Physical Therapy For The Soul

It was partly that, but mostly she had become more and more interested in Zerrick and had no desire to go out with anyone at that time. She looked forward to their sessions and enjoyed the bantering that went back and forth between them. Sometimes, she would even flirt with him just a little to see what he would say or do.

She was getting to know him better and could tell by his movements or demeanor how he was feeling that day. She could pretty much tell when he needed encouragement or a kick in the butt. However, she also knew when to back off and give him an easier day when he was having trouble with the knee.

Theresa was becoming in tune with Zerrick and it sometimes scared her to think she was getting close to one of her patients. It hadn't happened before and she wasn't sure how to handle it. Of course, their session that day just topped it off. Sometimes, she was just too spontaneous for her own good. Not that she regretted what she did, not at all, but sometimes she wondered why she did the things she did. Getting to know Zerrick better was now at the top of her list of things to do and she was enjoying its beginning.

"Well," he continued, breaking Theresa of her thoughts, "I'm glad you're not too busy to date me now."

"You don't have to worry about that. I'll make time if I have to." And she would, too, she promised herself.

As it neared midnight, Zerrick's mind was as alert as ever, but his body was exhausted. Every fiber of his being wanted to be with Theresa and talk to her through the wee hours of the morning, but he knew it was time to leave. He smiled wanly at her as he eased away from the cushion.

"I should be going," he said, smiling as he stood up. "It's been a long day and I still need to do my exercises."

"I think you can skip them this one time."

Zerrick shook his finger at her. "One date and you're already going soft on me. What am I going to do with you?"

Bemused, Theresa shook her head as she looked up at him. "Alright, alright. I guess I'm tired too, and not thinking very clearly. Be sure to do all of your exercises when you get home. Understand?"

"That's much better."

He held out his hand to her and she took it. Zerrick helped her off the couch, but didn't let go of her hand, something that didn't go unnoticed by Theresa. After she walked him to the door, Zerrick hesitated for a moment.

"I had a really good time tonight," he said quietly.

"I did too," she replied.

"I'm glad we didn't go out after dinner. I really enjoyed talking to you all night. That coffee was excellent, too. Thanks."

"How sweet of you to say that! Not many guys like to just sit around and talk. They always want to be doing something or going somewhere."

"Well, you're pretty easy to talk to," Zerrick said, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, we've known each other for awhile, so that makes it easier."

"That's true."

Zerrick squeezed her hand lightly. "Well, I better go. I guess I'll see you later. What time should I stop by?"

Theresa thought for a few seconds. She really wanted him there as soon as possible because she enjoyed his company so much. Yet, she knew she would need time for food preparation and getting herself ready.

"Why don't you stop by around four-thirty or five? I'll have supper around six. Is that okay for you?"

"That's fine," he replied. "Can I bring anything?"

"No, I have everything."

"Wine?"

"No."

"Beer?"

"No."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"But, you're not sure."

Theresa giggled lightly. "You're silly. Don't bring anything except yourself. Okay?"

"Okay," Zerrick smiled. He liked her laugh. It was light and girlish. He glanced at the clock to his left and it was after midnight. "I guess I'll see you tonight, then." He reached for the doorknob.

Theresa moved forward and pushed his hand away from the door. "You're not leaving that easily," she said.

Zerrick didn't know what to expect. He didn't know if she wanted him to kiss her or what. He waited, trying to imagine what she wanted.

Theresa slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. She hugged him lightly as a friend would do.

"Thank you for everything," she murmured.

Zerrick hugged her back, pleasantly surprised and at ease with her in his arms.

"Everything?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "Yes, everything. You let me know about my shirt without making a big fuss about it. Then, you were wonderfully honest with me at the pool. You were being honest, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was."

"Well, then, you already know how to make me feel special." She hugged him again, this time a bit tighter than before. She then let him go, smoothing his shirt with her hands as she did. "You have a way with words," she said softly. Looking at him expectantly, she hoped for him to make a move, but he remained still. A bit disappointed, she had to remind herself it was their first date. Maybe next time, she thought.

