One Step Forward

Chapter 6. One Step Forward

***

Linc managed to take his foot off the foot rest of the wheel chair and put it on the floor. He looked up at me with desperation in his eyes. "I can't do this."

"Linc, you are doing it."

"You don't understand, Mya. It feels like my leg weighs two hundred pounds. It's like trying to move a heavy object or as if there are no nerves in my leg. I can't explain it."

"I understand, okay? But you have to keep trying."

He sighed and moved the other foot to the floor. I flipped the rests up so he could stand. I placed my hands out for him to take. 

He looked warily at my hands. "Yeah, right. Like you'll catch me if I fall."

"I will," I vowed.

He placed his hands in mine and I had to help him a great deal to stand, but he did it for just a brief moment. He started to collapse and I instantly caught him and lowered him back to the chair.

"Fuck," he muttered.

"Don't cuss," I told him and glanced around to be sure nobody heard him.

"Well, excuse me," he muttered. "I'm sorry."

"Are you kidding? You did great. Don't sweat it. This is the first time we tried. Are you too tired to try again?" I asked.

"I don't know."

"Well we could go over there." I gestured to an area with two bars that go across the room that help people use their arms to support themselves as they try to walk.

"Sure. Let's try that."

I took him over to the area and helped him out of his chair. He grabbed each railing and used a lot of his arm strength to support himself. 

Linc made it about halfway before his entire frame began to tremble. "Mya, I can't."

"You can. You're almost there. Theres a chair for you at the end. You can sit and rest."

Linc took a deep breath and moved one step forward. I came up to him and placed my hands on his hips to support him a little. Linc's eyes locked with mine. "What are you doing?" he murmured.

Normally, I kept a distance, but I didn't want him to fall. He was doing so well. I knew if he made it to the end, it would build his self-esteem and he needed that. However, the close contact put a lot of tension between us. 

***Flashback***

A memory of the first time we kissed, came to mind. We were at an indoor ice rink. Linc was teaching me how to skate. I started to fall but he grabbed my arms and I clutched onto his hips. 

He steadied me and smirked. "You klutz," he teased.

"Shut up, Linc. That's not fair. I've never done this. It was your stupid idea."

"It wasn't stupid," he murmured and his eyes flickered to my lips.

"You sure about that?"

His eyes flickered back to mine. "I needed some excuse to have you in my arms. I figured this was my best chance."

My lips parted in shock. We were so young and I had never been kissed, but I dreamt a thousand times about kissing the boy I had grown to be best friends with, which was Linc. We had known each other our entire lives. He always wanted to know everything about me and he knew me well. Just as I knew him.

"You never needed an excuse," I said and smiled.

He caught my face between his hands and lowered his soft lips to mine.