Chapter 4
All right well a long chapter for you guys, I thought I would make it especially long since it has been so long since I last updated....I hope you guys like it, review...And sorry about the cliffhanger I just had too....
Ephram set Rumor on the floor and handed her her favorite stuffed animal as he started stunned at Amy. Realizing that Amy looked ready to bolt Ephram grabbed her arm and led her to the couch, "Stay there, don't move. I'm taking Rumor next door to see if Nina can baby sit and we are talking this one out."
Amy watched Ephram hurry out the door with Rumor and she commenced the inner battle. A part of Amy told her to bolt, that she didn't want to have to have this conversation with Ephram didn't want to sound whiny. But another part, the more logical part told her that, no, she had to stay she and Ephram needed to figure out where they stood once and for all.
Ephram reappeared more quickly than Amy would have imagined it would take a person to find a baby-sitter. "My Dad and Delia got no further than the driveway. They ran into Nina and they are all going to breakfast...we are invited to go along too, later."
"Ephram maybe I should go." Amy states suddenly standing up.
"No." Ephram shakes his head and taking her hand he pulls her down onto the couch next to him, "We need to talk about why you think I was happier in New York then there."
"Ephram look at that tape, you were so happy in New York. I haven't seen you that happy the entire time I have known you, and the closest I have seen you get is when you are with Rumor." Amy states surprised to sound that the words didn't sound as whiny as they did in her head.
"Yes," Ephram nods, "I am a different person then when I was in New York. Yes, I did consider moving back to New York last winter. Last year was miserable for me Amy, you have to understand that, I missed New York, we had this weird relationship I didn't understand, and then when Colin came back and we became friends. I hated it, I hated seeing him with you, I'm not going to deny that I was jealous, I was. But then we became friends again, and Rumor happened and, and..." Ephram and Amy lean closer until their lips are only touching ever so slightly. And then the kiss deepened, Amy wraps her arms around Ephram's neck, and one of Ephram's arms are around her waist the other plays with Amy's long hair.
When they finally break apart both silently try to regain composure, neither had expected this. Both wanted it, there was no denying that, but neither had expected it. Both had spent so many months trying not to kiss again, and both feeling bad for the kissing that had all ready occurred. But now they had no reason to feel guilty, no reason to not kiss and the idea seemed foreign to both of them.
"The bottom line is," Ephram begins again, "that Everwood is home now, I don't want to go back to New York. There is nothing there for me anymore. My life is here now, with my family, with my friends, with-"
"Me." Amy finishes and she kisses him again.
"Are you sure you want to take Rumor?" Nina asks one morning a month later.
Ephram picks Rumor up out of her high chair and carries her over to the sink so that he can clean off her face. "It's fine. We are only going to be at school for about an hour maybe two. We're just picking up our schedules and whatever, we don't have a problem taking Rumor. Besides it's not like anything is going to come as a surprise to the people at school. They know about Rumor, they knew about me and Amy, and while they may not be so cool with it we're going together and I'm taking Rumor. But if you really feel the need to baby-sit we might go out with Colin and Vanessa tonight."
"We can baby-sit." Andy speaks up from the opposite end of the table Nina sits at, "We were going to rent movies with Sam and Delia and make a night of it."
Ephram smiles and nods. "OK thanks. Listen I'm going to meet Amy, I'll see you all later."
"You want to go see Amy?" Ephram asks Rumor after he has made sure he has her diaper bag, and everything else necessary for a 9 month old.
Rumor responds like she normally does, giggling and clapping her hands together in glee.
Ephram and Amy arrive at the corner they had agreed to meet at the same time. Ephram and Amy lean in too kiss and Rumor latches onto to Amy quickly and as Ephram and Amy attempt to pull apart Rumor clings to Amy, kissing her on the cheek and holding tight around her neck.
Both Amy and Ephram laughs and Ephram lets go of Rumor and Amy adjusts her so she sits on her right hip and wraps her arm around Ephram's waist.
"Are we going out with Vanessa and Colin tonight?" Ephram asks as he and May begin the 5 minutes walk toward their high school.
"Is someone going to watch Rumor?" Amy asks.
Ephram nods, "Nina and Dad are renting a bunch of movies for Sam and Delia, as a last thing before school starts back again."
"Great, then yeah." Amy responds. "I can't believe it's all ready the Friday before school starts again."
"Neither can I." Ephram sighs.
"Did you get Rumor enrolled into the nursery school?" Amy asks picking up immediately on Ephram's main concern about starting back at school again.
