The Accident: Pt. 01

Disclaimers: Any and all characters in this story partaking in sexual stuff are 18 or older. Everything about this story is 100% fictional. If you think you know anyone named here, it's purely coincidental.

Special thanks to Kenjisato for editing/proof reading & Volunteer_ for story/character development!

This story is a slow burn, so if you are in a hurry, this probably isn't the story for you. Please comment and let me know how this story made you feel as well as if you would like me to write more of this storyline.

The Accident: Part I

Why is it that the one day a week Peter had to sleep in, he woke up before his alarm normally would go off on a workday? Unfortunately, he was the kind of person that once he was up, he couldn't go back to sleep. Peter instinctively grabbed his phone. He checked his work email, this being the most instinctive thing to do once the phone was in his hand.

Sunny skies, mai tais, and minimal clothing. Peter was very much looking forward to the upcoming couple's trip. He and Julie, his girlfriend of the last year and a half, had been off lately. Their time together felt flat. He couldn't quite figure out what it was, but they weren't connecting. To make it worse, every time he tried to bring it up recently, she would change the subject and start talking about mundane topics, like all the things on her to-do list. He was hoping that this trip away would rekindle their connection.

The part about the trip that worried him the most was that what started out as a couple's trip, with just him and Julie along with their couple friends, Rob and Justine, had ballooned into more of a friends trip with a mix of singles and couples. Now there was eleven people going, and he wouldn't be surprised that more didn't join in the few days left before they left. Peter worried they wouldn't have time to connect as a couple, just the two of them. He felt they were basically just picking up their friend group from here in Vancouver and moving it to Hawaii--and he just knew that the dynamic would most likely be the same as here.

He was snapped out of his mental fog by the ping of a text.

"Up for an adventure today?" he read in the message preview.

It was a text from Katie, his forever friend. They were born four days apart. They had been in each other's lives from before they had any memory. Their parents had met in some newborn support group, when Katie's parents moved to town a week after she was born. They moved into a house just down the street. Their families did everything together. To say Katie was a fixture in his life was an understatement. Katie, like the large maple tree out in the front yard, had just always been there. Furthermore, Peter, being an only child, considered Katie a de facto sibling.

"Um, always. What did you have in mind?" he replied.

"How does flinging yourself down a mountain at high speed almost out of control sound to you?"

"Fucking insane, but I'm game."

"I have two vouchers for mountain biking at Whistler that expire at the end of the month, and need to use them," she stated.

"Wow, sounds fun. I'm in," he replied.

"I knew you would be. It opens at ten, but I figure if we get going soon, we can get there by noon and we'd still have hours left in the day."

Katie had always been the adventurous one. Peter was naturally more reserved, but continually appreciated her pushing him in ways he wouldn't otherwise feel compelled to go in. In the fourth grade, she got him to take the bus downtown by themselves to go ice skating. In middle school, she got him to go to Montreal on a school trip. In high school, they drove themselves to Sun Peaks ski area and had the best time skiing and trying to keep warm, sleeping in the car. She was always willing to put lots of energy into getting out in the world, and he was happy to be dragged along by her coattails.

He had missed their adventures post high school. While both stayed in British Columbia, they had gone to separate universities. They were only about an hour away from each other, so they were able to stay in touch and see each other on holidays and breaks. But it wasn't the same as when they lived just a few houses away.

Peter had come to realize how important proximity was to a friendship. About a year ago, Peter moved back in with his parents in their mother-in-law basement apartment to save on rent. Katie had shared an apartment with two friends downtown. Katie had moved back in with her parents a few weeks ago, after the startup she was involved with folded suddenly. Peter enjoyed having her back around, especially since lately, Julie seemed to be not available. It gave him someone to talk to and pass the time with. Plus, they always seemed to be on some adventure or another, that Katie schemed up.

_____

It was a beautiful day and the drive up to Whistler always seemed to prove amazing. They listened to their shared playlist, not caring that their singing would probably make dogs howl. After finishing a song that had to be at least ten years old by Peter's recollection, Katie turned down the volume.

"Remember that time in the seventh grade when we were running to catch the bus and the stupid toga I had made out of a bedsheet for that Greek project caught on the corner of the fence?" she asked.

