Back to You (2 page)

The girl nodded, giving her the once-over and said, “I’m going to ask one more time. It’s important that you’re honest. Are you pregnant?”

“And I’m going to give you the same answer I just gave you. I’m. Not. Pregnant,” she said slowly, enunciating each word.

The girl snapped her gum. “Arms out,” she said before she pressed a button on the machine and left the room.

After the x-rays, she came back in and brusquely informed Lauren that Dr. Wells would be with her in a minute and instructed her to go back to the waiting room.

And Lauren went back to the waiting room, grabbed her things, and headed toward the exit.

“Lauren Monroe?”

She had her hand on the doorknob, and she closed her eyes.
So close,
she thought before she righted her expression and turned to see a man standing there in dark blue scrubs. If he hadn’t been wearing them, she would never have assumed he was the doctor. He looked more like a university soccer player with his tousled blond hair and beguiling grin.

“Yes,” she said somewhat sheepishly.

“Dr. Wells,” he said. “Were you about to stand me up?”

“No, no, I was just…” She stopped as his grin grew wider, and she dropped her shoulders in defeat. “I was about to stand you up.”

He laughed “I appreciate your honesty. Do you think you might give me a few minutes, though? If after that you still want to bail, you can have a friend call you with a fake emergency. Or excuse yourself to the bathroom and escape through the window.” 

Lauren tried not to smile. “It sounds like you’ve been stood up a lot.”

“Who, me? No, that’s just what I’ve heard happens.”

Lauren laughed, and he stepped to the side, sweeping his hand toward the door behind him. “Nothing scary yet. We’re just going to talk, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay,” she said, taking a tentative step toward him.

He allowed her to go first, and when they entered the office, he pulled the chair out for her before he walked around his desk and sat down.

As he began flipping through the papers on the clipboard, reading her information, Lauren glanced around the office, looking at his medical certificates and awards.

“How long have you been a doctor?”

He looked up at her from under his lashes before he smiled. “There better not be a Doogie Howser comment coming.” Lauren felt her cheeks turn red as he added, “I’m thirty, by the way.”

“I didn’t mean that to be insulting—”

“It’s okay,” he smiled before he turned his attention back to her packet. “I know I look young. It makes some people nervous, but I promise you, you’re in good hands.”

Lauren waited quietly for another minute before he closed the packet and looked up. “So, talk to me a little bit about your pain.”

Lauren explained her issues, stemming back to her days as a gymnast, and he nodded and jotted notes down on her chart, sometimes asking for further clarification or stopping to explain a technical term to her. After a few minutes, he slid her packet into a file folder and pushed back from the desk.

“I’m pretty sure I know what your problem is, although I’d like to take a peek at your x-rays before we decide on a plan of action. Do you mind if we move to the exam table? I’m not going to adjust you; I just want to check your mobility.”

Lauren was surprised to find she wasn’t at all nervous to move to the table. Her friend had been right; something about him was very soothing, very reassuring.

Lauren laid on the table, and he moved her legs and arms into various positions, describing all the while what he was doing and why. In the midst of him testing her flexibility, the x-ray tech from earlier brought her film into his office with a grunt and promptly left.

Dr. Wells glanced down at Lauren. “She’s here to scare off the scam artists who want to fake an injury to get out of work.”

Lauren laughed as he reached out his hand, clasping hers and pulling her to a seated position on the table.

“You doing okay?” he asked, and she nodded. “Great. Let’s take a look at these x-rays and figure out what we’re going to do with you.”

He turned toward the lighted board, but before he slid her x-ray onto it, he turned. “Do you need to take a call from your friend? Or perhaps use the bathroom?”

Lauren smiled. “No, I’m not going anywhere.”

He grinned his college-boy grin before he turned and slid her film onto the board. “Yep,” he said. “Right here.” He ran his finger along the image of her spine. “See the curve of your lower back? Or lack thereof?” He turned and grabbed another film and put it up next to hers. “This is a typical healthy spine,” he said. “See how your curve is less pronounced?” 

“Yes. Why is it like that?” Lauren asked, leaning closer to the board to get a better look.

“The bones of the lumbar vertebrae, or the lower back, are more susceptible to injury in a developing adolescent. Now, take a strenuous sport or activity, like gymnastics. That puts a strain on the ligaments and muscles surrounding the spine. Since connective tissues don’t grow at the same rate that bones do, the pressure placed on the ligaments and muscles ends up putting undue stress on the spine.”

Lauren chewed her lower lip, glancing up at him, and he smiled.

“You’re in great shape, and this is an easy fix. We just have to retrain your spine to sit the way your body needs it to, and then strengthen the muscles surrounding it to hold it in its proper place. That’s what’s happening when your back spasms, by the way. It’s your body’s way of trying to protect itself. Once we fix the problem, your muscles won’t have to work so hard to rectify the problem.”

“Okay,” Lauren nodded. “That makes sense.”

“And I’m thinking I’d also like to put you on a decompression machine.”

Her eyes widened, and he held up his hand. “That’s not as scary as it sounds. It’s just a machine that stretches your back, focusing on designated areas of the spine. It increases the space between the vertebrae so nutrients and fluids can be absorbed into the discs more efficiently. Quickens the healing process.”

Lauren tilted her head at him and smiled.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing, I’m just…I’m impressed.”

“What, that I know what I’m talking about? Were you still convinced I was some frat guy playing doctor?”

“No,” Lauren said through her laughter. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just didn’t expect to be okay with any of this. But the way you describe things, I don’t know. I’m not as freaked out as I thought I would be.”

