"What kind of practice, Mr. Hayes?"
"You know, the romantic stuff they talk about in movies and the things that happen between the sheets."
"What am I going to do with you!" I pinch Jon on his waist.
He squirms, "Don't worry about it. I know a lot of things I want to do to you. Follow my lead and play along."
Oh God, I am quite certain this man's brain stopped growing after fifteen. So did mine, sis. I push him away but Ms. Geeky Meeky is in full control and she is itching to mess with him. I tilt my head and tap my index finger on my chin, pretending to think. "Now that you mention it, there is a giant panda who keeps showing up once in a while."
"Are you interested?" Jon's eyes sparkle.
"Hm, not sure, but I find him cute and funny."
"Oh, I can do cute and funny." Jon closes the distance between us.
Not this time. Before he gets too close, I grab his hand and twist it behind his back. "How is this move for a start?"
Jon makes a swift move turning us both. While he manages to grasp my wrists in his hands, he stumbles. His shoulder slams into the wall.
"You trying to injure yourself again."
"No worries, Tigress. I know a charming doctor who can fix anything." The dimples on both of Jon's cheeks will suck me in someday.
I shake my head. Will I ever be able to shut him up? "You bring out the dark side in me."
"If your bad is good for me, then give me all the bad." He has an answer to every objection.
"You are incorrigible. Don' make me regret this Mr. Hayes?"
"Never, Ma’am." John stands at attention and salutes me.
Damn his cuteness. Even if he says otherwise, I sense it in my bones. I am having a full-blown infection of Jon itch.
"You have grown a beard, but not your brain."
He clasps his chest faking hurt at my words. I flip him off and then touch the wrong switch by running a finger on his cheek line.
"By the way, this is hot Mr. Beardman." Shippy ship, Ms. Geeky Meeky does it again. She needs to keep some words in the privacy of my head and not blurt out everything in front of Jon.
His face lights up like a 1000-watt bulb. He jumps, clicks his heels and pumps a fist. Yup, there is no saving me from the soup I put on the burner. I scoot out of the room before he reaches me.
Chapter 29: The Negotiation
Jon
"Jonathan Hayes reporting for duty, ma'am."
My sharp voice makes Betsy jump. Guess my eagerness shows. I want to start my new journey and recover what I had almost lost. Betsy comes around her desk and we shake hands. I thank her, "I owe this one to you."
"You owe me nothing, Jon. Take care of my girl. She has gone through a lot and life has not been kind to her. She needs her shot at happiness." Betsy has all the motherly love in her voice as she talks about Sharon. While we are chatting, someone clears their throat. We both turn to find Sharon standing at the door with a wolfish grin.
"Gossiping already, Mr. Hayes?" She steps inside.
"Ah, there is the Tigress with the legendary stealth, sneaking up on people," I move forward to greet her. A bear hug is what I want to give her, but she preempts me by offering her hand. I take it, glance at our hands for a second, and then pull her towards me. She wriggles, trying to break my hold, but I am not letting her go. Oh yes, I like the blush creeping up on her face. After a moment, I release my grip. "You are in the Po hold, Tigress. You can't escape until Po lets you."
"Are you crazy, Jon? This is a hospital." She arranges her coat.
"You got me there, Doc. I am crazy, and you know for whom." I send her a flying kiss.
"Wipe that grin off your face, Mr. Hayes." She glances at me and her pupils go from the size of a pinhead to a button, "What the hell are you wearing?"
I tap the panda cap I have on my head. It goes well with my white jacket and jeans. I combined them with a white T-shirt and matching black casual shoes to complete my outfit.
"Why are you wearing shades inside the room?" She points to my face.
I take them off in slow motion. When I look up, my lips twitch, trying not to laugh at the expressions on her face.
She gasps. Her eyes are about to pop out of her head. "What did you do to your face?"
"Nate enjoyed painting them." I run my finger around the black patches surrounding my eyes. "Remember cute and funny panda? A tigress told me a Doc here likes those animals."
