The follow-up appointment came three days later. Hasley’s ankle felt much better, though she still walked with a slight limp as she entered the clinic. She had followed Markus’s instructions to the letter—ice, rest, and elevation and the swelling had gone down nicely. Part of her was relieved it was healing, but another part felt a tiny flutter of nerves at the thought of seeing him again.
The same nurse led her to the exam room. When Dr. Markus walked in, he looked just as steady and kind as before, though there were faint shadows under his eyes that suggested a long shift.
“Hasley, good to see you,” he said with that warm smile. “How’s the ankle holding up?”
She sat on the table and let him check it, his touch professional but gentle. “A lot better, thanks to your advice. I actually m
