Casting Debbie

Chapter 15

"Okay, Lou. Everything looks good, so let's get that cast off."

"Yay!" Debbie clapped her hands. "No more being your lady's maid."

The doctor laughed. He'd met Debbie once before during a check-up, and enjoyed her humor. "She'll still have to take it easy, except in therapy. In therapy, I expect you to kick her butt."

"Will do, Doc. No worries there. I've always wanted to play a female drill sergeant who's both hated and loved by her new recruits."

"I think it's mostly just hate those poor kids feel," Lou said.

"Whatever. We'll hit the Army surplus on the way home and get me a drill sergeant's hat. Maybe the whole outfit."

Lou groaned. "Good god, Doc. You've created a monster."

A few minutes later, a nurse stepped into the room with a cast saw. "This won't take but a minute and you'll be free again."

Lou put her hand on the nurse's arm, stopping her. "Will you save the autograph? I think it might be valuable someday." Lou's eyes met Debbie's. They shared a smile. Lou looked away first, her cheeks reddening. "Do you watch soaps?" she asked the nurse.

"Yes! I have to record them and then catch up on my days off. Who signed your cast?"

"Debbie Ocean." She pointed across the room. "Over there in the corner."

The nurse immediately stopped what she was doing and turned around. "Dr. Porter!"

Debbie gave her a little wave. "Hi."

Lou grinned from ear to ear, happy to give the spotlight to the woman who had cared for her so well. The woman who would soon be thrown into a very big spotlight.

***

"Lift those beans, Lou Miller!" Debbie was pushing Lou to finish a set of exercises with nothing but a small bean bag in her hand. "Are you telling me you can't lift beans?"

"Fuck you." Lou threw the bean bag with her good arm. It didn't even come close to hitting Debbie, landing in the deep end of the pool.

"Fuck me? Yeah, you're way too weak and you obviously aren't so proficient with your left hand." Debbie shook her head dramatically. "Such a pity..." She motioned with her head toward the pool. "That bean bag isn't going to save itself."

"I hate you so much sometimes," Lou said with a scowl.

"No. You hate being weak. You hate being out of control. You hate that you can't get on your bike and ride up that mountain, so take your clothes off and save that bean bag!"

"Take off my clothes? Ha! Nice try, drill sergeant." Lou plopped into a chair at the table and drank from her bottle of water.

Debbie sauntered over to the table. "Hey, that's what Sergeant Ocean would tell you to do. She'd say, Lou Miller, you hot mother fucker, take off your damn clothes and save that fucking bean bag!"

"I'm tired. And you're bossy as hell. It's getting old." She unconsciously rubbed her sore arm.

"Fine." Debbie pulled up a chair. "You can have a break, but we have to do these exercises before dinner." She grabbed a bottle of lotion off the table and gently massaged Lou's arm.

"Is the housekeeper done yet?"

"She has a name. It's Chloe, and she'll be done in a few minutes."

Lou closed her eyes and moaned, clearly enjoying the way Debbie was working her muscles. "Are you sure she hasn't taken any photos of the house?"