L. Ann Marie by Tailley (MC 6) Page B

the last one coming up missing."  Driscoll says.
    "Geek’s watchin the feeds now."  VP tells him.
    Driscoll nods.  "Was an Associate that noticed."
    "That's good.  We have more than one report.  Make sure you're listening to everyone, even if you think we have it, bring it to us.  This is when we'll miss the important shit."  Pres says.  We all nod.  "Anything else?"  No one has anything.
    I'm anxious to get home but I don't think I can drive.  I look at Tiny.  He throws me chin, thank fuck I don't have to say it.
    Danny stops me at the door.  "Bob, when does your doctor release you?"
    I turn, "Six weeks."
    "Don't push it, Brother but we need your help.  If you do two hours here that will work for the message we want sent."  Pres says.
    "I was going to ask if you could put some time in with Cloud.  Little Ben asked for more training at the range.  Everyone is flat out."  Danny watches for my reaction.
    "I can do an hour at a time."  Fuck everyone is waiting for me to get out of the doorway.  I move back in.  "I'm not sure about driving the kids though."  I don't want to admit it but I just started using the new pedal today.
    "I get that, took me a while to have kids as passengers too.  I can have them brought up, I think it's just five of them.  I'll let Cloud know.  He's at Baxter's helping run leads down, he'll be off our schedule for a few more days."
    I nod.  "If you get me a time a couple of times a week, I'll work the meds around it."
    "I will, Brother.  I'll see you tonight."  He slaps my shoulder and walks out pulling his phone.
    I make it out the front door and to the stairs.  It dawns on me that going down is way different than up.  I'm fuckin shaky on the crutches because of the meds.  If I swing out too much, I’m going down face first.  Tiny moves in front of me and Doc moves to my side.  "Going down is worse than up." Doc says with a hand on my arm.
    "I was just thinking that."  I get two steps in, it fuckin pulls on my back and I stop.
    They stop too.  "Still got the back pain?"
    "Yeah, Doc."  I'm glad he notices that shit because I wouldn't tell him.  I get down the last four and steady myself.  Fuck.
    "PT starts tomorrow morning, she'll be over at eight and do forty five minutes.  Let her know about your back so she can plan around it."
    "I will.  Thanks, Doc."  I make it to the truck and hand Tiny the keys.
    He pulls into the road and I have to ask.  "How did you know?"
    He smiles watching the road.  "When I first made it into the Brotherhood, my mentor lost his leg in an accident.  Told me all the shit that was hard for him.  Use to make me walk in front of him whenever he went down stairs.  He was a good Brother until then.  He started drinking and killed himself with the bottle.  He wasn't like you and Danny.  He fuckin whined all fuckin day.  By the time I was moved into High Security I hated the fuckin guy."
    "Fuck.  Thanks for the help.  I didn't realize there would be a difference going down."
    "Danny took care of the other things you probably wouldn't realize too.  There's a bench in your closet.  Bars in the bathroom.  Chair rail in the bathroom and closet for you to hold, it sticks out more and is in solid.  Little things that will make it easier and keep you from having to rely on the crutches or cane before you get your leg on."
    I laugh.  "I noticed it all this morning, mostly because I used it.  That and the bar on the shower ceiling."
    "He's fuckin smart.  He walked through picturing one leg and getting from one place to another.  Even got in the tub and tried to get out with one leg.  That's why there's a shelf behind it.  He put the chair rail and bars at the same height he would need.  When you're ready, Baxter's will have you a robotic.  He put a plug on the side of the bench for the holder.  Fuckin guy thinks of everything."  He pulls up to the gate smiling.
    "Fuck, I don't know shit about what I need or how this will