You'll Never Walk Alone

by Drama-Duchess

Ephram's brash attempt on suicide followed by a near fatal accident leads him to discover himself and how valuable his life is to those around him.

6. Therapy Rock

Chapter 6: Therapy Rock

A hint of light-headedness swept over Ephram as he limped through the back door of his house. With his left leg dragging slightly, his hands carefully grasped around a greasy metal plate holding scraps of salad. His goal had been to bring it to the kitchen, where his father was busy preparing his famous barbeque sauce. The fragrant paste was simmering in the sauce pan under low heat. Andy gave the sauce an occasional stir with a wooden spoon. He was so caught up in perfecting his creation that he didn't notice his son had entered the house.

The last thing Ephram wanted was to ruin their Fourth of July cookout by getting sick and become the center of negative attention. From where Ephram stood, he could see his father facing the stove and humming softly to himself. He seemed to be in a good mood and quite happy with what he was doing.

Andy had on a crisp new cream-colored apron that had the words "Kiss the Chef" printed across the chest in big colorful bubbly cartoon letters, which was pretty ironic being that, he wasn't a great cook to begin with. That would pretty much explain why the apron was so brand new. It showed no signs of wear and tear whatsoever. Ephram knew his father was trying to make an impression Nina. The whole purpose of the cookout was to impress her. It was kind of obvious.

The Super Pro Charcoal Griller was actually an extravagant housewarming gift that was ordered from a mail order catalog and delivered to the Brown home during the second week of their residence. It was from one of Andy's obscure connections from Philadelphia. Or as Ephram liked to put it – "a suck-up gift." Although, Andy thought the gift to be a bit extravagant and odd, but he tried to not see it as a bribe of any sort. Nonetheless, Ephram's sly remark made him laugh.

Back in the old apartment on Amsterdam Avenue, the Brown's only had a small patio grill. They used to have quite a few cookouts in the summer time when Ephram was a small boy. It was those pre-Delia days when it was just the three of them. Ephram remembered him and his mother and father crowding around their little veranda on a balmy summer evening grilling ribs and burgers. It may have seemed silly and inappropriate to be doing such things on a veranda but then again, Ephram had seen worst. Some people who lived in the city were known to do their barbequing out on their fire escapes. On certain occasions when the weather was more tolerable, Andy would bring the grill to the roof of their apartment building and set up there.

They often spent a lot of time on that roof, just hanging out or if they needed a private moment. The view from the rooftop was amazing. Ephram remembered being able to see the shiny Chrysler Building towering in the distance.

Each time they grilled their meats, Andy would whip up a batch of his unusually delicious barbeque sauce. They had a fun time. Andy would act all goofy and Julia and Ephram laughed at his insane jokes. The cookouts on the roof were one of the happiest moments in Ephram's life.

The tiny little grill they had back in New York was nothing compared to the Super Pro Charcoal Griller they had now. They have tested out this new grill on several occasions just out of curiosity. And surprisingly enough, Andy grew quite fond of it and put his secret recipe to use again. This Fourth of July was the first "grill party" the Brown's hosted. It was a debut for Andy's ribs as well as the multi-functions of the new barbeque grill.

Trying desperately to shake the dizziness from his brain, Ephram stood still for a second before proceeding. The hallway swam in slow motion around him. The chatter of human voices coming through the screen door behind him and the sound of running water from the kitchen merged and faded to the point where the noises became barely audible to Ephram's ear. He shook his head and the sounds bounced back. There was a tiny buzzing in his ear.

"Dad, I don't feel so good." The boy wanted to say but his tongue failed to allow these words. But it was far too late for that.

His breathing was shallow. He felt like his feet were barely touching the ground. He grabbed the wall to steady himself. Ephram couldn't understand why he was feeling so terribly all of a sudden. He seemed fine the whole morning. In fact, he even went to town earlier that morning with his father and Delia to do some last minute food shopping at the Pine Street Mart. He was full of energy and nothing seemed wrong at all. Ephram was eating more because of the food program Nina created for him. His physical therapy was going quite well after the first week. He swears that his knee had shown miraculous improvement as a result of the rehab. Although it was advised over and over again on how imperative it was that he should not try and walk without the crutches, he still liked to ditch them when given the opportunity. Walking with a limp proved to be slightly easier but the pressure against his lower spine was often a pain.

Ephram's arms and fingers went numb and the metal plate he was holding fell to the floor with a loud crash. The boy's shoulder collided heavily with the nearest wall. He hoped this would stop him from falling but it didn't work. His legs were not going to hold him up any longer. He was slipping into unconsciousness.

With his back against the wall, he slid down to a seated position. He couldn't tell if he blacked out at all because he didn't feel the impact between him and the hardwood floor when his legs gave way. He imagined it would hurt at least a little bit when his body hit the floor but he was numb all over. The next thing he knew, he was sitting upright in the middle of the hallway with his head in his hands and his father had knelt down beside him. Ephram had no idea how long his father had been calling his name.

"Ephram? Are you alright?" Andy asked again. He placed a concerned hand on the boy's shoulder. Ephram finally looked up.

"I-I dunno what happened." The boy said weakly in a confused tone.

"I think you sort of passed out. How do you feel?" Andy said.

"Kind of tired." Ephram replied while rubbing the back of his neck. He stared at his father's apron.

"Ephram, I know you wanted to help out but really, at this point you should just sit back and relax – let us do all the work." Andy nagged. Not in the mood for a lecture, the boy moaned in both discomfort and exasperation causing Andy to hold back on his aggressive scolding.

Ephram looked around and for the first time, he realized the mess he made in the hall. The metal plate had rolled a few feet away from him and stood overturned. Greasy food scraps and other trash meant for the garbage disposal were littered about on the floor.

"Oh, I didn't mean to drop it." Ephram drawled as he tried to reach for the plate.

"Take it easy, son. Don't bother with it now. I'll take care of it later." Andy advised.

"I'm sorry." The boy said. "I really don't know what came over me. I made a mess." He stammered.

"Don't worry about it. That's the least of my worries right now. Tell me what you're feeling. Does it hurt anywhere? Your chest? Your back? Your leg?" Andy's tone changed from paternal to doctoral. It was hard for Andy not to turn into the medical professional whenever Ephram or Delia was sick. He needed the details of the condition so that he can better access the problem. And the most important information came from what the patient was able to tell him directly.

Ephram shook his head. He caught his father's worried stares probing him for the truth.

"You sure?" Andy sounded skeptical. He ran his hand over the boy's pale face. "Let me see…" Then they heard the opening and closing of the back door.

"What's taking you guys so – " Nina's merry voice trailed in from the back door. She broke off in mid-sentence when she saw Andy and Ephram on the floor. Andy was pressing a thumb against Ephram's lower eye lids and pulling down each one gently enough to check for blood flow.

"What's this? What's going on?" Nina demanded as she surveyed the area. She shot alternating glances between Andy and Ephram.

"Ephram had a weak moment." Andy explained.

"Weak moment? What's that supposed to mean?" Nina gasped as she tiptoed over the mess that Ephram made when he dropped his plate. She noticed the boy's face was unusually pale. "He fainted, didn't he?" She concluded.

Andy nodded.

"Aw, I'm alright Nina." Ephram said while forcing a smile. "I just got a little weak, like dad said. I don't know what came over me. But I'm fine now. Honest. Can we get on with the party?" He added in a most convincing voice. Being the concerned parents that they were, Andy and Nina did not buy it.

"Look at your face, Ephram. It's white as a sheet." Nina touched the boy's cheek with a palm. Ephram's bright colored eyes twinkled when he looked up at Nina. This made him appear more pitiful than ever.

"OK, let's get you off the floor." Andy suggested. Ephram couldn't get up without help. His knee brace made it difficult for him to bend his leg properly.

"Yes, and I'll clean up over here." Nina said nodding to the floor.

Without a word, Andy scooped the boy up into his arms and carried him to the living room sofa.

"Gosh, this is embarrassing. I'm too old to be carried." Ephram groaned.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. You suffered a bad knee injury. It's hard for you to walk as it is." Andy said as he placed Ephram on the sofa. "There you go. Now, I'm gonna take your blood pressure so stay put." He continued.

"But dad, I'm fine. What do you need to take my blood pressure for?" Ephram objected. But by then, Andy had already disappeared into the den to retrieve his blood pressure kit.

"Don't argue with your father." Nina hollered from the kitchen.

Andy came back from the den shortly and took out the Sphygmomanometer, which is the arm cuff that inflates or deflates as air is being pumped into it by squeezing the bulb. He then took out the stethoscope and hung it around his neck. He instructed Ephram to roll up his sleeve. Upon doing so, Andy wrapped the cuff around the boy's upper arm. Andy then inserted the ear pieces of the stethoscope into his ears and placed the head of the stethoscope under the edge of the cuff, a little above the crease of Ephram's elbow.

Ephram watched with a wide eye. He knew Andy had done this a million times and there was no reason to doubt his abilities and experience. Maybe the thing that stimulated Ephram's fear of medical instruments stemmed from living in the hospital for such an extended period of time. He had been poked and prodded with all sorts of strange and frightening apparatuses by the doctors and nurses. He remembered feeling very harassed and manipulated like he was some sort of specimen. Even though Andy was being as gentle as he possibly could, Ephram was still a little nervous.

His father pumped the rubber bulb at the end of the arm cuff. He felt the tight squeeze on his arm when the air inflated inside the cuff. Ephram stared at his father's serious face as he watched the pressure gauge on the dial and then opened the valve on the air pump to release the air slowly. Andy listened through the stethoscope carefully while watching the pressure gauge at the same time. Ephram heard him mumble something about systolic pressure and diastolic pressure, then the exam was over and Andy removed the arm cuff and stethoscope from his ears.

"What's the verdict?" Nina asked impatiently as she made her way over to the sofa and sat down right next to Ephram.

"His blood pressure is very low." Andy answered as he placed his instruments back into the case.

"Oh dear, that's probably what caused the fainting." Nina concluded. "Well it's not good if he's fainting all the time. It could be a serious sign."

"Yea, yea – no blood to the brain." Ephram chipped trying to turn it into a joke but no one was laughing or found it remotely amusing.

"I'm thinking –" Andy began.

"Hospital." Nina finished.

"Exactly." Andy replied.

"What? No! Come on guys!" Ephram objected.

"This is serious Ephram. It's not a joke. You passed out." Andy reminded.

"It won't happen again." The boy pleaded.

"Nobody can promise that." Nina shot back.

"It's just that I haven't had much to eat today with all the barbeque preparation. So, I kinda fainted. I'll feel much better after I've had something to eat." He said.

"We need to do a blood test. See what's going on in your body. And a follow up examination is needed sooner or later. I was aiming for a two week period but I think we should push it up." Andy said.

"But-but it's the Fourth of July! Isn't the hospital closed or something? It's a national holiday." Ephram was desperate.

"Don't be ridiculous. The hospital never closes." Andy said.

"But what about the cookout?" Ephram begged.

"I think your health is more important than a cookout. We can have cookouts any time." Nina said.

"Why is this crummy blood test so friggin' important anyway?" Ephram pouted.

"It's important because it's going to tell us if there's anything wrong with you. Like if you're sick, it will show up in your blood test results." Andy reasoned. "I know you don't like it, but it's gonna have to be done."

"Aw, dad. You really know how to ruin my time." Ephram's eyes turned down to look at a spot on his knee brace. "While everybody else is having fun, I get to be stuck spending the holiday at the hospital. Haven't I spent enough time there already? It's just not fair. I'll probably miss the firework display too. It's supposed to be real nice this year." He sighed solemnly.

Nina and Andy exchanged glances. The poor kid sounded so disappointed. Maybe they were being too hard on him after all.

"If you want me to go to the hospital, I'll go. But can't we do it tomorrow?" Ephram asked. "I feel stronger now. Maybe I did too much today – that's what made me pass out before. I didn't think helping out a little would affect me. I don't look sick now, do I? I'll take the blood test and whatever other tests you want me to take. But let's just do it tomorrow. Ok, dad? Please?"

"Well." Andy said after a long pause.

Andy couldn't think of what to say. He hated to be the bad guy and stuff Ephram back into the hospital on the first holiday that he could actually enjoy. The boy had hardly ever been in a festive mood for any holiday for a long time. Within that year between his mother's death and the time when they moved to Everwood, Ephram had grown cold and just didn't care about holidays anymore. He didn't want to celebrate anything – not even his birthday. He rejected any gifts that was presented to him and even refused to eat his slice of the cake. He was in permanent mourning over his mother's death. But for the first time since then, he seemed excited about celebration. The relationship with his father had taken a drastic turn for the better and the rough edges were gradually being patched up. Things were finally looking up.

"Well, the color IS back in his cheeks." Nina observed. "I guess he wouldn't be talking so much if he was incredibly sick right now."

Ephram knew he could count on Nina to vouch for him and stand on his side. She spoiled him terribly and he knew it. His father was often the strict one.

"Ephram, you have to understand that I only want what's best for you. Ever since this thing happened, I worry about you all the time. All I ever want is for you to be healthy. But from the way things were going lately, let's just say, you haven't been living up to my expectation. Maybe you think I'm a worry-wart and maybe I am, but I only do the things I do because I want you to be ok. I don't want to assume you are, I want to know you are." Andy finally said. "Sometimes, I think you're not being completely honest with me when I ask about how you're feeling. Don't you know that saying that you're fine when you're really not doesn't make you more of an independent? I'm aware of your modest personality. You take after your mother on that trait. You don't want to inconvenience people around you. And by thinking this way, you would rather bear the pain by yourself than tell someone else what's going on." He analyzed.

