Writetober 2019

October 11-Snow

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Everett said looking out the window. It was snowing.

"At least now you know why you're sore, right?" His girlfriend said from where she leaned against the doorway with a steaming mug of coffee.

"Yeah, this is great," He drawled. "My back's a damn barometer!" He rolled his shoulders in vain attempt to relieve the ache that had settled in his spine. Nothing seemed to help it. Moving hurt. His legs and arms tingled slightly from nerve pressure real or imagined.

He called Dr. Turner as he ground his teeth. Today was a Saturday, but if he still felt like this on Monday he wasn't sure how he was supposed to work. Picking up anything bigger than a coffee cup made the pain worse, and he didn't like the idea of being on his feet all day.

Dr. Turner was sympathetic but could only recommend restarting the series of stretches and exercises he hadn't had to do in months. Everett gave a resigned sigh and tried soaking in a hot bath to loosen up before moving on to the stretches. It felt like the muscled in his back were all bunched and knotted up.

His girlfriend walked back in to find him sprawled out on the floor doing one of his exercises. "What are you doing?" She asked.

Everett grunted. "Doc said to do my physical therapy stuff again and keep doing them. Hopefully, it's just the snow, but it might be the cold in general causing it. Either way, I'm going to have to deal with this all winter."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Honey."

"How are things looking out there?"

"I wouldn't go out if I were you. The snow's turning to mush in a few places. Real slippery," She said before walking over to offer a hand up.

Everett took her hand and watched appreciatively as her arm rippled with extra muscle for a moment. Beautiful and strong, how had he gotten so lucky? "Ah!" He was on his feet. Ooh, that hurt more than usual.

She winced as he stretched again.

Everett sighed and hobbled towards the closet. He leaned against the closet's doorframe as he looked for something. "Hey, Connie, have you seen the heating pad?"

"Yeah, think I used it a few weeks ago. Let me check," Connie said before walking into the living room.

Everett searched a bit longer before spying one of the things he was looking for: his cane. He slowly and carefully bent to retrieve it from the floor and straightened with its aid. He could see where he'd shoved his back brace into a corner. He paused to stare at it. For an unguarded moment, his face looked pained and weary, his eyes too moist and short on hope.

"Found it!" Connie called from the other room.

Everett remembered himself and cleared his throat before closing the closet door and turning his back on its contents. Heating pad first. He'd be back for the brace if that didn't give some relief.