Chapter 5

Reality soon replaced the joy of New Year’s. Jennifer was now going through the most painful part of her recovery: physiotherapy. The old saying, no pain, no gain, held for her. Muscles and tendons had to strengthen, and the discomfort was enormous.

Grant would hold her hand as she suffered to the point of tears but knew she had to persevere. The therapist said the first week would be the worst as her body went through its reconditioning. The most relaxing part of her therapy was the warm, soothing whirlpool tub, and she’d joke that Grant should join her.

She struggled between the parallel bars, learning to walk again, hampered by her broken wrist. Grant made a point of trying to be there for her routines and asked what he could do to assist with her recovery. What she hated the most was the stationary bicycle. The pain shot through her right side like a hot poker iron.

Grant helped Jennifer from her bed to the wheelchair. He held her under her arms, as shown, and she clutched him around his strong shoulders. As she sat down, their faces were inches apart. Her eyes looked at his handsome features, and she kissed him.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist kissing you.”

He stepped back several feet and said, “I had better steer clear of you if I’m that irresistible.”

“Perhaps I don’t want to resist you, Grant,” she said with a smile.

He approached her, his hands on the chair’s arms. “And I can’t resist you either, because the feeling is very, very mutual.” Her eyes were closed and her head tilted as Grant bent over the last few inches and kissed her.

Their hearts immediately pumped faster and their faces reddened like teens as they experienced another sensual kiss. “Thank you, Grant.”

Jennifer sat in her wheelchair at the end of the long wooden bars, facing another attempt to walk one step further than yesterday. “I can’t possibly walk that far!”

“You’ve made it over halfway before; let’s see you make it all the way to my hot body,” he joked, holding his arms open to receive her. He placed a strip of Velcro on the round arm to indicate her last attempt.

She was now able to stand from her chair and grasp the round rails, beginning her steps. Her brow furrowed as she winced in discomfort. “That’s it, you’re doing great!” He praised her advancing steps. Further on, she continued, urged on by Grant’s enthusiastic encouragement.

“You’re over halfway now, come on and try for another step or two. You’re within reach of the velcro. Come on, Doris, you can do it! Who’s your favourite actor?”

She paused, looking at him, “Doris? You never call me, Doris!”

“I’m just trying different ideas. So, who would Doris Day’s favourite actor be?”

“It would naturally be Rock Hudson. He sure was a sexy hunk, and then I found out he was gay. What a waste of a sexy man!”

“Okay, maybe that was a poor example. How about Tom Cruise? Imagine I’m Tom, and he’s waiting here for you to give him a great big kiss and hug! This isn’t an impossible mission!” Grant joked about Tom Cruise’s several movie titles.

“Good pun, Grant! Okay, Tom, ready or not, ‘cause here I come! She announced as she moved forward.”But, to be honest, I’d rather fall into your arms than his,” she said, smiling as she looked at him.

“Aren’t I the lucky one? I don’t need a stunt double for this action scene. Just go as far as you can tolerate. You’ve already gone further than ever before, so that’s progress.”

“I can do it, I know I can! Be there for me, Grant!”

“I’ll always be here for you, Jennifer!” He admitted that neither realized the importance of his commitment. “I’ve often wondered how fortunate I’d be to have you there to support my recovery if I were hit by a van.”

“I’d be there every step of the way.”

“Good pun! That’s it, keep coming, just a few more steps! “Would you like to stop?”

She was exhausted. “You’ve never quit on me, so I’m not going to quit on you!” She paused a moment, taking several deep breaths. She was close enough to him that he could lean in to kiss her.

Three more small steps, then she collapsed into his waiting arms. “You did it! You did it! I’m so proud of you!” He squeezed her as tightly as she could stand it. The therapist wheeled her chair to her, and she sat, her energy spent.

“I may as well be climbing Mount Everest!” She panted.

“As the saying goes, a journey begins with the first step. You don’t want me walking Max all by myself, do you?”

“Of course I don’t!”

“You’re doing great, Jennifer,” he praised.

“That’s enough for today, Jennifer. you’re doing fantastic!” The therapist complimented. “Walkers aren’t just for the elderly. It would help you with your balance, endurance, and mobility.” She relented to Grant, taking one for her.

“I’ll have a walker race with you down the hallway,” he teased.

“What I want to know is, when can I go home? I miss my bed,” she pouted, looking at her therapist.

“Your progress is hampered by your wrist also healing; otherwise, your arms could bear more weight for your body. You also have to heal your wrist and ribs, so it’ll take you longer. Let’s try for Valentine’s Day.”

“I still have to wait another month to go home?” She seemed to whine.

“I have to make sure you’re capable of walking with little assistance. Prove to me that you can do so, and I’ll release you on the 14th.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal!” She smiled, offering her hand.

“You know I’ll always do whatever I can to help you,” Grant offered.

“Just being here and playing Tom Cruise is good enough for me!” They laughed.

“I had better learn my lines to say for our life’s movie.”

“I can think of three words.”

“Such as?”

“I’ll let you figure it out,” she smiled and kissed him.

On one of Ellen’s visits, her son, Tom, accompanied her, and she brought along several toys and a colouring book to occupy his time. Grant sat with Tom at the table, playing make-believe or taking turns colouring pictures. Grant can imitate several voices or animals that entertained Tom, as well as Jennifer and Ellen.

“I like you, Mr. Townsend, you’re funny! Are you going to be my new grandpa?” Tom’s question revealed his innocence. “I can tell you like my grandma a lot! My other grandpa lives too far away, and one is in heaven.”

“I’m not sure, Tom, those are adult decisions to make,” he said as he looked at her. Jennifer blushed, having lost count of the number of times she’s dreamed about a life with Grant. He continued to play with Tom as he again envisioned a possible life with Jennifer.

“It’s okay with me if you become my grandpa. Look at all the fun we could have.” His purity spoke the plain truth. Jennifer and Ellen looked at each other, feeling their faces warm.

“I’ll tell you a little secret,” Grant said, leaning in close to his ear. Between you and me, I wouldn’t mind at all becoming your grandpa.” Tom nodded his agreement and stunned them with a simple kiss on his cheek.

Grant wanted Jennifer to meet some of his family too, and during his next visit, he brought his daughter, Cathy, and grandson, Danny, to meet her.

“Dad has talked about you so often, Mrs. McDermott, it feels like I already know you,” Cathy teased him.

“I hope they’re all positive comments. I feel a little nervous finally meeting you.”

“That’s a change, the parent being nervous to meet the daughter rather than the other way around,” Cathy said, smiling. “Believe me, Mrs. McDermott, Dad really cares about you.”

“Please, you can call me, Jennifer.”

“Thank you, I’d like that,” she smiled. As Grant did with Tom, Jennifer took the time to play with Danny and his toys.

“I’m sorry you got hurt. I hope you get better soon. I think my grandpa likes you. You are very pretty,” he whispered, and she had to stifle a giggle at his innocence.

“Thank you, Danny, and you are a handsome young man. I also like your grandpa. He is helping me to get better,” she smiled, placing several coins in the bed of his little toy pickup truck.