Learning to Love Again Read Online Free Page A

pulled up in front of the house. “Welcome home, kiddo.”
    “You okay?” Carly asked her, looking over her shoulder at her as she started to get out of the car, noticing the pained look on her friend’s face.
    “I’m stiff,” she answered, groaning as her muscles protested against her movements as she tried to push herself up.  “I’m not sure I can move.”
    “That’s what I’m here for.  Carly, please go and open the door for us.”  Mitch stepped over to the car and gently eased her into his arms.  “Relax, easy does it,” he murmured when her breath hissed out between her clenched teeth.  “We had Maria get the downstairs guest room ready for you, so just hang on.  We’ll have you inside in no time.”  Moving up the steps to the front porch as slowly as possible to avoid jostling her too much, Mitch made his way into the house.  Carly had gone ahead and turned down the bed and had positioned the pillows so Nicole could sit up.
    “Here are some more pain killers, and your muscle relaxer,” Carly handed the pills and a glass of water to Nicole as soon as she was settled.  “Maria is making you some soup.”
    “No more pain killers.  They make me too groggy.  If the physical therapist is coming, I want to be able to do the exercises,” Nicole pushed the pills away.  “I’ll just take the muscle relaxers for now.
    Carly stepped back away from the bed as Maria brought a lunch tray in with a bowl of soup.  “Are you sure?  Doctor Fredricks said you needed to stay on top of the pain.”
    “I’m sure.  I’ll take them later.”  Nicole promised.
    “You going to be okay here?  I need to go check in with the boys,” Mitch looked between his wife and cousin.  Nicole nodded and Carly walked out of the room with him, telling Nicole she’d be right back.
    “Is everything ok?”  Nicole asked when Carly stepped back into the room.
    “Yes.  There was a small thunderstorm the other night and the wind took down a few trees and a section of the fence.  You know how it is, Steve’s away, we’ve been away, so now he feels like he has to go back and second-guess all the decisions that were made,” Carly shrugged.
    “So who’s my physical therapist?” Nicole asked as she forced herself to eat a few spoonfuls of the soup.  She’d found out the hard way in the hospital that taking the muscle relaxers on an empty stomach was not a good idea, but she didn’t have much of an appetite since the accident.
    “Amy Reece.  Remember her?  She was a year or so ahead of us in school.  We have her on retainer for the hands if they get hurt, so she was willing to work you in today.  She should be here soon.” Carly said as she looked over at the clock.  “I’m going to let you finish your lunch in peace.  I’ll bring Amy back when she gets here.”
    Nicole moved the tray away, being careful not to tip the remainder of the soup.  With guarded movements, she positioned herself so she was sitting on the edge of the bed.  She pushed herself to her feet, keeping a hand on the mattress for balance.  Hobbling to the bathroom was a slow and painful process.  It wasn’t that far, but the muscle relaxers hadn’t kicked in and she was still stiff.  But some things just couldn’t wait.
    She took a few minutes in the bathroom to wash her face and combed her hair.  She grimaced at the fading bruises that still covered her forehead and cheek where she’d hit the window when her car had rolled.  Vanity forced her to try to comb her short bangs over the bruises on her forehead.  At least she’d only suffered bruising to her face.  She had one laceration on her leg and one on her stomach that had required stitches, and a few other cuts that she thought would leave some scars.  But those could be hidden from view with the right clothes.
    Feeling more normal than she had in over a month, she left the bathroom and started to make her way back to the bed.  She’d made it back to the foot of