Meanwhile...
Mac was having one of his off days. He woke up with a rage, that not only peeved off Stella, but Melina too. Not being able to dress, started his temper. His fingers just wouldn't cooperate. They were stiff, and sore. Frustration was setting in, big time. His wrath... his wife, cause she was right beside him.
"Here Mac, let me help you."
"No... I don't need your help. Don't touch me. Always you want to help, Stella. I can do it myself. Just worry about your own self. Get out, and leave me to dress. I'm not an invailed or your Ken doll."
"Okay, you know what? Go to hell Mac. Take your self righteous attitude and stuff it where the sun don't shine."
Walking downstairs Melina, MJ and the kids had heard the arguement.
"Are you okay, Stella?"
"It's nothing. Mac's just having one of his moods, I'm fine."
"You can't be fine Stella, you're very angry."
"I'll be alright, I need to start breakfast."
Walking into the kitchen, she didn't look back.
Hearing Mac cursing as he came down in his chair, Melina could see the frustration on his face. Knowing this was going to be one of those sessions, she sighed deep. "Wish me luck, honey."
"You'll be alright, Melina. I'll be close by."
Heading into the den, they started their session.
"Alright Mac, I need you to grab the bars, and just stand straight. Try not to walk this time, just stand. We need to get your form right, else you will always lean forward. You need to have proper balance."
He was getting right pissed off, that Melina wouldn't let him walk with the bars. He had walked them several times. So what if he was leaning forward. What the hell did it matter as long as he was walking. Seeing his frustration, she said...
"Please Mac. You need to calm down. You need to remember that balance is just as important as taking steps. If we don't get you to stand straight soon. We can't move on without the bars. Balance is important. Do you ever see a toddler leaning over while they walk? No, right? So let's try again."
"Nno... no more baby sssteps, either you hhelp, or you gget the hell out. Nooooooooow!!"
"Sit down Mac. I'm not going to let you bully me. So sit down and relax, you don't want to make me angry, not right now. Just calm down, you have your wife pissed at you, not to mention you're scaring your grandchildren. Sit down and be a man, instead of acting like a spoiled child."
Falling back in the chair, Mac gripped his head, as the stabbing pain overtook him. Reaching for his pills, Melina gave him two, instead of one and a half. Less then a half hour later, he was calming down.
Looking towards Melina, who was still sitting in front of him, he whispered...
"I'm ssorry if I hurt you, I didn't mmean too. It's jjjust at times I get so pissed off with mmmyself. Especially wwhen those I love try to help. I dddon't want it. Why ccan't you just let me mmmove ahead, wwhy are you always tttrying to hold me back?"
"I'm not trying to hold you back Mac. In order to walk a straight line, you have to have balance. With the way your body bends over, walking straight isn't possible. Those bars are the only thing holding you up. If you tried to walk without them, you would fall forward. We need to build your back muscles again, and your spine. You've been idle for months. You just can't expect to get up and walk away. It doesn't work that way."
"Wwell it should. I should be up ppplaying with my granchildren. Tttaking them places, having fuuun with them. I should be able to chchchase my wife around the house, love her in ppplaces like I use too. Bbbut now I can't do any of that. All bbbecause I can't God damn walk. Life is unfair, has bbbeen unfair to me, and my fffamily. It just makes me hate ttthe world around me sssometimes. I want to live again Mmmelina. I want to go bbback to yesterday," he cried.
Melina was in tears with him. How could she not be, when she understood. This was the first time Mac had actually been open and honest with his pain, to her. Leaving Melina to know, that he was taking a huge step into healing his inner wounds.
"Look at me Mac. I promise you that you will get back to all your yesterday. But it's going to take time. If you spent less time fighting my instruction, and put more of that anger into doing, you'd succeed alot faster. You need to learn to channel your pain, your anger into our exercises."
Sighing deep, he knew Melina was right. But it was always easier to hear it, then to do it.
"Now let's try again, Mac. Up on the bars, straighten your back."
Pulling himself up, he stood straight, for all of a few seconds. So much pain, he felt as the muscles stretched. Leaning back over, he sat back down.
"That was good Mac. Now let's get you up on the little bed, so I can massage your back muscles."
Helping him up on the bed, he laid on his stomach, and closed his eyes. Motioning her finger to Stella, she came in and watched what Melina was doing. After a few minutes of watching, she left Stella to take over.
Massaging her husbands back, he noticed the difference right away. Opening his eyes, he seen his wife.
"I'm sssorry ffor yeeling at you ttthis mmorning, llove. I shshshouldn't have tttaken it out on you. I lllove you."
Leaning down, she kissed his heated lips, and embraced him.
"I know you are Mac. So am I for telling you where to shove it? she laughed. I love you too. No matter how much of an angry bear you become."
"Mhm... you know hhow mmmuch ttthat would hurrt rrriiiight?" he grinned.
Continuing to work his muscles, he closed his eyes again, enjoying the quiet moment of his wife's beautiful therapy.