The days dragged on. They turned into weeks.

His progress was slow. His motor skills were severely damaged. He could barely move his toes.

She sat by him everyday. Just holding his hand. He couldn’t hold back. She stayed with him at night now that he had been moved to rehab. She could never fall asleep. She could only hear him cry.

He had always been so strong, so determined. He was suppose to be taking care of her. And now here they were.

After a month, while she sat in her chair, he struggled to tell her to get back out into the world. That she needed to go back to school. That she couldn’t stay cooped up in that room forever. She wasn’t the one crippled.

She shook her head “no” as the tears lined her eyes. If she walked out, it would be like turning her back on him. She couldn’t do that. He had never left her.

But in his eyes she could see he wanted her to leave. He wanted to do this on his own. He needed a chance to be strong again. A chance to be her guide, her father…