"Now that you are going home, you won't have people to look after you all the time. It is very important that if you need something, you call someone immediately so that they can help you. We're sending you with hydrocodone that Mrs. Winters knows how to administer. If you start feeling a ton of pain in your abdomen, I need you to come back in so we can check on your liver."

My doctor was informing me about what needed to happen when I was at home. "You will have a lot of medicine to take, mostly antibiotics and painkillers. You'll come for a check-up within the next week. Good luck, Eden, it's been a pleasure helping you get better."

I nodded and thanked the man, practically shaking in my wheelchair. I grabbed Noah's hand and squeezed hard. He had stayed home from school to help me settle in at home and we were both extremely excited. Ever since he walked in, he had been almost jumping around the room.

As Momma signed me out at the front desk, Noah wheeled me out to the black SUV. He lifted me gently, like I weighed nothing, and sat me down in the back seat that was already covered with a blanket for extra cushion. He even went so far as to buckle me into the car. "I'm not a baby, Noah," I admonished him.

He frowned at me. "I was only trying to keep you safe, Edith. What would I do if you forgot to buckle yourself in and you went through the window? That would be awful!"

I giggled at his horrified face. He shut the door to the car and moved to the back where he folded the wheelchair and placed it in the trunk. By then, Momma had come out and started the SUV and we left the parking lot.

When we arrived at my beautiful home, most of the Winters were standing outside waiting. Zeke and Jenna had left already but came by for a hug goodbye. Tears came to my eyes when I saw the huge sign that read in the front yard.

Each of my stand-in brothers held a bouquet of flowers and I full out cried when Noah pulled out his own bouquet of daisies from the trunk.

They helped me out of the car, Joseph grabbing the wheelchair and Isaiah helping him undo all the latches. Noah undid my seatbelt and after maneuvering me to the car door, picked me up in his arms like we were newly married. Joseph and Isaiah rolled their eyes when they realized his intentions. He didn't want to put me in the chair and I had absolutely no objections because it was painful to sit and I could feel his muscles rippling and found that incredibly hot. "Besides," Noah reasoned."It's going to be difficult to get her to her room in a wheelchair."

My room was the same as I had left it aside from a few new pieces. It had one of those tables I had grown accustomed to in the hospital that could go over the bed and could be used for work or meals.

One bedside table was filled with an assortment of medication that I would need to take every day. The other was covered with a laptop, books, and a remote to the tv nestled in a mahogany cabinet. My dresser had all kinds of leggings, oversized t-shirts, and sweatshirts hanging out of. It appeared that was the only thing I'd be wearing for my healing process because I was already wearing that.

Noah carefully placed me in the unturned bed and situated the pillows to have me sit upright. He placed the Overbed desk in position and fussed over my blankets. I pushed him away, saying, "I've got it, Noah, I'm not completely useless."

He looked like a kicked puppy and I felt awful. "I know you aren't useless, Edith. I just really like to help you," he quavered.

I grabbed his hand and squeezed. "I'm sorry, Noah, I know you do. I just don't like feeling so helpless."

He nodded. "I just can't help feeling protective. What movie would you like to watch for our marathon?" I put my pointer finger to my chin as if I hadn't been thinking about it all day. When I told him Harry Potter, he smiled and put it in the DVD player.

"I can finally do this!" He climbed into my bed and gently pulled me close to him so I fit in the crook of his arm. He kissed my good cheek, very close to my lips, I noticed, and we had a Harry Potter marathon complete with dinner in bed.

Momma was to give me a dose of hydrocodone every six hours for a week before dialing the dosage back to every twelve. She also had to redress my wounds and apply medication. The doctors had taken away my morphine because they could not monitor me and feared I would take too much.

It was taking me quite a bit to get used to my new medication and I got sick quite a bit. Noah was beside himself when this happened, but would rub my back, hoping to make it better.

Of course, Noah had school most days and couldn't be home until right around six o'clock. Momma took care of me while he was gone and I was treated like a princess. She completely spoiled me and I felt bad that she did every single thing for me. After a few days, I decided I needed the bathroom and I didn't need any more help. I tried to get out of bed by myself. I was tired of having to constantly call for Momma when I needed to empty my bladder.

