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"Okay, well, I’m sure she has her reasons," I say I know Cass wants to introduce me, on her own terms And I know her sister beat her to it So I don’t fault Cass for this at all "I’ve been a paraplegic for a little htfor his call, and I kneould share this and share it quickly It’s hard for people to stop you when you lead with this line It’s a perk of my circumstance I’ve earned tee

"Stupid cliff-diving accident; du I’ve ever done Ruined ht it did for a while But I had people inbutbeyond that stupid decision They saw my potential And they preached to me, pounded it into my head, day after day, hour after hour, until yeah…I saw e didn’t rad, on a scholarship School…it’s so easy for s justI haven’t run into so that I can’t find a way to do And you knohy?"

I give him a second to answer, but he doesn’t It’s okay--he hears me I’m sure he hears me

"Because when I needed people the most, my parents, my brother, o for easy My er, and she could have forced s to help e, to sleep, to not feel the never-ending firing pain fros would mean I didn’t want to take theh the hard way, and she didn’t stop until I came out the other side"

"I train others with disabilities I’e mentioned this either I train them because I like to see what happens when sohter I trained her I trained her right into believing in herself And you knohat happened? She started to want things again She started to drea, pushing herself…when she’s in her sport, co or anyone like her And I love her I haven’t even told her yet, but I do I love her for everything she is, and I love her for how much she makes lory And I don’t really care that it isn’tthe easy route to stop, just for a second, and watch her…and see her as she is? I’m not so sure you deserve to be the one she runs to in the first place"

I wasn’t expecting applause Though, the slow-clap does pass through my mind and briefly amuses me I’m pretty impressed with my own speech, and even if Cass’s father isn’t, I feel pretty good about everything I said I’d say it all to Cass andseconds, and eventually, I hear him s--perhaps his pride

"If you could tell her that I called," he says

"I can do that, sir You have a good night now," I say, one rab the re the television to Sports Center, and I wait for her to feel strong enough to come in and join me By the end of the show, she’s here

"Your father called," I say She rolls her eyes and crawls into her bed, patting the space next to her I don’t elaborate, because I don’t want to freak her out It’s not a lie It’s o, a little A lot But I think this calls for an exception

Chapter 26

Cass

Rowe’s coe left early

The Cotterman issue is now a non-issue

I have to ad to add up I was even alat first, because I kneas all aboutto actually look forward to her calls We still talk about nothing She doesn’t ask about Ty I don’t talk about Ty She doesn’t ask about practice I don’t talk about practice And et to live et to meet in the middle, in the land of make-believe where I’m interested in the bead and textile expo