Broken String

CLXX

God, this is taking forever. Eddy has been in his room, well, their room by now, really, for an hour with the doorbell ringing every few minutes, alternating between tweaking the Tchaik video and getting up and pacing impatiently.
Pacing is great, though.
It's the best feeling in the word that okay, the chair may still be in the corner but he hasn't used it at all today. In fact he gets up now with ease and walks over to the balcony to look out over the park he visited again earlier today with Brett. Standing barely hurts at all anymore, like every time he's gotten up today and yesterday has decreased the pain. He smiles as he walks through the doors into the night. There is noise coming from behind him. The party must be getting going, but Todd has been adamant that A) everybody needs to be there before he does his trick and B) he can't be there before he does his trick because he has an Uno face.
To be honest, Eddy is still far from sure whether he likes this trick. Wouldn't it be better to just tell people one by one? But then... Todd usually knows his shit. So he's rolling with it.
He swivels around in shock when there's a knock at the door.
"Um. Come in?"
The door opens just as he steps back into the room and Anita comes in. She looks him up and down, her eyes spread open wide and her mouth falls open.
"Wai... wha?"
"Hey." he says as he walks towards her with a smile. "Surprise. I would have called you but Todd wouldn't let me, before the party. I didn't know you'd be here!"
"Eddy. Wait. Stop. You're... you're walking!"
"Yeah." He gestures to the office chair and he himself sits down on the bed. "I can't quite believe it myself, yet. After... I mean, I texted you what the doctor said, right? The physio got me walking and the doctor was right. I can basically walk again already."
"I'm... whoa." she stammers palely. So... what happened then? Conversion disorder?"
Eddy nods. This is still a sore spot, because it doesn't matter what the others have said, it doesn't matter if he knows they are right, because it doesn't change the guilt he feels about the fact he brought all this on himself. And the others in the process. It even overshadows the relief, sometimes.
"It's been tough." he finds himself saying instead of all the other truths that are floating around his head. Why are there tears, pressing? It's all good now, right?
"God, honey." She gets up and walks over, sits down next to him and puts an arm around him. "I know that. I've seen that. Of course it's been tough. What else did you expect?"
He shrugs.
"That I would be fine as soon as I could walk. And I am. But..."
"Eddy. This is something you'll have to digest, yeah? And tonight is a start of that, by showing yourself to the world."
"I have to sit in the chair again. Todd is adamant."
"Todd is adamant about many things." she grins. "But then he's usually got a point."
"That he does. It's not mean?"
She shakes her head.
"No, it's not mean. You'll be making lots of people happy. And Eddy... don't forget, these are mostly people that know you in passing, yeah? The people that matter all know already. These people are simply here for a good time. They'll be happy for you and their life will go on. As it should."
"Just like they were sad for me and then their life went on?"
"Exactly like that." she nods with the kindest, most benign smile. A knowing smile. A shiver of something pulls through Eddy because he knows she understands and why. "I'm glad I came tonight and got the surprise. I'm sure they'll all feel the same."
"I'm glad you came, too. I can't believe you did."
She chuckles lightly.
"Oh well. Teen parties have always been my thing." she says with the most serious of faces. It makes Eddy burst out laughing. 
"Excuse me, I'm twenty, thank you very much."
"Oh, so sorry, Mr. Very Grown Up. How could I!"