I'm an independent kind of girl. I've always done things my own way in my own time. So when I heard the unmistakable sound of a flat tire I sighed and pulled over, determined to take care of it myself. Sure I could have called for help, but running through possible candidates in my head quickly quenched those thoughts; My Mom? Ha! She was great at cleaning up spills in the kitchen, but anything mechanical just put her in a tizz as she put it. My sister? Again, I smiled to myself. She was 19 and more interested in her looks than anything else. She'd be afraid of breaking a perfectly manicured fingernail.
Hmm, who else? A man? My ex-boyfriend and I wanted nothing to do with each other, so he was out. My boss from the cafe? Ew! That slimy creep would probably expect me to 'pay him back' somehow. Most men would probably take one look at me and conclude I had never been near a tire iron in all of my 21 years. They'd be right. But I had my pride, and I was going to get myself out of this pickle. I mean, how tricky could it be?
As it turns out, pretty damn tricky.
After a lot of puffing and swearing, I got the lug nuts off the wheel ok. I got the jack jacked up and was pulling the flat tire off with both my hands under the tire when the jack gave way. Turns out I probably had it jacked up crooked, skewed against some piece of metal under the car. Anyway what followed was the most painful, excruciating ten minutes of my life. The wheel came down on my fingers. Sure it was flat, but it had the weight of the car on it. For a split second I wondered what the hell had happened. Then the pain kicked in. My hands were trapped beneath the tire and it HURT LIKE HELL!
I screamed. I screamed, and I screamed.
Luckily I was only a few blocks from home, surrounded by suburban houses, and not on the freeway. Within a minute I was surrounded by at least ten or so people. Men getting the jack back up again, a woman calling for an ambulance, and some old lady telling me "I'm sure everything will be ok dear."
Oh God the pain! That's when I blacked out.
***
I'll skip the ambulance ride and my few days in hospital, with all the X-rays, visitors and so on. Long story short, I had broken four fingers on my right hand and three on the left. Mostly simple fractures it turns out, but I still needed all fingers in plastic splints and both hands from the wrists down covered in plaster with just the tips of my fingers showing. And they would stay that way for at least six weeks, after which I'd have more X-rays to see how they were mending.
Six weeks without my hands! I couldn't feed myself, wash myself, dress myself or even pick my nose! Luckily I still lived at home with my mother and sister, so at least I'd have some help. To say I felt helpless would be an understatement. Alone in the hospital room I stared sadly at my huge club hands. A stupid helpless idiot.
The drive home from the hospital was unbearable. My Mom kept going through all the things she'd do to help; she was a nurse so this was right up her alley; and my sister Stephanie just sat in the back seat and sulked.
Finally I turned around and faced her. "You OK Steph?"
Stephanie just stared out the window. Mom shook her head. "She'll be OK Jess. She's upset because I told her she'd have to look after you while I'm at work. I've moved my work hours to the night shift for the six weeks, so I'll be there for you during the day, and Stephanie will care for you during the evenings."
Oh that was it, I thought. I'd really be crimping Stephanie's nightlife. At least once or twice a week she went dancing at a club or just out with her girlfriends. At first I was mad that she didn't want to help me, but if I was in her position maybe I'd feel a bit put out too.
"I'm sorry Steph." I really was too. "If I could change all this I would. I'm so sorry you have a stupid invalid klutz as a sister."
I could't help it, I started to cry. Mom put a hand on my arm. Stephanie's look softened, but she still said nothing and kept staring out the window.
Having both hands incapacitated was surreal. I kept wanting to scratch my nose or rub my neck, just the little things we all take for granted. And I was quickly learning how much inconvenience I was in for. As the car pulled into the driveway I couldn't even open the door for myself. I had to wait until Mom asked Stephanie to get it, which she did with an apologetic smile.
"You ok?" she asked.
I guess she was having second thoughts about keeping up that whole wounded feelings act.
"Yeah, thanks Steph." I gave her a hug.
"Ow!" She jumped as my clubbed hands thumped her back.
"Oh I'm sorry! Are you alright?" I was afraid I had really hurt her. Those things were heavy. "Guess I'll have to cut down on the hugs."
Steph stepped up and wrapped her arms around me. "Nah, you don't have to do that."
That was the Stephanie I knew and loved. She held the hug a bit, and I've got to say it felt really nice. Maybe it was because my hands couldn't feel anything, but the sensations coming from the rest of my body felt strangely heightened. I could feel her arms on mine, her head on my shoulder, her long brown hair, which smelled faintly of apples, pressing on my cheek, her thigh lightly pressing between my legs, and her breasts moulding into mine, rising and falling with each breath. For a moment I was lost in these feelings; overwhelmed with a closeness, an attraction for this girl. The hug lasted only ten seconds or so, but it seemed to last a lot longer. And then Steph pulled away, holding my shoulders for a second, her cheeks slightly flushed and a slight smile on her face. Something... something had happened.
Mom came around the car with my bags. "Let's get you inside. You'll need help unpacking of course, and do you need to go to the toilet? You'll be needing assistance with that as well I'm afraid."
Oh joy.
I tried to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. "Thanks nurse Manning."
She just smiled and hustled us inside. As soon as we were in the door Steph breezed past us towards the stairs.
"I'll be off to my room then."
Mom stopped her with a finger. "Oh no you don't young lady; you can make us dinner."
Steph and I just stood there with our mouths open. Stef had hardly cooked a day in her life.
Mom was enjoying this. "You can put on some pasta..." Stef's eyes opened as wide as her mouth. "...or maybe toasted sandwiches?"
Steph's face lightened a bit. "I can do that."
"That's my girl."
***
Upstairs Mom started unpacking my bag from the hospital, dropping clothes onto the bed.
"Think I might just wash the whole lot Jess."
"Uh Mom?" I looked at the floor, wall, anywhere but her. "I think I do need to use the toilet..."
Mom switched into efficient nurse mode, and opened the door to the bathroom between mine and Steph's rooms.
"Of course dear, follow me. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I do this sort of thing a dozen times each week. With total strangers at that."
As we stepped into the bathroom my face grew red. Mom's patter didn't help. I was dreading this. It wasn't just that I'd be showing my mother my private parts, it was the fact that she'd be wiping my pussy dry, or even worse, if I needed to poop she'd have to wipe my ass.
"I... I don't know if I can do this Mom."
"Don't be silly Jess. The first time will be the hardest for you. After that it gets easier."