Bridgette froze and Maxwell stepped closer to ask if she was absolutely sure. Penelope nodded, and though it wasn’t dramatic, it was the first sign of progress they had seen in years.
That evening, Maxwell asked the boy where he lived and was told he slept near the old bridge. Bridgette covered her mouth in shock, and Maxwell immediately told the boy he wouldn’t be going back there.
“You will stay here because if you are helping my daughter, you are not doing it alone,” Maxwell declared. Penelope clapped her hands happily because she finally had a friend.
Days turned into weeks as the boy continued his work under careful supervision. Slowly, Penelope began to regain sensation and then small movements in her legs.
Each step forward felt like an impossible dream becoming a reality. There were difficult days of frustration, such as when Penelope lost her balance and sat down hard.
Bridgette rushed forward and worried that the process was becoming too much for their daughter. The boy stepped back with guilt in his eyes and later approached Maxwell to say he should probably leave.