Physical Therapy

Today was the arrival of her father-in-law. He would be coming to stay permanently. She was so angry about this, but couldn't fight it. The man was elderly and needed care. They couldn't afford a home. His wife had passed about six months ago.

Charlotte disliked him from the moment they met. She had gone to visit him and his wife in Maine once. Conner had taken her there. When they both saw each other, they just didn't click. As the days and months went by, she grew to dislike him even more.

He had his wife waiting on him twenty-four seven, it seems. She served him food, she picked out his clothes, she combed his hair and bathed him. She had to nag him often to brush his teeth. He had aged very rapidly in Maine. He was seventy-four, and looked about eighty-five. Charlotte didn't know why he'd aged so much, and other seventy-four year-olds looked sixty or even fifty sometimes. He was a farmer, and that should have kept him active and healthy.

He had thin grey hair. His face looked wrinkled, his cheeks slightly sunken. He was about five two, having lost some height due to age. He was slightly hunched over when he stood.

He was supposed to use a cane or a walker when he went places. But he didn't. So he walked very slowly, slightly hunched. Every day she marveled at how old he looked.

"He was a farmer." Conner said one night as they lay in bed. He'd been staying there for a month. "He wore out his body. Now he wants to rest."

"I don't think you should continue to wait on him like Sylvia did." Charlotte said bitterly. "He can do things for himself. I also think he should get into some physical therapy."

"We'll figure it out." Conner said sighing. "Go to sleep."

"He does have all that money in his savings account." She said a few minutes later. He had turned sixty-five and gotten a savings account that was not taxable. The account had money that accrued over time. He could use that money for medical needs, caregiving, living expenses. It was tricky though, to use the money. She had heard once he could even use it to take vacations. If he wanted to go somewhere, he could take a caregiver with him.

"Drop it, Charlotte." He said bitterly.

She watched as he continued the routine. She was very angry. She wondered what she was going to do when Conner left. Conner was a fire fighter, and fire season was around the corner. She really didn't want to have to wait on him like this.

"What is the deal with you and my dad?" Conner asked a week later as she finished serving him dinner. She had set his plate in front of him with a clank. The meat wasn't even cut up.

"I don't know." She muttered sadly. "I've never really liked Robert." She declared. "He's a sexist, bitter old man. You all can't stop fighting over land, and you give into whatever he wants. I also don't like the way he treats me. He expects me to do everything for him, knowing that I don't like him, and he's never liked me."

She regretted opening her mouth a few days later. A friend of Conner's had told him he could get a caregiver through the state. He could even pay a family member or friend to do the caregiving. So he brought this idea to Charlotte.

"You can do it when I'm away during fire season or other emergencies." He said happily. "The cool thing is, he doesn't even have to touch his savings."

"Oh god, Conner! I'd have to bathe him!" Charlotte whined.

"Honey, you were eventually going to have to do that." Conner said sadly. "I'm leaving soon. Why don't you practice now?"

So she did. She fell into the routine she hoped she wouldn't. She served him his dinner, she cut his food up. He demanded water, complained about her food, and was generally just sour. She made him pick out his own clothing.

She had tried to see if it was possible for him to bathe himself. So she left him on the shower chair with the water running. She would leave him there for fifteen minutes, and check on him. This routine went on for two weeks. Yet, he didn't smell any better.

Charlotte set him up in the tub one day, and walked away. He scrubbed at his legs, his chest, his belly. But he wasn't even putting any elbow-grease into his washing. He hadn't even gotten his hair wet yet. She inwardly moaned. Now she really would have to bathe him. She wondered why it was he just wouldn't do anything for himself?

"Remember, honey." Conner said one night as they lay in bed. "You get paid for this."

"Why is he such a cranky bitter old sedentary person?" she asked bitterly. "Now he's complaining he wants to go back to Maine."

"I know. He told me yesterday during lunch. You happen to step out to get groceries."

He couldn't go back. He had diabetes, and took insulin for it. He lived alone in Maine. He wouldn't have anyone to help him. He also took medication for his blood pressure. He had to keep track of it, and always forgot. He also really loved sugar. He would probably eat too much the first week of being alone. He complained often about her bland meals.

