Chapter 17 - Sebastian’s First Step
Sebastian looked at the empty floor between them.
Ten feet.
It might as well have been ten miles.
“No.”
Clare folded her arms.
“You’re ready.”
“I disagree.”
“You’ve been walking with one crutch for three weeks.”
“There is an important word in that sentence.”
“What word?”
“Crutch.”
She smiled.
“You hate needing help.”
“I’ve made progress.”
“And now you’re hiding inside that progress.”
He glared.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Deeply.”
Owen sat near the wall holding his phone.
Sebastian pointed.
“No filming.”
“I’m not.”
“You are literally holding the camera.”
“I’m checking the weather.”
“Inside the camera app?”
Owen lowered the phone.
“Fine.”
Clare stepped backward.
“Stand.”
Sebastian rose from the chair.
His legs trembled slightly.
Less than before.
He looked at Clare.
She held out one hand but remained too far away to reach.
“One step.”
He laughed nervously.
“I run companies with less stress than this.”
“One step.”
Sebastian shifted his weight.
His right foot lifted.
For a moment, the entire world seemed to stop.
Then his foot landed.
Forward.
One step.
Clare’s eyes filled.
“Again.”
He moved the left.
Another step.
Owen forgot the rule and began recording.
Three.
Four.
Sebastian’s breathing grew heavier.
Five.
His balance slipped.
Clare stepped forward.
He raised a hand.
“No.”
She stopped.
He recovered.
Six.
Seven.
By the eighth step, tears blurred his vision.
He hated crying.
He had spent his life believing tears gave other people power.
But these tears belonged to him.
Nine.
Then ten.
He reached Clare.
She wrapped her arms around him.
Sebastian laughed against her hair.
Behind them, Owen shouted, “I recorded everything!”
Sebastian looked over Clare’s shoulder.
“You’re grounded.”
“You can’t ground me.”
“I’ll discuss it with your mother.”
“She likes the video.”
Clare was laughing too hard to answer.
Later Sebastian watched the recording alone.
The walk looked terrible.
Slow.
Unsteady.
Awkward.
Perfect.
He saved the video.
Then watched it again.
Carlo appeared in the doorway.
“I heard.”
Sebastian put away the phone.
“You heard correctly.”
Carlo smiled.
“I wish your father could see it.”
The smile left Sebastian’s face.
Carlo started to apologize.
Sebastian stopped him.
“No.”
A long silence followed.
Then Sebastian said, “I wish he could too.”
Carlo nodded.
It was not forgiveness.
But it was the beginning.
That evening Sebastian went to Antonio’s grave for the first time since discovering the truth.
He used a cane.
The wheelchair remained in the car.
He stood before the stone.
“I was angry with you.”
Wind moved through the trees.
“You were supposed to protect me.”
His voice tightened.
“You didn’t.”
He looked down.
“But I know you regretted it.”
Sebastian took another breath.
“I’m not carrying your fear anymore.”
He placed the cane against the gravestone.
Then stood unsupported for several seconds.
“I walked today.”
A faint smile crossed his face.
“You would’ve cried.”
He could almost hear his father denying it.
Sebastian returned home after sunset.
Clare waited on the front steps.
“What are you doing outside?”
“Waiting.”
“For me?”
“No. Another handsome former crime boss who recently learned to walk.”
He smiled.
Then without the cane, he took four slow steps toward her.
Clare watched.
He stopped inches away.
“You’re showing off.”
“Yes.”
She kissed him.
For the first time since his accident, Sebastian did not need to hold onto anything.
Not the chair.
Not the cane.
Not the past.
Only Clare.
May you like
And he chose that freely.
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