Healing Mr White

by J A Fielding

  She took a long deep breath when she saw the doctor walking into the office holding the x-rays he had taken earlier of Mitchell’s fracture.. This was the moment of truth. The doctor had said that he would have a better idea of what they were dealing with after the fourth round of physiotherapy and today was the day of reckoning. At first Natasha did not understand why a prognosis would take this long to deliver, but it was something about finding out how quickly a patient responded to treatment, both medicinal and therapeutic.

  “Dr. Michelson, hello,” she said as the brown haired man took a seat. Mitchell shook the doctor’s hand before he sat down.

  “Natasha, Mitchell. Good to see you too, and I have some good news,” he said smiling at them. Natasha looked at Mitchell and smiled.

  “Okay, what’s the good news?” Mitchell asked.

  “We all know that the injury was not that bad since it was just a stress fracture. And the latest x-rays show that you should be fine after eight weeks of physio,” the doctor said. Mitchell raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

  “Did you just say eight weeks?” he asked. The doctor smiled and nodded.

  “Normally people would go for even six months but I don’t see the need of all that. Physiotherapy and keeping the weight off the leg should do it,” he said. Mitchell sighed.

  “Keeping the weight off means keeping it elevated which means that I should also be immobilized, right?” he asked. Natasha frowned.

  “Well, yes. You have to take it easy for a while,” Dr. Michelson said. “Try keeping moving around to the absolute minimum,” he added.

  “That means no office for a while. Your clients will understand,” Natasha said. Mitchell ran his fingers through his hair and groaned.

  “Do you have any idea how important this week is?” he asked. Natasha put her hand on his.

  “We’ll talk about this later. Let us just sort this out first,” she said in a low voice, even though Dr. Michelson’s office was quiet enough to ensure that her whispering was no good.

  “You will continue with your physiotherapy, so far so good, but you must make sure that it is not less than three times a week or more than five rounds in the same week. Overworking will only make your already sore muscles worse,” the doctor said as he scribbled on his prescription pad. “That’s a prescription for a refill of your pain meds,” he added as he handed Mitchell the prescription.

  “So I can pick this up on the way out?” Mitchell asked. The doctor nodded and smiled.

  ‘I’m sure the pharmacy has everything you need,” he said.

  “Okay, then I guess we are done here,” Natasha said as she took the x-rays from Michelson.

  She had a long task ahead and she was not even sure she had it in her to handle everything. She had thought of getting a live-in nanny to help out with Alexis and menial tasks around the house but Estelle wouldn’t hear of it. According to her that would have been a waste of money and she would gladly spend time with her great-grandchild for free, in her words.

  “Thanks for everything,” Natasha said to the doctor as she slowly followed Mitchell out.

  “Sure. See you next week,” Dr. Michelson said as they walked out.

  The longer than usual walk to the car was quiet as Mitchell thought of how he would survive not working while Natasha tried planning how the next couple of weeks were going to be.

  “We were signing a new deal with the guys from Wales this week, “ Mitchell said when Natasha got in the driver’s seat.

  “So? You can still do that without having to be at the office,” she said as she started the car engine.

  “Well, I was supposed to fly out to Wales the day after tomorrow. What is going to happen now?” he asked. Natasha knew that he was just sulking because he was practically bedridden for the next few weeks.

  “I don’t know what age you are in Mitch, but back in my time they had a little something called Skype. You can call them and explain why you cannot go out and if worse comes to worst I can drive to the office and you can have a conference call there,” she said as she drove.

  “Yes but…it’s just not the same,” he said. Natasha smiled.

  “Admit it, you just hate being in the house,” she said.

  “It’s literally killing me,” he said. “I’ve already spent two weeks out of work. I don’t think I can survive another two months,” he added as he leaned back on the head rest.

  “Hold on, the doctor did not say anything about you not being able to go back to work for another two months. Your luck may change, you never know,” she said smiling.