She officially became his caregiver a month after she started trying it out. She had to admit, it was kind of nice. Not much had changed. She just got paid to be here whenever he needed her. They did have to split the caregiving. Conner would take the months he was here, and Charlotte would take the months he was gone. There was a special arrangement in case Conner spent more time away than he intended.

So Conner left a week later. He had left in the morning. He had said goodbye to Robert and Charlotte had taken him to the police station to meet a friend.

She basically spent her time after that in silence. She got home, made breakfast. She fed her father-in-law, and they both retired to the living room. She turned on the TV for him, and put the remote in his lap. He grunted a thanks, and she nodded at him. Then they went back to silence.

She vacuumed the living room. She mopped the kitchen. She watched as he dozed occasionally. His head would often jolt up and he'd snort loudly. He'd focus on the TV and watched for a while. Then would fall asleep a moment later. She went and swept the bedrooms as he lay there. She actually got around to washing the tub. She couldn't leave the house now that she was caregiving, so she got bored.

"Make a meal, woman." He said as she got done washing the tub. "And help me up. I have to go."

She got cleaned up and went to him. She helped him up, and led him to the bathroom. She waited outside, and he came out soon after. She led him to the dining room table. She had finished dinner a while ago.

"You're cutting up your own food." She said bitterly as she served him. It was a baked potato and a piece of steak. He gave her the dirtiest look she'd ever seen.

That week she noticed he never brought up the subject of bathing. She caught him brushing his teeth, but he hardly brushed. He ran the brush over his teeth without putting any elbow grease into it.

"What are you doing?" she asked him bitterly as she went in. He didn't answer. "Ugh, Robert, no wonder you're always getting sick. You don't wash properly."

She had to bathe him and help brush his teeth. She waited as long as she could to avoid it. But she had to.

Charlotte leaned into the tub, and filled the bucket again. Grabbing the cup on the edge of the tub, she filled it. She showered him with a few cups full. She grabbed the soap and soaped up his back. He held on to the rail as she washed other areas. She was careful not to linger at Robert's crotch. Charlotte grabbed the shampoo as he sat back down. Then started soaping his hair. She rubbed her fingers over his scalp, making him feel so good. He didn't say anything, of course. She noticed him relaxing into the massage as she did it. She washed behind his ears. He stood up again, and they washed all the soap out.

She handed him his towel as the shower came to an end. "Dry yourself." She snapped.

Two days later, she bought an exercise mat. She looked up some exercises for older folks, and vowed to get him to do something.

"You just can't sit there all your life complaining about wanting to go back home." She said as he declined her offer. "If you can't even move around here, what makes you so sure you could survive there?"

"I don't want to exercise." He said angry. He had one of those voices you could tell belonged to someone older. It was hard to describe.

"Robert, you have to do something. You cannot just sit on the couch, and lay on the bed. You have to move."

Before long, she convinced him to start exercising. She was surprised, but slightly proud.

Robert was seeing a new side of her. She actually cared if he looked nice, or smelled nice. She cared if he did something with his remaining years. She was trying to encourage him. He slowly felt more comfortable as the time went on.

The first exercise he tried was the sit-to-stand. He practiced gently sitting and standing on a chair. At first he had a lot of trouble. He grumbled, complained and spat angry words at her. He was so upset she made him do this.

She had him sit on the mat and do a cobbler stretch. He had trouble with that too. She assured him he didn't have to do the poses right at first try. Robert found he was actually starting to enjoy this.

She had him stand next to a wall, and try and stand on one foot. He grabbed the wall for balance with his right hand. Started stretching the left foot out to one side. He only got a couple inches off the ground. He felt angry at not being able to balance. Again. She assured him he'd get there. They switched sides.

She had him do a similar one. He stood behind a chair and tried to stand on one foot. He felt silly as she dragged him through the exercises. She had him do a few more leg ones.

She got herself a book on exercises for seniors. She had them doing yoga a week later. Things seemed to be moving too fast for Robert, but he did enjoy all the attention she was paying him.

"Come on. We're going swimming." She said one day as she came out of the bedroom with a set of clothes for herself. She was wearing a very sexy swimming suit. Robert took notice.

