A Penny Saved is a Love Earned Pt. 01

"I've been better," I grinned, glad to see them, "That's for damn sure...Hey Tommy."

"Hi, Bryan," Tommy smiled, carefully shaking my right hand, "Man, I'm glad you're gonna be alright. I was real worried when I heard about the accident."

"Thanks, buddy," I gratefully replied, "Its good to see you guys here."

"What're you talking about, boss?" Mark laughed, "It's good to see you period."

"Megs, I need a favor, sweetie," I told her, "I need to talk about some business with my guys, and while I don't mean to be rude....."

"I understand, sweetie," she interrupted me, smiling, "We'll go back to your house for a while and lay in the sun by the pool."

"I appreciate it," I replied. And as they stood to leave, I noticed that my niece was blatantly drooling over Tommy. "Close your mouth, Sam," I teased, "You're gonna draw flies."

She said nothing more than to give me a "Go to Hell" look right before they left.

~~~~~~

After showing my drawing to Mark and Tommy, Mark went into the bathroom and took some measurements. Once that was complete, Tommy got on the phone and called a mutual friend of ours, a guy named Earl Shannon, who was a pipe welder. And after a four or five hour period, Earl had given life to my drawing and brought to the hospital for my approval.

What it basically was, was a light weight collapsible chair, that was made of sturdy stainless steel pipe, which, after I was hoisted into, allowed me to roll myself, through the use of a small electric motor, into the bathroom to use the toilet as opposed to the damn bed-pan.

It worked well, too, because as soon as Earl brought it into my room, and with the assistance of Tommy and Mark, I wheeled myself into the bathroom and took a long overdue dump. It had a right; left, forward and reverse toggled steering controller, with a slide throttle, and, it even elevated my body up and down, as well as my broken leg so as not to get anything on the cast. I reminded myself to give Mark and Tommy a raise, as well as a nice bonus for Earl.

~~~~~~

My niece Sam had just graduated high school the previous January, she's a damned smart kid, and because it was now the middle of May; the weather was absolutely beautiful. Megan and I had agreed before she even started her senior year; that Sam would live here with me while she was in college.

Sam had been accepted to Vanderbilt University here in Nashville, where she wanted to major in Genetics, with a strong minor in Forensics. DNA testing had just begun, and Sam wanted to work for the FBI as a Forensic Scientist. You see, a couple of years ago, a friend of hers was date-raped; and the guy who did it got away with it, because the prosecution lacked the forensic evidence it took to prove his guilt, the little bastard.

While I live and operate my business out of Nashville, Tennessee, Megan's home base of operations for her business is in Dallas, Texas. That makes prefect since to me, Neiman-Marcus is in Dallas and my sister had always been a clothes-horse anyway so, why not live there. My female readers will know exactly what I'm talking about, won't you, ladies? Megan says that Neiman-Marcus is the Macy's of the south. Anyway, back to the story...

Megan and Sam arrived back at the hospital around five o'clock that afternoon, just in time to find Doctor Brennan walking through the door at the same time as she and Sam.

"Hi, Megan," Doctor Brennan smiled, "Hello Sam."

"Hi, Doctor Brennan," Sam grinned.

Hi, Doctor," Megan smiled, "Has my brother been a good boy?"

"I haven't heard any bad reports from the nurses," she giggled, "But the day isn't over yet."

The cacophony of female laughter that was emanating from my doorway made me turn my head to see the three prettiest women I've ever seen walk into my room.

"Oh, hey, Doc," I grinned, inwardly happy to see her, yet still not wanting to admit to it, "What's going on?"

After looking over at the collapsible chair on the right side of my bed, Doctor Brennan walked around my bed to get a better look at it, and then curiously asked, "What in the world is that thing?"

"That, Doctor Brennan...is my salvation from the bed-pan," I victoriously gloated.

"Really?" she asked, "How does it work?"

After Mark and Tommy had previously helped me devise a way to get myself out of bed and into the chair, I proceeded to show her how it worked with a small demonstration, being especially excited about the interchangeable bottom seat cushion so that it could also be used as a motorized wheel chair. And when I was done, she looked at me, and in utter amazement, smiled and said, "That thing really works, wow, maybe you should get a patent on it. I know it would be very useful for many of my patients, Bryan."

"Wow," I grinned, helping myself back into bed, "Do you really think this thing will sell?"

"I don't just think it will," she grinned, "I know it will."

"See? I told you, Doctor," Megan knowingly giggled, "My little brother is brilliant."

