“Sure.” Happy to be able to do something, Harper hurried to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles.
“Here,” she said, holding one out for Aldo.
“Thanks,” he said, twisting the top and downing half of it.
She resisted the urge to rub his shoulder.
“I know the energy expenditure is frustrating. Typically, mobility with a below knee amputation consumes up to forty percent more energy than what you’re used to. That’s why you feel like you just finished a marathon. It might only seem like a few steps to you, but to your body, it feels like almost double that.”
“I’m fine. I can do more,” Aldo shrugged.
“Lieutenant, you live up to the hype,” Annalise said, readjusting the bar height. “You’re a beast.”
“When can I start running?”
Dr. Steers looked at him over his glasses. “I’m going to make a promise that in most cases I don’t get to make. Soon. In fact, I think you’d be a great candidate for a carbon fiber running blade.”
Aldo’s nod was brisk, but Harper saw the spark in his eye.
“Let’s move on to some balance work.”
After another hour of balance and strengthening exercises, followed by some electrical stimulation and massage, Aldo was putty on the table.
Annalise handed Harper a stack of papers. “These are at-home exercises that will really keep the momentum high for his therapy. The lieutenant is going to have three outpatient appointments a week here, but if you can help him on off days and work through these, he’s going to see more results more quickly.”
Harper took the stack. “Absolutely.”
“Great! Then we’ll see you two Friday.”
***
“You don’t have to be my new therapy buddy,” Aldo said, back in the car.
“I don’t mind. But I’ll understand if you’d rather have your mom take you.”
He smirked. “Very funny. Want to grab some lunch?”
Harper’s stomach growled. “More than anything in the world.”
They went through a drive-thru and put the top of the VW down in a sunny waterfront park.
Harper chowed down on her burger while Aldo picked at his fries.
“Have you talked to Luke?” she finally asked.
“A couple of times. Not since I came home though.”
Harper waited and stewed.
“He sounds like he’s doing okay,” Aldo said.
“Does he?”
“He won’t let me thank him.”
“For what?”
Aldo turned to look at her. “He didn’t tell you that he dragged my ass out of there under fire while ordering everyone else to pull back?”
