Chapter 99 – A Different Kind of Love
The hospital room was quiet except for the rhythmic beeping of the machines and the faint hum of the air conditioning. Ryan sat upright on the bed, legs propped in front of him, covered in a thin blanket. The sun streamed through the window, warming the pale blue walls as if trying to lift the weight of the past few months.
Sarah stood beside him, her hand resting protectively on his shoulder. On his other side, Richard leaned against the wall, arms crossed but face soft with hope. Anna sat near the foot of the bed, eyes locked on Ryan, barely blinking, as if she was afraid she'd miss something if she looked away.
The doctor came in with a clipboard and a smile that didn't need to be explained.
"I saw the footage the nurse recorded," he said, setting the chart down. "And I've reviewed all the scans. Ryan… this is a miracle."
Sarah's hand flew to her mouth.
"A miracle?" Richard repeated, stepping closer.
"Yes." The doctor nodded. "Given the initial trauma, the fact that Ryan not only regained consciousness but also has regained motor function — well, it defies every prediction. If things keep going this way, he'll be walking again. Not just walking… but on his own two feet much sooner than we expected."
Ryan let out a slow breath, emotions rushing to his eyes.
"So he'll walk again?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling.
"Barring any setbacks, yes," the doctor confirmed. "He'll need physical therapy, of course. But Ryan's young. He's strong. He wants it. That's everything."
Richard looked down, blinking fast. "Thank you," he said quietly.
The doctor gave them all a moment and stepped out, leaving behind a room full of energy too big for its walls. There were tears, soft laughter, and for the first time in a long while—hope.
A few minutes later, Sarah and Richard stepped out to speak with the nurses.
Anna stayed behind.
The door clicked softly as it shut, and the quiet returned — but it wasn't uncomfortable. Ryan turned to Anna, his eyes tracing her features like they were trying to memorize every detail. He noticed how tired she looked beneath the smile, how much she'd carried these past weeks. How much they'd both carried.
"Anna," he said softly.
She looked up.
"You've been here," he said, voice low. "Every day."
"I never left," she replied, a small smile playing at her lips. "Even when you didn't remember me."
"I do now," he said. "I remember everything."
Their eyes locked. And for a moment, it was like they were back at the court, back in the kitchen with flour on their faces, back to stolen glances and quiet laughter under the stars.
But Ryan looked down.
"Anna… we can't go back."
She flinched. Just slightly.
"I want to," he said, "but not in that way. Not anymore."
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't look away. "Because it's wrong."
He nodded.
"We didn't know before," Ryan continued. "But we do now. And pretending we don't... would only hurt us more."
Anna sniffled and wiped a tear with the sleeve of her hoodie. "So what does that make us?"
Ryan reached forward and took her hand gently.
"It makes us family," he said. "You're my sister. That doesn't have to be a curse."
She stared at him, frozen.
He squeezed her hand.
"You have me," he whispered. "I don't know what kind of brother I'm gonna be, but I promise — I'll always have your back. I'll be in your corner. Always."
Anna looked down at their hands and smiled through the tears. It wasn't the fairy tale ending she once imagined, but it was something honest. Something real.
"I think I'd like that," she said.
Ryan leaned back on the pillow, a weight finally lifted from his chest. Anna stayed there, holding his hand.
And even though the world had changed — even though the story had shifted — they were still writing it together.
Just… differently now.