Disclaimer: I do not own 'A Haunting in Connecticut". I do not own Sara, Matt, Peter, Mary, Wendy, Billy, Dr. Brooks, Jonah, or Reverend Popescu. I do, however, own Emily. Thank you for reading, if I mess up some information please let me know.
They say things happen for a reason. Whether this is true or not, I cannot say. However, I do believe in fate. I believe that fate took my parents from me and forced me to live with our friends, Peter and Sara Campbell. I'd known their family since I was four and had been good friends with their eldest son Matt. Matt's little brother Billy was also a delight and was one of the most well behaved kids I knew. Well shortly after my parents passing, Matt was diagnosed with cancer. It devastated Sara and took a strain on all of us. That was almost a year ago. Now, we all live together along with Sara's nieces, Mary and Wendy, who are staying for the summer while their parents settle a nasty divorce.
Matt recently starting seeing a doctor at St. Michel's hospital in Goatswood, Connecticut, for his cancer treatment. He'd been experimenting with therapy radiation and we were on our way home from his latest visit. My eyes were closed, my head leaning against the glass window. Matt's head was in my lap as he stretched out across the back seat. Gingerly, I ran my fingers through his hair, coaxing him to a peaceful slumber. I could hear Sara praying in the driver's seat. She did this a lot, I'd noticed, in the past two years.
Suddenly, Matt started to stir. I rubbed his forehead softly, gazing down at him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and look up at me. I smiled softly and mouthed, 'hey'. He offered a weak smile and moved to sit up. Gripping his arm, I placed my hand under his shoulder and lifted him up. He shifted into the seat next to me and looked at his mom in the rearview mirror, "You know talking to yourself is the first sign that you're losing it."
"I wasn't talking to myself, I was talking to God," she replied. Matt flashed me a smile and took my hand in his, resting it on the seat between us. He laced our fingers as he countered, "I'm pretty sure, threatening the creator of the universe is step two."
"I wasn't threatening him, just…letting him know how much you mean to me," Sara hesitated. I laughed and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. I started to rub the back of his hand with my thumb. Matt began to do the same but suddenly stopped. He sat straighter and gripped the door handle. His body jerked and I released his hand. "Mat-"
"Mom stop the car, I think I'm going to be sick."
Twenty minutes later and we were pulling up to the Campbell home. I helped Matt get inside and to his room. He sat down on his bed, rubbing his eyes. I walked over to his dresser, opening the top drawer and retrieving a tee shirt. "You need to change."
I tossed him the shirt. He thanked me and went to change. He was weak after the treatment today and was struggling. I smiled softly and slid over to him. I gripped the hem of his shirt, lifting it gently over his head. I grinned at him and handed him the other shirt. I took the dirty shirt to the laundry room and when I returned to Matt's room, he had made room for me on his bed. Patting the spot next to him.
"Matt you need sleep," I yawned. "And I do too. We won't sleep if I stay, Mattie."
"Yes we will. I promise; I'm too tired to talk anyway."
"So just go to sleep and I'll see you in the morning," I turned away from him and turned off the light. I was just about to shut the door when I heard him speak.
"Emily, I'll sleep better with you here," his voice was so soft and low that I wasn't really sure if he'd really spoken. Sighing, I felt myself give in and kicked off my shoes. I slipped onto the bed, in between him and the wall so that should he get sick, I wouldn't be in the way. Sweetly, Matt whispered, "Thank you."
Matt's back was to me so I lifted my fingers and brushed his shoulder. I played with his hair and drew shapes and letters on his back trying to get him to sleep. Finally I heard his breathing soften and began to fall into a rhythm. Knowing Matt was okay, I allowed myself to succumb to sleep as well.
I awoke the next morning to Matt vomiting in the trashcan beside his bed. I rubbed his back slowly and stood. I got him some water from the bathroom and handed it to him. I waited patiently as he drank, and wiped his mouth. I caressed his cheek softly. "Go back to sleep, I'll wake you when breakfast is ready, okay?" I kissed his temple and left the room, his half-hearted, smiling face disappearing as I shut the door.
Entering the kitchen I spotted Sara making pancakes. Billy and Mary were already seated at the table, Wendy running back and forth. I fixed everyone's drinks and listened briefly as Sara and Peter talked. I heard the word moving and my ears perked up. Stopping their conversation, I asked, "Is it almost ready?"
"Yes, honey, almost," Sara spoke. I nodded and turned away. I walked back to Matt's room and knocked on the door. He was sitting up, his legs hanging off the side of the bed, when I entered. His blonde hair was disheveled and his lips were slightly pouted. I felt weak in the knees at the sight of him. Leaning against the door frame, I spoke, "Pancakes are ready."
Matt glanced at me and nodded. Walking to the kitchen, I asked him how he'd slept. "Fine. Great actually," he smiled at me. "Better than I have in a while. What about you? I'm sure I kept you up. I'm so-"
"Not at all," I cut him off before he could apologize. "I slept like a baby."
"Nobody plans on having a child with cancer," Sara snapped at Peter. Instantly, Matt and I froze. Peter sighed, "That's not what I meant and you know it."
Sensing us, Peter looked to the kitchen door just in time to see Matt slip by me and back into his room. I sighed and shot them both a look. I walked into the dinning room. "Wendy you can eat my pancakes," I told her. "I'm not that hungry."
"You sure?" she asked. I nodded as I fixed Matt a plate right quick. I grabbed a glass of milk and headed for his room. I didn't bother knocking as I slipped in and shut the door. When I turned he was standing in only his boxers. I hid my blush and asked, "And why do you not have on clothes?"
"I was going to take a shower."
"Take one after you eat," I replied, setting down the food. Matt attempted to disagree but I convinced him to stay and eat. We both sat down on the bed, chit chatting about music and movies while he ate. When he was finished he set the plate down on his bed side table. Facing me, he muttered, "Emily, I appreciate this but you know you don't have to take care of me."
"I think you've made it pretty clear you don't need to be taken care of," I replied. I maneuvered over to him and took his hand. "Just…let me be here for you."
"You are," he numbly said. I entwined our fingers, kissing the back of his hand. "You think too much..."
"It's about all I can do," he scoffed jokingly. I shrugged, "I beg to differ."
"Oh yeah? Name something I can do right now," Matt demanded. I gazed over at him, my eyes taking in his profile. He was long and skinny with a slight build in his arms. He was rather pale and had deep, purple bags under his eyes. His lips were a pale pink barely darker than his skin. And his hair hung unkemptly in front of his eyes. Matt caught my stare and I bit my lip, looking away,
Finally, I responded, "You can make me blush."
Matt chuckled and I felt the bed shift. Suddenly, his lips we on my cheek. He kissed me softly, his lips brushing my skin. Pulling back a hair, he spoke so that his breath was warm and hot on my neck, "Yeah…but I could do that before."
