Richard sits down at the table and pours tea from the teapot into my glass. “What’s the big news?” he asks me, as he plunks a sugar cube into my cup. I look into his eyes and smile.
“I may be able to walk again” I let out a small and relieved giggle, and I watch his expressions slowly drop from his face. He takes a deep breath and puts his hand on mine, that was resting on the table.
“Are you sure you aren’t… being pranked or something?” He asks quietly, looking around him to make sure nobody heard.
“Of course not” I say stubbornly, “The doctors have told me everything and my first operation is in a few months”
“Oh” his voice brightens up, and he smiles, squeezing my hand.
Richard stands from the table and walks around to me, he presses a gentle kiss against my cheek, I feel the warmth of his lips burn onto my skin. I suddenly feel confused. I am no longer angry, I can feel a happiness towards him, I feel forgiving and like I want to start again, he has apologised to me before, and I can’t help but love him. I know I love him. He is all I have ever dreamed of.
He looks at me with his glossy dark eyes and speaks with the voice of an angel. “Maybe I should give you a chance” he contemplates what he has said, then nods at me and smiles. I look him in the eyes searching for the act, of it all being fake, but it’s not. He’s being genuine. As I start to ease a smile he speaks again, “we should probably wait until the stress of your operations are over with though”
I always knew it was the wheelchair. It always has been. However I have a chance now, and I won’t let anything ruin it.
And so with this in mind I sit with Richard telling him all about what the doctor has said. He starts to tell me about his travelling and how he’s not going to travel any further until he knows I am okay, suddenly a thought pops into my head.
“Where are you staying?” I ask him.
“A hotel down the road, its annoyingly expensive, I’m spending a lot of my travel money by staying there”
“Well that’s what I thought” I announce my new idea, “Why don’t you stay with me? It’s free, you’ll be with me and you get tea every day”
“Erm, I need to think about it”
Richard looks around the room awkwardly, I smile scarily at him, and he stands up. “I need to go, bye.” Richard runs like the wind out of the café. Hm. I think to myself for a few moments to get myself to grips, however I am not upset, just confused. I leave the café and make my way back home.
I wheel myself into the front door and pull my phone from my bag. ‘3 missed Facetime. From Dad.’ I slide across the screen to call dad back, he picks up instantly.
“Hey sweetie! Thought you’d be missing me” He speaks so happily, sat in his chair back home, “I’m coming to you early. I hope theres a spare bed at your house!” Before I could reply he spoke again, “Look sweet I have really low battery so I’ll give you a call when I land on Friday, see you soon!” he hangs up and I throw my phone to the couch.
Annoyed that dad’s visiting early I push myself to the television where I start watching my box set of Big Bang Theory. I hear my phone get a text so have to pause the programme to check it. It’s from Richard saying, “Hear your dad is coming over Friday, guess that means I can’t stay at yours L xx”
Of bloody course. I only have one spare bed so now my plan is ruined. Great.
The phone rings, I realise that I’ve suddenly gained signal, and that’s why everything is coming through at once. I pick up to hear my doctor’s voice. “Can you come in Thursday at 9am please so we can arrange your operation date, it is likely to be in a couple weeks.”
“Yeah, sure, can the operation not be done any sooner?”
“Probably, I think we could fit you in Friday morning, probably around 5 or 6?”
“Brilliant”
Having my operation so soon means I can tell dad that he can’t come till I’m better and Richard can stay. I text him saying “Think you miss-heard the news, my operation is Friday morning, dad isn’t coming for couple of weeks x”
I then text my dad saying “Operation Friday, will be recovering, no use you coming yet, leave it a few weeks please. Love you.”
I get a reply from Richard, “You’ll be recovering, I don’t think I should stay while you’re recovering xx” I send back to him: “I’ll probably be fine, the first operation isn’t too serious x”
Richard keeps replying with excuses but each time I knock it down with more of a reason for him to come round. He’s not smart enough for me. I will make sure he stays round.
YOU ARE READING
Feeling
Short StoryIt's not like life wasn't difficult enough already. Of course even people that live their life only to help others still have to suffer horrible consequences from doing absolutely nothing wrong.
