"Steve?!" Dan questioned for not the first time that session. He wasn't his usual self today and didn't appear to be very engaged in the session which was very unlike him. "Steve?". The second calling of his name did the trick and he had Steve's attention once again. "You alright? You seem a bit distant,".
"Sorry," Steve apologised. "Got a lot on my mind,".
"I'll say," Dan retorted. "I've just mentioned that I think you might be ready to try some crutches and I got no response which was surprising seeing as I know your feelings about your frame,".
"It's not so bad. It's sort of grown on me," Steve admitted as he rubbed his frame affectionately. He'd pruned the birthday balloons from it before going to the hospital earlier that day.
"So what's troubling you?" Dan enquired. Sometimes physio wasn't about the physical side but the emotional side of a patients rehab and Dan was used to patients unburdening themselves to him.
"Kate and I kissed yesterday," Steve revealed.
Dan recognised that that was quite a development in the two friends relationship. "Shall I put the kettle on and we can have a cup of tea or something?".
"What about my exercises?" Steve asked.
"I know you can do them already," Dan said with a dismissive wave of his hand as he stalked off to the small kitchenette area in the gym. "Besides, this is far more interesting!" he teased.
Steve acknowledged that talking things through might actually be more of a good use of his time and with his frame walked over to a spare chair. Dan soon joined him with two cups of tea.
"So you kissed Kate then?" Dan prodded after taking a sip of drink.
"Yeah," Steve said bashfully. He felt like a teenager discussing his latest crush with a mate.
"Anything else?" Dan prodded again. Steve was being quite reticent to divulge anything else.
"Not really with my other problem, although things are starting to happen down there. At least I now have proof that all this physio is actually doing something,".
"I'll take that as a compliment," Dan retorted.
"I know it was just kissing, but it felt different to when I've kissed other women,".
"Good, different?" Dan asked, not sure what the problem was.
"Yeah, I think so," Steve confessed. "It meant so much more than just a kiss. Quite intimate,".
"Maybe it felt that way because it's the first time you've been in love?".
"I'm beginning to think that," Steve admitted.
"Well that's good isn't it?" Dan asked.
"It's just really complicated," Steve explained. "You're married aren't you?".
"The ring on my left hand would indicate that," Dan retorted. "Quite the detective aren't you?" He teased which earned him an unimpressed look from Steve.
"How did you know your wife was the one for you?" Steve asked, hoping Dan would have an answer.
"Husband, actually," Dan admitted.
"Sorry," Steve apologised. He hadn't realised Dan was gay and hoped he hadn't offended him. "How did you know your husband was the one for you?".
"I didn't," Dan replied. "Does anyone? You just take a big leap of faith that everything will work out, don't you?".
"I had a feeling you were going to say that," Steve answered. "I just don't want to fuck up my friendship with Kate over it. Maybe it's best we stay as we are,".
"Or it could be the best thing you ever do," Dan countered, playing devil's advocate. "My husband is my best friend. You can marry them you know. You get all the best bits of your friendship and then all the nice bits of being a couple on top. Win. Win,".
Steve pondered Dan's advice. Maybe he had a point. It sounded a good mix.
"Right mister," Dan instructed after a long silence as he drained his mug. "That's enough of the chit chat. Let's get you on some crutches,".
"Kate?" Steve's trauma surgeon asked at the same time in the hospital coffee shop. She had had a busy day and finally had a break in her schedule so she could have her first refreshments of the day when she thought she had spotted a familiar face in the shop.
Kate looked up from reading Steve's leaflets and smiled. "Hi!" she replied, before surreptitiously closing the reading material and focusing on the doctor.
"Thought it was you," the doctor said. "Do you mind if I join you? Been on my feet all day,".
"Of course," Kate replied as she indicated the spare chair at the table.
"What are you doing here?" The surgeon asked as she gratefully took the weight off her feet and sat down.
"Finished work early. Thought I would have a coffee whilst Steve finishes his physio session,".
