Free Wings of Love by Jeanette Skutinik Page A

physical
therapist.  By the time you go home you will hate me,” he
joked as he took the ice pack off of his leg.  “Now I
want you to try and bend your knee.”
    Adam grimaced as he tried to slide his foot
to bend his knee.  He managed to bend it slightly and
then his leg rested back on the
bed.  “Damn.  That’s the best I can do.”
    Reggie slowly slid Adam’s foot toward him as
he made his knee bend.  He slowly brought it to rest and
repeated the same action several times.  “This is what we
want you to work towards and do on your own,” explained Reggie to
Adam and Amy.  Reggie worked together with them showing
the exercises he wanted Adam to do three times a
day.  “The most important thing to remember is, use it or
lose it.  You want to push yourself so you get full
mobility of your knee back.”
    Adam was exhausted by the time his physical
therapy session was over.  “That wore me out more than if
I had played a whole game.”  He wiped the perspiration
from his forehead. 
    “I’ll get a washcloth and some soap so you
can freshen up,” Amy said as she went over to the sink and filled
up a basin of water.
    Adam sat up as she helped him.  A
part of him hated the fact that he had to let someone else take
care of him.  But the other part was glad it was
Amy.  He smiled and relaxed as she helped him wash his
back. 
    “Don’t get too excited mister,” Amy raised
her eyebrows and smirked at him.  “Or I’ll hide your
crutches on you!”
    Adam pulled her closer to him feeling her
soft skin against his bare chest.  He held her there as
he drunk in the smell of her hair.  He kissed her
hungrily while he rubbed her back.
    The announcement loudly stated that visiting
hours were now over.
    “Well, I better get going before I get kicked
out,” Amy said as he looked at her longingly.
    He pulled her close to him again and kissed
her once more.  “I love you Amy.”
    “I love you too.”  Amy’s heart
raced as she rose to leave and smoothed out her wrinkled shirt.
    Adam viewed Amy as she looked in the mirror
fixing her hair before she left.  He felt so empty when
she walked out that door.  He never thought that he could
love someone as much as he loved Amy.  No one ever cared
about him like she had or made his life seem so worthwhile.
     

Chapter 8
     
    “I brought you these sweatpants,” Amy handed
them to Adam.  “I thought it be easier for you to get
them on and off.”
    “I bet you did.”  He smirked as he
took them from her then untied the hospital gown tossing it onto
the chair.  “Can you give me a hand?  I’m so
glad to be going home.”
    Amy helped him pull the gray sweatpants up
over his knee carefully, not wanting to hurt his
injury.  “There, all set.”  She tossed him a
Detroit Tiger’s jersey and a pair of socks.
    Adam caught the shirt and placed it over his
head pulling it snuggly over his body.  He put the sock
on his left foot and attempted the other one unsuccessfully.
    “That looks good on you,” Amy admired how the
navy brought out the gray hues in his eyes.  She helped
him put the other sock on then laced up his Nike tennis
shoes.  “I picked up your prescriptions on the way over
here,” she explained.
    Angie entered the room with a
wheelchair.  “Time to go,” she smiled.
    “I’ll meet you outside with the
car.”  Amy searched for her keys in her purse, tossing
them lightly in her hand as she left the room.
    She paid for her parking then drove the car
around to the front entrance, where Angie and Adam where
waiting.  Angie wheeled Adam out then helped Amy get him
into the car. She placed his crutches in the
backseat.  Angie waved as they pulled away from the curb
leaving the hospital behind them.
    “I love you and I’m not lion,” Adam playfully
danced the stuff animal across the dashboard.
    Amy shook her head then rolled her eyes as he
made the lion kiss her cheek.  “What meds did they