Jonathan's Promise

by Hans M Hirschi

  Parker nodded. Neither he nor Cody understood the technology behind the prosthetic legs.

  Apparently, the first generation of robotic legs required the user to wear an attachment to their skulls to help with the transmission of the signals, eventually, that transmitter was installed subcutaneously, before, finally, in the fourth generation, it had been made redundant, as the scientists had learned how to reuse the body’s own neural pathways and nerves, connecting them to the bionic limbs right at the socket. Already connected to the right areas of the brain, recovery was sped up and people gained better use of their limbs, and they were moving around more naturally.

  “Let’s try the other leg now.” Charles attached the shorter, left prosthesis, and at first, Cody felt nothing, except the tightness of the attached prosthesis. Then, the tingling sensation began, and just like the other leg, that burning feeling came, from the foot and gradually upward, excruciatingly painful.

  “I don’t think I can take this much longer.” Cody whimpered, his face displaying the agony.

  “Try to stay with it as long as you can. This is going to take time…” Charles encouraged, and Parker squeezed Cody’s hand.

  Cody tried, and he persisted, breaking into a sweat in the process. After about forty minutes, the pain eased up, and the burning sensation dissipated.

  Charles was impressed. “Well done. I think you deserve a reward. Would you like to stand on your new legs? I’ll make sure the knees don’t buckle and we’ll hold you.”

  Cody turned his head in Parker’s direction. “What do you think?”

  Parker was still holding Cody’s hand and patted it. “That’s for you to decide. Are you up for it?”

  “I think I’ll pass, at least today. I’m exhausted. Maybe tomorrow?”

  “As you wish. But remember, eventually you’ll have to get up and stand on those legs again. Now before I take them off, let me just double-check the fit, to see if we need to change that. It’s something you’ll need to keep an eye on regularly. Your stumps will strengthen as you start to use them again, and the socket may have to be adjusted accordingly.”

  Charles double-checked the fixtures of the prosthesis to the two leg stumps. Happy with what he saw, he took them off.

  “Wow,” Cody exclaimed. “What was that?”

  “You’ll get used to it. Your body realizes that the pathways that had begun to fire again are suddenly left blank. It’s a weird sensation, and it’ll never go away. I think you’ll find you’ll want to keep the legs on as much as possible in time, and you’ll only take them off to clean and maintain.

  “Now, I’ll take these back to the lab and finish them for you. We have your skin tone on file, and based on the photos you’ve provided, we’ll be able to make them look just like your own, scars, hair and all.”

  ***

  In the following weeks, Parker drove Cody to the rehab center every day, Monday through Sunday, where the legs were put on, and he’d practice walking.

  In the beginning, he only stood up and stayed still, but after a couple of weeks, he started to move more and more of the servos with the power of his will. They transferred him over to a pair of bars, similar to the ones used in gymnastics, only longer and not as high, enabling Cody to take his first ever step in months. Parker had tears in his eyes, watching as his partner fought and struggled with the concept of walking.

  That night, in bed, legs still attached, Cody explained.

  “It feels almost like my feet used to feel. I feel the foot in the shoe, I feel the weight of the body on the soles, but I still have to focus on lifting the leg. I still have to visualize the muscles I need to move. This is so weird, particularly since I can’t see the leg. They feel amazing, though, except for the place where they’re fixed. That feels strange, but I’m grateful for this, for Grandpa paying for all this.”

  Parker was lying naked next to Cody, out from the shower, and admired his fiancé. “Grandpa still feels guilty for what happened, so I’m sure he’s happy to be of assistance. By the way, did I tell you they’re coming out here in a couple of months? Marc wanted to see the Grand Canyon, so they’re flying into Albuquerque, to see us before driving out to the Canyon.”

  “Really? They’re coming here? That’s cool. If only I could walk without the damned bars by then.”

  “Don’t rush things. You knew this was going to take time.”

  “I know, but still. Anyway. Tell me, what do they look like? They feel strange. I can feel my hands touching them, but it’s a distant sensation, dull, not like touching my own legs used to feel.”

