Page 20 of Shielding Aubree

Ruben had to let go of her hand then. There really wasn't a reason to keep holding her hand.

He lowered his hands into the water and flexed the hand that had just held hers. He hoped that it didn't look obvious.

She walked along beside him, moving her hands through the water.

The joy that he could feel rolling off of her was like a live wire arcing through him.

Electric and wild.

They got to a point where she was in the water up to the undersides of her breasts.

He gestured for her to walk across the short end of the pool and watched her expression.

The first few steps were just fine.

The real reaction happened as they made their way back across the pool in the other direction.

He watched through his peripheral vision as she lifted her face into the sun.

"I don't feel the pain."

She turned her face toward him, beaming with joy. "Normally when I walk, I just..." A smile played across lips. "I just grin and bear it."

He nodded.

"I told Henley earlier that I felt like this was going to be a game changer today."

He looked at her, nodding. It certainly was a game changer for him.

They turned and started to walk back toward the other side of the pool, and she let out a sigh that was all joy. "This feels amazing."

Yes. Ruben nodded.Yes, it did.

5

Her therapy session went great the next day. She felt like she was gathering up the speed to make a breakthrough. And while she knew she had a giddy smile on her face, Henley hadn't called her out on it.

A small victory because if she had to talk about why she was smiling ear to ear, she might burst into confetti!

Silly? Sure!

Ridiculous?

Probably.

Henley didn't even refer to her notes.

They'd talked about whatever topic came into Aubree's head.

It was kind of oddly freeing, just talking about whatever.

"Oh, I was thinking about trying a Pilates class."

Henley grinned at her. "I'm glad."

"Really?" Aubree frowned at her words. "I'm likely making a mess out of my schedule and the schedule of staff here. I know when I we filled out the paperwork, I was dead set on just doing weight training and cardio. I even remember arguing with my physical therapist from the hospital."

"What was that argument about?"

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