“No.”
“Then the risk is motivational.”
“Yes. Watch what she does with fear, not only what she says about it.”
I wanted a cleaner answer. Rose would not give one, and ethically she should not. The distinction did not make it less infuriating.
“The quiz is Wednesday,” I said. “Her window ends that week.”
“Then you already know the date that matters.”
The warning followed me after the appointment ended.
Dani sat on the floor outside Rose’s office with her back against the wall. She stood as soon as I emerged.
“Well?”
“Early overuse irritation. Several days without running.”
Relief and frustration crossed her face.
“Okay.”
“I am allowed low-resistance cycling if pain-free.”
“Maybe.”
“Rose said maybe.”
“Then maybe.”
“I have mobility exercises.”
“I’ll do them with you.”
“You do not need to.”
Her answer irritated me because I wanted her to. We moved toward the empty stretching area. Dani laid out a mat and guided me through hip and glute exercises that Rose had prescribed. The first involved lying on my side and lifting the top leg slowly.
“Keep the hip stacked,” Dani said.
“It is.”
“It rolled back.”
“No.”
Her hand hovered near my waist. She stopped.
“Permission?”
“Yes.”
She touched my hip and adjusted it forward with clinical care. Our physical-affection amendment did not apply to medical exercise. My body refused the distinction.
“Better,” she said.
I completed ten repetitions.
