It was the first time we were trying gait training. It would teach Tara how to balance again, build up her strength, and develop muscle memory. It was highly recommended, and I'd used it before on spinal cord injury patients successfully. I'd be using parallel bars and braces to make it easier.
"We're going to have to repeat this treatment over and over again," I warned, and she smirked. I started wrapping the braces around her thighs and legs, and if I said I didn't like the sight of her, I'd be a liar. She was still as sexy as she'd always been.
“You’re the specialist.”
“I bet you like that, don’t you?”
She laughed so hard at that lame line, it had me joining in.
We’d come to an understanding. I hoped we could keep it up.
* * *
“You two making progress?”Tilly asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
We were sitting in the cafeteria at lunch when she brought it up.
"Well, she's listening without arguing. I cannot ask for much more."
“She’s just harder than most, but I suppose you would know that better than anyone.
I looked at her sheepishly. “We lost touch for years, and when I saw her again, she was not the Tara I knew.”
"She may not be the same Tara, but she is getting stronger, physically, and emotionally. And I think having you around has a lot to do with that."
“I can’t take all the credit. Blake is a brilliant psychologist.”
‘True, but everybody needs a friend, and Tara is short on those.” I looked at the woman in front of me and saw the sincerity in her eyes. She cared for Tara, and it hurt her that she was hurting.
"She's going home soon, and she's talking about hiring me as her caregiver and full-time nurse for two months."
“What about your job here?”
“They’re fine with that. Our nurses are often asked to step in and help when a patient hasn’t reached their full health.”
“She is lucky to have you too, Tilly. None of the other nurses care half as much.”
We finished up lunch, and I walked toward my office. I stopped in the corridor, large windows overlooked the garden, and there she sat, reading a book, the way I remembered her. Her nose stuck in her book. I wanted to go out there and join her, but I had no reason to. I was her therapist, and I had to keep things professional. The last thing I wanted to do was jeopardize my job because of a woman. The truth is that what Aurelia did changed me, and not for the better. That relationship left a bad taste in my mouth, making me realize that I'd given her way too much of myself, not stopping for a second to ask if that was what she even needed.
Chapter 12
Tara
Present Day
The two bedroomed apartment was situated on the ground floor. It was light and airy with minimal furniture, decorated in grays and pastels. It wasn't home yet, but I would learn to be comfortable here. The furniture and finishing were modern and tasteful. It'd been fitted with everything I'd need and a bunch of stuff I didn't. I was glad to finally be out of the hospital, but from the look of my new place, I would have spent all of my saving on this revamp. I knew Sarah had a lot to do with it, though. My sisters tried to hide it, insisting that this was all from my own money, but they were terrible liars. Annie especially. She was standing in front of the large window in the front room grinning at me. A welcome home banner rested above her head, and I had no doubt that my other sister, Alicia, was in the kitchen whipping up a meal fit for a queen. The only one missing from this happy family reunion was Devlin. I smiled sadly at that thought. Sarah was smart enough to stay away from all this.
“Welcome home, big sister,” she grinned.
"Thank you, short stuff." I couldn't help but feel happy when I saw my sisters. They'd always had that effect on me, that hadn't changed after all these years. But there was a time when I was shut off from the world and even they couldn’t reach me.
Tilly came forward to greet Annie then disappeared into one of the rooms with my bags. I hired her as my private nurse for two months, and it was costing me an arm as well as two legs. I'd made progress but not enough. I hated that I still needed help. Brooke wasn't available so Jude would continue to be my Physical Therapist. I was not exactly shouting from the rooftops about that, but despite my reluctance, I could not deny that he was good at what he did.
"So, when is your hot ex slash therapist coming by? I don't remember him at all. We were toddlers, then."
I shook my head.
"Annie, not that I agree with that, but Jude will be here in an hour."