"How could I forget? It spun you right around," Peter recalled, laughing.

"It broke the safety pin off and we couldn't find it. And the bus was coming down the street," Katie added.

"I felt so bad for you. I remember you trying to figure out how to tuck the sheet in, to get it to stay up."

"I don't know what I thought was going to hold anything up. I was such a late bloomer. I didn't get these beauties until very end of high school," Katie said, as she used her right hand to cup her right breast, while she kept her left hand on the steering wheel.

They had both filled out since then. Peter was the scrawny kid until he shot up during the summer between freshman and sophomore year. Now, at six-foot-one-inch tall, Peter was not only taller than her five-foot-eight-inches," but he had also put on some muscle.

"Yeah, what you now, an A cup?" Peter joked, looking her over pretending to size her up.

The hand that was holding her breast balled into a fist and socked Peter directly in the arm.

"Ouch!" he yelped.

"I'll have you know this is C-cup material I'm working with over here," she said, pointing back and forth across her chest, laughing.

Peter let out a low, joking whistle. "Is that with or without stuffing your bra with tissues?" he said, laughing out the last part of his sentence.

Katie punched him again, but just smiled looking forward while driving. He watched her naturally loose, curly brunette hair swirling slightly off her shoulders from the breeze of the car's air conditioning.

"Hey, don't worry, you could still fill out," he paused for dramatic effect, "but then I'd have to sell my stock in Kleenex." Peter burst into a snort laugh.

"Oh, you're a real comedian, you should try standup. At twenty-seven, I think this is as good as they are going to get. And besides, I get lots of compliments, buddy, so your approval is not required." Katie looked over at him, as she said this last bit with confident smugness.

"Speaking of actual small tits, how's things with Julie, anyways?" Katie asked.

"Ow, that hurt worse than your punch. Why not just kick me in the balls while you are at it?" Peter said.

Katie smiled satisfactorily. "Hard to hit a target that small," she said, with a glance and a flash of a smile. Now it was her turn to rib Peter a little. "If you two get married, you both should change your last name to Small. Peter Small, has a natural ring to it." She burst out laughing, seemingly quite pleased with herself.

Peter appreciated that Katie had the same sophomoric sense of humor that he did. They could endlessly throw these immature digs at each other, and not get offended.

"Okay, Okay, okay. I deserved that. To be honest, I think marriage is the furthest thing from where we are at right now," he informed her.

"Oh Peter, sorry," Katie said, changing her demeanor quickly. "I thought you two were really connecting?"

"We were. Until about a month ago."

"What do you think happened?

"I honestly don't know, Kate," Peter said, exasperated. "It's like a switch flipped. When we first started dating, Julie and I used to connect so well. She would text me first and last thing of the day. She would plan surprise rendezvous at lunch. She even used to bring me cookies at work. But lately, I couldn't imagine two people more disconnected. We don't go on dates, she doesn't reply to my texts; unless I suggest something, we don't get together and even then, that is pulling strings to get time. We don't even cuddle anymore watching a movie; she just sits at the other end of the couch on her phone. I get the sense she is just bored with, or of me."

"That sucks," Katie said, empathetically.

"Things haven't been that great all-around Kate. The large bonus I was supposed to get at work didn't come through either." Peter stared off out the window. "Now that I think about it, it did seem weirdly correlated to about same time; the bonus thing and her acting all distant."

They drove in silence for a while.

"Speaking of work, I still haven't heard the full story of what happened with yours?" Peter inquired.

"Ugh, mostly because I still feel exhausted even thinking about it," she said, in a cross between tired and frustrated.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Peter offered.

"No, I don't mind talking to you about it," she said reassuringly, as she looked over at him quickly. "It's not really all that complicated, but more just utterly disappointing. I totally gave myself to the company. I believed in their mission and how they were going to change the world. I sacrificed nights, weekends, holidays, relationships. And then one day, we come into work and the doors are locked, our key cards don't work, and the lights are all off. Turns out the founder took off with one of the interns for Argentina or somewhere down there. And that's it. All that effort, all that time, poof, gone." Katie made an explosion expression with her right hand. "Turns out he was full of shit and didn't really live what he professed. That's great for him, but what about all of us, all the rest of us who this meant the world to? We can't all run off to South America with our millions to fuck the intern."