Ephram sighs again and nods, "Yeah. It's a nice place and the people seem really nice. It's just going to be weird not spending the entire day with her."
Amy doesn't say anything but kisses Ephram softly on the cheek as they arrive at the school
"Ephram! Amy!" Vanessa calls from across the street.
Amy and Ephram stop and let Vanessa and Colin catch up with him. Vanessa and Colin were a great couple, Vanessa had moved to Everwood in March from Denver; and since Vanessa didn't know Colin before the accident they were the perfect couple.
Vanessa and Amy got along really well. Vanessa was about 5'5 with reddish brown hair and a really upbeat, cheerful personality.
"Hey guys." Amy greets as Vanessa hugs her and then Ephram.
"Hey man." Colin greets as Amy and Vanessa walk a few steps ahead, anxious to find out their schedules.
"Great to be back right?" Ephram asks sarcastically.
"Yeah." Colin rolls his eyes, "This year is going to be interesting. Paige and everyone still ignoring Amy?"
Ephram nods, "Yeah. It's really great that Vanessa and Amy got so close. You guys were like Everwood's version of Romeo and Juliet or something. I don't know, whatever."
Colin shrugs, "They're going to have to get over it. Are we all still going out tonight?"
Ephram nods, "My dad's going to watch Rumor tonight."
"Vanessa and I were thinking that maybe we could go into Denver?" Colin suggests.
"What's in Denver?" Colin asks.
"A new club opened up there last week, we thought we would try it out." Colin replies.
"It could be cool." Ephram responds.
"How was Denver last night?" Andy asks Ephram the next morning.
"It was fun, where's Rumor?" Ephram asks, "I got up and she wasn't in her room."
"She's next door at Nina's, she fell asleep over there and we didn't want to take her up to bring her home."
Ephram nods, "All right, I'll go get her."
"Oh Ephram before I forget a friend of yours from New York called last night, Dane Johnson?"
Ephram gives his father a puzzled look, "Dane called? Did he say if something was wrong?"
Andy shakes his head, "No, he just told you to call him as soon as possible. Call him on his cell phone he said."
"I think I'm going to call him before I go to pick up Rumor. Because something might be wrong, I get emails from him all the time but he hasn't called since we moved here."
"I'll go get Rumor for you." Andy offers.
"Thanks." Ephram replies picking up the phone and dialing his friend's cell phone number.
"Hello?"
"Dane it's Ephram."
"Ephram." Dane's voice sounds strained.
"Dane what's wrong?" Ephram asks, immediately knowing for sure that something was wrong.
"It's Daisy." Dane sounds like he's fighting tears when he mentions his twin sister's name.
"What's wrong with Daisy?" Ephram asks his heart constricting at the thought of something being wrong with one of his friends.
"She's in the hospital."
"What for?" Ephram asks his voice sounding more calm than he feels.
"They say that her caner's back Ephram." Dane's words come out sounding like gasps.
Ephram falls silent not knowing what to say to Dane, not knowing what to think even.
"She wants to see you Ephram." Dane states quietly.
"I'll be there. Just let me work it out with my Dad and I will be there as soon as I can."
"Thanks Ephram."
Ephram says good-bye quickly to Dane before hanging up and going on a search for his father.
"I understand you have to go." Andy states, "but what about school. It starts Monday."
"Dad one of my best friends is in the hospital, I have to go. The first week of school is nothing, going over rules or something."
"All right. I'll get you a plane ticket, you go pack, you should probably call Amy."
Ephram nods, "I will, and I'm taking Rumor with me."
"Ephram you can't...Who would take care of her while you are at the hospital?"
"Grandma or Grandpa. Or maybe even Laine or her parents, besides Laine has a right to see Rumor. So do her parents and there is a pair of great-grandparents who haven't met their great-granddaughter."
Andy seems ready to contest Ephram's statement but instead he nods and picks up the telephone. "You better get packing."
Ephram nods and hurries up the stairs to his bedroom.
"Amy come in." Andy pulls open the front door surprised to find Amy there. "Did Ephram get a hold of you?"
Amy shakes her head, "Was he trying to?"
Andy nods, "He's up in his room you better go talk to him."
"Where are you going?" Amy asks sticking her head in Ephram's doorway.
"Amy! I've been trying to get a hold of you for like the last half an hour."
"Oh I was at Vanessa's, what's going on?"
"I got a call from my friend Dane in New York."
"What's wrong Ephram?" Amy asks quickly.
