Chapter 12

Liam looked at Jenny from a distance.

He had parked his car a block away from the square. Tacoma was 120 miles from Middletown, so he borrowed his grandfather’s sedan for the occasion.

The first thing he noticed was the wheelchair ramp built over the steps of the gazebo. And then, a girl, Liam supposed it was Jenny, sitting in a wheelchair. There was nobody else but her in the gazebo.

It was obvious she was nervous. She was making a kind of restless movement with her hands and looking around.

It was obvious Jenny was looking for him.

Liam’s first reaction was to hide the flowers he had bought for her. His mind was clouded with so many mixed emotions.

“Damn it, Jenny! Why didn’t you say anything? Why did you have to lie to me?” He muttered under his breath. “Why did you hide your disability?”

The answer to that question came to him immediately.

The simple answer was that she shouldn’t have to.

Unfortunately, he had learned through bitter experience that being different was not always acceptable to others.

What if the tables were turned? Would he want people to see the chair instead of him?

A lot of things made sense now. Like Jenny’s reluctance to go out on a date with him. Or why she didn’t want to exchange photos with him.

Liam couldn’t help but let the tears fall. He felt bad for Jenny.

No.

Jenny didn’t need his pity. She didn’t need anyone’s pity.

She was brave to expose herself like that. Liam looked at Jenny again, this time with unaffected admiration.

Very slowly, he wiped the tears with the back of his hands and walked straight towards her.

Jenny spotted Liam almost immediately.

He was no Brad Pitt, but he had a lovely, gentle face. His build wasn’t very muscular, but he wasn’t skinny. He was smartly dressed for the cold weather: a simple t-shirt, jeans, boots, and a jacket.

Liam climbed a few steps and entered the gazebo. He looked down at Jenny, and exclaimed, “Wow”!”

Jenny looked up at him. She was on the verge of tears.

“I know it must be a surprise for you to see me like this! Please hear me out first, okay?” she pleaded in a shaking voice.

Liam crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay, Jenny. The floor is yours.”

She took a deep breath, and let it ease out. Liam looked at her expectantly.

“As you can see, I am in a wheelchair. I’m aware I lied to you. It was a lie by omission, but still a lie. For that, I’m deeply sorry.”

“You were the girl in the story you told me. The one who had an accident.” His brow was frowned gently.

“Yes, that was me,” Jenny admitted.

Liam’s face showed the grief and internal war he was waging.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“At first, it wasn’t important. You were just someone I chatted with. A stranger who made me feel like a normal girl. Something I longed for.”

Liam uncrossed his arms and nodded, wearing an open expression that invited Jenny to continue.

“Then, you became important to me and I didn’t want to risk losing what we have.”

“What do we have exactly, Jenny?”

“A friendship ... maybe more?” Jenny looked at Liam in hesitation.

He nodded slowly. His face softened a bit more, as if he just couldn’t stay mad at her.

“I wanted you to learn to love my personality before you saw me in a wheelchair. I promise I didn’t lie about anything else.”

“I am a little agitated that you lied, but I can see why you might have wanted to hide your disability.”