Peyton Ackley - The Beginning of Change

Chapter 10 - I Need Your Help

It's been around a week since I accepted another new job, and I was heading into the training centre to reintroduce myself to Jonas and the team before I headed back to Australia tomorrow. I wasn't intending to head back home for another week, but my old, new job, gave me a really quick release. It was quite unusual, to say the least, I expected them to make me wait at least another month but they let me go almost immediately. I did have to make a deal with Maya though, she has now become my first patient outside of the Arsenal girls that I would treat whilst being the Arsenal women's physiotherapist.

"Nice to meet you again," spoke Jonas as I stepped into his office. I politely shook his hand before taking the seat that he offered me.

"It's nice to properly speak to you," I replied realising we had never had a proper conversation, it was mostly Leah speaking for us.

"I'd like to offer you a one-year contract, I know it's not long but you must understand considering you are still studying and are only 23 years old with very limited experience," Jonas said as he slid a piece of paper across the table.

"A year is perfect for now, hopefully, if all goes well that could be extended?" I questioned not expecting a response.

"The girls have already taken a liking to you, and if that continues, a contract extension is very possibly in sight," he smiled. I read over the contract quickly but thoroughly before signing my name on the dotted lines and sliding the paper back across to him.

"Thank you, Jonas, I really appreciate this opportunity."

"Leah's meant to come by and take you to your office, and some of the staff will also be around to help you with all the online and technical stuff that I'm not as familiar with," he replied.

As if summoned there was a knock at the door, and in walked the familiar blonde who I hadn't seen in at least a week. Her skin seemed slightly tanner, unusual for late winter, but her smile was much bigger. She approached me with a few swift steps taking me into a quick hug.

"Hi Leah," I said with a giggle.

"Hey PJ," she replied which confused Jonas but he just put the nickname to the side. "You ready to go see where you'll be working?" she asked which I nodded to.

Leah led the way out of the manager's office and down the hall towards what seemed like the gym, as I vaguely recalled from my visit a week ago. There were a few doors to the side of the gym and recovery rooms, perfect placement for physiotherapist offices. As we got closer I noticed my name engraved on one of the plaques nearest the gym. Peyton Ackley. It was perfect, everything I envisioned and more.

Leah stepped to the side to let me open the door for the first time, brushing my fingers over my engraved name. Inside it was rather plain, which was expected since I hadn't decorated it yet. There was a desk with a computer and some bookshelves which I intended to fill with books and studies related to women's sports and ACL injuries - the perfect combo for my intentions here. There was also a physio bench and some wide open windows that looked out to the pitch.

I turned slowly taking in every aspect of the room, the dark grey floors, the white walls, white lights, everything that I could see. Maybe this life was a possibility?

"I've got to go to my afternoon training," spoke Leah as she moved to the door.

"I'll see you later," I replied. "I'm flying out to Australia late tonight though, so if I don't see you today I'll see you in a week," I explained.

"You're going to Australia tonight?" asked Leah kind of taken aback by the sudden choice in the trip.

"Yeah, I've got some unfinished business, but once I get back all will be good and I'll be ready to get started with this job," I explained fiddling with a pen I found on my desk.

Throughout the following hours, a number of people came through mostly looking to help me with my computer, or my schedule, or to just introduce themselves to the new employee. The best part of my office was the window that I could watch the training pitch through. I was able to watch all of the ACL girls, Beth was killing it per usual, and Leah and Laura were training at about the level expected for the recovery they'd been doing at Arsenal. Kalyan obviously wasn't out since she was still only running in anti-gravity, but the unusual thing was Viv was nowhere to be seen.

I wanted to go and try to find her in the gym, but I didn't want to invade her privacy considering it was only my first day and I'd only met her a week ago. I decided I'd wait until I returned from Australia before I approached her about her injury and the results from the LSI, but before I could further consider my choices there was a knock at the door. I half expected it to be someone else coming through with maintenance things, but I took the liberty of having a spinning chair to slowly turn to the guest.

"Sorry to interrupt," spoke a familiar voice.

"What's up, Viv?" I asked, "You haven't been out in training".

"You're the new physiotherapist, correct?" she asked.

"Yes, so what's up?" I repeated.

"I need your help," she spoke sceptically.

"Go on Viv."

"My knee hurts," she said with no emotion - typical Viv.

"Which one?" was my next question because I knew she had trouble with both.

"Both?" replied Viv.

"Vivianne Miedema please tell me you haven't re-injured your knees, and yes I do mean plural."

"I don't think I've re-injured them, but something is definitely wrong," she attempted to explain.

"Do you think it could be that you were never ready to return because based on your LSI you definitely should not be on that football pitch?"

"I know my LSI was bad, I jumped a shorter distance than Beth and she's tiny," Viv laughed. "I didn't want to walk out but I simply couldn't bear to hear that everyone else was doing good and on track while I'm lagging behind."

"Did you walk out because you didn't want to hear your results or because you already knew them?" I asked.

"I don't know, both? I had a rough idea of what they would say and I just couldn't stand the idea of you having to tell me, so I walked out," she said.

"Viv I think that it's best if you don't play, at minimum, this week. We will reassess when I get back from Australia but until then, no training, no games, just gym work. Continue the exercises I sent you for the study, yours are adjusted to your LSI difference. You are probably closer to Laura's level in proportional strength, hate to be the bearer of bad news," I said rather smugly.

"It's okay," she replied.

"We're going to continue your exercises until you are at expected strength in both knees and then we'll consider you returning to football, understood?" I asked before letting her leave.

She nodded and mumbled a 'yes' under her breath so I let her leave. I really didn't want to have to share the news with Viv, but her results were alarming. She obviously has a history of knee problems, but neither of her knees is at the strength to withstand the force of a game, and in turn, I need to pull her from the pitch for safety. Not in my right mind could I let her continue playing while at high risk; that would defeat the whole reason why I became a physiotherapist.

WORDS: 1301

a/n: shorter chapter again, let me know if you guys like the shorter chapters or are looking for something longer