Autumn—
I spent a month in the hospital and Ephraim came to visit me every day. Each day he brought me something new like a teddy bear or a plant. After a while I could talk again however, and when I started to talk again people expected things from me even though I couldn't really walk yet. Don't get me wrong I could stand but it was like the muscles were stiff and refused to move. I yawned I was bored, extremely bored. Tomorrow was my first day back at school and I had a lot to catch up on. My mother made a point not to go to work and to baby me as I stood in front of the T.V. and did my ballet stretches. I had just picked up my ankle and was holding it up next to my ear as the doorbell rang.
"Mom I'm kind of indisposed at the moment" I spoke as I flexed my foot. My mom walked past me and applauded. I laughed and then stood on my toes with my leg still next to my head. It was then that Ephraim came in and smiled. I looked at him and lowered my leg. He stared at me like I was some kind of freak. "What Amy can't put her ankle next to her ear?"
"I-I've never seen her do it" He spoke as he looked at me I sat back down on the couch and started to take off my toe shoes. "You definitely shouldn't be a leaf" He said as he laughed and walked over next to me.
"Well, I wish that bitch of a woman agreed with you, she doesn't want me to dance next week, my mother had to offer to teach a class tomorrow for her to let me stay in, I'm probably going to be playing piano more than actually dancing, I'm going to take your job" I said as I poked him. He smiled and looked down at me.
"I uh… I have the notes from Bio," He said as he pulled out the notebook I picked it up and looked down at it.
"Why thank you…" I said as I picked up the red and white notebook. I then looked up at him "I still don't have a nick-name for you" I spoke with a smile as I tilted my head to the side.
"Well, Amy used to call me Ham… for hamlet but now that has managed to turn into asshole so…"
"Your funny, I think I'm gonna call you Barney" I said with a twisted smile. He looked at me funny.
"As in 'is a dinosaur'?" He asked with one eyebrow quaintly raised.
"No… as in Rubble… you know Flintstone's? Anyways since you didn't get it I guess I could go with Hyde" I said as I sighed and looked at him. I nodded he definitely looked like a Hyde.
"Hyde? What's that from?"
"Doctor Jekkyl and Mister Hyde ring a bell? Not many have read it at this lame school so it'll be between us" I smiled he still looked a little lost.
"Why?"
"Because like it or not you have two sides and I bet the one you show the world is not your Dr. Jekkle you have a soft sophisticated side… and I intend on viewing it before this year is up" I laughed and he smiled a little. He touched the fresh scar on my back.
"What's this?" He inquired as he traced it. I shook my head.
"Your dad, saved my life" I replied very bluntly he ripped his hand back like my skin burned
"He always does this!"
"What? Gets to pull the piece of car out of your friends back before you get to?" I said sarcastically as I kicked my legs up on the table he was being so childish "Look Eph… can I call you Eph?" He nodded "Eph… My dad has help countless numbers of my psychotic friends with their neuroses and I have never gotten pissed when one of my friends tells me that my dad had talked them out of suicide… because A it means my friends will be my friends longer and B I'll get something new like a play station game or I'll get to name another star…. Don't ask" He smiled.
"It's different your Dad… he's there!"
"No he's not… My mom is here and if your Mom were still here you wouldn't care either! Look! Drop the notes and go… I'll give them back in the morning… I'll give you a ride to school… My car is better now" I smiled. He nodded and made for the door.
That night I copied his notes when my mom came home in a rush. She was panicking. She didn't even stop to say hi to me or check on how I was doing she made a line right for the phone. She picked it up and dialed someone's number I didn't hear the whole conversation all I heard was "Andy what am I gonna tell the kids?" She then hung up and phone and shook her head. She smiled at me and walked into the room.
"Autumn honey… I want you to pack a bag, you're going to go stay with the Browns for a while, Spring is going with you… Summer's. Summer is coming in a week and Winter will be at the Abbots" My mother said as she rushed about.
"What happened?" I asked as I stood. I was worried I had never seen her like this before.
"Just pack a bag okay?" My mother forced a smile and kissed my cheek. "I'll be in Denver for a while… Dr. Brown will explain it for to you I, I can't right now" She said as she shook her head and went about pulling her suit case out of the closet. I went upstairs. "Oh, and don't tell Spring she doesn't need to know yet" my mom called after me. I packed my bag in about an hour and went down stairs to find my mother talking to Dr. Brown in the hall. When I reached the bottom they stopped talking.
"C'mon Aught I'll help you with your bags" He said as he grabbed my bag. I looked at my mom she dried her eyes and smiled.
