Chapter 7
“You ready to do this?” Audrey stood by Kenny’s bed, a smile on her face and her hands tight on the wheelchair’s handle.
“I guess,” he said.
“No, no.” She shook her head and crossed her arms. “Are you ready to do this?”
He sighed. “Yes.”
“And you’re going to work hard, even though it hurts?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then. Let’s go.” She moved the chair closer and helped him get into it.
They went down to the therapy room and when they got there, Jeff gave Kenny a dubious look.
“You’re back,” Jeff said.
“Yup.”
“You going to stay this time?”
“Yes he is,” Audrey said. “Right, Kenny? No matter how hard it is.”
“Right,” Kenny muttered. He wanted to do this for her. To show her he could. That he could take the pain. He felt that if he couldn’t, then he showed too much weakness. After all she’d been through, he should be able to do this. He was stronger than her, wasn’t he? He was about to find out.
They got Kenny on the table again and Jeff handed him the same red band. “Shall we give this another try?”
“I’ll come back for you when you’re done,” Audrey said, patting his shoulder.
“You’re leaving me?”
Audrey gestured to Jeff. “No, I’m giving you to Jeff for an hour. Then I’ll be back to take you upstairs.”
“Don’t go.” He set the band down and looked at her. If she left, he was afraid he’d wuss out when the pain was too much. But with her there, his tendency to want to show off overrode his desire to give up. She made him want to do better. But if she wasn’t there to see it, there was no point.
“I have to get back to my other patients.”
“Just take me up now then.”
“We haven’t even started yet,” Jeff said.
Audrey walked over to Kenny and spoke softly so that only he could hear. “I didn’t tell you what I told you yesterday so that you could change your mind and back out now. I expect you to stay here and work hard.”
“I can’t do it without you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, of course you can. You barely even know me. When I come back down, I expect a full report from Jeff detailing all the hard work you’ve done.”
Kenny glanced over at Jeff. “He’ll give you a report?”
“Yup.”
“Fine.”
“Honestly, Kenny,” she said. “Don’t turn into a child. You don’t need me. You can do this on your own. You have to do this on your own. No one stood by and held my hand. I had to get up and go on under my own strength, and you will, too.”
Great. He was already coming off like a wuss. “Right. No, you’re right, I can do this.” He said it with all the forced confidence he could muster. He’d just have to convince Jeff to lie and tell her he did awesome. Make it seem like he was confident in front of her, and then when she was gone, he could take it as easy as he needed to.
“That’s more like it,” she said. Then to Jeff, “Don’t go easy on him. He can take a lot more than he’ll let you give him.”
Kenny glared after her as she walked out, and turned that glare to Jeff. “She thinks I’m a wuss.”
Jeff chuckled. “Well, let’s prove her wrong then. Band.” He pointed to the red band sitting beside him.
Kenny picked it up and positioned it behind his toes. As soon as he picked up the ends, the pain started. He immediately dropped it.
“Again,” Jeff said. “Start where you have to start.”
Kenny swallowed hard, took in several fast breaths, and picked up the ends again. He put the slightest pressure on the bands and the instant his muscle stretched a little, the pain lit his leg on fire. He cried out and dropped the band, tears springing to his eyes. His heart raced and he was already hot and sweaty.
“Okay, that was good,” Jeff said. “Don’t push it too hard. We want to hold it for ten seconds. If that means less pressure or very little pressure, then do that. But hold it for longer.”
Kenny picked up the band again and put almost no pressure on it. It still hurt though and by the time Jeff said, “Ten,” he thought he was going to pass out.
Jeff clapped him on the shoulder. “That was awesome.”
He next had him stand and practice walking holding onto railings. But he found himself using his strong arms to lift himself up so that his legs didn’t have to do as much. The pain rocketed through him with every step.
“Now do it with just one hand for support,” Jeff said.
Crap. He’d figured out his trick. This time, of course, it didn’t go half as well. He stumbled, he hopped, he dragged his leg behind him. Anything to avoid the pain that came with taking a normal step on that leg.
“You’re doing great,” Jeff said. “I can’t wait to tell Audrey.”
That was enough to make him turn around and walk the length again, this time, moving slow, but getting as close as he could to taking a real step. He bent his knee more than he had to so his thigh did most of the work, but he managed to make his return trip a little more steady.
He looked up, ready for the next exercise, and saw Audrey standing off to the side of the room, watching. She’d come back to see him.
“How’d he do?” she asked Jeff.
Kenny opened his mouth to answer, and she held up a hand. “Oh no. I don’t want your version, I want the truth.”