"I don't lie. Maybe I keep things from you but I wouldn't lie to you." Ephram pointed out.

"You see, that's it. You keep things from me. You shouldn't have to do that. You should be completely open. If you are in pain or discomfort in any way, shape, or form, you should tell me." Andy said.

"Yes – like last weekend – when you were sick. You just kept it to yourself until you threw up. I would've liked to know how you were in advance so I could cater to your needs instead of force-feeding you canned beef ravioli." Nina joined in.

"I'm sorry." Ephram replied in a murmur. "I'll try to be more honest from now on. I promise." He offered in a fragile tone – anything to delay being taken to the hospital.

"I'm counting on that." Andy said.

"Honeybee, we're only jumping down your throat because we care about you." Nina said and slightly messed up his hair in fun. Ephram liked being touched by Nina even when it was in jest. She was always gentle with him. It was very motherly.

"Well, dad?" Ephram turned to face his father. "I was looking forward to your ribs."

"How do you feel?" Andy asked suspiciously.

"Um…" Ephram thought for a second. "Honestly, I feel kind of burnt out. I have a headache – right here." He touched his left temple with his hand. "And I'm hungry."

"Hunger is a good sign for Ephram." Nina mentioned excitedly. She loved hearing the boy say he was hungry. It meant he had an appetite.

"Any other pain? You had quite a fall back there." Andy did not look away from Ephram.

"No, just the usual pressure on the knee and lower back. But that's from standing and walking around so much." Ephram replied.

"I'll move the trip to the hospital tomorrow on one condition." Andy made his decision. "We skip going to the festival at the park. It's too much activity for one day."

"Skip it? Delia's gonna be crushed. She was looking forward to it. She's been talking about it all week. We - I can't do that to her. I can't let her down." Ephram said and suddenly frowned. "Dad, she's made a lot of sacrifices when I was at the hospital already. She didn't go to the swim meet, she's missed out on the kids arts and crafts fair and she couldn't go to baseball camp this summer. I don't want to be the reason why she can't go to this festival too. It's not fair to her. Besides, the festival is only this weekend."

"She'll have to understand. I'll explain it to her." Andy said taking full responsibility. "If time permits, we'll go tomorrow after we're done at the hospital. But there's no telling how long it would take."

"Ephram, this whole hospital thing is not a joke. We wouldn't suggest bringing you in for a check up if didn't think there was a reason for worry. You nearly collapsed a few minutes ago. It's not normal for you to be passing out like that. It's really scary. If we can find out what caused it, maybe we can prevent it from happening again. Going to some annual festival is not nearly important as making sure you're well enough to be able to enjoy - even if it's the next time they come to town." Nina reasoned. Things always sounded better when she spoke. "Delia is a mature girl for her age and she understands things far more than you give her credit for. You and your father seem to underestimate her often because she's only eight. I've had girl-talks with her and I can tell you that she is a very clever girl despite her age."

"I just hate to rain on everyone's parade, you know." Ephram said as he shifted in his position.

"Aw, don't you know, for every rainy day, a sunny day is right around the corner." Nina replied with an ingenious laugh.

"Ok, how about we get cooking?" Andy got up. He looked quite the comical professional with that silly apron on. "If we eat now, there will be time for a nap afterwards."

"You're gonna to take a nap?" Ephram questioned in confusion.

"No, not me. You. You will be taking a nap. It will refresh you for the fireworks tonight." Andy said while heading towards the kitchen to finish his masterpiece concoction. "No arguments, ok?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Ephram replied. He was pretty beat right then and a nap sounded most inviting but his empty stomach was playing a symphony, which Ephram referred to as the "Ode to Famine". Food is the first thing on his mind at the moment.

"Alright, I'm going to check on the kids outside." Nina said. "I'll get you something sweet to eat - maybe a piece of chocolate or something. It'll give your blood sugar level a boast and you won't feel so tired and lightheaded. Ok?"

"Sure." Ephram answered and was just about to get up when Nina interrupted him.

"OK, I'll go grab your crutches. You left them outside - again." She said.

There was no stopping Nina and Ephram didn't intend to. He waited patiently for Nina to return with the crutches. The distance between the living room and the back yard felt like miles. Ephram hobbled slowly with his crutches tucked under each armpit. He never took this long to get from one place to the next in all his life. A snail with the flu would've beaten him. And when he finally arrived at his lawn chair outside, he sank into it ever so willingly. Relief never felt so good - especially on his back. But he was always good at hiding his physical stresses, even when it was so intense that his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his sockets.

They treated Ephram either like a baby or a king. Amusingly, he couldn't tell which of the two was worst. It just made him appear incapable of doing anything without breaking something in the process. Ephram felt so useless and guilty sitting there eating a Snickers candy bar and watching everyone else help out with getting the table set. It was a long wait before Andy had his barbeque sauce perfected and the ribs grilling on the racks.

But it was well worth the wait. The moment Ephram sank his teeth into the warm, juicy tender meat of the baby back ribs grilled to perfection and smothered generously with his father's secret recipe barbeque sauce, he was in Heaven. It was exactly what Ephram had been craving for. Fifteen minutes of silence went by as everyone indulged in their share of the tasty ribs. There was no need for napkins because Ephram licked his fingers clean. Being the first one to finish his portion, Ephram asked for seconds. Andy, of course, was very flattered by Ephram's fondness to his cooking.

Andy made himself busy at the grill once again, while Nina stood close by and pestered him on the recipe. Apparently, she enjoyed his cooking a great deal and wanted to know the ingredients so she can try making a recipe sometime. Andy laughed and teased her but did not reveal anything.

Ephram listened to the chatter of conversation. He found it amusing and interesting that Nina wished to trade recipes with his father. Ephram knew Nina must've really liked the taste of the barbeque sauce because she wouldn't be hounding Andy for the ingredients if she didn't think it was good. From the looks of things, Nina was getting nowhere with the answers. Andy did not budge.

"Come on Andy, we've been friends forever. You can tell me." Nina begged. "Ok, I taste ketchup, pepper, honey, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, butter, and vinegar. This much, I know. What else am I missing? I know there is a taste in there that's very distinctive. But I can't seem to put my finger on it." She eyed Andy eagerly.

"If I told you then it would defeat the whole purpose of being a "secret recipe", now wouldn't it?" Andy chuckled as he flipped over a rack of ribs with his metal tongs.

"Well, can you give me a hint then?" She pressed.

"No." Andy said in an ironically sweet tone.

"You can trust me. I swear I will not use the information to do evil." Nina joked. "I will not betray the master."

"I know I can trust you – without a doubt. But –" Andy sighed. "This recipe is all I have to impress the kids with. Without this originality and uniqueness, I have nothing. They won't find me interesting anymore."

Nina laughed loudly. "You are such a silly man! I can definitely see where Ephram gets his charisma from. Andy, you don't have to have a unique talent to impress your kids. You already have them impressed. Quite frankly, I don't know what you are talking about. I would say, besides Ephram, Delia thinks you are the smartest man in the whole universe. She puts you up on the pedestal along with Ephram. She's so proud to have you as her father. None of her friends dads can compare to you." Nina saw Andy giving her a raised eyebrow. "Oh yes, Delia told me. She tells me everything. Oh and Ephram, well, he's just impressed with your overall behavior lately. His is the whole understanding-where-he's-coming-from thing and you seem to be doing pretty well in that department these days or at least you've been making an effort to - from what I hear. He knows he can trust you now and he knows you love him."

"My kids are the best." Andy said. He then lowered his voice so that only Nina was able to hear him. "I love them so much. I wouldn't know what I would do without them in my life." He added on a serious note.

"Don't worry. They're crazy about you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to them. They're your biggest fans." Nina leaned in and said in a near whisper.

It was amazing at what he could find out about his children through Nina. Somehow, he knew his kids would find it easier to talk to a woman. A woman is sensitive and has emotions that can touch people. Ephram and Delia found a comfort in communicating their feelings with Nina and for this, Andy was grateful.

There was an awkward pause in conversation. Andy broke the silence.

"The answer is still no." Andy said regarding the secret ingredient. Nina chuckled as Andy turned over the rack of ribs once again and brushed some more sauce on top.

"Oh alright. I won't force you. I guess you're not ready to reveal that to me yet. Maybe within time, you'll come around when I've earned your worthiness." She laughed. "But seriously, Andy, you can bottle and sell this stuff! It's delicious! I'm sure it'll fly off the shelves. We can give it a cute name like Andy Brown's Zesty Dynamite Barbeque Sauce."

"Oh Lord, don't you start. The next thing you know, you'll be writing jingles about my sauce." Andy humored. "I don't think I will be taking any business ventures with my sauce at this moment. Right now, it's just exclusive to family and close friends."

"Let me know if you change your mind though. We're talking mass production and extensive public relations. It COULD actually work, you know. And we could be rich AND famous. Your picture could be on the label of every bottle. Then there is that jingle..." Nina teased.

Ephram could hear Nina singing some crazy improvisation jingle to his father. It appeared to be quite funny because it caused Andy to burst out into a belly-aching laughter. Ephram smiled to himself when he saw how much fun the adults were having.

(They're perfect together. It's so obvious that they like each other. Why are they holding back? What are they so afraid of?) Ephram thought. His mind wandered as he stared at his father and Nina joking around the barbeque grill.

"Ephram?" Delia called exasperatedly for the fifth time.

"Huh?" Ephram finally heard her. He turned to Delia, who was sitting next to him at the table.

"Are you alright? Dad said you got sick again." Delia spoke. It was the first moment all day that he had alone with her. Sam was letting his imagination soar with the plastic dinosaur figures he had lined up at the table.

"I'm ok, I think. Just a little tired." Ephram said. "Thanks for asking." He smiled.

"He said you fainted. That true?" Delia pried. She cocked her head to get a better look at her brother's face.

"Sort of, I guess." He saw the worried look on his little sister's face. "Aw Del, you don't have to look at me like that. I'm ok now. Look, I'm sorry we're not going to the festival today. I know it's a really big deal for you and you really wanted to go."

"He said you're going to the hospital." Delia's small voice shook at the word "hospital."

"Yea, tomorrow. I was trying to work out this whole festival thing with dad. He said there's a chance we won't make it back in time for the festival tomorrow. And being that tomorrow is the last day, I was telling dad that maybe he can take you to the festival later and I'll just stay home and nap." Ephram said.

"Ephram," Delia began. She looked like she was going to burst into tears. "Ephram, I don't care about some stupid festival. I care about you. What fun is a festival if you can't go with me? I would rather not go at all if you can't come."

"Del, that's really sweet of you." Ephram said.

"Why is dad taking you back to the hospital? Why? What is it that you're not telling me? I'm eight years old, Ephram. I'm not a baby anymore." Delia raised her voice slightly. The tense tone in her voice was drowned out by Andy and Nina's laughter at their private jokes.

"It's just a check up. That's all it is. I swear. Dad's always jumping ahead of himself. He wants to get it over with." Ephram said. Delia's sudden and irrational concern caught him off guard. It was pretty obvious to Ephram at that point the worries that Delia kept to herself.

"I love you Ephram. And – and – and I don't ever want to loose you." She stammered and threw her arms around Ephram.

"Del," Ephram said as he accepted the hug. He pulled her tightly into his arms. "I love you too, Del. You know I'll never leave you." He reassured.

"With all that's happened, nothing is for certain anymore. I'm scared that one day I might wake up in the morning and find out that you're not here." Delia said. "It was hard enough to have to let mom go. I love you too much. I don't think I can ever let you go too."

"Is that what you're afraid of? Me dying?" Ephram said. He knew Delia had been tip-toeing her way around those words. She didn't like the sound of the word death and Ephram's name together in the same sentence. After the events of the past few months, it was just too morbid a thought for little Delia to bear.

Delia nodded frankly.

"I'm sorry for putting you through all that. I know I tried to kill myself and it was a really bad move. I didn't mean it for it to happen. There's just a whole bunch of complicated stuff that's been going on inside my head. It's still a little mixed up but I'm trying my best to sort everything out. It's been a tough year – with mom gone and then moving to this new environment. I just didn't know how to deal with it. I thought hurting myself was the answer. I didn't want to feel the pain, the anger, and most of all – the grief. It was all just too much and all at once." Ephram explained. He never thought he would need to justify himself in front of his little sister.

"Are you going to hurt yourself again?" Delia looked up.

"I will try not to." Ephram didn't know how to answer that one. He didn't want to make broken promises. There was no guarantee on what he may or may not do in the future. His actions were the one thing he couldn't answer for. Sometimes, he felt like he had no control.

"Oh Ephram, please say you won't. Say you won't hurt yourself anymore. If me or dad said something to upset you, we don't mean to." This time, Delia let out a soft sob.

"Del. Aw, Del. Don't you start crying now." Ephram hugged Delia tighter. "Whatever I did to myself wasn't because of anything you did. You are the one good thing in my life. Sure, sometimes you can be an annoying little pipsqueak but I can never be really mad at you. We're always ok." He ruffled her hair.