"His twin sister Daisy is in the hospital, they found out that she had cancer 3 years ago, and it's back. Dane and Daisy have been friends of mine for a long time, I have to go."
"Of course you do." Amy says moving forward to hug Ephram, "Don't worry about anything. You've got either Colin, Vanessa or I in all of your classes we will keep you updated."
"I know. I'll call you when I get to my grandparents." Ephram replies.
"I'll miss you." Amy states wrapping her arms around Ephram's waist.
"I know I'll miss you too." Ephram kisses Amy gently on the forehead. "We're actually leaving for the airport."
"Is your dad driving you?" Amy asks.
Ephram shakes his head, "No, there's no reason for him to spend 6 hours in the car going both ways."
"I could drive you." Amy suggests.
"That would be great Amy, but you can't, it's your last weekend do something with your friends." Ephram suggests, "And I will see you when I get home."
"Ephram!" Ephram spots his grandparents in their car at the pick up stop they had arranged on the phone. Ephram took a deep breath, his grandparents knew about Rumor and when they ahd found out they had not been nearly as supportive as Andy had been. They had blown up at him telling him that hew as to young to have a child and about an hour more of things, and now was the first time they were going to see Rumor.
After greetings had been exchanged the silence became so heavy in the air that Rumor must have become uncomfortable because she began whining.
Ephram lifts her out of the carrier and his grandmother asks softly from the front seat, "Can I hold her?"
Ephram nods slowly and gently hands Rumor to his grandmother, "She may whine for a little bit, she's really shy around strangers back home."
"Her skin is so light compared to Laine's and she has your mother's eyes."
Ephram nods, "I noticed mom's eyes right away."
True to her father's words Rumor began to make a fuss and eventually Ephram had to take her back. Once she was back in Ephram's arms she quieted and eventually fell asleep, something she had not done the entire plane ride from Denver.
"Did you want us to take you to the apartment first?" Jacob asks.
Ephram shakes his head, "I just want to stop by the hospital quick and see Daisy before visiting hours are over."
"Are you sure? You are both probably tired." Nonny states.
"Please, I won't be there long and Rumor will probably sleep the entire time anyway." Ephram requests.
"Of course." Jacob takes the exit that leads to the hospital.
"Do you want us to go in with you?" Nonny asks when they reach the hospital.
"You don't have to."
"All right." Jacob nods, "We'll wait in the car."
"Do you mind if I leave Rumor with you?" Ephram asks looking at the sleeping baby in his arms.
"No of course now." Ephram sets Rumor into his grandmother's arms before opening the door and stepping out of the car.
"Ephram!" Marlee Brink exclaims running towards Ephram and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't believe you're here."
Ephram hugs Marlee and as they pull apart Ephram states, "Of course I came. You guys should have called me soon as she went into the hospital I would have come then. There's a lot you guys shouldn't have kept from me..."
"Ephram about the baby, it wasn't our place. And your mom had just died..."
"I can't talk about that now." Ephram shakes his head, "Where is Daisy's room?"
"I'll take you." Marlee responds quietly, when they stop at the door Marlee suggests, "Why don't you go in alone. Dane is down with his parents getting dinner and Laine's all ready gone."
Ephram nods and knocking on the door quietly he hears Daisy's quiet "Come in" from the other side.
"Ephram!" Daisy breaks into a huge smile when he pushes open the door. "You came."
"Of course I came." Ephram responds moving forward quickly and hugging Daisy, and kissing her gently on the cheek.
"I didn't want Dane to call you, I know school is starting for you guys soon I didn't want to take you away from that. And with the baby now you must be so busy, but Dane insisted that you would want to know."
"I'm glad you called." Ephram responds, "You look all dressed up you got a hot date with one of the male nurses?" Ephram asks taking in the dark and light pink shirt with matching headband covering her wisps of blond hair."
"I didn't want you to take one look at me in my hospital garb and run screaming back to Colorado." Daisy smiles.
"You wouldn't scare me. I've seen you in the morning, a hospital gown wouldn't scare me." Ephram jokes.
Daisy smacks Ephram lightly, "Well if you want to know a secret." Daisy pushes back the covers revealing pink pajama pants decorated with white bunnies.
"That's Daisy." Ephram smiles. "So how are you? Seriously?"
"Seriously?" Daisy asks. "I've been better, and I've been worse. But I'm glad you're here."
"So am I." Ephram responds hugging Daisy again. "And I will be here for as long as you need me."
