Page 40 of The Recovery Coach
Hallelujah.“Better than nothing,” Hazy said.He accepted his crutches from Robbie.
His care team fitted him with a new brace that gave him much more range of motion than the previous one.He took his first few steps with most of his weight on his crutches, and the euphoria at his progress outweighed his dread of fading into obscurity for a few blissful moments.
Livy took notes on every exercise the physical therapist walked him through.
After an hour of bending and stretching and testing his new limits, she asked, “Is there anything else I should know?”
Robbie shook his head at her, but spoke to Hazy, “You’re going to be tempted to do more.Don’t.You’ll delay your recovery if you do too much too fast.”
Hazy rolled his eyes.He’d had enough injuries over the years to recognize his own limits.
“Yes, Dad,” he said, voice full of sarcasm.
“Be nice,” Livy scolded him.
“I’m serious, Connor,” Robbie said.“Rest, minimal weight-bearing, and the exercises I showed you.Ice and elevate.Nothing more until you’re released for full weight.”
Oof.He brought out the government name.Hazy swallowed hard and nodded.
“Got it.”His voice came out whiny.Like a pouting, moody teenager.
“Do you have any idea when he’ll be walking normally?”Livy asked.
“We’ll check back in a couple of weeks.After Thanksgiving.”
Thanksgiving felt a million years away, but Hazy could wait.At least he wouldn’t have to travel for the worst holiday of the year.
Hazy’s parents insisted on flying in for Thanksgiving regardless of his protests.Most years he could get out of celebrating because of his game schedule, but with his injury, he no longer had a valid excuse.He had hoped that being unable to travel comfortably would deter them from changing their plans.No such luck.
Spending a few days with Hazy had been plenty of incentive for them to cancel their annual cruise to the Bahamas, but as soon as his mom learned both Livy and Jayden would be staying at his house, any hope of a quiet holiday evaporated.
His mom was maybe a little too obsessed with Livy.Since they were little, Hazy had been convinced that Livy was the daughter his mother always yearned for.And though Jayden still lived fifteen minutes away from Hazy’s childhood home and visited Hazy’s parents for dinner every Sunday, they would never say no to spending more time with the man they considered a second son.
His house felt overwhelmingly full even though it only contained his favorite people.
He’d been careful about how far he pushed himself, taking Robbie’s warning seriously.Having houseguests put him on edge.He had to beon,and that wiped more of his energy than anticipated.
He sat at the head of his fancy dining room table with his aching leg propped on the chair next to him, an ice pack strapped to the swollen area.Taking the spot at the head of the table felt wrong, but his father insisted so he could elevate his leg.
Lover, who invited himself to dinner as soon as he heard Hazy’s mom would be cooking, sat to his right and reached across Hazy to grab the gravy boat and drown his mashed potatoes.“This is the best Thanksgiving ever!Thanks for cooking, Mrs.Hale.”He shoveled a bite of the drenched potatoes into his mouth.
Hazy’s mom gave Lover a doting smile.“Of course!I couldn’t let my kids go hungry on Thanksgiving.”
“We wouldn’t have starved.I do know how to order takeout,” Hazy said.
His mom tutted.“Takeout on Thanksgiving is depressing.You have like two options, and there’s no love in that.”
Livy, who sat on the other side of Lover, snorted.“I wouldn’t have let them order takeout.We would have had a home-cooked meal.Not one this good, though.”
“Well, you put in as much work as I did.You should be proud.The stuffing is your best yet.”
Hazy had to agree.Livy had been preparing the stuffing for the Hale family Thanksgivings since Hazy was thirteen.The Hales always had the Stewarts over for Thanksgiving dinner, but that year Livy insisted on cooking a dish.
Hazy’s grandma taught her the Hale family stuffing recipe, a secret she kept from her own daughters.He hadn’t eaten the infamous side dish in years.
Jayden whooped.“Hell yeah, it’s the best yet.”To Livy he said, “I’m glad you made it.I worried I’d never have it again when you started spending Thanksgiving with Lance’s family.”
“Oh my God, I’m relieved I don’t have to deal with that asshole’s mother anymore.She is the absolute worst.”
