Physical Therapy

(Roxy’s POV)

Getting into the driver’s seat of Geno’s car was amazing. I can’t believe I am driving his car, I have wanted to since the airport. I look over at him in the passenger seat and he looks uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry I’m a good driver” I said smiling and turning on the car and listening to it purr. “”I love that sound”

“Ok, let’s go.” He said as he buckled up

I pulled out of the garage and out of his neighborhood; soon we were on the highway going into Pittsburgh. I was going a little fast and didn’t notice the cop behind us until I saw the lights in the mirror.

“Shit” was all I said

“What wrong?” he asked

“Getting pulled over, don’t worry, let me do the talking and go along with what I say” I told him know how to get out of this ticket.

The officer walked up to the window “Good morning officer” I said in a cheery voice and a smile.

“Do you know how fast you were going?” he asked

“Oh no? I was just trying to get my boyfriend to practice, he is already late as we speak” I said motioning to Geno.

“Are you Evgeni Malkin?” the officer asked and I turned to Geno and smiled at him to go along with it,

“Yes, you fan?” he asked nicely

“Of course, I really hope you get to play soon. We could really use you out there.” He said

“That is what we are late for, he has a meeting with his coach to see if he can play again” I said

“Well, I don’t want you to get into trouble. This is just a warning to slow down from now on”

“Yes sir” I said smiling “Thank you so much for your understanding”

“You’re welcome and we all hope you get to play soon” he said to Geno

“Me too, thank you” and with that I drove off with a smile on my face.

“How you do that?” he asked

“Oh, I have gotten out of a lot of tickets” I said smiling over at him

“How?” he asked

“I’m a girl, so I flirt if it is a guy and if it is a girl I say it’s the time of the month or something” I said

“Oh, you flirt with guys?” he asked

“Only to get out of a ticket or to mess with them. Why are you jealous?” I asked

“No” he said fast

“I think someone is jealous, but I won’t flirt anymore” I said “unless it’s with Max, I like to play with him” I said smiling and turning down my street

“He play with you too” he said “He says he want to push you”

“He wants to push me? I will push him till he is begging” I said pulling into my apartment parking lot.

“No he just joking” he said

“I am too, and if I do flirt with him you can’t get jealous. You just have to take it and not get mad at him or me, I am still yours no matter what happens, okay?” I asked

“I guess but I step in if go too far” he said

“Yeah if it goes too far you can be as mad as you want” I told him in the elevator

“So I guess you are walking me to my door?” I asked as we got out of the elevator

“Yes, safe and sound” he said and took my hand

“Well thank you, last night was great” I said

“I have fun” he said “I see you today?” he asked

“Yes, see you within the hour probably” and with that he leaned down for a kiss. I met him half way and like always there were fireworks. It was a sweet kiss and ended too soon for my liking but I had to get ready if I was going to make it to work on time.

“See you” he said and with one last peck he was back in the elevator.

After that I opened the door and ran to the bathroom so I could get a quick shower. I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to get dressed, eat something, and be out of there by 845. I ran out of my room and yelled to Sarah it was time to go, we made our way to the car and again I was speeding through the streets of Pittsburgh.

“So nothing happened last night?” she asked

“Nope, we had dinner and were watching a movie and I fell asleep. He carried me upstairs and into his bed, and that is where I woke up.” I told her

“Where did he sleep?” she asked

“I don’t know, he was up before me” I said

“Ok, so what time am I meeting them today?” she asked excited

“Um around 12:30, does that work?” I asked her

“Yeah that is perfect, I can’t wait” she said

“Just don’t come off as a crazy stalker” I said

“I won’t” she said as we pulled into the parking lot

“Don’t get too excited and tell everyone their own names” I said while getting out “Act cool even though know you will be screaming on the inside”

“I know how to be cool” she said and started walking like a model going down the runway.

“Walk like that into the room and they will be eating out of your hand” I said smiling

“I will be sure to remember that” she said smiling “Well I have to get to work I will see you at 1230”

“Yeah I will actually come up to get you…since you don’t know where my office is.” I said and we said our goodbyes and see you later’s.

