BUM bum bum BUM bum bum The sound of Sadie's heart beat like a drum against her ribs as she woke up. She did not realize that three days had passed since she fell on the street. She had been waking up on and off but feeling too dizzy to stand or move from her current position. Her mother informed Sadie when she strolled in that she had had many visitors. Some even came in every day and Sadie would mutter a couple of words to the visitor but more nonsense than anything.

Today was different however, Sadie decided to make it her mission to stand from her bed and make it to the kitchen. Her only worry was the stairs that stood between her and her goal. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and looked down at her pale weak legs. If Sadie thought about it, she couldn't remember how to walk; How does one tell their legs to move? She forced her weight into her legs and lifted her body up from the bed. For a moment she wobbled and fell over but made it to the door.

She was afraid of falling down the stairs so she sat down and scooted down each step. Each step a memory of the past three days came back to her mind. First step: the sound of a gasp and tears. Second step: the comfort of her sheets compared to the cold sidewalk she fell on. Third step: A gentle hand pushing her hair away from her face. Fourth step: the sound of worried voices. Tenth step: A relieved sigh from a worried voice. Fifteenth step: colors swirling to reveal the tired expressions from friends and family. Twentieth step: The sound of a steady drum beat.

Sadie tripped into the kitchen and grabbed onto the counter before falling completely on the floor. Her mother didn't hear her fall over the sound of the running water. Her weak arms pulled Sadie up from the floor and she called out to her mother, "Mum" Her mother turned with tears in her eyes. She ran to Sadie and held her weak body in her arms.

"Sadie! You shouldn't be up! You're too weak!" her mother said between tears. Sadie didn't understand completely what was happening because her mind was still off but tears fell from her eyes onto her mother's shoulder. Her mother pulled away from Sadie after she shed her share of tears and set her down at the dining room table. Sadie's mother picked up a plate of food and set it before Sadie. The plate held eggs and toast which Sadie stuffed her mouth with. "Eddie said he would come visit you today." Her mother sniffed.

"I don't wanna see Eddie" Sadie said quietly. Her mother turned around toward her from the kitchen sink. She gave her a tired look as though Sadie's mother has been working all night and day.

"Why not?"

"I. . . I can't seem to remember" Sadie couldn't place the reason why she didn't want to see her cousin. There was something telling her to be angry at him but this force did not show her the reason for being angry. Sadie finished her food and stood up from her chair.

"Let me help you, dear" her mother motioned for her arm to lift her weak body to the stairs but Sadie lightly pushed her away. She didn't want to feel like an old woman who always needs help crossing the street. Sadie clung to the railing of the staircase for her life and cautiously walked up the stairs. On the last step up her leg slipped and a memory returned to her. She grasped the railing at the last second and focused on the memory.

She saw the back of Eddie walking through the snow at the park. She could feel the cold in her feet that she had felt that night. The snow enveloped her, making her feel suffocated. She could remember losing touch of her body. . . But then she felt arms wrap around her and his face. The scene changed around her but his face was still there. It seemed like he was always there.

Sadie sat down on her bed and tears came pouring down her face. She was like that for a couple minutes until she heard a knock on the door. She wiped her face clean and the door opened. It was Eddie.

"I see yer awake now" Eddie leaned against the door and looked over at Sadie. He smiled because she was awake.

"Are you here to laugh at me again? To make fun of my weakness?" Sadie wiped her face once more and sniffed.

"Ya know I always visit when you have a fit" Eddie walked over next to her bed and stood in front of her. She glared at him from under her bangs. He laughed at Sadie's expression but she stayed serious.

"You bastard" she whispered. His expression became serious. "You didn't do anything! You knew I would faint! I told you I was cold and I told you I wasn't fit to go out! But you didn't listen!" Sadie's voice started to rise as did her body form the bed. "You know how weak I am!" Tears welled up in Sadie's eyes again. The door opened and both Eddie and Sadie turned to see who it was

"I-um- I brought Sadie tea" Ringo said nervously. Sadie looked up at the sound of his familiar deep voice. It was the voice she heard in her memories. The information registered in her mind and told her that he was the person who held her that night. He saved her on the side of the street. He stood in the doorway holding a mug in one hand and a bottle of medicine in the other. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No, Eddie was just leaving" Sadie said without looking at either of them. She waited for Eddie to leave the room. As he walked out of the room, Eddie bumped into Ringo and Ringo almost dropped the tea. Sadie crawled under her blankets and watched Ringo as he walked over. He placed the tea and the medicine on her night stand so that he could pull a chair next to her bed. "Why are you here?"

"Me mum thought it would be nice if I helped yer mum" Ringo unscrewed the top of the medicine bottle and mixed it into the tea. "I mean, your mum and my mum 'ave that book club they both go tah."

"So. . . You're being forced to help?" Sadie looked down at her knees as he handed her the mug of tea. Ringo held on to it after she rested her hand on it.

"Well, no. . ." he let the mug go and put his hands between his knees. The chair was made for children to sit in it not teenagers but he fit in it just enough not to get stuck. The chair was so close to the ground that his knees almost went up to his chest. "I mean, I know what it's like tah be sick foer a long period of time. I spent me whole childhood in a hospital" Sadie sipped her tea slowly and waited a moment before speaking.

"How did you know that night?" She knitted her eyebrows together and watched him. He looked so awkward in the child sized chair but he always looked somewhat awkward.

"Eddie told me the night before to meet 'im at the park. . . he didn't say you'd be there. He did 'elp a little yano" Ringo looked everywhere in the room except at Sadie. Her face flushed and she felt sudden embarrassment. He must have felt embarrassed too because he started to rub his legs to occupy himself. "Sadie, I need to talk ta ya 'bout somethin'" Sadie looked up and their eyes met. She was worried; butterflies flew around in her stomach.

"Yes?" She took a sip of her tea and burned the inside of her mouth. She set down the tea on the night stand and folded her hands on her lap. Ringo opened his mouth to speak but Sadie's mother entered the room and interrupted them.

"Richard, your mother called for you" Sadie's mother looked from Ringo to Sadie and back. She smiled and Ringo stood up. He said goodbye and walked past Sadie's mother down the stairs. Her mother picked up the empty tea cup next to Sadie's bed. "I'm glad you're well" she pushed Sadie's bangs away from her forehead and smiled. Her mother was so calm compared to how she acts when they have guests over. Sadie was surprised especially since Ringo was just in her room.

"Mum?"

"You should get some sleep, dear" Suzanne turned out the lights as she walked out of the room and Sadie climbed under her blankets and fell asleep.