Page 18 of 21 Years of Jane

“She didn’t mean any harm by it, but I get what you’re saying. My thoughts are this; don’t let anyone’s words get too close to your heart. Whether they hurt you or make you feel good. They all start out disguised as lies and you only ever see their true intentions in your weakest moment. Know what I mean?” he said.

That was the deepest thing Nolan had said to me so far. Not to mention, one of the most intelligent statements I had ever heard. I completely saw his point; words were deceptive. Good or bad, all forms of words were deceptive.

“I guess,” I conceded with a shrug. Then another random question materialized in my mind. “Nolan, why don’t you call me Starr anymore?”

“I like Jane. I kind of feel like it’s more personal. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I’m sorry I got so angry,” I said quietly.

“Don’t apologize. It’s always refreshing to see different human emotions,” he said, falling into step beside me as I began to wheel myself toward the dolphins.

“You’re kind of really smart,” I observed.

Nolan laughed and held open one of the doors for me. I smiled at him as I rolled into the auditorium. I found the designated handicap spot in the back and I waited for Nolan to go around me before I folded my hands in my lap. He leaned over and took one of my hands in his as more people filled the auditorium.

I sat there happily as the trainers ran out. But it wasn’t that I was going to see one of the best shows I’d ever seen that made me happy. It was that Nolan was holding my hand so tightly in his.

My thoughts were drowned out by the roar from the crowd as the dolphins suddenly appeared in the pool beneath us. I cheered along with them which made Nolan laugh. I looked over at him with excited eyes and he grinned.

Then his grin faded as he looked behind me.

Suddenly my chair lurched forward, and I was launched toward the stairs. My hands went out wildly as I tried to grab onto something, anything that would stop my destructive descent down the concrete stairs.

“Janey! Someone help her!” Nolan yelled as he ran down the steps behind me.

Immediately the crowd sprang to life as people ran out into the aisle to try to stop me and missed by two seconds. I saw the balcony coming closer as I bumped viciously down the stairs.

This is going to hurt so much, I thought fearfully as someone managed to stop the wheelchair.

I fell out of it and rolled down the remainder of the stairs, my body hitting the concrete balcony divider. Something, somewhere inside of me snapped and I felt a rush of exquisite pain wash over me.

Thankfully, I landed on my stomach. I was so embarrassed that I didn’t want to have to face anyone. I felt someone’s hands on my arm, and I could faintly hear them ask me if I was okay.

“Don’t move her! Wait for the paramedics!” the same voice said forcefully.

“Is she okay? Janey? Can you hear me?” Nolan sounded so frantic that if I wasn’t already in so much pain, I probably would have shed a tear.

I put my hands underneath myself and attempted to push myself up, but the first voice stopped me.

“Honey, don’t. You could be seriously injured and moving without the paramedics here can and will only make it worse. They’ve been paged and should be here soon.”

Then I felt something big and fabric-like being draped across my back. It was a jacket and it belonged to a man; I could tell by the smell of cologne and cigarettes.

“I need you to calm down, son. You look like you’re about to crawl out of your skin. She’s going to be fine,” the man said to Nolan.

I felt a burning sensation starting in my leg where I had the unsuccessful surgery to replace my rotten femur bone. One of many unsuccessful surgeries that led to the Freddy Krueger claw inspired scars I had on my thighs.

“Excuse us, please!” a new voice said forcefully.

“They’re here now, honey. You’re going to be okay,” the man said.

I felt his jacket being pulled off of me by the paramedics. I felt the board that they placed next to my arm and leg, before they gently rolled me onto it.

“Does your neck hurt?” the female asked me.

“No,” I whispered.

“I’d feel better if you had a neck brace on. Is that okay?” she asked, pulling it out and securing it around me before I had a chance to respond.