Hes disabled now, and youre just twenty; you still have your whole life ahead of you.
William became disabled saving me! Emma burst out and dissolved into tears.
Emma, calm down! He told you himself not to visit him anymore. William doesnt want to be a burden. He doesnt want you pushing him around in a wheelchair.
Sit down, Emma! her mother, Susan, commanded. I know this is hard for you, and its hard for me, too. But we must make a decision.
Emma knew this herself, but what was there to decide? She couldnt turn back time, not even by a mere two months. She sat quietly.
I know you loved each other
Mum, why do you say that in the past tense?
Hes disabled now, sweetheart, and youve got your whole life ahead of you.
William became disabled saving me! Emma cried, tears streaming down her face.
Emma, please, calm down! He said it himself he doesnt want you to come anymore. William doesnt want to ruin your life. He doesnt want you pushing him around in a wheelchair.
They make bionic limbs nowadays, Mum; people can walk again, even after such injuries.
Even if he gets those prosthetics and learns to walk Susan, like any mother, only wanted happiness for her daughter if you marry him, youll be sharing a bed, but he wont even be able to get in the bath on his own. Picture that, love.
But I cant just leave him!
Emma, he doesnt want to hold you back. Didnt you both decide, back when he was healthy, to finish university first? Youve still got three years left to study. So keep studying, live your life. This will pass, I promise.
He opened his eyes. The hospital ceiling loomed above.
Two months of the same thing. At least the pains gone now. Theyll discharge me today or tomorrow. New semesters started at uni, my final year but I cant go yet. I need to walk for that. Just walk on my own legs, but I havent got any. Maybe I can study remotely? Other people manage.
He closed his eyes and again saw that scene, chasing him every day now.
The lorry, careering onto the pavement, and Emma, walking beside him. Hed managed to shove her from harms way
Eyes open. The hospital ceiling again.
I keep hoping Ill wake up and find it was all a nightmare. But no: its a new life now. No more university, no more sports, no more love… Nothing and then, a tiny glimmer of hope.
Maybe theyll give me those bionic legs. NHS is stretched and the private clinics are expensive and fast. They said Id need close to a hundred thousand pounds for both legs. My parents dont have that. So Ill just have to wait.
A kindly, older nurse entered. He felt a bit embarrassed hed managed just fine on his own in the hospital wheelchair for nearly a month now, but those first days were hard to forget.
She smiled warmly:
William, theyre letting you out today at least, thats what the nurses are saying. Guess this is goodbye. Now you push for those prosthetics, right? Youre only twenty-one your whole life is still ahead.
Thank you for everything, Aunt Liz!
Goodbye, William! Wishing you all the best!
The lunch lady arrived next with her trolley. She placed a tray on the stool near his bed.
Eat up! Bon appétit!
He sat up, lowering what was left of his legs. Lately, his appetite had returned; perhaps a sign his body was trying to recover.
After breakfast, the doctor came by. No examination just businesslike.
Im discharging you today. Heres a leaflet about what youll need to do next. Get those bionic legs fitted as soon as you can, before your muscles forget how to move.
Thats the main thing. Once you sort that, everything else will fall into place. Best if you can find the money NHS queues are impossible unless youre military.
Thank you for everything, Dr. Parker!
When the doctor left, William reached for his phone and rang his father.
Dad, Im being discharged.
Well be there right away. Son, well stop at the shop after to get you a wheelchair. I had a look already, but the assistant said youd be better off choosing for yourself.
Alright.
How will we get you to the car?
Ill wheel myself down just bring it back inside when I leave.
And soon, he was back home.
Everything in his room was just the same. His running shoes were exactly where hed left them, still waiting for the athletics training session hed planned to attend that day. The shoes didnt know hed never need them again.
He packed the shoes away and started familiarising himself with the wheelchair now, his new legs.
Suddenly, his phone chimed Emmas ringtone. Hed never found the heart to delete her number.
Hi, William, her timid voice came down the line.
Hi.
He could hear the hesitance, the uncertainty, even guilt in her voice and knew things would never be the same.
How are you?
Back home now. Trying out my new wheels.
William, can I come see you? still that anxiety, unsure of herself.
No, his voice was firm. Maybe, one day, if I can come to you myself, I will. Until then, please dont call. Alright?
Resolutely, he pressed the red button.
For several minutes he sat, motionless, then exhaled heavily and started preparing his new means of getting around.
Susan peeped into her daughters room. Emma stood there, numb, phone in hand.
Did you call him? Susan sighed.
Yes.
