to focus on the present. On Josh.
He was relieved when the tenseness between him and Molly faded as the morning went on. They sat on the grass and played the game Molly called kick the ball, and he was encouraged by how well Josh was doing even after just four days of therapy.
Josh was able to move his legs from side to side, kicking the ball from one foot to the other, something that he hadn’t been able to do earlier in the week. A huge accomplishment, one that he knew he owed to Molly and her unorthodox approach to therapy.
Just another reason he needed to maintain a professional relationship with Molly. He refused to give her a reason to switch Josh to another therapist.
His son needed Molly, far more than he did.
Watching Molly’s slim figure as she chased after the ball made his gut clench with awareness. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been with a woman. Too long. Maybe that’s why he’d overreacted to the pressure of her hands against his shoulder. Any woman would probably have inspired the same response.
When the next ball Josh sent in her direction bounced up and hit her on the nose, she laughed, and he couldn’t help smiling at the light, musical sound.
Who was he kidding? He hadn’t been this acutely aware of a woman since well before Josh had been born.
“I think we’ll have to head back,” Molly said with obvious regret as she set the red ball aside. “I have another patient scheduled at eleven.”
“No-o-o,” Josh wailed, his previous good humor vanishing in a flash. He pounded his fist on the padded arm of the wheelchair. “I don’t wanna go.”
Dan empathized with his son, feeling the same sense of regret at knowing their time together was over. The reminder that this had been nothing more than a job for Molly was like a cold slap to the face.
“We’ll come back again soon, Josh,” Molly said as she crossed over and put her arm around Josh’s thin shoulders, giving him a reassuring hug. “We sure had fun today, didn’t we?”
Josh buried his face into her side and nodded.
“We don’t have to leave yet, Josh,” Dan found himself saying. Molly swung toward him, her face registering surprise, and he hastily clarified, “I know you have other patients to see, but there’s no reason we can’t stay longer.”
“Oh, no, of course not.” Was he imagining the flash of disappointment in her eyes? He must have been because now she sounded downright happy. “Would you like that, Josh?” she asked with a smile. “Wouldn’t it be great to stay here longer with your dad?”
His son clutched at Molly and shook his head, sending a spear of disappointment straight through his heart.
Molly looked surprised and upset by his son’s response but the last thing he wanted or needed was her pity. “It’s okay, Josh. I’m sure you’re tired, so maybe it’s just better if we head home. Mitch will be coming over after lunch anyway.”
Josh still didn’t respond, so Molly spoke up, filling the abrupt silence. “Sounds good, then. Let’s go.” Molly gently eased away from Josh and smiled, even though he could tell she was troubled. As they headed out of the park her pager went off.
“Are we late?” Dan asked, mindful of the fact that her next patient could already be there, waiting for her back at the hospital.
“No, it’s not that,” she said slowly. “Apparently my eleven o’clock patient cancelled, too.”
He shouldn’t have been relieved by the news but he was. “Do your patients cancel a lot?” he asked, perplexed. “I mean, two in a row seems a bit much.”
She grimaced and nodded. “Actually, this happens more than you’d think. Especially on days like today, when it’s nice out. Or on bad-weather days. Or days close to the holidays …” Her voice trailed off and she shrugged. “Hey, it’s part of the business. Some people just don’t think physical therapy is important. But the good news is that now we don’t have to hurry back.”
“Did you hear that, Josh? We can stay another hour.”
The way Josh brightened at the news that they could stay longer only reinforced the fact that he wasn’t feeling too tired after all.
Josh just hadn’t wanted to stay without Molly.
And, heaven help him, he couldn’t blame his son. Not when he felt exactly the same way.
Molly shouldn’t deny the wave of relief she felt that she didn’t have to return to the hospital just yet. Being outside was glorious, but she knew it was more than that.
Josh and Dan were getting to her. She knew they needed this time together just as much, if not more so, than Josh needed his physical therapy.
“Daddy, can we have hot dogs?” Josh asked excitedly, when a hot dog vendor pushed his cart into view. “I’m hungry!”
“Why not?” Dan said with a smile. “I’m hungry too.”
“I’ll race you over there,” Josh challenged, wheeling himself quickly along the path.
“You’re on,” Dan shouted, taking off after his son.
Molly laughed when Josh reached the hot dog stand first and then raised his hands over his head in a gesture of victory when he beat his father. She suspected Dan had let him win, and couldn’t deny the warm glow she felt seeing them interact together.
Not for the first time she wondered what had happened to Josh’s mother. Not that it was any of her business but, still, she couldn’t imagine a woman giving up her husband and her son.
Her entire family.
For a moment her smile dimmed, but just then Dan turned and called over to her. “Molly, are you up for a hot dog, too?”
“Sure,” she agreed, striding over. She couldn’t explain why, but she was suddenly ravenously hungry.
“My treat,” Dan said gruffly, when she pulled money out of her pocket. She stared at him with indecision until he added, “Please? It’s the least I can do.”
“All right,” she agreed, shoving the money back into her pocket. She took the hot dog and loaded it up with ketchup and mustard, before following Dan and Josh over to the closest picnic table.
As they enjoyed the impromptu meal, she couldn’t help noticing that the three of them looked just like any other family enjoying a day at the park.
But of course this wasn’t a date. It was therapy.
No matter how much she wanted to pretend otherwise, Josh and Dan did not belong to her. They weren’t her family.
She needed to remember that as soon as Josh was able, they’d both walk away.
DAN PACED THE LENGTH of
