Paralyzed

Chapter 17 : Progress

Chapter 17

Later...   

Riker POV

"Ok. Close your eyes," Avery said.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want the x to influence your feeling."

I shut my eyes and Avery started going up my leg like she did the other day. My heart was actually starting to race a little bit because I was nervous that maybe I wouldn't be able to feel anything until above the x and I was losing feeling. That was still my biggest fear even though everybody has told me I'm not going to lose more feeling than I already have.

"Stop," I said, opening my eyes.

I looked down. Avery's finger was about 2 inches below the x from the other day.

"Wait. So I'm really making progress!?"

"Looks like it," Avery said, drawing a new x in sharpie.

"I seriously didn't think I did."

"I know. You need to be more hopeful. When people recover from injuries like this, it takes time, Riker. Your body is still healing."

"I know. It's just hard to wait. I want to be better already."

"I know. But you're doing good."

"Thanks."

I wrapped my arms around Avery and hugged her tight.

"I need to tell Ross about this," I said, taking out my phone.

I took a picture of the x's and sent it to Ross.

"Is he still awake? It's kind of late," Avery said.

"No, they're usually up this late on tour. Shows can be late, then everyone's hungry and wants food, then they go to bed."

My phone dinged. It was Ross.

"I have no idea what I'm looking at," he texted.

"The top x is where I had feeling a few days ago. The bottom x is where I have feeling today," I texted back.

"Wow that's great, Riker!"

I smiled. But I really miss being on tour with them.

"Ok, I'm tired. Let's go to bed," I said.

I got under the covers beside Avery. I put on a movie and then laid down, wrapping my arms around her tightly. 

"Avery?"

"What?"

"I'm nervous about tomorrow."

"Why? They're not going to say you're getting worse or that you're paralyzed forever. And you already know you're improving."

"I guess I'm just scared because I don't know what they're going to say."

"I think whatever they say will be positive."

"I hope so."

"Try to get some sleep, Riker."

"I'm just nervous."

"I know. Focus on the movie instead of your thoughts."

I sighed and shut my eyes. Tomorrow will be fine. It's just nerves.

Later...

Avery POV

I woke up in the middle of the night because Riker was moving around and turns out he's been up all night. 

"Why are you still up? Is it nerves? Are you not tired? What's up?" I asked.

"Nerves," Riker said, quietly.

"Riker, you already know you're improving. What's there to be anxious about? Seriously."

"I don't know!"

"I think besides working on stuff in the pool, we should start working on your anxiety."

"That's probably a good idea..."

I got up and went to the kitchen and brought Riker some chocolate milk from earlier, hoping maybe it would make him feel better or tired. He drank it, put on another movie, and then we laid down. 

Riker wrapped his arms around me tightly again.

"Besides being anxious, how are you feeling?" I asked.

"Well I'm happy I'm regaining feeling. And I'm happy you're my girlfriend."

I could hear the smile in his voice. 

"I promise I'll try to get to sleep. I'm getting really tired now," he said.

"Ok. Night, Riker."

"Night."