Robbie went back to work after he left Laura's house. They got a break in the case and he was able to get home by 2 AM. By then his back was hurting him; he hadn't been very comfortable sitting in that small chair in Laura's bathroom but he didn't complain about it at the time; he felt that she wanted him there. And he didn't want to be anywhere else. He got into bed but as usual he did not sleep. The pain in his lower back got worse by the hour. Laura had told him to come over for breakfast but his back hurt so much by then he didn't think he could make the drive, sitting in the car would be impossible. He couldn't even figure out how he was going to get himself up and to the bathroom.
Laura was just getting out the eggs and bacon to cook for Robbie's breakfast when her phone rang. It was Robbie calling to say he was sorry, his back hurt and he didn't think he could get out of bed, much less get over to her house for breakfast. Laura asked him a few questions about his symptoms and pain level, then gave him the choice of getting someone to take him to A and E at the hospital or having her come over to take a look at him. Robbie knew if he didn't let Laura come over she would probably team up with Hathaway and they would both take him to the hospital. Laura said she would be over as soon as she could (she had to get a taxi to work first to get her car) and told Robbie to call James to say that he wouldn't be in to work today because of his back. Then she said to tell James he was seeing a doctor this morning so the sergeant wouldn't be calling for an ambulance. Laura said he should stay flat on his back in bed; she would let herself in with the key he gave her to use when she fed his cat while he was visiting Lyn.
When Laura arrived at his flat and went into his bedroom she saw that the bed was empty except for a discarded pair of faded pajama bottoms. She heard Robbie calling her name from the bathroom. She went into the bathroom to find Robbie naked and leaning against the wall, unable to move. Robbie said he wanted to use the bathroom before she got there and thought he could manage getting there and back, and to put on his robe. He didn't have a problem until he reached to flush and then the pain got much worse until he pulled his hand back. Then he went ahead and reached out again this time flushing but causing so much pain he couldn't move at all. Laura asked him why he did that when it hurt so much the first time he tried it. Robbie said he had to because she was coming over. Laura reminded him that she was a doctor and had seen just about everything so he should have known better.
Laura asked him where he kept the medicine and instructions from his last trip to the doctor for his back. He said they were in the cabinet over the sink. Laura pulled them out, read over the instructions and said since he was upright they would take advantage of that now and he could take his muscle relaxant and pain pills. From the number of tablets left in each bottle it looked like he hadn't been taking them as prescribed. First she got him some milk and a biscuit so that the pills wouldn't upset his empty stomach then helped him get the pills in his mouth with some water. Up to this point Laura had purposely looked him in the eye at all times so that he wouldn't be embarrassed and think she had seen any of the rest of him. As she put the water and the pill bottles down she looked around the bathroom and observed, "Robbie, you have a really big…bathtub!"
Robbie said that was why he took this flat; it had a bathtub he could actually fit in. Laura asked him if he followed his care plan and went for physical therapy. He was supposed to have six sessions in a warm whirlpool bath with massage after. Robbie said no, he wasn't going to have someone he didn't know touching him. "What about someone you do know", she asked him. Laura pointed out he didn't have much choice now, he was naked and unable to move so it was either let her help him or she could phone for an ambulance or the fire brigade, or even Hathaway. Robbie said he'd choose her but didn't know how she would get him into the tub seeing as he couldn't move.
Laura turned on the taps and got the tub full of hot water and added the Epsom Salts she had brought with her. Then she pushed her hand into the small of his back and told him to bend his knees. Miraculously after she touched him he was able to bend his knees, lean on Laura, and get into the tub. Laura told him that the Epsom Salts would increase his body's levels of magnesium and sulfate to help the injured tissue recover and that the hot water would relieve stress from the vertebrae and spine to make his back feel better and his muscles more compliant for massage.
Robbie said that the water felt really good and he appreciated her being there to help him but didn't she have to go to work? Laura said that Rawbone owed her a favor; she had covered for him when his wife had cataract surgery so he was coming in on his day off to work her shift and she would go in later when the lab results from yesterday's case were in. She said he should stay in the tub another 15 minutes and if he told her where to look, she would get him something to put on for his massage after he got out of the tub. Robbie said to look in his wardrobe in the bedroom and he'd wear whatever she picked out. Robbie lay back in the tub thinking how he enjoyed picking out Laura's pajamas and matching underwear the night before.
Laura opened the wardrobe and took her time looking around. She had 15 minutes and thought Robbie might appreciate a bit of privacy. She found the shelf with his underclothes and was shocked by what she discovered. Robbie's boxers (that answered that question) and tee shirts were all very thin and worn and some had crude stitching holding seams together. Then it hit her, he hadn't bought new underwear since Val had died. He must be wearing these to keep her close to him and probably couldn't bear to throw them away. Laura had noticed over the past year that he only wore an undershirt on cold days; he must be trying to make these last as long as possible. She saw some new packages of underclothes on the next shelf. They were from a store that opened since Val had passed away. Lyn (at least she hoped it was Lyn) must have bought them for him. It looked like one item from each package had been taken out, laundered and put back. She guessed he probably wore the new ones when he went to the doctor; that's what most people did, except for her patients who would have worn new underwear if they had known they were going to die the last time they got dressed.
Laura carefully and gently refolded the worn items, matching them up as best she could and smoothing out the wrinkles. She put aside a couple that badly needed repair. Then she found some red plaid pajama pants that looked fairly new; probably a Christmas present from Lyn, and brought them into the bathroom. Robbie said the bath felt good, but he wasn't sure he would be able to get himself out of the tub. Laura said she would help lift him, that she was stronger than she looked. Robbie let her guide him out of the tub, dry him off, and get into the pajama pants. Then she supported him and led him back to his bed. Robbie lay on his stomach while Laura started to gently massage his back. As she increased the speed and pressure she told him to let her know which felt better, slow or fast, gentle or strong. Robbie stammered something unintelligible about it not being up to him, she was the doctor. Laura stopped what she was doing, put her face close to his and said "doctors don't know how you feel unless you tell them". Robbie closed his eyes and said "slow and gentle for now".
Laura spent another 20 minutes massaging him and told him that it would increase blood flow and circulation, bringing needed nutrition to his muscles and tissues. It should also improve his flexibility, reduce pain, and maybe even help him sleep. Then she eased him over so his back was flat on the bed. The combination of the pain reliever, muscle relaxant, bath, and massage had Robbie on the verge of sleep. For once he wished his insomnia would kick in, he didn't want to sleep through this good feeling. Laura said she would go into the office to check on the lab results from last night and then do a few errands. She instructed him not to move until she got back and put the phone within his reach and said to call if he needed her to come back sooner. Otherwise she would return in a couple of hours.
