"What do you want, honey?"
The girl looks away from her mother. She looks around the mostly empty coffee shop, locks her eyes on me, and stares. I don't know why she doesn't tear them away, it's as if she recognizes that I'm broken inside. Just like her.
"I want to die."
"Sweetheart, I know today was rough, but you're making progress. It's going to take time."
"Today was rough?" She squeals and I hear the angst in her voice. I wince internally because no one should have to burden that much pain. "The last six months have been rough, and I still can't walk. I hate this thing." She bangs her palm down on the arm of the chair. "I hate my life. I don't want to live like this. Why can't you just let me die?"
"Oh, hell no!" Without thinking I hand the girl I've been talking to the book in my hand, push past her and advance toward this poor broken soul. I know I don't have anything to offer her. Not one thing. Not one reason why she should stick it out and fight, but I have to go to her. Maybe I could make this moment better. If I can make her smile right now, five minutes from now might not feel so empty and bad.
"I'll be right back," the mother says sniffling as she heads to the bathroom.
Way to guilt your daughter into submission. At least she's leaving an opening for me. Perfect, I think as I stride over to the girl in the chair. She looks so small and fragile with her eyes downcast staring at her hands in her lap. Game face on, I bend down in front of her. Her head slowly moves up and I find myself staring into her eyes.
"Why are you here?" She snaps. "Do you really want to make me feel worse and more useless just so you and your girlfriend can have a good laugh?"
I shake my head and look at her through my lashes, I give her half a smile. It's the one the girls swoon over. "I just came to check out your wheels. They look awesome."
"Nice, mock the crippled, loser girl. Asshole."
I bring my face closer to hers so that we're almost nose to nose, and turn serious. "First of all, I don't waste my time with losers. Second of all, I don't take kindly to being called names, and third of all, what this all tells me is, you don't know how to have fun."
"What the hell do you find fun about not being able to walk?"
"Let me show you." I reach for her hands and place them around my neck. Now hold on tight, and no matter what, don't let go."
She shrieks as I pull her up and sweep her into my arms. "For starters, I can take you for the ride of your life." I sit down and settle her on my lap.
"Oh my God! You're crazy."
She looks horrified, but she's still holding on.
"Can you get the door for us? I'm going to need a little more room," I ask the girl I've ignored since this delicate creature entered the coffee shop. She doesn't answer, doesn't move as she looks on nervous and confused. "Fine, I'll do It myself." I huff as I use my forearms to power the wheels toward the door. I need to get this girl out of here quick, before her mother can stop me.
"No, no, no. I got it."
I stop for a brief moment to thank her before turning my attention back to the girl on my lap and getting us out the front door of the coffee shop.
"You have a good grip?"
She nods.
"Good. Here we go."
I push us along on the sidewalk picking up speed. When I think I'm going fast enough, I quickly jerk the wheels in the opposite direction and shift my weight, lifting the front of the chair into the air. She shrieks at first, and hides her face in the crook of my neck as if she's afraid. Her squeals quickly turn to laughter as we spin around in a circle.
"See," I say. "Fun."
"Laura!" A woman's voice rings out loud and frightened. "Oh. My. God. Laura! "
I stop turning the chair and hold the girl close to me allowing the small front wheels to meet the ground again.
"Laura? That's your name?"
She nods with the hint of a smile. Of course it is. Karma's idea of a practical joke. Karma's not just a bitch, she a mega-bitch.
"Well, listen, Laura. It sucks to have limitations, but you can't give up. You can't ever give up."
It's all I can get out before Laura's mother is in my face screaming while I do my best to tune her out.
". . . . permanent damage . . . have you arrested."
I'm prepared to fight whatever her mother wants to throw my way, but Laura's response stuns me. Before I have a chance to tell this old bag to fuck off, Laura stands up to her. Seems like my plan to add a little fight back into the girl's spirit worked. She's ready to brawl.
"I asked him to."
"I don't believe that. He's a stranger. You don't even know him."
"Wrong. He was a therapist in the hospital."
"Then why don't I know him?"
"He used to come work with me at night after visiting hours."
I look on, listening with interest, not only in where this conversation is headed, but in trying to understand the role I'm supposed to play. Her mother looks between us. I can see she doesn't believe her daughter, but she isn't calling Laura's bluff. Yet.
"I hope nothing inappropriate went on when I wasn't there. She was underage at the time. You can go to jail you know."
"SHUT UP!" Laura shouts. I can tell just from the little interaction between these two, Laura's problem isn't her legs, it's her mother. Seems Laura and I have a lot in common. "You need to back off. There's nothing inappropriate, nothing dirty about what we just did. He made me laugh. That's all. For the first time in half a year I had thirty seconds of fun until you ruined it. Just like you ruin everything."
Her mother can't hide the bite of her daughter's words.
"Hey," I pull Laura's attention back to myself. "Here's what I want you to remember. Even though things might suck right now, you're life isn't over. It's still possible to have fun. You just can't give up. Ever. Understand?"
She nods, and hugs me. "I don't know why you give a shit, but thank you."
"Laura!" her mother scolds.
"What, Mom? I'm over eighteen now, did you forget my birthday was two weeks ago? Or do you think it no longer counts that I'm a legal adult because my legs negate every other functioning part of my body?"
"I don't like this. He shouldn't have taken you out of that shop, and you should not be sitting in his lap."
"Can you bring us back into the coffee shop? I'm not up for a scene."
"Sure." I move to stand, but she tightens her grip around my neck. "Please don't," her voice is soft and sad. "It's been so long since anyone held me like this. Can I just pretend for another few minutes that maybe my useless legs don't repulse you?"
"Hey." I stare into her eyes, "There's no need to pretend. You're beautiful. And there isn't anything repulsive about you. Got it?"
She darts her eyes away. I can feel the sadness take over her once again. Damn it. I had her in a good place and her mother fucking ruined it.
"I mean it." I say once we're back inside the coffee shop. "Any guy would be lucky you give him the time of day."
She smirks in response. She doesn't believe me. Okay. So much for trying to impress the other girl who probably thinks I have some strong sexual predator tendencies after listening to Laura's mother's rant. Right now, it's all about keeping Laura happy and in the moment.
"Do you have a phone?"