“Sure am.”
“Glad to hear it. Patients always do better when they have family there to help.”
“I’ll be here every day as long as she’ll let me.”
Alegria smiled, but they both knew it wasn’t entirely up to her. When the call came from Doc saying that Mantis was needed, he’d have to leave.
Mantis could tell how hard Alegria was trying to fool the physical therapist into thinking her legs were stronger than they were.
“I just want to get out of the damn hospital and get on with my life,” she told him. “Why can’t my body cooperate?”
“If you push too hard, you’ll only wind up in worse shape than you are now.”
When Alegria stuck her tongue out at him as he walked away, Mantis was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, although he was tempted to remind her she hadn’t been any different with him all those years ago when he was recovering from surgery.
“We’re done for today,” said the same therapist who had warned her about working too hard.
Without him saying so, Mantis knew he wouldn’t recommend that she go home this afternoon, especially after he told her he’d see her the next day.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said when the man told Mantis it was okay for him to take her back to her room.
“You might not want to stick around tonight,” she muttered.
“Why’s that?”
“I’m warning you in advance that I’m going to be lousy company.”
Mantis smiled, stopped the chair, walked around in front of her, and kissed her forehead.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“Because sometimes you need love the most when you think you deserve it the least.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re never as unlovable as you think.”
Alegria was quiet as he wheeled her to the elevator.
“I don’t think I’m unlovable,” she said when it dinged and he pushed her inside.
“And you’re right. You’re also not lousy company.”
“You might change your mind.”
Mantis laughed. “After spending so much time without you in my life, there isn’t much you can do to make me want to leave.”
“Not much, huh?”
—:—
Mantis stood when they heard a knock on the door, and walked over to open it.
“Okay, lovebirds,” said Tom. “Time for dinner.”
One of the nurses followed Tom in and disconnected the leads to the monitors as well as hung the IV from the pole on the wheelchair.
“Where are we going?” she asked.