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Teri Loas trying not to hope

Hope wouldn’t get her anywhere, she reminded herself If she let herself picture an ideal future, she was going to be disappointed when it didn’t happen

Still, she was so anxious to hear what the doctor said, she was fidgeting The exam table’s paper cover crinkled underneath her as she shifted in place

Dr Cahtfully at his clipboard He was a kind-faced oldexaminations, friendly with his patients He’d been the Lowell family doctor for all of Teri’s life, and a while before

Which was part of the problem

“H very well, Teri No post-concussion sy up with your physical therapy, and you’re reporting very little pain anymore”

Teri nodded firer questions: So I’ain?

“Still” Dr Campbell drew the word out

No, no, no

“you’re not quite up to full strength A little shaky on stairs and if you walk for too long So I think you’d better come back in teeks for another checkup, and until then, keep focusing on your recovery”

No!

Dr Caood that you have such a strong support system at home”

“I feel so h” Teri kept her voice cal she’d learned froot you nowhere “I really need to start living independently again Plenty of people do it even if they get tired easily”

“No, let’s not try to rush things,” Dr Canitude is nothing to take lightly, and recovery can take er than patients expect”

He made a few more notes on his clipboard, then looked up with another smile “Besides, we don’t want to worry your ive it another feeeks or a month I’m sure she’d be more comfortable with that, and it won’t hurt you at all to take it easy”

Yes, it will You don’t understand

But Dr Campbell would never understand, Teri knew He’d known her since she was a baby, and she was never going to be a real adult in his eyes

Any more than she was in her family’s eyes

Two more weeks She could take two more weeks She tried not to think about that another feeeks or a month that Dr Campbell had casually tossed out

Instead, she wentout, and then stepped outside into the fresh early-spring air Her sister Lillian aiting at the car Teri counted it a victory that she hadn’t insisted on coo run errands while Teri ith Dr Campbell

Whatever other probleain was still an intense relief She was never, ever taking it for granted again

“Well?” Lillian demanded “What did he say?”

Teri considered just saying, None of your business Or even straight-up lying But it wouldn’t work Even if she could convince Lillian she was fine, theircoffee with Dr Campbell once a week, “because he’s such an old friend”