"Jeez, what a selfish dick," Peter commented.

"Yeah, he's a dick, start to finish and apparently at all points in between."

_____

"Okay, last run down the mountain of the day," Katie exclaimed. "Loser buys the winner beers," she shouted, as she took off down the mountain without waiting for Peter's answer.

"Hey! Wait a sec!" he yelled after her. But he knew it was of no use. Peter tore off, and quickly was on her heels. It had been a gorgeous day of riding. Peter loved the exhilaration of biking down a mountain, and now a little competition only upped that feeling. Katie was up off her seat. Her hind quarters pointed squarely in Peter's field of view.

"Man, she has a great ass," Peter thought to himself. He loved the way the female form was accentuated in this biking pose.

As they rounded the bend, there was a large wooden jump in front of him. Katie landed it perfectly. Peter had successfully navigated jumps like this all day long. However, it might have been his speed, it might have been a rock, it might have been he was concentrating on Katie and not his landing, but whatever it was, Peter suddenly found himself in a Superman pose, as he and his bike parted ways.

_____

"Both wrists?" Peter said, befuddled.

"I'm afraid so," the doctor said distantly, as she continued to study the X-ray. "In one sense, you are lucky it's broken wrists and not a broken head," she said, as she turned to face Peter.

Peter didn't feel lucky--all he felt was intense pain shooting up both arms. He had both arms extended to catch himself after getting thrown from his bike. And it was those arms that absorbed the impact.

"Also," she looked a little concertedly at Peter, "there is no easy way to break this to you, but you won't be able to do most things on your own. From cooking, eating, dressing, or washing. You are going to need someone with you basically twenty-four-seven for several weeks. Do you have a parent or relative, nearby?"

"My parents are in the middle of a four-week anniversary road trip across Europe," Peter informed her.

"What about other relatives?"

"No, they all live in the Atlantic provinces," Peter said, sounding discouraged.

"How about a significant other?" she continued to press.

"Yeah, a girlfriend. I'll call her." Peter dialed Julie and put the phone up to his ear. "Hey Julie, it's me. So funny story, I'm currently at the hospital. I broke both my wrists in a biking accident."

"You what?"

"Broke both wrists."

"Peter, how could you?"

"It's not like I did it on purpose, Julie," Peter said, turning his body more towards the corner of the room.

"That was so stupid. Do you have to wear casts or something?"

"Yeah, for like six weeks. That's kinda what I'm calling about."

"Six weeks!? You are going to look lame in all the pictures for the trip."

"Well, that's also what I'm calling about. I don't think I'll be able to go. In fact, the doctor says I'll need someone to help me with most of all my activities, seeing where I can't use my arms. I was wondering if you'd be able to stay at my house the next two weeks and be the person who helps me?"

There was a pause at the end of the phone.

"Hello, you still there?" Peter said, trying to hide his voice from the others in the room.

"Peter, I have the trip coming up in two days. I've been looking forward to this for a very long time. It is also all non-refundable. And besides, my work is really busy right now. Can't your parents do it?"

"They are gone, remember?"

"They are? Where?"

"They have their anniversary trip. In Europe. They are driving all over." He paused almost dramatically between each of those sentences. He was hoping one of these turns of phrase would jog her memory.

"Oh, huh," she said, like this was the first she had heard of it, even though he had told her many times. "Peter, I wish I could, but with work and this trip, I don't think I'll be able to."

"Oh, ah, okay," Peter said, clearly dejected. There was another long pause. "Okay, I'll speak with you later then, I guess," Peter added.

"Hey, Peter?" Julie asked, as he was about to hang up with her.

"Yeah?" he said hopefully, bringing the phone back up to his ear.

"Does this really mean you are not going on the trip?"

"Probably not, no."

"Do you think Sara can use your spot, then?"

"I have to go. We are going to need to talk when you are back Julie," Peter hung up; this time, not caring for any response from her.

There was a long silence in the room. It was very clear to those in the room, what the outcome of the call was, just hearing Peter's side of the conversation alone.