“Truth is,” Jeff said, handing Kenny a damp towel to wipe his sweat with, “he did fabulous. At this rate, he’ll make a fast recovery.”
Those words gave him some comfort, even if he didn’t fully believe it. Jeff was probably just trying to make him feel better about how bad he’d done so that he wouldn’t leave like he had before.
Audrey gave Kenny a brilliant smile. “I knew you could do it. You’re on your way. And when you play your first game back, I’ll be there in the stands watching and cheering you on.”
“Really?” He pictured this. He pictured running out on the field with no limp, catching the ball, running it, tackling, dodging, throwing—all the things he loved. And then looking up and seeing Audrey’s grinning face beaming down at him, calling his name and cheering him on. His chest warmed with the picture.
“Of course. Though I might have to get you to sign a jersey for me. I want proof that I helped you get back to pro ball. Gotta give credit where it’s due, right?”
He pulled his mouth into a half smile. “Fair enough.”
“Tomorrow,” Jeff said. “We’ll do this again, but I want you to shift.”
Kenny clenched his jaw, but was well aware of Audrey watching him. “Sure thing.”
She brought the wheelchair over to him and he stumbled into it. Jeff waved as she pushed him out of the room and into the elevator.
“Thanks,” Kenny said.
“Anytime.”
“You’ve really been a big help to me. Even if I’ve been a jerk.”
“Ah.” She shrugged. “You’re not too bad.”
His heart was still racing from therapy, and his pulse kept up as he considered his next words. “You really don’t have a husband or boyfriend or child somewhere that you haven’t told me about?”
“Not a living child, and no. I haven’t had a serious boyfriend since… Well, since my last one proved to be a bit a untrustworthy.”
“You haven’t dated anyone since you were sixteen?”
The elevator dinged and she wheeled him down the hall to his room. “I’ve dated plenty. Just nothing serious. It’s hard for me to let anyone get close.”
She stopped by his bed and helped him back into it.
“Sure, I get that. But it seems like you opened up to me a little.”
“I did.” She let out a breath. “And it was very scary. But you’ve helped me, too. See, we make a good team.”
He reached over a took her hand. “We do. Do you think maybe we’d make a great team long term?”
“Maybe. You plan on being here long?”
“No. I mean after I leave. Go out with me. On a date. I bet we could make a great team for the rest of our lives.”
He smiled hopefully, but she withdrew her hand from his and her face seemed to go paler.
“I… can’t. I’m sorry.”
“Why? You said you’re single.”
“And I am.”
“Is it the nurse thing? Because we can wait until I’m not your patient. Can’t really go on a proper date while I’m here anyway, can we?”
“It’s not just that.” She reached up to scratch the back of her neck. “I, umm… Well, I dated a shifter once. It didn’t go very well.”
“You’re saying no because I’m a shifter?” He felt his words hardening along with his heart. After all this, she was prejudice against shifters? “You judgmental bitch.”
She took a step back. “Hey. Enough of that. I have nothing against shifters.” She spoke harshly, and she looked like she was getting angry. “I can’t go into detail. It just didn’t work.”
Kenny set his jaw. “Get out.”
She left abruptly, closing his door behind her. The rage tore through his chest, burning everything happy and peaceful in its wake. He thought he’d done good. He thought he’d impressed her. She’d told him all that crap that had happened to her, and that was supposed to mean something. She’d bared her soul, and you didn’t just do that with anyone. She had given him all the right signs. She liked him and had feelings for him. The next step was, they went out, then they fell in love. He’d tried not to think about the fact that she couldn’t have kids. It bothered him, and he didn’t want to admit it. They could adopt or something. He didn’t have all those details worked out, but he knew she was the one.
She’d stuck by him, she’d been there for him, she’d helped him. She had to be the one. No one had ever shown him so much care. She could take care of him for the rest of his life. But she had to say yes to going on a date. And she’d said no.
It didn’t make any sense. He had done everything right. Everything he should have. She should have said yes. But he’d been wrong again. He’d been turned down again. His face burned with embarrassment. How dare she do this to him when he was already so vulnerable. Wasn’t pity a real thing anymore? He’d take a pity date. Because then at least he could show her a good time and win her over. He just needed that one chance. Then he could prove he was a good guy and would be a good boyfriend and eventually husband.
If she didn’t give him this chance, what was the point? Why keep pushing through, torturing himself if she didn’t care? Had it all been lies? Was she stringing him along, making him think she liked him? Did she just play games? He was so pissed, he punched the bed. Then he punched it again and again, letting out a growl as he did.
He’d show her. He’d find a way.