Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly

• Ashleigh Black, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2010

“CRASH!”
That day still lingers in the mind of Nathan every day, the day where he was so close to chasing his dream but missed it by a breath. The day where he got into a fight and was pushed through window. He has been in a wheelchair ever since. The doctors never definitively told him that he would be in a wheelchair forever but if he wanted to walk again he would have to try.
He has sitting on the couch for the last four months replaying the memories of that day and of how close he was to becoming a professional basketball player. Over the past four months he had grown long hair and a beard because he couldn’t and wouldn’t do anything. He has an amazing wife Haley and an awesome son Jamie but hasn’t seen much of the light of day or spent time with his wife and son since the accident.
Today was the day of Jamie’s big race. Everyone was there, his mum, his uncle Lucas, his aunt’s Peyton and Brooke and his uncle Skills. All of his aunts and uncles were there; expect for one person he wanted there the most, his hero, his dad Nathan. But he knew he wouldn’t be coming.
The racers prepare for the race, Jamie is put in his number 23, blue racing car by his uncle Lucas and the other driver is put in his car by his mum.
“Ok racers, when you’re ready, place both your hands on the steering wheel.” The race official tells both of the boys. Behind them there were lots of cheers and applauds for both racers.
Jamie looks down the racing course and remembers the mannequin’s fate of when they did a test run. Jamie raised his hands to stop the race.
“Hold up, Hold up, car 23, you ok?” asks the race official. “I don’t want to.” He tells the official. So the race official calls for mum to come over.“ I don’t wanna race mamma.” He tells her. “Well you don’t have to, but are you sure, I think it’s gonna be really fun.”
“I wanna talk to Aunt Brooke.” Brooke walks over to Jamie. “What’s up handsome?” asks Brooke. “I don’t wanna do it, but I like my racing suit.” “Well the suits yours, but are you sure you don’t wanna race?” ”It’s my life, I’m taking a stand. Is that okay?” “Yes, that’s okay Honey, come here.” She says as she takes him out of the car and walks off.
Haley and Jamie arrived back at their house and they walk into the living room, where they see Nathan sitting on the couch, with beers bottles of the coffee table. Jamie runs upstairs to his room.
“Well, he didn’t race. He was afraid. You might know something about that.” Haley says to him as she picks up a plate and beer bottles off the table.
“We’re all afraid.” Said Nathan “Yeah, but he’s four and he needed his dad, and his dad wasn’t there. Nice work, Dan.”
Dan was Nathans father who had been in jail for the last 5 years after he finally told the police he had killed his own brother at point blank range.
Haley carried the plate and beer bottles over to the kitchen and put them down. She pushes them and they got thrown across the room towards Nathan.
“Are you going to say anything?! Or are you just going to sit there like you have for the last four months? You gonna get drunk, maybe mope a little, cry?”
“You don’t get it do you? I used to be somebody, Haley, do you understand that? Do you understand what that means? I used to be Nathan Scott, and I was great. And I should have walked away, okay, I know that, and I didn’t do it. And now I’m nothing and I have nothing.” He yells at her as he sighs and turns back around.
“You have nothing?! You have a beautiful son who is here, I am here. You have got to figure out who you’re going to be in this Nathan because this version of you does not work for us! I cannot keep living like this. Okay? Do you understand what I’m saying? One more night like this Nathan and I promise you, you will have nothing.” She told him as she walked out of the kitchen.
A few hours later when Haley and Jamie were in bed, after he did a lot of thinking Nathan made his way outside and sat next to the pool. He rolled back the wheelchair slightly and then pushed himself into the pool. He came up yelling and he started takes a few steps in the water.
“I’m Nathan Scott and I have too much to lose.” He tells himself out loud.
Later that night Nathan made his way up the stairs to Jamie’s room.
“Hey Jamie, wake up, we’re going somewhere.” He whispers to his son. “Where are we going daddy?” “It’s a surprise. Oh, and bring your cape.”
So Jamie gets up out of bed and grabs his cape off his side table.
They arrived at the racing course where Jamie was supposed to race earlier that day. They both sit on top of the hill, Jamie in his soapbox race car and Nathan in his wheelchair.
“You know son, there’s gonna be a lot of times in your life when you’re going to be afraid. Being afraid is okay, but work through that fear or you might miss out on some pretty great things.” “Are you afraid Daddy?” “Sometimes, you?” “Sometimes.”
“Well, we’ll do this together on the count of three. One, two three.” Nathan and Jamie race down the hill together cheering.
It had been a few days and things started to get better for Nathan but it was still a long road ahead. Haley had hired a new nanny to look after Jamie while she was at work and while Nathan was doing physiotherapy. But Haley was still mad and barley talking to Nathan.
One morning Nathan is sitting on the edge of the bed and stands up. He starts to move a few inches without the crutches which he now used.
“Haley! Come look at this! Haley!” he yells. The nanny, Carrie comes running in.” Sorry Haley’s not here. She’s at school.” “Um, listen, it’s good that you’re here, I just wanna say thanks for helping Haley and I out, I can’t do much on these crutches. I’ve pretty much been a jackass for the past few months and Haley deserves better. I know it’s been really hard on her.”
“Hey, Carrie, I wanna do something nice for Haley, you mind helping me and Jamie out?” Nathan asks as Carrie walks out the door. “Sure.”
Later that afternoon Haley pulls up in the garage and parks the car after a tough day at wrestling with high school students. She sits there for a few minutes thinking. Carrie comes out of the house and taps on the window and Haley winds it down. “Hey, tough day?” Carrie asks her. “Yeah, I can’t remember the last one that wasn’t. Oh, I just think I’m realizing that I can’t help everybody, and I still somehow feel responsible, and I don’t know why I keep trying. Maybe I’m avoiding this, you know coming home. That’s such a terrible thing to say, I know, I just… it hasn’t been easy you know.”
“Well, you should go inside, there’s someone waiting to see you.” “Oh, Jamie.” She says smiling. “He’s such a good boy isn’t he?”Carrie nods. “Bye.” She says as she walks off. “Bye. Thank you!” Haley yells.
Haley goes inside and yells for Jamie but no reply. She walks into the dining room where Nathan and Jamie are sitting at the table, Nathan has a clean shaven face and they both are wearing shirts with a tie. She looks at them surprised.
“What is this?” She asks Nathan. “It’s the beginning.” “Of what?” “The way it’s gonna be from now on.” Nathan stands up slowly and pulls out her chair for her. “I know that it’s going to take a lot more than dinner, but I figure it’s a start right?” She nods and starts to cry a little. “I’ve missed you?”
She walks to the table, sits down and lifts the lid on some food. “So how as your day?” she asks Nathan. “No, enough about me how was your day?” “Yeah, how was your day, Momma?” Jamie repeated. “Oh, my day just got a lot better. I’m starving let’s eat.”
After dinner, Haley, Nathan and Jamie went outside. Haley watched Nathan and Jamie play basketball. Nathan turns around to see Haley. She smiles. He smiles then turns back around and continues playing with Jamie.
A few months later Nathan was back on his feet and walking again. After about 2 years in the B-league team he got the call and is now playing in the NBA for the Charlotte Bobcats. Haley continued her music career and has made 2 albums and is now touring, when Nathan is not playing basketball he joins Haley and Jamie on tour.