The next afternoon, I was practically vibrating with anticipation.
“It’s nice that you’re helping that new girl out,” Mom told me as I packed my laptop into my backpack.
“Thanks, Mom. Sierra seems like a really cool person. After all she’s been through, it amazes me how level headed she is.”
As I pedaled toward her neighborhood, my mind was racing. I had to remind myself to slow down. Sierra might just see me as the tech guy, and the last thing I wanted to do was blurt out about how much I like her and make an idiot of myself.
Pulling up to Sierra’s house, I calmed my nerves, took a deep breath, parked my bike, walked up the wheelchair ramp, and knocked on the door.
“Come on in, Jimmy,” Sierra’s mom said cheerfully, though she looked a little tired as she opened the door. “I’ll show you to Sierra’s room, she’s in there getting her desk cleared off.” She escorted me to the end of a long hallway, carrying a tray of snacks for us. “Her father and I are so grateful you’ve befriended her. She’s been through a lot the past three years, and it’s good to have a bit of stability in her life. I’ve been hearing non-stop about how you and your friends took her in so quickly. She’s been so happy these past few days.”
“You’re welcome,” I smiled. “It’s been great getting to know her and helping her get adjusted to a new school and introduce her to friends.”
Sierra’s mom directed me to a large room with a wide entrance. This was Sierra’s room.
“Hey, Jimmy, come on in!” she waved.
Her room was painted in light blue, with posters and framed pieces of her artwork on the walls, and a bookcase at one end. Railing was installed around the walls, like the other rooms I’d seen around the house, to help her get around. She was sitting in her wheelchair at a large desk that took up the whole corner of the room, getting her computer started.
No comments:
Post a Comment