Book Club

-ELIOT-

"Did you break you legs?" Molly asks me, taking her thumb out of her mouth.

Molly is my cousin, my aunt and uncle went on a cruise and left Molly with us.

"No."

"Are you getting a, um-" She trails off, and sticks her thumb back in her mouth.

"A cast?" I help her find the word.

"Yeah." She mumbles.

"No, I'm not."

"Can I have a turn?" She asks, bouncing up and down with excitement.

I shake my head. "Sorry Mo, but I need it."

"Oh."

She sits down on the couch, disappointed, and continues to sucks her little thumb. I need to think of something fast, to distract-

"Can we race?" She asks and tilts her head one side.

I nod my head. "Sure."

She jumps up from the couch and bounces to the hallway.

"First one to end the hall wins." She says.

"Okay." I place my hands on the handrims of my chair and push myself back, ready to lunge forward with speed.

"Ready...set.............GO!" She yells and sprints forward as I push myself with all my strength.

My chair swivels through the hall, as it's not made for racing. Molly smacks her hands on the wall at the end of the hallway, showing that she's won.

She jumps up and down, celebrating her win.

"Good game." I smile at her and hold out my hand.

Instead of shaking it, she gives me a sideways high five and giggles.

"Can I have a chair too?" She asks.

I shake my head and laugh. "Why do want one?" I ask, amused.

She puts her finger on her chin as if she's thinking deeply. "So we can match." She says finally.

I laugh and lead her into Susan's office.

Susan is my mother. My parents make me call them by their first names, it was weird at first but I got used to it.

"Here." I say, pointing to her wheelie chair. "You can use that one."

"Oooo!" She climbs onto the chair and spins around, her little legs not touching the ground.

"This is fun!" She exclaims, giggling.

"Not always." I mumble quietly so she can't hear.

***