It was for no particular reason that Ephram walked Gracie home a different way today. He maybe just figured she was tired of seeing the same route everyday, as was he, to an extent. So this route was different, and Gracie seemed to be enjoying it. Not that there was seemingly anything the little sprite didn't enjoy, except Amy, of course. Gracie was five and jealous. Ephram didn't need this…
Anyway, as they walked along, the two walked through one of Everwood's many small parks. And five steps in, Ephram wish they hadn't. Sitting on a bench in the middle of the park were Amy and Colin, casually talking. Ephram and Gracie were too far away to hear them, but Ephram could see Amy laugh from time to time. He sighed and looked down at Gracie, who was still wearing her favored bunny ears. Gracie had a distinguished pout on her face.
"Come on, let's go," Ephram told her, starting forward. Since the command came from Ephram she made no objections. When they got into Amy's eye range she smiled and ran over to them, or, rather, to Gracie. Amy kneeled down and looked at the small girl.
"Gracie, I'd like you to meet Colin Hart. Colin, this is Gracie," Amy introduced them. Colin nodded to the small child and Gracie smiled. She let go of Ephram's hand and ran over to the bench Colin was sitting on. She climbed up onto it with little difficulty and stood on it, looking at him. She stared into his eyes for a few moments before bursting out into giggles.
"I know what you need!" she told him. His eyebrows rose, suddenly getting the feeling that he liked small children.
"And what's that?" he asked her. She giggled again and leaned forward. She hugged him firmly around the neck for a few moments. When she leaned away she looked closer into his eyes again.
"Home," she told him. Now he tilted his head, confused.
"What?"
"Home! You look like you don't know where you are. You're home! You're with Amy!" she said hopping off of the bench and running over to Amy. She grabbed Amy's wrist and pulled her close to Colin.
"You're here keeping Amy away from Ephram!" Gracie yelled, running back to the later and taking his hand in hers, "because Ephram is mine!"
The statement caused Gracie to start giggling again and Ephram sighed.
Andy sat in a chair watching TV. Delia was upstairs in her room, and Ephram and Gracie hadn't gotten home yet. It was peaceful, and, quiet. Andy rarely had any time to himself nowadays. This small time was appreciated by the former neurosurgeon. He did let out a sigh as he heard the front door open and Gracie stomp into the house. He heard Ephram follow, but his son's foot steps weren't quite as loud or quick as Gracie's. Andy heard the struggle of Ephram catching Gracie to take off her coat and hang it up. Once he had Gracie resumed running around the house. After a few moments of anticipation Gracie ran into the room Andy was sitting in. She smiled, seeing him, and ran in his direction. With a flying leap she was in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. He smiled, held the girl in his arms, and stood up with only minor difficulty. Andy carried the girl into the kitchen. He passed the entering Ephram and over to the fridge. He opened the freezer section and pulled out a Popsicle. Gracie took it happily and kissed him on the cheek. Andy offered one to Ephram but he declined.
"How did school go today?" Andy asked the small sprite in his arms.
"Good!" Gracie said, removing the Popsicle just long enough for the one word answer.
"I trust there was no trouble," Andy said, more to Ephram than Gracie. Gracie smiled.
"I was a good girl!" she answered. Andy nodded.
"As always," he said and she flew into a fit of giggles, nearly losing her Popsicle.
"The teacher said she's an intriguing child," Ephram told him.
"Good, so I'm not the only one who thinks so," he said. Ephram exhaled through his nose and smiled, letting out a small laugh.
"You never were," Ephram told him. Andy set Gracie down on the ground and leaned over to look her in the eyes. He handed her another Popsicle, one he apparently pulled out of thin air.
"Now Gracie, Delia's upstairs in her room. Will you take this to her for me?" he asked her. She nodded, smiling, her lips bright red from her own Popsicle.
"And I can trust you not to eat it, right?" he asked her. She nodded again, almost giggling.
"Good. Now hurry up before it melts," he told her. Without another motion Gracie was in a run, heading for Delia's room. Andy straightened up and turned to his son, who was getting a bowl out of the cupboard.
"How'd it go?" Andy asked him.
