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Ch.9: Recovery and Therapy

Audrey's and Nathan's explanation to Sir Howard and King Garland was they encountered outlaws during their 'wilderness training' to explain their injuries, and the story seemed to work, however Sir Howard was giving them suspicious looks. Audrey and Nathan told the Teague brothers that Jennifer had to tend to the cursed person because he got hurt, and the brothers didn't question them.

Audrey and Nathan took turns delivering supplies to Jennifer while she took care of Duke. Today, Nathan was the one doing the deliveries. He slowly dismounted from Blue and limped over to Duke's cabin. Over the past few days, his limp has improved and wasn't that pronounced. He knocked on the door and Jennifer answered it; he saw her clothes were wet.

"Hi, Nathan," Jennifer cheerfully greeted, and then yawned, covering her hand with her mouth, looking embarrassed.

"Hi," Nathan said, taking note that recently Jennifer was getting paler and there were dark circles under her eyes. He indicated her wet clothes. "Uh . . ."

"Oh, I'm giving Duke a bath and he likes to play," Jennifer said with an embarrassed smile. "Come on in!"

Nathan entered the cabin and followed Jennifer after she shut the door. He was lead into the bathroom. There was a laundry wash tub on the floor, filled with water, and slowly swimming around was Duke. Duke stopped to look up at Nathan and chirped to greet him. Nathan nodded back.

"I brought more of Gloria's healing ointment," Nathan said, taking it out. "When she heard what happened, she started making more ointment."

Jennifer thanked Nathan. Shen then knelt down and began scrubbing Duke; Nathan watched them.

"Wouldn't it be easier to bathe him in the regular tub?" Nathan asked.

"Duke wanted to as well, saying he needed the swimming exercise so he won't become a fat otter," Jennifer said, causing Nathan to chuckle softly. "But his swimming strength hasn't fully returned, and . . . I want him to take it easy so he can heal quickly."

Nathan nodded and Duke splashed around the tub when Jennifer let him go. Duke then made a wave that landed next to Nathan. Jennifer frowned.

"Don't try to get Nathan wet!" she playfully scolded. "I'm going to be the one who has to clean up the mess!"

Duke apologetically chuckled. Jennifer then took him out and began to dry him. Nathan wanted to talk to Jennifer about her health, but she seemed preoccupied. He then came up with a plan.

"How about I make you an early lunch?" Nathan offered. Jennifer paused and looked at him.

"That would be . . . great! Thank you!" Jennifer said and looked at Duke. "Do you want to eat?" Duke shook his head. "You let me know, okay?" Duke nodded and Jennifer went back to drying him. "Let me finish drying him and applying his bandages, then I'll be ready to eat."

Nathan nodded. "By then I'll have lunch ready."

Nathan left Jennifer and Duke to prepare lunch. He only had to wait a few seconds after he served the food when Jennifer came, and then they both sat down and began eating.

"You really saved me time doing his, Nathan," Jennifer said, in-between bites. "I don't know how to thank you."

"You can tell me why you look like you haven't slept in two days," Nathan said. Jennifer paused and put down her utensils. "What's wrong, Jennifer? You know I want to help."

"Just . . . just . . . don't get overprotective . . . okay?" Jennifer said and Nathan promised. "It's Duke . . . he's been having frequent nightmares when he's asleep as an otter or a human, and that wakes me up."

"What are they?" Nathan asked, concerned.

"I asked him once . . . and all he said was: 'Nothing.'" Jennifer said and yawned. "I didn't ask him again because I'm more focus on getting his body healed."

"How are you going to do that half-asleep?" Nathan said. Jennifer opened her mouth to say something, but Nathan had a feeling what she was going to say. "Jennifer, you know not sleeping is taxing on your health, and if Duke cares for you as much as you say he does, he should realize his nightmares are causing you both to suffer."

Jennifer closed her mouth, knowing Nathan was right.

"Okay, I'll try talking to him again," Jennifer reluctantly said. "I just don't want to annoy him so much that he pushes me away."

"If he's being too stubborn, let me know, and I'll knock sense into him," Nathan said, causing Jennifer to laugh. "Audrey's coming tomorrow. Is there anything you want her to bring?"

"Just some of my books," Jennifer said, taking out a folded up piece of paper. "Duke likes it when I read to him, and he enjoys reading to me as well."

"That's nice," Nathan said, taking the list. "It must feel good knowing you're expanding his mind since all he read before he met you were erotic novels."

Nathan laughed and shielded himself as Jennifer threw wadded up napkins at him.

Jennifer peeked into the room to see Duke reading a book with several candles which gave him enough light to see. She took in a deep breath and walked over to him. Duke noticed her, looking up from the book.

"Jennifer, hey," he greeted her, with a smile.

"Um, am I catching you at a bad time?" she asked. Duke shook his head.

"I just reached the end of the chapter," Duke said, placing the book down, once he made sure the bookmark was in the right place. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to cook dinner?"

Jennifer shook her head and sat down next to him.

"Duke," she carefully said. "Why are your nightmares so horrible?"

"It's not your problem," Duke said.

