normally handle criminal cases and refer them, but in the future, if you have more dreams that require police intervention, I will handle it. You tell me, and we decide what to tell the police."
"Solange..."
"We won't sit on it. We'll do the right thing."
We talked quietly after that. Then there was noise in the hallway, and Thomas appeared, a woman with him. She was dressed like any other medical professional: scrubs, I guessed they were called. Hers were floral. She looked strong and businesslike.
Solange stood up. "Sidney Welsh," she said. "This is Millie Norquist. She is your physical therapist. You will do whatever she tells you to do."
"Yes, Solange," I agreed. I realized the food had helped my mood, and perhaps Solange's company hadn't hurt. "Hello, Ms. Norquist."
"Call me Millie," she said, taking my hand. "And regardless of what everyone else calls you, I will be calling you Sidney. Do you have an even shorter name, such as Sid?"
"Not one I prefer being used," I said, "but if you call me Sid, I won't get upset and I might even answer to it."
"All right." She looked at Solange. "If you have anything else you need to tell her, do it now." Before Solange could answer, she looked at Thomas. "When I am done, she will need her bedding and clothing changed."
"Not him!" I said immediately, then I realized he could take that the wrong way. "I mean. Man. Um."
He chuckled. "I understand."
"Today and this weekend," Solange said, "I'll help you. Maybe by Monday you'll be able to see to your own needs." She turned to Thomas. "I will summon you when you are next needed." He nodded and stepped out of the door.
Millie turned to Solange. "Are you staying?"
"Yes."
"All right." Millie turned to me. "We'll start with an assessment. You seem to be alert and responsive. That's good." She clasped my hands. "Squeeze, as hard as you can."
I squeezed. I don't believe it was very hard.
"All right," she said. She set my hands back in my lap and moved to my feet. She pulled the covers away from them carefully, then said, "Wiggle the toes of your right foot." I did that. "Now the left." I did that. "Good. Can you point your toes at the wall?" I flexed my ankles. "Good. Now to the ceiling." I did that.
"Good," she said. She began peeling the covers off my legs completely. I was dressed in a hospital gown, and I felt self-conscious. I may have blushed, but if I did, she ignored it. "Can you pull your knees towards your chest?" I tried. I didn't do very well. "Can you lift your leg?" That was even harder.
Then she set her hands on my legs, feeling them up and down. She frowned but didn't say anything.
"Can you hold your arms out?" She demonstrated, holding her arms straight out in front of her, parallel to the ground. I lifted my arms and was able to hold them that way for several seconds before I began to tremble. I let them drop to the bed.
She moved around the bed, asking me to do this exercise or that one. Finally she stepped away. She picked up a clipboard and began making notes, not saying anything. I looked between her and Solange, embarrassed. Solange didn't say anything. The room was quiet except for the scratches of Millie's pen on the paper. Finally she set it down and turned to me.
"You belong in a hospital."
Solange began to growl.
"Put those fangs away," Millie said without even looking at her. "I am neither impressed nor intimidated. She should have stayed in that horrid little facility of yours at least until she was strong enough to make it to the bathroom unassisted."
I looked between them. "Do I need to go back?" I asked in a small voice. "Please don't make me go back." I think it was a whine. I'm almost sure of it.
"Does that answer that?" Solange asked Millie.
"I already understood," Millie said. Finally she turned to the vampire. "I have seen your gym here. You will need to acquire some new equipment."
"Make a list."
"When she's ready to get out of bed, I will require either you or Thomas to help.
"Solange..."
"We won't sit on it. We'll do the right thing."
We talked quietly after that. Then there was noise in the hallway, and Thomas appeared, a woman with him. She was dressed like any other medical professional: scrubs, I guessed they were called. Hers were floral. She looked strong and businesslike.
Solange stood up. "Sidney Welsh," she said. "This is Millie Norquist. She is your physical therapist. You will do whatever she tells you to do."
"Yes, Solange," I agreed. I realized the food had helped my mood, and perhaps Solange's company hadn't hurt. "Hello, Ms. Norquist."
"Call me Millie," she said, taking my hand. "And regardless of what everyone else calls you, I will be calling you Sidney. Do you have an even shorter name, such as Sid?"
"Not one I prefer being used," I said, "but if you call me Sid, I won't get upset and I might even answer to it."
"All right." She looked at Solange. "If you have anything else you need to tell her, do it now." Before Solange could answer, she looked at Thomas. "When I am done, she will need her bedding and clothing changed."
"Not him!" I said immediately, then I realized he could take that the wrong way. "I mean. Man. Um."
He chuckled. "I understand."
"Today and this weekend," Solange said, "I'll help you. Maybe by Monday you'll be able to see to your own needs." She turned to Thomas. "I will summon you when you are next needed." He nodded and stepped out of the door.
Millie turned to Solange. "Are you staying?"
"Yes."
"All right." Millie turned to me. "We'll start with an assessment. You seem to be alert and responsive. That's good." She clasped my hands. "Squeeze, as hard as you can."
I squeezed. I don't believe it was very hard.
"All right," she said. She set my hands back in my lap and moved to my feet. She pulled the covers away from them carefully, then said, "Wiggle the toes of your right foot." I did that. "Now the left." I did that. "Good. Can you point your toes at the wall?" I flexed my ankles. "Good. Now to the ceiling." I did that.
"Good," she said. She began peeling the covers off my legs completely. I was dressed in a hospital gown, and I felt self-conscious. I may have blushed, but if I did, she ignored it. "Can you pull your knees towards your chest?" I tried. I didn't do very well. "Can you lift your leg?" That was even harder.
Then she set her hands on my legs, feeling them up and down. She frowned but didn't say anything.
"Can you hold your arms out?" She demonstrated, holding her arms straight out in front of her, parallel to the ground. I lifted my arms and was able to hold them that way for several seconds before I began to tremble. I let them drop to the bed.
She moved around the bed, asking me to do this exercise or that one. Finally she stepped away. She picked up a clipboard and began making notes, not saying anything. I looked between her and Solange, embarrassed. Solange didn't say anything. The room was quiet except for the scratches of Millie's pen on the paper. Finally she set it down and turned to me.
"You belong in a hospital."
Solange began to growl.
"Put those fangs away," Millie said without even looking at her. "I am neither impressed nor intimidated. She should have stayed in that horrid little facility of yours at least until she was strong enough to make it to the bathroom unassisted."
I looked between them. "Do I need to go back?" I asked in a small voice. "Please don't make me go back." I think it was a whine. I'm almost sure of it.
"Does that answer that?" Solange asked Millie.
"I already understood," Millie said. Finally she turned to the vampire. "I have seen your gym here. You will need to acquire some new equipment."
"Make a list."
"When she's ready to get out of bed, I will require either you or Thomas to help.
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