Resolutions

 

Chapter Six

Resolutions

 

 

Two long weeks later I was released from the hospital. A lot of people had come to see me during those two weeks.  Almost everyone in twelfth grade at school, plus a lot of my teachers and coaches came. Everyone from tenth grade to freshmen in college from church came, plus all the pastors.  Most of my distant relatives came down to see me, too.  During those two weeks, Trey never left my side. The teachers and staff at school did not seem to mind, and even dropped by with his homework everyday.

 

Even after I was able to leave the hospital, I absolutely refused to go to school in a wheelchair. It would be far too humiliating. Trey stopped by my house to see me almost everyday.  His visits were the only thing I looked forward to each day, and they kept me from falling into severe depression.

 

Trey brought my schoolwork to me during his visits and helped me out by showing me how to do the lessons I had missed in class. I was not going to drop out of school completely; I just was not going to actually go to school. I knew that I had to go back sometime, and face reality.  I could not just hide from everything, or run away like my mother does.

 

I do not know what I am going to do. I have to graduate in one month, but I am too ashamed to show up for my graduation.

 

Then there was one Saturday that changed my life completely. There was a knock on the front door, so I started to go towards it. Zackarie jumped up from his place in front of the TV and beat me to the door, so I just went back to what I was doing at the computer.

 

 Jake rushed in yelled, “Where’s Jaquelyne, I think I might be able to help!”

 

“I’m in here!” I yelled from my place in the office.  I still hurt to talk.

 

Jake walked in to office and stood beside me. “There might be a way to help you to walk again.” He began excitedly.

 

“What? No way!”

 

“Yeah. I was talking to another doctor about your condition and he said that there is a surgery that can be performed. It is very difficult and has been performed only five times. Only two have been successful.”

 

“I want it done.” I said.

 

“Where’s Mom?” he asked.

 

 “She’s at the store. She should be back sometime soon.”

 

“Oh. We’ll have to wait for her, now won’t we.”

 

“Jake.”

 

“What?”

 

“I want it done.”

 

“I know,” Jake said bluntly, but he was looking past me instead of at me.

 

Suddenly Mom walked in the door and set the groceries down on the cabinet.  Then she saw Jake in the living room. “Jake!” she said, obviously surprised to see her oldest son.  “What a surprise!”

 

“Hey Mom,” Jake began, and then consulted to tell her the same thing that he had previously told me.

 

Mom thought about it. “I don’t know,” she said.  “Is it dangerous? Is there any possible chance it could worsen her condition??”

 

“Well, there is some risk in all surgery. But with this the only problem any doctor has had is that it did not work.”

 

“Please, Mom?”

 

“Oh, alright. You can try it.”  She finally gave in with a sigh.

 

Then there was a knock on the door.  Once again, Zackarie opened it. This time it was Trey who walked in.

 

“Trey!” I exclaimed, overjoyed at his presence.

 

Trey had a grin on his face. “I brought you something,” he said. He was obviously tired.  Then he held up a bloodhound puppy with a big red bow tied around its neck.

 

“Oh my gosh, Trey!”  A smile spread across my face as I took the puppy from Trey’s arms.

 

Brock walked in the room. “Hey, no fair, I want a dog,” he said.  “What’s his name? It is a boy, right?”

 

“Yeah, it is.” Then I thought for a moment. “Duke,” I said. “His name is Duke.”

 

“That’s boring,” Brock said as he ran outside.

 

“Hey, Trey, guess what Jake just told me.”  I then proceeded to tell Trey the news that Jake had previously told me.

 

“Hey, man, that’s awesome. It’d be really cool if the surgery worked. Just in time for graduation, too.”

 

“Yeah, that’d be nice. We are going to try it.”

 

“When?”

 

“I don’t-“

 

Jake walked into the room and interrupted me. “Next Saturday,” he said.

 

“I have to wait that long?”

 

“Yeah, sorry that was the soonest I could get.”

 

“That’s fine, then; at least you tried.”

 

“Yeah, well. I have to get back to work so I gotta go, alright?”

 

“Okay, Jake, I’ll see ya later,” I said.

 

“Hey, see ya, man,” Trey said.

 

“Bye,” and with that Jake walked out the door.

 

“Hey, Jacks, I best be getting’, too.” Trey said. His thick Tennessee accent is even stronger when he is tired.

 

“Alright, I’ll see you soon?”

 

“Yeah,” he said.  He leaned over and gave me a kiss before he left.

 

 

One week later…

 

 

            On my way to the hospital to get the surgery done, I prayed. I prayed that, with God’s help, the surgery would be successful. I am not sure what I will do if it is not.  I graduate in less than two weeks.

 

            When I woke up from the surgery, guess who was once again at my side.  None other than Trey. 

 

            “Hey, Sunshine,” he said.

 

            “Hey,” I said, with a sleepy smile   

 

            A doctor walked in and ruined the moment.  “And how are we doing, Miss Bordeaux?” he asked.

 

            “I’m fine,” I said. Before I could say anything else, Trey interrupted.

 

            “So when do we find out if the surgery worked? He asked the doctor.  Leave it to Trey to be anxious. He felt so responsible for my current condition.

 

            “Well, she has to wait it out about a week and a half before she can try any thing.”

 

            “A week and a half? Why does it seem like I am always waiting for something that affects the future?” My rhetorical question remained unanswered.

 

            Then Jake walked in. “Hey, Steve, how’s it going?” Jake obviously knew the other doctor.

 

            “Great,” was the man’s reply.

 

            “So when do I get her out of here?”

 

            “Um, let’s say about a week.”

 

            “Alright, a week then. That’s not too bad, is it Jaquelyne?”

 

            “Well, I’ve certainly waited longer.” I sighed.

 

            That one week wait felt like three weeks, which was no surprise.  But I finally was able to go home.  I still had to wait four days before I could test out my legs and hopefully go against the odds of recovery.  It was a tense four days, for everyone; especially for me and Trey.  And with graduation drawing nearer, I was growing all the more anxious. 

 

            Finally it was time, and everyone was there with fingers crossed.  The doctor which Jake had addressed as “Steve”, my mom and all my brothers, and, of course, Trey were all there.  Holding on to Jake just in case the surgery was unsuccessful, I started to pull myself up.  Everyone held their breath, and there was silence in the room.  Then, for the first time in nearly a month, I was on my feet.