"It is," Jennifer said, persistent, "I think you should talk about them instead keeping them to yourself."

"I do," Duke said, surprising Jennifer. "I talk to Claire about them; she's very insightful."

"Um, no offence, Duke, but . . . talking to a human is different than talking to a duck," Jennifer said, making Duke smile and chuckle. "So . . . maybe you will talk to me?"

"I don't need to talk to you about what I dream," Duke said, getting aggravated. "It doesn't involve you."

Jennifer frowned a bit. "You're wrong, Duke, it does. You know your nightmares wake me up as well. How can I help you if you keep me out? You can keep secrets from me, Duke, but don't push me away because of this . . . and I don't want this to be the reason why we break up."

Nothing was said for a minute. Jennifer was about to get up, feeling that she lost, but then Duke spoke.

"I fail," he said, causing Jennifer to sit back down. "In my nightmares, I fail."

"What do you mean?" Jennifer asked, curious and confused.

"Before I met you, my nightmares were about Wade and Arla defeating me, and how they taken control of Charlotte," Duke explained. "I had various dreams on how I fail here, or Wade and Arla torturing me, as a human or as an otter."

"Did you have one of those nightmares when I met you?" Jennifer found herself asking. Duke nodded and reached out and gently squeezed Jennifer's hand.

"But now my nightmares are about how I fail you and Charlotte," Duke said. "I have seen you killed in so many ways in my dreams. A reoccurring theme is that Wade tortures your mind and body until you kill yourself."

"And you die of a broken heart?" Jennifer asked. Duke shook his head.

"I live," Duke said in a solemn tone. "I'm stuck as an otter and I have to live with my guilt that I couldn't save you."

Once more, there was silence.

"Duke," Jennifer said, holding Duke's hand with both of her hands. "I am not your responsibly."

"What?" Duke asked.

"No one ordered you to protect me," Jennifer said. "Don't you remember how many people care for me? Vince, Dave, Gloria, King Garland, Nathan, Audrey. Don't feel you are the only one responsible for my safety."

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Duke said.

"Even if I do get hurt, I can't imagine blaming you," Jennifer said. "I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose."

Duke was deeply moved by Jennifer's words and her trust in him.

"So how are you going to stop my nightmares?" Duke asked in a nice tone. "Unless you've been holding out on me and have psychic powers and could enter my mind while I sleep and destroy my nightmares."

Jennifer laughed. "I wish I had that power, but we could think of other ways."

"Like what?"

Jennifer thought it over. "We can start by from now on, you can tell me your nightmares after you have them, and maybe I can help."

"But what if I have a nightmare as an otter?" Duke asked. "I can't talk to you."

"Maybe . . . you can just lie on my lap and I'll scratch you?" Jennifer suggested.

"You know I really like that," Duke said with a teasing smile. "You better be careful; I may just fib so you'll do that."

Jennifer laughed, and then Duke sat up straighter.

"Wait," he said. "Why didn't I think of this before? I have books on relaxation and meditation. I should read them again."

"That's great! Where are they? I'll go get them right now," Jennifer excitingly said, but then Duke sighed, reluctantly.

"Back at Silver Eyes Estate," Duke said, "probably why I forgot about them."

Jennifer couldn't say anything because she was too disappointed to speak.

"I could . . . no, I wouldn't do that to you," Duke said.

"What? What is it?" Jennifer asked, but Duke refused to say. "Please, Duke, tell me."

"I could send a message to my servants there and ask them to take the books to a hidden spot in the forest and have you pick them up," Duke said and looked at Jennifer. "But I couldn't risk having you be caught by Wade's and Arla's soldiers."

"Didn't we already go through this?" Jennifer asked in a teasing-annoyed tone.

"I don't want anything awful happen to you," Duke said. Jennifer sighed.

"You may not realize this, but you're insulting me," Jennifer said, shocking Duke. "It's like you don't trust me to take care of myself."

Duke was stunned, but finally he spoke.

"Do you promise to be careful?" Duke asked.

"Of course!" Jennifer said with certainty.

"Would you be insulted if I ask some of my animal friends to go with you and keep an eye out?" Duke asked.

"No! In fact, I really like that idea!" Jennifer said, smiling.

"Then . . . let's give it a try," Duke said, sounding a little reserved.

"Thanks, Duke!" Jennifer said, hugging him and giving him a kiss. "I'll be right back; I'll go get a pen and paper so you can make a list of the books you want!"

Duke softly laughed as he watched Jennifer dash out of the room to get writing equipment.

During the following days, Duke practiced and read relaxation and mediation techniques from his recovered books, both as a human and as an otter. Sometimes Jennifer read him instructions as he practiced, and he had to tease her when she accidentally mispronounced words, but she didn't mind, because she was enjoying learning new information from Duke's books.

When he was in better shape, he began practicing yoga, once again as a human and as an otter. Even though as an otter, he fell over doing some yoga positions, which made Jennifer laugh when she watched him.

Jennifer never told him, but she liked watching Duke doing yoga when he was human because he looked very sexy.

The result after all of this was that Duke had fewer nightmares, and he and Jennifer could comfortably sleep together uninterrupted.