Yakima Ch. 09-10

That got her laughing and set the tone for the rest of the trip. We stopped for lunch along the way and then continued on to Ali's home. It was only a matter of a couple of minutes before we were both undressed and in her bed. Ali had helped me, of course.

We made love once again and it was just as wonderful as the first time. I was restricted to what I could provide Ali with, but not so much that we couldn't have a totally satisfying union. As we lay together afterwards, I could feel the soreness in my ribs, but otherwise I had no uncomfortable after effects. I was almost giddy with our ability to resume intimacy.

"Oh, God, Ali, you have no idea how good that was for me. That's better medicine than any doctor could prescribe."

"I know," she said sleepily. "I wondered how long it would be and now that it's happened, I don't want to stop. Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes. My ribs are a little sore, but nothing I can't handle. Just think, as I get better, we'll get better too."

"That's hard to imagine, my love. I don't know how it could get better," she murmured, rolling toward me and kissing me deeply.

We arrived at my former home just before five o'clock and I was immediately set upon to find out what the doctor in Seattle had said. I explained about the pictures of his former patients that we were shown and that it was going to be a while before the results would be seen, but we would start in June and with luck, it will be all done with by fall.

"What are they going to do, Daddy?" Jessica asked.

"It's something he called peeling. They gradually take off a layer of skin at a time until the scars are gone."

"Eeewww," Jack said, screwing up his face. "That sounds scary."

"Yeah, it does doesn't it," I smiled. "But he says he does a lot of this kind of work, so I have to have confidence in him."

"Is this like plastic surgery?" Matt asked.

"No ... it's different. He told us the names but I can't remember them."

"Jessner's and Retinoic Peels," Ali said, looking at a piece of paper. "I made a note when he mentioned them."

"I'm going to look them up on the Internet," Matt said immediately, heading off to the home computer.

"Me too," Jess said, chasing after her brother.

"Wait for me," Jack called, running after my two.

"By the time they're finished, they'll know more about what's going to happen to me than I will," I joked.

"No doubt," Reese smiled.

Ali and Reese headed for the kitchen to begin dinner preparation. About ten minutes later, the three children came into the living room looking very solemn.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Dad ... did you know they were going to put acid on your face?" Matt said very nervously.

"No, but I'm not worried. The doctor knows what he's doing, so I'm sure it will be safe."

"But Dad, it's acid," Matt restated. "You won't believe how careful we have to be in Chemistry lab with acid. I can't believe they're going to put that on your face."

"Yes, but what's the concentration level?" I asked, being a smart aleck for a change.

"Oh ... I didn't think of that," he admitted. That seemed to calm things down with the three of them and they disappeared back into the computer until they were called to the table for dinner.

After Ali had taken Jack back to their home and my two had gone to bed, I went on the computer myself and looked up the two procedures. I could see why they might be alarmed. I had to have confidence that my doctor knew what would work and what was best for me. As far as I could see, I wouldn't have to be anesthetized and the procedure could be done in his office surgery. There would be some stinging pain from the acid and I'd have to leave it in place for three days for the peeling to begin. At least, that's what I seemed to derive from the articles on the Internet. I chose not to share this information with Ali or Reese.

My rib pain had diminished significantly in the past week and I began to think I was almost recovered from the damage done. I planned to start exercises and I thought a call to Dr. Menard was in order to get some physical therapy advice. My leg was much better, but still not as strong as it once was. Nor was my wrist. A telephone call was all it took for him to refer me to a therapist who would put me on a program to get my strength and fitness back on track.

~*~

I was back to work regularly, taking time off only to visit Seattle when necessary. My physical therapy was late afternoon and Saturday mornings. I was ready to move back to my townhouse, but every time I brought the subject up, I got great resistance from everyone, including Reese. I kept on about it, but was getting nowhere until there was another kitchen meeting called with Reese and Ali.

"Ladies, I'm almost 100% now," I began. "There's no reason I can't move back to my own place."

"Graham," Reese said immediately, "I know you too well. You'll overdo it and I don't think you should be living alone yet."

"Fine," I said in a frustrated note, "send the kids over and they can look after me."

"Don't be like that, Grime," Ali chimed in. "We don't want you on your own until all this surgery business is over with. Who knows what kind of reaction you might have to the treatments. You can't ask the children to know what to do if there's an emergency."

We argued back and forth for a few minutes, but I knew almost right from the start that I was going to lose. It wasn't that I wanted to get out of my old home and away from everyone. I didn't want to become so comfortable here that it would be difficult to be alone again. I'd been spoiled since I'd been released from hospital, and I knew it.

