Coming home was always strange. Rounding the corner to your house, you're always expecting it to look different, or you're expecting people to have changed, or gone down a new life path. But when you get back you realize everyone has gone on with their lives as normal. The same pattern and routine, like you never left.
But this time it would be different. Ephram had been gone for too long. Eight years. He couldn't believe how fast it had went by. He always thought maybe if he appreciated everything more, or if he had spent his time differently it wouldn't go by as fast. But it always did. And here he was, back in Everwood. And was it even home to him? He wasn't quite sure. It certainly didn't feel like it, standing there on the sidewalk in front of the house.
He stood with his hands jammed in his pockets. The only thing going through his head was the cliched thought that somehow it looked smaller, but it was the truth. It really did. It was smaller in size, but also smaller in the way it made him feel. He wasn't standing in front of his home anymore, but his father's home—a stranger's home. He didn't feel patronized or demeaned like he often had as a teenager. He wasn't coming in after curfew, with that feeling of dread looming in his gut. It was his father's home now, and he could already tell his father would seem smaller, before even seeing him, by the lack of upkeep on the house. It wasn't rundown, but some of the paint was chipped on the front step, and he noticed a screen was dented on a first floor window. It reflected where his father was in his life. These were things his status-conscious BMW-driving father of a decade ago would never have let slip by for so long without calling someone for repairs.
Ephram approached the house and started up the steps. A blonde young man appeared at the door, and Ephram's stomach lurched in embarrassment and panic, thinking maybe he got the wrong house, or maybe his family had moved without him knowing.
"Ephram?" The young man asked.
Instantly Ephram realized it was Sam. He wasn't surprised Sam had recognized him. Ephram hadn't changed much physically. He was still the same height and build, but just looked…older. Sam on the other hand had aged drastically from the last time he saw him when he was about twelve. He must have shot up a foot and a half, and put on 80 pounds of strong muscle. He looked quite handsome, like he remembered Carl being.
"Hi Sam," he replied, extending his hand. Sam had a firm grip, and looked him directly in the eyes. Sam seemed to have matured more than just physically. He was a far cry from the rambunctious "handful" Nina had trouble controlling when Ephram's family had first moved to Everwood.
"Your dad said you might be coming," Sam told him.
"Yeah, I decided it was time to come back and visit the old homestead," Ephram said with a grin.
"So how've you been?" Sam asked.
Ephram wanted to skip all the awkward conversation. It's not that he didn't care about Sam, but they had never been particularly close, and he had more important things he wanted to do upon his return in Everwood.
"Uh, you know, I'm fine, doin' pretty good. Listen, is my dad…"
"Ephram, hi," Nina said, sounding a little stunned, as she appeared from the living room. "Why don't you come in," she said with a wave of her hand.
They all sat together in the living room. The awkwardness was palpable, and visible in everyone's rigid body language.
"Your dad's not here. He works a couple hours on the weekends now. He's actually cut back to part time hours and goes in on the weekend to make himself more accessible to his patients. He's been thinking about retiring, but he just couldn't do it."
Ephram couldn't help but smile. Dr. Brown had changed a lot since their days in New York, when he didn't see a patient as more than a body to perform a procedure on. Over time he built a mutual dependence with his patients. They needed him as much as he needed them. Everyone in Everwood knew each other, and everyone knew they could depend on Dr. Brown not just as a doctor, but as a friend.
"So, how have you guys been?" Ephram said trying to keep his dad out of the conversation.
"Good, you know, a lot of the same old," Nina said clasping her hands together. "The restaurant's going well. And Sam just finished his second year of college."
"Community college," Sam corrected.
"Oh, come on, it's college," Nina said playfully hitting his shoulder.
"I'm transferring to A & M for the fall," Sam said.
"Oh, that's great. You know, that's where I went to school," Ephram said. "But…you probably already know that," he mumbled, looking at the floor. "So, what are you studying?" he asked. He felt like a guy picking up a girl at a frat mixer, so what's your major?
"I'm thinking maybe Biology. I know, everyone says it's a killer, but I think, I don't know, I think it really suits me," Sam said.
