Laura - Part 3 and Ending

The ice pack only going on her ankle for 10 minutes before the doc and Daniel arrive. For Laura it seems like an eternity. As the remainder of the office, stare in disbelief standing silent looking over their work cubicles. 

 

Sarah shows a moment of weakness as she leans over toward Hannah, “I Hope she is ok” She says. 

 

Hannah, feeling sad, but also inspired by the whole situation thinking to herself, “Did she just present that whole presentation with a serious injury?”

 

Rachel waits patiently at the elevator door, as it opens. “Doc, Daniel, this way” as she momentarily pauses before taking off across the room. They follow briskly barely able to keep up with Rachels pace, as they rear the corner and approach the board room, the doc and Daniel can here the cries getting louder and louder. 

 

Both never seeing Laura in this much pain, instantly feel a sense of urgency, and their brisk pace turns into a slow jog. As they enter the door, they view Laura sitting slouched back in the leather office chair, crying uncontrollably, and mike sitting opposite her with her right ankle in his lap, covered by an ice pack. 

The Doc is the first to talk, “Laura you are ok, we are here now to help” he exclaims as he tries to place his medical kit down securely before swinging the lid open. He turns his attention to Mike briefly, knowing that getting a straight answer from Laura at the moment might be difficult. 

 

“Mike what happened?” the doc asks. 

 

“Well doc, she was killing the presentation, and she went over on her ankle the first time, it seemed quite minor but then it happened a second and third time” 

 

“Ok, I see” says the doc as he moves closer to Mike.

 

“Was there any noise that might signify a broken bone, did she fall, or manage to stand?” the Doc asks, trying to pry for as much information as he can. 

 

“Well there was two noises” Mike says, “more like a pop then a snap, but I’m not totally sure” Mikes says wishing he had recalled it better. 

 

‘Ok” the doc replies. “let’s get that ice pack off for a look”

 

Laura lays slump in her chair, her head resting back staring at the ceiling. Her crying now slowing to a weep as the bulk of the pain has set in. 

 

The ice pack is removed so the doc can see the ankle, “oh gee” the doc exclaims. 

 

“You stay right there Mike and support her foot and ankle as I carry out my examination” the doc asks. Mike looks at the doc as to say, “hold her beautiful foot in my hands, No problem!!”

 

The doc goes to work, pressing and prodding starting at her lower leg and working down the outer side of her leg. “let me know if this is tender anywhere” He casually says to Laura.

 

Laura's weep continues, as the doc presses down firmly reaching the outer extremities of her right ankle. He rounds the swelling and presses right below the outer ankle area, Immediately Laura jumps from her seat grabbing her leg. “There, there” she exhales as the pain radiates, through her weeping eyes. The doc continues to press and probe, each press now sending waves of pain, Laura's weeps turn to tears, as the pain starts to take over again. Laura lunges again reaching for her ankle with her hand, “There, there!! that’s really sore” as she sucks up her tears of pain. 

 

The Doc continues to press and prod until he is satisfied with his assessment. Laura through her tears, looks up and out the glass panels that are the Board room walls, and as she gazes across the room she sees that everyone is standing and looking in to see what is going on. 

 

Daniel moves into position as the Doc moves to write out a referral and some scripts. He starts to question Laura about the movement in her ankle, “Can you point your toes forward for me” he asks. Laura with all her might can barely move the ankle, and not surprising with the amount of swelling now completely engulfing both sides of her right ankle. As she strains, her toes bend and move but her foot and ankle stay mostly stationary. 

 

“Ok that’s what I presumed” says Daniel with a very stern voice!!

 

The Doctor and Daniel convene in the room to have a quick chat about it all, whilst Mike sits holding Laura's delicate foot and ankle in his hands.  Thinking to himself how amazing this moment is, how he would like to take her home and care for her tender feet and that poor injured ankle….

 

Before too long Mike is snapped out of his own thoughts as the doc and Daniel interrupt him.

