Chapter 15: Closing the Circle

I was dripping in sweat when the P.T. hour was over. I hadn't done that much, but the effort required to spend even five minutes on the stationary bike was enough to wear me out. When I weighed myself after two weeks I had lost another ten pounds. Just as it had with my first surgery, that single fact was the motivator for me to endure the pain and keep going. Well ... that and Kim.

The physical therapy department was closed on Christmas Day and the following day as well. That didn't save me. Kim had some flexibility exercises that she insisted I do with her. My incentive was the promise held by the fact that she wore a pale green one piece suit that was too sexy to describe. Think Spandex swimming gear. Just watching her move in that outfit was enough to produce the predictable result in me.

"This is human torture, Woman," I complained. "You can't parade around in here wearing that and expect me to concentrate on these exercises."

"Should I change into a sweatshirt and shorts?" she teased.

"Yes! No! Damn! You can see for yourself what it's doing to me."

"You mean that tent in your shorts?" she giggled.

"Of course I mean that tent in my shorts. It's painful all by itself. It's like being a horny teenager all over again."

"So ... how did you solve that problem back then?" She was goading me and I knew it.

"I looked after it myself, of course."

"Well then, see how things have improved? You've got me to reward you instead. It's time for your shower so you have to strip anyway."

It only took her a few seconds to remove my t-shirt and shorts. My erection was prominent and I was expecting some relief from her.

"Come on, into the shower. If you're going to make a mess, make it in there."

"I thought you might be joining me," I said with disappointment. "Are you just going to leave me ... high and dry?"

"Oh, poor baby," she laughed. "Get moving before I change my mind."

She followed me into the shower and I got the relief I was hoping for.

On Christmas Eve day I held our traditional early-closing party for the staff. Actually, Kim and Carolyn Van Horne had made the arrangements and then Kim came to the house to get me and bring me to the store. It was fun and a relief to get back to the environment and people I knew so well. Each person had a ten dollar limit on one gift and names were drawn from a hat. A lot of CD's were bought for the occasion it appeared.

At the house, Christmas was great, just like Thanksgiving. The whole family was with us as Brandon was home and my parents came both Christmas Eve and the next day. The tree was piled with gifts and I was almost embarrassed at it. We had so much and were so blessed that I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Everyone took turns at making sure I didn't have to do anything, to the point that I felt kind of useless in a way. I couldn't wait to get further along in my rehabilitation so that I could do more things for myself. As I said earlier, I'm not a good patient.

I had told Candy about giving her mother a job at the store and I told her why. I think she was shocked that I did that, but I began to see a softening in her attitude toward Andrea begin to show. Maybe I was imagining it, but I would continue to try and get her to reconcile at least on speaking terms if I could.

"Is she really going to leave that guy?" Candy asked.

"I think she already has. She was pretty sure she couldn't live with him treating her like that. Now that she has a job and can at least stay with her sister for a while, she should be able to make it."

"Why did you do that, Dad? Why did you give her a job?"

"She was in trouble. She needed the help. I know she let us down, Candy, but I couldn't let her become abused or destitute. If she's going to get on with her life and make something of it then I thought it was proper to try and help. After all, it is Christmas."

"But ... she cheated. She did a terrible thing to us."

"I know. I won't forget that, but don't you think my life is going to be okay now?"

She knew what I was referring to.

"Yeah. Kim is a super lady. She's going to be a great mom too."

"So ... out of all this mess, something good has come of it," I suggested.

She nodded, then looking at me, smiled. She kissed me, stood, wiped a solitary tear from her eye and walked to the kitchen. I heard her pick up the phone and waited.

"Hi Mom, it's me, Candy."

I leaned back in my recliner and closed my eyes. One more good thing had happened.

They say no good deed goes unpunished. A cynical view in my opinion, but perhaps some truth to it on occasion. Kim and I were enjoying a late lunch at small bistro on Main Street. We had just finished and were walking out the door when we almost bumped into a man. It turned out to be Kurt Howell. He was looking a bit worse for wear. I could smell alcohol on him and when he recognized me he stopped and turned back to me.