"What? I don't want to go swimming. I'd have to get my walker, and get dressed in swimming clothes!"

She managed to convince him in the end. They both went downstairs to the hot tub, pool and sauna area. She locked her apartment up.

She led him through a water marching exercise. It was harder than it sounded. He was tired by the time she let them stop a few minutes later. She had him do a similar one where he hung on to the side of the tub and kicked his feet. The tub was a bigger deeper tub, with bubbles and jets that soothed his hips.

Charlotte found him getting an erection as they swam. She wondered if that was natural, or if it was for her? She didn't know if she should acknowledge it. She decided not to.

They spent a lot of time together now. He helped her cook sometimes, when it wasn't hard on his legs. She helped him with his physical therapy. She got to take him on walks all the time. It was a slow task, he would wobble along on his walker, hunched and shaking a bit.

She took him to an acupuncture place. He actually found it helped his back out. He felt a lot more blood flowing through to his legs. He was very glad, and regretted yelling at Charlotte about it.

"You were right." He said as they drove back home.

"Gosh, if you could keep that in your mind as a given..." She was pleased she made him laugh.

Her husband returned a few months later. He took over the caregiving. She noticed they also did quite a lot. Even though Conner disliked a lot about his dad, he wanted to make his life a lot brighter. He was still grieving from his wife's death.

"How do you know?" Charlotte said softly as they lay in bed one day.

"He let me know a couple days ago. He said that's why he gets up so early. So he can be alone in the kitchen and think. He thinks of her all the time."

They went to the beach. He had to take his walker, and chair just in case. They ended up just needing the walker. Although, they found it wasn't so helpful in the sand.

"Just hold me." Conner said as they all made their way down to the sand.

Conner and his friends ate and went fishing nearby. Charlotte was forced to stay behind and take care of Robert.

"Do you want any more food?" she asked as she got up to throw away her garbage.

"No." he said as he waved her over to take his as well.

"Don't do that. I'm not a waitress." She said coolly.

He slapped her butt as she walked away.

"Robert!" she exclaimed as she turned to look at him.

"You know you liked it."

Her heart beat was so rapid. She felt a little light headed. Maybe she did like it.

"I want to go down there." He said out of the blue as they both sat in the sun on blankets.

"We have to wait 'til Conner gets back." She muttered as she lay there with her eyes closed.

"Come on." He said again as he got a little more exasperated. "I want to go down to the water."

They slowly made their way down to the shore. He nearly fell in the sand, which was almost bad. She let him hold on to her as much as he needed to.

His hand was so bony against her. She felt him ever so slightly snap her bra strap. Was he flirting with her? She didn't say anything. They locked eyes. Both turned a corner of their mouth up just a little. The eye contact so thrilling.

They greeted all of Conner's friends. They found him a moment later. He got them both a chair. Robert promptly demanded they go stand in the waves.

She got up, and they both folded up his beach chair. She caried it on one side, and let him hold her arm on the other side. They made the short walk to the shore. Robert felt a little giddy as she helped him get there. He was starting to feel strangely attracted to her. Yet they both disliked each other.

"Crap!" she shouted as a giant wave rushed toward them.

Both of them screamed as they were soaked. It came up to both of their chests as they stood in the sand. As it receded, it gently tugged on them, trying to take them in.

"Let's go back up to the picknick." Charlotte said as they both started shivering.

Soon, he made friends outside his home. Conner and Charlotte got breaks from caregiving once in a while. It was nice. He was a little less embarrassed about going to the senior center. He was a lot less cranky and a little more cooperative when she tried to get him to bathe and do his other needed tasks.

Through it all, they still got on each other's nerves. He still complained to anyone who'd listen that he wanted to go back to Maine. Sometimes, he'd just go on walks, and not tell anyone where he was going. He'd take his walker, and just go. He didn't end up at the senior center as much as you'd think. Usually he was down some part of Fifth street. He didn't stray far from where they lived though. He was always found soon after he left.

"One day, you're going to get us in trouble!" Charlotte snapped as they were in the bathroom. She was bathing him. He was hard again. She hoped he was listening.