Theresa opened the door for him and felt the chilly March air rush in. Theresa shivered a little as the cold went through her.

Zerrick smiled as the memory of her actions and words were still fresh. To him, it was the perfect ending to their date. There was no muss, no fuss, no awkwardness. That was fine with him. Towards the end of the evening, he fretted over how their date might end. He would have liked to kiss her, but he wasn't sure how she would feel about that. He certainly didn't want to turn her off or move too quickly and ruin things. Now, he knew exactly where he stood and that was okay. The fact that she invited him over for supper the next evening was a good sign in his favor. He wasn't expecting that. He thought maybe another week would go by before they dated again.

"I better get going," he said softly. "It's late."

Theresa nodded. "Be careful."

"I will."

He left her at the door and walked down the steps carefully to the driveway. Zerrick waved to her and she waved back before he disappeared into his car.

With a smile etched upon her face, Theresa watched until the red tail lights of his car could no longer be seen. She closed the door softly behind her and leaned against its sturdy surface. Thinking back, she couldn't remember a better first date. Already, she felt comfortable and at ease with him and she couldn't wait to see him again.

Laughing aloud, she chided herself over such school girl thoughts, yet she couldn't remember being this excited about dating someone in a long time. What was silly about that?

Pushing herself away from the door, she set about cleaning up the cups and saucers before heading to bed.

Chapter 3

Theresa woke late in the morning, yawning and stretching before looking at her alarm clock at her bedside. It read ten-fifteen, a good hour or more later than she wanted. Disgusted with herself for not setting the alarm before she went to bed, she strode quickly to the bathroom to pee and take a shower.

She had slept fitfully, dreamless and deep, something that eluded her most of the time. It was still early though, early enough to get cleaned up, go to the grocery for some odds and ends, and begin preparing her meal for Zerrick. The thought of him brought a smile to her face. She was really looking forward to seeing him and spending time with him.

Theresa had been in several serious relationships in her life, although none of them ever approached the possibility of marriage, at least not in her mind. She had been proposed to once by a nice enough man whom she liked, but she had never given him any serious thought. To say she was surprised was a complete understatement. Once she got over her shock, she gently rejected his offer and tried not to hurt his feelings. Unfortunately, he took it the wrong way and they broke up soon thereafter, much to Theresa's disappointment. Although she tried over and over again to explain her feelings to him, he was too hurt and upset to continue the friendship.

Her dates as of late never went anywhere and didn't last for more than a few times, and she didn't really expect them to. Call it intuition, but she could usually tell from the start if a date was going to work out or if she could see it go any farther.

Dating Zerrick was different and she knew it. Seeing each other three times a week for the last month helped quite a bit and deep down, she sensed good things happening between them.

She showered and would have finished sooner if she hadn't played with herself with her soapy fingers for ten minutes. Her hormones were in high gear that morning, as they usually were during her fertile zone of her cycle. Thoughts of Zerrick wafted through her mind as her orgasmic spasms swept through her, her one hand holding onto the towel rack for support and the other massaging her swollen clitoris and labia. It had been a long time since her last sexual interlude and she missed it. It wasn't just the physical part of sex she missed, but also the closeness and the emotional bond she shared. She didn't have to be in love to share her bed with someone, but there had to be something about that person she loved.

Theresa knew what she was going to prepare for the supper and needed but just a few items to make it complete. She honestly didn't know what Zerrick's likes and dislikes were when it came to food, but she figured most men liked steak and potatoes, so that would be the focus of the meal. All she needed to do was buy the steaks and some things in which to make a salad. Luckily, the store she frequented the most was only a ten minute drive. Never one to browse and meander, Theresa made her purchases quickly and was home within forty-five minutes.

