The Difference She Makes

Testing

Testing

The days had passed and the final test was up. Emma struggled hard with her nerve tests, but now she was up for the big test. Being able to walk. Wheeling her down to the physical therapy room, John is too nervous right now.

Her nurse lines her up with parallel bars and helps her to her feet. Holding onto the bars, John walks backwards in front of her and her nurse behind her. She takes a deep breath in and then steps. Her first step is weak and wobbly. She almost collapse, but soon regains strength. She walks until there's no bars in front of her. At the em of the bars, John looks at her with hope. Putting his arms out, Emma wobbly walks to him and collapses in his arms.

"Good job Baby. Very good job." He kisses her and the nurse comes over.

"Emma, we're gonna release you home, but you have limitations. No more than 15 minutes up on yer feet a day, until we increase it. The rest of the time we expect you to exercise the muscles and bones we've showed you using our method. Also, I don't want you over using the pain meds. Only if it's completely necessary. Okay?"

"Alright. seems do able." John helps Emma back to her chair where he can't help but let his hand linger on her shoulder.

"Okay good. We'll be able to discharge you in a few minutes." The nurse leaves and Emma can't stop smiling. She lightly bounces up an down in her chair and John drives her back to her room to get her ready.

"John! I'm gonna be able to walk again!! Ooh I'm so excited! Johnny can you believe it?"

John's face twists up in the elevator they share.

"Don't call me that."

"Wh...why?" He seems too angry for some reason. Why doesn't he like being called Johnny? It's just a nickname.

"I... Just don't!" The door opens to their floor and the tension between them right now could be cut with a fingernail. He help pack her things and she gets dressed with the assistance of a nurse.

Why would he snap at her like that? It was just a nickname, nothing else. Certainly nothing bad. She just couldn't pinpoint why he would go berserk like that over a name.

They sign all the necessary papers and head for his house, where John's mother agreed to come out and watch Jack.

"How'd it go?" His mother Florence (Flo), asked as Jack kept from her arm and into Emma's arms.

"Great. Only 15 minute a day and soon they're gonna raise it until she can go full time." John's tone was kind of barbaric and brick-house-ish. He was so concentrated and angered right now that she just couldn't pin point one exact reason he was mad at her.

"What's wrong John?"

"Nothing. I'm taking a shower. Thanks for watching Jack." Going up stairs he trudges up the stairs an then slams the door before entering his bedroom.

"What's eating him?" Flow looks at Emma for possible answers.

"All I did was call him Johnny and he flipped."

"Oh...honey. Oh. You didn't know."

"Know what?" Emma readjusts herself, now realizing just how uncomfortable this hair really was

"His wife used to call him that. used to leave him messages and phone calls and well that was her name for him. It hurts him thinking about her. Losing her. Huh, I guess that name passed away with her too."

Emma only wish she knew. So she would've held her tongue. So that she wouldn't have had to make him grumpy.

"Live and learn sweetheart, Men don't change their ways. They lose what they knew and never replace it." Flo walks past Emma, briefly placing her Han on her shoulder before leaving to go check on Jack outside.

Well that was something she wished she learned in college.