Forever: A Lobster Kind Of Love by Jody Pardo, Jennifer Tocheny Page B

and what you need help with. I am going to go unpack the groceries and make some dinner. Okay?” I nodded slightly, and she released my hands, stood, and went into the kitchen.
    I sat there for the next ten minutes just thinking. What did I want? I wanted to be fishing; that’s what I wanted. I didn’t want to be in this damn chair, but I didn’t really have a choice now, did I? I needed to shower and change my clothes. I needed to be able to get into my bedroom. If I could just get in there, it would be great.
    I just had to trust her.
    I rolled over to the kitchen threshold and watched as Lydia put away jar after jar of peanuts, peanut butter, pasta boxes, jars of this and that while humming to herself what sounded like a pop tune I’d heard on the radio but I couldn’t think of the name.
    Then I saw them. “Are those Oreos I see?” My pulse quickened at the sight of the bright blue package.
    “Yes, they are the new peanut butter ones. Have you ever had them?” she said teasingly, waving them around.
    “No, I haven’t, but you can hand them over now.” I said with an outstretched hand.
    “No, you will ruin your dinner,” she said in her best stern mommy voice.
    “What’s for dinner?”
    “Well, my shift is over soon so I figured I would just make something quick and easy. How does Mac and Cheese with Franks sound? I can make something better tomorrow with more time.”
    “Sounds good to me. Anything is better than cold Meals on Wheels. Then I can have some Oreos, Mom?”
    Her face turned ashen, and she stood frozen in the kitchen.
    “I promise I will eat, okay?”
    She snapped out of her zone and handed me the package, busying herself with making dinner. I retreated to the safe zone of the living room and left her to dinner.
    The macaroni and cheese with cut up franks was heavenly. It was a little piece of normal back in my life. Lydia served me a second bowl and started to gather her things to head home.
    “Hey Lydia, I was thinking about what you said before. Thank you for not freaking out. I’m sorry about your cup. I will buy you a new one,” I said quietly as I shoveled the last few spoonfuls of heaven in my mouth.
    “You don’t have to buy me a new cup; I have a bunch at home. No worries.”
    “Thank you for coming to help me today.”
    “Well, I will be back again tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that…so get used to me. Tomorrow is when the work begins,” she said with confidence.
    “Work? Woman, I am retired. No work for me. Only thing I am good for these days is carrying groceries and as a door stop.”
    Her head whipped around at me but instead of anger, she had a grin, “We will see about that, Mister. See you tomorrow.”
    Lydia took my bowl into the kitchen and tidied up collecting trash along her path. She left the package of Peanut Butter Oreos on the dining room table, “Here, these are for later.”
    “Can you leave out some water too?” I asked quietly.
    “It’s right there on the counter, Ryan.”
    “Thanks, Lydia. I know you are headed out now, but do you think tomorrow I can take a shower?”
    “Sure thing. Today food, tomorrow shower. We will work out the kinks and get you sorted. So aside from the doorways, what else haven’t you been able to do?”
    “I can’t get to the kitchen and the fridge, my bedroom or bathrooms. Those are the biggest things so far. Oh, can you bring me my cell phone?” She went into my bedroom and retrieved my cell phone and wallet and brought them back.
    “Okay, first thing tomorrow we will get you showered and then we will go from there.”
    “Thanks for coming today, Lydia.” I said meekly. I hated asking for help, never mind admitting that I needed it.
    “That’s what I am here for, Ryan. I will see you tomorrow.” She gathered her backpack and nursing bag and left for the day.

     



Lydia

    After I left Ryan’s house, I had a new mission. Sometimes, there were just not enough hours in the day, and his