Physical Therapy

(Roxy’s POV)

After kissing Geno goodbye I made my way to Dan’s office.

I knocked on the door and stuck my head in “Hey can I ask you something?”

“Sure come on in” he said

“Okay, G told me the good news then asked if I would wear his jersey for the game. I was thinking since I worked with them so hard I would humor them. Whoever I work with and rehab back to playing I would wear their jersey to their first game back. How does that sound?” I asked him and he took his time to think it over.

He smiled “I think that is a great idea” and I sighed in relief. I wanted to wear Geno’s jersey but I had to come up with an idea so it didn’t look suspicious.

“Thanks, well that is all I needed.” I said and made to leave.

“Actually I was wondering when you would be practicing this weekend.”

“He wants to do it after regular practice” I told him and his eyebrows raised “Yeah I know, he is crazy but he wants this so bad. It is almost killing him to sit up in that box”

“I know” he said “And it is our plan to have him back on Monday, this weekend is just to set it in stone”

“I will do my best” I said and made my way to the door “I will see you tomorrow Dan”

“Bye Roxy”
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“Ah, Thai was the perfect idea” Sarah said as she patted her stomach on the couch next to me.

“I know I have been craving since Florida” I said and took a swig from my wine glass.

“It is kind of weird that we live together but see each other less than when we lived separately” she said

“Yeah I know and I promise at least one night a week will be just us, girls’ night” I said and flipped through the channels. “Oh I forgot ‘Nick at Nite’ played Friends episodes at night!”

“Yes! Best show ever!”

We spent the entire night quoting Friends and laughing like it was the first time we saw them. I think I have seen every episode about 20 times and could quote most of them.

“I miss this show” I said after it ended at midnight

“Yeah me too” she said and I yawned

“I have to be at work in the morning, guess what”

“What?”

“Geno is going to teach me how to skate”

“Aw that is so cute. You will pick it up fast; you have really good balance and are just naturally good at everything”

“Whatever, no I’m not” I told her and made my way to my room “I will talk to you tomorrow, Goodnight"

“Night”
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The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face and felt like it was going to be a good day. After a shower, breakfast, and my coffee I was ready for work. The drive to the arena was a quick one and all the lights were on my side, just adding to the good feeling. Walking through the halls I greeted everyone with a ‘good morning’ and a smile. Got to my office, checked my email and got ready for the day with the boys. I got bored easily and went to go say good morning to whoever was here in the locker room.

I knocked on the door and waited “Come in Roxy” I heard

“How did you know it was me?” I asked coming in

“You are the only one who knocks” Sid said “So why are you in here?”

“Can’t I just come in to say good morning?” I said with a smile

“Why are you so happy?” Kris asked from his stall

“I don’t know, I woke up in a good mood and that is a weird because I am not a morning person” I said “And it is really weird because I stayed up until midnight with Sarah watching Friends”

“Friends?” Sid said with a smile

“No, don’t get him talking about Friends” Jordan said just entering the room

“Why, do you not like it?” I asked in disbelief

“No I love Friends!” he said like a little kid

“Me too! Best show ever created!” we said at the same time

“You guys are freaking me out” Kris said

“Whatever you wouldn’t understand” I said and Geno walked in.

“Good morning” he said and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

“Morning” I said with a smile

“Why you happy?” he asked

“Well I got all green lights on the way here, I woke up in a good mood and I can now share my love of Friends with Sid!” I said smiling

“Good, he talk ‘bout it all the time” he said going over to his stall.

“Oh I have good news!” I said turning to him

“What?”

“I am going to wear your jersey on Monday!” and I have never seen his eyes light up like that.

“Really?”

“Yeah I talked to coach and I asked if I rehab someone then can I wear their jersey to their first game back” and his face fell a little. “I’m sorry; I needed to make it less suspicious”

“Yeah, ok” he said and left the room

I looked around at the guys for answers.

“Let him have his space” Sid said coming up to me “He is just upset”

“Why? I am wearing his jersey to the game”

“Yeah but you are also going to wear Jordan’s and whoever else you rehab back to playing. He is just upset that he can’t tell anyone you guys and you have to hide” he said and I could see where he was coming from.

“Ok, well I will see you guys later. Jordan, see you in the gym in 20”

“Ok” he said and I left to go back to my office.

I walked into my office to find a pair of skates in my chair, they were my size. At that moment I knew Geno wasn’t mad at me and it brought a smile to my face. He still wanted to teach me and I loved that about him, even if we don’t agree on something he still kept his promise. I knew we were going to be ok; this was his way of apologizing.

Working out with Jordan was enjoyable like always. He was excited to be out on the ice in the coming week. He is such a big kid and that is what I loved about him.

We were in the middle of changing workouts when he spoke “So….”

“So…” I copied him

“How are you and G doing?”

“We are good” I said to him

“Yeah, did you guys talk after he left this morning?”

“No, but he left some skated on my chair” I said smiling

He looked at me like I was crazy “And that makes you okay?”

“Yeah, he is still going to teach me how to skate after practice. Leaving the skates was like an olive branch.” I told him as he got ready to work on his legs.

“You don’t know how to skate?”

“I grew up in Florida. Not that many places to ice skate there.” I said laughing “Even in the winter the lowest it got down to was in the low 20’s high teens”

“Yeah, I forgot you grew up there. You don’t have a southern accent”

“Yeah, my mom is from Minnesota and my dad is from New Mexico so I wasn’t really influenced growing up. I have more of a northern accent because of my mom and I spend some of my summer up in Minnesota every year.”

“So that explains it” he said

“But I do say some southern things like ya’ll”

“I think that is acceptable”

“You should hear one of my best friends Courtney, her parents are from Mississippi and she inherited their southern accent. It is hilarious, I make fun of her all the time but she also makes fun of mine when I say things like, boat, oh, and anything with a two vowels in it”

“Sounds like quite the friendship”

“Yeah it is one of those friendships that we greet each other with a ‘Hey Bitch’ or ‘Sup Slut’ you know? One where a song will come on the radio and we will dance like idiots in the car and not care who sees”

“Yeah, it sounds like you miss her”

“I do, she is more like a sister than friend. Do you know if we go to Tampa this season or do they come here?”

“Both, we go there in a month I think?”

“Great, I will tell my family then I will get to see them when we are down there”

“Oh. G meeting the parents?” he said waggling his eyebrows

“I hope they get to meet all of you” I said trying not to blush “Well we are pretty much done here but if you want to go some more you can”

“Yeah I will be here for a while, good luck skating” he said with a laugh

“Yeah thanks” I said and left him in the gym. I go back to my office and checked the schedule to see when we were playing Tampa. Once I figured out specific dates I emailed my mom and dad, Sarah, and a couple of friends from home. I checked the time to see there were about 20 minutes of practice left so I headed out to the ice with the skates Geno left for me.