Page 12 of Scoring the Mountain Man

“Why didn’t you ask me for help?”

“Because you can’t help me,” I state simply as I try to catch my breath.

“There is nothing wrong with my arms,” he states.

“True, but one slip, wrong turn, or banging it on something, could turn your recovery into something serious. I will not be the reason for that and it’s fine, I got it in here,” I tell him as I point to it.

“Coffee?” he gruffs out and I nod.

We walk into the kitchen and he pulls a cup down for me and passes it to me. “There is creamer in the fridge and sugar on the counter if you need it,” he tells me.

I make my cup just the way I like it. I can’t help the moan that escapes me when I take the first sip. After carrying the bike from the vehicle into the cabin, my arms feel like jello and this coffee is exactly what I need to rejuvenate me.

I notice the grimace that comes across Jaxon’s face, but chose to say nothing as I continue drinking my cup.

“Okay, we are going to do the same exercises as yesterday, but today we will also be incorporating the bike,” I tell him, taking the final sip before placing the cup down on the counter and saying, “Let’s go.”

We walk into the living room and I have him start with the chair for squats, then the step-ups. When it’s time for the bike, I have him sit on the bike so I can see if the seat height needs to be adjusted. His knee needs to be slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke.

He climbs on and I take in where the seat currently is and how much more I need to raise it, then I help him off, so I can make the adjustment.

When he climbs back on, everything is where it needs to be and I allow him to begin with no resistance. I set the timer on my stop watch for ten minutes. Once he is completed with that, I have him do the knee extensions with the resistance band.

With the first set of exercises completed, I make him take a five minute break as I check his knee to make sure everything is still good.

When his break is over, I have him do another set of everything. I can see he is working hard and taking the exercises very seriously. I don’t think Wes has anything to worry about when it comes to Jaxon’s commitment to getting back on the ice.

I make a mental note to discuss with Wes my observations later.

After the second set of exercises are complete, I look at Jaxon and ask, “How are you feeling?”

“Like I've been hiking up a steep mountain,” he breathes out heavily.

“Do you think you can make another round, or would you prefer to stop for the day?”

“I would like to try to do a third round,” he says.

I nod my head. “Don’t over push yourself to the extent of extreme pain,” I tell him and gesture for him to get into place.

He pushes through every exercise and by the time he has completed the last exercise, he looks exhausted.

I help him sit down, before going to get another bottle of water, the ibuprofen, and a bag of frozen vegetables, realizing I again forget the ice pack. I take everything back to the living room and pass him the water and pills, as I place the bag of frozen vegetables on his knee.

“How do you feel?” I ask, taking in the light sheen of sweat that is covering his chest and face. I itch to touch him.

“I’m okay,” he whispers out. “Thank you for helping me.”

I nod, walk over to my bag, pull out my clipboard and jot down my notes for the day, knowing I need to do something with my hands before I do something else I could regret.

“Are you still doing the exercises I showed you when we first started?”

“I am,” he says.

“Good. Those exercises, plus these, will continue to help you regain your strength and recovery. Alright, we are done for the day and I will be back tomorrow,” I tell him packing up my bag.

I start to head toward the front door, when he calls out, “Thanks, Aubrey, for helping me.”

“You’re welcome Jaxon,” I say with a bright smile on my face and leave before I do something stupid.

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