"Yes," Doctor Brennan radiantly smiled, while looking into my eyes, "He certainly is, isn't he?"

~~~~~~

After the Doctor had left the room and Sam had gone down to the cafeteria to get a snack, my sister looked at me and asked, "Hey, Bryan, can I talk to you about something without pissing you off?"

"I don't know, Megan," I teased, "It depends on what it is."

"Dammit, Bryan," she said, "I'm trying to be serious here."

"Okay, Megs," I smiled, "What's on your mind, sweetie?"

My sister suddenly had big tears rolling down her cheeks as she rose from her chair to sit next to me on the bed. And then while taking my hand into both of hers, she sadly replied, "I'm so worried about you, Bryan."

"Hey, hey," I said, trying to calm her down, "I'm alright, sis. I'm just a little banged up right now, but I'll be alright, sweetie."

"I'm not worried about that," she sniffed, "I worry about you being all by yourself with no one to love you."

I pulled my sweet sister into my arms, and hugging her as best I could considering the shape I was in, I quietly told her, "I'm alright, Megs, really, I am."

"Don't lie to me," Megan cried, "We know each other better than anyone because we were so close growing up so; don't think for second that I can't see the pain and loneliness in your eyes. You work all over the country to try and hide from it, but you can't Bryan."

Because the only two people in the room were me and my sister, and also because I was in the hospital, still sore from the accident, I finally let my guard down after so many years of keeping it up, and began to cry my eyes out, knowing Megan had been right. I cried because of what Vicky had done, and because I'd placed myself into an emotional exile as a result of it, but most of all, I cried because I felt like I lost my heart and didn't know how to get it back. But Megan simply sat next to me and held me while I cried, her arms wrapped around me like she used to when I was afraid as a child

"I'm sorry, Megs," I said, once I'd regained my composure, "I haven't done that since I was a kid."

"And that's okay, too," she soothed, "Sometimes it does a lot of good to let your emotions out every once in a while."

"I guess so," I smiled, wiping my face with the back of my hand, "Thanks, sweetie."

"Anytime, baby brother," she replied, hugging me again, "Any time..."

~~~~~~

"So, tell me, Uncle Bryan," Sam smiled, once she was back in my room, "Who was that guy that was here earlier?"

"Do you remember meeting Jessie Clark, yesterday?" I asked, as she nodded, "Well, he's her younger brother and his name is Tommy. Why? Do you want to meet him?"

"She broke up with her boyfriend a couple of months ago for cheating on her," Megan informed me, "And now she's ready to meet someone new I think."

"Aw, Sam," I said, "I'm really sorry about that."

"I don't care anymore," Sam strongly said, "Besides, one girl will never be enough for him because he's such a pussy hound."

"SAMANTHA!" Megan screeched.

"Well, he was, Mom," Sam non-chalantly replied, "Why do you think we broke up? He got mad because I wouldn't give him any so; he cheated on me with that slut Lisa Williams. After that, I was done with his no good ass."

"Good Lord, Sam," Megan pleaded with her, "Please, try to watch your language, young lady."

Oh, come on, Mom," Sam giggled, "I've heard you say things that are a lot worse than that, and you know it."

By this time I was laughing so hard that it was literally killing my ribs, but I simply couldn't help it. And in the midst of it all, Megan shot me a playful glare and said, "Do you see what have to deal with?"

"I think it's great," I smiled, winking at Sam and patting the bed beside me, "Come over here and sit next to your Uncle Bryan, baby girl. I'll protect you, sweetie"

Sam squealed like a banshee as she shot across the room and planted herself on the bed next to me, and after kissing me on the cheek, said, "I love you, Uncle Bryan."

"I love you, too, sweetie," I grinned, while making funny faces at my sister.

"Laugh it up, asshole," Megan smirked, "She's gonna be your problem when the fall semester starts at Vanderbilt."

~~~~~~

When it was Megan's turn to go to the cafeteria, Sam looked at me and wistfully asked, "So, are you gonna introduce me to Tommy, Uncle Bryan?"

"Do you really want to meet him, baby-girl?"

"Oh, yes," she purred, "I think he's so cute."

I'd known Tommy ever since he began working for me the moment he turned sixteen; and because I knew that he was a good kid that came from a great family, who were also like family to me; I looked at Sam and replied, "I'll tell ya what, kiddo, I'll see what I can do, how's that?"

"Thank you, Uncle Bryan," she smiled hugging me, "Thank you so much."

Let me take a moment to describe my niece. Samantha looks almost just like her mother with the exception of that bubble butt of hers. I remember my sister telling me of how many boys began to come around her house about the time Sam turned fifteen. She said that ever since then, there was always some boy calling the house wanting to speak with her daughter. "I think I know how Dad must've felt now," Megan once said, "But then again, it drove my ex crazy so; that's why I allowed it."

