Eight weeks had passed since the attempted assassination during their unfinished wedding ceremony, where Liam's leg was blown off in the explosion. He sat in his rehabilitation room, gazing out the window at the vibrant autumn colors that had replaced the lush summer greens.
The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the landscape. She would be here soon, her unwavering faith and support had gotten him through this, but there was something going on with Selena.
She had started dressing differently; she was no longer as adventurous. It was all high-end, coordinated outfits. She was covering up dark circles under her own eyes. She seemed haunted, when she thought no one was looking.
"What a difference eight weeks can make," Liam thought to himself. "I was worried she would have a misscarriage and things would change after this.That it would fall apart. We are strong together. This time it won't be so hard"
The delivery was today, the advanced prosthetic limb, a marvel of modern medical technology, gleamed with a subtle metallic sheen. The robotic limb was a masterpiece of innovation, designed to mimic the natural movement and flexibility of a human leg.
Thin, almost imperceptible sensors attached to Liam's leg muscles, detecting even the slightest twitch or contraction. These sensors transmitted signals to the prosthetic limb, which responded by flexing and moving in perfect synchrony with Liam's natural movements.
The result was a prosthetic limb that looked and moved with an uncanny resemblance to the real thing. The futuristic design seemed to defy the boundaries of current medical technology, as if it had been plucked straight from the pages of a science fiction novel.
Liam's eyes sparkled with pride as he gazed at his reflection in the metal. He was not only the wearer of this revolutionary prosthetic, but also its inventor. The sense of accomplishment and innovation that came with creating something that would change the lives of countless others was a truly exhilarating feeling.
Just then, his physiotherapist, Randi, walked into the room. Her eyes were on one of his masterpieces. James would have something similar once he got out of here. Waiting for someone else to make this was such a pain in the ass.
"Whoa, that is the coolest prosthetic leg I have ever seen." Randi's eyes widened as she took in the sight of Liam's artificial limb. "You put it on without me, didn't you say you would show me how easy it was?" she said, a hint of surprise, curiosity and concern in her voice. She had never seen a patient create their own artificial limb before, and she was eager to examine it closer. She also had seen her share of eager and stubborn patients. Liam took the cake.
The limb itself was a marvel of modern technology. It looked like something out of a science fiction movie, with its sleek design and advanced features. Randi couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as she gazed at the limb. As a physiotherapist, Randi had worked with many patients who had prosthetic limbs, but none with the money for this. Liam Reinhold, however, was no ordinary patient. He was a doctor and a medical researcher, and it was clear that he had brought his expertise to bear in designing his own prosthetic limb.
"How exactly does it attach to you without any socks, wraps or padding? Doesn't it hurt?" Randi asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Liam smiled, clearly pleased with himself. "It's suction-based and padded on the inside with cooling and sensors that attach to the remaining muscle tissue," he explained. "The electrical signal the brain sends to the limb doesn't get cut off when you lose a limb; it just doesn't have anywhere to go. The limb interprets the signal and feeds back the most likely signal to the brain based on environmental and tactile sensor feedback."
Randi's eyes widened in amazement as Liam picked up the limb and took off his shoe. The limb was metallic, and Randi couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder as Liam took off his other shoe and walked barefoot over to the bed. His balance and gait were just as he remembered; it was easy learning to walk again. He hopped up onto the bed, a happy look on his face for the first time in weeks.
"Ask me to do something with both feet," Liam said, a challenge in his voice.
Randi hesitated for a moment, trying to think of something that would really put the limb to the test. "Okay then," she said finally. "Wiggle your toes."
Randi watched in stunned amazement as Liam wiggled his toes on both the prosthetic and his right foot. He even started to wiggle them individually, and Randi's jaw dropped in shock.
"Get the hell out of town! That is crazy," Randi exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder. "You...you could change lives with these. Holy shit."
