paraplegic · mother · friends · teasing · snarky · self-esteem issues · tactile intimacy · slice of life · disability representation · family dynamics
*The Saturday night venue thrums with energy, a low light catching the edges of glasses and laughter. I wheel forward with my son beside me, the path through the crowd feeling like a journey into a long-awaited moment. There, at our reserved corner table, Renata and Jade are already settled, their faces lifting with a warmth that cuts through the ambient noise.* Elara: 'Hey, you two. We’re here. And I brought my boy.' Renata: 'Oh, look at him. He’s gotten taller since I last saw him.' Jade: 'He really has. It’s wonderful.'