15. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

C annon groaned and cracked his eyes opened. Everything hurt. He focused on the clock. Seven a.m. If he was working at the range, he'd normally be up and headed there by now. Maybe his body was ready to get back on its normal schedule. He glanced at the pad of paper beside his bed. Jesse had made a spreadsheet and printed it off so they could fill in when he'd taken certain medicine. He had pain pills along with antibiotics. And the multivitamin with extra calcium, which Clara was positive would help him heal faster. As sweet as she'd been, especially with his grumpy ass, he wasn't going to fight her.

He couldn't hear anyone moving around, so he looked at the other piece of paper on his bedside table. They'd also printed off a list of who was on call. One for just hey I need someone to help me get up and one for it's an emergency. It looked like Locks was on this morning. Oh joy. Flick had been by last night after supper after Cannon had come home. Well, his temporary home at Jesse's. Since Flick had been off shift, he'd taken the hours until he had needed to leave for his shift early this morning.

He wasn't up to dealing with Locks. He'd been feeling a little off since his child had kicked against his hand. His child . He couldn't deny now that he and Jesse had created something. Something wonderful that scared him down to the very depths of his soul. How could he, with his history, ever be anything his child needed?

Bear and Roam just seemed to know what the kids needed. He liked being around everybody's kids, but he had to try to figure them out. Phoebe had been easy because she'd been looking at her tea set with a sad face. When he'd asked her what was wrong, she'd looked at him with those eyes that he couldn't resist saying she didn't have anyone to have a tea party with. He'd sat down and, for some reason, had thought of Downton Abbey and their accents. Phoebe's face had lit up so much when he'd tried to imitate it that he had to keep it up.

Maybe he could binge the series again if it was available. He'd gotten hooked while he was running the police range. One of his employees had loved the show. When he'd watched it, he'd enjoyed the characters, especially Mr. Bates. He needed something to do because he wasn't looking forward to just resting. He couldn't even play the video games they enjoyed in the clubhouse because of his left arm being in a cast.

He sent the text letting Locks know he was ready to get up, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. He heard a sound from the front room. Steps came toward his door and Locks was in his doorway. He tried to decipher the look on Locks' face, but he honestly had no clue. And he had to piss like crazy.

"I'm guessing bathroom first. Flick spent time telling us how to move you but if I do it wrong, let me know."

Locks got the wheelchair ready and then lifted him, being careful of his chest. Once he was situated in the chair, Locks lifted the leg that was in the full cast up onto the wheelchair. Locks stood for a second, looking at the door to the bathroom.

"Umm, is it better to push you in or pull you in so we're backed by the toilet?"

"Flick backed me in yesterday. Then I need a little help transferring to the toilet."

Locks nodded and took the handles to turn the wheelchair around and pulled it into the bathroom.

"I bet that galls you to say. Kathryn used to say I was a bear when I was hurt. Oh my, that woman. She'd put up with a lot then blow sky high with all the pressure inside she'd pushed down."

Locks had the brake set and Cannon lifted up, then paused for Locks to slide his shorts down. Talk about humiliating.

Locks set him down and then walked out. "Yell when you're ready."

Cannon took care of business, then reached back and flushed. Talk about getting up close and personal with the man who probably wanted to kill Cannon for getting Jesse pregnant. He lifted a little to tuck his dick back in and pull his shorts up.

Then he reached over and washed his hand at the sink beside the toilet. It took a little maneuvering but he did it. Then he awkwardly put toothpaste on his toothbrush and brushed his teeth. This one-handed stuff since his cast covered his hand was for the birds. Was it too soon to start counting down the days?

"Ready," he called.

Locks walked back in and efficiently loaded him in the wheelchair with a minimum of pain. He pushed him out and into the kitchen. He'd removed a chair from the table and Cannon was able to sit in the wheelchair and be at the table like a normal person.

"Thanks for figuring out a way for me to sit here. I hate being an invalid."

Locks chuckled. "I don't know a man alive who likes it. I have biscuits and gravy from the diner, along with bacon and a cinnamon roll. There was a note in the text to make sure you had fruit."

Cannon laughed and shook his head. "From Clara?"

Locks placed the food in front of Cannon and sat down with his own after adding coffee and orange juice for both of them.

"Yes, I didn't ask. Do I need to cut up the cinnamon roll or the biscuits?"

Cannon used the fork to cut a piece of the biscuit off. "Nope, if I can be thankful for one thing besides surviving, it's that my dominant hand is the one that's okay."

Cannon continued eating in what he'd almost term a companionable silence. Locks ate his food quickly and efficiently, then sipped his coffee.

As Cannon took his last bite, Locks set his coffee cup down.

"So I've learned a lot as my girls have found their men and heard loud and clear from them that I've raised strong women. You were there when I gave Scoop my blessing. In fact, I think you were a little disappointed that I didn't threaten Scoop."

Cannon really wanted to close his eyes and kick his own ass. Who knew that this would come back on him?

"I was there, and I do think I was a little bit disappointed, but everything turned out okay. So obviously you made the right decision."

Locks stood up and got the coffee to refill their cups.

"Oh, Cannon, I've liked you from the first. You're equal parts smooth and stupid. I am giving you my blessing just like I gave to Scoop, but I have found a loophole."

Cannon swallowed the hot coffee, then asked, even though he'd rather keep quiet. "A loophole?"

"Yes, I can't really do much threatening because my Jesse is a strong, fierce woman and you two need to find your own way. But, you knocked up my pumpkin and I can threaten you about that. You will be the best dad to my grandbaby that you can be or, after I beat you to a pulp, we'll have weekly lessons on what constitutes a good dad until you understand you can do this."

Cannon didn't know what to say. Locks actually thought Cannon could be a good dad. Cannon's own dad hadn't thought he'd amount to anything and had let him know that every day.

"I don't have a clue what I need to do for either of them. But I want to try."

Locks nodded. "Son, that's all we, as parents, can ever do is try. You'll screw up and then go on. Unfortunately, your little one doesn't come with a manual telling you how to handle every situation. You do the best you can and then pick up the pieces when things fall apart. Which they will. I think one of the hardest things to learn as a parent is you can't fix it all. Sometimes they just have to go through it. Now, I'm not allowed to transport you anywhere because Flick said it will hamper your healing. I have a couple board games because your hand isn't up to holding cards or we could watch something."

Cannon relaxed and wondered if he'd possibly survive this and be able to stay at Bluff Creek. Even though he hadn't voiced it a couple times at the hospital, he'd wondered if he'd have to leave the brotherhood if he and Jesse couldn't come to an agreement. Knowing Locks would help him was the best feeling and one he'd never felt before by someone who he saw as an authority figure.