Only You

Curveball

Florence's POV

I'd only just finished going over another design in black fine liner for the back tattoo Leah's been hinting at when the door creaked open again.

I looked up from my sketchpad, expecting another nurse checking my blood pressure or offering the worst cup of tea known to humankind. But it was Leah.

And she wasn't alone.

Dr Henners was right beside her, with kind eyes and tired smile. In his hands he was holding a clipboard and there was something tight in his expression. It wasn't grim. But it wasn't neutral, either. It was... focused. Serious. And Leah... Leah was practically vibrating, like she was holding something in that wanted to explode out of her.

I sat up a little straighter, struggling not to notice the dead weight beneath my waist, heart thumping. "What's going on?"

Leah's eyes were already glassy, but she smiled. She came to sit beside me, grabbing my hand in both of hers. She didn't speak yet. She let the Dr Henners take the lead.

"We've been reviewing your latest scans, Florence-" he began gently. "And... we've found something we weren't expecting."

My stomach dropped.

"Good unexpected or...?"

"Promising," he said, nodding. "There's an area in your lower spine where the cord isn't completely severed. There's compression, swelling, trauma, and an extensive build up of scar tissue... but it's possible, with time and intensive therapy, that some function might return."

I blinked. Once. Twice.

Leah gave my hand a squeeze, like she knew I was still trying to make sense of the words.

"I- what are you saying?"

He softened, his voice careful and clear. "We can't guarantee a full recovery. But with surgery to relieve all the compression, and the right rehabilitation, there's a chance you could regain movement. Maybe even walk again."

I stared at him.

Then at Leah.

Then back at him.

And suddenly, the air was too thick and too bright and everything crashed in at once.

"You're serious?" I choked out. "You're not—this isn't just false hope?"

"We wouldn't tell you this if it wasn't real," he said firmly. "It's early, but it's there. It's possible."

And just like that, the tears came, hot and unstoppable, rushing down my cheeks in waves I didn't even try to control.

Leah wrapped her arms around me before I could even wipe them away, holding me so tightly it almost hurt, but I didn't care. I clung to her like she was the only real thing in the world.

"I thought it was over" I whispered into her shoulder. "I thought that part of my life was gone forever."

"I know" she said, her voice cracking. "But it's not. It's not."

The doctor gave us a moment, stepping quietly out of the room.

"I can't believe this" I said, leaning back just enough to see her face. "I was making peace with it. I was trying. But now-"

"You don't have to decide anything yet" she said, brushing the tears from my cheeks. "But I wanted you to know there's still a future out there. One where you get to choose."

I looked at her, really looked.

And for the first time since waking up in that hospital bed, I let myself believe I might not be broken beyond repair.