Race Against Time

It was humbling to have to get help to go places, I couldn't wait to be able to do stuff on my own. My ribs finally knitted up well enough for me to be on crutches. I hadn't told Don about Puerto Rico yet. Aria was offered the head of the crime lab in Wilmington and she accepted. I hobbled along on the crutches down the hall of my childhood home. It was February now, the ground was covered in slush. Mama made me sit down.
"You get your walking cast tomorrow, right?" she said. I nodded. I couldn't wait. I looked down at my phone and saw a text from Don. I opened it, smiling.
'hey i heard ur almost free of plaster prison', it read. Mama gave me a look before rolling her eyes and walking away.
'ya, i get a walking tomorrow. then i can do stuff on my own :D', I replied.
'sounds good. then u'll be dancing around the lab b4 u kno it', he answered back. Ian poked me in the back.
"Can I have ten bucks?" he asked.
"Get your own damn ten bucks! Go bother Mama", I replied.
'lol ya. man i h8 getting laid b4 payday', I said. I guess I should've checked the text before I sent it, because instead of 'man i h8 getting paid b4 payday' I had put 'man i h8 getting laid b4 payday'.
'wth? save ur new job 4 me ;)', was his quick reply.
'i meant paid, i swear!! damn auto-correct', I said, giggling uncontrollably. My phone started buzzing. I answered it.

"Hey", I giggled.
"Sure, blame your auto-correct. I hope you know that just made mine and Lindsay's week", Don said. I clapped my hand over my mouth, giggles continuing to spill.
"You should be working, not texting", I teased.
"Hey, what I do on my break is not up to my superiors", he replied.
"As long as it's legal", I corrected him. I missed him so much.
"How're your ribs doing?" he asked.
"They're knitted. Told you I'm a quick healer. It's been a month and a half since I broke them. My leg is another story", I replied. I looked at my white, glow-in-the-dark cast and frowned.
"Well, how long do you have your walking cast?" he asked.
"Three weeks. Then I have intense physical therapy specifically designed to get my leg back to its original state", I replied with a smile.
"You sound like a brochure or a website", he said.
"Because I got it off a brochure", I replied.

"You need to stop memorizing stuff, you're gonna make the rest of us look bad", he said.
"You mean you?" I said.
"Touche", he replied.
"Lindsay says hi and she misses you", he said.
"Tell her I miss her too!" I replied.
"What am I, chopped liver?" he said, pretending to be hurt.
"You already know I miss you. Another six weeks, and I'll be there. My dad's pissed all to hell that I'm moving up there, but he'll get over it", I replied.
"But your mom likes me, right?" he teased.
"You're kidding, right? You're Irish and she thinks you're hot. My ex is dead to her", I replied with a laugh.
"Lemme guess, your dad wants you with an Italian?" he said. I laughed.
"Nah, he just doesn't like cops", I replied.
"He's a cop", he pointed out.
"Lemme rephrase: He doesn't like me with cops", I said. My father glared at me from his chair. I let out a squawk as my mom's Chihuahua, Lazlo, jumped onto my chest.
"You okay?" Don asked.
"Yeah, my mom's dog just jumped onto my chest and now seems to think it's a good bed for him", I replied. The black and cream-colored Chihuahua started licking my nose, wriggling in excitement. Why the little dude loved me so much, I would never know.

I let out a squeak as Lazlo started burrowing himself under my shirt.
"This dog is definitely a guy", I muttered after getting him off my chest, both literally and figuratively.
"How do you mean?" Don asked.
"He's obsessed with my chest", I replied, rolling my eyes.
"Hey, he better not pull that if he comes to visit, I'm a jealous man", he warned. I laughed.
"I gotta go now, it's time for me to start walking before I go to the doctor's tomorrow", I said.
"See you in six weeks", he replied.
"I miss you", I said, smiling.
"I miss you too", he replied.