Boston—that day
Gestapo Bitch’s real name was Joyce Kilmer, “like the lady who wrote about the tree.” She had been a CPA with a running fetish until she’d broken her leg.
Learning how to properly rehab after the injury had taken her quite a while, until she’d found the right specialist. It had convinced her she could do better.
“What did you learn from the Marines?” asked Johnny Givens as they warmed down after his Saturday morning run. Kilmer had surprised him by joining him.
More of a surprise was the fact that she didn’t bark at him, only laugh.
“Let’s just say she pushed me,” said Kilmer. “Then I met Mr. Massina.”
“You work for him, not the hospital?”
“That’s right. Keep walking. We need two circuits. Then we’ll work on some core exercises.”
They completed the walk, then began doing some exercises. Sweat flowed from Johnny’s pores.
“All right,” she announced suddenly. “You’re done.”
“Really?”
“Until five o’clock, yes. Kale smoothie for lunch. Don’t forget your medicine.”
“I can’t forget that.”
“It’s important. Your body has been through enormous trauma. You’ve come a long way very fast—too fast, probably. But there’s no going back. Just stick with the program.”
They walked back to the building in silence.
“I didn’t know you worked Saturdays,” he told her as they reached the door.
“I don’t. But you’re my prize pupil.” She smiled.
“Is that why you’re being so nice?” he asked as the door flew open.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep kicking your ass. But . . .” She paused. “They’re going to release you this week. I wanted to make sure you’re OK with that.”
“Really?”
“Technically, there’s no reason for you to be in the hospital. The amount of recovery you’ve done, the stage you’re at—it would be, well, two months at least. But physically, you’re there. So, a hospital being a hospital, they’re ready to let you go.”
“Wow.”
“But you have to keep up with the program.”
“I will. There’s no doubt about that.”
“Good.”
“Are you going to still work with me?” Johnny asked.
“You’ll be assigned a new therapist. Two, probably. The post-release team likes to work in pairs.”
“But I was just starting not to hate you.”
“Time for you to fly, little bird. Fly, fly, fly.” She patted him on the back. “You’re on your own.”
Despite what he told her, Johnny didn’t feel ready. He didn’t think he’d ever be ready. So when he saw Sister Rose Marie waiting in his room when he got back, Johnny felt something close to panic.
“How are you?” asked the diminutive nun.
“Good.”
“You’ve come a long way. How do your legs feel?”
“Strange.” He laughed. “Very strange, still. But—I guess this is how life is going to be.”
“It is.”
“You guys have treated me really well.”
“It’s what we do,” said the nun sweetly. “We’re thinking of releasing you.”
“Ms. Kilmer told me.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I don’t know.”
The nun nodded solemnly. “We’ll continue to see you on an outpatient basis. We have a therapist I’d like you to work with.”
“Ms. Kilmer has been pretty good. I’d like to keep working with her.” Johnny sat on the edge of the bed.
“The therapist I was talking about is a psychologist. Because there are issues.”
“Like what?”
“He’ll talk to you about that. There are adjustments. But physically . . . Johnny, you’ve done more in two weeks than a lot of our patients do in six months. Partly, it’s the drugs and the legs themselves—Mr. Massina’s work is quite incredible. But most of it is due to you. Even so . . . you do have adjustments you have to make. Mentally.”
“Sure.”
“Are you a religious man, Johnny?”
“I’m not Catholic, Sister.”
“I’m not trying to convert you,” she said gently, “but I do believe that faith can be a powerful component of healing.”
Johnny didn’t know how to answer that.
“You’re still angry with God, I would imagine, for doing this to you,” said the nun. It was as if she read his mind. But maybe that wasn’t so hard to figure out.
“It is what it is,” he said.
“God only gives us what He knows we can handle,” she told him.
“I guess.”
“Nurse Abramowitz will be in to help with out-processing Monday,” said the nun. “She’s Jewish, by the way.”
“Does that make a difference?”
“To her, I would suspect.” She smiled. “If you ever need anything, I’m always here.”