"Hello, neighbor!"
Ruth turned her head to see the kitchen door open and Katie walking in with a large giftbox bigger than her head. "Hello?"
Nick paused in the doorway. "Careful of the coffee table, Katie."
"I got it, dad."
Ruth smiled at the barely restrained teenage sigh.
Using the strength that remained in her arms, she pushed herself into a sitting position on the couch. "What's in the box?"
Katie set it on the coffee table and grinned. "It's a present from me and dad for you!"
Ruth heard the words, but she didn't quite comprehend what it would be.
She looked up to Katie's expectant face. "Do you want to open it for me?"
Katie looked over her shoulder and Ruth followed her gaze with her own.
Nick was in the kitchen taking plates, cups, and utensils out. He looked right at her over Katie's shoulder. "You okay?"
Ruth put a smile on her face, but she saw Nick's answering expression.
He didn't buy her answer.
When Katie looked back at her, too, she could see that Katie didn't believe her either.
"I think," Katie reached for the bow and gave one trailer a pull.
The bow undid itself and fell away.
Katie reached forward and opened the top of the box. "I think we picked the right day to bring this over."
Ruth could see Nick's smile. He was a good distance away but the lights she had in the kitchen were bright and easily showed her what was going on.
Katie pulled out the purple and pink contraption in the box, and she set it down on the floor between her own legs and Katie's.
The electrical cord and plug flopped down out of the box, onto the coffee table, and then onto the rug.
Ruth sat up a little straighter, leaning forward to look over the edge of the seat. "I think-"
"Don't worry," Katie grinned at her. "Dad and I planned for this." She reached into the box and pulled out an extension cord. Wiggling it, Katie grinned. "I'll plug this into the kitchen and be right back."
Before she had to lean over the counter, Ruth saw Nick take the plug and insert it into the wall socket.
When Katie got back, she gestured at the socks on Ruth's feet.
"Can I take off your socks?"
How embarrassing!
Ruth wanted to crawl away instead of having Katie touch her socks. "I can do it."
Before Katie could get a hold of her feet, Ruth used her toes to peel them off.
"Got it." She gave Katie what she hoped was a relaxed smile, but she had a feeling it was a little pinched.
"Okay." Katie sat down next to her with an ear-to-ear grin. "You just have to put your feet in it, and it does all the good stuff on your own."