"Okay, you guys," I said in defeat. "You win ... for now. I'll stay here for a little longer until you're satisfied I'm fully fit ... assuming that ever happens."

I thought for a moment the two women were going to give each other a "high five" as they beat me into submission. The look of victory on their faces was unmistakable.

I was going to Jack's T-Ball games during the week, and Matt's Babe Ruth games on the weekend. Matt had decided not to spend the season sitting on the bench for the high school team as a spare. He wanted to play and Babe Ruth ball guaranteed he would definitely play as a regular.

Matt got his driver's license late June and was on a pretty big high. I had replaced the wrecked Malibu with a Ford Focus that I got at a very heavily discounted price from Kim Bledsoe. It was only two years old and a trade-in with low mileage that had been dealer serviced. I'm pretty happy with the car, although Matt was lobbying for something sportier ... say, a Mustang. Not a chance.

I met with Robert Klein, a partner at Miles Hoffman's law firm, and we worked on a settlement with the insurance companies of the kid with the pickup truck, his parents, and my insurance company. It was a mid-six-figure settlement that made everyone, including me, unhappy. Miles said that was the sign of a good agreement. No one wins.

I felt the whole process was cold-blooded and, despite the size of the amount, at no time was there any apology for causing the accident or my injuries. The fact that I was in the meetings with my temporary disfigurement on display, may have helped push the process along.

The result of the agreement meant that I could pay all of Miles's and Robert's fees, have all my extraneous medical expenses and physical therapy paid off, purchase a car to replace the Malibu, top up Matt and Jess's college fund, and have quite a bit left over for a rainy day. It seemed like very little satisfaction under the circumstances. I wondered what the boy, who never appeared at any time, had learned from this accident. I would have liked him to see, just once, the damage he had done to me

~*~

The facial treatments began in mid-June as planned and I toyed with the idea of having Matt come with me, since school was out for the summer. However, Matt had a job with the parks department and was only just getting started on it. I didn't want the crews thinking Matt would get special consideration because he was my son. I figured the guys would be tough enough with him on their own.

Once again, Ali was my companion for the recurring treatments. She insisted it be her and, since I had no reasonable alternative, I acquiesced. Ali, in conjunction with Reese, was taking a pretty firm hand over my life right now, and I wasn't at all sure if I was happy with it. I was past the point of needing help around the house and getting to and from work. I could easily have moved back to my own home, although I knew my children and Jack would be upset, not to mention their mothers.

The first session was quite unpleasant. A solution was painted on the affected area and, for all intents and purposes, that was the extent of the doctor's involvement. Dr. Sylvan stayed around for an hour, watching the progress of the treatment. I could feel the reaction on my skin and it was more than just a "stinging sensation." It felt like my face was in fire for a while. I doubt I was in his office and surgery for more than an hour before we were released to go, due back in two weeks for the next appointment.

"Does it still hurt?" Ali asked as she drove us toward Yakima.

"Yes, although not as bad as it did at first. I suppose this is better than having him chop me up with a knife," I ventured.

"It's called a scalpel," she corrected me, "and they don't think of it as chopping you up."

There was a hint of humor in her voice, so I didn't respond. I wondered how many of these treatments would be required and if I could expect them to get better or worse. I had some time to think during our return. Ali drove, as she insisted it was the "safe thing to do." I was vaguely uncomfortable, a feeling that had been growing in me over the past month. I was trying to put my finger on it, but I hadn't quite managed to yet.

"Oh, your face is all red again, Daddy," Jess said when she saw me.

"Yes," I agreed, hugging her. "It will be like that for a couple of days before the old skin peels off, then it will go back to normal ... or something."

"Eeewww, it looks horrible," she said, screwing up her face in disgust.

I ignored the comment and just smiled at her, hopefully assuring her that it would get better.

Matt noticed the difference when he got home from work, but said nothing. He'd made himself quite aware of the process on the Internet and wasn't surprised at what he saw. Reese blinked and then looked away, while little Jack looked at it carefully and said nothing. I know that Matt had told him what the cure was all about and what I might expect.

I really enjoyed the evening meal each day. Three adults and three youngsters made for a lively table and some interesting conversations. I noticed Jess had strategically positioned herself on my left side so that the damaged part of my face was not on constant display. I don't think her life's calling was going to be as a nurse or doctor. Jack sat with his mother, directly across from me, and to a large degree listened to others talk, only joining in when asked directly. He was like a sponge, I thought, sucking up everything and anything he heard.

To Be Continued