"I'll call you on your cell when I get to Denver" she spoke as she watched me leave. I walked with Dr. Brown over the lawn and across the street. When we got there He closed the door behind him. I looked around the place and then sighed.
"What's wrong with my dad?" I asked as I shook my head he looked at me and smiled.
"Just like your father," He shook his head and frowned "I know your smart Aught so I'm not gonna sugar coat it for you, he has an aneurysm, He had to be rushed to the hospital, he's in a coma" I started to cry I then whipped my eyes and looked up at the doctor.
"Thanks for telling me flat out" I said nodding; he hugged me. Ephraim made his way down the stairs.
"So you told her?" Eph asked as he shook his head and sat down on the couch.
"I wanted him to" I said as I walked passed him to the Piano.
"I have a house call so I'll be back in a minute, Aught this will be your home for a while so, make yourself comfortable" Dr. Brown spoke as he headed for the kitchen. He grabbed his bag and then headed out the door. Ephraim and I watched in silence, and by silence we mean dead silence not a word was spoken.
His house was annoying. I was shoved in an extra bedroom next to Ephraim's while Delia and Spring shared a room. Spring didn't know, all she knew was that dead gone to the hospital and mom went too. She was too happy to ask so I didn't tell her. However it was oddly like being at home. Dr. Brown was almost never there he often spent time in his office or helping people. One the tenth day of my stay, I sat down in my room with a small smile on my face as I read a note I had gotten from my mom. She had seen me dance, which was a week ago, and she called me the best damn leaf she had ever seen.
I was bored with the house and I often found myself in Ephraim's room when he wasn't home ( I quit ballet while I was living with them),flipping through his CD's or reading his comics on his bed. I don't think that he knew that I did it. I of course did this almost everyday and he had no clue and this made me happy. Until of course I did it and Dr. Brown come home early. He opened the door and expected to find Ephraim and instead he found me.
"Aught, what are you doing in Ephraim's room?" He asked as he looked at me. I stood.
"I'm sorry I just, I dunno I needed some place away from me I guess, I've been around my things and my self too long, I just needed a little break, I didn't rip anything or destroy anything if that's what your worried about and I have laundry in the washer" I said as I dusted my jeans off and put the comic down. He sighed.
"I'm not angry with you, there are many worse things you could be doing in his room I guess, next time do me a favor and leave the door open so I know it's you so I don't scare you when I'm angry with him" I nodded. "And he's coming home early, so you might wanna put everything back the way it was" I nodded and started to pick up again.
Ephraim got home early and when I went down stairs he was there sitting on the couch watching MTV while Spring and Delia played around with Barbies on the floor. I yawned and sat next to him. He looked at me and smiled.
"You know Amy actually asked where you had been the last couple of days, I told her you were still recovering" I looked up at him.
"Do you wanna talk on the porch swing?" I asked as I put my head in his lap. He froze almost completely. "So?" I pried as I grabbed the remote from him and turned off the TV.
"…sure" He managed to stutter as I sat up. He grabbed his coat and opened the front door. It was dark outside. And it had just started to snow so the thick white flakes fell from the sky like feathers from a broken pillow. He sat on the porch swing and made room for me.
"The roads are gonna be hell" he said as he watched the snow fall. I leaned against his shoulder.
"I miss Cleveland, but the more I miss it the more I looked around and decided that it could be worse, and I'm pretty lucky to have what's here, even if my dad might be dying, at least I have my brother, sister and a good friend" I said as he started rocking the swing.
"Friend? Is there room for me to be… a little more?" he said as he looked down at me with the cheesiest grin. I couldn't help but last.
"Maybe, but probably not now, I mean, just think of the rumors" I said as I nuzzled his neck a bit.
"Yeah that would be kind of awful, I wouldn't want to ruin what's left of your reputation" He spoke with a sick twisted laugh,
"What's left?" I inquired as he gazed back at me.
"Yeah a bunch of people think that you are here because you had my kid or something, No one believes that our parents actually knew each other" It was my turn to laugh,
"Funny, back in Cleveland no one would believe that I would hang with you other wise, Have you see the way Bright looks at me? Does it make you jealous?" I couldn't help but to asked he shrank back a little and made a face and then smiled again.
"Yes" he said nodding, "And now that we're on the random question topic, how do you feel when Amy looks at me?" He asked as he watched me I took off my coat and stood. I then laughed a little.
"It doesn't effect me, I know what went on with you two, I know that you and her did things and it doesn't really phase me" I lied as I watched him he stood up and left back in the house he seemed upset.