The immediate pain I felt in my hip and my abdomen took the breath out of me, but I continued going, trying to get to my wheelchair nestled in the corner. Halfway there, I fell over, causing me to screech in pain before getting back up and shuffling to the chair. My ribs and hip ached from my fall, but I smiled, happy I could make it across the room without assistance.

Momma came rushing in, a dish towel nestled in her hands, out of breath. She looked to the bed first, expecting me to be there and panicked before seeing me in my wheelchair. "Eden," she admonished. "You heard the doctor! You are not to walk! What if you had pulled your stitches? What would we have done?"

"But, Momma, I didn't," I cried. "And I was tired of being babied! I want to pee by myself!"

Momma froze and she instantly started bawling. I felt guilty. I didn't know why she was crying, but it was obviously my fault.

"Did you just call me Momma?" Her eyes shined with hope. I nodded, embarrassed that she might not like me calling her that. After all, I wasn't really her daughter.

Her face lit up like a Christmas Tree. She rushed to me and pulled me into her arms. "Oh, baby! You don't know how long I've wanted to hear you call me that! I love you so much! Oh my goodness, you called me momma! I'm your new mom!" She rocked me and I'd have yelled out in pain if I wanted to ruin the moment.

❃❃❃

I grunted, extremely frustrated. I had been trying to put my hair in a ponytail for thirty minutes. Every time I gathered my thick hair in my hands, I either dropped the ponytail holder or couldn't get it off of my injured wrist. My stupid cast inhibited me from using my hand and I was tired of my unruly hair. I knew that Momma would help if I called her, but I couldn't stand having to ask Momma or Noah to brush my hair. It was too long.

"Momma!" I called, my scratchy voice only raising a few octaves.

She came rushing into my room. They always rushed to me when I called them as if I was the only thing that mattered. "What is it, honey."

I looked at her sheepishly. "I need a haircut. My hair is too long and I can't even put it in a ponytail. Can we schedule a hair appointment?"

Momma grinned at me. "Let's go now. I don't have that much work to do around here and my favorite salon welcomes walk-ins."

She helped me get ready and wheeled me out to the car. We considered possible haircuts as she drove to her favorite hairdresser.

When I told the lady how short I wanted my hair, I worried she wouldn't do it. "Are you sure? Your hair's so long and pretty."

I'd never had a proper haircut before. I knew that I desperately needed one. "It's only under my shoulders," I told her. "Hair grows back"

So she washed and cut my hair, leaving my head feeling fifteen pounds lighter. I loved it. It curled just the right way. However, I was worried Noah wouldn't like it. He'd always loved my long hair, brushing it with his fingers and playing with it. He talked about how awesome it was all the time, telling me to never cut it.

But I think he adored my shorter hair even more. "It looks amazing, Edith! Holy cow, you're so beautiful. Look at how it frames your face!" He spent the rest of the day flipping my hair with his hands and brushing his fingers through it.

❃❃❃

I did school work on my laptop most days and I loved it way more than I thought I would. It was so much more enjoyable when I could work at my own pace. I spent most of my day without Noah doing homework and before I knew it, half of my year was already completed before regular school even finished a quarter. I'd be able to go back to school the next year without any problem.

Jolie came over quite often. At first, she cried when she saw me, apologizing profusely for me being kidnapped. I couldn't possibly blame her for what happened to me. It was inevitable and I would have eventually been kidnapped regardless. The big man was caught shortly after the twins and he told the police that he had been watching me for days, waiting for the right time. It wasn't Jolie's fault that the twins wanted me dead.

We spent most of our time together catching up. Jolie made me laugh even more than Noah did and I had missed her so much. She said she loved being able to actually have a conversation with me and I agreed. I was finally able to tell jokes and gossip with her.

When Noah was home, I'd put everything away and only focus on him. He'd do the same after completing his homework. We'd been complimenting each other every chance we had. We cuddled and spoke as if we were more than friends, but I couldn't seem to just tell him I loved him or even liked him more than a best friend should. He was the person I looked forward to every day and he never disappointed. He came home with a special story from his day and we'd hole up in my bedroom, huddled together in my bed, and we'd talk and laugh for hours.

Momma never seemed to care when she found us cuddling. She just made sure to tell us not to have unprotected sex, which usually made both of us jump apart with deep red faces. Sometimes I'd catch her winking at Noah before leaving the room with a giggle as if she knew it made him uncomfortable.