Day 20 – Cramping Pain
Nothing good could come out of this situation.
Troy had been struggling to find a comfortable way to sit for the last half-hour or so, wincing with each slight movement due to a muscle in his back deciding it no longer wanted to work properly and seized up. He was cursing and swearing, and trying his best to find relief while seated against the back wall of the horse barn. Unfortunately, relief wasn't coming. Not on its own, that is.
His horses certainly knew something was wrong, especially Lana. She had a habit of "tattling" to Shauna when Troy was having problems—well, Shauna thought Lana was the most helpful horse in the world, while Troy was becoming convinced that Lana thought he was a helpless foal who needed assistance with everything.
"She came to get me when you passed out in the barn from illness, when you broke your ribs falling on the fence, and when you cut your hand open on a piece of wood," Shauna said. "Lana's very intuitive and I like that."
"You forget that she ran to get you when all I did was trip over a root, when I fell off a ladder into a pile of leaves, and when I lost a screwdriver in the barn. She thinks I'm weak and helpless," Troy argued.
"No, she's learned that when you're being stubborn and need help, it's time to get help for you."
Troy had already let the horses out that morning to graze, so he found himself hoping and praying none of them realized he was still in the barn. All I did was lean over. It'll work itself out. Just be patient.
He gave a heavy, defeated sigh when he saw the muzzle of a white mare appear around the stack of haybales he was hiding behind. "Please don't, Lana," Troy muttered. "Just leave me alone. Don't—" He bit his tongue as he was promptly nuzzled by the horse. "Come on, don't get Shauna. Please, don't get Shauna. I'll be fine."
Lana was already off trotting out of the barn. Troy wanted to get up and find a better place to hide, but the wrenching pain in his back kept him seated. He wasn't one to surrender to anything, which effectively made his own back the worst enemy he had ever contended with. Dietrich will surely be amused by that. He'll laugh until he cries. And you just know Shauna will tell him next time he visits!
Troy tried to stand when it seemed like the pain subsided. Instead, as he stood, the knot of pain abruptly tightened, and he sat back down again. Damn it.
Lana returned to the barn with Shauna in tow. "What happened now?" Shauna asked. "Please tell me Sam is at least conscious—"
"Completely conscious, sweetheart," Troy said.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"I highly doubt it's nothing. Why are you just sitting there, then? You never sit when there's work to be done."
Troy shifted uncomfortably. "I… hurt my back."
"How?"
This is embarrassing. "I leaned over."
"That's it? You leaned over?"
"Yes, sweetheart."
Shauna helped Troy stand. "Alright. Back into the house." She ran one hand down the left side of Troy's spine. "This shouldn't be too bad. I can fix it."
"How are you going to fix it?" Troy asked.
He didn't get an answer until he was brought back inside and made to lie down on the bed upstairs. Shauna had him remove his shirt, then she climbed onto the bed and straddled Troy's lower back.
"What're you doing?"
"Hold still." Shauna pressed the heel of her hand against the tightest part of Troy's back, then started massaging it.
Troy bit back a hiss of pain, and clenched his fists. "Damn it, Shauna, that hurts!"
"It's supposed to hurt a little. I'm trying to work it out."
"You could've warned me you were going to do that."
"Sorry." Shauna went a little gentler with her massage. "You'll feel better when I'm done—especially since you really need this."
Troy struggled to relax as Shauna's massage went beyond just the tight spot in his back. She started pressing and rubbing all over, revealing years of absolutely no relaxed muscles whatsoever.
"Stop clenching your fists," Shauna said.
"That's kinda difficult when this hurts."
It kept hurting for a little while, then a cooling sensation rapidly spread through Troy's body as blood flowed through more easily through formerly tight joints and muscles. That felt good. He unclenched his fists, and let himself relax.
Shauna grinned as she continued kneading him. "And just like that, you're enjoying it."
"I suppose," Troy said.
"You've gone slack and you're not complaining anymore. I think you're enjoying it." Shauna's hands moved up to the back of Troy's neck. "You really need this, Sam. You're tight everywhere." She grew quiet, her tone saddening a little when she said, "I can also feel some old fractures in your ribs."
"Which side?" Troy asked.
"Your right side, near the middle of your spine."
"Oh, those. Yeah… I got those… in Beckmann's camp. One of the guards took a boot and whacked me with it." Troy considered himself lucky that the boot had struck his back—the guard had been aiming for his face, but managed to turn despite being restrained.
"I didn't think a boot would be able to break ribs."
"Well, these were steel-toed, and he hit me multiple times."
"I'm… sorry."
"It's okay." Troy grinned a little. "I didn't let those heal. I remember getting the news while I was still recovering in the infirmary that I was getting promoted to sergeant, and finally being given my own unit. So, I decided to refuse to follow any medical officer's instructions. I wanted to get back out there and work with my new team, not lie around in a chest brace. My ribs didn't heal properly. That's why you can feel them."
Shauna sighed. "Promise me you'll get better at letting your injuries heal, Sam. You're not exactly getting younger, and I'd like to keep you around for a while."
"I'll work on it."
"You better." Shauna kept massaging Troy's back. "I wouldn't mind you doing the same for me."
"What, do your back?"
"Yes."
Troy shrugged. "All you gotta do is ask, sweetheart."
"Thanks."
When Shauna stopped, Troy turned onto his back while his wife was still straddling him. He grinned at the position. "Do I have to worry about you wanting a bit more than a massage?"
"No. We have work to do," Shauna said.
"True. We do. You'll have to get off me first."
"Ask nicely."
"Please, get off me, sweetheart."
Shauna looked a bit reluctant to get off, but eventually did. She smiled at Troy as he sat up.
Troy stretched a little, not feeling anymore pain in his back. That actually worked. And it felt good. He put his shirt back on. "Later, when we're done working for the day, I'll give you a massage of your own. Promise." He leaned in to whisper, despite them being alone, "And... maybe there'll be a little more."
Shauna gave Troy a kiss, and followed him back downstairs, saying, "I'll hold you to it, Sam."