“Exercise as much as you can. I’ll see you tomorrow. I want to see you pull that rope and hold it for a full minute. When you do, we put those peg legs on you and get you out of bed.”

She nodded and responded, “A full minute of holding the rope for a minute coming up.”

He smiled and left.

That evening Bill and her family visited. She was down but not beaten. She would lick this. When visiting hours were almost over her parents went out and left her with Bill for a few minutes. Bill felt strange in the room. He had never slept with her, had never seen her with less on than her bathing suit. They had decided to wait to be intimate till they were married. She held his hand and then slipped off the engagement ring and handed it to him. “Here, take this. You can’t be held to an agreement that isn’t valid any more.”

“I want you.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Let me show you what I look like. I know you liked my legs. Well, I don’t have them any more.”

“You’ll get them back.”

“What if I don’t?”

“I’ll love you anyway.”

“Could you make love to a freak with steel pins sticking out of her legs?”

“Why wouldn’t I want to if I love her?”

“Turn around.”

He obeyed. She pulled the sheet off her legs and placed it over her lower body. “Take a look at me. Can you love this?”

He turned with tears in his eyes. He looked at her stumps and then put his face down to hers and kissed her. He slowly rubbed his hand over her upper leg, something he had never done before. He touched the metal pin and then her leg. After a few minutes he slipped the ring back on her hand, kissed her and turned and left without saying anything.

When the nurse came in a few minutes later to answer her light she was exercising. The nurse changed the traction for her. When she checked in later, Kathy was sound asleep.

Table of Chapters

Kathy’s Legs: Chapter One, The Accident

Kathys Legs 2: Kathy’s Recovery Begins

Kathy’s Legs: Chapter Three, Kathy Meets Her Legs

Kathys Legs: Chapter Four, Kathy Gets Back Her Legs

Kathy’s Legs: Chapter Five, Brad Becomes a Patient

Kathys Legs 6: Kathy Returns to College

Kathy’s Legs: Chapter Seven, Kathy is Without Her Legs Again

Kathys Legs 8: The Friends with SCI Have Surgery

Kathy’s Legs 9: Ken to the Rescue

Other Articles by Ralph Brandt

Churches That Get Government Money

Financial Help in These Trying Times

Anonymous and Irresponsible: the Radical Left

The Comparison of the Assassinations of Kennedy and Lincoln

Relationship of Church and State

An End to Complacency

I’m Going on
Compromise in the Church
Come Away My Beloved
Communion
Contradictions – Science and Religion

Christian Perspective On Hatred Feb 20, 2007

Noivels

Alpha Four Chapter 01: Two Autopsies

Denise Chapter 01: Success in Hollywood

Jan Chapter 01: School Days

Karen: Chapter One – The Attack

Kathy’s Legs: Chapter One, The Accident

Laura Chapter 1

Sandra Chapter 01: the Accident

The First Family: Chapter 1 – Introduction

The Handshue Sect 1

The Night Sniper Chapter One: On the Beat

World War II – a Novel Chapter One