I would like to thank TRCIII for his kind suggestions and massive work to make this sound and flow better. I hope you enjoy this story. Please take the time to vote.
I awoke in pain the next morning. My ankle was throbbing; I could feel the constriction of the cast as my ankle swelled. I nearly screamed from the pain and fear. I knew this could not be good. Reaching for the intercom, I paged for anyone that would hear me, "I need Alex, now. I have a problem with my ankle."
Less than five minutes later, Alex came running into the room. The pressure and pain were increasing at a rapid rate. The tears were streaming down my face from the pain. Alex offered me the pain pills and quickly called the Doc. I sat there gripping the covers of the bedspread trying to redirect the pain. Alex was talking to Meghan. When he got off the phone, he turned to me and said, "Meghan said to get you to the office as quickly as we can. She is going to have to take the cast off. She said you could have a second pill in fifteen minutes, if the pain is still unbearable."
Helping me get dressed, I tried to hobble on my crutches, to the porch. Alex retrieved his car and pulled-up as close as he could. I collapsed into the passenger seat, in sheer agony. The pain was so much more intense now than what it had been when I broke it initially. Alex looked flustered and concerned, as he made what should have been a half-hour drive in fifteen minutes.
The Doctor's Office was not scheduled to open for another hour, but Meghan was standing in the doorway when we pulled up with a wheel chair. Opening up the door she looked down at me and said, "I said not to do anything for at least two weeks. The swelling has increased because, I am going to guess, you have not been keeping it elevated. And knowing Alex, he has been trying other ways to decrease the pain." At the last statement, she gave me a wink.
Her lecture continued as she wheeled me into the exam room. "I am going to have to cut the cast off, so we can control the swelling. I am going to fit you for a splint boot. You must keep it elevated, and in addition, iced. Moreover, I repeat
NO
doing...anything. You could develop a blood clot. That will cause other problems. Please, I cannot stress this enough: do not do anything for the next two weeks."
"Can I at least sit at a desk with my leg elevated, working on a computer?" I asked in a meek voice. I made a promise to myself to heed the doctor's advice.
"I suppose, but please be careful. The break is not severe, thankfully." She finished cutting off the cast with a little hand saw. My ankle looked grotesque, all purple and puffy. Gently she laid an ice pack over the swollen area.
Alex came in from moving the car. The Doc gave him a stern look then asked him to step out in the hall with her. I strained to hear what they were saying, but to no avail. When they came back in Alex looked like a scolded puppy. "How about a wheelchair?" Alex piped up.
"Only until I put a cast back on her in two days...just to prevent any other injury from occurring. I suggest she sleep with several pillows under her leg, on her back. Without any
additional
weight on her." Meghan was looking directly at Alex with a cold, piercing stare.
The splint boot was heavy and very awkward. I was thankful for the wheelchair. The weight when I hung my leg freely down was very bad. Back into the safety of the car, we thanked the good Doc, and left. She had given me a prescription for stronger pain pills; I think to encourage sleeping instead of frolicking.
Alex apologized so many times on the way back home that I got sick of listening to it. I found a Classic Rock station and turned it up to drown him out. He got the point and let me be the rest of the way home. At least this time it was a slow ride.
When we arrived back at the house, everyone came around to make sure I was okay. I really appreciated their concern. "Miguel, how is Jezzy doing?"
"Very good. She is out with Rubi and both of them seem very happy. Please, do not worry about her; she will be okay. You need to worry about yourself." Miguel was so kind. He turned and left and the small crowd dissipated.
Back in the house, this time a wheelchair ensured I had a seat. Ariela set bacon, eggs and toast down in front of me. It looked delicious, but I wasn't hungry. I ate the toast and drank the orange juice. I thanked her, though.
Alex sat and ate his breakfast, in silence. "Hey, what is bothering you? I know you feel responsible for the swelling, but it really is not your fault. I could have said no." I was sincere.
"I know that, but I don't think I would have taken no as an answer. So, in that regard I feel absolutely responsible. I brought you here so you could heal, not end up with more problems. What I was trying to avoid, I caused. I feel so bad."
"It's okay. I would have pushed myself even more if I were home by myself. Look at it this way, I have a few weeks to do nothing but concentrate on bookwork." And do my research, but I left that part out.
Boris came into the kitchen, half-naked. The sight was not pleasant. "Good morning," he said, yawning. "What happened to you?" he asked, seeing me in a wheelchair.
Alex quickly jumped in and explained the predicament that transpired this morning. "Well, I hope you have the strength to help Ivan and myself?" he said.
"Actually computer and book work is about all I can do for the next two weeks. So, after your breakfast we can get started." I was curious what his books looked like.
"Good." Kiska, Ivan and Vania all came into the kitchen. Alex and Boris tried to explain what they had slept through this morning. I excused myself. I needed to take a shower, I felt hopelessly grimy. Back into the solitude of my room, I retrieved my clothes and my crutches. I wheeled myself into the bathroom.
As I finished spraying the last of the soap from my sore and aching body, Alex came in. "You need any help? Boris detained me, or I would have been in here sooner."
"Not unless you can make me heal, faster. I miss Jezzy. I want to ride her so bad. Will we be able to pick-up where we left off? You are a trainer; I know she will stay in shape, but I can already feel my hips have tightened up and my hands. My hands...will I remember all the little nuances that have taken me years to learn and develop? How do I stay in practice without physically riding?"
Alex, handed me the last few articles of clothing I needed to put on and said, "Jezzy is pregnant. By the time you are ready to advance your riding, she will be too far along to be ridden anyways. Not to make you even more depressed, but the only way to keep your skills sharp is to ride. In the office, I have every book written by all the great Masters. You may read until your brain is beyond full. In a few weeks when you can start walking, we will discuss you possibly teaching a few of my students. So, you can stay in mental practice. Once you are able to ride, I am going to start you out on my older schoolmaster. He is a very gentle and forgiving horse. Please, do not worry; it will all be okay. You need to just be patient and heal. I promise that by this time next year, you will be even better than you already are. I promise you that."
"I hope you are right," I said, as I wheeled out of the bedroom, headed for the office. My new life—of computers and numbers—was about to begin. Oh, joy. How I much preferred to ride, train and even possibly, teach.
"Is there any way I can move into a different room? I need light. I am already depressed and the darkness of this office is making it worse," I said, as I rolled up to the desk.
"Yes, I have just the room. You can look out on the lake and even see Jezzy. Here, let me push you." He pushed me back out and across the house, headed back towards the bedroom. Across the hall from the bedroom was a large room with large bay windows and a sliding glass door that opened onto the porch. There was very little furniture, just a small desk and a couch. "Don't worry; I will have it fully furnished by the end of today. Jorge and Pedro will be in here to set-up a conference table and a desk. The computer guy will be around in a few hours. Is there anything else you would like? This is your room."
"My room, to decorate and furnish how I desire? Does that mean if I want to paint the stark, white walls I can?"
"Yes, just tell Pedro what color you want it and he will do it. If you want different furniture than what I have selected, just order new. It is really very simple."
"Tell you what. Why don't I work out of the dungeon office today and tomorrow? That will give me a chance to get this room set-up how I wish. In my truck, in the backseat, under a few blankets, is my laptop. Would you mind getting it for me?"
"I thought you left it home. But, of course not." He handed me a notebook and said, "Just write down what you want in here. And I will be back." He gave me a peck on the cheek and left.