Chapter 13

“The management made special arrangements to admit persons in wheelchairs when they reopened the place,” Jenny commented, pointing at a corner inside the restaurant. “Which is good because it’s the only good restaurant in town.”

Liam took a look around, and nodded approvingly, “Nice place. It’s got a lovely, cozy atmosphere.”

“They remodeled the whole place,” Jenny commented. “It’s kind of famous because they have one of the best chefs in the state.”

“Can I order a pizza at such a fine-dining restaurant?”

Jenny gave a short laugh. “Pizza here is amazing. Tony, the chef comes from an Italian family.”

“Now that you mention it, I think I read a review in a magazine in my dentist’s waiting room saying the food was great.”

“My favorite pizza is mushroom with green peppers.” Jenny glanced at Liam.

“You’re only saying that to get me to like you.”

“Like me or not, it’s true.”

“You’re my dream girl,” Liam said with a wink.

It was as if all the previous awkwardness had never happened. They were back to their usual selves.

A waitress came to take their order.

She greeted Jenny with a “Hi, Jenny. Nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Mary. Please, meet my friend, Liam.”

The waitress looked at Liam and he made a funny face.

Both women laughed. “Nice to meet you, Liam. What are you going to order?”

“Pizza!” Jenny and Liam exclaimed at the same time. And they laughed again.

They also ordered two beers.

Jenny couldn’t take her eyes off Liam. The smile stretched across his face was so warm. It reeled her in, making her feel like she was the only person in the room. She loved it, and she especially loved the dimples it created.

“You know what I just realized, Jenny? We didn’t talk much about all that normal ‘get to know you’ stuff you’re supposed to talk about with people. We jumped right in, Liam-and-Jenny style.”

Jenny held up her glass of beer. “I like us. Cheers!”

“I do, too.”

They touched glasses and drank.

“Well now that you’re cozy we should start, are you ready?” asked Liam.

“As ready as I can be. Shoot.”

“What do you wish most of all that you were still able to do?” Liam asked, pointing at her wheelchair.

Jenny sighed. “A lot of things most people take for granted. I wish I could go out and participate in physical activities, but it’s the simple things I miss doing the most, like riding a bike, or climb up a tree.”

“Climb up a tree? I wasn’t expecting that one.”

“I was a wild brat. I was a bit of a tomboy when I was a child. But, the best way I answer that question is by having people do a quick and easy experiment. I ask them to sit down in a wheelchair and then I ask them to stand back up. Then, I look at them straight in the eye and simply say, ‘I can’t do that.’”

Liam thought long about her answer, and finally said, “I understand. I think you are very brave.”

Jenny blushed. “I am not brave, I try to do my best with the cards I’ve been dealt.”

Liam sipped his beer and said, “Don’t we all?”

“My turn. What do you love more about being a music teacher?”

“Believe it or not, I didn’t set out to become a teacher. At first, my dream was to play the guitar and become a rock star,” Liam laughed. “We had a band in high school. We were pretty good.”

“What happened?”

“Life got in the way. Long story short, I had to give up my dream and get a job. So, teaching music was my second-best option. I had to work hard to keep my grades up to average while working from twenty to forty hours a week outside of school. Finally, I got my degree and I found I just enjoyed teaching so much. I love to sit with my students for an hour or more every week, and help them learn how to play an instrument. My technique is to treat all my students as individuals, and to help them explore and be inspired. Music lessons are often more than just instruction. My classes are a time to listen, to share, and to be a friend. Teaching is a pleasure, not just a necessity.”

Liam grinned and his dimples appeared once more. “Long answer. Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“What about you, Jenny?

“My plan was not to become a teacher, but to become a gymnast. I was on my way to the Olympics to win a gold medal when I had the ... accident.”

“Oh, wow! Talk about having your dreams crushed.”

Jenny nodded. “When my spinal cord and my legs were injured in that accident, all my plans were crushed, too.”

“It must have been very hard for you,” Liam said quietly, extending his hand to squeeze hers.

“You have no idea. There is absolutely no way to describe what I felt. It was like my world was crumbling. I do not even want to try! I had lost everything I cared about. I hated my life,” Jenny gulped and continued. “At some point, my sister Kara told me, ‘Enough wallowing in self-pity, do something with your life.’ So, I went to college and became a teacher. I suppose one of the steps that led me into teaching is that I have always liked being a student. I like being a teacher now. As you said, you can make a difference.”

Liam was resting his chin on his hand. He was carefully listening to her words.

“I can’t believe we’ve never talked about things like this. I feel like I know you, but I don’t know you—not the important things, anyway,” he said.

“Well, we are getting to know each other, now.”

“True.”

The waitress arrived with the pizza.

Liam and Jenny reached for a slice of pizza at the same time. Their fingers touched. He lingered a moment, and it felt like he wanted to flip her hand over and hold it.

Jenny wanted that too.

All too quickly, Liam took his hand away and glanced into Jenny’s eyes. “All yours,” he said with a smile.

Jenny took a slice and placed it on her plate.