******
After Fran and Jerry left, she headed upstairs for a hot bath. While the tub filled, she peered at herself in the mirror and saw that the cut on her cheekbone was about an inch long, and a purple-yellow bruise was already beginning to appear. She pulled off her filthy clothes and tossed them over into the basket by the closet door, and removed her prosthetic. After she'd pulled off the sock and bandage, she checked out the stump for any sign of bruising, relieved that it hadn't hurt as much after she'd gotten home. She grabbed the crutches next to the bed, and made her way into the bathroom, holding on to a chair and the door jamb as she went. She sat on the towel-covered chair next to the tub, and reached over to test the water. Perfect. She turned the faucets, and hoisted her right leg over the side of the tub, and eased herself into the steaming water.
Mattie leaned her head back against the cold, white porcelain, and closed her eyes, feeling her exhaustion easing as she slid further down into the hot, soapy water. The ham and cheese sandwich and chips Fran had fixed earlier for her had tasted good, and now that her friends had left for their own home and a good night's sleep, she could reflect on the day, but she chose not to. It was all too overwhelming right now and her brain seemed to be stuck in neutral. She would check on Samuel in the morning, and that was all she would think about right now.