Chapter 4

That weekend my aunt and uncle were having a garden party for their wedding anniversary, I felt nervous about seeing all my family for the first time since my legs had been amputated. After lunch I got out of the crop top and shorts I’d been wearing all morning, got showered and dried, took my travel sickness tablets, put in my anti-travel sickness wrist bands, then put some make up on before finding a lacy white thong and strapless bra, after putting them on I hand-walked to my wardrobe, pulled out a white playsuit with a floral pattern on, laid it out on the floor, lifted myself onto it then wiggled it up my bum and hips and over my boobs. I looked at myself in the mirror, wishing that I still had my long, brunette hair, I found a straw sun hat from Roxy in my wardrobe, it had a braided dark pink and light pink trim along the brim. I put it on, made my way downstairs, got into my wheelchair and wheeled over to the sofa where my Dad was sat watching football waiting for everyone else to finish.

‘You look beautiful darling.’ He said with a smile.

‘Thank you Daddy.’ I replied while thinking that I wished I felt beautiful. The others finally came downstairs, Caitlyn looked stunning in a short, pretty, light blue summer dress, Mum was wearing a floor length summer dress and Zack was wearing a shirt and chino shorts, Mum grabbed her bag and started heading toward the front door.

‘Come on then, let’s go.’ She said hurrying everyone out the door, ‘Now she’s in a hurry.’ Dad whispered and gave me a little wink as he turned the TV off. I giggled in response and started wheeling towards the door.

‘Wow, you look pretty darling.’ Mum said to me.

‘Thank you.’ I said wheeling out the door and over to the car. Zack, Caitlyn and I got into the back of the car, being the smallest, and not needing legroom, I ended up in the middle seat. Dad put my chair in the boot along with some bottles of wine and a present, then got in the car and set off on the hour long drive to my aunt and uncles house. My uncle had left a space on his drive for us so that Dad didn’t have to park too far away and I didn’t have to wheel myself too far. Once Dad had parked the car they all got out and, while Zack and Caitlyn headed straight into the garden, Dad got my chair out of the boot then helped me into it, he and Mum then walked in with me. As I reached the side gate I paused for a moment and took a deep breath, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous and sick to my stomach.

‘It’ll be ok munchkin, everyone inside loves you, just remember that.’ Dad said placing his hand reassuringly on my shoulder.

‘Thanks Daddy, I know.’ I said reaching my hand up and placing it on top of his.

‘You’ll be fine.’ Said Mum stroking the back of my head. I took another deep breath and nodded my head at them. Mum then opened the gate and I wheeled through it with Mum and Dad right behind me. As I wheeled into the garden I saw all my Mum’s family along with friends of my Aunt and Uncle and my Uncles family stood around or sitting on the patio chairs, talking, drinking and having a good time.

‘Oh my god, Haylee.’ My aunt suddenly squealed across the garden before rushing over to me, cuddling me tight and lifting me out of my chair as I held my hat. ‘It’s so good to see you, how are you?’

‘I’m ok actually, thanks Auntie Carol.’ I said as she sat me back in my chair.

‘Let me look at you.’ She said taking a step back. ‘ You look beautiful as always, and I love the hat.’

‘Thank you.’ I smiled. My aunt then said hello to my Mum and Dad before leading us into the garden. When I was little I would always stay with my parents when we arrived anywhere, even if I knew the people well, like my aunts and uncles or grandparents, while Zack and Caitlyn had always been full of confidence and would disappear as soon as we’d said hello, as I’d got older I’d got better and would leave my parents fairly quickly, but today, I wanted to stay by my parents side again. I was thankful that my family knew me well enough to not all come over and crowd around me, they all took their time coming over to say hi to me, but they slowly did, and after an hour or so I felt confident enough to leave my parents side and wheeled over to where my cousins were sat. I was really pleased that they treated me normally and weren’t weird around me, we just sat around talking about normal things like holidays, movies, TV programmes and sports. When the buffet was ready Caitlyn went up to the table with me and helped me get some food and carried it back for me, while my cousin brought me over a can of Sprite. As the party went on I felt more and more relaxed and started enjoying myself, as the sun went down I started to feel cold so Zack went out to get my cardigan and Caitlyn’s coat. As it got later, those with younger children started leaving and I ended up sitting with Zack and our older cousins. Suddenly Dad came up behind me and snuck me a glass of Coke, I looked at him confused.

‘Just drink it.’ He whispered then kissed my head. I took a sip and realised it was rum and Coke.

‘Thank you Daddy.’

‘Enjoy it.’ He said as he walked back over to where my Mum was sat with my aunt, uncle and grandparents. It was gone midnight when we headed home, I fell asleep leaning on Zack’s shoulder before we’d even left my aunt and uncle’s village. Someone must have carried me inside as I woke up in the night in bed in pyjamas. I rolled to my side, sipped some water from the glass on my bedside table then rolled over and went back to sleep.

Next morning Dad woke me as we were going to a football match, I’d always been a Daddy’s girl and used to attend matches with Zack and him right up until I was ill, this was the first time I’d been back since then. I got up, showered, put on a bright red Calvin Klein thong with white trim and a matching bra, put on my Arsenal kit of a red top and white shorts, then headed downstairs and scooted into the kitchen to get some breakfast. After breakfast I got my dark grey Superdry wind-cheater on and grey Superdry beanie hat then wheeled out to the drive with Dad. I got into the front seat of Dad’s Aston Martin Vantage and got comfortable, I could feel the soft, supple leather against my stumps, Dad meanwhile shoehorned my wheelchair into the back, it was a tight fit but he managed it. He then got in the drivers seat and started the car, I felt the big V8 engine throb through my pelvis. As Dad drove the car slowly down our drive I could hear the gravel crunching under the tyres. At the end of the drive Dad accelerated onto the road pushing me back into my seat, I’d always loved going for drives in Dad’s sports cars, but now, without legs to help support me I suddenly felt a little vulnerable.