"It was very scary - first with the pills then the lake house. I came so close to loosing you both times." Delia fretted. "I don't want there to be a third time."

"I'm sorry I scared you." Ephram apologized.

He never had a conversation like this with Delia. This was the first serious conversation they've ever had. She was only eight. She was not supposed to be so observant. Eight was the age where kids should be all happy-go-lucky and all's right with the world – fun and games. There were no problems or issues. But then again, Delia was always smart for her age. It showed in her academics and in her sense of judgment, well, most of the time. All she wanted was reassurance and promises.

"I love you." Delia repeated those words in a desperate whimper. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does." The boy said. "I know you love me and I love you back."

"Then why won't you promise me you will be here forever?" She gave a small sob. A tear slid down her cheeks. "Is it because you don't want to promise me something you won't keep?"

Sam was oblivious to the events happening a few feet away from him. He was engulfed in an immense battle between a tyrannosaurus rex and a pterodactyl between the ketchup bottle and the napkin dispenser.

"Delia, you know that's not true." Ephram lied.

"Then I don't understand." Her lips quivered as she gazed at Ephram for answers.

It was written in her eyes. Underneath those brilliant grays, were a mass of fear. Ephram saw right through them. Delia was petrified. She was afraid of loosing the one person she could always count on – her hero, her best friend, her partner in crime, her shelter from the storm, her comfort in her sorrow, her big brother.

"Fine, then I promise." Ephram decided to say to make things right.

"Are you for real or are you just saying that?" Delia demanded with tears welling in her eyes.

"Look, I'm not proud of what I did. It was a huge mistake. It went too far. I - I just wanted the horrible feeling I had inside to go away. I couldn't get over mom's death. Well, I-I don't think I can ever get over it." Ephram stammered not certain of what he should say. "I thought no one cared how I felt and - that - that no one understood my place." He continued but refrained from revealing too much of his genuine feelings to his young sister. She should never have to know the truth of what he felt that day.

His heart wanted to come clean. During those excruciating hours of torment, he really wanted to die. The unbearable pain that he felt was so great that he believed the only answer to the problem was to put an end to his life. He didn't want to exist anymore. The anger and grief was too powerful. It convinced him to hate himself more and more by constantly putting him down. It showed him just how worthless he really was and how the world would be a better place if he was boxed up and buried six feet under. The evil thoughts pumped in his veins and ran in his blood destroying every last ounce of goodness and hope. The evil voice dared and teased him again and again to commit the crime. With each pill that he swallowed, he felt a little bit of the pain lift from his body. So, one by one, he took them willingly. He believed the pills helped make things better because it numbed the emotions. It gave him relief and escape. His thoughts soon dissolved and every last nerve was calm. Death drew nearer and he embraced it. Ephram will never tell Delia this truth. Ever.

"I understand what you're feeling, Ephram. She was my mother too." Delia responded. "I miss her too."

"I know and I didn't forget that." Ephram said. "It's just that things have been really complicated in my life. There's been a lot of hurt." His voice drifted.

"It's tough on all of us. But maybe we can get through it together. It always helps to have someone by your side. You are not in it alone, Ephram. Me and dad are here." Delia offered. "We're a team. Kinda like the Three Musketeers. We look out for each other."

"Thanks Del – for saying that. I really appreciate it." His voice cracked. He hated touchy moments. There was a familiar salty lump in his throat already. But he promised himself he would not bawl pathetically in front of Delia no matter how sensitive things got.

"You are my favorite person in the world." Delia dug her face into Ephram's shirt. He gave her a kiss on the head.

"Diddo on that, kiddo." Ephram said. "Now quit crying. Don't let dad see you this way. He whispered in her ear and gave her another affectionate kiss on the top of her head. "Oh look, here he comes now."

Delia dried her eyes quickly with the back of her hand and composed herself before her father and Nina made it back to the table with a new dish stacked with ribs.

"OK kids, dig in." Andy said as he placed the dish in front of Ephram. The aromas were intoxicating and appetites were whet once again.

The barbeque luncheon stretched into mid-afternoon. The main course had been long devoured but the company was still going strong. After a while, they decided to move the party indoors. Ephram was looking pretty fatigued and the kids were getting antsy.

When they made it back to the house, Delia and Sam had disappeared into the den to play some video games. Ephram was supposed to be napping but instead, he sat at the dining room table reading some sort of Manga graphic novel. It was from the stack of Manga comic books that Jody and Rachel had sent him when he was in the hospital recovering from his injuries.

Nina had to cancel girl's night with her two best friends twice during the month that Ephram was in the hospital. They demanded an explanation and Nina had to give one. Their hearts sank as Nina's story unfolded. Jody and Rachel expressed their deep concern with the remarkable, sweet boy that they had grown to love since the first time they set eyes on him. They were both so eager to do something to cheer him up. Since they knew very little about the young boy, they asked Nina regarding his favorites. Nina told them as much as she knew. She happened to mention one of Ephram's current obsessions was Manga.

Jody and Rachel made a project of shopping the bookstores and comic book stores hunting for Manga – something neither of them knew anything about. According to Nina, they spent quite a lot of time rubbing elbows with the bookstore clerks trying get the difference between Manga and Anime straightened out. They spent hours screening and filtering out the bad and inappropriate books after they realized that some of these Manga were more explicit than others. Not all of them were as innocent as they thought them to be. Rachel was appalled to see some of the twisted images drawn into those books. It brought perversion to a whole new level. She admitted that some of them were racy even for her. Obviously, some of those cartoons were not meant for children's eyes. In their devoted protection of Ephram, they reviewed the content of every comic book before settling on a sizeable stack of decent Manga graphic novels. Some of which ran in volumes so it was no point getting Ephram just the first one and leave him hanging on the story, so they bought the complete set in those cases. It was then packaged into a box covered with sour shoe string candy and Hershey's Kisses, and sent to Nina's address so she could make sure it was delivered to Ephram.

Ephram was so happy to receive the present. He didn't think Nina's pretty friends remembered him. It was a nice surprise to know that they cared about him enough to send a get-well-soon package. As soon as he felt strong enough, he wanted to call Jody and Rachel to thank them for the gift. Nina helped him dial the numbers from his hospital bed. Ephram's weak and choppy tone broke Jody and Rachel's hearts. However, they were very glad to hear from Ephram and relieved that his health was improving.

The boy was hoping to fight off his tiredness by reading a Manga novel. At the dining room table, Nina was seated beside him placing leftover grilled potatoes into a rectangular Tupperware. Andy was just about done with cleaning up in the kitchen. He glanced over his shoulder and realized that Ephram was not taking his nap like he promised.

Ephram was not a bad kid. He was just a bit stubborn sometimes and liked to challenge himself and deny the fact that his body needed rest. It was Andy's job to remind him and enforce some authority. Ephram was seated with his back to Andy. He watched the back of his boy's head for a few seconds. The hair around the scar was growing back. It was hardly visible – well, if you looked at it from a distance at his angle. The recent hair cut made Ephram's scar more noticeable through his short hair. There was a warm glow in Andy's heart at that point. He felt so much love for his son. He often got this way when he saw that scar on Ephram's scalp.

Andy dried his hands on a towel and strung the towel through the handle of the refrigerator door. He shuffled over to the dining room table to "remind" his son to take a nap.

If anything, the last thing Andy wanted to do was to sneak up on Ephram. He knew Ephram became super fragile and tense since the incident at the lake house but he had no idea the boy would react in such an intense way. Andy thought his scuffing footsteps against the hardwood floor were audible. In fact, he considered his steps to be pretty loud considering that he had no intension of being quiet at all. Even Nina knew he was coming. It happened when Andy placed his hands on the boy's shoulder. He meant only to touch him in a loving gesture but instead, Ephram nearly jumped out of his skin.

"OK, son. It's time for you to –" Andy was saying when Ephram gasped and gave out a loud high-pitched shriek. There was pure horror in his scream. The boy appeared to be really frightened. Nina watched the boy's facial expression contort into terror and then turn deathly white.

Ephram whipped his head around to face his father. For a split second, it seemed like he was expecting to see someone – or something else. His hollow eyes explained everything. It was the longest second of his life. He swore his heart must've stopped for a millisecond. When time finally moved forward, Ephram's heart started pumping blood throughout his body a hundred miles an hour. He could feel the painful thumping in his chest like his heart was going to pop. His pulse quickened and it was suddenly hard to breathe. With eyes shut, he hung his head down and the point of his chin was almost touching his chest. Ephram grabbed the section of his T-shirt where his heart would be and tightly clutched it with his fist as he difficultly gasped for air.

Andy was flabbergasted at his son's episode and drew back. Ephram's edgy behavior had gotten worse. Before, he was only jumpy when someone called his name or when someone made an unexpected noise behind him. For the most part, the family managed to be gentler around Ephram. They knew about his trauma and getting freaked out at abrupt sounds. Andy had no idea his son's nervousness had progressed. A mild tap on the shoulders put him into hysterics. This was bad.

"Hey, Ephram." Andy said softly. "Are you alright?"

"D-dad, you-you s-scared me." The boy panted. His heart was now lodged in his throat. It was difficult to speak properly. For a moment, they thought he was going to faint again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Andy wanted to touch Ephram but was afraid it would send him into another fit.

"Oh sweetheart. You poor dear!" Nina immediately threw her arms around the boy and pulled him into a hug. "Geez Andy, he's trembling." Nina said with a nervous laugh.

Ephram accepted the hug and fell helplessly into her embrace. It was exactly what he needed at that moment – a warm reassuring hug. He needed to feel safe and wait for the shakes to go away. There was no control over the way he felt. It was something he couldn't understand himself. He didn't know why his nerves took such a hard dive so suddenly. Perhaps his brain confused the touch on the shoulders with what he felt when the thick plywood hit him across the back. He hid his face in Nina's shirt.

Andy shrugged in bewilderment when Nina looked at him. By then Ephram's breathing had turned into small labored wheezes. A cough erupted when he drew in a breath. He involuntarily sucked in lint from Nina's cardigan and coughed some more. Meanwhile, he was still clutching madly to his chest trying to regulate his heartbeat. It was pretty obvious to Andy that the boy was expressing discomfort.

"It's ok. It's ok." Nina rubbed the boy's back tenderly in a soothing circular motion. "Breath deeply. Come on. Breathe. Try to breathe, ok? Draw deep breathes." She lulled. It seemed like she knew exactly how to handle such a situation.

Ephram drew in deep breathes like Nina instructed. He was desperate for air. The lump in his throat was not helping and he swallowed hard in attempt to clear it. He loosened his grip on his shirt and rubbed his chest vigorously with his hand. There was a slight ringing in his ears. It was the vibration of his heartbeat hammering against his chest cavity. It was so painfully severe that he thought he was going to pass out.

"Are you breathing like I told you? I don't see you trying." Nina's voice suddenly interrupted him. He leaned his temple on Nina's collarbone like as if he had no more energy. "Ephram, breathe. Let's go - inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Relax your nerves." She repeated this until Ephram showed signs of calming down. Her voice was hypnotic.

The boy's face was pink from lack of oxygen as well as embarrassment. When he finally caught his breath, he pulled his head away from Nina's shoulder. He couldn't believe what just happened. Did he just get mental? Was this a sign that he was loosing his marbles? Could he not get a grip on reality anymore? Was this the beginning of a mental breakdown? What was going on?

He just had the shit scared out of him for no reason. This must be serious. It was totally irrational and uncalled for but it happened. This little episode caused Ephram such intense physical pain in his chest. He surely would have passed out. Even though he was seated, his knees were already numb. Maybe his father had been right in wanting to bring him to the hospital. Maybe he really needed to be there. Maybe there was something wrong with him. Ephram wondered if he needed to explain his actions.

He tried to open his mouth to speak but that uncomfortable lump in his throat only allowed him to put forth a harsh grunt. This chilled Andy and Nina to the bone and Ephram could not bring himself to looking at them directly thereafter.

"Honey, you had a bad fright there." Nina spoke.

"Yea, I didn't mean to scare you like that. I'm sorry. I should have known better." Andy knelt down by Ephram's chair to meet his face. He tried to catch the boy's eyes but the boy sheepishly looked away.

"How do you feel?" Nina asked the boy.

Ephram wanted to complain about the pain in his chest but he was afraid another Neanderthal sound would come from his throat should try to speak again. So, he just kept his mouth shut. Neither Andy nor Nina knew what to do for him. It was just so abnormal.

"Does your chest hurt?" Andy finally asked. Ephram glanced up. How did he know what he felt? Could he really read his mind? He looked at his father with shining, helpless eyes. "It's just that you've been rubbing that area for a long time." Andy continued observantly.

Ephram had been absentmindedly kneading his chest with his left hand. He gave a short nod in response to his father's inquiry.

"Hard to breathe after that scare, huh?" Andy said.

Ephram responded with another nod.

"It happens sometimes when one gets really scared." He said.

"M-my heart was racing so fast." Ephram finally said with discomfort etched in his face. It looked like he was going to burst into tears.

"Honeybee." Nina gasped upon hearing Ephram's words. "Oh Andy, there must be something we can we do to make him feel better." She looked to Andy for the answers.

"Felt like it was going to explode." The boy sounded weak.

"You'll be ok. You just need some time for your nerves to calm." Andy said to his son.

