He lifted the large glass with his odd-colored shake. “Things like this. I do tease Dennis on a regular basis because, when he first brought them to me, I was horrified with the taste, of that initial one especially. They were so rough to get down,” he shared honestly. “I lost the first one. It came right back up. Dennis immediately started trying out new flavors. I’m kind of like a guinea pig here.” Ryatt smiled. “And I appreciate it. I know he’s trying to get me back on my feet, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll make it. Yet, at the moment, it seems so far away.”
“I don’t think it’s as far away as you think.” She took a bite of her salad, paused to chew and swallow, and then added, “One of the best benefits here is the food.”
He laughed. “Agreed.”
Ryatt had beenhonest when he’d answered her questions, but afterward he wondered if he’d sounded too much like he’d been lamenting his hardships in life. Seeing his sister go through all her setbacks made Ryatt realize what a bear he was being and how ungrateful he had been for all she’d done, as well as everybody around him, who were still working to help him here at Hathaway House. It made him feel like a jerk. There was no need for it, and, even if this was as good as it would get in his life, it still wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to him.
He had all four limbs, mostly. Sure, he was missing a lower leg and, the other knee won’t be wonderful anytime soon. His back had some issues, his hips as well. The muscle cramps were killing him, but, hey, they were that much better now too. Shane had done wonders on those.
If Ryatt could spend some time in the pool and the hot tub, he’d really appreciate it. However, Shane had said it wasn’t on the therapy agenda just yet. Ryatt wondered if it was a reward for good behavior—something that he had to earn. Ryatt might ask about that during his session with Dr. McAdam, one of the new psychologists who visited from town all the time. That visit was this afternoon.
Later, as he sat down in the patient’s chair, the doctor looked at him, smiled, and asked, “How’s it going?”
“It’s going better now.”
“And why is that?”
Ryatt hesitated, knowing that to hide anything wouldn’t be good because somebody would tattle, and yet he didn’t want to share quite so much as the doctor would probably like him to. “Let’s just say I had a lunch date today.”
The doctor’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow, not bad, considering—last time we spoke—that you were not thinking your life and your future looked very positive at all.”
“I know. I know. And yet, out of the blue, I had lunch with a beautiful young woman today.” He laughed. “Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t anything like a date. It was just nice to know that she was there and that I could have what seemed like a normal relationship over a lunch.”
“And why would you assume that nothing was there?” the doctor asked him curiously.
Ryatt shrugged. “You know as well as I do that it’ll take a special person to take on this broken body.”
“Well, there is a special person who’s already taken it on, and that’s you. Why would you assume that there is only you in this world who’s special?”
Ryatt hadn’t really looked at it that way before. “I don’t know. I’d have to think about that. Anyway, let’s move past lunch.”
“How’s your attitude regarding being here?”
“Has anybody else complained recently?” he asked, staring at the doctor flatly. “I thought my attitude had changed quite a bit.”
“It has,” the doctor acknowledged. “And I’m sure they’re all grateful for that.”
He felt heat flushing his neck. “Right, I try to remind myself that they are here to help me.”
“And yet you don’t really want the help?”
“I just…” He stopped for a moment. “It’s the same old, same old. It feels like they’re doing so much, but there’s only so much anybody can do, and it’s like a waste of resources on me.”
“Because you’re not worth it?”
“No, it’s not that I’m not worth it, but they’re all looking for progress,” he murmured. “Whereas it seems to me that this is as good… as good as it’ll get.”
“Have you seen your sister lately?”
“No, not for a few days.”
“Is she still here?”
He shook his head. “No, she isn’t. But she’s back and forth quite a bit with Stan right now.”
“Right. She’s in a relationship with the veterinarian, isn’t she?”
“Yes, and I think there’s talk of them getting married and maybe her moving into his place here. Honestly I’ve never even considered that would be an option.”