How is he?
He he told me not to ring again.
Are you hungry? Susan tried to change the subject.
No, Mum, Ill just lie down.
Susan went to the kitchen and stared out into the grey English sky, fighting back tears only for her husband to drive up at that very moment. She rushed to the hob hed be wanting dinner.
He entered, kissing her on the neck:
Is Emma at home? Still gloomy?
Yes. She rang William hes been discharged.
And?
He wouldnt talk to her, told her not to ring again, she turned to her husband. David, maybe its for the best.
No, Susan, this is worse. Well feel guilty forever for how things turned out.
So what do we do?
Ill sort this, he said firmly.
***
John and Mary Turner Williams parents were having dinner.
Hows he doing? asked Mary.
Spends all day on his laptop, John replied. The university emails his assignments.
Did he say anything?
Mary, what can we do? she asked, hoping for an answer.
Im at a loss. Taking out a loan for a hundred grand, with these interest rates, wed be paying three grand a month for thirty years. Our salaries could never stretch that far. He should still live a full life, legs or no legs.
Then what? What are we supposed to do?
I could go up to London. Theyre hiring in a couple of months wages are far better, maybe two grand a month. Perhaps more in time.
Thats not much more than we get now, Mary calculated.
Still, itd cover living and repay some of the loan. Wed make do.
But youd end up paying three times what we borrow, Mary pointed out.
What else can we do?
Youre nearly fifty, John. Planning to work till youre eighty?
The courts should order compensation from the lorry driver he said, not sounding convinced.
I looked into it. They wouldnt award more than fifteen thousand, and even then wed need to prove every penny weve spent.
What kind of proof?
Income statements, receipts, doctors letters, she added sadly. Itll drag on for years.
Within a couple of weeks, William became a pro at using his wheelchair controlling it well enough to get down from the first floor and back up again on his own.
He went out for walks twice a day, learned to cook his own meals he had to help his parents out while they were at work.
Then one day, when his parents were out, the intercom in the hallway buzzed.
Who is it?
William, its David Foster, Emmas fathers voice replied.
Come up!
The last person hed expected was Emmas father. Hed always assumed David was posh and snobbish.
Hello, William! David entered, offering his hand.
Hello, Mr Foster! Please, take a seat.
How are you doing?
Getting used to things! William managed.
Let me get straight to it, David said. Have you heard about bionic leg prosthetics?
I have, yes.
Theres a clinic I know they can sort everything for you.
Do you know how much that costs? Williams frustration nearly slipped through.
I do. Ill pay for it.
Are you serious? William stared at him for a minute, then asked Why would you do that?
William, whether you and my daughter end up together is your choice. But you saved her life. Im in your debt.
Mr Foster, I dont know what to say.
Get your things my cars downstairs. Well go sort everything out.
Nothings ever that quick, of course, even when the bills are paid.
It was another month before the new legs were ready. William asked the specialist at the rehab centre:
Will I ever walk like I used to?
What do you want from your new legs, William?
I want my old life back. I want to walk, play sport see Emma again.
Well, its mid-October now. If you really work at it, youll be able to see Emma by Christmas, and maybe play sport again by spring.
Ill do it, William promised.
Lets get started then.
There was a long way to go standing, then walking, finally running. But now, he had a goal; something to fight for.
The semester ended, the winter exams were ahead but that could wait until after Christmas. University holidays were at the end of January; still, a few days off for New Year never hurt.
Emma, arent you spending New Years with us? someone from her class asked.
No, not this year.
Suit yourself.
Emma put on her coat and made her way to the exit. Her thoughts turned, as ever, to William and the coming New Year.
“Why hasnt he called? He said if he ever came to see me again itd be on his own two feet That just isnt going to happen now. Dad paid for his prosthetics, but learning to walk on new legs, especially two, will take ages.
She suddenly remembered those last days, the happy days, together:
He always waited for me outside the building. Helped me down the steps always worried Id fall.
She stepped outside and involuntarily turned her head William was standing in his old spot. She ran to him and hugged him.
I came for you, Emma.
I knew you would, William!
And then a kiss, warm and true.
They walked together down the steps, William steadying her just as he used to, as if afraid she might stumble and fall.
Outside, snow was falling. Her heart felt lighter than it had in months.
They spent New Years Eve at Emmas parents flat both sets of parents together. The parents watched their children, full of joy, and realised they had overcome the hardest of tests that love, courage, and hope can carry us through even the darkest times.
Lifes greatest challenges can break us apart or bring us closer together the choice is always ours.