  “Well, Lady Luck has not exactly been kissing my ass lately,” he said. Natasha shook her head.

  “What do you mean? We’ve had some of the best business in the last few months,” she said.

  “Well, that’s been all you. This was going to be something that I brought to the table,” he said. Natasha looked at him and smiled.

  “Mitchell Schmidt, are you jealous that I brought in one of the best clients you have ever had and you haven’t?” she asked. He looked at her and smiled.

  “Jealousy is a strong word,” he said.

  “Oh baby, come on. We’ll make it work,” she said as she maneuvered the last corner before they got home. “We always do,” she added. Mitchell smiled and shrugged.

  “I know,” he said as they pulled into their driveway. Natasha got out and helped him out of his seat even though he was adamant that he could handle everything on his own. She hated that he would not let her get him a wheelchair. She thought that would make everything so much easier but it was his call…this time. When they finally got inside the house, she helped him sit down before she collapsed next to him. Mitchell looked at her and smiled. “Tired?” he asked.

  “Not at all,” she said shaking her head.

  “Tasha, it’s okay to admit you are tired. I can see the perspiration on your forehead,” he said laughing. Natasha rolled her eyes.

  “Then why did you ask?” she asked smiling at him.

  “Because I love you and I care about you,” he said holding her hand in his. She smiled and lifted his hand up to her lips to give it a little kiss.

  “You know what this reminds me of?” she asked looking into his eyes. Mitchell shook his head. “When I was pregnant with Alexis,” she said smiling. Mitchell pretended to choke. “What?” she asked as she looked at him.

  “Am I moody and hungry for everything?” Mitchell asked.

  “I was not moody and hungry for every single thing. I just had a particular palate,” she said. Mitchell laughed.

  “Oh, you were. We almost tripled our food intake in your second and third trimesters. And the moods, babe, you were getting upset over anything and everything plus you also cried when watching SpongeBob,” he said looking at her.

  “One, It was Finding Nemo…that is some sad shit, and two, SpongeBob? Really?” she asked.

  “I have the home movies to prove it but that might take a while given my current condition and everything,” he said smiling. Natasha shook her head.

  “Yeah in that same light, you’ve heard of the no body no crime policy right? Because I watch enough CSI. I know how to get rid of a body,” she said.

  “And what would you tell Alexis?” Mitchell asked.

  “Daddy went on a trip to a place without phones,” she said as she squinted. Mitchell shook his head.

  “With all the TV you watch, is that all you can come up with?” he asked.

  “Well, I will have time to think about that one. Alexis is only two right now,” Natasha said as she picked up her phone and dialed Stacy.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “We are going to prep Stacy together and send her to England for your super awesome meeting where she is going to close the deal for you and consequently, reclaim my respect for you,” she said casually as she put her phone to her ear.

  Mitchell smiled. He loved how much effort she put into this but again, she didn’t have a choice. This was it. H
e looked at her as she talked on the phone and once again he smiled. He had married her for better and worse and maybe this was not half as bad as nine months of mood swings but still, he knew and understood that it was a difficult time yet she was being a real trooper. Natasha was doing anything and everything that she could in order to make his life easier during this time and she was doing a pretty darn good job at it.

  When Natasha finished talking to Stacy, she hung up and turned to look at him excitedly. “Okay, she will be here in half an hour. I’ll get you your laptop,” she said as she walked to the bedroom.

  When she got back to the living room, she found Mitchell trying to walk to the kitchen. She was immediately annoyed and scared at the same time. “What the hell do you think you are doing?” she asked as she put the laptop down on the couch.

  “I wanted to go make a sandwich,” he said looking at her.

  “Why didn’t you wait for me? And why are you not using crutches?” she asked as she picked up the crutches and walked over to him.

  “Well, you can’t blame me for trying,” he said as he balanced himself on the crutches.

