Chapter 7

Soon Maisie’s drug use got worse and she stopped coming home, I would often drive around the streets where homeless people hung out in the hope I could find her, a legless girl in a wheelchair kinda stuck out. Sometimes I was lucky and found her, I would give her some food and clean clothes, sometimes she would let me take her to a diner, other times she would just take the food I’d brought with me. I begged her to come home and get help, or go to rehab, but she always refused. I felt desperate like I was losing the last member of my family, but no matter what I did, she pulled further and further away, into a deep spiral of substance abuse.

It was a while before I dated again but the next two guys turned out to be the same, only dating me to fuck the girl with no legs. I could feel the depression, despair and anxiety returning, but I was determined not to let them take over so I started exercising even more. I decided to start using the pool at the gym but still wanted to hide my stumps so I bought a pair of swimming shorts that my Nan closed up like my running pants. I would put them on, then a swimsuit over the top which hid my leg stumps perfectly, though you could still see my shape. I still went to the beach several times a week and worked out with Parker and the guys that were there, I became good friends with a lot of them I built up quite a big friendship circle, one that I could rely on and was close too. It was at the beach that I met Eric, a wounded vet. I first saw him wheeling slowly past in an electric chair, much like I had at first. One evening I’d finished pull-ups on a bar and was sat on the mat having a drink when I saw him a reasonable distance off. I scooted over to my chair, lifted myself into on and made my way onto the boardwalk just as he was coming to a stop to watch those working out like he had a few times before.

‘Hi.’ I said as I wheeled up beside him, now seeing that he was a triple amputee, missing both his legs high up, though I want sure how high, along with the lower part of his left arm.

‘Oh, err, hi.’ He said looking at me, I could see a familiar panic in his eyes, a feeling I’d felt numerous times before, and still felt occasionally.

‘I’m Madison.’ I said extending my right arm toward him.

‘I’m Eric.’ He said taking my hand in his and shaking it before placing it back on the armrest of his chair.

‘You coming to work out?’ I asked.

‘Oh, er, no.’ He replied.

‘You’d be more than welcome, we’re all very friendly here.’ I replied.

‘I’m sure, but I was just passing.’ He replied, clearly looking to end the conversation soon and leave, I recognized the urge to escape.

‘Eric, I used to feel the same after my, erm, accident.’ I said, suddenly realizing that I didn’t like lying to him but not wanting to tell someone I didn’t know, the truth.

‘Oh, erm.’ He said seeing he was torn.

‘Look, I don’t want to pressure you or get you to do anything you’re not comfortable with, but, honestly, I felt the same until the people here welcomed me with open arms and convinced me to start working out here, it’s helped me build my confidence and deal with my anxiety.’ I said pulling out a pen and piece of paper from my bag which I then wrote my cell number on and passed to him. ‘If you even want to meet me here or just talk, give me a call, ok.’

‘Ok, thank you Madison he replied taking the piece of paper and placing it into his pocket.

‘Call me Maddie, all my friends do.’ I replied with a smile.

‘Ok, Maddie it is, thank you. I’d better get going.’ He said actually breaking a smile.

‘Ok Eric, nice to meet you.’ I replied as he maneuvered his chair and headed along the boardwalk.

‘Bye.’ He said then carried on, I then wheeled myself back onto the beach, dropped onto the floor then carried on working out. I started by doing push-ups, when I’d first started I’d done push-ups by rocking on my pelvis but now I was able to lift myself up and down with my body parallel to the ground, it built my arm and core strength. Once I’d finished my work out I got back into my chair, wheeled to my car where I used my hands to lift myself into the driver seat, then reached out, disconnected each wheel in turn, lifted them into the car and put them on the back seat, before lifting the lightweight titanium frame over me and placing it in the passenger seat. I then moved my seat forward, started the car and drove home. As soon as I was home I got my chair out the reverse of how I got it in, wheeled inside, undressed and had a shower before putting a pair of cotton shorts and a bandeau top on, cooking myself some dinner then curled up on the sofa thinking about Maisie, it had been a while since I had seen her.

It was a few days later as I was just pulling out of the parking lot at work to head to Venice Beach, when my phone beeped with a message. I used my cars Apple CarPlay to read the message out loud.

