A week and a half later, Frank was resting comfortably at home. His parents had turned his father’s office into a makeshift bedroom until he could manage the stairs on crutches. He knew that would be another several weeks before that would happen. There were times when he would turn to do something and the pain would fill his chest. It would take several minutes for it to subside before he could finish the task he had set out to do.  

But the office isn’t too bad a bedroom, he thought. I have a phone that is within reach and a computer at my disposal so I can keep up with my assignments and everyone knows where I can be found.  

He didn’t remember much about his time in the hospital. The pain medication he was on had made him a little foggy and he slept a lot. Now that he was home, he figured his energy would pick up and he wouldn’t sleep so much. But he had been home two days and the most energetic thing he had done was join his family at the dinner table the night before.  

A knock on the door got his attention. “Come in.”  

The door opened and he smiled at his guest.  

“How are you feeling today?” Caren asked, entering the room.  

“All right,” Frank said. “A little better than yesterday and a lot better than last week.”  

“That’s good to hear,” Caren said, moving over to him. “These are your assignments for the week.”  

“Thanks for grabbing these for me,” Frank said. “I would have really been behind without them.”  

“When do you think you’ll be returning to the campus?” Caren asked, sitting down in the recliner that was across from the couch he was on.  

“Probably next week. But that will only happen once I figure out how I will be getting around.”  

“Well, you’ve got the wheelchair,” Caren said.  

“I know I do,” Frank said. “But if I’m not supposed to use the crutches for another couple weeks, it’s kind of hard to climb in and out of the van, let alone getting the chair in.”  

“That does sound like a challenge.”  

“I just have to figure out what I’m going to do. But one way or another, I will be back in classes next week.”  

Caren smiled. “That’s good to know.” She looked around the room. “It looks like you’ve been well-equipped in here.”  

“My parents have been great,” Frank admitted. “They have really helped to make sure I have everything I need within my reach. They’ve also been pretty fussy.”  

“What do you mean?” Caren asked.  

“Well, this morning I wanted to get something to drink, so I wheeled myself into the kitchen. I was pulling the juice bottle out when my mother asked what I was doing. The tone of her voice made it seem as if I had broken all the dishes in the kitchen.”  

“She probably just didn’t want you overdoing it,” Caren reasoned. “I mean, you were unconscious for almost a week and then spent 10 more days in the hospital gaining strength. Your parents probably just don’t want anything to happen to send you back to the hospital.”  

“I know. I guess I’m just feeling bogged down. There are things I can do, that won’t hurt my ribs or leg and they don’t want me to do even that.”  

“I think they’re just trying to show you how much they care for you and are happy you are still alive.”  

“I know,” Frank sighed. “I guess I’m just frustrated. I mean, the original cast would have come off in about five weeks, but now I’m going to have this thing on for at least another eight weeks. It won’t be coming off until December and then I’ll still have physical therapy.”  

“It’s a tough break,” Caren said with a grin. “Sorry about he pun.”  

Frank laughed. “That’s all right. I guess everything is just building up. I apologize for getting a little hot tempered.”  

“That’s all right,” Caren said. “I think I would be the same way if all that had happened to me.”  

“I’m really glad you stopped by today,” Frank said. “Your presence has made me feel a whole lot better.”  

“I’m glad.”  

Frank felt it was the perfect time to ask the question he had been pondering since he woke up in the hospital.  

“Caren, I was wondering…”  

“Yes?” Caren prompted, a smile spreading across her face.  

Just as Frank was about to ask, the door to the office opened and Joe entered.  

“Hey, Frank. I was wondering if you needed anything before I left.”  

Frank inwardly groaned at his brother’s interruption. He knew he was going to have to remind his little brother about knocking.  

“Hey, Caren,” Joe said.  

“Hi, Joe.”  

“I think I’m all set. But if I need something, I can get it myself.”  

“Are you sure, Frank?” Joe asked. “I mean, the doctor doesn’t want you doing anything strenuous because of your ribs and if you do something you shouldn’t, you could re-injure yourself.”  

Frank sighed and said slowly, “Joe, I will be very careful and not strain myself. I promise.”  

“You know I’m only checking,” Joe said. “If something happened, Mom and Dad would have a fit.”  

“I know.”  

“All right then. I’m out of here.” Joe looked at Caren. “Bye.”  

“Bye, Joe.”  

“See you later.” Joe left the office closing the door behind him.  

Once the door was closed, Frank buried his head in his hands and groaned. Caren’s snickering forced Frank to lift his head and look at her. He tried scowling, but couldn’t. He started chuckling, trying not to jar his ribs.  

“You know, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you really laugh,” Caren said when she finally calmed down.  

“Well, if you have out with us long enough, you’ll learn that Joe can make anyone laugh, including me. He’s always been the life of the party.”  

“Joe seems to have a really good heart,” Caren said. “From what I’ve seen, Joe really looks after the people who mean the most to him.”  

“He sure does.”  

Caren spoke softly, “You know, I was really scared sitting at the mall all alone. But when he showed up, I was so relieved to know everything was going to be all right.”  

“He does make people feel safe,” Frank admitted, realizing how grateful he was to have Joe as his brother.  

“I can see that,” Caren said.  

Frank decided there was no time like the present to ask the question that was weighing heavily on his mind. Just as he opened his mouth to ask, the door to the office opened again.  

He glanced at the door, shocked to see the person standing there. He couldn't believe it was Callie Shaw.

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.