Therapy

Suzanne walks into Sandra's room and immediately opens the curtains to wake her up. She pauses seeing a gathering of reporters outside two floors down. "Hopefully they won't bother us" she mutters under her breath. "Wake up Sandra it's time for your physical therapy" she walks over to the bed and sits down softly. Sandra pretends to be asleep, wishing to be done with the hell that is physical therapy.

"Come on Sandra, I know your awake, you haven't moved a muscle since I got here." Suzanne nudges her gently.

"Do I have too? I'm fine never walking again I promise." obviously trying anything to get out of going.

"I thought you'd be happy to get out of this room." Suzanne places a hand on her voluptuously hip.

"I get out just fine thanks." She turns over in her bed, refusing to participate.

Margret walks in soon after "Sandra Lee Cuthwright, get your butt up. You're acting like a child." for a second Margret forgets that Sandra's mind is in a childlike state since waking up. She looks down in contrition. "Nonetheless, it's time to get moving, you have a big day ahead of you."

Suzanne looks to her mother in contemplation "You don't mean.. " she glances out the window "She isn't ready mother" Suzanne protests.

"Not ready for what? " Sandra glanced back at the two.

"I have called some people here to interview you, you don't have to worry dear. Just answer their questions to the best of your ability and be yourself. " Margret seems proud of herself for arranging the whole thing.

"Can't she do it some other time? You know, after she regains some of her memories? " Suzanne pleas weakly.

"Oh don't worry sweetheart, they will be back for that as well." Margret dismissing her daughters concerns.

"What do they want? Why would they want to talk to me? " Sandra questions.

"Because your situation dear, that damn drunk driver who crashed into you and the coma, your recovery, everything will be broadcasted on the news." Margret's face beaming with pride in herself.

Sandra feeling uneasy about talking to the reporters "I can't right now, I have physical therapy. Come on Suzanne we are going to be late. " she looks toward her with an almost pleading look in her eyes.

"We DO need to go now" Suzanne agrees and helps Sandra into the wheelchair.

"The interview isn't for a few hours, so that won't be a problem dear. " Margret smiles and walks out, believing she is doing the right thing for her daughter. Sandra looks to Suzanne wearing a worried expression before realizing she had just agreed to go to her therapy session. Slumping her shoulders Sandra sighs and leans her head on her hand propping up on the arm rest.

Once they enter Sandra instantly notices Adelyn on the bike machine nearby. Suzanne sees her too and steers away in the opposite direction. The physical therapist waiting happily for their session waves them over, though Sandra's eyes are locked on Adelyn's back as she pedals the machine. Her gaze noticing Adelyn's tone thighs and her back flexing. She notices shoulders glossy with sweat and a bright blue cast enveloping most of the arm.

"Alright, are we ready to walk today?" the trainer's enthusiasm irritates Sandra, knowing full well how these sessions go.

"let's get this over with" she says as she turns to look at the trainer, a tall dark man sporting neon tights and skin tight tank top. Obviously very proud of his zero fat and toned muscles, showing off as he helps Sandra out of her chair. He brings her up to the walking contraption "OK! Now let's start slow and work our way up! " his dark brown eyes full of determination. Sandra grips onto the bars beside her holding herself up. Her arms shaky even though her trainer is supporting her by the hips. Whispering to herself "OK, I can do this." She leans forward willing her body forward hoping gravity will be on her side, "ack" she winces in pain as one hand catches tries to catch her body weight. She begins her controlled fall one step at a time. Her legs shake with pain as she pushes them forward one in front of the other. Sandra glances over toward Adelyn once again, who is now standing next to the bike. She watched her talk to another trainer, laughing and joking. The beauty of her smile filled Sandra with the determination she needed to get through this hurdle.

"One, two, three..... five, six! wow! you doubled your record! Great job Sandra, let's take a break." The trainer offers Sandra a bottle of water.

"No, I'm good I can keep going" beads of sweat begin rolling down her face as she turns around, with help, to walk back. She locks eyes with Adelyn, taking in her countenance, the way her lips curl on one side more than the other, the slight indent of a dimple evident, those gorgeous blue eyes creased with happiness as she stares back at her. Sandra pushes onward ignoring her trainers warnings to take a break. Her goal is to reach the end of the rails closest to her wheel chair. Suzanne grimaces when she sees Adelyn looking over at them, she glances to Sandra who is clearly passing her limits and decides to cross in front of their gaze cutting off their connection.

