Do not underestimate the power of will. If you think it, you can do it.

 

Knock! Knock!

 

Jamie placed the brush down on the table and turned the wheel chair around.

 

He rolled to the main door and checked the monitor. His two classmates stood behind the door with their back packs.

 

Jamie pushed a button and unlocked the door.

 

Daphne and Janine were shocked when they saw him.

 

“In. Come.” Jamie moved his wheelchair back to let the two pass through.

 

After closing the door, he followed them to the living room.

 

“Siiiit. Waaant some driiiiinks?” Jamie offered.

 

Seeing as he was on the wheelchair, Daphne and Janine refused. They became even worried when they heard Jamie’s slurred speech.

 

“No need. We came to drop of some notes and assignments.” Janine opened her back pack and pulled out a photocopy of her notes.

 

“Thay- thank you.” Jamie reached for the papers.

 

“How are you Jamie? You haven’t been to school for two days now.” Daphne was concerned. The boy was still sporting an injury on his forehead, although it started to heal.

 

Jamie sighed. He was debating whether he could tell them what happened. But being inside the apartment for two days with nothing to do but sit down and paint, Jamie felt the need for some company.

 

Jared had to go to the restaurant for work and Uncle Daniel was out of the country for business.

 

All he did for two days was paint and surf the internet. He had to use the wheelchair to move around. He did not want to but Jared urged him to do so. Jared was afraid that he might fall when he was not around. The older adult even suggested hiring a sitter to watch over him. That was when Jamie had to concede.

 

Anyways, he was still feeling week from the last incident. The wheelchair was just temporary. He will eventually get strong enough to walk and go back to university.

 

“I al-okay. Getting bet- betterrr.” Jamie slurred and stumbled on his words.

 

Jamie sighed.

 

When he was weak, it was very difficult for him to speak the words that he had in his mind. The doctor said there was a problem with the transmission of neurological impulses from his brain to his muscles affecting his ability to make the proper movements. His speech became slow and slurred and sometimes he would stutter.  

 

If Jamie was to describe it in terms of art, it was like drawing a straight line but something was deliberately causing him to go askew.

 

“Did something happen when you were outside?” Daphne recalled when Jamie’s uncle came unexpectedly knocking on her door.

 

Jamie nodded.

 

“T- days ago al-almooost… ran into passing car.”

 

Daphne could only guess what happened.

 

“I al- ooow-kaaay. Dun ow-worry.” Jamie waved his hands.

 

“Noth- happ- en. Just um… men sur- surra- ounded… force Jamie…they say- say some like play an fuck.”

 

Daphne gasped. Her friend was almost raped!

 

“But som- someone s-save. Kick ‘em down. So all ssss fiiine.” Jamie smiled when he recalled the hero who saved him.

 

Janine sighed. She felt guilty. She should not have helped Jamie lie to his Uncle. She should have been there with him. She should not have listened to Jamie when he said that he did not want to bother her. But she had to work after school.   

 

Jamie looked at Janine who was upset. He was sorry too. He should not have involved them in his lies.

 

“Sor-sorry.” He whispered.

 

“Don’t be. It’s just that what happened to you was very dangerous. You almost…” Janine could not say it out loud.

 

Jamie nodded. He understood. He steered the topic when he felt Daphne’s curious eyes on the wheelchair.

 

Jamie touched the push rim and moved forward.

 

“This tem- tempo- raaaryyyy. I be al-alri-right. Up an- walk-ing soon.” Jamie smiled.

 

Janine and Daphne were touched by his optimism.

 

“You are such a ball of sunshine.” Janine remarked.

 

“What have you been doing for the past two days Jamie?” Daphne asked.

 

“Pp-aint.”

 

“Do you…” Janine hesitated.

 

“Wha- at?”

 

“Do you want to go outside for some fresh air?”

 

Wait. That seemed wrong. Janine was about to retract her words when Jamie excitedly agreed.

 

“Yes. Yes. P- lease. Can?”

