Over the next few days, the three managed to find a new routine that worked for them. Lilly stayed all day while Siwon slept at his hotel, then took over so she could go home at night. She still didn't sleep much, but managed to do some much needed apartment cleaning and spent time with her cats, who were doing their poor neglected babies routine even though all they did was sleep. She also made sure she had everything she was going to need for when Heechul was released.

  Finally, the day came for Siwon to go back to Korea. With promises to come again when he got a chance, he hugged Lilly and Heechul goodbye, then took a cab to the airport. Meanwhile, they were just as excited. Heechul was finally being released.Once the nurse disconnected his IV, it became quite interesting. Lilly was trying to help him get dressed, and he was more worried about his modesty.

  Lilly rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Come on silly boy. Yours isn't the first one I've seen, and I'm only trying to help you pull your boxers and sweatpants up. You keep calling me Umma, so think like that. I'm sure your real mother changed your diapers. I'm neither going to molest you nor make jokes, so just get over yourself." Not sure of his friend's point about changing diapers, but Heechul finally sighed and allowed Lilly to help him, since he really wanted to leave the hospital. She easily supported him as she helped him pull up his pants and maneuver into his wheelchair. "See, not so bad, right?"

  "It just seems weird to me Umma."

  Shaking her head and muttering about never having such a son, Lilly double-checked the room for anything they might have missed. When the nurse came with his discharge paperwork, Heechul had a question.

  "How am I supposed to pay for all this?"

  "You're not. That jackass who kidnapped actually had insurance on his truck, so they're paying for everything- your hospital stay, doctor visits, meds, physical therapy, equipment, even me for caring for you. I talked to the insurance lady. They'll be suing the guy for damages, so even if a miracle happens and he weasels out of the criminal charges, he's still screwed. So, don't worry your pretty little head." It wasn't as clearcut as Lilly explained, but it was true enough that neither of them was responsible for his bills.

  After Heechul was released, Lilly handed him his bag of stuff and pushed him over to the elevator. "Tiny torture chamber. God I hate these things," she muttered to herself, but her friend still caught it.

  "Problem Umma?"

  "I never had such a son. I hate small spaces, and if you crack one joke I will drop you at a recab facility instead of taking you home with me."

  Heechul was the picture of innocence. "Would I ever do that to you?"

  "In a heartbeat you sassy brat."

  Heechul laughed. "Good point, but I promise to be a good boy today Umma."

  "I'll believe it when I see it."

  Getting Heechul into Lilly's car, a battered Mercury Sable with a buckled hood, was a bit of a challenge, until she scooped him up and settled him in the front seat. "Mind your leg and buckle your seatbelt while I get this damn chair folded and in the backseat," she said, carefully shutting the passenger door before wrestling with the wheelchair, finally getting it in the car, with a lot of swearing, including several words her friend hadn't previously been familiar with. Plopping into the driver's seat, she slammed the door, started the engine, and rolled the window down partially. Grabbing a pack of cigarettes from the console, she asked, "Do you mind? Or, do you want one? You can't smoke on the hospital campus, but your car doesn't count, or something I don't really care about. I only really smoke when I'm stressed, and that chair may be the death of me."

  "I'd love one, Umma."