One Wish

Chapter 31

Audrey

It's been several frustrating days of physio and pain. Simple tasks I used to take for granted are difficult for me now, but determination is the only thing keeping me going. I must admit, though, it's hard. Really hard. When the pain hits and it's constant, all I want to do is sit down and be done with it. In fact, one day this week, I became angry, which shocked me afterwards because I never usually lose my temper like that. I shouted and cried, which the physiotherapist allowed before I calmed. He then simply asked, "Are you done feeling sorry for yourself now?" The initial shock that he said something like that to me robbed me of speech. I got angry again, but when I took a few seconds to really take in what he'd said, I simply nodded my head. It wasn't that he didn't care, he was simply playing tough. Put on your big girl panties and fight. I knew I would get better, but it wasn't going to be overnight. It would take patience and resolve-traits my physiotherapist was simply trying to engrain into my brain so that I would get better. In the end, he and I became the best of friends.

"Your physiotherapist is hot," Trent thinks out loud after I'm done with another session.

I smile because I've thought that too. It's just... well, he's just doing his job, and I simply want to get out of here... despite said hotness.

"He's kinda cute, but there's someone else out there for you."

Trent frowns. "What makes you say that?"

His question has me examining why I would say that. I take a moment to think why that came out of my mouth, but I come up empty. "I have no idea. I just... said it."

"You're strange," he muses.

I laugh out loud at his hypocrisy. "Me? Acting strange? You've been acting weird too. Am I glad to be in my body again... whatever that means?"

He eyes me suspiciously before pulling out a magazine from his back pocket and opening it. "Eli Prescott's fathers died. The funeral is in a week's time."

Sadness overwhelms me-more than it should. Yes, I should feel sad for him, but not to this extent. "That's too bad," I reply, glumly.

"There's also rumors that he and Kendra are having problems. She hasn't been seen with him in a while, plus he's been spotted staying at a hotel." Trent narrows his eyes at me like he's studying me for some reason. And he keeps saying I'm acting strange.

"If that's true about him and Kendra after his father recently passing, that must be so hard on him. Talk about these things happening all at once. Poor guy."

"Hmm," Trent simply replies, still eyeing me suspiciously. I'm about to ask what's gotten into him when he suddenly speaks. "I guess we will find out soon enough. If it's true about him and Kendra, it means he's on the open market again." He wriggles his eyebrows for full effect.

"Even if that's true, he will be snapped up by another gorgeous supermodel, or actress, no doubt."

"Pfft," Trent responds, waving his hand dismissively in front of me. "Let a guy dream of a magical romance between a Hollywood movie star and a girl in a café."

I laugh out loud. "You've been reading too many romance novels."

"Some of them are true," he protests, almost pouting. "Look at Samuel L. Jackson, Kirk Douglas... George Bush. They've been married for more years than you've been alive."

"Yeah, and how often does that happen?" I roll my eyes back at him.

"Are you saying you don't believe in true love?"

I secretly do, but it's not something I have had time to dwell on. Sure, I went on dates and such when I was in high school, but never had anything serious. I found most boys to be rather immature, but I guess I felt that way because after my dad died, I had to grow up quite a lot. My mom was understandably a wreck for a long time after, so I had to carry the weight of paying bills and household chores myself-something that my mom has carried guilt for ever since. It wasn't ideal, but I got through it. I got through it because I had to. By the time I was fourteen, I was going to high school and in my spare time, I was helping at the café. After I finished high school, I worked at the café full time until my aunt decided I could cope with it by myself. She was already retired and wanted to move to sunny Florida, so it was unfair to place the burden of running the place on her. I eventually persuaded my aunt and my mom that I wanted to do this by myself... to carry on my dad's dream. I know they were concerned that I might potentially be throwing away another career I could have wanted, but I believe now that this was what I was meant to do.