I was still on crutches and Kim had been holding the door for me until I was clear and on the sidewalk. She continued to hold the door as another couple was entering the restaurant, not recognizing who I'd almost collided with.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Tyler," Howell said with a sneer. "Do you really think you're getting even with me by hiring my wife at your little store?"

He was partially slurring his words and I was anxious to get away from him. I decided not to get into a debate with him and tried to ignore him and go on my way when he grabbed the front of my coat.

"Don't run away little man. I have something to say to you," he said, weaving slightly. At that point he pushed me and I lost my balance and fell heavily to the sidewalk. The pain in my leg was instantaneous and I didn't even think about getting up until I could roll off my bad leg and onto my right side.

I didn't really see exactly what happened next, but when I looked up Kim was all over Kurt Howell, pummeling him with her fists.

"You gutless bastard! You hit a defenseless man. If I had a gun I'd shoot you," she screamed.

By this time a crowd had begun to gather and I felt a couple of arms help me onto my feet. Someone had gotten between Kurt and Kim and was keeping her from doing him further damage. He had a bloody nose and was looking very unsteady on his feet. My fiancée packed quite a punch apparently.

It took a few minutes before a police officer arrived and took our statements. There were several witnesses and the upshot was that Kurt was charged with common assault, drunk and disorderly and, to top it all off, abuse of an officer. It would appear that he might be spending New Year's in jail.

When we got home, I carefully lowered myself into my chair and gingerly massaged my newly repaired knee. I didn't think there had been any additional damage but it was sore as hell and Kim quickly brought me two of my pain pills and two towel-wrapped ice packs to help me deal with it. A half hour later I was asleep in the chair.

The pain didn't get any less and by the end of the day I knew I was going to have to see my doctor and get the knee assessed for any further damage. By the next morning, after a constantly interrupted night of sleep, the knee had swollen and my fears were confirmed. I had damaged it again in the fall.

"You're lucky, Mr. Tyler," Doctor Demby said as he examined the X-ray negatives on his computer monitor. There's no damage to the synthetic grafts or the internal sutures. There is some fluid accumulating that we can deal with and the rest is impact damage; mostly bruising. I'm sure it's painful, but it will improve given time and avoiding more falls," he smiled.

"Well, that's a relief. I had visions of more surgery and starting rehab all over again. I'm not sure I could have handled that."

"I'm sure you would have, despite what you think. No one wants to have these problems linger any longer than necessary. In the meantime, I'm going to drain the knee now. It will only take a few minutes and won't be too painful. We'll give you a local anesthetic."

He lied. It hurt like hell. On top of the pain already there from the damage done in the fall, this was just one more level of pain I could really do without.

"There," he said, "that should look after it for a while. We'll check next week and see if any further fluid is present. We may have to do this again."

"God, I hope not. I can see how people can be addicted to pain killers. I'll be popping pills for a while yet."

"Just make sure you keep to the prescribed amounts, Mr. Tyler. We don't want you addicted either. It will get better, I promise you. It just takes time."

"I keep hearing that and hoping it's true."

He smiled that typical doctor smile that says, "we know best ... trust us."

Brandon had returned to college on the 29^th instead of staying over New Years. I learned from Candy that he had a steady girlfriend and he was spending New Years with her. I hoped I would get to meet her soon. She sounded like she might be someone important in his life, but it would be up to him to tell us that.

If Candy and Deb had been any closer I would have declared them sisters by birth. Kim and I got an opportunity to meet their dates for the New Years party they were attending. When the boys introduced themselves at the door, it was all Kim and I could do not to burst out laughing. They were identical twins.

Danny and Ken Ballard were easily my height and quite handsome I thought. So did Kim. They were well dressed in suits and presented themselves very politely to us. They even asked my how my leg was coming along, so the girls must have told them about my situation. At any rate, I didn't see anything that gave me cause for concern. I just hoped appearances weren't deceiving.