Biology, wow, Ephram thought, never would have thought that one. Ephram never applied himself in school, knowing he could fall back on his gift. He knew he worked hard at piano, but looking back on it, he wished he could have been like other kids, working hard at academic subjects, trying out new things, rather than slaving away at the piano. Piano. Ephram looked around the room and noticed the piano was gone. His heart sank. He looked around again.
"Where's Delia?" Ephram asked suddenly, then instantly realizing how silly it sounded to expect Delia to be here. He still thought of her as the little girl with big brown eyes and a baseball hat glued to her head, who he could carry on his back with no problem.
"She was here earlier, but she's probably home now," Nina explained.
Delia lived in an apartment on the other side of town with Bright. Ephram still spoke with Bright and Delia occasionally on the phone—the only two Everwood residents he stayed in contact with. Bright had called Ephram for permission to date his sister, citing that he was breaking a major friend law. Ephram of course gave him permission. Who was he to stop them?
"I should probably go see her then," Ephram said. He knew he should have stayed longer with Nina. He had always liked her, and she had made his dad happy, but it really was like sitting there with an elephant in the living room. "Will you tell my dad I stopped by?"
"Of course," Nina replied, getting up to see him to the door. "Take care, Ephram."
"You too. Thanks," Ephram said.
That hadn't been so bad, Ephram thought. But it really had been. He was just avoiding the inevitable. Seeing his father again. Nina and Sam, as much as they might have been mad at Ephram at one time, knew they had no place to get in a fight with him after all these years. Andy would be different.
Ephram didn't go to Delia and Bright's right away. It was funny how well he still knew the streets. It was like going back to New York for the first time, he still knew where everything was. He drove past the school, the knitting store where he got his first fake ID, 'Sam's' where he had spent countless ours hanging out during his college years, and finally, his dad's office. He didn't know what car his father drove anymore, but noticed a black Volvo in what was his dad's usual spot. He looked at the sign hanging above the door. "Dr. Andrew Brown, M.D. Family Medicine." Dr. Abbott's name was no longer there, but Ephram had already knew it wouldn't be. Bright had filled him in on his family's troubles over the years, but never went into too much detail, which was fine with Ephram. After awhile, he just didn't want to know anymore.
He couldn't see inside the practice. He almost wanted to park his car and go inside, but something stopped him. He knew it would be inappropriate. He didn't even know what he'd say. After eight years, he sure had a lot of feeling, but for the life of him could never formulate it into words.
He drove on. When he reached Delia and Bright's apartment, it was a lot nicer than he expected. Bright worked at a local advertising office, and Delia was still finishing up grad school. He suspected his father had something to do with it, but then again Ephram couldn't see his father funding his daughter to live with an older man.
Ephram got out of the car. Even though he had never been there before, this is what felt home to him in Everwood. It was silly, but it was true. Inside were two of the only people who seemed to matter to him anymore, or to care about him. It made him sad thinking about it, that this is what it all had come to after thirty years of existence.
Knocking on the door, Ephram was nervous. He didn't know why. He had seen Delia a few times when she came to visit him and their grandparents in the city, and Bright, once, when he made his first trip to New York. He held his breath as the door swung open.
"Ephram!" Delia cried and she flung her arms around him. She looked just the same. Big brown eyes and a petite build, and wearing one of her trademark baseball caps, which made Ephram laugh. "I didn't know you'd be here so soon. Bright, Ephram's here!" She scooted backwards inside, "Come in, come in," her sweet voice called.
Seeing Bright standing there in the living room brought flashbacks of 10 years ago into Ephram's head. He was suddenly flooded with a weird sensation all over his body, remembering what he felt like back when his life revolved around school, his family, and the Abbotts. It felt surreal standing there with Delia and Bright after all this time.
"Hey, man," Bright said, putting his arms around Ephram. Bright hadn't changed much either. He was still big and looming. He almost looked funny standing Delia. He remembered them dancing at a wedding when she was a little girl, how their difference in size didn't seem to quell her crush. And now it looked like everything had come together for her, for the both of them. But, he couldn't help but wonder if it still would have all happened if he hadn't gone to New York, if he was still living in the bachelor pad with Bright, if he was still with…but he didn't want to think about it. This is what had happened. He wasn't sure if he believed in destiny or fate, but the road he went down is the road he went down, and he couldn't turn back now.