~~~~~~

I slept rather peacefully after Megs and Sam left, especially after the nurse gave me another shot to help knock me out....lol.

~~~~~~

"Good Morning, Bryan," Doctor Brennan replied, walking into my room only moments after I'd finished having breakfast (Again from the Waffle House™...lol), "Today is the day we get you up and on your feet. Are you ready?"

"I suppose so," I smiled, again glad to see her, and still not knowing why, "Can I ride in my own chair out of here?"

"I don't see why not," she giggled, "We'll leave as soon as you're ready."

~~~~~~

As soon as we were in the hall, I saw several different Doctors, Nurses, and Technicians, all giving my chair some interesting glances.

"I'm really proud of the work you've done on that chair, Bryan," Doctor Brennan beamed, "You don't mind if I show it to a couple of my colleagues, do you?"

"No," I grinned, feeling a little excited, "I don't mind at all."

"Thanks, Bryan," she replied, her palm on my face once we were in the elevator and the doors were closed, "You won't regret this, I promise."

~~~~~~

We went up two floors and then took a right turn out of the elevator. After going down the hall to last door on the left, Doctor Brennan introduced me to another pretty, older lady, who I found out was also a Doctor, as well as the head of the Orthopedic Surgery Department.

"Bryan Rogers," Dr. Brennan smiled, "This is Doctor Pam Ingles. She's my boss and I told her about your chair and she wanted to see it."

"It's nice to meet you Mister..."

"Please, Doctor Ingles," I politely interrupted her, "Call me Bryan."

"Alright," she pleasantly smiled, "It's nice to meet you, Bryan. I've heard about this chair of yours and I appreciate your letting Doctor Brennan bring you here and allowing us see it."

"You're welcome," I proudly smiled, "And it's nice to meet you, too, ma'am."

"So Bryan," Dr. Ingles, asked, "Would you show me how your chair works."

"I'd be pleased to," I replied smiling.

As I gave her a demonstration, I explained the workings, and the materials used in its construction. She was especially amazed at the fact that the chair had an adjustable height controller attached to a small electric motor on the side. I explained to her that my company had an electrical department that was full of geniuses who'd designed the motor capabilities and operations unit in the back.

When I was finished, Dr. Ingles looked at smiling and asked, "Doctor Brennan told that you guys built this thing so that you wouldn't have to use a bed-pan, is that correct?"

"That's right," I proudly replied, again gloating.

"I guess Plato was right," Dr. Ingles giggled, "Necessity truly is the mother of invention."

"You know what they say," I grinned, "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

"I must say," Dr. Ingles commented, "This is really an amazing piece of equipment you've invented here."

"Thank you, Doctor Ingles," I smiled, "I've got some really amazing guys in my company that helped me with this so, it's not all mine."

"Your sister said that you designed it, though," Dr. Brennan commented.

"Yeah, well, my sister talks too much sometimes," I grinned.

~~~~~~

Once we'd finished talking with Dr. Ingles and were in the cast room, Dr. Brennan placed a warm wet cloth over mt face to protect my eyes from any dust, and then proceeded to take a cutting saw and trim the cast on my leg down to just below my knee. The same thing occurred with my arm as well. She trimmed the cast until it was just below my left elbow.

When that was done, Dr. Brennan then tookk the cloth off of my face, and then with the help of an orthopedic technician, added a walking brace onto my leg. After their work was finished, and once the technician had gone on to other things, she wheeled me into the Doctor's lounge on that floor and sat down to talk with me while the cast was drying.

~~~~~~

"So Bryan," Dr. Brennan smiled, "If you don't mind my asking, I'm curious to know how a guy who's as young as you are, owns his own construction company?"

"Young," I asked smiling, "Jeez, Doc, how old do you think I am?"

"Well, according to your chart," she smiled, "You're just barely thirty-five."

"I could ask the same thing about you, Doc."

After a questioning look, she smiled and said, "I don't think I understand what you mean."

"You can't be any older than twenty-six, or twenty-seven at the very most," I told her, "Damn, Doc, you must've gone through medical school at a young age."

Once again, the soothing yet wonderful sound of her laughter filled the room. And once she'd regained her composure, she gently took my hand and softly replied, "Just so you know, I'm a year younger than you, but thank you for the compliment just the same, Bryan."

"You're welcome, Doctor," I smiled, blushing profusely.

