TW: Hints of suicide.

Once they reached the house, Benton jumped out of the side of the van and ran around to the back. Matty followed him and watched him yank the back hatch open.

“Can I help?” She asked.

“Nope! I’ve got this!” He said with determination. He pulled the wheelchair out of the back, it caused his shoes to slide backward as Benton tried hard to keep it from falling. It took everything she had not to reach out and help. She knew how much independence could mean to a kid. It was important to her too.

He slammed his foot on the braces, locking them in place, then raced with the wheelchair around to the driver’s side of the van. “See, Momma? I can do it!”

“You are such a great help, son! Thank you!” She beamed and praised him, love shining in her eyes.

His little chest puffed out proudly and he didn’t look so angry. Then his mother swung herself out of her seat and into the chair. She had to work at it, and her arms shook with the effort. Benton’s little face became pained, then his scowl came back and stayed.

Matty felt helpless. She really wanted to reach out and pick the woman up and set her in the chair, but she could tell by their faces, that neither one of them would appreciate it. It seemed that Benton got his independence from his mother.

Once Grace was situated, everyone took a big breath in relief that she’d made it. Benton grabbed the handles in the back of the chair and pushed his mother up the walkway. There was a step before they could get the wheelchair to the front door. Matty couldn’t watch this one.

“Please, let me help.” She didn’t wait for an answer and simply place her hands next to the little boy’s and showed him how to turn the wheelchair around and pull his mother up the stair and before turning her back around.

“So that’s how we’re supposed to do it!” Benton cried out!

Grace laughed, “I think our learning curve broke, Benton. We never figured that one out!”

He chuckled and nodded agreement. He patted Matty on the arm, “Good job!”

Warmth and relief flooded her at the praise of an eight-year-old. Her life had certainly taken an odd turn.

Grace opened the door with her key and Benton, and Matty pushed her chair over the bump and into the house together.

The place was pretty enough, but mostly empty. Matty wondered if it was because Grace needed more room to maneuver, or if they’d just moved. She thought it was probably a mixture of both. The walls were bare of anything, and it made the woman want to paint them something. She thought it might make the two of them feel better.

They all moved into the living room, and Grace dragged herself onto a recliner. The woman sighed in relief as the soft chair hugged her and rocked her backward. “I love this chair so much. I wish I could put wheels on it.” She said with a grin.

“I’ll do it for you, Momma!” Benton piped up, his grumpy look firmly on his face, “I’ll make sure you get anything you want.”

Grace reached out and ran her hand over the boy’s cheek, “I know you will, my boy, but for now, will you gather all the clothing and put it in the washer?”

He nodded and looked determined as he ran out of the room. As soon as he was gone, Grace turned to Matty, “Thank you for coming home with us, you’re actually our first visitor since we moved.”

Matty just shook her head, “Benton is my superhero right now. I still have trouble sticking up for myself,” Her eyes started to gloss over, and she willed the tears not to fall.

“If there’s one thing that Benton can do, it’s getting into fights, though usually, it ends with him getting beaten up,” Grace bit her lip, “He’s been angry at the world since the accident. Benton sticking up for you and bringing you to me though, that was different. He’s never wanted to protect someone other than me, before. I think you’ve helped him get to a turning point, Matty.”

“If it weren’t for him, I’d still be sitting there letting that jerk try and force me to be someone I’m not,” Matty said honestly, “Maybe he’s my turning point too. Is it weird to feel stronger knowing there’s a little kid in my corner?”

“No, I don’t think that’s weird at all. We all need someone in our corner. If Benton wasn’t in my corner too, I doubt I’d still be living,” Grace said softly, and Matty swallowed hard, “I miss my husband so much that I feel like I have a gaping hole where my heart should be. Instead of missing him less with time, I miss him more. But Benton needs me, and I won’t leave him because of that.”

Matty felt physical pain because of her sympathy for this little broken home, “I know we just met, but I’m here for you and for Benton.”

Grace reached out and squeezed Matty’s hand, “Maybe we can be each other’s support group.”

Matty nodded. There was nothing more that she wanted than to be this beautiful, tragic woman’s support group.