Isabella
I hated stairs and that realization hit me the second I saw them.
They weren't even particularly impressive. Just three rehabilitation steps positioned near one side of the therapy room, complete with handrails and padded flooring underneath.
Three steps, three ordinary, harmless steps, and somehow they terrified me more than anything I'd done since starting treatment.
"No." The word slipped out before I could stop it.
"No?" The therapist glanced up from her clipboard.
“No.” I folded my arms tightly across my chest. "Absolutely not."
"They're stairs, Isabella." A smile tugged briefly at her lips.
"I noticed."
"We're not asking you to climb a mountain."
"Feels like one."
The therapist exchanged a look with another staff member before turning back toward me.
"We've alre
