Stranger Things Have Happened, I Know

Ch 42

Chapter 42

“It hurts,” I said, standing in my living room, tears streaming down my face.

“Just bend it a little bit more,” Tessa, my physical therapist instructed, gently. I bit down on my lip and tried to bend my knee like she had asked.

“Fuuuuuck,” I grunted.

“That’s good, hold it… three..two..one. Ok, relax,” she said and I did, flopping down onto the chair.

“Good job, baby!” Dave said, reaching over to squeeze my hand. I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand.

“I know it’s painful, but soon you will have your full range of motion back,” Tessa explained. I had been out of my brace for two weeks and I my leg was very stiff and very weak. For another 15 minutes, Tessa tortured me with different stretches and exercise. When she was finished, Dave walked her out and returned to me.

“She’s a horrible person,” I said, sniffling. “I hate her.”

“You don’t hate her!” Dave said, laughing. “She’s very nice, she’s just doing her job.” He went over to the freezer and pulled out an ice pack and handed it to me. I propped my leg up on the couch and applied the ice. “You are a champ” he said, bending down to kiss me.

“Thank you for staying for that,” I told him. “It makes me feel better when you’re here.”

“I know, that’s why I stayed,” he said, looking at his watch. “But I have to run to the studio now.” I frowned. He cocked his head and said, “Did you want to come?”

“Would you mind?” I asked. “Watching you guys rehearse would take my mind off of this debilitating pain I am experiencing.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t mind!” he said, smiling. “Come on, then! Let’s go!” I lifted my arms up, waiting for him to scoop me up. He raised his eyebrows and shook his head. “No, no, no,” he scolded. “You know what Tessa said. You have to try to walk as much as possible.” I glared at him.

“Mean,” I said as I struggled to my feet. I grabbed my purse and followed Dave out to the car. Typically, Dave didn’t really like the wives and girlfriends hanging around too much, but I was his and I guess I was the exception. And, besides, I didn’t really go all that often. Dave pulled two chairs together in the main auditorium so I had great front row seats where I could prop my leg and ice my knee. Dave had a few things to attend to before they started running through songs, so Taylor and Chris came over to chat with me while they waited. I lifted the ice pack to show them my knee.

“It looks pretty gross and swollen,” Taylor said. “I want to poke it.”

“Don’t fuckin’ poke it,” Chris said, swatting Taylor’s finger away. I rolled my eyes.

“My therapist has been killing me,” I told them, recounting the agony. “I didn’t hurt this bad when I broke it.”

“Taylor!” Dave called. “Did you fuck with the level’s on the drums?” Dave called from the control room. “Caaaaaause, I’m pretty sure this isn’t how I left them!” Taylor’s eyes looked up towards the ceiling and a guilty look came over his face.

“I didn’t touch your fucking levels,” Taylor said, smirking, heading into the control room, leaving me alone with Chris. He knelt down and took the ice pack from my hand and gently laid it back over my knee. I swallowed hard. Over the past few weeks, Chris and I had gotten really close, but it was more than that. There was definitely some strange chemistry between us.

“Personally,” he said, smiling. “I liked the big, bulky brace. I found it to be a major turn on.”

“Is that so? Well, I could always wear it just for you,” I said, overtly flirting. Chris raised his eyebrows and shook his head.