Randi jumped up from her chair, her excitement and amazement clear on her face. Liam grinned, clearly pleased with himself, and Randi couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the incredible technology that Liam had created.
Liam smiled, clearly pleased with himself. "I've been working on the design for months. I wanted to create a limb that would allow me to regain as much mobility and independence as possible. My sort of father-in-law, James, lost his leg in Iraq, and I felt for him. I designed my first prosthetic limb at 16. Who knew it would be me needing this?"
Liam pressed the button on the side of the limb, releasing the suction with a short hiss. He pulled the limb off, revealing the raw, healing skin underneath. Randi's eyes widened in concern as she took in the sight.
"Liam, you're still a little raw," she said gently."You need to pace yourself. You can't rush the healing process."
Liam felt a surge of bitter feelings, but he pushed them back. He wanted to feel in control again, to be able to do things for himself without having to rely on others. He had already lived through all the physiotherapy in his past life, and he knew the exercises. He didn't need Randi's guidance, but he tolerated it because he knew it was necessary.
Liam put the limb back on, pressing the button to re-engage the suction. The hiss was soft and reassuring, and he felt a sense of security with the limb back in place. He looked up at Randi, his eyes flashing with determination.
"I'll be fine," he said, his voice firm. "I just need to get used to it."
Randi nodded, her expression softening. "Okay, Liam. But please, be careful. You don't want to set yourself back. Pressure ulcers are no joke, especially on a still healing limb" Randi said, her expression serious. "What about disinfection and the bacteria?"
Liam put his shoes on, his movements smooth and efficient. "The hygiene aspects are both built-in and the limb can be cleaned," he explained. "It is waterproof as well."
Randi raised an eyebrow, seemingly impressed. "That's reassuring," she said.
Liam nodded eagerly, already standing up and preparing to walk. Randi raised an eyebrow, a hint of concern on her face. "Whoa, slow down, Liam. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We need to take things one step at a time. You are going to overdo it."
Just then, Selena walked into the room, a look of concern on her face. "Liam, slow down," she said, her voice filled with worry. "You're pushing yourself too hard. I can see it in your face, you're in pain."
Liam felt a surge of frustration, but he knew Selena was just trying to help. "I'm fine, Selena," he said, trying to reassure her. "I just need to keep pushing myself if I want to get better."
Selena shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "You're not listening to me, Liam. You're not listening to your body. You need to slow down, take things easy. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep pushing like this.I know that you are intelligent enough to engineer your way out of this and you have experience...with James, but it does not mean you have to rush it."
Liam sighed, feeling a pang of guilt for worrying Selena. "I'm sorry, Selena. I just feel like I need to do this. I need to get better, for us, for our future together."
Selena's face softened, and she walked over to Liam, putting a hand on his arm. "I just want you to be okay, Liam. Do I need to get James to lecture you on this again or is my scolding enough? Just move slowly for me. Okay?"
Liam smiled, feeling a surge of love and gratitude for Selena. "I know, Selena, I promise. I just need to take things one step at a time."
Selena nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "Good."
Liam walked over to Selena, his new prosthetic limb moving smoothly. "I've been dying to hold you for weeks," he said, his voice filled with emotion. As he wrapped his arms around her, Selena felt a wave of comfort and relief wash over her. They'd both been through a tough two weeks, recovering from their injuries. Luckily, Selena's scrapes and cuts had healed with barely a scar, but she still had to take it easy.
Liam held her close, his arms gentle but firm. Selena rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth and strength envelop her. "I've missed this," she whispered. Liam smiled, his lips brushing against her ear. "Me too," he said. "I've missed holding you, feeling you close to me. I've missed us."
As they hugged, they both felt a sense of comfort and relief wash over them. Selena thought to herself, "I've missed this so much, feeling safe and loved in his arms." Liam was thinking the same thing - "I've missed holding her, feeling her warmth and love. I'm so grateful we're both healing and can finally be together again."
