#03 It's Him

"Hold on a second. Breathe slowly..." Gia bent her patient's right leg, holding it for ten seconds before switching to the left leg.

"How is it, Beth? Does it still hurt?"

Gia asked with a broad smile. Beth had made a lot of progress. She still couldn’t stand, but her leg movements were much smoother.

"No, it doesn’t. You’re an amazing therapist, Gia. Thank you." Beth lovingly stroked Gia’s cheek. 

She had been Gia’s patient for nearly three years. It was natural for them to be close despite their age difference—Gia was twenty-nine, while Beth was nearly seventy.

"Is Mr. Norad coming soon?" Gia pushed Beth's wheelchair out of the therapy room, heading toward the hospital waiting area.

"Yes. He's getting coffee in the cafeteria," Beth replied, glancing at a message from her husband on her phone, which she was holding at arm's length because she had forgotten her reading glasses.

"Why do you still call him Mr. Norad? He told you to call him Luke. You can call me Beth, so why not him?" Beth asked, somewhat demanding.

She was annoyed, thinking Gia was too formal. It took Gia three months to call her "Beth," and even after three years, she still called Beth’s husband by his last name.

"Alright... okay, Beth. Don’t get angry. You know it’s not good for your blood pressure."

Gia patted Beth's shoulder gently, trying to calm her down. Beth's use of a wheelchair was a result of her hypertension, which had led to a stroke, so it was important for her to stay calm.

Facing forward, Beth smiled contentedly. The annoyance was just a ruse to help Gia feel more comfortable in front of Luke.

"Now, be a good girl and humor this old woman," Beth said.

Her tone was serious, but her mouth curled into a smile. Gia, pushing the wheelchair from behind, didn’t notice.

"Gia..! Excuse me, but Dr. Stefan wants to see you in his office," a nurse at the desk called to her.

"Thank you." Gia nodded in acknowledgment. Dr. Stefan was the hospital's director.

"Sorry, Beth. I can’t take you..."

"Shh! I know the promotion is keeping you busy." Beth smiled and patted Gia's hand, urging her to go. Her husband would be there soon.

"Don’t forget our new schedule," Gia reminded Beth as she headed toward the elevator. After Beth waved, Gia pressed the button for the elevator.

Dr. Stefan's office was on the tenth floor. Gia was grateful to find the elevator empty, giving her a chance to lean back and rest. Beth had been her last patient for the day.

Her schedule was incredibly full, as this hospital was known for its renowned physiotherapy facilities in England. Gia felt fortunate to work there, where she could fully utilize her skills.

The elevator door opened, startling Gia, who had been half asleep.

"Hey, Lea! Is Dr. Stefan in?" Gia questioned the secretary at the desk. Lea nodded, returning to her typing.

"Thanks." Without delay, Gia knocked on the white-and-green glass door in front of Lea.

"COME IN!"

"Good evening, Doctor," Gia greeted cheerfully.

"Gia! How did Lea manage to locate you in the waiting room? It’s no longer your job to take patients there. Isn’t your job as rehab supervisor busy enough?" Dr. Stefan skipped the pleasantries, going straight into a playful reprimand. The middle-aged man looked at her with mock sternness.

Gia smiled at his scolding. "I was just taking Beth downstairs, Doc. She was my last patient today," she explained.

Stefan scoffed. "You always have an excuse."

"Did you call me just to hear my excuses?" Gia reminded him. Dr. Stefan was diligent but sometimes got lost in conversation. If left unchecked, he could chat for hours.

"No... of course not. Hold on. Have a seat first."

Gia sat on the guest sofa in the corner, watching Stefan search for something on his desk. The green folder he was looking for was hidden under his white doctor's coat.

"I have an offer for you. I’m giving it to you because you’re the most skilled physiotherapist here."

Gia’s eyes fixed on the folder, though Stefan hadn’t handed it to her yet. He sat across from her and offered her a bottle of water.

"A friend of mine was in an accident three months ago, and he’s currently in recovery. He was seriously injured in the hip and head areas. Most of his injuries are nearly healed, but his leg’s motor function hasn’t returned. He’s... a bit difficult."

"Is he being treated here?" Gia asked.

"No, he hasn’t been. The accident happened in Belgium, and he’s recovering at home now."

"So?"

"I want you to handle his physical recovery therapy, Gia. Your skills are more than adequate."

"I can schedule him for Tuesdays and Thursdays. My other days are completely booked." Gia half-complained. Her schedule was packed. She shouldn't be accepting new patients, but Stefan had mentioned that this patient was a friend, and she didn't want to disappoint him.

