Time For A Change

Chapter Twenty-one - Welcome Home

*Lily’s point of view*

I waited for Mike to get the wheelchair out of the taxi and place it onto the ground before watching him open it up. Stepping carefully and slowly out of the door which was a little off the ground, I thanked the diver before taking a seat back into the chair which I felt practically stuck to. My brother went to push me after he had said his thanks but I started wheeling myself, I didn’t need someone to push me around twenty four-seven, I got myself into this mess, I’m big enough to do it myself.

I didn’t talk to my brother, I didn’t feel the need to, my body was still shaking greatly with fear and I was still holding back tears which were so ready and determined to fall that occasionally a single tear would slide down my cheek causing a small wet path, like a path a snail leaves when he moves from place to place, to form.

I realized something was different about my house; the cars were no longer in the garage but were on the garage way, and where the garage door was now stood a stoned wall with a door matching our own front door; it was white with tinted roses in the glass, the only thing not on this door was the number of the house. I didn’t know why it was changed but I didn’t ask, I wasn’t bothered what they had done to it, it wasn’t the top list of my priorities and I knew I’d find out soon enough.

My eyes fixed on Mike as he turned the key into the lock, I was lucky our door was low down so it was easy for me to get through it without having to stand up and get somebody else to lift the wheelchair though the door for me to sit on it again, a small wooden ramp had been placed there though, it didn’t make much difference but it helped me get up easier, it made me feel unable to do things for myself though.

It’s not the fact I couldn’t walk, it’s the fact I get so tired and out of breath easily. I’d been told I was lucky I wasn’t paralyzed; I’d rather be weak and in this chair for a short while than the rest of my life. I knew if I had become paralyzed because of the accident, I doubt I’d let myself live the rest of my life, I was an outcast as it is, nobody would bother looking at me if I was disabled.

It’s not that I have anything against disable people, after this experience I have a lot of respect for them but teenagers in my generation don’t think the same; their harsh and cruel about anyone who isn’t exactly like them and I‘m already different.

“Lily?” Hearing my dad’s voice made me light up inside, I couldn’t have felt happier. I had missed him so much, so far the only good thing that had come out of the accident was that my father was coming home. I stood up for a moment before I felt his arms wrap around me and embrace me into a welcoming tight hug. I wrapped my arms around him, holding onto him as if my life depended on it. I smelt his ZOOP aftershave, the smell I’d missed so much when I was younger and he wasn’t around. I was glad he was going to be around now, I needed him to be, I needed our family to become closer again - it’s what our mum would have wanted.

“I missed you.” I spoke barely above a whisper, sobs escaped from my lips unwillingly and I cursed in my head; I said I wouldn’t cry!

“I missed you too angel.” He rubbed the back of my head with his hand gently. “It’s okay.” He cooed as I cried harder into his chest. “Everything will be okay.” I pulled away from him, looking into his bright blue eyes which were identical to mine.

“How do you know?” I whispered, sobs still present in my voice.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you again Lily.” He spoke confidently but I could still hear the sadness in his voice, the sadness I had caused.

I felt my legs feeling weak so I sat back down in the wheelchair, I sighed, I didn’t wanna be stuck to this stupid thing. “Dad?” I whispered a little louder, I could see the pain twinkle in his eyes, making my heart shatter into a thousand tiny pieces.