Page 109 of Sloane

Well, that might be a problem considering I hadn’t seen my parents since I left their house the day after I graduated high school, joined the Marines, and never returned.

It had been either that or stay and fight back; there was no way I was going to make it all summer before college started without putting my fist through my stepdad’s face. I’d figured joining the Marines was better than going to jail.

“No. They’re not around. So, all I have to do is find someone I can stay with?”

Dr. Noland, with the patience of Job, calmly replied, “We both know it’s not that simple. You’ll need someone who understands the amount of assistance you’re going to need and is willing to provide it.”

I didn’t think I needed that much assistance. I’d been working my ass off for the therapists during my sessions and had begun using a fake leg. Hell, I’d do more if they’d let me.

“My friend, Ryan, is a firefighter, and his girlfriend is a doctor. They’re taking care of my dog, and I’m sure they’d let me stay with them. I’ll talk to him. He already has a visit planned next week; it’d be great if I could just go back with him.”

I left out that Grace was a psychiatrist and not the type of doctor who could treat my physical ailments. Although, she’d probably have a field day with my current mental state.

Not that it mattered, I had no intention of actually staying with them. I was betting on being able to talk Ryan into vouching that I was staying with him while I really got my own place.

“If he agrees, put him in touch with Missy, and we’ll get the ball rolling.”

Shit. Missy.

She was going to hammer home how much help I’d need and insist that Ryan take it seriously. And Ryan would, because he was a good dude.

But I’d be damned if I was going to be a burden to my friends.

Maybe Ryan would see how much progress I’d made and agree it wasn’t as necessary as the staff was making it out to be.

~~~~

“Of course you’re welcome to stay with us.”

“Maybe you didn’t understand what I said. I wouldn’t really stay with you; we’d just tell the staff here that I am so they’ll release me.”

“I’m sure there’s a reason they won’t release you unless you have a place lined up with people to help you.”

“I don’t want to be a burden to you and Grace, Ry. You just got her to agree to marry you, you don’t want to rock the boat by adding your crippled friend to the house. It’s bad enough you’re still taking care of my dog.”

“We’ll talk more when I get there.”

Luckily, he couldn’t see my frown over the phone.

“Okay, I look forward to seeing you, buddy.”

~~~~

I hung up the phone and headed to my session in the physical therapy room.

“Captain Davidson, you have a visitor.” Betty, the sweet volunteer who manned the front desk interrupted my attempt to walk using just the two bars in the physical therapy room while my PTA, Judy watched carefully.

“Call me Sloane, Betty.” I’d been telling her that since I arrived six months ago. I lifted my eyebrows. “A visitor?”

She nodded. “He’s waiting in the lobby.”

The man must have some stripes or stars to warrant Betty leaving her post to come find me. Either that, or she was just as surprised as I was that I had a visitor.

“Why don’t you send him to Sloane’s room?” Judy suggested. “We’ll meet him there.”

She pulled a wheelchair from the corner of the room. Normally I hated those fucking things with a passion, but I knew it would take too long for me to use my walker.

I was sitting on my bed, waiting, when Colonel Swartz walked in.

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