Scooping her up easily into my arms, I walk her to the lounge and place her down gently.Kneeling down on the floor next to her, I ask.“Do you feel anything sprained or broken?”
She sniffs, holding back any sign of weakness.“No, luckily.It just feels really bruised and probably grazed.I’m just stiff and sore from coming down so hard and unexpectedly.I couldn’t brace myself.”
“Want me to check to see how bad?”
She nods, wasting no time in sticking her thumb into the waistband of her tights.Slowly dragging it down and exposing a decent-sized bruise from her hip to mid-thigh.It must have been a heavy fall for the bruise to show so quickly and deeply.
“I’ll grab an ice pack to help the swelling.”Before I leave for the kitchen, I move down to her feet and gently remove each of her shoes, making sure to listen out for any pain noises she might make with the movement.None, so that’s a relief.No strained or broken ankles.Rising to my feet, I walk over to the kitchen and pull out a blue gel ice pack from the freezer, wrapping it in a clean tea towel and returning to Rayna’s side, now positioned at her hips, looking up at her.I gently place the long rectangle pack across her leg, making sure to cover the bruise as much as possible.She closes her eyes and winces softly.Once she gets used to the coldness, she opens her eyes again, looking at me with glassy eyes.
My hands stay over the ice pack, gently holding it in place for a few moments.“There you go.”
Softly, she replies.“Thanks.”
“You want to hold it, and I’ll go get you some anti-inflammatories.”
She nods in reply, sliding her hands over mine to take their position on the ice pack.
Standing again, I head to the kitchen to fill a glass with water and retrieve two tablets from the medical cabinet in one of the overhead cupboards before resuming my place back on the floor by her hip.She scoots over so I can sit on the edge of her deep lounge.
“Don’t move too much.”
“We are too old to be sitting and getting up from the floor.”Even when she is in pain, she is thinking of others.
I hold out the glass and tablets for her.While she takes them, I move from the floor to the edge of the lounge.She hands the cup back for me to set it on the coffee table in front of her.I sit a little further back and instinctively put my hand on her calf.Running my hand up and down, soothingly.My hand sailing effortlessly across the soft fabric of her activewear tights.
I inspect her face, reminding my brain I'm assessing for cuts, bruises or bumps.But they keep getting caught up admiring her beauty.Her flawless skin, my fingertips itching to glide down the side of it.Revel in the softness.Drag my thumb across her perfect lips, depressing and letting them bounce free as my thumb clears them.Run my tongue up and down her neck as she tilts her head back and exposes the delicate area.
Drawing my attention back to the task at hand, I scan her face.Her hair is a bit dishevelled, and some dirt on her chin from the fall.
“Can I get you anything else?”
“Not for the moment.Thank you.”Her voice sounds a little more like her own again.
“I just got back from the beach and a run, so I’m going to head up for a quick shower and then I’ll be back down to help with whatever you need.”
“Okay.”
I drag her tote closer to her, assuming her phone and a small supply of things will be in there for her to access.
“I won’t be too long, so stay put and then I’ll be back down to do whatever you need me to do.”
Her face reds a little, simply nodding again and lays further down on the lounge.
Smiling in return, I head towards the stairs and run up the landing to shower in record time and head back down to Rayna on the lounge still.
Checking the ice pack, it’s warm.So I replaced it with another from the freezer, placing this one back to get it cold again.Sitting back on the lounge’s edge, my hand finds her calf again, rubbing up and down.
“How are you feeling?Can I get you anything?”
“Just feeling embarrassed and tender.Wishing I had the forward thinking to put my things in the shower downstairs so I don’t have to tackle the stairs.”
“Do you want one right now?”
“Yeah, I feel sticky and hot.”
Picking up the ice pack and placing it on the coffee table, I square up against the lounge and slide my arms underneath her body, easily lifting her up.
“Koby!”She gasped, gripping her hands around my neck.Holding on so tight, I love it.
