Part 14

Notes: I know I haven't posted in awhile so go back and read chap 14 to catch up where we are if you need to because this picks up right where 13 left off. This is probably my best chapter out of anything I've written possibly. I'm proud of the emotion and if it doesn't jump off the page then I'm proud of the idea.

"Tell me please. I'm have a million different scenarios running in my mind and I need to know whatever it is,"Amy babbled in a low tone with one of the most serious faces he had seen. "I was going to tell you earlier, but . . . I uh . . . you were happy and that made me feel better and I knew . . .that uh . . .would change once um . . .you hear and plus I uh didn't want you to have to deal with anything like this until you had to. I mean you've been through so much already and I want you to be . .,"Ephram paused and his lip quivered as if he were about to cry, " . .happy . . . More than anything." Amy noticed him on the verge of tears. "Ephram . . . your scaring me,"she said in that same low voice. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm still a lot in shock . . . uh I wanted to be more adjusted when I told you. I should be stronger when I tell you this,"he closed his eyes and rubbed his neck and then looked back to meet her eye, "I . . um . . .I'm just going to say it . . I have lung cancer." Amy's shaking hand covered her mouth and immediately a tear escaped her eye. The hand that was still attached to Ephram's was shaking as well.

"My doctor said that's how I contracted the illness and it that's why it was so severe. . . . My first treatment is on Tuesday. They say the faster the better right. I'm sorry I didn't say anything . . .I just uh . . .I care about you . . .more than myself . . and I know I'm being negative at the moment because it just is hitting me and I'm scared, but I don't want . . . to miss out being with you. Things that I looked forward to. I'm scared . . .tha . .that I'm going to be a fricken demographic or a statistic. . . .This is why I won't be in school for awhile,"Ephram finished. Amy sat there in a daze. It seemed like they all had a big X on the backs that just made them all a target to torture.

Ephram somehow knew she couldn't form any words at that particular moment because he had the same feeling and he just reached out and pulled her close to his chest and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around his back and the only thoughts that came to her mind were, 'Oh my God. What if he dies? What if he can never hold me like this again? I can't loose him.' He let her cry into his chest for a few minutes and then she pulled back wiping her face, trying calm herself down. She cleared her throat.

"So um what now? We can a . .we can fix this right?"Amy asked sniffling. Ephram paused and then put a forced smile on his face. "Yeah, we can fix it,"Ephram hoped he wasn't lying. "Okay. We will fix this,"Amy said really soft, "Well it's um . .um it's really late I guess." Ephram didn't want to her to leave. "Stay. We can talk more in the morning. Or not at all if you want,"Ephram said rather seriously. Amy just nodded. Ephram slid her jacket off her arms and set it on the chair. He sat back down and wiped her tear-stained face gently and kissed her gently on the cheek during which Amy closed her eyes and convinced herself not to cry again. Ephram laid back and got under the covers and lifted them up for her to get under. She got under and snuggled up to his chest. Ephram fell asleep fairly soon, but Amy watched him for at least an hour before her eyes started burning and she was forced to close her eyes.

This moment was one of those life moments when you feel like you've left your body and you're watching your life play on a giant movie screen and you're in the front row waiting to see what happens next, with plenty of tissues on hand just in case. The only exception for this particular moment was that Amy left that room and the present time, and on that movie screen she began to see the worst happening.

She saw herself holding Ephram's hand in the hospital. He was bald, weak, and suffering and then the camera went to a close up of Amy letting silent tears fall down her face as she sat by his bed day after day as she just watched his lifeless looking body. Then, the screen went black and it switched to a new scene. This time Ephram was in bed and his eyes were barely open and there was a line of people. First, Dr. Brown walked to his bedside kissed him on the forehead and said some comforting words like,'Everything will be okay' and 'I'll see you when you wake up'. Dr. Brown's eyes were red from crying and looked as if he hadn't slept in days. From the dialogue she could tell it was surgery. Then, Delia got on Ephram's bed and hugged him tight and she could see her crying and it broke Amy's heart. The thing that stuck out was that Ephram could barely raise his arm to put around his sister. Then, came Bright who looked as if he was forcing himself to smile and keep the mood pleasant. He came up and took Ephram's hand and said a few words including an "I love you man" and left. Next, was Nina who kissed him on the cheek and told him he was strong and we'd all be here when he woke up and left. The last person in the room was Amy. She was always last she thought to herself. First and last always.