"I can take care of you," Katie finally piped up.

"Don't be ridiculous, you have way better things to do," Peter pushed back.

"Like what?" she said, questioningly in reply, her face scrunched up. "It's not like I have a job to go to on a day-to-day basis. Besides, I'm living at my parents' house, so this gets me out of boring family dinners."

"Yeah, but do you really want to spend all your time taking care of me? I can't have you cooking and feeding me," he said, both in protest and horror. He was also thinking of all the other things the doctor didn't mention in that list.

"Peter, stop. You'd do the same for me."

He wasn't quite sure he would, but he knew he sounded like a selfish asshole, if he argued that point.

"While you two sort this out. I'll get your prescription and discharge paperwork," the doctor said dryly, as she got up to walk out the door.

Peter turned to face Katie directly. "Are you sure you want to spend the next two weeks basically being my nurse?"

"Nurse!? I think it will be more like a lowly servant," she said, with a smirk. Before he could say anything else, she added, "Yes, I understand what I'm signing up for. Besides, it will take my mind off a lack of work. And, you don't really have any other options."

Peter was suddenly aware that their gazes were locked. He had never noticed how pale blue her gently downturned eyes were. They were symmetrically placed in her heart-shaped face. Her eyes stood out in sharp contrast compared to her light complexion and freckles. As he mulled over the possibilities, he realized she was right--he didn't have any other options. He felt both relieved and guilty at the same time..

_____

It was late when they pulled back into their neighborhood.

"I'm gonna run by my house real quick, and get some things."

Peter waited in the car, as Katie quickly ran inside. She returned in less than two minutes.

"That was fast," Peter remarked.

"I just grabbed a shirt to sleep in, and my toothbrush. And my parents were asleep, so I didn't have to explain everything to them just now. I left a note saying I was staying over at your place. We can sort out the rest tomorrow."

Katie pulled into Peter's driveway. She quickly ran around the car to open the door for him. She helped him out of the car the way you would a geriatric grandparent. She dug the keys out of his pocket. She opened the door and then after taking off her shoes, helped Peter out of his. It was at this point, the reality of 'not being able to do much of anything for yourself,' set in for Peter. He felt like such a helpless idiot.

"I'm so sorry you have to do all of this," Peter said, in a depressed tone.

"Remember, I volunteered to do this," she replied. "Besides, this will give me years' worth of indebtedness and servitude from you," she said, with a big goofy grin on her face.

"I'd punch you in the arm, if it wouldn't hurt so much," Peter exclaimed, his face looking exhausted.

"You want to watch TV, or something?" Katie asked.

"No, I'm pretty tired. I think I just want to go to sleep," Peter didn't hesitate to respond.

They headed upstairs to his room. As they went by the bathroom, Katie said, "Hey, you still need to brush your teeth."

"Fine," Peter replied, the way an objecting six-year-old would. Peter instinctively reached for his toothbrush when he got to the sink. Katie grabbed it from the holder, as his hand still sat outstretched expectantly and put toothpaste on it.

"Open," she said, commandingly.

Peter made his best open mouth smile he could under the circumstances. Katie started brushing. Peter felt really strange.

"I fweel sike a hous," he attempted to communicate.

"Spit. What?" she said.

"I feel like a horse," he said, like a defeated champion.

"Well, it's better than having rotting teeth and bad breath, so get over it."

Peter watched, as Katie brushed her teeth and then put her hair up in a bun. She had these little curls, that fell defiantly to either cheek, in protest of being put up with the rest of her hair.

As they entered his room, Katie walked over to Peter's dresser.

"Which drawer are your pajamas in?" she asked.

"I don't think I even own any. I just usually sleep in my underwear and a t-shirt."

"Okay, let me help you take your pants off," Katie said, matter of factly, the way you'd say let's get these dishes cleaned up.

"Take off my pants?" Peter thought, as he panicked internally. This was starting to feel waaay more intimate than just brushing teeth. Peter was suddenly glad he put on a new pair of boxer briefs that morning.

"Whoa there, Nelly, don't you think you should take me to dinner first?" Peter said jokingly, to try and relieve his own uncomfortableness.