"Wait a second." He stepped around her. "Let me get in first, so I can catch you if you slip."
The water was colder than she expected, and goosebumps covered her skin. Her whole body shivered by the time the water reached her waist. Whether from the cold or the anxiety of trying to keep her feet under her with the movement of the water she wasn't sure. Or maybe it was knowing she'd be working closely with Gabe.
"Are you okay?" Concern lined Gabe's face.
"Yeah, just cold," she lied.
"It is a little chilly, isn’t it? I'm sure we'll warm up once we get moving." He guided her to the side of the pool. "Hand me your crutches and I'll get the water out of them."
She did as he asked, and he raised each in the air to drain out the water before laying them on the side.
"They shouldn't be any worse for wear." He rubbed his hands together again, a sign—she was learning—that meant he wantedherto get to work. "Are you feeling steady?"
She let go of the side of the pool. Her body swayed with the gentle rocking of the water, but she was able to keep her feet under her. She shook her hand in a so-so motion.
"Let's give walking a try. I'll stay close in case you find yourself off balance." He motioned for her to walk farther into the pool. When the water reached her shoulders, he stopped her. "This is deep enough. Now let's walk across the pool." He placed himself between her and the deep end where the floor of the pool sloped. He stayed by her side as they walked.
"It's crazy how much effort it takes to walk with the resistance of the water." Paige focused on keeping her balance as she moved. The caress of the water against her skin—now that her body was mostly submerged and no longer cold—invigorated her. "It feels so good to move though. Especially without crutches."
"Your muscles have atrophied over the past couple months. That makes even simple exercises challenging. It's going to take hard work to rebuild the muscle. Movement is important. It lubricates our joints and muscles." Gabe pointed a finger in the air as though lecturing someone. "'Motion is lotion.' That's what my physical therapist used to always say."
"You did physical therapy?" When he nodded, she asked, "When? And for what?"
"I suffered a cervical spine injury back in high school while wrestling."
Wrestling? No wonder he's so muscular. He certainly hasn't let himself go.
Paige grimaced. "A neck injury?"
"I had a dislocation and hairline fracture of the C5 vertebrae. Inflammation and a bulged disc caused temporary paralysis." He grimaced. "I had to wear a halo for three months."
"A halo? Is that some sort of neck brace?"
He motioned to his chest. "It strapped around my chest, over my shoulders, came up under my chin, and up the back of my neck. It also strapped around my forehead."
"That sounds torturous." Paige shuddered. "You had to wear that for three months? I thought I had it bad. I can't even imagine the kind of restrictions you must have had." The feeling of near weightlessness lessened as she considered how painful and difficult that must have been for Gabe.
"It was a nightmare. Getting comfortable to sleep was almost impossible. Even after the inflammation went down and I was able to walk and use my arms, all variations of physical activity were banned." When they reached the other side of the pool, he turned. "Let's go back now a little faster. If you're able to keep your balance, we'll add more movement."
Paige started walking back. "I bet you were sick of lying around and watching Netflix after the first week."
A shadow flickered through his eyes. "Streaming services were still new at the time, and we couldn't afford them. So, my mom borrowed every possible DVD and audiobook from our city library."
"I bet even that got old real fast."
"It did. The worst was not being able to play soccer or hike and bike with my friends.”
"I know the feeling. I never thought I'd miss Zumba class so much."
"Zumba? Are you a dancer?"
"Not really. I just enjoy moving." She shrugged one shoulder. "Did your accident end your wrestling career?"
"Yes, it came to a screeching halt my senior year right when I had college scouts looking at me."
"I'm guessing it cost you a scholarship."
More dark shadows filled his eyes as he nodded.
