My Life Is a Cliché

Finally, at long, long last, the dreaded week came to an end. Thaddeus took me to my final appointment where we spent a majority of the time waiting for the results of my x-rays. I was hoping so much that the results would be positive. I sat on the examining table and swung my legs in boredom. Thaddeus was snoozing in the seat in the corner.

“So sorry I’m late,” Dr. Cane said, rushing in. Thaddeus woke with a start. “It’s been an insane day. Okay, let’s look at your results.” He put them on a back light. “The fracture is healed. Let me look at it,” he said and I took my button up shirt off. “The incision is clean so we can take the stitches out. Try and move it.”

For about ten minutes he had me move my shoulder. Several times I cried from the pain. Finally, he was done and I put the shirt back on. He wrote on a piece of paper for a while.

“We’re going to start you on physical therapy three times a week,” he said. “I’ll write a script for a good therapist here in town.”

“Can I drive again?” I asked.

“Give it another week,” he answered. “I want you to get more range of motion first.”

I grimaced. “Okay.”

“I’ll have my nurse finish up.” He shook our hands. “Have a good day.”

“Well, that wasn’t too bad,” Thaddeus said as we walked back to his car.

“At least I get to take the sling off,” I agreed. “I’m still stiff, though.”

“When’s your first appointment?” he asked as he started to driving back to my apartment.”

“Tomorrow,” I sighed and he smiled at me.

“It’ll get better,” he said. “You just need to be patient.”

“I hate being patient,” I pouted.

-

Thaddeus dropped me off at the physical therapist’s office but wasn’t able to stay.

“My mom will pick you up in two hours,” he said. “My dad needs me down at the ranch today. He hurt his arm during a lesson and someone has to clean out the stalls.”

He wrinkled his nose and I giggled. I kissed him and climbed out carefully, trying not to bump my shoulder on anything. When I walked in, I saw at once it was more like a gym than a normal office. A girl at the front with long brown hair and dressed in sports attire smiled at me.

“Hi!” she said. “I’m Sarah. Are you Morana?” I nodded and she handed me paperwork. “I just need you to fill this out and your insurance cards then we’ll be able to get you started.”

I did as she said, digging my insurance info out of my wallet with a sigh. I had never gone to physical therapy but, if it was anything like what we did in my doctor’s office, it wouldn’t be fun. Above everything, I just wanted it to be over.

“There you go,” I said 15 minutes later and handed her the clipboard.

“Great! Come on back and you can meet our physical therapist, Greg.” She led me further into the gym where an older gentleman was helping an old lady who was wearing a knee cast. “Greg, this is Morana.”

“The collarbone?” he asked and I nodded. “Thanks, Sarah. I’ll be right with you, Morana.”

“Okay.”

I wandered around, looking at all the equipment. There a few treadmills, an elliptical, and two stationary bikes. There were also a few machines I wasn’t sure what they were for.

“Morana,” Greg said ten minutes later. “Come on over to the exam table and I’ll take a look.” I did as he asked and took my zip up hoodie off. I was glad I had thought to just wear a tank top underneath. “Looks like you had quite the accident. What happened?”

“I got tossed off a horse.”

He grimaced. “I’m not a huge fan of horses, to be honest, for reasons just like this. Well, for today, we’ll test your range of motion. Then I’ll teach you a few stretches to do at home and finish off with some ice on your collarbone. How does that sound?”

“Painful,” I answered honestly and he chuckled.

“I won’t lie, it will definitely be uncomfortable.”

For the next hour, he worked gently on my shoulder and neck. Then he taught me all the stretches to do at home. I was right; it was very painful. For the first time, I was thankful for the pain medication in my purse. I texted Isabelle while I was under ice that I was ten minutes until done and I saw her car pull up in front of the building.

“We’ll see you again on Monday,” Greg said and I shook his hand. “Don’t forget to do those exercises at home.”

“I won’t. Thank you.”

“How did it go?” she asked and I groaned. “That well, huh?” I chuckled as I took a pain pill. “Would you like to have dinner with us tonight?”

“Sure,” I smiled and she pulled into the street.

While she drove, Isabelle told me about a horse that they were worried about.

“I’m not too surprised,” she sighed as she drove by the ranch and to the driveway. “She’s nearly 20 years old.”

“That’s old for a horse, isn’t it?” I asked, getting out and she nodded.

“I hate to lose her, though. She was born here.” She looked over my shoulder. “Looks like Thaddeus is still down at the barn.”

“I’ll go get him,” I offered and she smiled.

My pain medicine was starting to take care of the pain in my shoulder and collarbone and a nice breeze floated by. It was a very nice day and I couldn’t help but feel optimistic. In just two days I get to return to the office.

I opened the barn door and heard Thaddeus grunting in effort. I went to the other end of the barn and hesitated.

He had shed his shirt due to the heat in the barn and he was in a pair of torn jeans. With each grip and toss of the shovel, his muscles flexed and I wouldn’t be surprised if I was drooling. There was a sheen of sweat all over him and I felt an attraction I hadn’t felt before. He straightened up, rubbing his neck, and groaned.

“Rough day?” I asked, coming around the corner.

He turned in surprise and I couldn’t help but let my eyes wander over his chest and stomach.

“This is exactly why I hate horses,” he panted and held up his shirt. It was covered in manure. “Just when I started cleaning it out, one of the brutes came running through and kicked it up on my shirt.”

I giggled and took the shirt from him. “At least it’s not white.”

Despite my best efforts, my eyes wandered to his body again and up to his face. He was smirking at me.

“Like what you’re seeing there, Morana?” he asked quietly, walking up slowly.

“Maybe,” I said breathlessly.

His hair was sweaty and falling in his face. He leaned against the wall beside us, still smirking. I was at a complete loss for words and tried desperately not to let my eyes take control again.

“You’ll have to put this or something else on,” I said finally.

“Oh? And why is that?”

“Because if you don’t, I’ll most likely jump you,” I mumbled.

He had walked up and stopped just inches from me. He was teasing me. His hands slowly slid to my hips. I couldn’t look away from those green eyes, no matter how cocky they looked. When he pressed his body to mine, my initial reaction would have been to step back but, for some reason, the feeling of his sweaty body was incredibly nice.

I dropped his shirt and put my hands on his chest. Embarrassed, I looked down at his abs and swallowed thickly.

-Thaddeus’s POV-

I don’t know what possessed me to do it. All I knew was watching her blush and feeling her hands on my chest sent my brain into overdrive. Her eyes wandered to my abs and it reminded me she had never seen a man like this. I took one of her hands and placed it on my abs, making her jump.

“Your- you mom invited me to dinner,” she breathed, looking back up at me.

I leaned forward slowly and kissed her. She inhaled sharply through her nose but gave in, pressing both of her hands to my chest again. I could feel her body tense up against mine as I slid my tongue gently into her mouth.

“Thaddeus!” my dad yelled and we jumped apart. “Morana! You two okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine,” Morana said in a high pitched voice. “We’ll be up in a second.”

“Sounds good.”

“Um, let’s go,” Morana whispered and hurried out.