### Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Pulse of Possibility
The week after Dr. Chen's visit crawled by, each day a quiet battle between hope and impatience. Syan felt the shift in the house—Lila's restless energy as she checked the phone every hour, his parents' careful optimism as they brought updates from Dr. Ellis. The promise of a stimulator lingered like a faint pulse, a possibility that could change more than just his body's limits.
Mara noticed it too, pushing him harder in therapy. "You've got nerves firing," she said, her gruff voice edged with excitement as she guided his arm through a lift. "Let's wake 'em up." His muscles trembled, but he held the position longer, a small triumph that made Lila whoop from the corner.
His father spent an afternoon rearranging the living room, clearing space for whatever equipment might come. "Gotta be ready," he said, his tone gruff but determined. "No tripping over junk when it gets here." His mother cooked dinner—chicken and potatoes, simple but hearty—and the smell filled the house, a warmth that felt less like charity and more like home.
The call came on a quiet evening, the phone's ring sharp against the hum of Syan's chair. Lila lunged for it, her voice breathless. "Hello? Yeah—hi, Dr. Chen. He's here." She handed it to Syan, her hand shaking slightly as she pressed it to his ear.
"Results are solid," Dr. Chen said, his clipped tone cutting through the static. "Nerves are viable—upper spine's got potential. We're sending a stimulator—small device, implants under the skin. Should boost signal strength, give you more control. Not a cure, but a step. You in?"
Syan's heart thudded, the weight of the choice pressing down. "Risks?" he asked.
"Minor—surgery's quick, low chance of complications. Worst case, it does nothing. Best case, you're lifting more than your arms in a year."
He paused, feeling Lila's gaze, his parents' quiet presence behind him. "Yeah," he said finally. "I'm in."
Dr. Chen promised details soon, and the line clicked dead. Lila grabbed the phone back, her voice breaking into a grin. "You're doing it? Like, really doing it?"
"Looks like it," he said, the reality sinking in. "Gonna need you to keep me in line."
"Always," she said, fierce and bright.
His mother stepped forward, her hands twisting the edge of her coat. "We'll be there," she said, her voice thick. "For the surgery, after—whatever you need."
His father nodded, a rare softness in his eyes. "You're tougher than us, kid. Always were."
That night, Lila curled beside him, her voice soft. "You're gonna be okay, right?"
"Better than okay," he said, pushing the words past his doubt. "With you around, I've got no choice."
She laughed, a sound that lit the dark, and Syan felt the pulse of possibility grow stronger—not just in his nerves, but in the family they were rebuilding, fragile but holding, one beat at a time.
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Let me know if you'd like Chapter 28 or any adjustments here! This sets up a new phase for Syan's journey—want to keep going?