Ashley paced the room back and forth while Marco, Spinner and Paige sat calmly on an uncomfortable couch in the hospital's waiting room.
"Ash, he's going to be fine. It's amazing that they've offered Jimmy this sort of surgery!" Marco said optimistically. "Come over and sit down, he shouldn't be out for a while."
What seemed like hours passed by before a nurse came out. She showed no hint of expression.
"Mrs. Brooks?" The nurse called and Ashley jumped at her name.
"Yes?" Ashley replied, walking over frantically, practically tripping over her feet.
"Your husband is in his room now. You can go down and see him if you'd like."
"Oh... oh thank you." Ashley replied and waved Marco, Spinner, and Paige over.
"Jimmy!" Spinner shouted and immediately hugged him.
"Hey Spin, nice to see you too," he replied, smiling half-heartedly, then gave a yawn.
"Jim, what's the matter?" Ashley asked, noticing her husband's unwilling look.
"It's... It's nothing, Ash. Really," Jimmy replied, looking just past her.
"Something's the matter, Jimmy," Paige said, frowning.
"Look, I probably just misheard the nurse, I'm still drowsy from the surgery."
"What, Jimmy!" Marco snapped, staring at him in disbelief. Something was clearly wrong.
"They just said that... my chances of the surgery working are low... and... something is the matter. They said survival rate is..."
"Is what Jimmy?" Spinner asked hesitantly.
"Low. Low, Spin," Jimmy said grimly. "But I will be able to walk, according to them. By the reunion too."
"Oh..." Spinner looked at the ground and would not look Jimmy in the eye. This all came back to him. Jimmy getting shot, Jimmy in a wheelchair, Jimmy having to go through this surgery, it was all his fault. "Look, man... I'm sorry... For everything."
"Spin, you didn't make me have this surgery."
"If it weren't for me you wouldn't have to make that decision."
"Spin, get over yourself. This isn't your fault. It was my decision and that's all I'm sayin'."
"But..." Spinner started but Ashley glared at him.
"So, everybody ready for the reunion?" Jimmy tried to start up a conversation that didn't deal with his surgery.
"Yeah, but Jimmy..." Spinner started, but stopped as Jimmy put his hand up to quiet him.
"Spinner, do you want to stay?"
"Yeah, Jim, of course. You're one of my best friends."
"Then shut up about my legs, shut up about the surgery, and shut up about me. Please." Jimmy stated rather calmly, his face revealing his fear.
"I'm sorry," Spinner replied, looking at the ground yet again.
"Don't be sorry, you don't have to be, Spin. Just please, don't mention it again, okay? After the shooting, all anybody would talk about was 'Poor Jimmy, he'll never walk again.' Now is it going to be 'Poor Jim, he could die from this surgery.' I mean, everybody focuses on the bad. It may be ignorant sounding, but I prefer to look on the brighter side. When I was in the wheelchair, I found I love drawing and I've got a profession doing what I love. Now I might be able to walk again before I die. Spin, you will never have any idea how much this means to me. There's so much that I've been limited to do! But with all of these medical advances, to allow me to walk, it's just so... unbelievable. I'll be able to walk at my high school reunion. Point is, if we're going to talk about it, we'll talk about the good, but can we please not focus on the bad?"
"Whoa.. uh, yeah Jimmy. I'm really so- I mean, that's great. It's gonna be great," Spinner replied, smiling.
"Guys, I want to talk to Jimmy alone..." Ashley started, but everybody else understood.
"See ya, Jim," Spinner said softly and he, Marco, and Paige exited the bright, white hospital room.
It was a new day, a new start, and a new chance. Spinner could fix this, he knew he could. Jimmy wouldn't have any reason to give him another lecture. Anxious, Spinner knocked on the door for Jimmy's room.
"Ahh, hello, you're one of Jim's friends?" The nurse inquired when she cracked the door open.
"Yeah, can I see him?"
"Jim, would it be alright?" The nurse turned her head towards the room.
"Yeah, it's Spinner, he can come in. In fact..." Jimmy said but stopped. The nurse opened the door the rest of the way and Spinner saw something amazing. Jimmy was standing, of course, leaning for support on a walker, but he was standing. Somehow, it felt like this mended any remaining harm from that horrible lie years ago.
"Well?" Jimmy asked, beaming. He took his hands away from the walker and stood on his own. "I should use the walker though for a little bit for walking, get used to it again, you know? But it's amazing... I can stand on my own and walk with a little bit of help!"
"Jim... wow... This is just... amazing," Spinner gasped and couldn't help but stare.
"Jim, I know that you aren't set to try this for another couple of days, but our last couple of patients were very quick to pick up on walking on their own. Only a couple of days in the hospital and they were able to leave, of course having a bit of physical therapy to make sure everything is working fine. Would you like to try walking unassisted? I'll stand right beside you to make sure you're okay with it," the nurse grinned at Jimmy, who promptly nodded.
It was then that Spinner felt even better. Jimmy took a step, and then another. They were a bit wobbly, but then he took a couple more steps. He looked ecstatic.
"Man... Jimmy... you're... you're walking," Spinner said, trying to stop his tears, but they came anyways. Jimmy Brooks could walk again.