VOTE FOR JODIE FOR PROM QUEEN... VOTE FOR THE BEST. DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS.
Nancy crumpled the note and was staring with angry eyes at Jodie. Jill and Susan walked up,
"Man, who ever heard of campaigning for Prom Queen? It's not like anything you say is going to change people's votes. They are going to vote for who they want. I'll be happy if I just receive two votes"
"Come on, your going to receive more then that. I'm going to vote for you, Nancy will vote for you, not to mention the guys…"
"I know, I'm just saying, it's just nice to be nominated, I don't even care if I win. To know that people in this school think I'm worthy of even being on the stage is enough for me….Not that you guys aren't worthy…"
"Give it a rest will you…So Nancy, did you find a dress?"
"Yes, and it is great. I'm going on Wednesday to pay for it and pick it up"
Chad walked up with two other guys from the basketball team, Jordan and Paul.
"Hey, how are our ladies today?"
Paul asked, as he put his arm around Susan.
"Great."
"So listen, we are all going in a limo for the prom, my parent's treat, isn't that great?"
"Yea."
Jill and Susan said together.
"Nancy? What do you think?"
Chad asked, when he realized that she had said nothing.
"Well, I'm happy for you guys, but I don't think I should. I mean, it will be too difficult for the driver to take care of my chair. I think I'll just meet you guys there."
"No way. If you don't go, none of us will. Come on Nancy, we will help take care of things. Don't worry so much. Will you?"
"Well I'll have to talk with Mom and make sure it's alright. I got to go, therapy calls…"
"How come you have to go almost everyday now?"
"Just what the doctor wants me to do…got to go."
Phoebe had pulled up in front of the school. Nancy got herself in the van and the two of them headed off to therapy. Nancy was sorry that she hadn't told any of her friends about the walking, but she didn't want anyone getting their hopes up. She still didn't think she was ready for this, and wouldn't think otherwise until she could prove herself wrong.
Arriving at therapy Nancy went into the back and Phoebe once again took a seat in the waiting area. They did their normal routine, then started on the new stuff. Nancy was having a really hard time. She just couldn't get used to the leg braces, they were heavy and uncomfortable, and difficult to work with.
"Come on, Nancy! TRY! WILL YOU!"
Jamie yelled.
"I AM!"
"No, you're not! Your not even breaking a sweat. Stop wasting my time and try."
Jamie hated having to say these things, but that one comment made Nancy so angry that she pushed with all her might and stood up out of the chair.
"Good. That's it. Now you got it."
Nancy stood for all of two seconds and then moved the brace wrong and fell to the floor. Jamie tried to hold her, but she fell anyway. Jamie bent down to make sure she was not hurt. Nancy rolled on her back and pushed Jamie away.
"I can do this myself. Leave me alone. I told you I wasn't ready for this."
"Yes, you are. You did it."
"I didn't do anything. I fell or weren't you watching? I fall out of my chair all the time, it's no big miracle. Now BACK OFF!"
Jamie not only backed off but she also walked out of the room. Phoebe was sitting outside the room. She didn't want to watch what was going on. Nancy began to struggle to get back into the chair. After a few minutes of trying, she just sat there and cried.
"Phoebe, I want you to let her be for a few minutes, then go in and help her. She needs to let off some steam, but I don't want her thinking that every time something is difficult, someone is going to be there to pick her up. She can lean on us, but she has to do it for herself. She has to want this."
Phoebe sat there and listened to what Nancy was saying to herself. It was breaking her heart. Nancy was so down on herself, it took every once of energy that Phoebe had to stay in the chair and not run in and hug Nancy.
"Why can't I do this? Why? I told them I wasn't ready. I can't do this. I just can't!"
She struggled once again to try and get into her chair, but failed once again. She attempted to take off her leg braces, but at that very moment Phoebe walked back into the room.
"Jamie says you can go now and she will see you tomorrow."
"No, she won't. I'm not ready for this. I'm not coming back tomorrow."
"Oh yes you are! You have come a very long way and I'm not letting you give up now. No way! Now get back in your chair and let's go home."
"I need some help."
"No you don't. You can do this. I'm not going to help until I see you really try."
"You said you would always be there to help me. Why are you turning your back on me now? What did I do wrong?"
Phoebe had to make her understand without giving in. She sat on the floor facing Nancy. She took a hold of her hands,
"Nancy, I'm not turning away from you, but I can't do everything for you. You want out of this chair, and in order to do that, you have to work really hard. If I see you try, and I mean really try and you fail, I'll still be proud of you for trying."
Nancy looked into Phoebe's eyes, she was trying to understand but just couldn't. Phoebe could see that Nancy was not understanding so she choose her words carefully so she could motivate Nancy without doing the work for her.
"Nancy, do you remember how you were so angry at us for doing too much for you? And how you wanted us to just back up and let you do it alone?"
"Yes, but this is different."
"No, it isn't. This is the same thing, it's just reversed. Now we want you to do it alone, but your afraid. Don't be scared of this, you can do it, I believe in you. Now come on, try and get into your chair."
"I can do it if I take these braces off."
"No, you have to learn to do this with them on. These braces are going to be a part of your life for a while, the sooner you accept it, and learn to work with them, and not against them, the easier this will all be"
Nancy positioned herself grabbing hold of the chair, she focused all her energy and courage on getting into the chair, but she could feel the chair moving and was still afraid. Looking to Phoebe she was hoping that she would give in and let her take the braces off. Seeing the look in Phoebe's eyes, and watching as she just crossed her arms across her body, Nancy knew she was on her own.
"Alright, I'll try. But I need you to do a small thing for me…"
"Nancy.."
"No I'll do it myself, I would just like you to lock the chair so it won't move."
"Alright, that I can do…"
Phoebe stood up, locked the wheels and stood behind it. She shouted words of encouragement at Nancy as she pulled herself back into her chair an inch at a time. Nancy had sweat coming down her face. Just doing this took so much energy out of her. It hurt so bad. Jamie had been watching this all happen from outside the room. She walked in and handed Nancy a glass of water and a towel.
"I knew you could do it Nancy. I knew it."
Nancy smiled, pleased with herself for her hard work. After relaxing for a few minutes, Jamie stretched out Nancy's legs and sent them on their way.
As a reward for Nancy's hard work they treated themselves to ice cream on the way home. Arriving home Nancy found an envelope on the table addressed to herself. Nancy, inside were the x-rays she had asked Prue to get.
"Now I can really get started on my presentation."
"That's great. Listen I got to go out for a while, I don't know if Piper is home yet. Will you be alright by yourself?"
"Sure, I'm not a baby you know."
"I know. Call if you need anything, I have my cell."
"I will, and if it's an emergency, I can always connect with you."
"Right, I keep forgetting about that."
Nancy headed upstairs and spent the remainder of the day working on her school presentation. She wanted it to be just right, and she knew it would take some work to do that. Prue arrived home around 5:00, heated up the dinner Piper had left, and called Nancy down for dinner.
"Thanks Mom, I'm starved."
She replied as she dived into the food hardly taking a breath in between bites.
"Jeez, Nancy, you act like we never feed you."
"Sorry about that Mom, I just want to get back to work on my presentation."
"I thought you would be done with that by now."
"I was, but as I was re-reading it I didn't like how it sounded. I've decided to focus on the stuff with my injury, but I'm trying to not make it sound like I'm playing any guilt trips on people."
"Well if you want to run through it with someone, I'm always willing to listen."
"Thanks, but I only want to do this once, and that's in front of my class."