 

The doc is first to speak up, “Ok Laura, I think you are lucky and unlucky, Lucky its potentially only a severe ankle sprain, Unlucky, the recovery will be a lot long than if you broke your ankle. To be sure I want to get that ankle x-rayed and of course we can’t do that here” 

 

Laura looks up from her weeps of tears, with a facial expression that says, “if I must”

 

Mike has an idea, “Laura, where are your crutches” he pipes up.

 

Laura looks to him, and points to her office, “In my office in the cupboard” she exhales through her weeps and tears.

 

Mike slowly gets up and holds her ankle for support as he gently lowers it to the chair where he was sitting. Laura almost barely phased by the moment, as she is mentally and physically exhausted. Mike scurries off to fetch the crutches from her office, running at full pace across the room. 

 

The other team members watch as Mike hurdles himself into Laura’s office, and then back across the room with two crutches in his hand. 

 

Every staff member watching closely as the drama continues to unfold. As Mike returns to the board room, Daniel has gone to work to prepare Laura for the journey. 

 

Once bare swollen ankle is now encased by the ice pack and a large bandage over the top, concealing her whole foot and ankle, to hold it in place whilst she is crutching. 

 

Mike short of breath after his lightning fast journey across the room, readies the crutches. “Here Laura” as he stands next to her. With Daniel on one side and Mike the other they slowly help Laura raise to her feet, keeping her injured ankle slightly off the ground. 

 

As she lowers her severely sprained ankle, she feels the blood rushing, her face cringes in pain and she looks down in despair. Mike can see the pain increase in her reactions and offers a suggestion. “ I can carry you Laura”, Laura seriously considers the offer for a moment, but then decides, “No I will do this myself” She grasps the crutches firmly in her hands, and pivots away from the table, holding her injured ankle up just behind her. 

 

With every movement forward the pain radiates from the tip of her toes right up her leg. Her facial expressions show that she is mustering all her will power to hold back the tears. The Doc and Daniel lead the way from the board room, followed by Laura with Mike closely behind. He watches as she majestically crutches forward, watching her injured ankle swing back and fourth, the whole time Mike is becoming more aroused by the minute hopping that he will be the one to help nurse her poor injured ankle back to health. 

 

As they progress through the office, there is a deafening silence, all the team are standing watching as Laura slowly and painfully crutches her way through the office headed toward the elevator. 

 

Sarah of all people, starts to get a frog in her throat, as much as she hates Laura and the way she treats them sometimes, she can help but admire her courage, thinking if that was her she would be a blubbering mess on the floor!!

 

Slowly Sarah feels this new respect for Laura build inside her, and starts to slowly clap. 

 

“Clap”

 

“Clap”

 

“Clap, Clap”

 

“Clap, Clap, Clap”…and within seconds the whole team joins in, followed by whistles of support.

 

Laura pauses for a moment and lifts her head up to look around the office, what she sees changes her forever. Everyone is cheering and clapping her, they are shouting out in joy and praise for the amazing job she does. Laura’s frown turns to a smile as the team embrace each other. A few members come to shake her hand and congratulate her on securing this milestone contract. 

 

Laura, for the first time looks up and starts to praise the team, “I couldn’t have done it with out you all” she exhales, “Thank you everyone for your commitment and hard work”, she goes on to say. 

 

Laura, turns to move on her crutches again, and has this feeling of relief inside, this feeling of overwhelming joy and excitement. 

 

As she reaches the elevator, the doc and Daniel hold the doors open as Laura crutches her way in. Mike goes to enter as well, but Laura stops him, “Mike, pass me my bag, you stay here I need you to run the branch for the next couple of weeks.” 

 

Mike hands over the bag, wishing he was going with her, but in the same moment, relishing in the opportunity. 

 

Laura extends a hand toward Mike, “Congratulations Vice Branch Manager, you have deserved it and I know everything will be in good hands while I’m away”

 

Mike shakes her hand, unable to wipe the smile of his face, and then steps back out of the elevator. 

 

As the doors close on the elevator, the doors of life are just opening for Mike. 

 

The End.