physiotherapy | awsten knight

5: knee emergency

October 20th, 8 weeks before the incident

Awsten pushed his hands down the naked upper back of his patient quite forcefully while the woman let out a strong breath. Satisfying cracks erupted, and she groaned, indicating that he successfully released some knots. He did the same thing three more times, each time further down her back.

"Now I need you to stretch out your right arm.", Awsten instructed his 35-year old patient and she followed through immediately. Standing on her right side, he hooked his right arm under her outstretched arm and placed her hand on his left shoulder.

"I'm going to lean down and bend your arm a little uncomfortably. Take a deep breath and then release it quickly, just like before", he explained and his patient hummed.

Awsten adjusted himself and bent down over her back, moving her arm with him. At the same time, he pressed his right elbow into her shoulder blade quickly as she breathed out. That released the knots in-between her spine and her shoulder blade.

They did the same thing on her other side. For the rest of the session, he massaged her back. She was visibly more relaxed under him as he worked his pointer and middle finger along her spine and dragged them out to her hips. After about 10 minutes, Awsten thought she might have fallen asleep. He couldn't see her face and no noise could be heard from her mouth. Chuckling, he asked her if she was still with him.

"Hmmm", she mumbled in response, "This is the most relaxed i've felt in a long time."

"That's good to hear.", he smiled, and continued.

His hands, now balled to fists, pushed down, just below her shoulder and made her sigh out loud.

When Awsten was finished, he wished her a good rest of her day and disappeared to let her get dressed again. It was the end of his shift and a soft sound escaped his lips at the realisation. He washed his hands under the sink in the small staff bathroom and quickly dried off.

Usually, giving people back massages wasn't something he would do, seeing as he specialised in treating injuries, but since he was still a trainee, he had to do it all.

He went back to the front desk and waved the woman goodbye.

"You're really good, I almost wish my regular therapist called in sick more often.", she joked.

"Aw, don't let her hear that.", with a playful smile, he accepted the compliment.

After signing off in the computer, he got changed in the staff room. With his phone in his hands, he left the office, wishing the colleague who was left to close up, a good night.

His parents had invited him and his sister over for dinner that night and therefore  Awsten speeded down the highway to his childhood home. When he arrived at the street, he slowed the car a little and pulled into the driveway next to his sister's car.
Awsten's stomach grumbled for food after his long day and he couldn't wait to get his hands on homemade food from his mom.

He unlocked the door with the keys he still kept and stepped inside his old home. With a content smile etched onto his face, he unlaced his shoes and quickly walked into the warm kitchen.

"Hey mom.", he greeted and his mom turned around quickly, recognising her son's voice.

"Oh, my boy.", Mrs. Knight gushed and embraced him in a motherly hug.