"Did you bring Rumor?" Daisy asks cautiously.
Ephram nods, "I figured Laine would like to see her."
"I, we, everyone's so sorry we never told. We just never knew how, and Laine was so confused about what to do for awhile. Her parents were so stunned they were all just going through all the necessary motions for awhile. And then when the scholarship came Laine just about jumped out of her skin she was so excited but there was no way they were going to let her have the scholarship if she ahd a baby. It's not right but Laine's father knew what would happen and all she could think of was to take the baby to you. I felt so terrible for never telling you."
"Daisy don't worry about it. It's in the past now, and I love Rumor more than anything." Ephram responds, "I'll bring her by tomorrow OK?"
Daisy nods, "That would be great."
"I'll let you get some rest, I think I'll go find your parents and Dane."
"All right Ephram I'll see you tomorrow." Daisy states her eyes all ready closing.
Ephram closes the room door behind him heading back toward the parking lot, not the cafeteria, knowing he can't deal with seeing Daisy's parents and Dane.
"I got it!" Amy calls when the phone rings.
"I got it!" Bright's voice echo's Amy's words as he picks up the phone. "Oh it's you."
"Bright let me talk to Amy." Ephram insists.
Bright rolls his eyes and hands the phone to Amy, "Ephram?" Amy asks.
"Hi."
"How was your flight?" Amy asks taking the phone and walking toward her room with it.
"Not bad, Rumor found it all very amusing." Ephram responds.
"How's your friend?" Amy asks tentatively.
"Daisy's doing OK. I stopped by to see her before visiting hours close and I'll go back tomorrow morning."
"Good." Amy responds, not knowing what more to say, "There's not much going on around here. Just the same old, same old. I miss you."
"I miss you too." Ephram responds, "But listen I should probably get Rumor to bed, it's a three hour time difference."
"Right, I'll talk to you later." Amy states and as they say their good-byes she hangs up the phone.
"Did you want to leave the baby with us today?" Ephram's grandmother asks the next morning.
"No. Daisy wants to see her and Laine's supposed to be at the hospital later so she will want to see her too. But thanks. I'll get a cab home." Ephram states.
"You don't have to do that one of us can come and get you." Ephram's grandfather states.
"I know. " Ephram responds, "but I don't want to interfere with whatever you have going on. Just completely ignore me."
"Ephram-"
"I'm serious you guys I don't know how long I will be here but you don't have to treat me like a guest." Ephram hugs both of his grandparents before leaving their apartment with Rumor.
As Ephram gets out of the cab he can hear someone calling his name, turning he is faced with Laine.
"Laine." Ephram stops short unsure of what to say to Rumor's mother, she hadn't kept in contact after she abandoned Rumor and he had no idea what she was thinking now.
"I didn't know you were in New York." Laine states shifting uncomfortably.
"Dane didn't tell you?" Ephram asks as they fall into step together.
Laine shakes her head, "No."
"Oh well here I am." Ephram states watching as Laine's gaze falls on Rumor who is sleeping with her head on Ephram's shoulder.
"She got big." Laine comments.
"It's been 3 months." Ephram responds.
Laine nods, "I know and I should have kept in contact with you...It's just well it was hard for me you know."
"Of course it would be hard on you." Ephram snaps, "but what did you think it was on me? Easy? All of a sudden I'm 16 and have a 6 month old to take care of."
"I was 17 does age really make the difference?" Laine snaps back.
"No it's got nothing to do with the age. It's got to do with the fact that you show up across the country and leave me with a baby, it took me by surprise."
"You think it didn't surprise and scare the shit out of me when I found out that I was pregnant?" Laine asks.
"Of course it can't have been easy." Ephram responds, "but you had 9 months to adjust to the idea that your life was completely changed forever. I had about 2 minutes." Probably picking up on her father's tense mood Rumor begins to whine in her sleep, automatically Ephram reaches up and begins to rub her back. "We can't have this conversation here, we're here to see Daisy not argue about what we did wrong."
Laine nods, "Right."
"Hi." Daisy's voice sounds feathery soft from her bed.
"Ephram." Dane sits next to Daisy's bed as they both flip through a manga. "Hey man." The two exchange a handshake they had shared since they were about 7 and Ephram hugs Daisy.
"Wow look at Rumor, she got so big." Daisy coos making room on the bed for Ephram to set Rumor down.
Ephram attempts to set Rumor down but she won't budge, she hadn't slept much the night before and she's cranky. Ephram shrugs and apologizes, "I think she is having a problem with the time change."