  “Well, bad idea because keeping the weight off that leg is exactly what you need to get better, not the other way round. Damn it, Mitchell,” Natasha said as she suddenly took one crutch away. “Actually, sit. I will make you your sandwich; I know how you like it,” she said as she helped him back in his chair.

  She sighed as she walked to the kitchen and then opened the fridge. She took out the ham and made him the sandwich. She was about to walk back to the living room when she heard the doorbell. She walked to the door and opened it to find Stacy standing at the doorstep. “I thought you were not supposed to be here for another twenty minutes,” she said as she stepped aside for Stacy to get in.

  “Yeah, something about an impromptu trip to the UK can make you drive like a crazy person,” Stacy said. “Don’t worry, I didn’t get any speeding tickets,” she added quickly when she noticed Natasha’s look.

  “Go on, Mitchell is in the living room. I’ll be right there,” Natasha said as she walked back to the kitchen. She made an extra sandwich for Stacy and then grabbed a few bottles of water from the fridge before she carried everything out to the two of them. She placed the tray on the table and handed them their sandwiches.

  “So, you’re kind of like bedridden?” Stacy asked. Natasha smiled. Stacy said the most weirdly (and sometimes inappropriate) things when nervous.

  “Not really but I guess you could say that. I should be back to full function in a few weeks,” Mitchell said smiling.

  “Good to hear that,” Stacy said as she bit into the sandwich. “So, were you guys serious about England or were you screwing with me?” she asked. “Forgive my language sir,” she added quickly. Again Natasha smiled to herself. This Stacy seated in front of her was the same one she had first started working with, full of potential and yet she did not even know it.

  “It is for real and you are here now because you leave tomorrow morning,” Mitchell said. Stacy took a long deep breath and nodded.

  “Yeah, but don’t sweat it. You don’t have to make any pitches or anything, Mitch already did that,” Natasha started.

  “Everything you need to know is that the company is all about online retail marketing. They are really big in the UK and they are making their entrance to the American market and that’s where we come in,” Mitchell said.

  “So, they are like kind of the next eBay?” Stacy asked. Mitchell shook his head.

  “Actually no. eBay is a consumer to consumer corporation. What these guys do is basically help you get your everyday product from their site. It’s just online shopping dressed in a fancy outfit,” he explained.

  “Oh okay,” Stacy said.

  “So you get it?” Mitchell asked.

  “Yeah, you need to be very sure about it before you go in,” Natasha said.

  “I do, totally. Plus I plan to spend the better part of the night going through the file,” Stacy said smiling.

  “Can’t you do that on the plane and sleep instead?” Natasha asked.

  “I’m going to be on a private jet. There is no way I am working on board,” Stacy said. Natasha and Mitchell exchanged glances and they were not too subtle about it. “What? Am I not going on the jet?” Stacy asked.

  “Well, no,” Natasha said.

  “Bummer,” Stacy said under her breath.

  “But we’ll get you business class tickets. There is no way my representative is going to fly coach,” Mitchell added quickly.

  “Yeah, we’ll definitely do that,” Natasha said smiling.

  “Well, I will still not work on board,” Stacy said.

  “Whatever works for you,” Mitchell said. “One thing though, how good are you at tennis?” he asked.

  “Why?” Stacy asked looking at him.

  “Because this client has a thing for outdoor sport. And given the time you will be leaving here, you will most likely get there just as he is about to do his hour long tennis workout,” he said. Natasha looked at him and frowned. “Trust me, it’s a thing,” he said, looking at Natasha.

  “Well, I am pretty good. I have all the trophies at my mom’s to prove it,” Stacy said, smiling.

  “Good. Make sure you pack something to wear to the tennis court and make me proud,” Mitchell said smiling.

  “Don’t worry, I will come back with a signed contract,” she said as she took a bite of her sandwich. “By the way, Tasha, you will be having a conference call later today. Just a follow up on the new business,” she added before taking another bite. Natasha frowned. Between taking care of Mitchell and work, she had completely forgotten that she was handling both of their workloads, and it was taking its toll on her.

