Monday morning, Meagan woke me up while Dad got the other kids up.
"I know you're not looking forward to going to the lawyer's this morning," Meagan said, sitting on my bed as she woke me up. "But it'll be for the best. And once you're done, you and Pete can focus on getting to know each other. He really does love you, Jaime. I know you may not believe that, but he does. He's also coming to terms with all this. But I want you to know, we are here for you. Okay? Me, Pete, Bronx, Saint and especially Marvel. She already woke up asking for you."
I smiled a little bit.
"I really don't want to go. It makes it so, I don't know, final? I mean, burying my mom was pretty damned final, but this just seems like it's closing the door."
"Jaime," Meagan said, smoothing down my hair. "Your mother is an important part of who you are. You can talk to us about her whenever you want, okay? We're not here to replace her. We don't expect you to forget her. Never. She's as much a part of this family as you are, and we don't want you to think you can't talk about her or remember her in your way, okay?"
I nodded. Meagan was amazing. She really was.
Dad poked his head into my room.
"Hey, kiddo. You up?"
"We're just getting going," Meagan said, smiling at me.
"Do I have to wear a suit?" I asked.
"Normally I'd say wear something nice, but can you even get nice pants or jeans on over your cast?"
"Not really," I said. I'd been living in sweatpants.
"Just make sure whatever you're putting on is clean. It's not like we're going to court or anything. We're just going to the lawyer's office," Dad said.
"Okay," I said. Meagan helped me up and I hobbled my way to the bathroom, did my thing, pulled on clean sweatpants and a clean shirt, grabbed a hoodie and hobbled my way downstairs. Marvel was waiting in the kitchen.
"You want pam cakes, Jaime?" she asked.
"Daddy is taking Jaime out for breakfast today after he takes your brothers to school," Meagan said. "They have an important meeting later."
"Oh. Okay! Jaime, dwink your water!" she said, bringing me a bottle of water.
"That reminds me," Meagan said. "You're seeing the nephrologist on Friday after school. Pete or I will pick you up. We'll figure that out closer to then, though."
I nodded. I'd forgotten about the nephrologist and needing to see him, or her, because of my 'trip' into the canyon.
I leaned up against the kitchen island and drank my water so Marvel could see. She smiled.
"I be Jaime's nurse!" she said to Meagan. "Mommy, I be Jaime's nurse and I maked Jaime dwink his water."
"You're the best nurse ever, Marvel," I said, giving her a little kiss on the head. She giggled.
Bronx and Saint were eating cereal when Dad came downstairs, wearing black jeans and a button down shirt.
"You guys ready soon?" He asked.
Bronx and Saint slurped down the rest of their cereal, put their bowls in the dishwasher and grabbed their bags. I leaned on my crutches and followed them out to the car.
The boys climbed into then back and Dad helped me into the front seat.
Once we'd dropped them off at school, Dad drove to the IHOP we'd gone to the day I moved in.
"This okay?" He asked. I nodded.
We got out of the car and I crutched my way in.
Once we were seated, I started looking through the menu for something to eat.
"You okay?" Dad asked. I shrugged.
The waitress came by and turned out to be the same one from the first time I'd been here with Dad.
"You two are back!" She said. I tried to smile back at her.
"I saw you on the news last week," she said to me. "How're you doin' hon?"
I shrugged.
"I'm okay," I said.
"He speaks!" She laughed. She seemed friendly enough.
She took our orders, I'd settled on pancakes with chocolate chips and a side of bacon. When I came I took a picture. Dad looked at me funny.
"I'm gonna show Mar that I had pam cakes with choco chips," I smiled. Dad laughed.
"Your sister adores you," he said. "I don't know what she sees but from the minute you came into the house, she has just been completely taken by you."
"She's pretty cute," I said, smiling.
"I have to say, when you were still processing all this, and not the happiest, I was worried you'd hurt her feelings when she tried to connect with you," he said. I frowned.
"She's a little kid. I'm not an ass," I said.
"I know that. But I didn't know how you'd react. You were so, angry."
I shrugged. Again.
We ate our breakfasts and talked a little bit more. When we were done, Dad paid the bill and we went back out to the car. Dad had to help me into the car again and he put my crutches in the back.
I sat back waiting for the ride to the lawyer to be over. I wanted this over and done with.
Dad pulled into a modest commercial plaza not too far from our old apartment. He found a parking spot near one of the storefronts. I rolled my eyes. My mother had gone to a storefront lawyer.
Dad helped me out of the car and I hobbled my way into the reception area as Dad held the door open for me.
The receptionist looked up and, snapping her gum, picked up a phone and drawled "John, your 11 o'clock is here."
"You can go right in," she said, pointing a long red nail at the door behind her.
I looked at my Dad and he looked back at me and shrugged. We went into the office.
Mr. Taha, Mom's lawyer stood up when we walked in.
"Jaime, what happened?" He asked, observing my broken leg.
I looked at him and rolled my eyes.
"Jaime had a bit of an accident a week ago or so," Dad said. "He fell into a canyon."
"I heard about that on the news. He was missing for a couple of days, no?"
Dad nodded.
"Well, I'm glad you're alright-ish," Mr. Taha said. "Let's get to it, shall we?"
He motioned to a couple of seats in front of his desk. Dad and I sat down.