Sixteen Candles

*Trigger warning: This story contains a description of a car accident and time spent in the hospital.*

Elsie rolled into the kitchen in her hot pink wheelchair before the sun came up for the day. She turned on the coffee maker and let out a big yawn. No one else in her house was awake yet, but that was what she had hoped for when she set her alarm last night. She wanted a few quiet minutes to reflect on both her past and present.

Elsie's pink wheelchair stood out in her mom's beige kitchen like a piece of candy in an otherwise dull display case on a shelf. The sun rose slowly over the horizon as a few birds began to chirp in hopeful anticipation of a beautiful day. For Elsie, the day wasn't only full of beauty but also full of pain. As she inhaled the smell of morning air, she felt ready for what was to come. She took her first sip of hot coffee and closed her eyes to reflect on what the day meant.

Five years ago, Elsie's life changed. She was just sixteen when the car accident happened. It was a beautiful summer day. The sun shined bright, and the sky was a perfect blue. She was out with her friends, driving around, listening to music, and laughing. They were carefree in their youth, and nothing could stop them. But then it happened. Another car appeared out of nowhere, and before her friend who was driving could react, there was a terrible collision. Everything went dark.

When Elsie woke up, she was in a hospital room, surrounded by machines and nurses. She couldn't move her legs, and the reality of her situation hit her like a ton of bricks. Her life would never be the same. The hospital had smelled like bleach, a clean scent that matched its sterile appearance, but it was mixed with the coppery tang of blood from an open wound and the pungent odor of illness. As she closed her eyes and took another big drink of coffee, she still remembered opening her eyes and finding herself in the hospital with her mom and twin sister by her side.

Elsie opened her eyes to bring herself back to her current reality. It had been five years since she had functional legs but accepting that got easier each year. To both mourn her past and celebrate her future, Elsie and her family made a cake and placed sixteen candles on it every year when the accident anniversary came along.

Just as Elsie finished her coffee, she heard footsteps and saw her mom, Kit, walking slowly down the stairs. "I hope you didn't start without me," Kit said, trying to choke back a tear that had escaped her eye. This day was just as hard on her mom as it was for her. Elsie smiled warmly and replied, "Mom, I wouldn't dream of starting without you." A moment passed before she added, "Rosie should be up soon, and then it'll be time for our accident day ritual." Kit nodded in agreement, and they shared an embrace.

After a few minutes, Rosie came downstairs dressed and ready for the day. Even though they were twins, Rosie had much longer wavy chestnut hair than Elsie. Elsie's hair was curly and fell just below her shoulders. They both shared hazel eyes that were filled with warmth and kindness. Rosie had a petite frame, while Elsie had been on the curvy side ever since her accident.

Even before life put her in a wheelchair, her sister had always been her protector and best friend. Elsie may have been the oldest by three minutes, but Rosie was always the toughest. Elsie had often relied on her sister to be the strong one, and that reliance was never more apparent than after the accident.

All three women held hands and exchanged stories of past days and encouraging words for the future. After a few tears, lots of laughs, and some ideas for the future were exchanged, they started to gather ingredients for a cake.

Kit had always been a bit of a novice in the kitchen, but they managed to make this cake from scratch together each year. The process embodied the family's struggle. After the accident, they had to start life over, yet so much beauty had come from the difficult situation.

Soon, the kitchen counter was a mess with flour, butter, eggs, and baking soda everywhere. The ingredients went into the bowl one by one as the women took turns pouring and mixing. They worked together, as they did many days when Elsie struggled during her recovery.

Elsie couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as they mixed the batter. She remembered how hard it was for her in the early years to accept that she would likely be a wheelchair user for the rest of her life. It had taken her months to even want to look at herself in a mirror and years to accept it. She knew her life would never be the same, but she was grateful for what she had.

Rosie noticed that Elsie was lost in thought and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay, sis?" she asked. Elsie smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just thinking about how far I've come," she replied.

After the cake was baked and cooled, they started decorating it with frosting and placed the sixteen candles on top. They sang "Happy Accident Day" instead of "Happy Birthday," and Elsie made a wish before blowing out the candles. The women then cut the cake and served it to each other for breakfast, savoring the taste and the memories it brought. The cake was fluffy and sweet.

Elsie couldn't help but let her mind wander toward the future as they ate. Elsie's heart swelled with joy as she thought about what life may bring. She knew that life with a spinal cord injury had its own set of challenges, but she was willing to take them on. She had already faced so much in life that she was ready to face everything the future would bring with her mom and twin sister by her side.

As the women finished their cake, they discussed plans for the rest of the day. They decided to head to the park to have a picnic and spend quality time together. As the yearly ritual came to a close, Elsie couldn't help but feel grateful for how far she had come.