Chapter 12: The Wheelchair Experience

 

Sebastian drank the water in small, careful sips, like a wary cat. Color slowly returned to his pale cheeks.

"I have chocolate," Harper offered, rummaging through her bag.

"Too sweet," Sebastian shook his head.

"Okay," Harper zipped her bag. "If you're ready, let's go home."

Sebastian paused. He looked at the colorful Carousel spinning in the distance. "No," he said, surprising himself. "Let's go to the Carousel."

Harper blinked. "Are you sure? You were..."

"I can't hide in the shadows forever," Sebastian maneuvered his wheelchair out of the shade. "Let's go."

Harper grinned. "That's the spirit! Go, Brave Cat!"

"Don't call me that."

They approached the Carousel. It was crowded. A kindergarten class was there on a field trip. Dozens of small children in yellow hats were chirping like sparrows.

Harper pushed Sebastian to the back of the line. "Boss, I think you should try it."

"No," Sebastian stiffened. "I'll just watch."

"There are seatbelts. It's safe."

"It's not about safety," Sebastian lifted his chin, his old arrogance returning as a defense mechanism. "It's childish. Look, we are the only adults in line."

"Not true," Harper pointed behind them. "Look at that couple."

Sebastian turned. Behind them stood a young couple holding hands. Okay, fine. But still...

"Excuse me, Mister?"

A tiny voice piped up. A little girl with pigtails was staring up at Sebastian with wide, awe-filled eyes.

"Is your chair... electric?" she asked, pointing a chubby finger at his wheelchair.

Sebastian froze. He hated when kids asked about his chair. It usually led to awkward questions about his legs. "Yes," he said stiffly.

"WOW!" The girl's eyes sparkled. "It's like a Transformer! Can it turn into a robot?"

Sebastian blinked. "Uh... no."

"Can I sit in it?" another boy asked, pushing forward. "I'll trade you my Ultraman toy! Just for one minute!"

"Me too! Me too! I want to drive the robot chair!"

Suddenly, Sebastian was surrounded by twenty excited kindergarteners. They weren't looking at his broken legs. They were looking at his high-tech, carbon-fiber wheelchair like it was the coolest spaceship in the galaxy.

The market value for a "ride" was skyrocketing. From toys to candy, the bids were getting higher.

"I want to ask my mom to buy me a wheelchair too!" one kid shouted.

The teachers rushed over, looking horrified. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, sir! Kids, stop it! That's rude! The gentleman needs his chair because..."

The teacher hesitated, not wanting to say "crippled" in front of Sebastian.

The atmosphere grew awkward. The adults looked uncomfortable. The kids looked disappointed.

Harper stepped in. "Hey kids! I have chocolate! Who wants chocolate instead of the chair?"

"We don't want chocolate," a boy pouted. "We want the robot chair."

Harper sighed. She looked at Sebastian, ready to push him away from this chaos.

But Sebastian let out a long sigh. A small, genuine smile tugged at the corner of his lips. To these kids, he wasn't broken. He was the owner of the coolest toy in the park.

"Fine," Sebastian said, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Line up if you want a ride."

Harper’s jaw dropped. "What?! You're going to let them... drive it?"

"It's sturdy," Sebastian shrugged, lifting himself out of the chair with surprising arm strength. "Just teach the teacher how to use the joystick."

He turned to Harper. "You wanted me to ride the Carousel, right? Well, now I need a seat."

---

[The Private Ride]

It was a miracle. Sebastian’s wheelchair became the main attraction. The entire kindergarten class abandoned the Carousel to line up for the "Robot Chair Experience."

Even the couple behind them asked Harper: "Um, can we try it too after the kids? We've never driven one before."

"Sure," Harper laughed, pocketing her rejected chocolate. "The chair is busy, but the Carousel is empty!"

So, there they were. Sebastian Sterling and Harper Evans. Alone on a massive, spinning Carousel with fifty empty horses.

"We accidentally rented the whole place," Harper giggled, choosing a pink horse next to him.

Sebastian chose a white horse. Because his legs couldn't grip the sides, the staff secured his ankles with straps. Sebastian frowned, feeling vulnerable, but Harper didn't pity him. She just checked the straps like a pilot checking landing gear.

"All systems go!" she announced.

The music started. The platform began to turn. The horse moved up and down gently.

Sebastian gripped the pole. He held his breath. The wind brushed his hair. The scenery blurred. For the first time in twenty-seven years, he was on a Carousel. And for the first time in three months, he wasn't in his wheelchair. He was "riding."

"Boss! Look at me!"

Sebastian turned. Click! Harper held up her polaroid camera.

"Aw, man!" Harper shook the photo. "I only had one film left! Don't move, let me use my phone!"

She pulled out her phone, snapping away like a paparazzi. "Turn your head slightly! Yes! Perfect side profile!" "Your eyelashes are insane! Are they real?" "Smile a bit! No, that's a grimace!"

Sebastian rolled his eyes, turning his head away from her camera.

As he turned, he saw the scene outside the Carousel. The kids were cheering as one of them spun his wheelchair in circles. They were laughing. They were happy. And in the distance, the sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of purple and gold.

For a moment, the weight of the world lifted. He wasn't the CEO. He wasn't the victim. He was just a guy on a white horse, watching the sunset.

Harper saw his expression soften. She stopped teasing. She quietly raised her phone.

On the screen, Sebastian looked... peaceful. The golden light caught his messy hair. His eyes, usually so cold and guarded, were warm and crinkled at the edges. A small, barely-there smile graced his lips.

He looked like a golden, contented cat basking in the sun.

Harper pressed the shutter button. Capture.

She looked at the photo and whispered to herself: "Much better than a billionaire. He looks like... Sebastian."

(End of Chapter 12)