Page 48 of Revive Me

“I’m going to lift your leg and place it for the first step, but I want you to do as much of the lifting as you can. Ideally, I’m only guiding your leg.” I send him a quick grin. “Time to finally put all that strength training to good use.”

“One more of those and I might ‘accidentally’ kick you in the chest,” he returns with a glare.

My focus is already back on his leg, my response unthinking as I mumble, “As your physical therapist, I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say I would gladly eat a kick to the chest and consider it a roaring success.”

I hear Roman’s sigh above me. “I swear, your therapy methods need to be studied.”

I give him an impatient poke in the thigh. “Yes, fine, I’ll share my teachings with the Board.Afteryou get walking. Chop chop.”

Another sigh, but this time, I feel Roman’s quad flex under my hand as he tries to lift his leg. It doesn’t lift high enough for a safe step forward, but I’m pleased with the motion, regardless. Guiding his leg with the hand gripping his muscle above the knee, I adjust my grip around his foot that’s now in the air and place it for a stepping motion: with the heel landing first, then rolling through the step to the ball of the foot.

“Nice. Feel okay?”

“Feels weird,” he admits.

“We just have to build that muscle memory back up. Ten thousand kicks and all that.”

“Did you just quote Bruce Lee to me?” he asks, the amusement obvious in his voice.

“Can’t say I don’t know my audience. Alright, other leg now.”

We move through the same motion on his left side, guiding him through the lift, and then placing his foot for the heel-to-toe motion. He needs more assistance this time, his left side being weaker.

“Perfect. Give me another one. Let’s keep going.”

We work through a dozen more steps, moving slowly and emphasizing each one so his brain can start to log the muscle memory. It isn’t until I catch two winces in a row on Roman’s face that I call an end to our session.

“I think that’s enough for today,” I say, standing from my stool. “We don’t want to stress your body too much. Fran’s going to lower the lift, and I’m going to hold your chair behind you so you can drop right into it. Ready?”

At that, Roman’s jaw clenches in a way that makes me wonder if me pulling a chair out for him is the part of our session that hit his ego. But even if it is, he follows my instructions without protest, which has me chalking up this entire thing as a victory.

He collapses into his chair with a grunt, relaxing into the space that’s still the most comfortable for him.

God. I’m so proud of him.

It isn’t until I catch myself looking at him from my place behind him, the urge to massage his sore shoulders becoming overwhelming, that I realize Fran is still here. She’s standing by the lift, watching us curiously.

I mentally assure myself that she didn’t see anything.Fuck, was I staring at Roman like a starstruck girl?

“Thanks for helping out today, Fran. I appreciate it,” I tell her. “I’ll let you know when I could use your help again.”

She nods with a smile of her own. “Of course, it was my pleasure.” She looks at Roman. “Great job today, Roman.”

“Thanks,” he says gruffly. “And I second Liliana’s comment: thanks for your help today.”

“Of course. Anything I can do, just let me know.” She turns her attention back to me. “I’m assuming you need me for a few more sessions in the harness, yes?”

I nod. “If you can fit some in, that would be great. We can schedule them on days that are best for you, since we’re still mixing them in with strength training days, but if that’s too hard, I can ask one of the other therapists. I just thought you might like to be involved.”

Part of me hopes she says no, too worried about the possibility that she could pick up on my feelings for Roman.

But of course she says yes.

“Let’s look at the calendar tomorrow and figure out how many and which days we want.”

A tight smile pulls at my lips as I nod. “Great. I’ll pop into your office tomorrow around lunch then.”

It isn’t until she leaves, and I’m left alone with Roman once again, that the enormity of what just happened hits me. Roman did a walking exercise.Successfully.

---