sucked to a new level of shitty.
Chapter Five
“Brian.” Delancey smiled at her current patient who was rebuilding his shoulder after a rotator cuff surgery. He was amiable enough during their appointments, but the designated hitter for the Rangers was holding himself back. “If you don’t start doing these exercises at least every other day, you’re not going to make a full recovery. Though every day would be best.”
“They hurt.”
“Oh, they’re miserable inventions of sadistic hell spawns.” She handed him the tension band they’d been using. “But the better you follow instructions, the quicker you’ll be done with me.”
“Exercises aren’t going to get me reinstated to the team.”
Brian would argue more if she didn’t cut him off. She could tell him there were people suffering far greater challenges than a messed-up shoulder, but it would serve no purpose. One, it was nothing new for him.
“Then by all means take your time. Give them a reason to replace you on a permanent basis. Sideline yourself and maybe you can get a job as a sportscaster. I hear the local high school is hiring.” Two, it wouldn’t help him move past the fear of being rejected. Instead of avoiding the sore spot, she dug right into it.
“You’re a sadist.”
“Realist. Do your exercises.” She picked up his chart to make her notes. “I’ll see you in two days.”
He nodded and lingered for a moment longer than normal. After a brief hesitation and silent survey of her, he said, “Be careful on shift.”
“Always.”
It didn’t escape Delancey that Brian was considering hitting on her. He’d towed the line of professional distance a few times, but had backed off every time. If he’d moved ahead and asked her out she’d have had no problem turning him down. She didn’t think she could’ve claimed the same if she’d been given the chance to spend any real time with Logan.
And just that easily he lodged himself in her mind again. Unlike the times before, she didn’t dislodge him. Truth be told, she never dislodged him for long.
On shift days, she spent time between calls honing her skills and reaction times through extra drills. On non-shift days, when she wasn’t working with patients or taking extra shifts for other therapists, she went home and cooked. She wanted badly to go to the burn unit and check on Logan, but she made herself honor his request. Cooking centered her; she’d cooked a lot since leaving Logan’s room that last time.
Had he gotten his bandages off? Would he be going home soon? Had the anguish that had been in his voice lessened?
Her heart ached with the idea that he was facing everything on his own, that he didn’t allow people close. The isolation could easily hinder his recovery. It would definitely challenge his ability to reacclimatize himself to life after discharge.
She scoured the Internet, especially Pinterest, which had become a weakness, for new recipes. Neither drills nor patients nor cooking would be enough to distract her this time. She had to know how he was doing.
After returning the files to the main desk and getting her bag, Delancey left the therapy center and headed toward the main building and the burn unit. The walk took less than five minutes, but each step landed with a stronger certainty.
His dismissal was a defense mechanism and she’d allowed him to use it.
She wouldn’t force him to see her, but she couldn’t allow him to go another day without knowing he was thought of. She’d been on the burn unit before, but every time she opened the thick glass doors that separated the unit from the rest of the hospital she was struck in the heart.
Screams shook the air while the heavy and sour odor of charcoaled flesh filled it with a tang of smoke. As much as the aftereffects of a burn motivated Lexi to work the unit, they motivated Delancey to go a different route. She’d rather try to prevent the burns than be a healer of them.
“Delancey.” Lexi
Chapter Five
“Brian.” Delancey smiled at her current patient who was rebuilding his shoulder after a rotator cuff surgery. He was amiable enough during their appointments, but the designated hitter for the Rangers was holding himself back. “If you don’t start doing these exercises at least every other day, you’re not going to make a full recovery. Though every day would be best.”
“They hurt.”
“Oh, they’re miserable inventions of sadistic hell spawns.” She handed him the tension band they’d been using. “But the better you follow instructions, the quicker you’ll be done with me.”
“Exercises aren’t going to get me reinstated to the team.”
Brian would argue more if she didn’t cut him off. She could tell him there were people suffering far greater challenges than a messed-up shoulder, but it would serve no purpose. One, it was nothing new for him.
“Then by all means take your time. Give them a reason to replace you on a permanent basis. Sideline yourself and maybe you can get a job as a sportscaster. I hear the local high school is hiring.” Two, it wouldn’t help him move past the fear of being rejected. Instead of avoiding the sore spot, she dug right into it.
“You’re a sadist.”
“Realist. Do your exercises.” She picked up his chart to make her notes. “I’ll see you in two days.”
He nodded and lingered for a moment longer than normal. After a brief hesitation and silent survey of her, he said, “Be careful on shift.”
“Always.”
It didn’t escape Delancey that Brian was considering hitting on her. He’d towed the line of professional distance a few times, but had backed off every time. If he’d moved ahead and asked her out she’d have had no problem turning him down. She didn’t think she could’ve claimed the same if she’d been given the chance to spend any real time with Logan.
And just that easily he lodged himself in her mind again. Unlike the times before, she didn’t dislodge him. Truth be told, she never dislodged him for long.
On shift days, she spent time between calls honing her skills and reaction times through extra drills. On non-shift days, when she wasn’t working with patients or taking extra shifts for other therapists, she went home and cooked. She wanted badly to go to the burn unit and check on Logan, but she made herself honor his request. Cooking centered her; she’d cooked a lot since leaving Logan’s room that last time.
Had he gotten his bandages off? Would he be going home soon? Had the anguish that had been in his voice lessened?
Her heart ached with the idea that he was facing everything on his own, that he didn’t allow people close. The isolation could easily hinder his recovery. It would definitely challenge his ability to reacclimatize himself to life after discharge.
She scoured the Internet, especially Pinterest, which had become a weakness, for new recipes. Neither drills nor patients nor cooking would be enough to distract her this time. She had to know how he was doing.
After returning the files to the main desk and getting her bag, Delancey left the therapy center and headed toward the main building and the burn unit. The walk took less than five minutes, but each step landed with a stronger certainty.
His dismissal was a defense mechanism and she’d allowed him to use it.
She wouldn’t force him to see her, but she couldn’t allow him to go another day without knowing he was thought of. She’d been on the burn unit before, but every time she opened the thick glass doors that separated the unit from the rest of the hospital she was struck in the heart.
Screams shook the air while the heavy and sour odor of charcoaled flesh filled it with a tang of smoke. As much as the aftereffects of a burn motivated Lexi to work the unit, they motivated Delancey to go a different route. She’d rather try to prevent the burns than be a healer of them.
“Delancey.” Lexi
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