"How's he doing?" Enquired the surgeon as it had been a little while since she had last seen Steve herself and liked to keep tabs on all her patients.
"Really well," replied Kate, "although he's not too fond of his walking frame at the moment. Doesn't like people staring at him,".
"Wow. Frame already," the doctor noted, impressed. "He should feel proud of himself. If only all my patient's had his determination and the support system he has," she continued.
"Thanks," replied Kate.
"And how are you doing?" The medic asked.
"Me?".
"Yes. People forget it's not just the patients that go thorough a tough time during rehab. Friends and relatives also have their share of hard times. They have to put up with bad moods and frustration being taken out on them,".
"I'm ok," Kate replied. "After that little hiccup we've been fine,".
"He's lucky to have you, Kate,".
"Thanks," answered Kate. "I know he'd do the same for me. It's what friends do,".
"Aren't you a bit more than that?" The doctor asked and saw Kate didn't understand what she was getting at. "I don't mean to pry but I noticed what you were reading before I sat down. Not quite what friends need to know," she explained and saw Kate flush with embarrassment.
"We're possibly moving towards something more," Kate revealed. "Not that this is the deal breaker," she continued, referring to the pamphlets lying discarded upside down in the table still. She didn't want the doctor to think she would dump Steve if he couldn't have sex normally with her.
"Steve told you about his other problem then?".
"Yeah, just yesterday actually," Kate replied. "He told me about the leaflets you gave him. I wanted to read them to make sure things are as easy as possible if we do take that final step,".
"At least one of you will be prepared," the doctor agreed. "Based on Steve's reaction when I gave them to him, I doubt he's read them,". Kate's silence gave her her answer. Typical man!
"I should probably go and get him," Kate said, looking at her watch.
"Mind if I tag along?" The surgeon asked. "I'd like to see Steve's progress for myself. Helps me carry on when I see one good outcome,".
"Of course," Kate agreed as she got to her feet and put the leaflets in her bag.
The two women made their way to the physio gym and entered quietly. Steve was trying to mobilise with crutches as Dan looked on. He was concentrating so hard that he failed to notice he had a growing audience.
Dan noticed the two women watching Steve and gave them a thumb's up.
Kate returned Dan's signal. Steve hadn't mentioned using crutches before and she certainly hadn't seen him using them so she presumed it must be his first attempt. He looked a little like a baby deer learning to walk on his spindly legs, but she didn't care. For a first attempt he was doing really well.
"Looking good, Steve," the surgeon encouraged from where she stood. She obviously had the same opinion as Kate. Steve stopped at her comments and turned to see he was being watched by not just the doctor, but also Kate.
"He is isn't he," Dan agreed, surprised Steve had taken to crutches so easily. "Not bad for just ten minutes,".
"Impressive," the surgeon agreed.
"I'm thinking that we should drop the frame now and just use crutches when inside," Dan suggested, looking at the surgeon to gauge her opinion. She nodded in agreement. "I just need to figure out how we can improve your stamina on them," Dan added. "Just walking around inside your flat isn't going to achieve much,".
"How about going back to work?" The surgeon asked. "Maybe alternate mornings to start with. Then alternate whole days. When you're ready you could then do alternate whole and half days and so on until you're back full time. Would that work?".
"If occupational health let you back when you were in your wheelchair, I would think so," Kate added. "What do you think, Steve?".
"Yeah, I think I'm ready," Steve agreed.
"You can come see me on days you aren't at work," Dan said, also in agreement with the idea. "When you are a bit more familiar with them we can start you using them outside as well,".
"That's sorted then," the doctor concluded. "Any questions, Steve.
"Yeah," Steve said. "When can I drive?". He was getting quite frustrated at having to rely on taxi's and Kate to chauffeur him around.
"Not yet!" the doctor replied quickly. It wasn't often she had to rein a patient in for being too enthusiastic. "You're going to have to be able to walk unaided before I let you do that. I don't want you causing an accident because you can't use the brake pedal properly,".
Steve was disappointed but as a police officer accepted his doctors answer. At least he had something to work towards still.