Page 41 of Fragile Love (Fragile 3)
“Look at him go!” Lillian squealed, squeezing Cayden’s shoulder. “My little Andrew’s growing up!”
“Get in here, lover boy,” he called behind him.
Cayden kissed Lillian as he stood. “I guess you know where we’ll be.”
“I’m excited for later,” she winked.
“You’re excited?” He chuckled. “You’d better be dressing up in something bad-ass or whatever you’re planning. All this talk feels like foreplay. I’m going to be walking around with a woody all night.” Taking his drink with him, he kissed her hard before releasing her and going to join Andrew in the living room. Lillian heard them talking but didn’t try to eavesdrop. A few moments to myself, she sighed, swirling the wine around in her glass. I guess I didn’t realize how much of an introvert I am until my house suddenly had two extra humans in it. Humans who happen to be tall, built men. Andrew wasn’t nearly as muscular as Cayden, but he had height.
She scrolled on her phone while her glass slowly got emptier. Once there was no more left, she took her time cleaning the kitchen. The guys were still talking in the other room; she was curious what they had to talk about so much. I didn’t know his simple physical therapy exercises would spur so much conversation. But, then again, I know nothing about muscles and bones, or whatever it is Cayden knows about.
Hoping she wouldn’t interrupt, she walked to the doorway and stood there, watching the two of them interact. Andrew was sitting on the couch, his leg straight out in front of him. Cayden was supporting his foot, holding it about six inches above the floor.
“So,” he motioned around Andrew’s leg, “that’s the purpose of this exercise they gave you.”
“My brain is melting,” Andrew said.
Cayden didn’t seem to hear. He was in his element. “You don’t want to lose your range of motion when you heal. That’s what the ROM means. Range of Motion. It’s short form.”
“Aren’t you smart?”
Cayden rolled his eyes, but tapped Andrew’s foot in warning. “If you lose ROM when you heal because this muscle hasn’t healed in its proper place, you’ll walk with a limp for the rest of your life.”
Andrew huffed. “I don’t know, man. It just doesn’t feel good when I do that.”
“Of course, it doesn’t feel good. Your femur’s broken and your ACL is torn.”
“Let me rephrase: it doesn’t feel right.”
“Don’t be a wuss.”
“I’m not a wuss. I’m being serious.”
Lillian giggled from her place at the door. Neither of the guys noticed.
“You can’t not do these just because you don’t like the way it feels.”
“That makes me sound petty.”
“That’s literally what you’re saying to me, though.”
“I’m just saying some of these are what old people do,” Andrew protested. “I don’t feel like I, as an able- bodied man, should be doing those same exercises.”
“Able-bodied?” Cayden sat back on his butt, propping Andrew’s heel on his knee. “Can you get up and do a jig for me, to demonstrate how able-bodied you are?”
“You know what I mean.”
Cayden shook his head. “I don’t know what you mean. Physical therapy isn’t a compromise of manhood, Drew—uh, Andrew.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re not less of an ‘able-bodied man’ for doing these little exercises that seem silly right now. You’ll be so glad you did them when you’re healing twice as fast as you would be if you weren’t doing them. Trust me.”
“Twice as fast?” Andrew perked up.
“Definitely faster than if you just sat here waiting for your body to heal.”
