Euphoria: Book 2 (18+)

Chapter 12

Two weeks passed in a blur of routine and nothingness. Enzo followed the doctor's orders taking it easy, and begrudgingly allowed Camberlee to help him throughout his ongoing recovery. He still had severe pain in his stomach and shoulder when touched, but was able to move around more freely.

Camberlee explained to him that she blurted the details of their relationship to her parents while he was in surgery having the bullets removed. She was wracked with worry for him, and couldn't help herself once she heard her mother's voice on the phone. With a gentle nudge, she warned him that her dad would be a harder sell than her mom upon meeting him. He expected no less from any father knowing that he would be a real hard-ass to any guy his daughter would introduce him to, if he had one. Though tonight would be stressful meeting Camberlee's parents, it would serve to be his final test before he popped the big question.

Now that Camberlee's parents were going to be in the picture, Enzo found himself wanting to ask her father's permission for her hand. For the first time since he met her, fear struck him when the possibility of her dad saying no became an actual reality. Before the his shooting, she had not been on speaking terms with her parents. He had never pushed for the reason why as discussing her family was more often a very touchy and uncomfortable topic.

His thoughts consumed him so deeply, he didn't notice the doctor come into the exam room. The long awaited visit to lift his restrictions was finally upon him. Enzo shifted nervously causing the paper lined examination bed to ruffle.

"Good morning, Mr. Tancredi."

"Good morning, doc."

"How are you feeling?"

"Stir crazy as all hell, but better physically."

"How's the pain? Can you put it on a scale of one to ten?"

"In general it stays between a two and a four. Right now, I put it at about a two."

"Okay, let's have a look at those stitches. Lay back for me."

Enzo laid back on the exam bed hissing as his bare back touched the cold hard pleather surface. After pulling a pair of blue nitrile gloves, the doctor stepped closer to get a better look. At the first prod to the shoulder, pain arched in a fiery spiral across the shoulder blade and down to Enzo's elbow. He grunted through clenched teeth and balled his fists at his sides. The pain retracted as soon as the prodding stopped. His stomach gave up a slightly less severe reaction during the doctor's exploration of his wounds. Anxiety was amplified throughout the torturous poking and pressure mixed with silence in the room.

Enzo worked hard to hide his pain from everyone. He knew the doctor was not going to remove any of his restrictions if he saw such severe reactions to the slightest touch. For an untold length of time he would have to endure the pity on people's faces when they saw him. Camberlee would continue to stress and fuss over him likely even after he was fully healed. He felt like less of a man with each passing day. By the end of the exam he was feeling shattered. The wave of defeat left him numb inside.

"Everything seems to be right on track. You are healing quite nicely. Have you started physical therapy yet?"

"Yes, three days a week."

"Good, I want you to stick with that. I still want you to take it easy for a while, no unnecessary risks. You can slowly start to acclimate yourself back into your normal routine. Please limit yourself and rest often. No heavy lifting and no riding until further notice. We will schedule you next week to remove the stitches. I want to give it a little longer to make sure we don't do it too soon."

"How about sex?" Enzo blurted in a rush.

"I would recommend that you wait a little while longer. However, if you do attempt it, if you feel pulling or tearing stop immediately. Take a low impact approach and watch your positioning. Whatever you do, just be very careful."