Walker: Secrets

Chapter 59

Things slowly began to fall back into place as the week progressed, two weeks having passed now since Maddie had been able to return home. The day out at the Ranger fair had been great but definitely too much for her and so the next couple of days she had to spend resting, much to her annoyance. She wanted to get out, wanted to do things. She was frustrated and angry. Frustrated at her limitations and angry that she didn't seem to be getting any better. Though her family assured her that it was okay, she still believed she was a burden on them with everything they had to help her with. She hated being helpless. 

It would take time the doctors said but being patient hadn't ever been one of her virtues. She wanted to be able to walk again, get out of that wheelchair and stop being reliant on her family to help her with every little thing. The house they had rented wasn't wheelchair friendly at best even though they'd rearranged the furniture in an attempt to make things easier on her. If she was downstairs and wanted to get something from her room she either had to ask someone else to grab it or have someone carry her up the stairs back to her room. 

Though she was trying her best to control it and not show it to her family, her frustration at her limitations was beginning to get the better of her. 

What could she do about it though? Every spare minute she had she would spend going over the exercises she had been given, Abeline, Bonham and Liam having had to force her to stop and rest on more then one occasion. She was pushing herself, pushing herself hard. Not only that, but she was pushing her family and friends away too. Though they were trying hard to understand and be accommodating to her things were beginning to become even more strained than what they already were in their family.

Cordell hadn't been himself either since the day of the fair and after a couple days, admitted to the reason why. He and Geri had broken up. With everything that had been going on Geri had decided to call things off, asking for a break. That, on top of everything else they were going through, just added to the strain they all were already under. 

When would life return to normal?

~~~~~~

A couple days had passed by before Maddie was well enough to go back to the stables, her day out at the Ranger's Fair having tired her far more than she cared to admit. After much persistence though and reassuring her grandparents that if she started to feel sick she would get them to come pick her up, they'd reluctantly agreed to let her go spend some time with her horses. 

Bel and Hope had both already been turned out before she'd gotten there but Mika had left Dakota in for her to tend to. Being stuck in a wheelchair greatly reduced what she was able to do but she was trying to manage as best she could and thankfully Dakota was very patient with her. On her own she managed to catch the mare and lead her out of her stall, tying her up outside as Mika walked up the aisle.

'Oh here, let me do that-'

'No, no, it's fine.' Maddie assured her as Mika tried to take the mare's lead. 'I've got it. I've done it a thousand times before.'

Mika lent against the wall of the stall, watching while her friend struggled for a moment tying a quick release knot. 'I could have done it for you, you know.'

'I'm sick of having people do everything for me.' She exclaimed as she finished the knot. It wasn't as tidy or tight as her knots usually were but it would do. 'I just want things to go back to normal.'

'They won't, you know...' She replied softly. 'As much as you hate it, you need to realize that. Things can't go back to what they were.'

Maddie knew she was right. As much as she hated to admit it, having cancer changed everything.