  “Well, I don’t think they can do that quite yet. But they look amazing. I mean, the muscles don’t move like yours did.” Parker put his hand on Cody’s right prosthesis. “Can you feel this?”

  Cody smiled. “Yeah, I can. Feels funny, warm, somehow.”

  Parker moved his hand up Cody’s leg to his shorts and crotch. ”Can you feel this?”

  “Oh, yeah, let’s try this some more.” Cody turned to his side and met Parker in a kiss. “What do you say, wanna take these legs for a spin?”

  Parker nodded and helped Cody get out of his shorts.

  ***

  The next day brought a setback. Cody was exercising his steps on the parallel bars when he fell down. He swore and cursed, crying, “I hate these things. Why can’t I just have my own legs back?” Tears were flowing down his cheeks, as he lay on the floor, a heap of flesh, frustrated, angry.

  “Baby, I know it’s hard. We knew this would happen, but we’ll get through this, together.”

  “Are you sure you’re up for this? Spending the rest of your life with a cripple? With plastic and titanium legs? Blind? Helpless?”

  Cody was trying to provoke him, and Parker wasn’t going to fall for it. Charles, the therapists, doctors and nurses had all warned him that there would be countless setbacks. This wasn’t the first; it wouldn’t be the last. But it was the biggest one yet.

  “Babe, listen, get up on your knees. I’ll help you back up on your feet.”

  Cody shook his head. He wasn’t in the mood to get up. He just wanted to lie there on the floor, wallowing in self-pity. Parker wouldn’t let him. Together with Amos, the physical therapist, they each grabbed Cody under an arm, pulled him to his feet, and helped him grapple the bars again.

  Amos instructed, “Come on, Cody, take a step. I know you can do it. Come on. The first step is always the most difficult one.”

  Cody took the step, and then another, and another, until he reached the end of the bars, where he turned around and walked back, slowly, deliberately.

  This was their ritual, week after week, until finally, one day, Amos said, “Today, no bars.”

  “What do you mean, no bars?”

  “No bars. Today, I want you to walk without support. Just a step or two. Parker and I will be at your side. We’ll catch you if needed. You don’t expect to rely on the bars for the rest of your life, do you?”

  Cody was sweating, and Parker could see how scared he was. “You can do this, babe, I know you can. Remember, Grandpa and Marc are coming Friday two weeks from now. Wouldn’t you love to show them your progress?”

  Carefully, supported by Amos and Parker, Cody got up from the chair he was sitting in. He stood, a little wobbly, but he stood, and the two men let go. Cody remained standing.

  Amos encouraged him, “Now, Cody, take a step! Just one.”

  Carefully, Cody lifted his left leg and put it forward. It felt so strange to walk without the bars, but he was doing it. He took another step, pulling his right leg forward, alongside the other.

  “Great job, Cody! Now let’s take a few more… You have about twenty feet of floor before the other side of the room.”

  Slowly and unsteadily, taking one step at a time, Cody walked.

  “If you keep this up, you’ll be running the New York marathon soon…” Amos was impressed.

  “Well, I doubt that. I wouldn’t know where I’m running to…” Cody laugh
ed, proud and feeling accomplished.

  * * * * *

  Chapter 23 - Proposal

  “Are they here yet?” Cody asked. He was sitting in his wheelchair next to Parker in the Arrivals hall at Albuquerque Sunport.

  “No, I can’t see them. But their plane has arrived. I guess they’re waiting for their luggage.”

  As Parker said the words, the door opened, and Marc and Jonathan exited from the luggage retrieval area.

  Parker ran to his grandpa and hugged him. “Welcome to New Mexico, Grandpa!” Then he kissed and hugged Marc. “It’s good to see you again!”

  “It’s good to be here.”

  They walked over to Cody, and more hugs were shared.

  “How was your trip?” Cody asked.

  “Oh, you know what these flights are like. Dull, but here we are. It sure seems the weather is better here than back east.” Jonathan frowned.

  “We’ll see. It hit one hundred again today, which is a bit unusual for this time of year. Are you up for that?”

  “Probably not. But I guess the house is air-conditioned?”

  “It sure is, don’t worry, Grandpa.”