"Are you listening to me, Robert?" she snapped. "If you keep running off like that, someone could call the cops on Conner and I."

He whined and begged to go back to Maine. He didn't really say why. He just grew to want to go more every day.

"Will you come to my dance class and watch one of these days?" he asked her one day. "There's a contest to see who's the best dancer. I'm gonna win."

"You already have a partner?" she asked as she perked up. "You dance?"

"Yes. I also have a whole routine."

"You, dance?" she asked again. "What's the prize?" she asked as he got up from his meal and they both walked to the couch.

For the next couple of weeks, Robert and his date practiced dancing in the living room. They also practiced in the gym at the center sometimes. Charlotte got to know the lady very well. She hoped they were serious.

"Are you going to invite Conner?" she asked as they left to go to the center. "I'm sure he'd want to see you win."

"I'm glad he stayed home. This is too humiliating." Robert muttered as she turned into the parking lot. "I didn't even want to tell you."

They went their separate ways. He went to the staging area, and she went to the seating place.

Robert danced quite well. His step wobbled some, but he was quite good. His dance partner was a little clumsy, but she was good too. She also looked a lot younger than Robert, Charlotte was quick to notice.

There were a lot of times the couple couldn't practice. Robert would often ask Charlotte to fill in. Mina, his partner, was also practicing with her son. This way, they wouldn't lose what they learned together.

Robert loved this extra closeness with Charlotte. He was starting to really like her. Or maybe, he felt sexual tension between them because she was always with him. Maybe it was an infatuation.

He loved how she still helped him bathe. He loved how she grudgingly gave him his food. Sometimes, his hands shook so badly she'd have to spoon feed him. He felt such a thrill for some reason. He fantasized about her often. It seemed she wasn't feeling the same vibe as him. She didn't react in any unusual way when they were together.

The dance off was coming up very soon. They'd made it to the first of three final rounds. This meant that Mina and Robert practiced quite a lot. They were bound and determined to win.

"What do you mean you broke your ankle?" he asked as they all got ready for the contest. "We're back stage! I need a dance partner! Mina!" he moaned sadly.

"You have an option." Said the judge as he went and told her the problem. "You can, call in a substitute."

"I don't have anyone to go with me." Robert sighed hanging his head.

"I'll go with you." Charlotte said as she came up to the group back stage. "I know the routine well enough, I can go."

"There you go. You and Charlotte can win. I'll win one round with you, Charlotte can have the other." Mina said happily as she went back to the audience. "I'll join you in the last round."

Robert couldn't help feel his heart swell a little. Charlotte told him she wasn't surprised. She knew somehow, she'd have to do something major for him sooner or later.

They waited for it to be their turn. Charlotte calmly sitting in her chair while Robert panicked a little. It was finally time.

So they did it. They danced. The routine was pretty simple. It was a tango. As they danced, Robert could feel such an energy between them. He couldn't stand her, she couldn't stand him. Did he really want her? He wondered if she wanted him.

As they danced, she felt his penis against her hip. He also started ever so slightly, playing with her bra strap again.

Charlotte felt a little flattered, if she was honest. Her husband paid her plenty of attention, but for some reason, the fact that Robert was flirting with her made her a little wet. It had been a while since she'd had any type of flirting.

"Loosen up Robert." She was trying to get him to relax as they danced. She leaned in and whispered. "It happens to all men eventually. Just don't think sexy thoughts."

"It's hard not to think sexy thoughts when I'm dancing with a sexy woman." He said as she blushed.

"Shut up." She said giggling. "People will hear you."

"And the winner is...," The people all stood back stage waiting for the announcement. The audience all on the edge of their seats.

"Robert Fulton."

"I won! I won! I actually won!" he said happily as they both went up to accept the prize.

This meant he could move onto the next round. Mina and he had made it through one round. Charlotte had helped him win one round. He hoped Mina would be able to stay through the last three weeks this time.

At home, nothing was the same after that. They went on longer walks, he often exposed himself more than necessary when she bathed him. Every time she washed him up, he would show just a little too much of his sex at her. She felt a little strange, but remembered. He is just an older man getting a shower. Yet, he'd admitted it to her in that dance contest. He was flirting.