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Rehab was hard. In fact, it might’ve been harder than climbing a mountain or parasailing off a cliff. Bret pushed himself hard, sometimes past what the doctors wanted and to the point of exhaustion. Past the pain and the fatigue. He wanted it over. He wanted the use of his leg back to where it was, not just so he could climb a mountain.
No, he owed a beautiful woman a dance. A dance at their wedding. It had been a secret promise he made to himself and he wasn’t about to give up on it. He’d do whatever it took to bring his dream to life. Stephanie had been his lifeline and more than that, she had been his partner in all of this. Bret didn’t know how he would’ve survived without her.
He balanced himself between the two wooden beams. His hands were taught against them, afraid he might fall if his arms weren’t totally ridged. Gasping, Bret stepped with his good leg and then slid the injured one forward. Pain raced through his joint but it was a good kind of pain and not the crippling kind.
Things were working and firing again. Now, it was all about practice and strength.
“You can do a little bit better than that,” Stephanie’s voice said softly. She stood between the bars, too, just a few paces out of reach. In a pair of blue leggings and an off the shoulder white sweatshirt, she was a vision of beauty. Bret wanted to do nothing more than catch her. He wanted to kiss her.
Bret met her eyes for a moment before he renewed his focus and is determination. Gasping. he moved forward. It took a few minutes of breathing to get there. Part of him wanted to stop but as Stephanie touched his arms, he realized he had done the hard work. He was a sweaty mess but she allowed him to place his lips on hers. She greeted him with a passionate embrace. “I knew you could do it.”
“Keep believing in me.” He swallowed a quick, panting breath.
“I’ll never stop. But come get me.” Stephanie stepped backward, past the bars.
Bret froze with fear. “I... What if I can’t?”
“What if you can?” Stephanie countered. “There are no cameras. No one will ever know but us. Come on. I’ll help you.”
Bret gazed at her and then the floor. He could do this, right? He could do this because Stephanie believed in him. He thought rehab would be the end of him but it was where his new life had been born, in part because of her. In part because of his desire to be with her.
“You’re always pushing me to be a better man,” Bret said.
“You’re already the better man. You just need to believe it.”
The sincerity in her voice got to him. Bret stepped outside the comfort zone of the bars, sliding his bum leg forward. His hands still gripped the bars and then he let them go. He gazed into Stephanie’s eyes and used them as an anchor as he stepped forward again. He nearly lost his balance, swaying and Stephanie held her hands out just in case.
But he’d be dead weight and he knew it. She’d never be able to catch him.
He slid his healing leg forward and let out a groan under the strain. He grabbed Stephanie’s hands at the last moment to steady himself and then fell into her arms. Stephanie stabilized him but he was standing all on his own. And his leg shook under his weight.
“We did it,” he said breathlessly. He kissed the side of her head, his lips getting lost somewhere in her hair.
“You did it. I’m just a witness. Someone here to help.” Stephanie helped him over to his wheelchair and helped him sit down.
“And you’ll marry me? After this is over. When I can walk again.”
“I’d marry you now.” Stephanie said as she crouched down and handed him a bottle of water. “I’d marry you right now. Sweat and all.”
Bret leaned forward and kissed her, holding her chin in his hand. “I’m going to dance with you. I’m going to carry you over the threshold and make all your dreams come true.”
“You already make all my dreams come true.” Firmly, she held his hand.
And Bret squeezed her hand back.