"Are you ever serious about anything? You are here for a reason." Her voice is loud, but she can't hold her stoic face. Her eyes light up and the glossy lips quiver as the smile breaks through, bringing light in my life. Give me this Sharon-shine every day. It may take hard work, but the effort will be worth keeping the joyful expression on her face.
"How do you expect anyone to take you seriously in this costume? You are here for your therapy. Not for entertainment." Sharon puts her stern face back on, but I will not make it easy for her.
"As you say, Doc. I am all yours." I wink to let her know what I mean. She waves her hands in desperation and moves to where Betsy is standing. A lame effort to bring the desk in between us. If I want to, I can cross over in a second. Betsy gives me a stare, and I raise both my hands in surrender. We settle down on the chairs around Betsy's desk.
"Jon, I have spoken to Tom and Betsy. First, we will do EMG and muscle strength tests for the muscle groups that control the different movements of your leg. Based on the results, we will create a customized program for you. This will include physical training, psychological consult, and diet program." The professional avatar of Dr. Sharon begins her discourse.
I raise my hand. "Can I interrupt you? I get the physical training part. My leg got hurt and needs a makeover. But why the other two? I didn't lose a screw from my head and as you can see, I am fit." I flex my arm muscles, giving her a view of my guns stretching my jacket.
She stares at me for a moment, about to go off. I brace for what is coming next. "Oh my God. How did you find out? Your scans were top secret." Sharon clasps her mouth.
I huff as my nostrils flare. "Where are you taking this, Tigress?"
She shakes her head, "Jon, I am so sorry. We empathize with you. You get hit a lot on the head. We fear a part of your brain may have run away. Your teammates have reported about your abnormal behavior. Then there is this game you play with a silly ball that is not round. You play it with your hands but what do they call it? Ah, I remember—football!" Now she can't stop smiling. "Tell me if I am missing something?"
It is hard not to laugh at all the faces she is making, but I clench my lips and stare at her, before breaking into a fake wry smile. "Ouch, you hurt my pride, but I am not giving up on my dessert. Not the cupcakes made by a qualified chef. Nope, that is not happening. Don't even consider taking me away from them."
"If you are not careful about what you eat, your Greek god body will turn into a real-life Po." Sharon fakes her indignation.
"Oh, so now I am a Greek god? What happened to Po? He won’t like being replaced. You realize that he is interested in the Tigress?"
The blush that sweeps me off my feet, appears on two plump shiny cheeks on sides of her nose. She clears her throat and then offers a straight face.
"Cut the jokes, Jon. You need a specific program to heal. Your recovery will go through cycles, many good days interspersed with some off days. On some days your body will give up and on others, the mind will not cooperate. The sessions are important to help your body adjust and make finer changes to using your leg.
For an athlete like you, this fine-tuning is necessary. It is after a long time you are using your leg again. At present, without your awareness, a particular position might be causing slight odd movement which makes you adjust your walking at a subconscious level. Some people fixate on these small differences in their movements. This stalls their complete recovery." She rambles on about my injury.
I don't mind, as long as I have her attention. "Whatever you say, Doc. As I said, I am all y
ours."
She closes her eyes, slaps her palm to her head and shakes it right and left. She smiles when she opens her eyes again. "Alright. Since we agree, Betsy will guide you through the details of the program."
I raise my hand, "Doc can I join the OTA with the guys?"
She is blank at my question, so I explain. "Oh, I mean organized team activities. It is only for a few days, but it allows me to hang out with the team. It helps form a bond. Some of them are rookies. Being there will help me know them." What I don't tell her, is my real motive. The franchise has signed a new quarterback. From drafts the reports on the kid are positive. Yeah, I am a little insecure about losing my QB1 status.
Sharon is not buying my explanation. "What type of activities do you do at these sessions?"
She is a smart cookie. I need to come clean. "There are practice sessions and team drills under the coach's instructions. It will help me remain visible to my coaches."
Sharon stays silent for a minute considering my question.
