Page 63 of Reckless Skye

‘Yes.’

‘All right. Can you wiggle the toes on your left foot?’

TJ did.

‘Can you shift your right knee?’

TJ did.

There was a beat of silence. ‘TJ, shift your right knee for me?’

‘I did …?’ At the blank looks, he started to panic. He craned his head forward to see, focused on his right knee and moved it again. It didn’t budge. He stretched further, sending rivulets of spear-like jabs down his back, and focusing all his attention on just that knee joint, he forced his muscles to contract.

This time, he saw his knee twitch. It didn’t shift. But the muscles fired ever so slightly.

‘Good. That’s amazing.’ The doctor covered him with the sheet again. ‘The damage is there, especially in your lower, right extremities. However, you’re in much better shape than I was expecting. Your spine has been stabilized, so over the next few days, we’re going to run a lot more tests, get the full extent of your fine motor skills documented. We’re going to get you sitting up and then started on physical therapy. We want you moving as much as possible. We’ll make any decisions about further surgeries once we know more.’ He pulled TJ’s chart out of the slot on the wall, jotted something down, and then walked back over. ‘I know this is a lot to take in, TJ. But I’m absolutely thrilled by the fact that you can breathe without assistance, talk and move all your limbs to some degree. Most people that survive the extent of trauma you did aren’t so lucky. But I’m hopeful that we’ll get you walking again.’

Walking? Hopeful? Panic, a completely new emotion to him, reared. Still, his manners had him weakly nodding. ‘Thanks, Doc.’

TJ waited for him to leave before turning to face his parents again. His mom was teary but smiling. His dad looked pale and tired. Old.

‘Sorry.’ He was too tired to add, For scaring the life out of you.

But his parents understood. ‘We’re just so happy you’re okay. We’ll get you through this, baby.’ His mom gently took his hand.

TJ closed his eyes, exhausted from just ten minutes of interacting. But in the back of his mind, he was aware that something was missing. As he started drifting, he asked, ‘Where’s Skye?’

‘She’s out in the waiting room. She wanted to give us a chance to speak with your doctor in privacy.’

Some of TJ’s panic settled. His mom had told him he’d been out for days, past when Skye was supposed to have hit the road. But she’d stayed.

For one glorious second, the knowledge warmed him. His heart swelled. He turned to his mom, hoping to ask her to go get Skye, but a sudden slice of pain down his entire right side had his vision wavering.

He gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out as tension ratcheted down his body, pulling the muscles in his back and chest impossibly tight. Everything spasmed, making his arms and legs twitch uncontrollably.

By the time it had passed, TJ was gulping air. Sweat coated his brow.

He looked up at his parents, an adult suddenly cast back into dependency. His mom was pale, her dark eyes huge. His dad had tears streaming down his face.

The fresh pain and the unexpected spasms added to that panic already consuming him.TJ had always assumed his life would be over in eight seconds; but he never could have guessed that all it would take was one. Because that’s how long it took him to realize that he was in much worse condition than he’d assumed.

He might – hopefully – walk again.

But what would his life look like until then? Fuck, what would his life look like after that?

He couldn’t know.

‘Do you want me to get Skye?’ his mom asked.

Skye. He closed his eyes, momentarily resisting. But when he said, ‘Yes,’ his voice was cold. Flat.

‘I’ll get her.’ Ryan left the room.

Perhaps sensing what he needed to say, his mom smiled sadly. ‘There’s a right way to do this, TJ. Don’t let your anger over what happened hurt that girl any more. Be kind. She already won’t know how to handle this. But she’s trying. She’s been so strong.’

He laughed, but even the bitterness left his lips quietly. Weakly. ‘For just a moment there – a day – I had everything.’

A soft knock on the door had his mom pushing to a stand. ‘I’ll give you space.’