She looked up from the floor and met Ephram's tired eyes, she saw a little spark flash. She was slowly walking to his bed, wiping her tears. This part started in slow motion and a really sad song came on. A cliche. She ran a hand over his hairless head and ran it across his face. "So I'll see you later?"Ephram said as more of a reassurance than a question. "Definitely,"Amy assured him and herself. Ephram shakily reached up and wiped a tear sliding down Amy's face. "No tears okay sweetie,"he whispered. She nodded. "I'll always be with you Amy. You completed me the day you became my wife,"Ephram said as he took her hand which exposed a diamond ring on her ring finger. As she watched this she gasped. They were married. Then, the camera did a close up on Ephram and one single tear could be seen rolling down his face. Amy slowly leaned down on him and hugged him because he couldn't sit up. Ephram's arm just patted her softly on the back. "Ephram you complete me. You're my soulmate. Ephram you have to come back. Please,"Amy begged. "I'm pregnant. You're going to be a father,"she whispered into his ear. "Really?"he asked as she pulled back. She nodded with a small smile. "I'm the luckiest man ever,"he said softly looking into her eyes. Amy closed her eyes tightly as she kissed him softly on the lips and as she watched herself pulling away from his lips, she noticed that there was a moment there when there something in his eyes that looked like he was looking at her for the last time. Memorizing all her features. A light piano solo fittingly ended the scene as Amy stood up kissed his forehead and as Amy reached the door she was stopped. She turned and glanced back at him. "I love you,"Ephram told her. She paused on the screen and the piano ended. "I love you too. I'll always love you for better or worse,"she said and the screen went black.

After a moment, a dark picture faded in and she noticed it was raining. Another cliche. She saw everyone in Everwood in black, Dr. Brown and Delia in the front next to Ephram's grandparents, and then her and her family in black. She gasped when she saw the black casket that they were gathering around and a picture of Ephram under the tent. There was no hole in the ground and as Amy suspected it was because he would be buried with his mother. Even as she was watching this disturbing footage from a theatre in her own mind . . Amy was raining tears. The people started filing out and laying flowers on the casket. Amy laid a single white rose on the casket and walked in the opposite direction of her family. She saw them calling after her, yet she never even turned around. When she was clear of the cemetery she stopped by a tree and slid down it.

Then, she saw Ephram walking towards herself down the hill. A smile of relief came to Amy's face on the screen. "I knew you wouldn't leave me,"Amy said as he sat down next to her. "I'm going to have to leave sweetheart, but I'll always be with you. I want you to be happy. . .In your heart when another guy sees exactly what I see in you, think of me and then think of yourself and what's best for you. . . You know what I'll let you in on a secret. I was hoping you'd get pregnant," Ephram said smiling and taking her hand. "You'll be a great mother and I'll be watching them grow up. I'm so sad that I have to miss it all, but I'll be there when the baby's born and when all the wonderful things happen,"Ephram said looking into her eyes.

"Why did you have to die?"Amy said crying. "I don't know Amy. The way I'm going to look at it is that the only pain I'll feel from now on is not being able to touch you and be here in person for everything. I hate that I can hold your hand while the baby's born. I want you to know though that I'll watch out for you always and 80 years or so down the road, I'll be waiting for you. Keep me in your heart and you can come to me when you need me. You may not see me, but I'm there,"Ephram said as he stood. "I know this is hard, but it's time for me to go. I love you more than myself. Goodbye,"Ephram said as he started to disappeared.

She started crying hysterically holding the necklace Ephram gave her and shouting 'Why'. Then, she screamed, "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MY FOREVER. . . .You were supposed to be my forever," Then it all went black.

As everything faded in, Amy saw Ephram sitting over her, "Amy? Amy?" He then came into focus and she realized that she had really been crying in her dream. She flung her arms around him. "You're here,"she said in a sigh of relief. "Bad dream?"Ephram asked. "Yeah, how could you tell?"Amy asked being sarcastic. "Well . . .you didn't snore so I thought that was a little irregular,"Ephram said breaking a smile. Amy rolled her eyes and smiled back, but immediately felt guilty and her facial expression quickly reflected it.

"It's okay. You can smile. It makes me feel better. . . Life . . will go on,"Ephram said wisely and very comfortable. "I see your more adjusted,"Amy remarked. "Well let me tell you what I dreamed about. Maybe it'll help you get rid of whatever you dreamed. . . . .I dreamed about . . . us getting through this. It wasn't easy, but at the end, I saw our wedding day . . . . .and ,"Ephram stopped a moment. Amy thought to herself, 'Did he just say married? Oh my God.'

"And what?"Amy asked deciding to let it go. "Our honeymoon,"Ephram said with an innocent smile. A smile that was much different from when he had recuperated and they were about to have make up sex for the first time since his illness. "Really. Where did we go?"Amy asked raising her eyebrows. "Let me tell ya,"Ephram said putting his arm around her. "Hawaii,"Ephram said with a smile. "Really that's a big step for you. I thought you didn't do the whole shirtless, beach, water thing,"Amy said. "Well I thought that at first, but we have our own beach and a condo type thing all to ourselves,"Ephram said. "Wow. That sounds fun. Seeing you swimming in the ocean will be totally worth the wait,"Amy joked. (Picture the screen fading out)