"Do you want to lie down?" Nina questioned the boy patiently. "Maybe you should lie down."

"No." Ephram objected. "I don't want to go to my room." He didn't want to be left alone after that fright but he refused to admit it. He was supposed to be fearless. "I wanna stay here. I wanna stay here." His voice became stressed.

"Ok – ok. No problem. You can stay here. How about you lie down on the sofa?" Andy offered. He saw the fear lingering in his son's eyes and knew it was not a time to leave the fragile boy alone. "You can take a nap. We'll just be sitting in the kitchen."

"Yea, we won't be far. OK?" Nina promised. Ephram nodded and tried to get up from his chair. "Here, let me help you up." She said.

Ephram felt like a human Jell-o mold. His legs were wobbly and could hardly stand straight. This was the first time the poor boy did not ignore his crutches. Without the crutches, he would have no means of getting to the sofa and he did not want to be carried there like an infant. Something about pride stood in the way of that.

When Ephram finally made it to the sofa, Nina helped him recline and took off his sneakers. Andy went upstairs to retrieve a pillow and blanket for Ephram. Nina sat on her heels by the head of the sofa facing the boy.

"Things are going to be alright, baby." Nina said as she stroked Ephram's forehead in a motherly fashion.

"I don't know what the hell happened back there. I was fine and then something freaked me out." Ephram said. "I'm not going crazy, am I?" He added skeptically.

"Heavens no! You are not going crazy." Nina laughed. "You were traumatized and your reaction to things are – are just a bit sensitive these days. Your dad just didn't know how sensitive you were. He didn't mean to clap you on the shoulder like that."

"I know dad didn't mean to do that. I didn't even know I was going to react that way. On any normal day, I would not have acted like that." Ephram said. "Makes me kinda worried about myself."

"Well, don't you worry about anything right now, baby. You'll get some rest and when you wake, you will be refreshed. We're going to Luigi's for dinner later." Nina said.

"I like Luigi's." Ephram replied boyishly.

"Yea, they've got pretty good food, huh." Nina continued to stroke Ephram's hair.

"Their garlic knots are really good." Ephram reminisced. He smiled.

"Then we shall get as many garlic knots as you want." Nina said. Her plan to get Ephram's mind off his recent stroke of fear was working. There was no point in discussing that now. It would be something they can put off until he was calmer.

"The only thing bad about it is that they put so much garlic that the garlic flavor stays with you the whole night – even after you brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with mouthwash. You taste it in your sleep too." Ephram said. "But it's a sacrifice I'll have to make. It's so worth it." He gave another impish smile.

"Well, that's ok because before the night is up, all of us will be reeking of garlic." Nina laughed. Ephram liked the way her eyes danced when she laughed.

Andy jogged down the stairs with a fluffy white pillow and a neatly folded light blanket in tote.

"And their fried mozzarella sticks are pretty damn good too." Ephram said.

"Are we talking about dinner already?" Andy said humorously as he placed the pillow under Ephram's head and flicked the blanket open.

"Ephram's quite a fan of Luigi's appetizers. But you know, I hope Ephram here saves some space for the main course." Nina giggled.

"Didn't I tell you? Ephram obsessed about garlic knots and fried mozzarella sticks." Andy joked. He was glad to see Ephram much calmer than before.

"I'm not the only one. Delia likes it too. It's just bread and cheese." The boy said in defense.

"Not to worry my dear boy. You will have your fill." Andy said. "But for now, you should take a nice afternoon nap. It will do you good." He patted Ephram affectionately on his good knee and got up. Andy walked to the dining room table, where he closed the Tupperware of grilled potatoes with a plastic lid and proceeded to put it into the refrigerator.

"Yes and after dinner, we'll all get some ice cream – my treat." Nina's eyes widened at the word "ice cream." She only wanted to soothe Ephram's anxiety. "It'll leave us plenty of time to get a good spot for the fireworks by the lake. We're going to have lots of fun." She reached over and kissed the boy on the forehead. "If you need anything, your father and I are right there, ok?" She pointed towards the kitchen. Ephram nodded and gave Nina another heartbreaking grin. She smiled back and got up to join Andy.

Falling asleep was difficult especially after what happened. His chest was still a little tight from the air restriction. And he was trying to steady the last of the violent thudding of his heartbeat. Ephram closed his eyes and listened to the chatter of conversation coming from the kitchen.

"What was that all about?" Nina whispered to Andy regarding Ephram's fright.

"I feel so bad about doing that to him." Andy replied feeling guiltier by the minute. "I guess I forgot about his anxiety for a second there. He seemed so normal sitting there reading his comics. He looked like the old Ephram I know. I didn't think."

"Somehow, I don't think he's going to hold it against you. I don't even think he knows what happened." Nina said. "Poor kid, did you see how scared he was?"

"Yea. I've never seen him like that before. It's kinda horrifying. The Ephram I knew was strong and fearless. He's changed a lot over the last couple months. He's become so fragile – both mental and physical."

"He's starting to eat more but I don't think he's retained any weight. Well, if he is, I don't see where he's putting it. He looks so gaunt and bony."

"I noticed that too when I first helped him shower. Sometimes, I'm afraid I would be too rough and snap him in half by accident." Andy said as he closed the refrigerator door behind him. "The skin on his stomach is tight as a drum and I don't mean that in a good way."

"Ah, but those eyes. Every time I look into those big glassy light eyes, I get this weak, tender feeling in my heart – the same feeling I get when I gaze into Sam's eyes. When I look into Ephram's eyes, I see his soul. He has a good one – and a true one at that. I'm usually never wrong about such things. But I see darkness and despair mingled in there too. He wants so much to get passed it and be happy." Nina took a seat on a stool in the kitchen. "The poor boy had a rough break. In the end, he just wants to be loved."

"He's already adopted you as a mother-figure. He seems to be really comfortable with you."

"Ephram's a great kid. He deserves a lot more." Nina said. Her voice turned gentle. "It's hard not to fall in love with him. He leaves this impression on you that kinda stick. He's gone through enough things in the passed several months to last a lifetime. And he's only fifteen. Maybe it's just that feel terribly sorry for him. Maybe that's why I want to take care of him and give him the maternal nurturing that he lacked." She drew back when she realized what she just said. "Oh Andy, don't take this the wrong way. I'm not trying to take Julia's place. I wouldn't - I mean - I can never do that. I'm only trying to help. You know that, right? I really want to help."

Andy paused for a brief moment making it very awkward for Nina because she had no idea how he was going to react

"I remember when we first moved to Everwood. Everyone in this town was a little skeptical and negative yet curious about us. You may disagree all you want but I could feel the tension. But that was understandable now that I think of it. I mean, nobody knew what kind of people we were. All they knew was that we were from the big city. They were afraid to get to know us because of where we came from. We were a bunch of outsiders trying so hard to fit in." Andy said. "But you. You were the first one to extend the olive branch. You made us feel welcome. You knocked on our door and presented us with a housewarming gift. One of the best pot roasts I've ever tasted." He strayed from the subject a little. A smile crept upon his lips.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you were my first friend when we moved here. No one else gave us the benefit of the doubt. And it was because of you that the rest of this town started to accept us. You proved to them that we don't bite and that it's ok to be friends with us. All the things that we've shared so far have made us grow closer. In fact, I consider you my best friend. I've never known anyone who put through so much sacrifice for me and my family. All those sleepless nights at the hospital - nobody would've done what you did. And when you talk about taking things the wrong way, that's just silly. We are so beyond that. We don't have petty misunderstandings. We know each other so well. My kids love you and appreciate your care. As far as they're concerned, they already consider you part of the family. Me, well, I'm just so happy and grateful to have you in my life." Andy finished leaving Nina speechless for a second.

(Alriiiight! Score one for the Brown's! Way ta go dad!) Ephram thought after his dad stopped talking.

"Do you really mean that?" Nina said. Her surprised soft voice was shaky like as if she was going to cry.

"Yep."

"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." Nina said and blushed. "I enjoy taking care of you, Delia and Ephram."

"Ephram would be glad to hear that." Andy darted his eyes over to the supposedly sleeping figure lying on the sofa. "He's weak. I can't imagine what it's like to be him at this moment. Maybe some motherly love is exactly what he needs right now."

"He really knows how to strike up the sympathy. I know he's not doing it on purpose – that's what makes him so lovable. I just want hug him and never let him go. He's like some type of oversized teddy bear." Nina laughed. "Completely adorable."

Ephram played Nina's words over and over in his mind until he fell asleep. His body was aching with exhaustion. But it was just his mind that kept him awake. The reels in his mind were constantly moving and showing him images he wanted so desperately to block out. It was tiring his brain and slowly driving him mad.

He dreamt of brown barky logs falling all around just barely miss hitting him by inches. They bounced like foam when they reached the ground. In the middle of his dream was a huge fluffy teddy bear with soft brown fur that resembled cotton candy. Followed was an array of mixed images, some of which made no sense and some of which were very disturbing. His dreams were long and stressful.

Ephram awoke from a troubled sleep to the bold caramelly aroma of freshly brewed café espresso. He wondered what time it was. He lifted his head up to look at the clock in the DVD player. The green digital numbers read 5:37 pm. He extended his arms and arched his back in a mean stretch to loosen his muscles.

There were voices coming from the kitchen. The voices were barely audible but Ephram was able to make out bits and pieces of conversation. He put his cheek back on the pillow and listened to his father and Nina talk. He didn't want to be nosy but he wanted to know just a little about their mysterious little innuendoes. He wanted to confirm his suspicions that there was something going on between the two that they weren't telling him.

A mumble of words then followed by a light girlish giggle from Nina.

"No really, we must do something. Come on." Andy said in a humorous tone.

"It's no big deal. Just a nice quiet day at home would be fine." Nina's voice danced.

"No – you will not spend that day at home. We should go out." Andy said as Ephram's eyes widened at hearing his father's request. The boy shifted positions so he could hear better.

"Yea? And who would look after the kids?" She challenged playfully.

"We'll think of something." Andy said in a puzzled tone. "Maybe Ephram can…"

"Right now, I don't think Ephram's able to look after those two little havocs. He's still recuperating from the injuries. He needs to take it easy." Nina said.

Right then Ephram wanted to jump up and volunteer. "I CAN babysit Delia and Sam so you guys can go out on a date," he wanted to shout. But doing so, would reveal his eavesdropping.

"Well, one thing's for sure, we have to do something." Andy persisted as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Honest, you don't have to bend over backwards for me." She said. "I'm content with what I've got so far."

"No, no. You've done so much for me already and I want to show you my appreciation. Let me take you out to dinner. It'll be fun - once we figure out who's babysitting the kids. We'll pick something super expensive. What do you say?"

Ephram's heart pounded with excitement. It sounded like a date. His father was finally asking Nina out on a REAL date! He couldn't understand why Nina was so reluctant to say yes.

"You are so sweet." Nina's voice was flirtatious.

"So, that's a yes, right?" Andy asked.

"Look, I really think dinner sounds wonderful. But I'm a real simple gal. It doesn't have to be a pricey meal for me to have a great time. For all I know, dinner could be a slice of pizza or a container of won-ton soup but I'll always find myself in good company when I'm with you – and the kids." Nina spoke rather softly and Ephram had to strain his ears to hear what she was saying.

"Well, I still want to take you out – you know, wine and dine you." Andy said. "It's your special day. We have to do something. We have to prepare." He insisted.

"Oh, it's so far away. I don't want to think about it right this second." She laughed lightly. "And be reminded that another year has passed."

"It's in two months. That's hardly enough time if, say, I were to get us tickets for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in Denver." Andy enticed and surveyed the pleased but intimidated look on Nina's face.

(What? Did he just say The Colorado Symphony Orchestra?) Ephram thought wildly and suddenly became jealous. In his opinion, it was nothing compared to the New York Philharmonic but nonetheless, he always wanted to attend a performance. Since Ephram was a classical music enthusiast and being a musician himself, he often jumped at the chance to see the pros do it live. He was upset that his dad hadn't offered to take him to the orchestra.

"I don't know." Nina said. "As tempting as that sounds, I actually have something else in mind."

"I'm all ears." Andy finished the rest of his coffee with a gulp.

"After all that's happened, I realized how important family is and how valuable each of our lives is to each other." Nina began. "Togetherness is key."

"I get it. You want to spend the day with all of us – kids included. Well, why didn't you say so! That's fine – we'll have a party right here." He offered.

"A party?" She said with raised eyebrows.

"Yea, it'll be fun. We'll have lots of food – and you won't have to do any of the cooking. We know a great caterer. And of course, there will be cake. You can't say no because it'll be your birthday and I want to do this for you."

(Nina's birthday?) Ephram thought curiously. All the envy vanished. He thought this was interesting. It never occurred to him that Nina's birthday was coming up. Nina never revealed to him the exact date of her birthday. But then again he never bothered to ask. The spotlight had been on him for the past several months that those around him had put their lives on hold. He suddenly felt very guilty.

"Oh alright." Nina sighed. She knew she was never going to win. "But just a small party, ok? Don't get too carried away. I don't want anything extravagant." She warned.

"Me? Carried away? Never." Andy gasped humorously. "I have two months to plan. Things should work out smoothly."

(How could I have been so selfish?) Ephram thought bitterly. (Nina deserved the best birthday ever. I have to do something nice for her.) His thoughts were interrupted when he heard them talking again.