"The teacher, Ms. Pinvoe, she says Gracie won't say anything about who she is. She just keeps talking about us. She hasn't called you 'dad' though, yet," Ephram said. Andy took it all in nodding.
"Right, that's good. What actions is the teacher planning to take?"
"Well she's going to have the school psychiatrist talk to Gracie tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon she wants to have a meeting with you there," Ephram explained. Andy nodded again.
"The police haven't found anything either," Andy told him. Ephram sighed and turned fully to his father, taking a few steps forward.
"Dad, what if they never find out who she is?" Ephram asked him.
"Then she'll probably go to an orphanage," Andy answered, obviously not too thrilled about the idea. Ephram didn't look too pleased himself. He shook his head.
"If Gracie goes to an orphanage, she'll lose that, that light in her," Ephram said.
"Well she can't stay here with us," Andy told him.
"Why can't she?" Ephram asked him. Andy's eyes widened a little in surprise and he took a deep breath in through his nose.
"Ephram, I have enough trouble taking care of you and Delia. I-"
"I can take care of her. She likes me," Ephram said. Andy sighed again.
"Ephram you're 15, you're not ready to take care of child."
"That's what we said about you!" Ephram told him. Andy frowned.
"Look, the fact of the matter is, Gracie has a family who misses her. She belongs with them."
"With a family who lets a five-year-old get on a bus by herself?" Ephram asked, getting mad.
"Ephram…"
"No! She wants us!" Ephram said walking out of the room. Andy sighed. This was not good.
During supper that night the bell rang. Andy stood up, placed his napkin on the table, and walked over to the phone. He picked it up and held it to his ear.
"Hello, Brown residence," he said.
"Hey, Doc? Uh, this is Officer Redding, you might want to come down to the station. Bring Gracie too, or, should I say, Miss Clarke?" the officer said. Andy, with an uneasy stare, looked over at Gracie who was laughing as she splattered mashed potatoes on Delia.
"We'll be right there…"
"We talked to the bus driver, and he said the little girl got on the bus in Denver," the police officer told Andy and Ephram. Ephram glanced out the office window to Delia and Gracie sitting on a wooden bench in the station waiting room. They were both laughing.
"We talked to the Denver police to see if they had any missing child reports that would fit Gracie. They said they had one… You might want to sit down for this," the officer told them, obviously uneasy about it himself. The two Brown men remained standing, staring at him until he continued. He cleared his throat and went on.
"There had been a shooting reported in downtown Denver. When the cops got there they saw a small, Caucasian girl dressed in a maroon coat running from the scene. The scene itself consisted of a man and a woman who had been shot dead. On the scene were an empty purse and wallet, as well as a maroon handbag. The two people were Gregory and Sandra Clarke. Their friends reported that the two had a daughter, Gracie. No other family. They were on their way home from a movie, and apparently got mugged. Gracie must of gotten scared and run off. Not that I blame her. Seeing her parents murdered in front of her eyes," the officer said shaking his head. Andy and Ephram had held their breath for the entire story. Andy placed his hand over his mouth, stopping any ridiculous words that might escape.
"Oh my god," Ephram said, looking again at Gracie and Delia, "she's Batman…"
Andy sighed and turned to the police officer.
"So what happens now?" Andy asked him.
"Some guys from Denver are going down to talk to her, see if then can get a description of the gunman."
"She won't say anything."
"That's what I told them. They wouldn't listen."
"What happens to Gracie? Where does she go?" Ephram asked him.
"A woman from child services is arriving tomorrow night. She'll talk to you about that," the officer told them. Andy nodded.
"By then a psychiatrist would have talked to her," Andy said.
"Great. That'll help. Now, you can all go home now. I didn't mean to disturb the entire family, I just thought you'd like to hear it in person," the officer told them apologetically.
"No, it's okay, thank you," Andy reassured him as he and Ephram left the office. Gracie jumped off of the bench and over to them both, taking one hand of both in hers. Delia walked over to them at a slower pace.
"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the disturbed faces on the two men.
"She's an orphan," Andy said sadly. Delia frowned and looked down at Gracie, who was smiling widely.