He smiled. “I’m glad you said that, because—if you’re comfortable—I’d like to adjust you today. But only if you’re comfortable.”

Lauren inhaled a slow, deep breath before she blew it out in a rush. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“You sure?”

She nodded. “I think I trust you.”

“Well then, I think I’m honored,” he said with a laugh, motioning for her to lie back down on the table. He positioned her on her side and placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her hip. “Deep breath in for me, okay?” Lauren inhaled. “And blow it out.” As soon as she started to exhale, he applied quick pressure with his hands, and it sounded like someone had just stepped on bubble wrap.

She froze and he smiled down at her. “How was that?”

“Not bad.” She wiggled a little bit. “Wow, that
does
feel different.”

“Like magic, right? Shift onto your back, please.”

She did as he asked, and he came to the head of the table, standing behind her. He slid his hands behind her ears, placing them on the sides of her neck.

She tensedriple chocolate cake instantly.

“Were you freaked out the first time you did this to someone?” she asked, just to be filling the silence so she didn’t jump off the table.

“Um, yeah, I was. But that was only because I ended up killing the guy.”

Lauren blinked up at him, and that roguish grin appeared. “Very funny,” she deadpanned.

“Ready?”

Lauren closed her eyes and nodded, and just like the first time, with a quick flick of his wrists, it was over. She sat up slowly, rolling her neck.

“Feel good?”

She looked over at him. “You’re so smug.”

He tossed his head back and laughed, and Lauren smiled. “Thank you, Dr. Wells,” she said.

“That’s what I’m here for. And please, call me Adam.” He helped her off the table and then opened the door. “Schedule your next few appointments with my receptionist and we’ll get you started on your rehabilitation. I’d like to see you at least two times a week, if your schedule allows it.”

And as Lauren shook his hand, she thought,
I’d like to see you at least two times a week too.

The next morning, Lauren arrived at work an hour before her shift started so she could get herself acclimated to the new structure of Learn and Grow’s program.

Deb walked her through the paperwork she’d be exposed to: registration forms, incident reports, and memos, before she introduced Lauren to Delia and Janet, the two women she’d be working with in the pre-K room. Delia was a Hispanic girl a few years older than Lauren with a head full of long dark curls and beautiful caramel-colored eyes. Janet was a special educator, slightly overweight with graying hair and the most inviting demeanor Lauren had ever encountered. She warmed to both of them instantly.

Delia showed Lauren the three different rooms—the infant room for children under the age of one, the tot room for the one and two-year-olds, and then Lauren’s room, the pre-K room, for the three and four-year-olds.

Then both Delia and Janet sat with her, and they explained what a typical day in the pre-K room looked like.

“Do you have any questions?” Janet asked when they were done.

“No, not right now,” Lauren said, “but I’m sure I will as the day progresses.”

“That’s what we’re here for,” said Delia as she patted her on the back. “You’ll be great.”

“Are you done hazing her yet?” Deb said from the doorway.

“We decided not to haze her, although the kids might not be as kind,” Janet said with a wink in Lauren’s direction.

Deb laughed. “I just need to borrow Lauren for a minute before the kids get here.”

“We’re all set,” Delia said, walking over to the wall of books to choose a story for the morning reading circle.

“Great. Come with me,” Deb said to Lauren. “I’m gonna walk you through the registration process. You picked a great day to start; we’re registering three new kids today.”

Lauren followed Deb behind the front desk and watched as she opened a file drawer. “These are all our registration forms, divided alphabetically by room. These forms are filled out and mailed in with tuition prior to the students coming here, but on their first day, what we do is take out the forms and go over them with the parents to ensure that none of the information has changed. And then, you have a brief sit-down with them to answer any last-minute questions. Parents of first-timers can be a little nervous.” Deb made a face and Lauren laughed, remembering how anxious some of her kindergarten parents used to be.

“The most important thing is to make the child feel comfortable, because then the parent will feel comfortable.”

“Right,” Lauren said with a nod.

“In fact,” Deb said, glancing up with a smile as the front door opened. “Here’s our first one. Why don’t you stay here and watch me do the first one, and then if you’re comfortable, you can try the second?”

“Sounds good,” Lauren said, smiling over at the young mother who was walking in with the most adorable little boy.

The first half hour was organized chaos, but it couldn’t have run more smoothly. Lauren watched Deb go through the registration process with Micah, the two-year-old boy who looked like he walked straight out of a commercial, and then hurried back to the pre-K room as the other students began arriving. They were fascinated with her, as children usually are with new people, and spent the first part of the morning asking her questions and fighting over sitting next to her.

Lauren took to them with ease, and by the end of that first hour, she, Delia, and Janet had fallen into a routine that made it look as if they’d been working together for years.

“Hey, Lauren?”

She looked up to see Deb popping her head in the door of their classroom. “Our second registration is here. You want to give it a shot?”

“Sure,” she said, looking over at Delia, who nodded and absorbed the two kids Lauren was working with.

“This one’s coming to your room. Call me over if you need anything,” Deb said before walking back into her office.

Lauren walked behind the desk to see a man with his back to her, holding a little girl and pointing to some of the drawings on the bulletin board.

“Hi,” Lauren said sweetly. “Welcome to Learn and Grow.”

He turned then, and Lauren felt her smile drop. For a second, her vision got sort of fuzzy, and she reached down and placed her hands on the desk to steady herself.

There was no way it could be him.

But even as her mind chanted that mantra, she knew that it was. She hadn’t seen him in eight years, but his face was still the same.

In that instant, something in his eyes changed, and she realized he recognized her too.

She was too stunned to say the things she knew she was supposed to be saying, the things Deb had taught her that morning.