~~~~~~

The time came that my cast had dried, and once we were out of the Doctor's lounge; Doctor Brennan led me, via the elevator, to the floor where the physical Therapy room was.

"Alright, Bryan," she said, "I'm not going to lie to you, this is going to hurt at first. But it will only be that way for a short while, I promise."

I was feeling very apprehensive about it at first, but after I took my first step, my apprehension turned to fear as I felt the pain shooting from my leg into my brain. Still though, for some reason I wanted to make Dr. Brennan proud of me, I don't know why, and I ended up walking across the room and back. I can't begin to explain how badly it hurt, but suffice it to say that if I had to do it all over again; I would've told them all to kiss my ass.

"You did very well, Bryan," Dr. Brennan replied, once I was seated back in my wheel-chair, sweat dripping down my face by the bucketfuls, "I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, Doc," I grimaced, "I hope I won't have to do that again today."

"No, you won't," she smiled, "But remember what I said about getting out of here quicker."

"I haven't forgotten," I groaned, still smiling though, "Trust me, Doc."

"Okay then," she sweetly smiled, "Let's get you back to your room, and then I'll give you something for the pain that I know you've got to be feeling right now."

~~~~~~

"So, how did he do, Doctor?" my sister asked, when I got back to my room.

"He did extremely well," Dr. Brennan replied smiling, "You should be proud of him, I know that I certainly am."

After Dr. Brennan had explained to her what I'd done in the physical therapy room, my sister looked at me, and tenderly smiling, she leaned down and kissed me on the cheek then said, "Way to go, Bry. At the rate you're going, you'll be outta here in no time."

"I sure hope so, Sis," I smiled, "I sure hope so."

Shortly thereafter, a nurse came in and gave me another shot for the pain; and before I knew it, I was drifting comfortably off to sleep.

~~~~~~

"Your brother is the most amazing guy I've ever met," Dr. Brennan told Megan; as she, Megan and Sam sat down together in the cafeteria, as she had extended an invitation to them to eat lunch with her, "Tell me about him...please."

"Why do you want to know, Doctor?" Megan pointedly asked, "I love my brother very much and I don't want to see him hurt."

"First of all, please call me Penelope," she smiled, "And I wanted to know about him because, like I've already said, I think he's the most amazing man I've ever met, not to mention the fact that I think he's very handsome."

"My Uncle Bryan has always been amazing, ever since I was little," Sam girlishly grinned, "And he's so sweet, Penelope, he really is."

"I can tell that he certainly loves the two of you, very much," Dr. Brennan smiled.

"He got married right out of college," Megan sadly began, "Her name was Victoria Harrison, and she never loved my brother to begin with. I was told that she once said that the only reason she married him was because he looked good. She ended up leaving him for an older man with more money, after only two years, that little bitch. Ever since then he's been a mere shell of a man. Oh, he puts up a good front, mind you. But I can feel the sadness within him," by now tears were falling from her eyes as she continued, "And it's killing me. I'm fairly sure that you're attracted to my brother, aren't you, Penelope."

"Yes," Dr. Brennan replied, "But he's my patient, and if I were to...."

"I understand about ethics, Doctor," Megan conspiratorially grinned, "But after he gets out....."

~~~~~~

I had been in the hospital for going on eleven days now. The soreness was beginning to disappear and I no longer needed my chair to get around. I was walking everywhere, all over the hospital, with either my sister, my niece, or sometimes both, coming with me to keep me company.

"Good morning, Bryan," Dr. Brennan smiled, as she walked into my room that morning, "How're you feeling today?"

"Hi, Doc," I grinned, "I'm feeling great, and more than ready to go home."

Sitting down in the chair next to my bed, she opened my chart, and smiling, said, "Well in that case, I've got some good news and some great news. Which would you like to hear first?

"Are you kidding?" I grinned, "I want to hear the news that says I'm going home, first."

"You know that I'm releasing you today, silly," she giggled, "But I wanted to tell you that the Board of Directors here at the hospital, as well as my department are both very interested in your chair. And I was wondering if you wouldn't mind giving one more demonstration before you leave?"

"Sure, Doc," I smiled, "I don't mind at all."

~~~~~~