“Noelle, you will do everything she tells you to do,” a deep voice said. She turned and Armie was standing there. Armie, her big, strong sheriff, was standing with his hat in his hand and tears in his eyes. He seemed to suck those up as he looked at his daughter. “Go on, now.”

Noelle’s jaw firmed. “You’re taking her side?”

“No. I just realized that she was always taking your side and I was siding with my own guilt. Get on the bars,” he said, striding over to them. He looked to Lila. “How can I help her?”

Finally he got the point. It broke her heart that it was far too late for them, but it wasn’t for Noelle. Noelle could still get everything she needed, and that included a couple of people who cared about her enough to not give up. “She’s got great upper-body strength. We’re going to get her on the bars and see what happens. Armie, this isn’t going to be pretty.”

“No, this is going to be painful and rough,” he replied, his voice hoarse. “It’s going to take incredibly hard work, and it might not pay off.”

“It will. Whether she walks or not, she’s going to know that she tried. She’s going to be stronger even if she fails. We learn everything important in life from failing and trying again.” God, she hoped so, because some days those lessons were all she had. That and a prayer that everything she’d been through would be worth it.

This would be worth it—even the pain of losing Armie— if Noelle had a good life.

“I don’t want to.” Noelle sniffled, tears in her eyes.

“I don’t care what you want.” Armie stood firm. “You have two years before you can get out from under my roof, and during that time I will expect certain things from you. One of those things is going to be PT and doing everything Lila asks of you. I’m indulgent but I can’t be moved on this, sweetheart. This is your future.”

“You don’t want me here. You want me to leave,” Noelle choked out.

“No, but I damn straight want you to be able to leave if that’s your choice. Now get on those bars and get started,” he commanded.

Lila waited, her heart in her throat because this was such an important moment between father and daughter. Armie might not understand it, but he was choosing to walk again, too. He was choosing to try to move forward and find another path.

Noelle sat there for a moment and Lila worried she was going to refuse. The truth was they could push all they liked, but in the end, Noelle was the one who had to do the work. She was the one who had to take the pain and try.