Page 114 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

A quiet laugh escapes me. "Yeah."

She slips her hands into her coat pockets. "Helping people isn't the habit I'm worried about, Jamie."

I look at her.

"I'm trying to teach you to notice when someone else already has it covered."

The words settle somewhere deep. She's right. If someone needs something, I move. I've never stopped to see if someone else already has it covered.

Annette studies my face, watching the realization settle in. "It feels wrong, doesn't it?"

"A little."

She smiles. "It'll get easier."

I glance toward my shoulder, then back at her. "I think learning that might be harder than therapy."

She laughs. "I'm counting on it."

For the first time, I laugh before I remember my ribs. Somehow... they don't complain. Maybe healing was never about becoming strong enough to carry everything again.

Maybe it’s learning that I don't have to.

Chapter fourteen

Annette

Moving Forward

The first thing I notice is that Jamie doesn't look at his shoulder.

He walks into the therapy gym carrying his water bottle and notebook, nods good morning to the receptionist, asks the volunteer at the front desk how her grandson's science fair went, and smiles at one of the physical therapists helping a teenager through balance exercises.

Only after all of that does he walk toward me.

Three months ago, every step into rehabilitation carried a question. Will this hurt?

Now he simply shows up ready to work. It's one of my favorite changes.

"Morning."

He smiles.

"Morning."

"How's the shoulder?"

He tips his head thoughtfully.

"It exists."

I laugh. "Excellent assessment."

"I strive for medical accuracy."

"You've been practicing." "I spend time with medical people."

I open his chart while he settles onto the treatment table.