  They drove to the house that Parker and Cody were renting, near Cody’s mom’s house, and settled Jonathan and Marc in the guest room. They had prepared a small surprise for them. As Jonathan emerged from the guest room, Cody was standing in the middle of the living room, all smiles.

  Jonathan was astonished. “Why, I see it, but I don’t believe it. Cody? You’re walking?”

  Cody walked toward Jonathan, almost as he used to before the accident. In the past couple of weeks, he’d made great progress and felt more and more comfortable; he barely used the wheelchair anymore. Today had only been a ruse to fool Jonathan and Marc.

  “I’m so proud of you, boy. This is incredible. Marc, come here. You have to see this.”

  Marc came running from the guest room, and his jaw dropped as he saw Cody, standing tall in Jonathan’s arms. “How long have you been walking like this?”

  “Oh, a few days. I mean, I’ve been walking while holding on to bars or with crutches for a lot longer, but it’s really only been these few days that I’ve felt comfortable. I can even run, but since I can’t see where I’d be running, that wouldn’t be a good idea.” Cody was laughing, and he felt happy.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Jonathan scolded Parker.

  Parker shrugged. “We wanted this to be a surprise, and it seems it worked nicely. Come out back. I’ve got some cold beers ready, and we’ll light up the barbecue in a while. Cody’s mom and his grandma are coming over tonight. They’ve been dying to see you guys again.”

  The afternoon sun was hot, but the back patio was shaded and comfortable. The four men sat in sun chairs, enjoying each other’s company, drinking beer, sharing memories of their trip together.

  “God, do you remember San Juan? That amazing dinner? I’d like to return there one day. We had such a good time,” Cody said.

  “Me, too, but what I really miss is the ship, and Carlos, the service on board. It was heaven, particularly compared to having to do it all yourself again. Do you know where the Diamond is right now?”

  Marc shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I don’t. Last I heard, she was in the Mediterranean, but that was a couple of months ago. Carlos is no longer on board. He transferred to the new ship in the fleet, the Constellation. She’s currently being fitted in a shipyard in Germany. Carlos is overseeing the VIP sections. A promotion of sorts.”

  “Good for him,” Jonathan said and raised his beer in a toast. “To the MS Diamond, wherever she may be. May she sail favorable winds…”

  Parker laughed. “You’re funny, Grandpa. She’s a motor vessel, she hardly needs any winds.”

  “That’s not the point, son, and you know it.”

  “I sometimes think about Bora Bora. I wish I could’ve seen that island.”

  Marc agreed. “Yeah, that would’ve been one hell of a wedding. That island, the laguna, the MS Diamond anchored in the distance, the two of you on the beach, barefoot, dressed in white with all your friends and family gathered around you. That would’ve been such a dream wedding!”

  Murmurs of agreement came from the others, except for Cody. While he, too, looked out into the distance, he couldn’t see the reddish rocks toward the horizon, already turning in color as the sun began to slowly descend in the west. There was sadness in his voice when he said, “I’m not sure I could. I mean be barefoot on the beach. Wouldn’t I look hideous?”

  “Oh, baby, of course you wouldn’t. You know it, and don’t argue this with me again, you know how hot you look in a pair of shorts.” Parker was getting excited. “We could both dress in matching white Bermudas and white short-sleeved shirts. It would be simple, yet beautiful, and yes barefoot, to be in touch with the earth beneath us.”

  After thinking about it for a while, Jonathan suggested, “What’s keeping you from doing that? Your rehab seems almost completed, right? Why not take the opportunity and celebrate that? All you’d have to do is propose to each other.”

  Parker and Cody both chuckled at Jonathan’s comment. “We kinda already have…again. Months ago, but actually getting married wasn’t critical at the time. It got lost in all the other things that kept us busy.”

  “What kept you busy?” Mrs. Thomas asked as she walked out onto the patio.

  “Denise?” Jonathan turned around to see Cody’s mother and grandmother approach. He got up and gave each a heartfelt hug. “It’s been too long. How are you doing?”

