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The sun’s warmth touched his face. He crossed his legs, watching as the Legion therapist finished the exercise. Sweat dripped from Ryker’s pale face, flattening her hair against her skull in the Georgia heat. She struggled to stand without her walker, her body’s muscles failing to respond to commands the way they once did.
Resisting the urge to run forward, he waited and allowed the therapist to do his job. Clenching his jaw, he watched him guiding Ryker’s trembling legs forward on the soft outdoor track.
And, just like that, Ryker took two steps.
One side of her face raised in the half-grin Austin loved to see, and she glanced at him with wide eyes. The opposite side of her face slouched, the muscles no longer responding. The doctors said Ryker’s facial status was permanent.
Noddi
