both Hunter and I sat down on the stack of yoga mats. He passed me Adi’s file, but I didn’t need to look inside it. The details of her injury were burned into my mind.
“We like to start by talking our patients through what they can expect from their sessions with us,” I said. “It helps ease the mind.”
“You’re sure it won’t hurt?” Adi asked, letting me see past her I’m-a-tough-kid exterior again.
I nodded, motioning to the state-of-the-art machines placed at even intervals around the cavernous room. “All of these were designed to help us help our patients without hurting them. We won’t ever risk further injury. Anything that causes you pain as opposed to discomfort would be risking further injury, so your mom is right. If you feel any pain, let us know, okay?”
“Do you have any questions so far?” Hunter asked, slow and measured like we had all the time in the world. Which we did really.
Even if we didn’t get around to doing any therapy today and we only gave them the information they needed to feel comfortable before coming back, that was fine too.
Adi shook her head, but April narrowed her eyes as she gazed around the room. “What will you be doing then?”
“For today?” Hunter and I exchanged a look. “It’s simple really. Stretches.”
“Stretches?” Her narrowed gaze slid to mine and her arms crossed over her chest. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Hunter stood up to demonstrate, beckoning with his hand for Adi to join him. “People underestimate the value of stretching. Come on. Come stand up with me.”
She glanced at her mother, who nodded her encouragement before she joined him. I stood too, eager to see how she would handle what I knew was coming.
After Hunter led her through some light stretches, both April and Adi seemed to relax. The little girl didn’t wince or flinch once, which was a good sign.
I smiled. “That was great, Adi. Your recovery is going to go very well.”
“You can tell that after a few stretches?” April asked, but her tone wasn’t fearful or disbelieving any longer. It wasn’t even biting. Now she just sounded curious.
“You’d be surprised how much I can tell from a few stretches. You could join in if you wanted to. These are good for anyone.”
She chuckled, shaking her head as she kicked her long legs out in front of her and crossed them at the ankles. “I’m fine with just watching, but thanks for the offer.”
“Anytime.” I went to stand behind Adi. “Okay, now I’m going to take your arm and extend it to your side. When it’s in position, I’ll let go and then I want you to see how long you can hold it there.”
She nodded and gave me her arm, which I lifted until it was at a ninety-degree angle to her little body. “Remember, when I let go, you hold it there.”
I’d barely moved my hands away when the arm fell back to her side. Adi’s lip trembled and April’s eyes clouded over again. Stepping forward, I looked at both of them in turn. “Hey, now. There’s no getting discouraged in here. We’ll keep working on it, all right? Let’s get down on the floor.”
Hunter tossed three yoga mats off the stack, and each of us took one at Adi’s sides. I showed what I wanted her to try, then nearly got knocked on my ass at the unexpected question she asked.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” She watched me intently while I wobbled on one knee, totally taken aback and caught off guard.
I recovered fast, though. “No, why?”
“Mom was talking about you,” she said as she got on her hands and knees to get into the position I’d shown her. “But she said she was too poor for you and that she’s not a pretty woman.”
My brows shot up along with my gaze, which landed on April’s flaming cheeks. She refused to meet my eyes, choosing to focus on her daughter instead. “Haven’t we had the conversation about keeping girl talk quiet?”
Adi shrugged. “I didn’t know it was girl talk.”
Hunter was shaking with silent laughter, but he’d folded his massive body into the child’s pose in an attempt to hide it. My interest was piqued, though. “How did I become the subject of girl talk and what’s this about you not being a pretty woman?”
I got the movie reference. I just wanted to see how she would react. When her gaze finally flitted over to mine, holding it for just a beat before