“No. I know some blind people would want to be able to see, and that’s okay, but myself, I think it would be overwhelming,” he replied. “This is the way I’ve lived my life since before I could remember. If I was able to see, I’d have to relearn everything, all while going through sensory overload. I’d even have to learn how to balance again, because there’d be so much visual stimulation that I wouldn’t be able to process it all. I can do all of that stuff now, without sight, so why is being sighted considered automatically better? And I… like the way I am. I wouldn’t want to change. Is it such a terrible thing for me to say that I’m okay with being blind?”
“It doesn’t bother me that you’re blind,” I said. “But most people wouldn’t understand, because they believe that being different is some terrible thing, like a punishment. I get why everyone wants me to walk again, but I don’t know why I need to be cured. I’m perfectly whole, even like this. Why can’t others see it that way?”
“They probably think that you miss walking,” he suggested.
“Of course I do. Adjusting to this is really hard. But my perception of myself is changing, and I think I can be happy this way, as much as I miss my life before. I’m not seen as a person, but a problem. It’s the same way with my bipolar. Nobody could accept that, either. Why am I something that has to befixed?”
“I’ve always thought you were perfect,” Charlie said softly.
I sighed. “I’m just… tired of hearing, all my life, that there’s something wrong with me.”
“There isn’t anything wrong with you. What’s wrong is what the world thinks about people like us. We’re going to help change that.”
The door to the workout room opened, and Kallie’s boisterous voice called, “What the hell are you two doing in here?”
She put her hands on her hips as she looked down at the TENS unit, and I laughed. “Sorry to disappoint, but this isn’t the kind of action you were looking for.”
“I thought you’d taken your vibrator out for some exhibitionist fun, and figured it’d be hilarious to catch you in the act,” Kallie teased.
Of course Kallie would think that would be funny, because she was a perverted weirdo like the rest of us. “Not yet.” I snickered.
“I came to let Charlie know that Professor Jobe is looking for him. I know it’s the weekend, but he wants an update on your criminal profile, right now,” Kallie said, turning toward him. “He seems mad you’re the only one in your class who hasn’t turned in a report.”
Charlie groaned. “We barely have anything new from last time. We’ve made no progress on this profile, and the final is duenext week.I need to turn inrelevantinformation if I’m going to pass, not just a bunch of bullshit we’ve guessed.”
“We’ll get together later and look over everything again,” Kallie promised. “But in the meantime, if you don’t want to fail, you should probably get down there. Just give Jobe some story until we can come up with something to turn in.”
“I guess. You two going to lunch?” Charlie asked.
“Probably. I’m starving,” I said, and Oberi gave an enthusiastic bark.
“Don’t wait for me, I’ll grab something from Commissary later.” Charlie gave me a kiss, then left the room.
Kallie grinned. “You two are so adorable. And look, you have a hickey.”
“That was from last night,” I said enthusiastically. “Want to hear about it?”
“Do I!”
We got nachos from the cafeteria, and I was excited to find that Ivy and Opal had reserved spots for Kallie and me. Nobody else was there; I wondered where Marcus had gotten off to. I rolled up to the table and dipped corn chips into cheese as I retold the epic romance that had happened the previous evening. My husband didn’t really care if I talked about our sex life, so long as I didn’t gotoofar, and I wanted to keep a few juicy parts to replay in my mind over and over, just for myself. I didn’t give themallthe details— some things were reserved for Charlie and me— but I told my friends enough that they were swooning by the end.
“I amso gladthat’s working out for you,” Ivy said. “See, I can give good advice every once in a while!”
Kallie wrinkled her nose. “Sounds like the fun times me and Scarlet had. The sex was great. The relationship, not so much.”
“I haven’t seen you sport that collar she bought you in a long time,” Ivy purred.
“It doesn’t really suit me. I’d rather someone else put it on,” Kallie replied.
“I wish Charlie gotmea collar.” I leaned over the table and pouted.
“I think I’ll make Marcus wear it.” Kallie smirked. “If things progress.”
I snorted. Nobody had to ask who was the dominant inthatrelationship.
“Did you guys end up talking about what I said yesterday?” Kallie asked. She didn’t need to explain— everyone at the table had heard about it by now.
I hadn’t told them anything about the conversation we’d had, just the rowdy times. “I did. We worked it out.”
