A story of not only sisterly love but the love, compassion, and empathy between friends.
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My older brother, Michael Jefferson, and Tim Northernton were best friends. My name is Amanda Jefferson, and for the longest time, Tim had considered me as simply Michael's annoying "kid sister."
Tim and my brother Michael had been friends since kindergarten and, over the years, had become as close as brothers, and because I was just a little girl and so much younger than they were, I was always trying to tag along after them. I didn't like Tim very much back then because it seemed he was the one who was always chasing me away and occupying Michael's time. It wasn't until I grew older and had my own friends that I finally understood my simple childhood jealousy of their relationship had spurred my animosity toward him for all those years.
Everything changed a few years after I graduated college. Michael (now Dr. Michael L. Jefferson) had been part of a small biological research team when he contracted a dangerous, life-threatening form of Malaria. Because of the long delay in getting him to a doctor and, eventually, to the US, Michael's condition deteriorated relatively quickly. Despite the medical attention and treatment, his body couldn't shake the illness, and he grew weaker over the next year. Michael's condition had left him depressed and bedridden; he was never fully able to recover and eventually succumbed to the disease and died.
After Michael's illness and subsequent death, I was so grateful to Tim for the love, attention, and genuine caring he had shown for Michael; I would have done anything for Tim because he had been there for Michael throughout his illness when he needed him most.
*****
Following Michael's death, Tim enlisted in the Marines and soon after was deployed. Aside from occasional texts to my parents, he and I had no meaningful interactions. Tim was discharged and returned home, and shortly afterward, he was involved in a near fatal car accident that changed not only his life but also mine.
We didn't find out Tim was even home until almost a year later, six months after his release from rehabilitation. It was purely by chance that I ran into Tim and saw for the first time that he was in a wheelchair. Though understandably surprised by his condition, I bent forward and kissed him on the cheek. We talked briefly and arranged to meet later in the week.
Tim was paralyzed from the waist down with a spinal cord injury and had been in a coma for several days after his accident. He could not feel the lower portion of his body when he regained consciousness. Though there was a possibility that his condition could improve, his care team, at that time, generally agreed that he would be confined to a wheelchair.
*****
Several months after coming out of his coma, Tim began feeling vague, fleeting sensations in his hips and thighs. Despite these improvements, it would still be almost a year or more before he regained full use and strength in his lower body. Though his injuries had changed him quite a bit, I could still see glimpses of the old Tim, and as the weeks passed, I tried to help out in any way I could, to be a good friend to him. Though he grudgingly accepted my help, he was adamant about my not feeling sorry for him and had no qualms about letting me know that he didn't need or want my pity and that he didn't want me around him if I couldn't keep my feelings under control.
Tim lived alone in a lovely single-story home that had been modified to accommodate his rehabilitation. He needed someone to help him with his physical therapy, bathing, housekeeping, shopping, doctor's appointments, etc., and as events would have it, because of my nursing and physical therapy background, his parents asked me to move in as Tim's companion. Tim had already gone through three or four companions since being released from rehabilitation, and his parents hoped that his knowing me and being comfortable with me would help him with his continuing recovery. Fortunately, I was more than willing and able to do this and agreed to their request.
Despite Tim's general resistance to the idea, I moved into his large, comfortable home a few weeks later. Our patient, therapist relationship wasn't perfect. Tim could be moody, contrary, and domineering, but above everything, he wanted to walk again, and he had decided that that was what he would ultimately do. He initially treated me as an employee, not as Michael's little sister, expecting me to be at his beck and call, to follow his wishes unquestioningly. Once we overcame that period of insecurity and embarrassment, we began to interact like the friends we were.
*****
During the initial stages of his home rehabilitation, Tim's doctors emphasized maintaining and strengthening his muscle function, redeveloping fine motor skills, and learning ways to adapt to day-to-day tasks. It was intense, consistent, and continuous work, but we finally began to see subtle improvements in his muscularity and movement.
By the time we progressed from his daily baths to my actually taking him into the shower, I had begun to embarrassingly notice that during these daily functions, Tim would experience the beginnings of a soft but obvious erection. A subsequent appointment with his Doctor confirmed that there was definitely an improvement taking place. With continued physical therapy, it was possible that Tim would also begin feeling increasing sensations in his legs. Surprisingly, I felt a strange sense of pride in his accomplishment. His ability to achieve an erection was returning; I was proud of him, and he was proud of himself and never made any effort to hide his erections from me.
Over the next month or so, Tim continued to improve. As I helped him dress one morning, he said, "Thanks to you, Mandi, I'm getting back to my old self, and squeezed my hand."
"I'm starting to have those feelings again . . . you know . . . between my legs," he said shyly.
"I know you've seen my cock getting hard when you help me bathe or shower, and sometimes I can feel myself becoming aroused when you give me physical therapy," Tim said, now without shame or embarrassment.
I didn't know quite what to say. "That's great, Tim, another definite sign that your body is healing and that, in time, you're going to be just fine," I finally managed to stutter out.
After nervously clearing his throat, Tim grew quiet for a second and began, "I want you to help me, Mandi. I need you to touch me down there . . . I need you to help me orgasm."
"What? What are you asking me to do, Tim?" I quickly interrupted him, despite already understanding what he wanted.
"Please, do this for me, Mandi."
I could feel a tightening around my heart. Tim had been Michael's best friend for so many years, like a brother, for as long as I could remember. Would Michael want me to help his friend in this way? In my heart, I knew he would.
"Mandi, help me cum. Just use your hand," he said again, his longing and lustful need apparent. My heart went out to him, and I found myself finally saying in a barely audible voice . . . "alright, Tim."