"Okay, let me speak to Tom and your coach."
She stands up to go, but I grab her hand. "Hey, you said you would be there."
"I will be there, Mr. Hayes, but not to babysit you while you are here. Other patients need me. Tom and Betsy are in charge. I am only here as a friend." Sharon takes her hand away.
I don't want her to go, "You are breaking your promise, Doc. We had a deal. You can't walk away from it. Though, I can make you another offer. I am okay as long as we meet at least once during my sessions here."
Sharon tries to protest, but Betsy intervenes on my behalf, pushing her to accept my invite.
"Whose side are you on, anyway? I will not be at his beck and call."
Why does she get worked up in an instant? Time to defuse the tension.
"Hey, no issues. We can meet for coffee, whenever you are free." I wait for her to reply, hoping she agrees to this small meeting every day.
"Mind you, Mr. Hayes. I will charge you for my consults."
This time I don't stop myself. I get up and hug her. "I am ready to do whatever it takes, Tigress. You are not getting rid of this giant panda anytime soon."
Chapter 30: The Coffee Date
Sharon
The cafe at the hospital is outdoors, with seating arrangements amidst a variety of trees. There is a central pine tree that we decorate around Christmas. The periphery has juniper, fir and cypress trees planted in the ground. Pruned and cut into geometric shapes. Today the sun shines through the canopy of leaves, creating patterns on the smooth cobblestone ground.
The colorful flowers in rows of pots brighten the mood at any time of the day. Balm for my sore eyes. A gentle spring breeze makes the place cool today. Richard prides himself on creating a central green atrium in the building. It is like an oasis in between the two-floor concrete and the glass structure of our hospital. On most Sundays, I come here to read and relax.
We are lucky to find a table; the place is usually full most of the time. Meeting Jon here makes me a little conscious. Many of my coworkers visit this place. When we walk to take a seat, people nod at Jon as we pass by. His is a face anyone can recognize. He is too famous for us to have any privacy. I fear word would spread around and the stories will start circulating.
At the moment, I don't have an alternative. We could take the coffee in my room, but I do not trust him, or myself. Jon loses no opportunity to get his hands on me. Which is a huge risk, considering how high he is hitting the cuteness scale today.
Any alone time would be dangerous. The t-shirt he's wearing is stretched to the limits, highlighting his physique, leaving me hot and bothered. Maybe he is wearing a size smaller for his built. Who gives a damn when the sight is so pleasant?
There is a motif in the center of the white t-shirt—a circle with a smiling panda, winking as it chews on a bamboo shoot. Ms. Geeky Meeky is drooling.
He orders a black coffee without sugar. I ask for iced tea.
"How did the session go?" I take a sip. There is so much to learn about Jon.
"Better than I expected. I liked the part about the diet. I don't have to give up much." What he does next, leaves me embarrassed. We don't need to add to the audience already eyeballing us.
"Yay, keep those cupcakes coming, babe!" He shouts and does some kind of a dance that I have only seen on an NFL game.
Can it get any more embarrassing? I pray to Mother Earth to save me and to please swallow me whole. My brain snickers at my heart, no one is coming to help. You rushed in and brought this on yourself. This is a monkey you have to carry on your head.
Mother earth is not going to help, so I slide down my chair and hide under the table, pretending to pick something up. To hide further, I cover my face with a hand on both sides of my head. If there was anyone not watching us till now, they will, for sure, have heard his words boom across the cafe or seen his arms making a wave. Is he crazy? Is this how he celebrates his touchdowns?
"Why are you crouching, Tigress?" Jon peeps at me from below the tabletop.
"Trying to find your brain, Jon. It has popped out again." I glare at him.
"Now what did I do to earn that compliment?" He gives me a cute smile that sets my heart aflutter.
Oh god, what have I gotten myself into? He doesn't even realize it. I get up, dust my hands and sit back on the chair, avoiding any glances toward other tables, mortified at the prospect of people watching us.
"Jon, I am worried about Nate."
