Lance stared at him in surprise. “Have you been through all those stages?”
Jaden nodded. “I sure have,” he said, “and it’s not an easy thing. But I’ve come out the other side so much better.”
“Don’t tell me that you’ve also got a partner,” he said. “That I will not believe.”
“Actually I do,” he said with the gentlest of smiles. “Brianna. And that’s something I really didn’t expect. But the woman is fantastic, and, well, I mean, I didn’t think this was possible, but she loves me too.”
Instantly Lance felt jealousy spear right through his core. “I didn’t expect to ever hear any of us say that again,” he said softly. “I think, back at the VA hospital, we all expected to be alone for the rest of our lives.”
“I did,” Jaden said with a nod. “But, looking back, I wasn’t fair to the other women in the world either. I assumed that nobody would want me because I was broken and would never be at the same physical level I had been before,” he said. “Even with all the surgeries, I always assumed that I would never be as complete,” he said. “Now I realize that I’m more complete but in a very different way, and the physical level isn’t the prime consideration in my world. I’ve grown so much more on an emotional and a spiritual level,” he said. “And I don’t mean to go off all New Agey or religious or anything, and I can’t really prepare you for what’s still to come. All I can tell you is that a ton of change is available for you here,” he said, “but it’s a ton of work and not something you can just reach out and say, I’ll take it. You must decide you’re ready for it and see if you can make it all happen, but it’s still not that easy.”
Jaden stopped, shook his head, and said, “I’m not explaining myself very well. I guess what I really would say is just be open. Be open to whatever comes your way. Be prepared to work for it, and, if you do the job and show up every day and do the best that you can at this job,” he said, “I promise you the reward will be way past what you ever thought you could have.”
“Still sounds New Agey,” Lance said with a laugh.
Jaden grinned. “I know. I tried to not sound like that, but it is what it is. You know?”
“I got it,” he said, “and thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.” He motioned at the crutches. “At least you’re on crutches. That’s awesome.”
“I actually can walk,” he said, “but I overdid it yesterday, so I’m paying for it today.”
“Overdoing it doesn’t sound so bad.”
“No,” he said. “Overdoing it is what we end up doing sometimes when we keep trying to do stuff.”
“I get it,” he said, “and I can see that I’ll have days where I’ll pay for it too.”
“Yep, there will be lots of those,” Jaden said. “I tried to get down to see you over the previous days, but your door was closed a lot.”
“The transfer wasn’t very easy,” he admitted. “So I kind of feel bad, but, at the same time, I accepted that I needed some adjustment time.”
“You do,” he said. “Have you made it to the cafeteria for food yet?”
“No, not on my own. So far the meals have been delivered.”
“Well, I could coax you to come down to breakfast with me.”
At that, Lance slowly sat up. “You know what? I wouldn’t mind that at all,” he said. “It feels too much like being a patient when you’re in bed all day.”
“It always feels too much like being a patient when you’re in bed,” he said. “Just like being in a wheelchair is much better than being in bed, and being on crutches is much better than being in a wheelchair. But, when you can finally put down those crutches and walk on your own steam and be totally independent,” he said, “that is the very best feeling of all.”
“I’m a long way from that yet,” Lance said with a smile. He let his legs hang over the side of the bed. “These chicken legs,” he said with a shake of his head. “I have more screws and metal plates in my leg—”
“I hear you,” he said. “The thing is, around here, a lot of us are just like you.”
“At the last place too,” Lance reminded him.
Jaden grinned and said, “Yep, but what you’ll see here is people making progress—not those who have accepted their fate and are just living with it. Many of the people here are striving for more.”
“Well, in that case,” Lance said, “if I can get off this bed and into that wheelchair, you can show me.”
Chapter 3
When Jessica came to grab breakfast, she was surprised to see Lance at a small table with Jaden. But then again she shouldn’t be because she remembered hearing that Jaden had put in a good word for his friend. Same as Iain. Apparently they all knew each other from a previous center. Better still, Lance had come down under his own steam. She liked that too.
As she stood here, studying his color, Dennis called to her and said, “You can’t just stop there, mooning over people,” he said. “My heart won’t take it.”
She chuckled as she walked toward him. “Dennis, your heart is already stronger than anybody’s I know.”
“Maybe,” he said, “but you know I consider all of you to be my special ladies.”
“And then you lose us, one by one,” she teased.
He passed his hand over his heart and said, “Yes, and it’s just devastating.” Then he grinned at her and said, “What can I get you for breakfast?”
“I was going to have some yogurt and fruit,” she said, “but I’m wondering if I need a bit more protein.”
“How about a parfait with seeds?”
