Chapter 20 - THE FIRST THREE STEPSThe walker arrived on a Monday.
Rosalie hated it.
“It looks old.”
The therapist laughed.
“It’s temporary.”
“Still ugly.”
Dante ordered a custom one.
Rosalie yelled at him.
“I don’t need a luxury walker!”
Dante canceled it.
Progress.
Two days later, Rosalie attempted her first step.
Left foot.
Nothing.
Again.
Tiny movement.
Right.
Nothing.
She cried.
Tried again.
Three days later—
left foot forward.
Two inches.
Dante stopped breathing.
Then right.
One inch.
Rosalie froze.
The therapist whispered:
“Again.”
Left.
Three inches.
Rosalie’s knees shook violently.
Her arms gripped the walker.
Dante moved closer.
The therapist stopped him.
“Let her.”
Rosalie took another.
Then another.
Three steps.
That was all.
Her legs collapsed.
The therapist caught her.
Dante reached them.
Rosalie was laughing and crying.
“I walked.”
Three steps.
No miracle sprint.
No sudden recovery.
Three trembling steps.
Dante knelt and kissed her forehead.
“You walked.”
Eli stood near the wall.
Rosalie looked at him.
“You prayed for strength.”
He smiled.
“Looks like you’re using it.”
Dante turned away.
Tears.
May you like
Again.
He was becoming embarrassingly human.
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