Lucas Foden: The Hidden Legacy

Walk Again

Scarlett didn’t think that drinking the juice squeezed out from a crushed red plant was going to have any good effect on her, but it was going to be ridiculous for her to think that the son she had not seen for over twenty years was going to try to kill her.

She didn’t know Lucas as a Doctor, but those long years were enough to build mysteries that she and the others were yet to discover.

She got rid of her fears, grabbed the glass from Lucas, and gulped down the red liquid.

She groaned and twisted her face at the bitter taste of the herb, returning the glass to her son while she struggled with the cringe.

Lucas nodded with a smile. “You have done well, Mother. Now we wait for the results.”

His confidence seemed like one of the few things that was keeping his siblings from asking questions.

Logan was ready to call the family Doctor who was on speed dial just in case things went wrong while Briana held onto her mother.

While the suspenseful silence lingered, all eyes remained on Scarlett, and then on Lucas after a while.

“I don’t think I can feel any change, Lucas.” Scarlett was relieved that she wasn’t poisoned by the liquid she drank, but she had hoped to see changes in her body since Lucas had assured her that she was going to walk again.

The Medical Doctor still didn’t get rid of his confidence. It looked like it was increasing as his smile remained intact.

He was the only one who could see what was happening to his mother’s legs while the others could only see what was visible to their eyes.

“Your legs are healing, Mother.” He broke his silence, but that didn’t sound like it was going to resolve the conflict in the minds of everyone.

Brian turned to her mother. “Do you feel anything, Mother?” She asked, and Scarlett shook her head.

“There is nothing, Briana. Maybe this will not work for me.” Scarlett’s hope crashed as she let out a sigh of despair.

Logan struggled with the disappointment that hit him. He turned to Lucas and nudged him. “Hey?”

He waited until he got his full attention. “I am sure you meant well, Lucas. Maybe the long years have dampened her chances of walking again.” He made sure that Scarlett didn’t hear what he said, but it was surprising when he saw that Lucas was not sad or even demoralized.

The confidence smile on his face was still intact, and even though he was silent, the words of assurance were still plastered all over his face.

Lucas sighed. “Tell her to move her legs.”

Logan turned to look at Scarlett’s legs.

They were the same.

He returned his gaze to Lucas at once. “I hope you are not making fun of Mother.” He tried to keep his smile, but the frown was too powerful to be suppressed.

Lucas chuckled softly. “She is my Mother, Logan. I would never make fun of her.” His words were supposed to make things easier, but the doubt persisted.

Scarlett turned to Briana and whispered, “Are you sure he is alright? Maybe Logan didn’t have him checked properly. I remember he mentioned that Lucas was involved in an accident.”

Briana shared the same thoughts, and she didn’t know what to say to her mother.

Lucas didn’t mind their demeanor, he inched closer to his mother and offered her his hands. “Let me have your hands, Mother.”

Scarlett stared at him as though she didn’t hear him the first time, but he was ready to repeat himself.

“Trust me, Mother. Give me your hands.” Lucas’s smile lingered alongside his confidence, and he was ready to wait for as long as it was going to take.

Scarlett looked at Briana, and then at Logan.

When she turned to Lucas, she had to struggle to oblige him.

As she felt his tight grip, she prepared for the pain she usually felt each time she tried to push her ruptured joints beyond their limits.

Lucas was gentle with his pull. “Easy, Mother. Just let me guide you.”

Scarlett squinched, expecting to be attacked by the worst pain she had ever felt, but for the first time in twenty years, she didn’t feel any pain in her legs.

She opened her eyes, thinking that it was a dream that she had gotten out of the bed and was on her feet.

Briana let out a loud gasp while her mother was still jaw-dropping. “That’s not possible!” She pointed at Scarlett’s legs, bending to take a closer look.

Scarlett was still mesmerized and dumbfounded.

Logan didn’t entirely believe what he was looking at until Lucas let go of their mother’s hands, causing her to stand by herself after staggering for a while.

“I stand!” Scarlett screamed excitedly, and when she took the first step, she quickened the others.

“I can walk!” She turned to Briana with wide eyes, brows furrowed while her mouth remained agape.

Logan was ready to grab her just in case she was going to lose her balance and fall, but that didn’t look like it was going to happen.

Lucas felt so much relief while he looked at his mother. “I told you that my first gift to you was to make you walk again, Mother.”

Scarlett made a swift shake of her head. “No, Son!” She sniffled to suppress the trickling tears on her face. “The first gift you gave to me was by letting me see you after so many years. This is the second gift you have given me.” She looked at her legs, still finding it hard to believe that she could walk again.

She embraced Lucas tightly, and it didn’t look like she was going to let him go anytime soon.

Soon, Brian found a way to include herself in the warm embrace, causing the euphoria to linger while Logan watched.

“We are going to host the biggest party in this city for you, Lucas,” Scarlett said while her hands were still wrapped around her son. “Everyone in Rubbyvile is going to know that my son is back!”