Just as they were getting lost in their own little world, Randi cleared her throat, breaking the spell. "Okay, lovebirds, time to get to work," she said with a smile. "We still need to do some exercises today to rebuild the muscle strength in your right leg. It's weak and atrophied from you being in bed for so long."
Liam let go of Selena and sat down in the chair Randi had grabbed. Selena sat down beside him, taking his hand in hers. Randi continued, "Let's start with some leg lifts. I'm sure Selena here will want you to build up a butt again?" She winked at Selena, trying to lighten the mood. Selena rolled her eyes playfully, while Liam chuckled and started lifting his leg, wincing slightly as he felt the weakness in his muscles.
Randi nodded encouragingly. "That's it, we will do 15 of these on each side, as many as you can take. Keep going."
Selena playfully rolled her eyes, but Liam just chuckled and began to lift his leg, wincing slightly as he felt the weakness in his muscles.
Randi nodded encouragingly, "Alright, now the other side."
The truth was, she hadn't gone back to their home yet, and was instead living with her parents. The recent events had left her shaken, and she was now incredibly fearful of the outside world. Thankfully, Jakob was watering all of her plants.
It took a lot of effort for her to leave the house every day, and even then, she needed the reassurance of guards and her parents' encouragement. Her family had a history of dealing with violence and danger, and Selena had grown up hearing stories about her parents' experiences. Her uncle's death, her mother's twin, who had taken a bullet for her, was a particularly painful memory.
Selena's thoughts turned to her own experiences, and how they had affected her. She was still dealing with the trauma of the recent events, and it was taking a toll on her mental health. Her mother, Eun Ho, had shared with her the story of how she and her twin brother had been shot at, and how that experience had led to Selena and her brother Jonah's premature births.
As she thought about her family's history, Selena realized that she wasn't alone in her struggles. Her mother had gone through similar experiences, and had come out stronger on the other side. Selena took a deep breath. She would get through this, just like her mother had. It would just be incredibly hard.
This room made Selena paranoid. The physical therapy session took place in a bright and airy room filled with natural light pouring in through the large windows. There was a building across the way with a clean line of sight. Selena took a deep breath.
She focused on the walls, artwork, plants, the ticking of the clock to deal with the building anxiety. The walls were painted a soothing shade of pale blue, and the floor was covered with a soft, gray carpet that muffled the sound of footsteps. The air was crisp and clean, with a hint of disinfectant lingering in the background.
The room was equipped with various pieces of physical therapy equipment, including a large exercise mat, a set of resistance bands, and a stationary bike. The equipment was neatly organized and labeled, giving the space a sense of order and professionalism.
Randi, the physical therapist, stood beside Liam, her eyes fixed intently on his movements as he worked through the exercises. She wore a pair of bright pink scrubs, which added a pop of color to the otherwise muted space. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she had a kind smile on her face. Selena sat on a nearby chair, she was here to support Liam. The truth was if he knew that she could barely cope with dressing herself and had not gone into work he would be concerned.
Selena decided to hide it all from him. Eun Ho was happy to have her at home. The staff did not mind caring for her, they were surprisingly happy to help. Selena knew that she was being enabled by them to continue to wallow in her own depressive state.
She had weeks to try to improve before he was discharged, then the curtain would be raised on the shit show she had turned into. Selena wondered if he was suspicious yet.
She was dressed elegantly in a tailored black dress that accentuated her slender figure, which was subtly rounded by her 12-week pregnancy. Her dark hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, and her eyes shone with a quiet intensity. A pair of sleek, high heels rested on the floor beside her chair, adding a touch of sophistication to the scene. Her hands rested gently on her belly, a subtle gesture that betrayed her excitement and nervousness about the new life growing inside her.
As Liam worked through the exercises, the sound of his breathing and the soft creaking of the equipment filled the air. Randi occasionally offered words of encouragement or correction, her voice calm and soothing. The atmosphere was one of quiet concentration, with all three individuals focused on the task at hand.