My Legacy

Ashley's POV: I really wanted to go with Christina today for her physical therapy, but she insisted I stay here and help out with the backing vocals. Not like I'm really able to focus on them though, so Andy takes me out of the booth and I go outside to the pool area.
As I head to the pool, I strip out of my shirt, shoes, and pants then jump in the pool. Maybe the cool water will help me out some. Clear my head.
While I'm under the water, I open my eyes and look around myself. The sun's rays are visible under the water, and they look so mystical as small bubbles bend the light just enough. When I can no longer hold my breath, I kick off the bottom of the pool and inhale as my head breaks the surface.
"What's got you so worked up, man?" CC asked from behind me, and when I turn in the water, he's standing at the edge of the pool.
I swim over to where he is and hold myself up on the side of the pool, then tell him, "It's just we don't need these vocals until a little later and your sister basically told me off when I insisted on coming with her to her session. I don't know. It just doesn't quite add up."
"You know how my little brat of a sister can be, Ash. Don't worry about it. She's just under a lot of stress right now, with everything that's been going on. Besides you're not the only one she won't allow at the sessions. She only wants Juliet or Emily to go with her," CC tells me, and that makes me question things a little more.
"But why only them? You're her older brother. I'm her boyfriend. Why doesn't she want one of us there at all?" I ask.
"Who knows? She's 21 years old and has a mind of her own. She knows what's best for her, even though sometimes even I question her motives," CC tells me, sitting in one of the pool side chairs.
Maybe he's right....
Christina's POV: After Dr. Ashton does my stretches with me, I ask if I can walk for a few minutes. Reluctantly he agrees, but says I can only be on my feet for a few minutes. I smile at Juliet and Emily, while Em pulls out the camera and films me.
"Whenever you're ready, Christy. Do your thing, girl," she tells me, and I stand up from my chair. It's becoming easier to stand, but not as easy to walk. Walking still presents a challenge for me, and Dr. Ashton said I may never walk normally again, but if I can even just walk on my own or with a cane, that would be fine with me. At least I could get back to a somewhat normal life.
When I'm balanced, I take the first step, which is always the hardest, then I take another and another and another, until I'm walking fine on my own. I only hold one of the bars as I walk halfway down the small platform, then feel my legs give way beneath me, as Dr. Ashton catches me.
I growl unhappily, but then close my eyes and focus. I can do this. All I have to do is get back to my chair. I pull myself back up with Dr. Ashton's help and carefully turn and take a step, which sends me to the floor on my hands and knees.
"You're not alone. Together we stand. I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand. When it gets cold and it feels like the end, there's no place to go, you know I won't give in. No, I won't give in. Yeah, yeah! Keep holding on. Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through. Just stay strong, cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you," Juliet sings, and then I start singing as I force myself back to my feet and walk a few more steps t get back to my chair.
Once safely back in it, Dr. Ashton says, "You're doing better, at least. I'd say by next year you might be walking with a cane."
"Thanks, doc," I say, smiling at him.
"Now, remember our next appointment is on Friday at 2," he says, shaking my hand, and we say our goodbyes.
As we head back to Juliet's SUV, Emily asked, "So, how do you feel?"
"Optimistic about the future," I tell her, looking into the camera and smiling.
"See? What did I tell you?" She asked, "You're doing great, and now you're feeling it too. It's a win, win!"
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get back to the studio, alright?" I say, then race forward in my chair to the car.
Juliet unlocks it, and I open the back, get out of my chair, and fold it up, putting it in there. I then hold onto the car as I get into the backseat, and relax as they get in the front.
We all talk happily, while Emily documents it all on video and once at the studio, we all get out, and I walk the few steps from the backseat to the very back of the car. Juliet gets my chair out and I sit in it, thanking her for her help.
CC's POV: As I sit there talking to Ash, the girls pull up, and a moment passes before I see something that can't be right. Christina's taking baby steps, holding onto the side of Juliet's car!
She opens the back, then Juliet pulls out her chair and she sits in it and says something I assume is thank you to her.
Ash notices me stop mid-sentence, and asked what I'm looking at. I look away from my sister, then look at Ash and say, "I would have sworn I just saw Christina walking."
"What? Nah, man. You heard her. She hasn't taken a step since the accident. She's just been able to stand up for a few seconds."
"I know what she said, but I would swear I just saw it with my own two eyes!" I argue, then stand up and walk over to my sister, who's making a beeline for the studio.
"Hey, sis!" I shout over to her and she stops her chair.
"Hey, bro. What's up?" she asked.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" I ask her and she agrees.
I take her over by the shrubs by the pool so Ash can hear what she may have to say about this too, if I can even get the truth out of her.
"So, what's up?" she asked again.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would have sworn I just saw you walking from the backseat of the car, to the back where your chair was," I tell her, looking at her with my best you'd better not lie to me face.
"What?" she demands, looking shocked, "CC, you're seeing shit. I haven't been able to walk yet. Just stand up for a few seconds at a time. What do you think I'm doing? Lying?"
She only calls me CC when she needs help or she's lying. I know I'm not seeing shit and that was all the answer I needed.
"Bullshit. You called me CC," I tell her, "You only do that when you know you've done something wrong, and in this case, it's lying to me."
Her eyes widen as she realizes I have her by the tail, so I continue and say, "Now, tell me the truth."
She looks down at her lap and says, "Fine. I can walk, but only for a few steps, then I fall again. I wanted it to be a surprise for you guys either before or after you went on tour."
So...She was keeping it a secret so she could...Wow, I'm a real dick of a brother, I think as I look at my little sister.
"Stand up," I tell her, and she looks up at me in shock.
"Please, Christian," she says, trailing off.
"I just want to give you a hug and say I'm sorry," I tell her, holding my hands out to her for support, "Plus, my back hurts so I don't want to bend down, right now."
She nods, then grabs both my hands and pulls herself upright. Once she's balanced, I hug her tightly and she hugs me in return. When we pull away from the hug, she still stands in front of me, and at her.
This is my little sister. The one I remember. The one I grew up with. This is how it was meant to be.

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