His face goes through many contortions that I cannot begin to describe. One would think I had laid out the most difficult puzzle for him to solve. When I say nothing, he shrugs his shoulders asking a silent question.
My deliberate pause before completing my statement adds a dramatic effect. "Poor Nate, how does he compete with you for the 'Child of the House' championship?"
"Tigress, are you making fun of me?"
"Do I need to? Aren't you enough for yourself?"
He pouts and hangs his head. "Okay, I will try to act all grown up." He goes silent for the next few minutes.
The uncomfortable silence is punctuated by the soft sounds of sips of our drinks. I need to ease this tension, but maybe after a while. I am enjoying the radiance on his face enhanced by the sun, no words or sounds to disturb us.
"Jon, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot, Doc."
"How did you get into football?"
Jon puts his coffee down. "You will let me off so easy? I thought I was about to become toast."
When I glare at him squinting my eyes, he continues. "I was good at sports, and football helped me use all the energy I had as a kid. For a career, it might have been different if my dad had not died in my first year in college."
"I am sorry to hear that. What happened?"
Jon is silent for a while. His eyes are sad as he speaks about his dad's death. His dad was on a ventilator for a month after a car accident. It completely broke his mom. A major financial crisis hit them after they paid the hospital bills. His dream of finishing engineering and making it to the football trials got shattered. He left college for a while and worked odd jobs. His mother took up a teaching gig. That kept the house warm and Emily in school.
When things stabilized, he rejoined college to finish his education, but from a less extensive course. It allowed him to concentrate on football. It was his only chance to make it into the NFL. His luck turned when he got his chance with the Tornados in the 2012 season. The multi-million-dollar deal helped get his family back on track. He did not turn back after that.
"Life as a player is like a roller coaster. You are the talk of the town as long as you perform well. The money, fame, and sometimes even friends, vanish the moment you slip a little. I've seen some promising players run aground in the game. Never coming back from the simplest of injuries and mine was a disaster."
"It set off alarms in my mind. When some doctors said I would never be able to play, the fears of my dream shattering flooded me. Football is my life
for what it has given me. The thought of my career ending still sends shivers down my spine. I don't know what I will do if I won't be able to play."
"You finished engineering. You can find something that suits you." My coffee had finished, I wanted to learn more. He had opened his heart letting me into a vulnerable part of his life.
"I owe it to my mom and my coach. They were after my life to complete my education. A few years ago, the league started a program. They negotiated a deal with universities for players who wanted to continue their education. In the off-season, I took my chance and completed my education."
"That is great, Jon. You are an inspiration for so many kids." I admire this man's grit.
He shrugs it off as something normal. "Okay Sharon, now it is my turn." He rubs his palms with a devious smirk.
"Oops, did I shoot myself in the foot by asking you a question?" I fake a shiver.
Jon moves his chair closer to mine. "I play fair, so unless you answer my questions, I am not answering any more of yours. Don't worry, I will give you an easy one. Why did you become a doctor?"
"Are we playing tit for tat?" I dare him with my eyes.
"I said I play fair. You asked me an easy question, I ask you an easy question." Jon sits back, strumming his fingers on the table waiting for me to answer.
He leaves me no choice. He was honest with me. I can't skirt his question even if it means I am opening myself up to him.
"I am not sure but somewhere down the line, I wanted a career where there was respect, love, and kindness. Things I wanted in my childhood. Things I craved all my life. I hate the cut-throat rat race of the corporate world. Healthcare was my top choice. Teaching was another. My grades in school and college along with hard work made sure I qualified for medicine." I fidget with the top of the glass, lost in my childhood memories.
When I look up, Jon is staring at me with half-closed eyes and emotions which I do not understand. I snap my fingers in front of his face. "Why are you so glazed? Did you expect a sob story?"
"Hm, I was expecting a cheesy story about wanting to heal the world and rid it of its misery. But what you said is cheesier." His trademark grin, which highlights his dimples, entices me again. Why is he so delicious and chewable?
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