Changed

Chapter 25

Chapter 25-Oct. 18, 2013 Friday Night

       “So this is my room,” I said as I rolled in before Tatsha, making sure to leave plenty of time for her to enter. “My sis will lay down an air mattress in here when we are ready to sleep.

       “Cool,” Tatsha replied as she sat down on my bed. “So what now?” She glanced around, taking in my books and awards.

       “I don’t know…We could do nails…Talk about boys…Watch movies…Cook cookies…” I suggested as I watched her carefully.

       “Those all sound very good…” she muttered as she glanced at my desk, where my nail polish was stored. “If we do nails, you will have to help me,” she giggled as she looked back at me, a huge smile plastered across her face.

       “Okay,” I laughed as I rolled over to the bed and reached up for the bucket. “Um…Could I get a little help?”

       “Sure,” she said as she slid off the bed and walked over, easily reaching the bucket. “What color do you want?” She seated herself again and started to pull out random colors.

       “I think silver is pretty,” I told as I grabbed a couple paper towels from my desk.

       “To match your wheelchair?” she joked quickly; then she slapped her hand over her mouth, staring at me. “I’m so sorry.”

       “Tatsha, it’s fine,” I laughed as I put a napkin on her knee; then I opened the polish bottle. “Can I ask you a personal question?” I inquired as she took the brush and began to paint my nails.

       “It’s about my arm, isn’t it?” she asked and I nodded. “It’s okay…I don’t mind…It was a freak accident, when I was three…I was playing in the kitchen, around the mixing bowl…Well, because I was pretending to cook, I turned it on…I had left my plastic spoon in the bowl; so I reached for it and my arm got stuck between the mixing blades…There was no saving my arm; so my parents had it cut off…” she told slowly as she finished my one hand. “Switch?”

       “I’m sorry…” I muttered as I held the bottle in my other hand and placed my unpainted hand on her knee.

       “It’s not a big deal,” she sighed as she finished my pinkie. “There done.”

       “What color do you want?” I asked as I reached carefully into the bin.

       “Got Aquamarine?” she replied with a smile.