"Not exactly. My friend can’t come to the hospital for therapy. He’s... quite well-known. No one can be unaware of his condition. If word of his paralysis leaked out, his company’s stock could plummet."

Gia began to understand. This would be a house call. The hospital offered home-care services for patients unable to visit in person.

"Where does he live? I’ll clear my schedule on Thursdays to go there."

Stefan didn’t immediately answer her simple question, looking at her with a guilty expression.

"He’s not in London or even England. He’s in Sweden."

Gia froze when she heard the name of the country. "Where?"

"Sweden," Stefan repeated with a conciliatory smile.

"Listen... I know this is sudden. But I’d like you to go there and help him recover, maybe for six or seven months. He’s very motivated to recover, so I’m sure he’ll make quick progress."

Stefan thought Gia’s silence was due to the abruptness of the assignment. But he was wrong. Gia remained silent, as the mere mention of that country made her feel uneasy.

"And Raven is still quite young; he’s only thirty-six, with good physical health..."

"WHO? What’s the patient’s name?" Gia cut Stefan off.

"Raven. Raven Corbin Lindgren."

Gia shot up from her seat. The uneasy feeling she experienced when Stefan mentioned Sweden seemed to solidify in reality.

"An accident? How is he?"

"You know him?" Stefan asked, surprised by her shaken demeanor.

Luckily, Gia quickly caught herself. "Ah... no. I've recently come across several articles about him. It seems the accident wasn’t reported anywhere."

Gia managed to deflect. She sat back down, pretending to adjust her clothes to hide her unease.

"To protect his company’s stock, he had to keep this accident private. As I mentioned, he’s fairly well-known," Stefan explained, finally handing Gia the green folder.

"Here’s his medical record. I’ve reviewed it thoroughly and left some notes for you to follow when creating his physical therapy plan."

Gia tried to read the papers, but her vision blurred as terrible memories from five years ago haunted her relentlessly. Only through sheer willpower did she keep from crying. Stefan didn’t notice her distress, continuing to explain Raven’s condition.

After calming down, Gia finally asked, "Do I have to take this job?"

"Technically, no. But as you can see, the therapist for this case would need to leave London for several months, and you’re the only senior therapist here who’s single. I wouldn’t want to separate the others from their families."

Stefan’s reasoning was impeccable. What he didn’t know was that Gia was single because of the man they were discussing.

"Please, Gia. He’s an old friend and must keep his condition private. It's safe to say that this hospital exists because of his support."

Gia looked at him, surprised. She hadn’t known Lindgren was affiliated with the hospital. If she had, she would never have applied.

"This hospital is mine, but Lindgren helped me build it. Haven’t you ever wondered how I could establish such a high-quality facility so quickly?" Stefan said, gesturing to the walls.

Gia knew Stefan owned the hospital. That’s why she applied here after graduation. He had been one of her professors during her studies in physiotherapy. 

Stefan was a kind, patient-focused doctor, and Gia had been delighted when he managed to open his hospital four years ago. Who would have guessed that Raven was behind it?

With Gia being one of his brightest students, Stefan was glad she joined. Now, after three years, she held the position of physiotherapy supervisor, managing at least fifteen junior therapists. 

That role was part of why Stefan chose her. Not only was she single, but he couldn't afford to send a junior therapist to Sweden.

"There’ll be a special bonus if you accept this job," Stefan added, offering another incentive.

"You know I don’t do this work for the money," Gia replied, barely restraining her anger.

"It’s just a bonus, Gia. Don’t see it as an insult." Stefan raised his hands defensively, realizing that Gia could be a formidable force when she became angry. All the staff knew she reserved her patience exclusively for her patients.

"What about my patients?" Gia tried her last defense. But Stefan easily countered.

"Don’t worry. I’ve spoken with other senior therapists, and they’re willing to split your patients among their schedules."

Gia sighed inwardly. Of course, everyone would help Stefan. He was a father figure to his employees.

"When should I go there?" Gia could only surrender. If Gia refused without a valid reason, Stefan would likely become suspicious.

"In a few days? But I want you to create a list of exercises and a schedule for Raven before you leave. I want to review it first."

Gia nodded. That was standard procedure. When accepting a patient, she needed to compile the types of therapy required and all the necessary details based on the medical records. Taking a deep breath, Gia began to read the contents of the green folder carefully.

"Is he blind?" Gia gasped. She had missed that line earlier.