Fat Girl ✔️

My Lesson

As I slid a thick wool sweater over my shoulders, courtesy of Martha, I sighed. 

"Is this really necessary?" I asked, blowing a piece of hair out of my face. I shoved my hands into the white mittens.

"Yes, it is," Martha huffed, adjusting my scarf. "It is freezing out there." She tucked some hair behind my ear and smiled. "There. You look beautiful. He'll be amazed."

I groaned and sat up in bed. " Martha. You can't set me up with your son."

Martha hurried over to the table and grabbed my crutches, helping me onto them. " I most certainly can," she said as she helped me up. "All the girls I've met his age are narcissistic bitches, excuse my language."

" Martha!" I said, hiding a laugh.

She shrugged. "All I'm saying, is I wouldn't mind if Ben had a girl like you to hold on to." She smiled to herself." Lord knows he needs one."

Looking up, she waved me forward. "Come on. Let's go on out to the farm."

***

"Okay, so just sort of pretend the crutches are your other legs."

I huffed. "I know how to use crutches, Ben. That's not the problem. The problem is that I hurt both of my legs in the accident, and crutches only help if you have one hurt leg."

He lifted his arms in defeat. " Well, then what are we here for?" Putting his head in his hands, he mumbled, " Okay. Look, I know the crutches won't help much. But if you just try-"

" I'm done trying!" I sat down in the dirt, tossing my crutches aside. "I'm hot, and sweaty, and I can't take this stupid sweater off because your mom is watching us through the window. I've tried countless times. I give up."

Ben sat down next to me. I turned to look at him, but he was looking at the trees in the distance. "I know. Trust me, I know. So let's do something else."

I looked back. "But.." I trailed off, looking back towards the farmhouse. Martha peeked out from behind a window curtain, not so discreetly watching over the both of us.

Instead of giving up, Ben just smiled. "Look." He pointed to the forest. " See that tree, the tall one with the two long branches?" I nodded. " That's when Martha can no longer see you from her window. If you can just make it to that tree without falling-" he snapped his fingers. " We're home free. Then I can give you a better lesson." Standing up, he held his hand out to me. " Do you think you can do it?"

Reluctantly, I took his hand. " I think I can try."

He grinned. " Good enough for me." Picking up my crutches, he tucked them under my shoulders.

I leaned on the crutches. " Ben?"

" Huh?" Ben looked up from my crutches.

"When we get to the other side, what's the better lesson?"

We began to walk, and I took each step with caution, Ben by my side.

"I'm going to teach you how to climb."

I rolled my eyes. I wanted to say, if I can't walk then how could I possibly climb? But the look of excitement on Ben's face mad me hold it back.