  “What time?” she asked as she looked at Stacy.

  “Two-thirty. But it should be short since it’s just a follow up. You know how it goes,” Stacy said.

  Natasha suddenly had an idea. To her Stacy was more than just her executive assistant. She was basically the next Natasha Schmidt. She had great potential and ever since Natasha realized this, she had been grooming her to take over for her one day.

  “If it’s no big deal, then why don’t you do it?” Natasha asked, smiling.

  “Okay, Tasha, are you sure about this?” Stacy asked.

  “Yeah, Tasha, are you sure?” Mitchell asked. He was having a hard time believing that Natasha would be okay with charging all this responsibility to Stacy all at once.

  “Think about it, Mitchell. Over the past two years, Stacy has been the hands on person on almost all our campaigns. I make the decisions but she pulls the strings. She knows this stuff and she is ready for it. I am sure,” Natasha said. “Plus we did send out that memo about your accident. No one expects us to be working for another few weeks,” she added.

  “You believe in me that much?” Stacy asked, smiling.

  “Well you were always too good to be just an assistant,” Natasha said. “And I don’t want you to be an assistant forever. You are a born leader,” she said. Stacy smiled and took the last bite of her sandwich before she stood up. “Where are you going?” Natasha asked.

  “I have a long night ahead going over the contract but before that I am going shopping for something executive for that conference call,” Stacy said excitedly.

  “Sweetie, it’s a call. They only see half your body,” Natasha said.

  “And I will make sure the half they see screams executive,” Stacy said, smiling. “Get well soon, boss,” she said before she walked out of the living room and out of the house.

  “Now that’s passion you don’t see every day in a worker,” Natasha said smiling. Mitchell looked at her and smiled.

  “Come here,” he said. She stood up from the couch and walked towards him. He took her hand in his and pulled her down to meet her lips in a soft kiss. “The kind of passion I want is right here,” he said when he pulled away. She smiled and held the back of his neck before she leaned forward to kiss hi
m again, all the while thinking of how the sex would work now that Mitchell was mildly immobilized.

  Chapter 4

  Natasha looked around the lingerie shop that Rita had recommended and sighed. Rita had forgotten to mention that the store had so much variety. She was literally spoiled for choice. There were beautiful…no…hot corsets, bustiers and every single thing that would drive a man and some gay women nuts. She was still looking at the array of intimate wear when the attendant walked up to her.

  “You look like you need some help,” the female attendant said. Natasha looked at her and smiled.

  “Yes and no…I want everything,” she said. The attendant smiled.

  “Okay, we have everything for whatever personality you are looking for,” the attendant said as she held up a pink pleated baby doll nightie. “This is exactly what you need if you are going for the good old girl next door thing,” she said. Natasha nodded and smiled.

  “Well, I am looking for something a bit more…um…provocative,” she said. The attendant put the nightie back and nodded.

  “Well, how about this? Lace trim, low cut bust and with those babies, I don’t need to tell you that this will totally work in your favor,” she said. Natasha smiled.

  “Well, that works. Let’s just put a pin on that…no, I’ll take it,” Natasha said as she put the lingerie over her shoulder. “What else do you have?” she asked excitedly.

  “Well, there is this simple, sexy satin and lace slip. We have it in red, blue and pink,” the attendant told her. Natasha smiled.

  “It has a hint of suburban vibe but I can rock it just as well,” she said as she picked up the red one. A green satin bustier caught her eye and she walked towards it. “How about this?” she asked.

  “Well, I see you have impeccable taste,” the attendant said as she handed her the satin bustier with the lace over lace. Natasha looked at it and smiled. She could definitely see herself in it and she could see Mitchell’s face when he saw her. It was complete with garter straps and sheer center cutouts. It would show off every single curve of her body and she just could not wait to see herself in it. “Should I add it on?” the attendant asked.