"Oh man! Look at the time. If we're ever going to make that reservation at the restaurant, we need to get a move on." Andy said. "You wake Ephram and I'll clean up here and gather up the chipmunks."

Ephram closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. There was a quick shuffling of chairs and he heard Nina's footsteps approach the sofa. He couldn't tell if it was obvious to Nina that he was feigning sleep but he tried his best to imitate sleep by breathing steady through his nose. It was quiet and he could feel her staring at him.

Nina had knelt down by the head of the sofa and watched the boy sleep for a second. She finally placed a hand on Ephram's head and stroked his hair.

"Ephram?" She whispered tenderly trying to wake him. "Baby."

Ephram stirred slightly to make it realistic.

"Hey, Ephram. Honeybee, it's time for dinner at Luigi's." Nina said. She touched his cheek with the back of her fingers. He knew she had leaned in close because he could smell the coffee lingering on her breath. But her touch was always warm and gentle. As much as he liked the feeling and didn't want it to end, Ephram blinked open his eyes in the sleepiest manner he could muster up. He stifled a small fake yawn.

"What time is it?" Ephram asked adding just a touch of oblivion.

"A few minutes to six." Nina replied. "Looks like you slept well."

"Yea, I did." Ephram moved to a seated position. He rubbed his eyes dreamily.

"I hate to wake you up so soon. You looked comfortable." Nina watched the boy struggle with his braced left knee. "Well, I hope you're hungry." She smiled.

"Yea, sort of." Ephram answered and fished for his sneakers.

"Need some help?" Nina asked but didn't wait for an answer to assist. "Here we go." She brought Ephram's sneakers over and held them out while Ephram slid his socked feet into each shoe. Nina tied the laces.

"I feel like such a two year old." Ephram said. "Now I've got people putting on my shoes AND tying my shoelaces for me." He sighed.

"All within good reason." She said. "So, don't you start."

Ephram scratched the back of his head, where the scar was, and looked around wondering where his crutches happened to be. Nina seemed to be reading his mind because she automatically handed him the two crutches. He stood up and mentioned that he would like to go to the bathroom to freshen up before the trip downtown. Nina watched him scuffle slowly down the hall to the ground floor bathroom.

Dinner at Luigi's was great. Ephram surprised his family devouring half a basket of garlic knots and five fried mozzarella sticks before getting down to his main course. Ephram's choice that evening was Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. They were served by their usual waiter. His name was Martin. Martin was a tall and skinny guy who terribly lacked a sense of humor. He was stiff and seriously needed to loosen up. Andy thought Martin to be very polite and preferred to be served by him whenever they ate at Luigi's. See, Andy happened to be a big tipper and Martin had no problem with that. Ephram, on the other hand, often found it amusing to tease Martin about something each time they ate there. He did it both to shake him up a little and get him to react. Martin was seldom thrown by the boy's remarks but most always gave a smart defensive reply that left Ephram dumbfounded.

This time, Ephram pestered him about the items on the menu before he told him he wanted to order the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. Martin replied with courteous yet unenthusiastic answers even after Ephram said, "So, who was Alfredo anyway and why is there a noodle named after him? That is so cool. I want a noodle named after me too. How does Macaroni Elbow Ephram sound?" It forced Andy to smile. It was a good sign that Ephram was being a wise ass again. It just took a while for the boy to get his jazz back. Martin had no choice but to grin and bear Ephram's abuse. After noticing the permanent knee brace and crutches the boy was using, Martin felt rather bad for the child and decided to let the jokes slide.

Everyone enjoyed their meal. Ephram joked with the younger kids and made them laugh with his silly antics. Andy and Nina shared some conversations as well. Andy couldn't help but watch his son carry on like the events of earlier that afternoon never happened. Either it was completely forgotten or he was doing one hell of an amazing job covering it up with the bravery act. Andy made a mental note to sit down with his son and discuss what happened. Nina watched Ephram too but for a different reason. She was more worried about him and his recent fainting spell. Seeing Ephram's dazed and pale face with all the energy sucked out of his delicate body was a highly disturbing image that Nina couldn't erase.

Dessert was Nina's treat after the hearty dinner. The ice cream parlor was just a block and a half away and they decided it would be a good idea to walk a little to burn off their meal. They walked at Ephram's pace so he could keep up. It was a beautiful and comfortable July night with clear skies and no one was in a hurry. At the ice cream parlor, they managed to find a table towards the end of the shop.

Ephram thought his father and Nina were boring because of all the flavors offered, they both chose vanilla. Delia settled on the Oreo Cookie Blizzard. Sam selected according to appearance and decided on Tooty-Fruity Rainbow Delight because he liked the multi-colored swirls. Ephram's choice was the Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. The lady behind the counter recognized Ephram and became very generous with the scooping of ice cream. She took one look at Ephram with his knee brace and crutches and her heart went soft. It made her quite happy to hear Ephram express his joy and surprise when she handed him his waffle cone heaping with Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream. Delia and Sam were equally excited when they got their giant cones.

Once the ice cream was devoured, Andy loaded everyone into the car and headed towards the lake for the fireworks display. They arrived a little before 9 pm giving them plenty of time to select a spot for viewing. A woman dressed up as Uncle Sam was giving out miniature U.S. flags to the public by the front gate. She bellowed in a manly tone, "Happy Independence Day!" When Andy's broad passed through, she smiled and gave each of them a flag. They found a nice private spot on the grass away from the crowds. The street lamps lit the road that lead to the lake. Fireflies glowed sporadically all around in the darkness and crickets were heard chirping in their hiding places. Ephram could see lights coming from the festival off in the distance. Seeing it made him feel guilty. He knew how much Delia wanted to have gone.

Nina sat a little too close to Andy. It was dark but Ephram can still tell. Sam was seated in front of Nina with his back leaning against her. Nina had her arms around her son. She often leaned her head on Andy's shoulder. Ephram thought they looked like a couple of turtle doves cuddling for warmth in a cold winter day. Ephram sat with Delia a few feet away. The grass beneath them was brittle and dry. It was like sitting on top of a giant toothbrush. Though, Ephram didn't mind it too much because he was glad to be outdoors for a change. The fresh air was good for his lungs.

As scheduled, the fireworks began promptly at 9:30 pm. It started off with small silver pom-pom bursts of light, followed by medium blues and reds and gold ones. The more extravagant and colorful swirls came later. People by the lake were pointing and raving about how beautiful the previous one was. Ephram drew his good knee closer to his chest. The fireworks were indeed beautiful and impressive. He watched the crowd down by the lake gasping in delight and chattering excitedly. For some reason, fireworks made people happy. But somehow, Ephram couldn't decide whether the reason was because of the energetic and vibrant colors or the way the event brought people together. Looking back at his little family, he wanted to feel satisfied and completely happy that he was in the company of those he loved and loved back but part of him was extremely sad.

Watching the fireworks reminded him of his old life back in New York. When he was about five or six, his mother and father used to take him up to the roof of their apartment building to see the Macy's 4th of July fireworks. They would set up lawn chairs and bring a couple of Cokes. It was probably the best view in all of Manhattan. More importantly, it was the most comfortable place Ephram could ever hope for. He wouldn't give that up for the world. Julia would point out all the ones she liked and ask him if he liked them too. Ephram remembered her long hair tickling his nose as she held him in her arms as they watched the sky. He was motherless now and watching the 4th of July fireworks alone. She was not there to hold him like the way Nina was holding Sam right then. Ephram missed his mother. He wondered how he had ended up so wretched.

A bright pink one burst into little sparkles and the people by the lake "oohed."

Ephram gazed into the sky beyond the fireworks. He tried to find a star amidst the smoke residue. And when he did, he fixed his eyes on it for a while. He wondered if his mother was somewhere in Heaven watching him right now. He wondered if she knew how sad he felt and how much his heart ached for her. He wondered if she knew of the things he did or tried to do just to be one step closer to her. He wondered if she would be mad at him for all the trouble he had caused.

A tear escaped from the corner of his eyes. It was followed by another one. The darkness helped to conceal his tears. He pretended to rub his eyes and quickly wiped the tears away in the process. Ephram tried to not do this too often and attract attention. But Delia had her suspicions. Besides, she was sitting right next to him. It was hard for her not to notice. She may not understand what was going through Ephram's mind but she seemed to know exactly what to say to make him feel a little better.

"Do the fireworks remind you of mom?" Delia said softly.

"Huh?" Ephram had been caught daydreaming.

"Do the fireworks remind you of mom?" Delia repeated.

"W-why do you ask me that?" Ephram stuttered.

"I dunno. Maybe because you're all teary-eyed." She shrugged and turned back to appreciate the next explosion of bright colors in the sky.

"I AM not." He said in defense. Delia turned to her brother.

"Yes, Ephram." She said in a low firm undertone. "You are."

Ephram was silent.

"Well, it kinda reminds me of mom." Delia ignored the silence and continued. She turned back to the sky. "It's beautiful, just like mom."

"Yea, it is. Isn't it?" Ephram finally said.

Delia wiggled her arm around Ephram's arm and leaned her head on his bicep. "I get sad sometimes too. She's really gone. Sometimes I don't want to believe it. I want to pretend like she's on a long vacation or business trip or something."

"Me too, Del. Me too." Ephram murmured. He swung his arm around Delia and gave her a warm squeeze.

"With you here, it helps the days go by easier. It's less lonesome." Delia said. "You know Ephram, I hate to be alone. When I'm alone, I think of her and when I think of her, I remember how much I miss her. And when I think of that, I feel sad. That's why I make sure I'm never alone – or as little as possible. I cry for her too."

"Delia, really?" The boy looked at his sister.

"When you cry, I get scared. I'm not used to seeing you cry." Delia reached over and gave Ephram a tender peck of a kiss on the cheek without warning.

"Sometimes, I'm just sad." Ephram replied and allowed Delia to cuddle in his arms.

"Then we'll be sad together." She said. A loud pop brought her attention back to the sky.

Ephram considered himself very fortunate to have a little sister like Delia. She was compassionate, sympathetic, loyal and nonjudgmental. And she was only eight. It wasn't fair for Delia to suffer just because he suffered. She shouldn't be sad just because he was sad. Ephram tried to clear his mind of depression. He needed to put the negative feelings aside and concentrate on enjoying the rest of the night's fireworks. It took a while to convince Delia that he was not sad anymore. She came around eventually.

When the fireworks display was over, Andy decided to wait for some of the crowd to disperse before making their way to the parking lot. They were on the slow side because of Ephram's setback and didn't want to be caught in the horde of mass confusion as people made beelines to their vehicles.

Even with the afternoon nap under his belt, Ephram was all tired out by the time the fireworks ended. He couldn't wait to crawl into his nice, soft, warm comfortable bed. Sleep took him as soon as he strapped his seat belt on and leaned his head back. Andy expected it. All the food the boy consumed added to the day's events, it was not unusual for Ephram to be zonked out. Upon the arrival to the house, Ephram woke up only briefly to get from the driveway to the house. He walked like a drunken sailor with a lame leg. Even with the crutches, he swayed from side to side. Andy offered to carry him in but the boy made a tired fuss and demanded he walk.

Nina and Sam had retired to their home. Andy insisted he could handle everything and that there was no need for Nina to assist. It was late and it had been a busy day. He was sure she was tired too.

When the Brown's entered their house, Ephram found refuge on the living room sofa. The pillow and blanket from his nap was still there and it was helluva lot closer than trekking up the stairs to his room. He was just too tired and lazy. The living room sofa will have to do. Andy tried to nag Ephram into going to bed, but the boy just grumbled and drifted off to sleep. Tired of fooling around, Andy scooped the boy up and carried him up the stairs. He had been doing that a lot lately – carrying Ephram up the stairs. Andy saw how difficult it was for the boy to climb a flight of stairs with his bad knee so he decided to give him a hand.

Andy had ordered Delia to get into her pajamas and brush her teeth. He promised to come tuck her in and give her a kiss good-night after he finished settling Ephram into bed. Delia was surprising more cooperative than her usual defiant behavior with going to bed and brushing her teeth. To Delia, having her daddy tuck her in at night was the best part of her entire day. She looked forward to that good-night kiss. As for brushing her teeth, ever since her father got her the new electric Dora The Explorer toothbrush, brushing wasn't as troublesome a task as it used to be. It was actually quite fun.

Dressing Ephram was like dressing a life-sized doll. Andy had to remove Ephram's day clothes and help him put on his sleep clothes. The top was easier to change so Andy went with that first. He peeled off Ephram's layering T-shirt. He couldn't help but stare at the scars and the dark old bruises on his son's bare chest as he lay stretched out on his mattress. Ephram's blemished skin was tight and the bones in his rib cage can be seen when he inhaled. His collar bone protruded slightly beneath his skin. There was a hint of an unhealthy, malnourished aura surrounding the poor kid. The back of Ephram's hands and areas of each forearm had dented scars resulting from the second degree burns. Andy shook his head lightly in dismay. Guilty doesn't begin to cut it. The poor kid has been through such a tough beating. Andy began thinking as he pulled a sleep shirt over Ephram's head. If he had taken better care of his son, none of this ever would've happened. If only Andy had watched out for him and spent quality time with him, maybe the boy wouldn't have to suffer so much.