"You should take a break now" she grabs Sandra's arm and with little to no effort pulled her down into the chair, the trainer catching her weight as she falls weakly and breathing rapidly.

"Yeah, OK, I'm fine" Sandra says between breaths.

"Great job today Sandra! It's time to stretch." the young man lifts her up from her chair and sets her down on a mat to stretch her legs out. Sandra looks over to see if Adelyn is still there but she has already gone. Feeling a bit dejected she flops back on the mat still staring at the spot Adelyn had been standing.

The moment they arrive to Sandra's room they were greeted by a woman in professional attire eager to talk to Sandra. "Hello Mrs. Cuthwright! It's very nice to meet you! Are you coming back from physical therapy? Would you like to tell us about your recovery and the struggles your facing as you overcome such a horrendous accident?" the woman shoves a microphone onto her shirt as she continues her string of questions. The camera man stands quietly in the background with large equipment pointed in her direction. The bombardment of questions and gathering of strangers makes her feel sick to her stomach or it might have been the amount of stress she put on her body in the fitness center. Her face became pale as she burped up water mixed with stomach fluids onto the interviewer's business suit.

Suzanne gasps "Oh my god, I'm so sorry" she grabs the nearest napkin and pats the suit down. The interviewer jerks back with disgust and flees the room, the camera-man not far behind.

"Oops" Sandra says with an innocent and apologetic smile to Margret standing across the room glaring at her.

Margret walks over "What are you doing? You've pushed yourself too hard during physical therapy on purpose didn't you? I told you after that first time, you need to go slow! You know I'm doing this for your own good!" She walks out to help the reporter who's covered in fluids.

"Well that worked out" Sandra said with a slight chuckle.

"You DID push too hard today, but I don't believe it was to get out of this." Suzanne's serious expression dimmed the mood a bit. "But I have to admit, it was affective." a small smile escaped her, lightening the mood. They both laugh softly before Suzanne helps clean Sandra up and gets her to bed.

"Hey so, do you know why Margret... I mean 'mom' is so gung ho about this whole thing?" Cautiously Sandra inquires.

"Sandra you know why" Suzanne's expression fell.

"Yeah I know the coma and all but is it really for my own good like she says? How exactly is it helping me to be jumped by strangers asking a million questions?"

"It's.. It's not about that, I think she just wants to make sure no one else goes through what you did." Suzanne attempting to justify her mothers decision to involve the media.

"By making an example outta me? I don't want to DO this." exasperated Sandra tosses her hands up into the air and lets them fall.

"She's making an example out of Del not..." she accidentally let the name slip through her tongue "I mean.. the drunk driver... "

"Del? What's this have to do with her? " Sandra's brows furrowed her intense gaze seeking answers, real answers.

"I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry. " Suzanne's eyes looked around the room trying to find something to replace the conversation with.

"No you should, I'm tired of you guys hiding information from me. Why can't you just tell me what's going on around here, I heard you the other night whispering about Del on the news, who is this person and what does she gave to do with me?" her tone became irritated, she'd been trying to find out information on her own, since no one seems to give it willingly, but hasn't made much progress.

"Your right, you do deserve to know exactly what happened, but I don't know all the details. Mother is the one who dealt with the lawsuit, she'd know more than I do so you'll have to ask her... Good luck with that though." she recedes not offering up any thing else.

Sandra looks away from Suzanne, she's crosses her arms and refuses to make eye contact. The meek woman squeaks out a good night and leaves Sandra to her thoughts.

"Who is Del? This woman that everyone seems to know but me? She's loved by the hospital patients yet hated by the people who call me family. She was probably be a nurse that used to work here." she lays her head down onto the pillow glancing over to the drawing bobby had given her. The paper now holds a space on the wall. she had put it up herself to go along with the others. The collection of drawings seem to gaze back at her. The figures and colors display such joy that it brings a small smile to her lips. Her eyes pause on the drawing of the two women and young boy. They were all holding hands in front of a cabin surrounded by green trees and a blue lake with colorful fish swimming about. Not all the colors stayed within the lines nor were they filled in completely leaving traces of white peaking through bright greens and blues. Her eyes became heavy as she drifted off to sleep, the image taking shape in her dreams.