  “Jonathan, what a pleasure to see you again. I can’t even begin to thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”

  Jonathan made a dismissive gesture. “Don’t mention it. It’s been my pleasure and privilege.”

  Marc got up as well, and tears of joy were shed and hugs shared, before Cody’s mom repeated her question. “What were you boys talking about?”

  Jonathan gestured her to his chair. “Sit down, Denise.” She sat down, and her mother took the seat previously occupied by Parker. “I was just tossing out an idea to the boys. Seems they plan to finally tie the knot, and as we were reminiscing our trip, I suggested they revisit their original plans and get married on Bora Bora. Wouldn’t that be grand?”

  “Bora Bora? Well, you boys sure dream big, don’t you? Cody, is that really necessary?” She had a stern look on her face.

  Jonathan chuckled and added, “Don’t you worry about the cost of it. I was so thrilled to see Cody walking again. It would be my pleasure, my treat, of course. I’m just so happy that these two lovebirds are back together, and that their love has overcome all the obstacles thrown in their path. So if they want to get married on Bora Bora, Bora Bora it shall be!”

  Mrs. Thomas shook her head, still not too impressed with the idea, but she also knew that the Jacksons didn’t measure money quite the same way she had to. “Well, if you boys think your happiness depends on a wedding on some tropical island paradise, I won’t stand in your way. But I still think it’s a waste of money, even if it isn’t mine being wasted.”

  Jonathan laughed and took Denise’s hand. “You’re a gal quite in my taste. Please, let’s make this the most memorable day in the boy’s life. Let’s erase some of the bad memories and replace them with palm trees, turquoise waters, white beaches and love, nothing but love. They deserve nothing less.”

  Cody smiled, Parker beamed, and Marc nodded. Cody’s grandma didn’t say anything, and while she may have agreed with her daughter in principle, she beamed with pride at her grandson’s accomplishments.

  Suddenly, Parker grew pensive. “But Grandpa, what about you and Marc? Wouldn’t it be great if the two of you tied the knot with us? A double wedding?”

  ***

  “What’s gotten into you?” Jonathan was upset. He and Parker were grocery shopping, while Marc had accompanied Cody to a physical therapy session. “You put me quite on the spot the other day.”

  “What do you mean? The double
wedding?”

  “Yes! That. How could you? Have you no respect for your elders?”

  Parker laughed. “What’s so bad about that? Is the idea so outlandish?”

  “No, of course not, it’s just that you put me in a very bad situation. If I propose to Marc, he’ll think I did it because of you. If I don’t, he’ll think I don’t love him.”

  “I’m sorry, Grandpa. I didn’t think of that. I just think you should do it. You’re not getting younger, and I think Marc deserves a bit of financial stability. He’s given up his entire life just to be with you. And you have to hand it to him, he is good for you.”

  “I know Parker, that’s not the point. And I’ve thought about it. Just last week, we took the entire family out to dinner, and for the first time, Rick seemed to be perfectly comfortable around us. There was nothing left of the distance he used to keep when we first came back, you know, after Cody’s accident. But still, I also don’t want to push it. I don’t want the kids to feel like I’m betraying Dan’s trust…”

  “But, Grandpa, Granddad’s been gone for almost two years. Why wouldn’t you move on? He did when he met you, didn’t he? And didn’t you tell me that you already felt you had his blessing?”

  Jonathan sighed. “I know. It’s just getting married, at my age. It seems kind of futile.”

  “Are you tired of life?”

  “Me? No, not really. I’m very happy with Marc. We live a quiet, happy life. But like you say, I’m not getting younger, and sometimes I feel as if I’m holding him back. I can’t go out and run anymore. He can. I can’t do a lot of things anymore. My body just won’t cooperate, you know? My mind might, my heart wants to, but the body just can’t. I’m not sure I want to tie Marc to me with wedding vows. It wouldn’t be fair to him.”

  “Do you think he sees it the same way?”

  “I doubt it. He seems content to be with me, take slow walks through the forest. We’ve spent a lot of time out by the cabin this summer. He’s such a good man, massaging me—did you know he still pedicures my feet every week? And he still insists on that silly feet-washing ritual.”