I ran by my office real quick and put my stuff in there then made my way up to Dan’s office.

I knocked on his door and he said “Come in”

“Hey, I’m here to talk about Geno.” I said coming into the room

“Okay, hang on let me get Ray in here if he is not busy” he said and called Ray “He will be right here” he told me after hanging up. We waited for a few minutes and shared small chit chat like about the weather and how I like it in Pittsburgh so far. Ray walked in about five minutes after the call was made and now we are down to business.

“Good morning, do you have good news for us?” he asked me and took the seat next to me.

“Well, Geno has been working really hard these past few days and I have put him through many different tests. He says he has no pain in his knee and I believe him. When we do the workouts he never makes faces in pain when he pushes himself. That is what I look for, when they don’t know I am watching I read their faces and bodies.” I told them

“So you think he is ready to play?” Dan asked

“I think he needs to get back into practices and working with the team. But after a couple days of that I think he will be ready.” I said “He looked really comfortable out on the ice yesterday”

“That’s good” Ray said “So you have been working with Jordan too?” he asked

“Yeah, I am today and I have worked with him before” I told them

“And how is he doing?” Dan asked

“He wants back out there obviously, but he is ahead of schedule as of right now” I said “I will send both of you emails today after I work with him on his status” Both men nodded to that. “Well I need to get down there before someone hurts themselves” I said laughing

“So do I” Dan said standing up “You never know what they are up to” he said

“I will see you down there” I said and walked out of the room, leaving them to make up their minds.

I got to the locker room quickly and knocked on the door.

“We’re all covered” was the response and I walked in.

“Good morning boys” I said and made my way over to Jordan “Are you ready?” I asked him

“Yeah, I’m ready to go hard today” he said standing up

“I will push you until you cry for your mommy or pass out.” I said smiling

“I want to go hard with you too” Max said as he wrapped an arm around my waist and smiled down at me.

“Get hurt first,” I said and snuck a glance at Geno before I leaned into Max’s ear and said “then we can go as hard as you want” I pulled back to see him with wide eyes and smiling.

“Okay Jordan, let’s get to work”

“Yes ma’am” he said and we left the room. As we were walking to the workout room we talked to fill the silence “So you know Max is just messing with you, right?” he asked

“Yeah I know and I am just messing with him back” I said “I heard he wants to push me, so I am going to push him until he is begging” I said with a smile as we walked into the room.

“I can’t wait to see that” he said “So what are we doing today?”

“Today I want to work on your wrist but I also want to make sure you still have stamina”

“Oh I have stamina” he said and wiggled his eyebrows “You want to test it?”

“You know what I meant and no thank you” I told him “I was thinking some stretches for your wrist then after lunch end today on the bike and treadmill”

“Sounds good, let’s go” with that we spent most of therapy having carefree conversation or in silence.

I happened to glance up at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 12:17 “Is that the time?” I asked

“What you got a hot date?” he asked

“No I am introducing my sister to the rest of the guys” I told him

“When?” he asked

“12:30 everyone should be in the locker room or around there” I said

“Yeah let’s go” he said and got up from the machine we were working on.

We walked back to the locker room and found it mostly filled with the guys “Ok everyone,” I said and got their attention “I am going to go get my sister and I will introduce her to you” I told them and I saw a lot of smiles after I said that. “Be nice, but not too nice” I said and eyed Max

“What did I do?” he asked and I just shook my head and walked away.

I made it to her office and she was practically jumping in her chair “Okay you have about 5 minutes to pull yourself together and not freak out” I said

“I will be calm, cool, and collected” she said as she stood up and smoothed out her skirt.

“Ok let’s go” I said and started to head back the way I came.

“Ok, I’m ready” she must have said a million times before we got to the locker room door.

I knocked and turned to her “You ready?” I asked and before she could answer the door swung open. ‘Well here we go’ I said to myself and stepped inside with Sarah.