“It’s kind of your job, Cassidy.” Susan laughed.
“At least I’m going on the hike for the rest of the morning instead of sitting around here. I’ll get some time away from the guy.”
“Well…” Susan said as she shrugged her shoulders and gave me a funny look.
“What? Oh, don’t tell me that he signed up for the hike?”
“I suggested some fresh air might do him good after yesterday. Yeah, he’s going. But there’s others going, too. You can just stay away from each other. I’m sure it will be fine.”
My stomach was in knots at the idea of having to spend a couple hours hiking with the man who had just called me a pervert. It wasn’t going to be fun, that was for sure. Plus, he was obviously in great physical condition, while I doubted I was going to be able to make it up the mountain alive. I was no longer looking forward to my hike at all.
When Melanie came and gathered everyone up for the trip, she was so peppy and excited that I instantly regretted saying I wanted to come along. My effort to stay away from Erik had just landed me on a two-hour hike that was bound to leave me exhausted and sweaty. Working out wasn’t really my favorite thing to do, and I certainly didn’t want to be huffing and puffing in front of all the patients, especially that jerk Erik.
Erik, Brad the ex-boy band guy, Stan the middle-aged drummer, and Kimber the rich girl all followed Melanie as I brought up the rear of our pack. Only non-threatening patients could go on trips off of the campus, so that meant no one from the secure unit. Typically, they also had to have earned enough points to have a room with a door, but I was sure they were going to let Erik do whatever the hell he wanted. It wasn’t like anyone was going to try and escape; they weren’t being held against their will.
The patients on my unit did have a lot to lose if they left treatment early, though. Sometimes a new gig required the treatment, or a loved one, or even an insurance company that was insuring them for a tour. There were a variety of reasons to motivate people to finish treatment, beyond whatever their internal motivation was.
It became very apparent to me that I was out of shape as everyone in our group inched closer and closer to Melanie and farther and farther away from me. It started with me being about ten steps behind Kimber, then twenty steps, and soon I wasn’t even with the group any longer. Melanie continued to glance back to make sure I was still huffing along, but they continued up the mountain without hesitation.
I didn’t specifically want them to stop and wait for me, but I also hated being left behind. I was younger than most of the people on our walk, yet I couldn’t even make it up the gentle slope of the mountain. Sure, I had cleaned up my act from partying and alcohol, but I certainly didn’t feel like I was healthy yet.
My own willpower was fading as I saw the group sneak up over a small hill. As soon as they couldn’t see me any longer, I stopped and sat down on a large rock. My breathing was labored, I was sweating, and I had decided that continuing up the mountain wasn’t the best option for me. I’d just wait there for them to get back down. Sooner or later, they’d have to turn around and make their way back toward the rehab center.
“You’re just going to give up?” I heard a man’s voice say from behind me.
“I can’t do it.”
“Well, that’s not the way to think your way through something. Get your ass up and let’s go,” Erik said as he reached his hand out for me. “I’m not going to kill myself on this damn mountain alone. You’re coming with me.”
I had to laugh. He didn’t look like he was any better shape than I was. He was pale, almost gray in color, his shirt was drenched in sweat, and his hand shook as he reached for mine. For a man who looked like he was at his peak of health, I could only assume his addiction and withdrawal from substances was starting to wear on him.
“Maybe you should quit with me and rest; you look like shit,” I said and then we both laughed.
“This is supposed to clean my system out. I think,” he said, unsure of himself. “And who tells a patient they look like shit? You’re the worst person.” He laughed as we continued up the hill.
“Who told you that it would clean your system?”
“The nurse.”
“She probably just wanted to get rid of you.” I laughed.
“Probably.”
I shook my head in response. Hiking certainly would help him sweat through his withdrawals, but it wasn’t going to clean anything out. Erik was going to have to suffer through the rest of the day with cramped muscles and probably vomiting from overexerting himself.
“You should have eaten breakfast,” I joked.
“Shit, I’m dying here. You either need to carry me back down this mountain or let’s finish this thing so I can have some damn bacon.”
“I thought you were a vegan?”
“I was a fair-weather vegan. Right now, I want some damn meat. So, let’s get going and show those old folks how this is done.”
The determination in his voice hit home for me. That was exactly how I had felt when I was going through treatment. I had to just keep pushing forward or I would have totally given up. Every day at the treatment center, I felt like I wanted to quit. I actually even said it to my nurses on several occasions. I felt a little guilty that I had told Erik I wanted to quit, that wasn’t at all a good example for a patient at our hospital.
I refocused and started moving faster to pick up our pace. I didn’t think we were going to catch up to the group, but maybe they would have stopped to rest and we could catch up to them that way.
“Let’s do it then,” I said as I grabbed for his hand and pulled him behind me. “Melanie just let you come back here?”