 

Janine could not resist Jamie’s bright smile. Jamie could pull on an adorable face which rendered others unable to refuse when he requested something.

 

“Alright. We just need to tell your Uncle so that he would not be worried.”

 

Jamie called Jared. The man quickly said no. But after a lot of coaxing and whining and guilt tripping from Jamie, the older adult relented. His only condition was that Jamie should use the wheelchair when they were outside and that the girls bring Jamie home before 5 o’clock.

 

Jamie wore a soft dark jacket.

 

Janine pulled the small blanket on the couch and placed it on Jamie’s lap.

 

Daphne went pushed the wheelchair and soon they were outside.

 

The trio first went to an art supply shop. Then Jamie was rolled into a store that sold make up. Jamie shook his head and smiled. Girls were girls. They could not resist things like that. And so, he watched as the girls looked around for new products. Occasionally they would come to ask him if a mascara looked nice or if the particular lipstick looked chic. Whatever that means.

 

“How about this Jamie? Does the nude lipstick look good on me?” Daphne pursed her lips.

 

“Look like like cor- corpse mmake- hmmm… lips.” Jamie tilted his head up as he examined the color.

 

Daphne looked at her lips on the mirror. “Oh, you’re right.”

 

On the side a young man could not help but listen to their conversation.

 

“This shade looks better on you girl.” He offered a lip stick.

 

Daphne removed the make up and tried the new lip stick. She examined her lips on the mirror and felt quite satisfied.

 

Jamie gave a thumbs up.

 

“Thanks” Daphne turned to the young man.

 

“My name is Charles.” The tall lanky man with silver white hair smiled.

 

Jamie turned around and saw him. He remembered the boy who handed him his black umbrella.

 

Speaking of umbrellas, he had to get one today since he was already at the mall.

 

“I’m Daphne. This is Jamie. Our friend Janine is over there at the counter paying. Oh, she’s done.” Daphne looked at the tall scarlet haired girl who was approaching.

 

“Hey Sister. My name is Charles.” He extended a hand.

 

“I’m Janine. Nice to meet you.” Janine shook the lanky boy’s hand.

 

“Do you mind if I tag along? My cousin left me here all alone.”

 

“Sure.” Daphne smiled. She moved behind Jamie’s wheelchair and gently pushed him forward.

 

“Where to next?” She asked Jamie.

 

“Ummh… Need buy -rella.”

 

Charles smiled as he tried to understand the boy’s choppy sentence.

 

“Um- umbre – lla.”

 

The two girls seemed to understand so Charles just followed them to a shop that sold various kinds of umbrellas.

 

The purchase was quick. Jamie pulled a long black umbrella that was almost the same as the one he lost. It had a rubber handle instead of wood. It felt comfortable on his hands.

 

Seeing that it was already lunch and they were hungry, they decided to eat. There was a restaurant nearby that Janine wanted to try after looking on her phone.

 

They picked a table. Jamie’s wheelchair was positioned opposite and over-looking the street.

 

As his friends were ordering, he looked through the window and saw a homeless man sitting on the side walk. The man was sporting a scraggly beard. His cheeks looked sunken. There was a shoebox spread open on the ground.

 

People passed by the city street ignoring the unkempt man. Not a penny was spared from their pockets.

 

When the server came and brought their food, Jamie ordered another meal for take-out.

 

It took all of Jamie’s concentration to speak well so that the waitress could get his request. It was a good thing that the lady was patient. Not everyone was kind enough to wait, listen, and try to understand.

 

Jamie did not have much appetite after looking outside. He was waiting impatiently so that they could get out of the restaurant.

 

When they finally got out of the place, Jamie stopped Daphne from pushing his wheelchair. On his lap, he took the take-out bag and placed it on the ground. Inside, he also placed 5 banknotes.

 

Jamie pushed his wheelchair and left with his friends.

 

The homeless man was dazed looking at the ground. Only when the people left did he notice a paper bag in front of him. He looked up but only saw people passing by.