Page 68 of Brain Damage

I can’t help but notice that she doesn’t look anything like I do. Or at least, the way I did before. If this is Jamie’s type then I am definitely not Jamie’s type.

“Jamie,” she says quietly. “We need to talk. I keep calling you, but you won’t pick up.”

“There’s nothing to say,” he practically spits at her. “So why don’t you get out of here. Before I call the security guard.”

“Please don’t be so dramatic.” Karen blinks her black-lined eyelids. “Look, if you don’t want to talk to me, then you’re going to have to talk to my lawyer. But I prefer not to do things that way.”

Jamie grits his teeth. “You’re wasting your time, Karen. You’re never going to get custody of Sam. Never.”

“Who’s supposed to take care of him?” She raises her eyebrows. “You?”

“I’ve been doing a pretty good job of that for the last five years,” he retorts.

Karen folds her arms over her chest. She’s so thin that she has zero in the way of bust. At least I’ve got that over her. “Your nurse told me you can’t even get dressed by yourself.”

Jamie’s mouth drops open and his face turns pink. “That’s not true. And anyway, she had no right to talk to you.”

I’m pretty sure it is true. I watch Jamie eat every day, and even though he’s a lot steadier, I’m willing to bet he still needs help getting dressed.

“Your parents aren’t so young,” Karen points out. “When you go home, do you expect that they’re going to take care of both you and Sam? You need my help, Jamie. And I want to see my son again.”

“I absolutely don’t need your help,” Jamie says. “I’m fine. I’ll be completely fine.”

“You’re fine?” Karen snorts. “Prove it to me then. Get up and walk down the hall for me. If you do that, I’ll go away and never bother you again.”

Jamie’s face turns an even darker shade of red. He can’t do it. Not if she gave him half the day. Maybe with a walker he could manage. But without it, he’d fall on his face for sure. I know it, he knows it, and apparently, Karen knows it too.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jamie says through his teeth. “I’m not turning my son over to a drug addict.”

Karen glances at me. I guess it occurs to her that I might not be completely brain-dead and that I’ve heard their entire conversation. She lowers her voice a notch. “I’m clean now, Jamie,” she says softly. “I swear to you, I’m completely sober now. I would never do anything to endanger Sam.”

Jamie just shakes his head at her. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’d like us to be friends, Jamie,” she says in a calm voice. I notice for the first time that her eyes are bright green, contrasting sharply with her ebony hair and dark make-up. “I want to work out a way for both of us to be a part of Sam’s life without bringing lawyers into it and making everyone unhappy.” She leans forward and looks him in the eyes. “But either way, I assure you, I’m going to see my son again regularly. Whether you like it or not.”

Karen is very lucky that Jamie can’t walk. Because if he could, I’m pretty sure he would’ve gotten out of his chair and wrapped his fingers around her neck.

48

The next day in our walking group, I can tell that Jamie is still mad about what happened yesterday with that woman Karen. He’s really quiet, first of all. He hardly talks to Angela or me much, which is unusual for him. He just sits in silence, watching everyone else walk.

When it’s finally his turn, he says to Natalie, “I want to walk without the walker today. Let’s try it with just a cane.”

Natalie looks like she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. I saw Jamie walk yesterday, and I don’t think it’s a good idea either. “I’m not sure if you’re ready for that,” Natalie says.

Jamie looks up to meet her eyes. “I’m ready.”

Natalie obligingly fetches a cane for him. It’s pretty supportive for a cane. It has four prongs at the base instead of just one. He’s able to stand on his own without a problem, but the second he starts walking, you can see how bad his balance is. But it’s a lot better than it used to be. Natalie has to hang onto him and catch him a few times, but he manages to make it across the room and back without coming close to falling.

When Jamie collapses back into his wheelchair, he looks pleased with himself for the first time that day.

Angela squints at him. “What’s your hurry?”

“I need to be able to walk again,” Jamie says. “Like, ASAP.”

She raises her eyebrows. “And why is that?”

“Because if I don’t get out of here soon,” he says, “my son’s mother is going to try to sue me to get joint custody. She came by yesterday evening when Charly and I were having dinner in the hallway and started threatening me.”