His eyes shone with something that wasn’t anger now—something ashamed. “Not the Kate part. The result.” Julie’s throat tightened. “What result?” Marcus swallowed. “I can stand,” he said quietly. “That’s it. I can’t walk. I can’t take steps without support. But I can get up for a few seconds if I’m careful.” Julie’s face drained of color. “You… you stood,” she whispered, the camera image flashing in her mind.
Marcus nodded, eyes dropping to his legs. “Barely. It hurts. It’s slow. It’s not… some movie moment.” He looked back up at her. “But it’s something.” Julie’s anger faltered, replaced by a wave of guilt so heavy it made her feel dizzy. “You hid it,” she said. Not accusing now—just stunned. Marcus’s voice tightened.