Andy gently stuffed the boy's arm through each armhole of the sleep shirt. Ephram shifted lazily in his sleep. Andy unfastened the velcro bands that kept Ephram's knee brace in place and removed it. The thing was bulky and heavy. It was a wonder that Ephram had to deal with it every day. Andy took Ephram's jeans off. He paid extra care to Ephram's injured leg when he slid the sweatpants up. Putting the knee brace back on was a bit tricky because the fasteners were located behind the knee. Ephram let out a tiny moan when Andy fished behind his son's knee for the connecting velcro straps.

When Andy finally finished setting Ephram's knee up, he elevated Ephram's leg by placing a cushion under the boy's sensitive knee to improve circulation. He then pulled the covers up to Ephram's shoulders. The boy was sleeping soundly. Andy hoped Ephram's check up at the hospital the next day would be a breeze. Andy kneeled by Ephram's bedside and watched him sleep for a moment.

"I'll take better care of you." Andy vowed. "I swear I will." He kissed Ephram's forehead, turned out the lights, and exited his room. Soon, everyone turned in and the house was dark and quiet.

In the morning, Andy gathered his kids for a trip to the hospital as scheduled. As much as Ephram hated to go, a promise was a promise so he couldn't complain. He didn't talk much during the entire ride to the hospital. There was a part of him that was worried they might find something wrong with him. Being confined to hospital quarters was the last thing he wanted. He enjoyed his freedom too much. He liked going outside and sleeping in his own bed at night. Andy and Delia was a bit on the quiet side as well. Delia was not her usual chatty self because it was still too early for her. Andy concentrated on his driving and occasionally asked Ephram a question or two.

The nurses on the day shift at the hospital, on the other hand, were very happy to see Ephram especially since Ephram was their pet. They complimented him on his sharp hair cut and how handsome he looked. The flattering remarks left Ephram's face glowing periodically with bashfulness. There were hugs and kisses all around – most of which were for Ephram and Delia. For those few nurses who were not aware of Ephram's story, they were quickly filled in.

However, they were surprised to see him back so soon. They didn't expect to see him come for another week or so. Andy gave them a brief summary of what happened the day before and put a lot of emphasis on the fainting episode.

Naturally, the nurses expressed their concern. One nurse even brought in a wheelchair for Ephram to sit in so that he didn't have to stand. He really didn't need the wheelchair as he could stand with the crutches just fine. But Ephram felt compelled to accept the nurses' kind offers. They were all at his disposal whether he liked it or not. Perhaps they imagined he was going to faint again. They really saw him as a fragile, little sick boy. Ephram thought it was rather amusing.

Ephram knew what was coming next – the questions. The nurses really know how to interrogate someone about their health. They seemed to want to know exactly how Ephram was feeling at that very moment and how he had been feeling for the last couple days. The boy did his best to persuade them that he felt fine. Andy explained to the nurses that he wanted to run some tests on Ephram just to make sure he was healthy just to be safe.

Nina promised to meet them at the hospital a little later on. They were all going to spend the rest of the day at the festival after they were done at the hospital. He kept looking at the automatic motion doorway every time he heard it slide open and someone came through it. He was anxious to see Nina make her entrance. Drawing blood was going to be a big deal and an even bigger needle. Nina's presence would ease the tension tremendously. He was hoping she would make it to the hospital before then.

Andy and Delia wheeled Ephram into the doctor's lounge, where two nurses (both of whom Ephram knew well) kept the kids busy for a while. Andy wanted a word with Ephram's doctor alone and stepped out into the hall. Meanwhile the nurses kept Ephram and Delia entertained in the doctor's lounge. The nurses were delighted to keep the children company. They talked about all sorts of subjects. But they always seem to go back to the original subject. They seemed quite interested in Ephram's physical therapy sessions and Delia's rock collection.

Ephram was a little on the quiet side and answered only when asked a question. He hated to admit it but he was nervous. The paranoid feeling that something might go wrong was eating him up. One of the nurses caught the vibe and asked Ephram if he was alright. At first he denied enverything but then the nurse was very persistent and Ephram ended up spilling the truth. The nurse gave him a warm hug and reassured him that things were going to be fine because they were going to take very good care of him.

The nurses volunteered to look after Delia while Andy helped Ephram and assisted in the tests. It was cool that his father was by his side and everything, but Ephram really wanted Nina there for moral support. When she was there, even the hardest moments seemed less stressful. There was something about her presence that somehow made things ok. He couldn't explain it. Maybe it was because she was a woman. He wondered where she was but was too proud to ask.

Andy brought Ephram into an exam room and made him change into a paper-thin hospital gown. The boy complained about the bare back and insisted he wear the sweatpants that he brought just for the occasion. Andy allowed this. A nurse came in with a tray of instruments. Ephram recognized it all too well. She was to draw a vile of his blood. The uncontrollable trembling kind of gave it away that he was scared. The nurse noticed this and reassured the boy that it wasn't going to hurt. She suggested that if it'll make him feel better, he may look away or close his eyes. Andy took his son's free hand. Ephram looked helplessly at his father. And without saying a word, he gave an understanding smile and kissed the boy's fingers.

The syringe freaked Ephram out. His heart was pounding. He had to find a distraction. Looking away was just not enough. He decided to close his eyes and try to think of a happier, calmer place. He thought of Delia and Nina. He unknowingly had such a tight grip on his father's hand that it left his hands sticky with sweat.

Ephram had not had anything to eat that morning and he was growing hungrier and hungrier by the second. In order for the tests to be accurate, he was not allowed to have anything to eat or drink prior to the medical exams. Andy promised him that it wouldn't take long. After the blood test, Ephram was wheeled to radiology for an MRI.

Andy prepped the boy up and appeared very professional every step of the way. He explained the procedure to Ephram and what to expect. An MRI was needed to ensure that the damage done to Ephram's head and body have healed properly and completely. If there was anything abnormal, it would show up in the MRI.

Ephram was trying to be super brave and did exactly everything the radiologist told him to do but deep inside, he was frightened. Everything in the room was white. It was like a scene from one of those alien autopsy movies and Ephram was the specimen. The noises coming from the machines scared him. They made him lie down on a long padded exam table. The radiologist mentioned several times that this was a completely painless process. She positioned Ephram and asked him to lie as still as possible as any movement can cause blurred images. In such a case, they would be required to repeat the procedure.

After a while, the radiologist disappeared and reappeared some seconds later. Ephram saw that she had joined Ephram's father behind the glass window in the booth adjacent to the exam room. The boy was all alone in the room with the intimidating MRI machine.

The table finally moved him into a big tubular contraption that took images of his internal organs and bone tissue. Ephram found the knocking noises and whirring sounds very irritable and wished that he accepted the ear plugs when the radiologist offered them. He didn't think the noise would be that loud or obnoxious. He also regretted in declining the blanket that was offered. It was really cold in that little room. The thin hospital gown he wore did not help in keeping him warm.

There was a 2-way microphone in the machine so the radiologist could keep communication with him during the procedure. After his head entered the machine, his view of the booth was obstructed. He couldn't see his father and he couldn't see the radiologist lady anymore. However, he heard their voices loud and clear from the microphone. The radiologist walked him through all the things that she needed him to do – breathe in, hold your breath, breath out – as images were taken.

Ephram obeyed all the instructions quietly. There wasn't much to do while being confined to four feet of space, except think. He thought about all the possibilities and all the potential outcomes. Maybe this was how his life was going to be from now on - MRI testing and blood drawing for the rest of his life. Maybe they were going to poke and prod him over and over with their instruments on a daily basis. Maybe he had to be heavily medicated or was so sick that he had to be confined to a bed. He didn't want to live out the rest of his live this way. As much as he wanted it to stop, the ideas kept going in his head.

Forty-five long minutes later, the exam was over and the padded table slid out of the MRI machine. By then, Ephram was already close to tears. His imagination ran wild and the horrible thoughts petrified him. He turned his head towards the glass window and was surprised to find Nina standing beside his dad. She wore a worried look on her face and nervously tapped her fingers against her lips. When she noticed Ephram looking at her direction, she waved at him.

Ephram tried to smile at her but instead, a tear accidentally fell out of his eye when he moved his face muscles. He wasn't sure if she or anyone else saw it. Brushing it away immediately, he turned his head back towards the ceiling and waited for the table to stop moving before sitting up. A few seconds later, the door opened and Andy and Nina filed into the room behind the radiologist. The women's heels clicked against the sterile tiled floor.

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" The radiologist said amicably. Her voice had a certain "rehearsed" tone to it - like as if she did this sort of thing all the time. She must've said the same thing to all her nervous patients or first-timers.

"Gosh, it's freezing in here." Nina exaggerated when she stepped into the room. She rubbed her exposed arms expressing the chilliness she felt.

"Yes, it tends to be cooler in here because of the machine. We can't have it too warm or the machine will overheat." The radiologist explained.

"Ephram. Hey, sorry I'm late." Nina said as she approached the boy, whose bare feet were dangling over the edge of the padded table. Ephram noticed his toenails turning a quick shade of purple from the cold. "Oh honeybee, you're such a brave kid." She said and moved in for a hug.

"I'm not as brave as you think I am." Ephram looked up at Nina. Even though Ephram was not crying at the moment, it was clear to Nina that the boy had recently shed some tears. His eyes were glassy and pink. He was still in the comfort of Nina's arms.

"Sweetie! You are cold as an icicle!" Nina exclaimed when she touched his hand. She proceeded to rub the boy's arms to generate some warmth. "We better get you out of this room and into some clothes or you are going to catch a cold." She grabbed a blanket from a plastic cart near the door. She then draped the blanket evenly around Ephram's shoulders. It suddenly made sense to Ephram why he was asked if he wanted a blanket before the start of the exam. He would know better next time - if there was a next time.

Andy lifted Ephram off the table and placed him on the wheelchair. They wheeled him back to the same room in which he changed his clothes in. With Nina waiting outside, Andy helped Ephram dress and fasten his knee brace. Ephram relished the way Nina fussed over him. It was different than the way his father fussed over him. They were clearly two different types of fussing. His father was always trying to be gentle and soft but it was nothing compared to Nina's motherly approach. It was just different.

Ephram was finally dressed and ready to head out. Nina gathered Delia and Sam from the doctor's lounge and met Andy and Ephram out by the lobby. Delia was the happiest little girl ever when she saw her brother waiting in the lobby. She asked how it went and he answered, "It was a piece of cake." He lied.

The worst was over and Ephram did not have to worry about the results for another day or so. The turnover time for test results was generally 24 to 48 hours. Technically, he had at least two days time to be happy and carefree until the news. It was very hard to pretend like he was fine and be the normal Ephram again.

Ephram gorged down his lunch at the Burger Palace. He was so hungry that everything seemed to be extra tasty. Nina repeatedly told Ephram to slow down and chew his food but Ephram was too occupied in sinking his teeth into a BLT deluxe burger with all the trimmings. Delia starred at her brother stuff his face like a savage who had been starved for a week. She felt sorry for him. Andy threatened Ephram that if he didn't take it easy with the food, that he was going to take it all away. Obviously, the intimidation didn't work because he just blinked at his father and continued eating. Ephram didn't say a word because to speak would mean to stop eating. And that would mean wasting valuable time in consuming his burger and filling his empty belly. There was plenty of food and more could be ordered if anyone was still hungry. Ephram ate as much as he could and finally stopped after polishing off the last of Delia's fries. He sat back and sighed in satisfaction.

Delia was very excited to hear that they were going to stop by the festival at the park. It was, after all, the last day of the event. The day was still young and there was still a lot of fun to be had.

When they arrived at the park, they were surprised to find that many people showed up for the final day of the festival. The parking lot was full. Andy drove slowly around the premises three times before finding a parking space.

The first stop was the kiddie-cart rides, then the merry-go-round, then the house of mirrors, followed by a slew of carnival games. Delia was lucky enough to win a prize at the bean toss game. It was a tan-colored plush dog with long floppy arms and legs. She wanted to give it to Ephram but Ephram had a better idea. He whispered into her ear and suggested her to give it to Sam. Delia thought about it for a second and as much as she wanted to give the prize to her dear brother, she followed his request. Sam was surprised and equally happy that Delia gave him her first winnings. He hugged Delia so tight that she had to ask him to loosen his grip.

Ephram did most of the watching instead of playing. Andy and Nina encouraged him to have some fun but his heart just wasn't into it. He couldn't have fun when the fate of the rest of his life relied on a test result, which was due in approximately two days time. How could he just stick his head in the sand and pretend like that never happened? Right then, he just wanted to hide. It was his problem and nobody else's. He wanted to curl up in bed and wallow in his depression for the next two days.

A good amount of activity has been incurred before Ephram expressed his fatigue. It was hard to find a spot to sit. All the benches and tables were occupied. After a while, they just settled on the grass by the lake. Andy retrieved an old blanket from the trunk of his car and used it as a picnic blanket. Nina went to the concession stand with Sam and brought back an array of snacks. Ephram was still full from the hearty lunch and declined on the junk food offer. He decided to save his share of the candy for later.

The sun was starting to descend from the sky but Everwood was still getting a good amount of daylight. Ephram sat with his family and tried to stay in the conversations. He watched them eat popcorn and laugh like the tests at the hospital were ancient history.

