Chapter 16 – Christmas time
Dad had told me as he was hauling the Christmas decorations down from the attic that I was “lucky” I did not have to climb up there and haul them down. I am not too sure I would look at it that way, as I would much rather be able to walk again.
Even though I could not get the wondrous task of hauling boxes down, I got the fun task of untangling lights. “that’s it ! you have got to put these damn things back properly, Jesus Christ old man. These look like you coiled them in a cement mixer” I yelled up into the attic opening.
He peeked out the opening, “hey butthole, I seem to recall YOU took them down last Christmas, smartass!”
“oh” Was all I could say, jeeze what else could I say, I mean I was speechless. The way dad said it, made me actually feel good; so many people had been sugar coating stuff and not treating me like they would have before my accident.
Things also got a bit easier for me too, I was learning how to do shopping, was getting a bit more flexible and able to help with my personal care too.
The tree was put up and soon presents began to fill under the tree; I knew mom and grandma were up to something, I just knew it! They both had that look, they would look me up and down like they were sizing me up. By this time grandmas was staying at our house a few days out of the week to give mom a break.
It is family tradition for us all to go to church on Christmas Eve and then we all went back to whoever’s house that Christmas was being held at. This year it was our house, again, mainly because of me. We all went out to Bob Evan’s before church.
Dad had been gone all day, and I did not see him before we went to church, but he was at church when we left, he had came with Aunt Sharon. Wonder what those two were doing?
Church was as boring as ever, but at least I don’t have to sit in the hard pews, I got my cushy wheelchair.
Jake was not at church, because he was at his dad’s house. Aunt Sharon said that his dad would drop him off later.
When we got home, I was tired, I thought that I would stay up and wait for Jake to come; but it had been a long day. Mom had ran me all around town doing shopping and stuff. She made me get a haircut too. I fell asleep in no time in my chair. Shortly before Jake arrived at 10:00, Mom sat me back up and wheeled me off to my bedroom and got me dressed for bed. I don’t even think I woke up when she changed my diaper and put me in a footed sleeper.
I woke up to another body being put in my bed, mom was helping Jake into bed, he was obviously diapered and in a onsie too. I just drifted back off to sleep.
“good morning babies” I heard mom say as she softly caressed my face and took my mask off and put me in the overhead lift and moved me to the changing table. Jake woke up halfway through my change
“Aunt Karen, I think I am messy, can you change me too” Jake said around the pacifier in his mouth
“sure sweetie, lemme get Jay changed and dressed”. Mom got me into a plain blue onsie and a pair of knit overalls. I looked like a toddler. “OK, Jake, hop up”
Jake crawled out of the crib, diaper crinkling and smelling a little bit, and then crawled up on the changing table.
“hey jake, I see you still enjoying the diapers.” I said
“yep, mom gave me them for Christmas. Just got them a little early”
“OK boys, why don’t you two go to the kitchen and get some cereal, then you can help us cook.” Mom said
Christmas morning rolled around and much to my surprise we got a little snow, but not enough to keep me inside when I wanted to go out.
I got a lot of things for Christmas. I got a laptop computer so I can start taking classes again. I am probably just going to take them through the mail, or at the community college. I got more cloth diapers, some more toddler clothes. Jake got some too, but he got a much bigger surprise in a small package.
“here Jake, this one is for you” Aunt Sharon said as she handed him a envelope
Jake opened up the envelope and removed several Polaroid pictures; he looked intrigued by them and then his jaw dropped. He passed them to me and I was surprised. They were of the house across the street, I know cause I had been in that house before. The final few pictures showed a room with a big crib like mine, changing table, and stacks of diapers. The room was painted baby blue, with baby print border trim on the walls, with the name JAKE in baby block lettering.
“The first ones look like the inside of the house across the street, I was in that house once or twice over the years.” I said, “but I don’t think I had ever seen pics of that bedroom”
Aunt Sharon spoke first “Jake, how would you like to live closer to Jay, and have your own baby room?”
Jake started to cry “mommy I love you so much. But how, when?”
“I know jake, and I love you too, that is why I did this for you. I have been wanting to move closer to for a while, to help Aunt Karen and Uncle James and Jayson. It was just in this last month that it became reality. Aunt Karen and Uncle James helped us get the house, and they have been slipping over when they can to help get the house ready. The movers will be arriving Monday at our old house to help pack the big things like beds, refrigerator, stove, TV’s, clothes, dressers. And the rest of the stuff we can move ourselves.”
“This is going to be so cool!” Jake said his eyes lit up
“yeah man, it will be” I said
Jake’s face turned to worry, aunt Sharon knew what he was thinking about. “Now honey, I know you are worried about what other people will think, so I am going to setup your ‘normal’ bedroom like you have at home now, in one of the spare rooms. Until you decide you no longer want or need it.”
“oh, mom, thank you so much, this is the best Christmas ever” Jake said as his face turned a little red
Mom crinkled her nose “ok, somebody needs changed”
“I got them Karen, I got a feeling I need some practice” Aunt Sharon said as she got up “I’ll be right back, come on boys”
“Why me” I said
“You probably need one too.” She was right
You may have noticed that Aunt Rose and my other cousin Troy and his dad were not at Christmas, well they decided to not come. Seems that they did not agree with the whole diapers and regression and baby stuff. This caused a rift between the family for many years.
Mom, Aunt Sharon and Grandma were all fine and ok with me and Jake being in diapers and the baby related stuff; however aunt Rose thought of it as bordering on abuse. She is crazy anyways, which is why Troy was always in trouble.
Years later he would end up in prison for starting a fire that burnt down a business. After that, his mom and dad split up and moved away. Mom still talks to Aunt Rose, but not often.
A few days after Christmas, my friend Matt that I e-mailed after thanksgiving finally called and came over, since he was off on winter break from college. We hung out, but I think my condition was too awkward for him. We didn’t talk much more for a few months, just mainly e-mails; but then again he was in law school.
Jake and Sharon were pretty much regulars at our house , as we were at their house too. Most people just thought Jake and I were brothers, since we hung out together so much.