Lovers

Naughty

Hello hello hello! Happy New Year everybody! I have a little bit of fluff to start 2020 off with. I hope you like it, because I'm quite fond of this one. Comment and vote if you wish hehe.
-ab

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October 6, 2027

Patrick

As I walk into work, I check my schedule and groan to myself. I've got a full day of appointments scheduled, with only an hour's worth of a break for lunch.

Oh well, that short break is better than nothing. There was one day when I accidentally scheduled myself entirely full, with no lunch break. That was no fun.

Before my first appointment begins, I pull out my phone and send a quick text to my wife.

Patrick: Would you fancy grabbing a bit to eat with me at the Pret that's near the clinic? I've got a long day, and spending some time with my wifey during break wouldn't hurt.

Harper: That sounds great. I had absolutely no plans today except for sitting around and wallowing in my own self pity- haha.

Patrick: Oh? Are you feeling okay?

Harper: I'm fine, just sore. Not nauseous, though.

Patrick: At least that much. Is Kath around?

Harper: I think so. She's not called to Nutcracker rehearsals today, as far as I'm aware. We will probably hang out, but I'll absolutely come and see you on your lunch break.

Patrick: Perfect. Meet me at Pret at 11:45.

Harper: I'll be there. Love you xx

Patrick: Love you too

I tuck away my phone, content with the plans that I have made, and not five minutes later, my first patient walks in for the day.

It's a new little girl, who I've not worked with before and I don't have a lot of information on her condition. She introduces herself to me as Lydia, and she appears to be around 10 years old.

"I just moved to London," she explains to me, in such a sweet little Yorkshire accent. "I came here to play Matilda in Matilda the Musical, and I needed somebody new to work with, so one of the mums of the other kids recommended you."

"Was that Leo's mum?" I ask her. I think that the little boy who I worked with a few years ago, when he injured himself during a performance of Les Miserables is now understudying Bruce and a few other male roles in Matilda.

"Yeah," she smiles at me.

"I know Leo very well. He's a sweet boy, isn't he?"

"Yep."

"What seems to be the issue, then, lovey?" I ask her.

"My knees grew wrong when I was little, and I've been getting therapy for it for a few years now. They grew in a turned out position, instead of facing straight forward," she explains to me. I look, and sure enough, that's the issue.

"Do you think that's from ballet?" I ask her, and she nods. "I've heard of it happening before, but I've never actually worked with anyone with the issue," I admit. "I know what to do, though, don't worry."

That's not a lie. I do have an idea of how to work with her, and by the end of the session, she has informed me that it is quite like what she used to do with her physical therapist back in York, where she has moved from.

"You did really well," I tell Lydia. "Have your mum schedule you another appointment for two weeks from now, alright? I don't think that weekly appointments will be necessary, since you're still perfectly alright to perform and there's not really a time crunch in getting this fixed."

She nods, then goes back over to her mum, who has been silently observing the entire appointment from a bench in the corner of the room. I watch as the two of them walk out of the building together.

After a few more appointments, it is time for my lunch break. I walk down the street to the Pret, where Harper is already sitting inside, having claimed a table by the window.

"Hey hon," I smile at her. "How has your day been going?"

"The usual," she shrugs. "Nothing too exciting, but that's probably for the best."

"Shall we get lunch? I'll pay for it," I tell her. She nods, and we stand up, leaving our jackets at the table to be sure that nobody else will take it.

In line, we both skim over the menu board before making a quick decision on what to order. We both get sandwiches, and Harper gets a mango smoothie with hers, whereas I get a coffee.

After we get our food, we sit at the table and enjoy it together.

"I started working with a little girl who is in Matilda today," I tell my wife. "She's super cute."

"Aw," she smiles.

"And you know... I think she'd be quite tickled if we were to show up at one of her shows. I know that you fancy Matilda, and really just going to the theatre in general."

"I do," she giggles. "I wouldn't be able to complain if you were to buy tickets."

"Alright. I'll find out her schedule the next time that I see her, and we can get tickets to the show."

Harper smiles. "That was one of the first West End shows that I ever saw," she admits. "It brings back an incredible sense of nostalgia, every time that I go back. It was one of the shows that made me really fall in love with theatre, when I was quite little. I saw those girls up there, and thought that I could do that as well. I didn't realize how hard it was for a little kid to carry a show back then, of course. I'm not sure if I actually could have done it, but it seemed great to me, in theory."

I laugh. "I think that you would have made a great Matilda. From what I hear, you were quite the cheeky child."

"Yes, but not naughty, at all. I think that a Matilda would have need more guts than I did. I was too afraid of getting in trouble to ever do anything truly bad."

I laugh. "I feel like the worst thing you ever did as a child was eating raw cookie dough, or something like that."

"That's still about the worst thing that I do," she laughs. "But don't talk about that. I miss raw cookie dough, and I've got a feeling that eating it with a baby in my tummy probably isn't the safest idea."

"Yeah, probably not," I tell her with a smirk. "But I think that just goes to show how rebellious you are."

"Meaning not at all?"

I nod. "But don't worry. I still love you."