Suddenly, Ethan gasped. He felt tingling in his left foot.
Richard shot up from his chair, hardly able to believe it. Ethan said it was like someone had turned on a light. As Maria moved up his legs, he reported tingling in both. When they finished, Ethan insisted he could feel his whole legs for the first time in three years—and even flexed his toes a little.
Richard could barely breathe. Maria reminded him this was only the beginning. The body was remembering how to move again, but it would be a long process—maybe months, maybe years. Even if Ethan never walked, she said, he could still have less pain, more sensation, and feel whole again.
Watching his son glow with happiness, Richard made another decision: from now on, Maria would not only clean the house—she would be Ethan’s personal therapist, with extra pay. She protested, saying she’d do it for free. Richard shook his head. It wasn’t about what she needed—it was about what she deserved.