Disabled.

Fifty-Four

Where are we going? she had texted in reply to his message about going on a date.

Mason: It's going to be a surprise

Nadia: Why can't you just tell me? I'm not good with surprises

Mason: No, you'll just have to wait 

Nadia: Do I need to do anything? Or bring anything?

Mason: No, just be ready by 7:30pm. I'll pick you up. Now get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night Nadia ❤️️

Nadia: Okay...Good night Mason ❤️️

Why couldn't he just tell her? she thought to herself as she felt a smile on her lips. She opened the Netflix app on her phone to pass the time as she waited for her mother to return.

 ---

It was 7:30pm on the dot when the bell rang through her house. She wheeled herself out of her room, ready for this date full of surprises just in time to find her mother opening the door to reveal Mason standing in the doorway. He smiled at her mother as she allowed him to enter.

"Hi Mrs Portman," he greeted her.

"Hi Mason, it's nice to see you. So can you tell me where you guys are going for this date? Or what you're doing? I'm really curious since you need my car."

He was going to drive her mother's car?

"I'm sorry Mrs Portman, but that would ruin the surprise for Nadia. I can see that she's listening to us," he said, looking at her with a bright smile. She smiled back at him, now even more curious about this date.

"Alright, just drive safely and have fun."

"Thanks Mrs Portman, I promise to bring her back in one piece," Mason said as her mother passed him the keys to the car. He turned his attention back to her.

"Are you ready, Nadia?" 

She nodded as she pushed herself towards him.

"Yeah, I'm ready." 

They said their goodbyes to her mother before making their way to the car. Mason unlocked it and opened the door for Nadia to wheel her chair inside before he made his way to the driver's side. As she buckled her seat belt, she couldn't hold back her amusement as she watched him adjust the mirrors.

"I didn't know you had your license*," she said to him. 

"I got it recently and I didn't have the chance to tell you with everything that had happened," he told her. When she was reminded of everything that had happened to them, she suddenly felt down. As if he had sensed it, he held onto her hand and squeezed it gently.

"From now on, I don't want you to think about anything else. Just focus on what's going on now." 

She smiled as she squeezed his hand as well.

"Okay, then tell me what's going on."

"You'll find out when we get there," he said, sticking out his tongue to tease her. She laughed at his childish behavior. He let go of her hand to place both hands on the steering wheel as he turned the car on and pulled away from the curb. 

They had been driving for fifteen minutes when she suddenly felt her heart beats accelerate as she suddenly found it difficult to breathe. 

"Mason," she called out his name, feeling her hands suddenly becoming clammy. He turned to look at her and when he saw her slumped over, trying to breathe, he couldn't hide his worry.