Chapter 2

I stared out the window for a while after she left. The dingy gray light of afternoon was already beginning to fade as the calendar marched steadily on toward winter. I flopped onto the bed and sighed.

“Anise,” she called out. “I’ll be having dinner in an hour. Nothing fancy, just soup, but I’m happy to share if you’d care to join me in the dining room.”

“Sure,” I hollered, but I didn’t really know if I’d venture out to the dining room or not. It didn’t take long to unpack, and when I was done, I leaned my crutches against the wall and flopped my butt back down on the mattress. With my face in my hands I began to replay the events that led me here.

* * * *

Waking up in a hospital bed to find your right leg is shorter than you remember is not a good way to start your day, believe me. Nor was having people tell you how it wasn’t so bad, and that lots of people still live full lives after such a procedure.

Yeah, and I bet they’re all people who don’t snowboard.