She was trying too hard. “Lila is the type of woman who throws herself into everything she does. She’s a type A. She has to be to do her job the way she does. She’s trying to solve problems and be a good role model to you. Be patient with her. She means well.”

“I hope so.” Noelle looked back to her computer.

He got himself a cup of coffee and thought about how to navigate this new land mine.

•   •   •

Frustration sparked through Lila, and she was about ready to pull out her own hair. “I know that didn’t go the way you hoped, but it’s early and you need to try it again.”

“I don’t want to try it again,” Noelle complained, staring up at the parallel bars like they were a snake about to bite her.

Unfortunately that snake was the only way to get to where they needed to go. After the physical therapist, a young woman named Tanya, had told her Noelle had been very stubborn about the new regimen, she’d decided to come in and take it over herself. Noelle hadn’t been happy when she’d walked into the facility with her. She definitely hadn’t been happy when Lila took over the session. She hadn’t seen another way. At first, she’d meant to simply watch. She’d come in and stayed in the background. Noelle ignored everything her therapist said, and the minute Tanya turned her back, Noelle chose to flirt with the teenage boy who was rehabbing a broken ankle. It was typical teenage girl stuff, but she had to do something about it.

Noelle had been okay through the warm-up and the TENS unit treatment. It was when they got to the exercise portion of the afternoon that Noelle had turned stubborn. Lila had watched her carefully, and all evidence pointed to the fact that Noelle simply didn’t appreciate her normal routine of denial and flirtation being interrupted. In some ways it was reassuring. Noelle always seemed so perfect. This proved she could be a rebellious teen like all the rest. It meant there was some fire under her placid surface. They were going to need that.

She’d responded well to the warm-up. All her charts showed she was past ready for this. But the real struggle had been getting her on her feet.

“I think you should go another ten minutes.” They had actually made the tiniest bit of progress. She was sure Noelle couldn’t see it, but that was exactly why she had a therapist.

“Definitely.” Tanya nodded with obvious satisfaction. “I’ve been trying to get her to do this for months. I don’t know why but she thinks she can’t do it.”

There was only so much a therapist could do, but Lila was something more. At least she was to Noelle. She could take this further.