Delia and Sam were playing nearby and noticed several bright colored pedal boats floating about in the lake. She saw people pedaling the boats and they appeared to be having a good time. Delia pointed and ooh-ed at the boats. Sam was equally excited and wanted to join in the fun. They managed to convince Andy to take them down to the other side of the lake to go on the pedal boats. Delia wanted Ephram to come along but he insisted that he was going to sit this one out. It was a pretty long walk to the other side of the lake and his rusty knee was not up to the challenge. Delia was not too happy about Ephram's decision. But in the end, Ephram urged Delia to go enjoy herself and she finally listened.

Nina saw Ephram's subdued behavior and mentioned to Andy that she was also going to stay behind to clean up. She gave Sam a big kiss on the cheek and instructed him to be a "good boy" before allowing him to go with Andy and Delia. Nina began picking up the candy wrappers that Delia and Sam left behind. Ephram really just wanted to be alone. He got up and told Nina that he was going for a stroll.

Ephram hobbled slowly with his crutches. He walked a little bit by the lake. The wet pebbly sand squished and crunched beneath his sneakers. Ephram walked further and found a boat dock. It was a short dock specifically made for row boats. The wooden planks were closer to the water. This lonely old dock appeared to be abandoned. There were no row boats or people around. The unkempt foliage obscured the dock from the rest of the lake. Ephram finally found a place that matched his mood. He grew interested in it and ventured to the far end of the dock.

Ephram laid down his crutches and carefully sat down at the edge of the platform. He allowed his legs to dangle over the dock. The water below him was calm. The sun's rays danced on top of the water making a silvery film. From where he sat, he could see people on the adjacent side of the lake. It was a good spot for people watching.

He saw a scatter of paddle boats floating on the water. The people onboard the paddle boats all wore identical bright orange life jackets. They were free to paddle anywhere in the lake. Ephram wasn't able to spot his father, Delia, and Sam yet. A couple of ten year old boys in swimming trunks made a racket as they did cannonballs into the lake off a nearby dock. They splashed loudly when they hit the water and made even more noise when they surfaced. It was definitely a good day for a swim. The water looked fine and tempting. But it was highly unlikely that Ephram would be able to swim even if he wanted to. It would be quite difficult trying to keep afloat with a badly injured knee.

His attention was then distracted by the gleeful squeals of a handful of pre-schoolers by the kiddie playground. They were caught up in an energetic game of tag. The children were running in circles around the monkey bars. They were all so happy together. Then Ephram saw a pair of middle-aged, salt-and-pepper haired men decked out in athletic attire jogging along the path. Their choppy, breathless voices were heard momentarily and trailed off as they passed. There was a rowdy group of twenty-something year old guys on the lawn playing what looked like a game of football. They tackled and ended up in a pile on top of each other. Ephram found it quite amusing and felt very sorry for the one squashed at the bottom of the heap.

A woman rode her bicycle passed the group of football players. Her shiny cobalt blue 10-speed bike breezed by on the bike path. Ephram had a bike. It was collecting dusty in the garage right about now. He loved his bike but he couldn't ride it anymore. With his ruined knee, he couldn't even keep his balance on two feet, how was he supposed to maintain his balance on a bicycle? It was out of the question. He turned to the opposite side of the lake. In the space between the trees, Ephram spotted two teenagers – perhaps a year or two older than him. There was a girl and a guy. The guy was humorously teasing the girl and chasing after her in amusement. The girl laughed vociferously and threw funny warnings at him but he didn't listen. Soon enough, the guy caught up with the girl and they concluded their little game with a full kiss on the lips. Ephram looked away.

He couldn't stand it anymore. People around him were buzzing around so merrily. Why did he have to end up so wretched? His life suddenly seemed miserable when compared to all of these strangers. Ephram drew his good knee to his chest and wrapped his arms around it. He would be able to never walk good anymore – much less run or bike or swim or play rough with the big boys. Even his doctors said he would have a bad limp for the rest of his life.

Ephram became depressed. This was neither the life he wanted nor the life he intended to live. He didn't know whether or not there was any purpose in hoping for the best and coping with his loss any more. It was easy to give up the fight. Without any warning at all, his eyes welled up with tears and spilled onto his cheeks. It was convenient that he was alone and no one was going to see him bawling his eyes out. He let out a few short sobs and quickly wiped the tears away. He wished things were simpler. A quivering sigh followed by a few last tear drops ended his little episode. It was just in time.

"Oh, there you are! I was wondering where you'd gone." Nina's light and feminine voice came from a few feet away. He could feel the boards creaking as she walked towards him. She sat down beside him. "It's a nice spot you found." She surveyed the area.

Ephram was silent.

"You have the weight of the world on your shoulders." Nina commented after studying him for a brief moment. He looked like he'd been crying. "You look troubled. What's wrong?" She nudged him playfully.

"Nothing." Ephram shrugged.

"No, I know it's not nothing. You can't fool me that easily. Something's weighing on your mind." Nina said.

The boy shrugged again and stared at a tuft of wild grass that grew at the foot of the lake.

"C'mon, I know something's bugging you." Nina continued. "You wanna talk about it?"

"I - I want to erase the last few months so badly. I mean, how do you put everything behind you? How do you forget all that's happened? How can you cope when you know for a fact that you're going to be like this forever?" Ephram blurted out and nodded to his braced knee. "My life was always destined to be a hard one. That's just how God planned it. I was never meant to have a normal life. I can never do those things normal kids can do again. Everyone always thinks I have this rain cloud over my head - that I'm a depressing person. Well, how do people expect me to act? What? My mother's dead and my knee's in a brace for the rest of my life - oh well, that's just too bad – tough luck." He mimicked.

"Ephram, I'm sorry you feel that way. I'm not sure I know the answer to any of your questions." She began.

"And don't tell me that it's not so bad." Ephram interjected. "It IS bad, Nina. It IS bad. I don't need everyone feeling sorry for the stupid crippled kid and I don't need anyone to give me breaks just because they suddenly grew a conscience." He added bitterly.

"You shouldn't call yourself a cripple. It's such a harsh word to describe yourself." Nina said. "You're physically challenged." She corrected.

"Yea great. That's just a nice way of saying crippled." He shot back. "There's no way around that one."

"I know you're angry." Nina said.

"Yes, I am mad. I have every right to be. You know, sometimes, I get so mad at myself and everyone else that I want to - " He was very heated and suddenly stopped short. "I don't know what I want to do."

"What, Ephram? Tell me. What do you want to do?" Her voice grew serious.

"I don't know." He drew back.

"What were you going to say? I want to hear it. You're so mad that you want to what?" Nina pressed.

"I said I don't know." He stuck by his words.

"I think you know. You just won't say it." She tested. "I want to know what you're feeling, Ephram."

"Fine - I want to hurt myself." Ephram was flustered. "You're gonna say that I shouldn't think that way because there are so many people who love me and care about me. I can't take my anger out on someone else. I can't only take it out on myself. Sometimes, it's very hard for me to love me."

"Ephram, I wish there was something I can say to comfort you. But at this point, you are way too angry and anything I say is gonna sound like I'm against you." Nina said.

"You have any idea what it's like to have your fate being decided on a test result?" His voice quivered dramatically and his tone changed completely. He was a scared little boy again. Tears filled his eyes.

"Oh, is that what this is about? Are you worried about the outcome of the test results?" She asked.

"Everyone can just pretend like nothing bad will come of it. Of course it's easy for everyone else to act that way. They don't have the worries I have. Not even close." A small sob and he looked away.

"Honeybee." Nina started. "Honeybee, if only you knew how concerned we are for you. You're not the only one carrying the load, you know. Your father and I may seem strong on the outside but deep inside, we are just as worried as you are - maybe even more. Look Ephram, I'm not saying we should pretend that there are no bad possibilities, but would it be fair to us, to you, if we should act like the world is coming to an end when we don't even know the facts?"

"I can't help it. I'm – I'm scared. Just the not-knowing part of it scares me."

"It scares all of us. I know the tremendous pressure this has on you. We will all deal with it somehow – whatever the consequences may turn out to be. I know it's difficult to concentrate on being happy and having fun right now. It's tough but I wish you wouldn't be so down in the dumps. Maybe we're all worrying over nothing. Perhaps there's nothing wrong with you. We are focusing too much on the negativity and not nearly enough on being positive." Nina wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulder in comfort. He leaned in and for a second, everything seemed to be alright. There was a pause in conversation.

"Dad's my protector. But you - you're my sanctuary. You always make me feel better about myself no matter how messed up I am." Ephram finally said in a fragile tone.

"You can come to me for anything, sweetie. You know that." Nina squeezed him tighter and kissed him on the head. "I can understand the hating one's self thing since I've been through it. I know all about what that's like. But the idea that something might change how you function for the rest of your life – it's hard to comprehend. Part of you wants to know the truth and part of you don't want to know at all. Waiting for test results is the worst. It's like a gamble. You don't know what's going on. You seem to be in the dark when everyone else seems to know something you don't. It's like you're holding your breath and waiting to exhale." She paused.

"Exactly how I feel." Ephram said.

"It's tough. I know it is. Life is full of speed bumps. You will not have to go through it alone. Besides, you can't get rid of us if you tried. We'll stick to you like glue. You might think that this is one impossible hurdle to jump over successfully, but then you'll never know if you can do it if you knock yourself down before you even give yourself the chance. I know you are a brave kid. You've pretty much proven that in the past. I know you have the courage to face whatever's coming. I have complete faith in you. And when you've lost your way and forgotten yourself, just come to me and I'll remind you." Nina smoothed his hair.

Ephram's mood softened and he didn't feel so angry anymore. He felt rather good about himself. Nina had a way with words. He remained quiet for a while and allowed the late afternoon sun to warm his pale freckled face. Ephram felt safe in Nina's embrace. The teenage couple frolicking along the trees caught his attention again. Now, they sat on the grass and appeared to be talking to each other. The guy must've said something funny because the girl burst out into a wholehearted laugh.

"Nina?" Ephram broke the silence. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Well, how do you know when you've found the one?" He put emphasis on the word "one." The teenaged girl on the opposite side of the lake let out another howl of laughter and Nina looked at the direction of her voice. "I mean, how can you tell the difference between real love and puppy love?" Ephram asked.

"Whoa! Where is this coming from?" Nina chuckled lightly. "You do realize you're only fifteen, right?"

"I just want to know."

"Does this have something to do with your friend Amy?"

"Sort of. I mean, I dunno." Ephram became shy.

"Well, Amy seems like a really nice girl." Nina said. This was the first conversation she had with Ephram about the opposite sex. It was a little awkward but he only looked to her for guidance. Perhaps he wanted to hear an opinion from a woman's perspective.

"It's like this - I know Colin's her boyfriend. They've been an item for the longest time. But whenever I'm near Amy, I get this weird vibe from her. It's almost like as if we were meant to be together. Sometimes, we don't have to say a word to understand what the other is thinking. Ok, so she may not always think before she opens her mouth and I might be a little short-tempered when I react to her blunders but I really think she means well. Amy's been a good friend to me from the start. She didn't judge me like everyone else. The only problem is that she pulls away and makes herself distant every time I think we're making a breakthrough. Sometimes, I don't think she's a hundred percent happy being with Colin. I can't seem to reach her completely."

"She probably feels obligated to Colin - especially after what happened with the coma and everything." Nina summed it up. "It'll take some time to sort out those feelings."

"Yea, I guess so. I don't want her and Colin to break up because of me. I used to think Colin was a jerk, but he's actually kinda cool now that I know him. We're friends now. I don't want to be the one to swipe his girlfriend from under his nose. It wouldn't be right and I wouldn't want someone to do that to me. It's not in my place to steal Amy from him when she clearly doesn't want to be stolen. I like her but I'm not sure she likes me back the same way. Am I making any sense?" Ephram questioned.

"Unrequited love - it's a sticky situation when you like someone and that someone is seeing someone else." Nina pointed out.

"My head is telling me to give up on her. You know, it's obvious that she wants a platonic friendship. But my heart is telling me I shouldn't let her go. I mean, what if I gave up on her and she happened to be my soul mate. Then I would have lost my chance." Ephram said.

"Ephram, you are way too young to be thinking about finding a soul mate. You don't even know what love is yet." Nina giggled in amusement. "I don't think anyone your age knows what true love is. Ephram, sweetheart, you are going to meet a lot of girls in your life before finding your match. Don't rush it, babe. There's a lot to gain from being single."

"I know I have no experience with girls. But I just wonder sometimes. Curious – is more like it, I guess." Ephram sighed. "Amy's the only girl who's ever given me the time of day and she's taken. That's just my bad luck."

"Oh Honeybee. Here's the way I see it – if two people were really destined to be together, then their paths will cross again. It may not be right this second or even this year. But you know, fate has a strange way of working wonders. If you and Amy were really meant to be together and it is in your fate, then somewhere in your life, the both of you will meet again under better circumstances."

"So, I should forget about Amy and see other people?" He asked. Nina found that selection of words strange coming from a boy. She couldn't help but laugh at Ephram's feigned maturity.

"I didn't mean it that way. You can still be friends with her. I'm just saying that it would be ok to make new friends." Nina said.

"I suppose I do have more important things going on right now. Girls should be the least of my worries." Ephram leaned his cheek back on Nina's shoulder. "I may not even live to see my twenty-first birthday." He wanted comfort.

"Ephram, my dear, you are going to live a long and happy life. I will not have you doubt that." Nina brushed his comment aside.

