Chapter 7 - Breaking the Mold
Spring arrived in Oregon with warm breezes and rich, blooming earth.
Elena suggested a new project: building a small vegetable garden at the edge of the property line. She brought soil, wooden planks, and seedlings.
Instead of sitting in his clinical brace, Oliver was placed in the soil. Elena showed him how to dig holes with his fingers.
“Feel the dirt, Oliver,” Elena said gently. “It supports you. It’s not something to fear.”
To reach the next planting spot, Oliver refused to wait for his father to carry him. He gripped the edge of the raised wooden bed. His knuckles turned white. His small legs trembled violently as he fought against gravity, his brain firing signals to muscles that had laid dormant for years.
Leo stood a few feet away, holding a tiny tomato plant. “Come on, Ollie! Plant the dinosaur tree!”
With a grunt of pure determination, Oliver locked his knees. He raised his hips. He stood up on his own two feet without any braces, holding onto the wood for balance.
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Jonathan stopped breathing. He took out his phone to record, but his hands shook so violently he dropped it into the soil.
Oliver stood for five full seconds before collapsing into the soft dirt, laughing triumphantly.
