THE HELIOS RAIN

Sitting on the stool and examining patients all day had taken their toll. Every muscle in his body ached and the stiffness concerned him. He needed supple muscles to do his surgery. He finished with Cynthia Bounty and asked Joan to close the office. “I’m heading out for my physical therapy appointment. See you Monday.”

Collins arranged his PT sessions for Fridays and Tuesdays at 5:30 after office hours. He scheduled his fitness workouts for Mondays and Wednesdays. Thursdays were his evenings to himself. As a single male, he needed the weekends and free evenings to tend to domestic chores. This Friday he arrived a few minutes early and checked in at the PT desk.

“Mathew Collins for my 5:30 PT,” he announced to the receptionist.

“It’ll be a few minutes and George will be right with you.”

Collins looked in the waiting area and noticed one woman waiting. He sat next to her where the magazines were stacked and rifled through them. The woman stood up and went to the desk to ask about her PT delay. Collins noticed her perfect dimensions. She’s about 5-foot 7-inches and about 135 pounds. She came back to her seat next to his and smiled. Her chest and pelvis are also ideal for her frame. She has a cute face except for the nose. It’s angled like an adult hawk, but it’s not unattractive.

“Excuse me, you aren’t waiting for George are you? This is my first time at this place. I used to go to PT out near the Air Force hospital.” Collins stared at her nose. I have to stop being a plastic surgeon all the time.

The woman looked at him. “I see Lucy. They do girl-girl, boy-boy here.”

“Yes, of course. I was just asking since we seem to be the last ones here.”

“I’m Nancy. I come here every Friday and Tuesday about this time and I’m always the last one.”

“Mathew Collins–Matt–I work during the day and rush to get an early evening time. So you come Tuesdays too. Then I’ll probably see you again on Tuesday.” Collins smiled and got a dimpled smile back. “You look pretty fit, if I may say so.”

“I have a desk job. I’m a CPA at a big law firm and after eight hours at the computer my back is all knots.”

“I can understand that. I was in a military action and got bad muscle sprains after an explosion. My whole body tightens up.” He noticed the absence of a wedding band. “I’m looking for a fitness center near here. I usually exercise on Mondays and Wednesdays.”

She laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“I go to a fitness center on Mondays and Wednesdays–sometimes with my son. I mean if you hadn’t said it first I would have thought you were coming on to me.”

“Son? I don’t see a wedding band.”

“I’m divorced–12 years–I have a 14-year old son.”

“Nancy Tilden,” Lucy, clad in a navy-and-white-striped sweat suit, called out from the reception window.

“Oops, that’s me. If I don’t see you later maybe I’ll see you Monday at the fitness center.” She handed him a card from her bag with the fitness center info.

She was gone before he could answer. When I returned from Afghanistan, no one was waiting for me. I hope I’ll see you Monday. He drove his Saturn home and corrected himself. There was one person waiting for me to return. There should have been two.