Chapter 13: Liberated

Pamela rubbed her eyes. The dust was everywhere and the saw was vibrating unpleasantly. David was cutting the body cast. He started just below Pamela's left armpit and moved the saw slowly down toward her hip, then laterally, down her casted leg. After that, he moved to work on the other side. At the end, he guided the saw along the inner sides of Pamela's legs. Helped by a nurse, David pried the cast open, and using a scissors cut the stockinette and the wadding. The upper side of the body cast was removed. For a moment, Pamela felt just like a newly hatched chick. The cool air caressed her nude body. She looked down with curiosity. The sight was disgusting. Her body was covered with a lot of dead skin. There was hair on her legs. David, assisted by three nurses lifted her up. The lower part of the cast was removed too. To Pamela's surprise, even the slight flexing of her stiffened joints was very unpleasant. When she was placed cautiously on the examining table again, David started to clean her. A nurse rubbed her legs with lotion.

"How do you feel?" David asked.

"Stiffened."

"It's normal."

He slipped his hand under her knees and flexed them slightly. Pamela winced.

"Now what?" she asked.

"You will be X-rayed."

Half an hour later David was scrutinizing the pictures. Propped on her elbows, Pamela was looking at him anxiously. The nurses had left them alone.

"David, is everything OK?"

"Yes, dear."

"What we gonna do now?"

He threw the pictures aside, bent down and kissed her.

"Now I am going to bandage your left foot. After a month, when you start putting weight on it, I will decide what to do. Your right leg has healed completely. Your pelvis is still very fragile. We should be cautious. The injured vertebrae have healed too."

"Should I try to walk now, Dave?"

"No, dear. It's too risky."

"Even with crutches?"

"No, honey. Wheelchair is the only option now."

David helped Pamela to dress herself. Then he carried her to the wheelchair and placed her cautiously on it. After that, he tightly bandaged her left foot. Her short skirt was exposing Pamela's weakened legs. She looked contemptuously at them.

"David, my bottom feels sore."

"I know dear. When we get home, you will rest, and then we will start physiotherapy. You will feel better in a week or two."

"Are you sure?"

"Only if you are patient and obedient."