There was a pause in conversation. They both just fell silent for a while. Ephram didn't feel like talking and Nina wanted to be there to comfort him for as long as he needed it.

"Hmm…I have something that I think will make you feel better. Stay right here. I'll be right back." Nina said as she got up and dusted the seat of her jeans. "Ok?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Ephram pointed to his knee brace.

Nina returned about five minutes later. She sat down Indian style next to Ephram. "Sorry it took me so long."

She turned her palms up to show Ephram what she held in her hands.

"A bunch of rocks?" Ephram exclaimed in confusion. Nestled in Nina's soft delicate hands was a large mixture of coarse rocks. "I think rocks are more of Delia's specialty than mine. She collects them, you know."

"Ephram, let me explain."

"I don't get it. How is a bunch of rocks supposed to make me feel better?" He asked.

"Ah, these are not just any old rocks. These are what I call Therapy Rocks." Nina said.

"Therapy Rocks?" Ephram repeated. He was even more confused now.

"Yep. Each of these rocks here serves an important purpose. They each hold a problem." Nina said. "Here's how it works, you take a rock and hold it. Then you name one thing that pisses you off. It could be anything at all – no matter how serious or ridiculous. Then you toss it as far as you can into the lake. See, in the end, all your problems have sunk to the bottom of the lake. The only rule is that you have to be honest with yourself – speak from your heart. The rocks – they are like problem bearers." She explained.

"But that doesn't solve anything." Ephram eyed Nina skeptically.

"No, but it sure makes the pressure off when you get it all out into the open. It's unhealthy to bottle up your complaints or displeasures. At some point, the bottle will be too full and you will have a mental meltdown." She said as she lined up the rocks on the wooden plank between her and Ephram. "We'll take turns."

She selected a large rock the size of a pin pong ball and handed it to Ephram. "Would you like to start?" She said.

"I – I don't know." Ephram hesitated and starred at the rock.

"Ok, then I'll go first." Nina offered and grabbed a rock at random. She held it in her fist and thought for a moment. "It pisses me off that Carl gets to have Sam over for Christmas this year." She drew back her elbow and hurled the rock into the lake. The rock made a splash in the water some seven feet away. "Ok, now it's your turn."

Ephram looked at Nina.

"Go on. Name one thing that pisses you off." She said.

"Um. Er." Ephram tried to gather his thoughts. "It pisses me off that I will never walk right again." He finally cried out in anguish.

"Good. Now, throw it as far as you can into the lake." Nina coached. Ephram chucked it into the lake with all his might. He watched the rock disappear and saw the ripples the rock made after it hit the water. "Very good. How does it feel now that you got it off your chest? Did it make any difference?" She asked.

"Hmm, I feel lighter." Ephram said. His heart was pounding with adrenaline.

"Just as I suspected." Nina said. "Now it's my turn." She took another rock. "It pisses me off when Carl is late with the alimony check." The rock went flying into the lake. "Now, you."

Ephram picked a speckled rock. "It pisses me off when I don't know what my blood test results are." The rock hit the water making a small "thup" sound.

"It pisses me off that Carl cheated on me while we were married." She threw a rock into the water.

"It pisses me off that my mom's dead." Ephram said softly and honestly.

"That's good. Be honest with yourself. You're doing fine." Nina encouraged. She took another rock. "It pisses me off when people take advantage of me."

"It pisses me off when dad treats me like a three year old." Ephram said.

"It pisses me off when people lie to me." Nina shouted triumphantly and threw another rock into the lake.

"My nightmares piss me off." The boy mumbled. This was a rather unexpected gripe coming from Ephram but Nina dismissed it for the time being. Ephram was starting to let go of himself and Nina was not about to interrupt that to demand an explanation.

"It pisses me off when my mother constantly tells me I should start dating again." Nina said.

"It pisses me off when I see Amy and Colin together." Ephram said. Surprisingly enough, the gripes were coming more easily to him now. He was getting loose.

"It pisses me off when my mother's right." Nina said with a laugh.

"I hate the scars on my body – especially my hands because everyone can see them." He said.

"Not being accepted pisses me off." She sighed.

"It pisses me off that people at school treat me like a circus freak." The boy said.

"It really boils my blood when people judge me." She said.

"Me too!" Ephram exclaimed and threw a rock into the lake to second that thought. They both ended up laughing.

They continued to name things that pissed them off as the number of rocks left permits. It began with serious subjects that hurt and later turned into petty things.

"Paying the endless amount of bills pisses me off." Nina said as she threw a rock into the lake.

"It pisses me off when my computer crashes." He said.

"I can't stand it when Sam spills soda on the carpet." Nina said.

"It pisses me off when my dad lectures me." Ephram said.

"Laundry pisses me off."

"Not getting enough sleep pisses ME off."

When they ran out of gripes, they complained about ridiculous things. Ephram initiated it.

"It pisses me off that they cancelled The Osbournes. I really liked that show." Ephram said firmly. Another rock went into the lake.

"OK, in that case, I'm pissed that they discontinued my Very Cherry Berry Red lip gloss. It was my favorite shade!" Nina laughed.

"It pisses me off that there aren't enough marshmallows in my Count Chocula cereal."

"It frustrates me when people talk back to the screen at the movies." Nina pointed out and tossed a small rock into the water.

"I get pissed when the cheese on my slice of pizza clumps together and slides off when I take the first bite. It really sucks and you have to eat ALL the cheese in that one bite because it's all connected. Then you're left with a piece of soggy dough brushed with a thin layer of tomato sauce." Ephram exclaimed.

Ephram's boyishness made Nina laugh. She pulled him close and ruffled his hair. Ephram ended up laughing too. They both sat there and laughed until their eyes watered and belly ached.

"See, I told you these Therapy Rocks work. How are you now?" Nina asked.

"I feel kinda silly." Ephram giggled. "But I see how it makes the problem seem less of a problem."

"Well, say good bye to your problems because they are all under the lake. Right there." She said with a slight chuckle.

"Good ridden." Ephram said.

"Ephram, darling?" Nina called calmly. She continued once she had Ephram's attention. "You mentioned about nightmares before. How frequently has it been happening?"

"Often enough, I guess." He replied.

"You want to talk about it?"

The boy shrugged.

"What's in your dream that scares you so?" Nina asked in a motherly tone.

"Just some crazy stuff."

"Like what?"

"It's all twisted and doesn't make sense."

"I'd still like to know."

"It's like I'm watching a movie of me running into a burning building." He finally confessed. "Only instead of looking for my locket, I was looking for something else. In the dream, I don't know exactly what I'm looking for. I just keep searching and time is running out. The smoke is getting thick and wood is falling around me. I hear a sound. And when I turn around, I see Delia trapped under a pile of debris. She reaches out to me. Her hand is all bloody and her face is hidden by her soiled hair. I try to run to her but my legs don't work. I try to scream by my throat closes. I try so hard to scream for her. Nothing works. Then I wake up in a cold sweat. Sometimes, I wake up with tears on my face."

"Is it always the same dream?" Nina asked.

The boy nodded innocently.

"Have you told your father about this?"

"No. He doesn't know. Please don't say anything to him." He begged. "It's just a dumb dream. I just have too much imagination. 'Sides, the dream hasn't come in several days."

"Honeybee, a reoccurring nightmare is hardly dumb. If it happens again, I want you to tell me, ok?" Nina said. Ephram consented obediently.

"Therapy rocks, huh?" Ephram murmured as he stared wondrously at a rock he held between his thumb and forefinger. "How did you come to know of these therapy rocks?" He wanted to change the subject.

"Now you question the history of Therapy Rocks, do you?" Nina teased. "I learned the power of the Therapy Rocks during a session with my psychiatrist several months after my incident with the razor." She said as she turned her wrist over to reveal the scar.

Ephram suddenly lost interest in the rock his fingers caressed. He put it down and took Nina's hand. He gently traced the cruel uneven scars on her wrist with his bony finger.

"One time, my psychiatrist (whom at the time, I liked to call my "counselor" instead of my "psychiatrist" only because "counselor" sounded better and made me seem less deranged) took me on a field trip. We went to a little lake – much smaller in size than this one. We walked along the edge of the lake. My counselor started picking up pebbles and stones and rocks – whatever she could find that was in her way. I thought it peculiar but I was too proud to ask her what she was doing. She turned to me and said, "Well don't just stand there. Help me gather up the rocks." I didn't ask questions, I just did as I was told." Nina paused to swallow the dryness in her throat.

Ephram was hooked and his eyes widened as he absorbed the story.

"Then when she felt we picked enough rocks, she told me to follow her. We walked for a while and came to the top of a small cliff. Below us was the lake. She instructed me to sit down beside her on the grass. And there, she told me about the significance of the Therapy Rocks and the water beneath us. She explained the golden rule of honesty and encouraged me to cast the first rock. I was afraid and hesitant but my counselor reassured me that the only ones that would ever hear my problems were herself and Nature. I held that first rock and closed my eyes. I thought of the biggest problem I had and said it. When it came out, I felt a sense of inner relief. It was weird. I didn't think I could ever feel relief at that point in my depressing life." Her voice cracked and Ephram caught it but she composed herself immediately.

"I faced up to myself. I didn't hide behind my battered emotions anymore. I was so moved at my revelation that I burst into tears. My counselor caught me in her arms and I stayed there for the longest time. She knew it was a breakthrough in my case. Later, I copped out all my repressed feelings and put them into the rocks one by one and tossed them into the lake." Nina concluded. "I never forgot what my counselor had done for me that day. In a way, she set me free."

"And now, you're doing the same for me?" Ephram said.

"Yes. I wanted to share the therapy, I guess. And make life a little easier for you if I can." She laughed. Ephram was so touched with those words that he pulled her into another hug. "Oh, you are so sweet." She said and accepted the affectionate gesture. She rubbed the boy's shoulder in a tender circular motion.

"I don't know what I would do without you. You make me strong." Ephram mumbled into her T-shirt.

"Now Ephram, I do not want to see a single tear fall from those big beautiful eyes of yours, do you hear me?" Nina cautioned. "I will not have you shed another wretched tear. Need I remind you that you are loved beyond words, dear boy? And our hearts beat with content when we see you smile and our hearts sigh when we hear you laugh. Our hearts break when we see you cry." Nina recited in a poem-like tone. "Words of the wise – my mother." She added.

Ephram kissed the back of Nina's hand. It was the most respectful and delicate kiss Nina had ever felt from a boy. She was touched and her heart had been completely won over by this remarkable and impressionistic little gentleman.

"Now – I remember we passed by the Bumper Car-a-roma back there. It seemed like a lot of fun. How about we try it out?" Nina offered and nudged the boy in the ribs playfully.

"Er…I dunno if that's such a hot idea." He said skeptically. "I don't think it's convenient for me."

"Aw, come on. So you have a bum leg – the world does not stop at that. You've gotta stop seeing yourself as an inconvenience and start seeing yourself as a human." Nina said patiently. "You deserve to have some fun. I'll go with you."

"Well…" He was thinking.

"Great. Then it's settled." Nina said without waiting for Ephram's consent. "I'll call your father right now and tell him we're going to the Bumper Car-a-roma." She took out her cell phone and pressed Andy's cell number, which she had on speed dial.

Ephram listened on silently. He decided that he was definitely going to get Nina something super special for her upcoming birthday. She has been his moral support from the start and no stranger had ever made him feel so wanted and secure.

"Oh nothing much. We were just throwing all our problems into the lake." Nina replied to the cell phone and winked at Ephram. She gave a hearty laugh and said, "Nevermind. It's a long story." Andy probably asked for an explanation.

"We're sitting on an old platform by a boat dock. Where are you guys?" Nina asked. There was a pause as Andy spoke on the other end. Nina squinted into the far end of the lake and tilted her head slightly. She then gestured and pointed for Ephram to look at the lake. He saw a tiny paddleboat somewhere in the far distant. Somebody aboard that paddleboat was flailing his arm in a waving manner at their direction. It was Andy. Soon, Delia and Sam were waving their small arms too. Ephram and Nina waved back.

"Looks like you guys are having fun! Ephram and I are gonna go to the bumper cars. Meet us there when you're done, ok?" Nina spoke. They spoke for another few seconds before the conversation ended and she tucked her cell phone back into her purse.

"Ok Ephram, we're all set to go. Let's get you up." Nina said as she got up. She pulled Ephram to his feet and gave him his crutches.

They walked slowly to the bumper cars. Ephram saw Nina smile and whispered something to the bumper car attendant. Suddenly, the attendant sprung into action and treated Ephram with marvelous hospitality. He never once made any references to Ephram's condition. It was like as if he didn't even notice Ephram had a knee brace on. Ephram thought it was rather strange but let it slide. He was allowed to have the bumper car of his choice and he picked a blue one with white stars on the side. Nina picked an orange one.

They went round and round in circles. The cars bumped innocently with other cars and the laughs and hollers were all accounted for. All misery from Ephram's mind was temporarily forgotten. He was having fun and Nina made things so easy. She knew exactly how to calm his nerves and relax his anxieties.

The page will soon turn and Ephram's true fate will be revealed.

End of Chapter 6

Author's Note: Thanks again for reading! The test results are in. Will he be cast into a life of misery and darkness? Or will he be thrown into the light and spared? See you next post!