"Sorry. Its just kind of hitting me now, I guess." Ken mumbled, looking thoughtful. "Okay. Let's sit up. Good. Now let's prop ourselves up, arms behind. Okay push us up! And, uh... gah!" they fell once again. Something so simple as getting up had become a five minute ordeal.
"Do you want me to try?" Max piped in, shyly.
"No, no, I got it. I think when we push our hips our torso has to swing foward. On three, okay?" Kenneth repeated the instructions. The brothers worked in unison and in a matter of seconds were standing tall.
"NIce!" Matt smiled, extending his hand in front of them. "Uh, high five?"
Kenneth, not the high-fiving type, dubiously slapped his brother's hand. "More of a clap. Okay. Should I get us walking? Maybe shout left, right, and so on?"
"Let me. I can't have you telling me what to do our whole life, yeah? Okay! You take a step. Left!" And with that Kenneth took a tiny baby step forward. They wobbled, spreading their arms, but did not fall. And so it went. Max and Kenneth shuffled along the floor until they realized they would have to turn. Kenneth planted their left foot and Max had them pivot. Slowly but surely their stride lengths got longer and their movements more fluid. The brothers were walking.
***
"So what do you think we're going to do for school. I'm a senior this year and you're going to be a junior. I mean we could get to college a year sooner but." His head swam with questions. Would they hang out with his friends or the few nerds Ken played D&D with? How would they date? Would he be a junior again?
"I could get us into a better one." Kenneth snickered. That was one way they were different. Max had a loud cackle of a laugh, Kenneth a sardonic snicker. "But really I'm not sure. I think I could handle your classes. I suppose they'd test us separately? I don't even know."
"Seriously, though, with all you did for me we should stick to your schooling and stuff." Max pushed the panic aside. In the end Kenneth made the sacrifice. He had to get some priority here. "Probably better for us both. And who knows! Maybe we can make you into a bit of a jock."
"Ha ha. Well, I don't know, I guess I was hoping you'd help me be a little less shy." Kenneth smiled. "And uh, Max? Do you have to- I mean do we-?"
"Gotta piss? Yeah. Let's- whoa!" without thinking Max had taken a step toward the basement bathroom. Fortunately, the brothers were near their bed and it broke their fall.
"You have to check with me, remember!"
"Sorry, sorry. Okay. You lead us. Left..."