fucked up her back.
Mom never left the airport in D.C. Flew right back. I met her at the airport and drove her to the hospital to see Claire.
They argued in the hospital. Aunt Claire had her two casts on, and this kind of immobilizer thing around her torso.
"Maybe I can get the judge to give us an extension," Mom offered.
"No. Go do your trial. I'll be fine. Besides, could you even get an extension?"
"No, probably not."
"So, go," Claire suggested.
"I'll hire a nurse."
"You don't need to, Beth."
Mom turned to me. "Jimmy, give us a sec, will you?"
I nodded and left, but I could hear everything.
"Claire, how are you going to take care of yourself?"
"Jimmy can bring me food."
"But, surely, he can't take care of your bathroom needs," Mom insisted.
"No, of course, not. Beth, the minute I get this thing off me, I will be able to do all that myself."
"With two broken arms? You're going to wipe your bottom with two broken arms?"
"I'll find a way. No nurse."
Mom pursued. "And if you have a problem? What then? Jimmy? Forget about it."
"Of course not Jimmy."
"Well, what, then? Who? When this trial starts, I'm gone. I might make it back for a weekend here and there, but don't count on it."
"Alright, get a fucking nurse."
"Good. Yes," Mom said, breathing a sigh.
"I don't want her living in my apartment. Just daytime, only, okay?"
"What? What if something happens, Claire?"
"Jimmy. He's got a phone. He'll get me help."
"He's upstairs!"
Claire reasoned, "Have him crash on the basement couch for a couple weeks, and by then I'll be fine."
Mom didn't respond for a second, and then she said, "Claire, he's in college. He's got parties and friends. He's out all night sometimes and he's got...dates. It's asking an awful lot of him to give up his nights. Just let me get a nurse."
"Look, Beth, I don't want some person I don't even know living with me 24 hours a day. It's a few weeks. Jimmy can handle it. He can jerk off."
"Claire!"
"You know what I mean."
"Well, you keep saying 'a couple weeks,' 'a few weeks,' but it's going to be at least six."
"I know what the doctor says, Beth. What I mean is in a few weeks, I'll have this brace off and be able to be independent and move around."
Mom nodded. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. No live-in nurse."
"Alright, daytime only."
Mom was in a panic because she was missing jury selection, but she stayed until we got Claire home and set up in the apartment. The nurse came that afternoon. She was a big, short lady, in her fifties. Her name was Jane.
Before Mom left, the nurse asked her if she was sure Claire didn't want a nurse to stay overnight.
"She's sure," Mom said.
"Alrighty, who will be here for Claire?" the nurse asked in her nasally voice.
"Jimmy."
She turned to me, "Have you ever taken care of an injured person before?"
"No."
The nurse looked at Mom. Mom shook her head.
"Alrighty, I'll train you."
Mom left to catch a flight, and I got trained by Nurse Jane.
No visual aids or practical application of skills, this was straight lecture. I learned how to sponge bathe a person. I learned how to remove the immobilizer brace Claire had to wear. I learned how to safely move her. I learned how to protect her casts from moisture. I learned how to administer Claire's meds. I learned how to feed her. I learned how to wipe a pussy. I learned how to wipe an ass. I was glad Mom had already gone.
Nurse Jane left at 9:00pm. I checked in on the wounded.
"Aunt Claire, you need anything?"
She shook her head.
"I'll just be upstairs if you do."
She nodded and I went up, watched a movie and bitched about my situation to friends on the phone.
I fell asleep up there, and I woke up at just after midnight. Aunt Claire was screaming for me.
I ran down and into her room. She was pale and dripping with sweat. I about froze when I saw her.
"Where the fuck were you?" she croaked.
"I fell asleep up there. I'm sorry."
"Fucking useless little shit. Get me some water. Fuck!"
I ran and filled a cup with ice and water and a straw. I raced back and held it while she sipped. Her lips pumped it out and she moaned while she drank. She drained the whole cup—a 32 ouncer.
"Are you alright? Can I do anything?"
She was panting. "It's these pain killers. They fucking suck. Wait." Her fingers extended and clenched on the casts, and then she grimaced. "Oh, fuck me! Fuck!"
"I'll call the nurse."
"Get me better meds, stronger. Oh, shit!"
I called Nurse Jane. She answered on about the eighth ring. I explained what I saw and what Claire wanted.
"Is it constant pain or in waves?" she asked.
"Waves, I think. She's in bad shape."
"Alrighty. Well, I can't get you new medications tonight."
"Please!"
"I can't. But, I can bring her some in the morning. I'll be a little late after picking them up."
"What should I do?"
"You can take her to the emergency room or stay. If you stay, give her water, but don't give her any more of the pink pain pills, alrighty?"
"Can I give her anything at all for the pain?"
"Advil, if you have it, would be fine." I could hear Aunt Claire moaning across the hall for me.
"Okay, thanks." I hung up and ran back to Claire.