Meanwhile, Zerrick jumped when his phone rang at eight-thirty that same morning. Thinking it might be Theresa calling, he picked up on the third ring. Much to his surprise, it was his boss who needed him to fill in for the day at the office. Zerrick silently cursed his fate, knowing he would have a full day ahead of him. Although he knew it couldn't be helped, it still upset him. He was looking forward to a nice, quiet day, but at least he wouldn't have to go out into the field. Besides, he didn't really mind too much considering others had to fill in for him while he was on leave. Because he was still considered on light duty and had difficulty walking, any customers needing his help would have to come to the office or try to get most of the paperwork finished over the phone. If this couldn't be accomplished, they would have to wait until Monday when someone else could meet them. The bad thing was, he would have to stay until five o'clock and he would be a little late for his date with Theresa. He hoped she wouldn't mind.

His day went slowly as only a handful of customers came in or needed assistance over the phone. When it came close to three o'clock, he decided to call her and let her know what was happening. She answered on the second ring.

"Hey Theresa," he said as she picked up.

"Hey yourself."

"I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be a little late. I got called into work and I can't leave until five. Is that okay?"

There was a pause on the other end.

"Who is this?" Theresa asked mischievously.

"The person you love to torture."

"There's so many. Narrow it down for me please."

"The person who stayed at your place until the wee hours of the morning."

"No, he left a few minutes ago. Who is this really?" She grinned on her end.

Zerrick laughed into the receiver. "Okay, I'm the one you flashed your tits at yesterday at the pool. Does that refresh your memory....or should I say mammary?"

"Yes," Theresa laughed, "that refreshes my memory quite well. When do think you'll get here?"

"I should be there by six if no one shows up at the last minute. I'll call you again if I'm running late, but I don't think anyone will show up. It's been pretty slow so far and I don't see anything that will change it."

"That's fine," she replied, "just let me know if things change. Oh, while I have you here, how do like your potatoes, baked or mashed?"

"Mashed."

"How do like your steak? Raw? Medium? Ashes?"

"Medium is fine, as long as it's not bleeding, moving or mooing at me when I try to cut it."

Theresa laughed. "I think I can handle that."

"Is there anything else?" he asked.

"Nope. Nothing I can think of. You're the one who called anyway."

"True. Well, I better go in case someone is trying to call and can't get through."

"Okay," she replied. "I guess I'll see you at six, then."

"I'll be there."

"See you."

"Bye."

Zerrick hung up and continued his workday. It remained slow and he found himself staring at the clock and counting the minutes until it was finally five o'clock and he could close down the office. He did it quickly and by the time he set the alarm and locked the front door, it was only a few minutes after five.

As five-thirty neared, Theresa hummed to herself as she started boiling the potatoes and fixing the salad. She wouldn't put on the steaks for another fifteen minutes. Since she hadn't heard from Zerrick, she figured he got out of the office on time and would be there within the half hour. It was a happy time for her, cooking for someone else for a change instead of just for herself. She didn't entertain much with her parents living in Florida, retired, her one sister in Maine and the other in New Mexico. Her elder brother lived fairly close to her in Kentucky, while the youngest brother and her still lived in the same city in which they were born, Cincinnati.

Theresa never considered moving away, even after graduating from Wright State University with a degree in physical therapy. She found a job at St. Anne's soon thereafter and settled in West Chester, a northern suburb. She enjoyed familiarity, didn't like surprises, and was quite content where she was. Sure, she had her brothers over once in a while, but that was getting rarer since they had families of their own and were busy in their own right.

At quarter of six, she put the steaks in the gas grill in her garage an turned the heat on low to allow for thorough cooking. Supper would be a little later than she intended, but she didn't think Zerrick would mind. If he did, tough, she laughed to herself.

She waited impatiently as the clock crept closer to six. The salad was finished and in the refrigerator and the potatoes were ready to be whipped. She had already turned the steaks once and they were beginning to brown. It was a few minutes before six when she heard the unmistakable sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Theresa peeked through the kitchen curtains and saw Zerrick making his way from his car to the steps.

When he reached the porch, Theresa opened the door. Hands on hips, she said indignantly, "It's about time you showed up. I thought you'd never get here."

"Well, hi there. It's so nice to see you, too," Zerrick retorted.

Theresa stepped aside and let him in. Once inside, she shut the door behind them and reached for his coat as he shrugged it off his shoulders.

"Rough day?" she asked.

