Chapter 3
CHAPTER
THREE
Two weeks after surgery, his aide wheeled him into the large and sunny PT room. Candace stood behind her patient at the bars, encouraging her to take the final steps. The young woman beamed as she made it, and Candace did a little dance, the same one from college, making him chuckle.
She must’ve heard him because she immediately stopped and assisted her patient back into the chair. Glancing at him, she gazed down toward his missing stub, and compassion showed in her eyes.
“Hi, Archer. I’m Terry. Today, we’ll start doing some small exercises to keep your range of motion going. Let me know your pain level and if anything feels like it’s too much. We’ll assess where you’re at and go from there. Do you have any questions?” the therapist asked.
“No,” he said, still watching Candace. Terry followed his stare and grinned. “She’s one of the best. I think she could convince a mule to run through the exercises if she wanted.”
“Good to know. I can’t imagine anyone liking this part,” he said, half listening. The woman in his sights bent over to tie an elderly vet’s shoe and made the older man smile. She always loved caring for people, and it showed how much she enjoyed her job.
“Wait until she has you in one of her dance-offs,” Terry said, shaking his head. “The teens compete against the veterans. Candy comes up with all kinds of ideas to keep her patients active and outdoors.”
“What about in winter?” he asked.
“There’s a huge cafeteria with an open view of the mountain.
Candy says nothing heals better than nature and love.
After meals, the teens will prep the area for wheelchair yoga, or range of motion games, depending on what she’s got up her sleeve,” Terry said, moving him to his workspace and crouching down to his level. “How’s the pain?”
“I’m about a three,” he lied. Archer hurt like hell, but he didn’t want them delaying his therapy. He wanted to see Candace and hoped she might eventually warm to him. At least it might lead to a start. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to tell him she didn’t want anything to do with him.
Terry frowned. “We don’t give out any medals for bravery here. Pain requires constant control to promote your healing. Do you want to rethink your answer?” he asked kindly.
“No. I’m positive,” he assured him, hoping to get this part done. It felt like Archer lost his mind when the foot they amputated began to throb and itch. Logically, he knew it no longer existed, yet the pain felt real.
Candace wheeled her patient from the room, talking animatedly.
Archer wondered if she ever stopped. She reminded him of the pink battery bunny, even when they were younger.
Archer knew he did the right thing when he talked Jonah out of marrying Candice, but his gut twisted from the guilt.
She never knew the reasons why Jonah left.
Yet, she seemed happy and settled here. Maybe she didn’t want or need the closure at all. Perhaps it was he who needed it more.