‘Hi, it’s Eric. Are you heading to Venice Beach tonight, thought I’d take you up on your offer.’ It said.

‘Yeap, heading there now, see you soon.’ I replied, again using the car’s voice recognition system. I drove the half-hour to Venice Beach, feeling strangely excited to see Eric. When I got to the beach I found a parking spot, slid myself into the back of the car, slipped off my tight-fitting black t-shirt and my black lacy bra before putting on my light grey, patterned Pink sports bra. I then slid my black adapted pants off, which was a pair of black pants that my Nan had adapted for me by cutting the legs off, and sewing up holes so that I was completely covered, then slid off my lacy thong, slid on a plain white cotton thong before putting on a pair of light blue, Pink patterned leggings, that my Nan had also adapted for me. I then put my work clothes into my bag, scooted into the front of the car, got my wheelchair out and set it up then scooted over into it and wheeled over to the beach. As I arrived I found Eric waiting for me.

‘Hey.’ I smiled as I wheeled up to him.

‘Hi, how are you?’ He asked.

‘Good thanks, you?’ I replied.

‘Er, ok, I guess. I’m not sure what I’m going to be able to do though.’ Eric replied tried to hide his anxiety and insecurity.

‘That’s exactly what I thought at first, but trust me, there’s something for everyone here.’ I replied as Parker wheeled up in her wheelchair.

‘Hey Maddie.’ She said as she came to a stop then looked at Eric. ‘Who’s this?’

‘Hey Parker, this is Eric.’ I started then turned to Eric. ‘Eric, this is Parker, she helped me when I first came here.’

‘Helped, more liked dragged you in kicking and screaming.’ Parker replied with a laugh. ‘Hey Eric, it’s nice to meet you, first time here eh?’

‘Erm, yes, well, I’ve come past but never stopped.’ Eric replied.

‘Well, follow me, we’ll see what we can get you doing.’ Parker said as she wheeled herself onto the beach. I let Eric go in front of me then followed behind, we must have looked a sight, 3 wheelchairs in convoy wheeling onto Muscle Beach. Parker wheeled over to one of the multi-gyms and as Eric followed, I parked my chair to the side, dropped to the floor and scooted over to them as I preferred to hand-walk around, I was more agile and quicker that way and could maneuver between the equipment easier, plus I felt my chair got in the way of other people, not that they minded. As I scooted over to them Parker was introducing Eric to Trevor, he was part of the furniture at Muscle Beach and had helped me a lot when I first started coming. He was 6’6 and 250lbs of toned, ripped muscle, he was also gay and the sweetest guy you’d ever meet.

‘So Eric, you look like you were probably very fit before.’ Trevor was saying.

‘Yeah, I was.’ Eric replied looking sad like that was a long-forgotten version of him.

‘Well, that’s good, that means the core strength and muscle memory is still there. Can you hop on over here?’ Trevor asked as he patted the seat of the multi gym. Eric adjusted his chair, placed his one hand on the seat and slowly pulled himself over, making a little jump over the gap. Trevor then spent ages patiently going through different routines for Eric, making adjustments when things didn’t work, I stayed around and offered some tips from a disabled person’s point of view before working out myself. Parker and I both kept checking in to see how Eric was getting on, each time he seemed to be enjoying himself.

We all worked out for over an hour, Eric looked worn out but seemed happy. He got himself back in his wheelchair and, after thanking Trevor, he used the joystick to maneuver his chair toward the boardwalk. I finished what I was doing, scooted over to my chair, lifted myself into it then caught him up.

‘Hey.’ I called. ‘Leaving so soon?’

‘Hey. No, I was just getting out the way to wait for you.’ He replied.

‘Cool, how was it?’ I asked bringing my chair to a stop next to him.

‘Pretty good actually, little frustrating at times, but Trevor was amazing, so patient and kind.’ Eric replied.

‘Isn’t he.’ I replied drying my head and neck with a towel.

‘Maddie, thank you so much.’ He said.

‘Eric, it was my pleasure, always happy to help out.’ I replied, taking a drink from my bottle.

‘Erm, Maddie, if you’re not doing anything, would you like too, erm, maybe get a drink?’ He asked nervously.

‘Yeah, that would be cool.’ I replied. ‘Do you want to go now or do you want to get changed first?’