"No, just boring as I thought it would be."

Theresa took his coat and hung it in the hall closet near the door. "Supper will be ready in fifteen minutes or so," she said over her shoulder before closing the door. "Do you want something to drink? A coke or a beer?"

"No, I'm fine. I'll wait until supper."

He lifted his nose slightly and could smell Theresa's light perfume tickling his nose. Zerrick looked her way and smiled .

"You look really pretty tonight," he commented. Her wavy hair was pulled back and she was wearing a pink blouse with cream colored slacks.

"Thanks," she replied, blushing a bit. "How sweet of you to notice."

"What perfume are you wearing? It smells really good."

"I hope it's not too strong."

"No, it's just right. What is it?"

"It's Raffinee." She moved closer to him and turned her head slightly. Zerrick bent forward and put his nose near her neck and inhaled. Theresa could feel his soft, warm breath against her skin and it was exhilarating to her. He moved away and straightened up, much to her chagrin.

"That's really nice." I could bury my nose in there forever, he thought to himself.

"Thanks. Come in and have a seat while I finish up supper," she said, indicating the same couch in which they sat the previous evening.

"I've been sitting all day," he replied. "Maybe I could help you in the kitchen."

"There's really nothing much to do, but you can come in anyway. We won't have to yell to each other to be heard."

They made their way into the kitchen area where Theresa turned off the boiling pan of potatoes. While she whipped them into fluffy clouds, she had Zerrick check on the steaks. They were almost ready, so he closed the lid and came back in.

"They'll be done soon," he announced.

"Good," she replied, "everything else is ready to go."

While he waited for the steaks to finish, Theresa set the table. She brought out the salad and a bottle of wine from the refrigerator before returning with the potatoes. A few minutes later, Zerrick came in with the steaming steaks and placed them on the table as well.

"I hope you like blackberry wine," Theresa said as she poured the dark liquid into the glasses. "This one is very rich and fruity."

"I don't think I've ever had blackberry wine before. I'll take your word for it," he replied.

They sat down at the small, round table. Zerrick hesitated for a moment, waiting for Theresa to make the first move.

"Try your wine," she said. "I want to see if you like it."

Zerrick lifted the glass to his lips and took a small sip. Like she said, it was very rich and fruity, almost as if it were right off the vine.

"It's very good," he remarked. "I'll have to buy some for myself sometime."

"I'm glad you like it," she said, very pleased she made a good choice. "Well, don't be shy," she said, pointing to the food, "dig in."

With that said, they began their meal.

Zerrick stole occasional glances at his host throughout the meal. Carefree and away from the office, Theresa looked younger than when she was all business and serious with her patients. Her wavy hair framed her face nicely and her eyes were a very soft brown, lighter than what he remembered. She wore little makeup and he noticed she had on the same perfume as the night before. It was sweet and light and he could get just a little whiff of it whenever he passed her.

He remembered some of his previous dates who appeared to bathe in their perfume before meeting him. Whenever he was close to them, he found it difficult to breathe. Subtle hints to tone down the amount applied never seemed to go anywhere.

Other dates were more pleasant, but he hated comparing. All the girls he dated had their good qualities and bad. He could never truthfully say he didn't like any of them and in fact kept in touch with a number of them. Only one parted on bad terms and that was a misunderstanding that still puzzled Zerrick to this day.

So far, though, he had seen no bad qualities in Theresa. He liked everything about her and wanted to know more. She reminded him just a little bit of his sister, Robin, who lived in Portsmouth, but it was just a vague resemblance, nothing more.

He noticed little things about her, for one that she was left-handed, something he overlooked previously. He saw a small cross pendant that dropped into the crease above her breasts. Her blouse was modest, but it did show a hint of cleavage. The cross was delicate and sparkling in the light. Zerrick tried not to stare, but he found it to be very pretty. She wore no rings and only had tiny diamond earrings in her lobes. He saw how she would occasionally blow air to get a strand of hair out of her face, looking upwards as she did. Zerrick found that quite amusing. Yes, he was enjoying his time with her very much and didn't want it to end.