Tony’s face fell.He seemed to fumble for an excuse when he spoke.“I can’t.It’s just…I need to help my dad with something.Um, family stuff.”
She studied his distressed features and could only imagine what that meant.She thought of his drunk father berating Tony.How long had he endured living in those awful conditions?Giselle again desired to comfort him in any way she could.
She reached over and squeezed his hand, a small gesture but hopefully one that provided companionship and understanding.“No worries.We’ll celebrate together another time.For now, I can’t thank you enough for taking care of me.I hate to trouble you.”
“It’s not a problem,” he said.“Besides, I’m inserting myself into the equation as an excuse to spend more time with you.”
“Hah.I knew an ulterior motive lurked close.”She smiled.“But I like it.”
The door opened, and the person from orthopedics rolled in a cart topped by equipment for the cast.Tony watched as the accomplished nurse wrapped Giselle’s ankle in padding, then applied layers of moist plaster to mold around her foot while halting just below the knee.The work done, she produced a pair of crutches and adjusted them for Giselle’s height as she tried them out in the room.
“This will be for several weeks until you’re ready for the boot,” the nurse explained.“How do the crutches feel?”
“Good, thank you very much,” Giselle answered.
After the nurse left, someone else arrived to close out the administration portion of the emergency room visit.Once complete, the tech placed Giselle in a wheelchair and pushed her out to the parking lot where Tony’s car waited.She took a few moments to get settled in the passenger seat, then buckled in.
“Your coach offered to bring your car from the park,” Tony explained as they drove off in the early afternoon.“Just give her the key tomorrow when the team comes to your house.And remember to act surprised.”
Giselle laughed.“I will, party pooper.”She noticed he headed in a direction away from her apartment complex.“You know where I live, Tony.Why are we going this way?”
“Just a little detour.”In a few minutes, they pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket where Giselle had left the soccer ball in his shopping cart.“I’m going to stock you up for a few days.You need to rest as much as possible.”
“Oh, Tony.You really don’t have to—”
“But I want to,” he said.“You’re going to wear yourself out hobbling around.What about your work?You injured your non-driving foot, but should still take a few days off.”
Ugh, Nigel is going to have a fit if I ask him for a break.But Tony is right, I need a couple days before I get back into my routine.Soccer season is over, but the auto dealership awaits.Will asking for time off give Nigel an excuse to fire me?
“Giselle, I’m sorry,” Tony suddenly said as he pulled into a parking spot and cut the engine.“I didn’t mean to intrude like that.”
She snapped out of her bitter thoughts.“What do you mean?”
“Your face just now.When I mentioned your work, you seemed really bothered.And here I am at the grocery store taking over your life.I’m butting in too much.”
“No, Tony, it’s not that.”She sighed.He’s a sweetheart.My thoughts of Nigel and the negative reaction gave Tony the wrong idea.“I have a lot of problems at work, that’s all.My boss is a first-class jerk wad.I just need to figure things out for the dealership, but I’ll be fine.”I hope.
He watched her for a moment in concern, perhaps sensing something more to the story.She looked out the windshield, afraid that her expression would reveal the true nightmare of her situation at work.Tony had enough problems to deal with at home.Giselle didn’t want to add her demons to his pile of worries.
“Ok,” he said at last.“Just know that I’m here to help.I already admitted I liked you, so that should provide an explanation for my actions, right?”He grinned, then opened the door before she could say anything as her face warmed.“Just relax for a few minutes.I’ll hurry and grab some basic things for you.”
“No way,” she stated, opening her side.She climbed out and balanced on one foot.“I need to break my crutches in.And once inside the store, I can ride on that little electric scooter with the basket.”
Giselle had a blast shopping alongside Tony.She drove the scooter and laughed as she made him take down and put back items while changing her mind several times.I’m a woman.It’s what we do.
The basket full, she paid for the groceries and they returned to the car.The humor continued when he explained how he followed Giselle to the auto dealership and her home to find out her address.In turn, she also confessed how she waited for him after the youth game and tailed him to the grocery store.I also followed him to his house, but better he doesn’t know I was there that night.
For their next stop, Tony headed to the pharmacy where the doctor had placed the order for Giselle’s prescriptions.Pills obtained, he next traveled to her apartment complex and found a good parking spot in front of her building.He climbed out and removed the grocery bags from the trunk.He also secured the strap of Giselle’s gym bag over his shoulder.She hobbled out on the crutches and headed for the front door.
“Lucky you live on the ground floor,” Tony commented, hoisting the items.“I’d have to carry you up and down the stairs every day.”
Balanced on a foot, Giselle smiled as she unlocked the entry.“As enjoyable as that seems, I’d be too scared to try.”
She shuffled inside, then grimaced at the mess scattered across the small living room.Some dirty clothes lay draped over the sofa.A greasy fast-food bag and crusty paper plates decorated the coffee table.Loose papers and books littered the floor in front of the flatscreen.
“Oh boy,” she mumbled.“I forgot about all this.”
Tony laughed as he entered behind her and crossed over to the adjacent kitchen.“Too late, I’ve seen everything.Including these filthy dishes in the sink and used coffee mugs everywhere.”