Daisy nods understandingly, "My doctors supposed to stop by to tell us what's what."
"What do you think he'll say?" Ephram asks.
"Probably that another round of chemo is going to make everything better." Daisy shrugs, "Not fun, but I can deal with it."
"Everything's going to be better." Marlee states brightly running a hand through her short spiky black hair.
An hour later as the group continues to talk about everything, what Ephram has missed in the year he has been gone, the new anime/manga that Daisy and Dane were into and more , the doctor comes in followed by Dane and Daisy's parents, Grace and Harley Russel.
"Ephram we heard you were in town." Grace hugs Ephram before the doctor begins to speak.
"If you kids wouldn't mind we need to talk in private." The doctor states, aiming his words at Laine, Ephram and Marlee.
"I want them to stay." Daisy states, "They're my friends and we are going to have to tell them everything anyway I want them to stay."
The doctor shrugs, "If that's what you want."
"It is." Daisy responds.
"We're fine with it." Harley adds.
The doctors words as he began to speak were a blur and all Ephram could get out of it was that there wasn't anything else they were going to be able to do. Some transplant, something they must have all ready talked about, wasn't going to work for Daisy and that even the chemo wasn't going to work.
The group fell silent for a long time until Daisy finally asked, "Am I going to die?"
The doctor nods sadly, "I'm afraid so."
"How long?" Daisy whispers, the only able to find the use of her vocal cords.
"6, maybe nine months." The doctor responds, "I am so sorry Daisy I wish there was more that we could do but there really isn't."
"What about the chemo?" Harley asks, "Won't that help her?"
"If we put Daisy back on the chemo it would lengthen her life maybe 3 months, but it won't save it."
Daisy sits up in bed and despite the tears in her eyes her words are firm, "I don't want to go back on chemo. All it does is make me even more sick, and if it's not going to save me then I would rather feel well for 9 months then be sick for 12. Please don't put me back on the chemo."
"Ephram are you OK? Do you want to talk about it?" Andy asks over the phone that evening. "I'm sure this news is really hard for you."
"I want to move back to New York." Ephram responds, "To live with grandma and grandpa."
All right well a long chapter for you guys, I thought I would make it especially long since it has been so long since I last updated....I hope you guys like it, review...And sorry about the cliffhanger I just had too....
Ephram set Rumor on the floor and handed her her favorite stuffed animal as he started stunned at Amy. Realizing that Amy looked ready to bolt Ephram grabbed her arm and led her to the couch, "Stay there, don't move. I'm taking Rumor next door to see if Nina can baby sit and we are talking this one out."
Amy watched Ephram hurry out the door with Rumor and she commenced the inner battle. A part of Amy told her to bolt, that she didn't want to have to have this conversation with Ephram didn't want to sound whiny. But another part, the more logical part told her that, no, she had to stay she and Ephram needed to figure out where they stood once and for all.
Ephram reappeared more quickly than Amy would have imagined it would take a person to find a baby-sitter. "My Dad and Delia got no further than the driveway. They ran into Nina and they are all going to breakfast...we are invited to go along too, later."
"Ephram maybe I should go." Amy states suddenly standing up.
"No." Ephram shakes his head and taking her hand he pulls her down onto the couch next to him, "We need to talk about why you think I was happier in New York then there."
"Ephram look at that tape, you were so happy in New York. I haven't seen you that happy the entire time I have known you, and the closest I have seen you get is when you are with Rumor." Amy states surprised to sound that the words didn't sound as whiny as they did in her head.
"Yes," Ephram nods, "I am a different person then when I was in New York. Yes, I did consider moving back to New York last winter. Last year was miserable for me Amy, you have to understand that, I missed New York, we had this weird relationship I didn't understand, and then when Colin came back and we became friends. I hated it, I hated seeing him with you, I'm not going to deny that I was jealous, I was. But then we became friends again, and Rumor happened and, and..." Ephram and Amy lean closer until their lips are only touching ever so slightly. And then the kiss deepened, Amy wraps her arms around Ephram's neck, and one of Ephram's arms are around her waist the other plays with Amy's long hair.
When they finally break apart both silently try to regain composure, neither had expected this. Both wanted it, there was no denying that, but neither had expected it. Both had spent so many months trying not to kiss again, and both feeling bad for the kissing that had all ready occurred. But now they had no reason to feel guilty, no reason to not kiss and the idea seemed foreign to both of them.
"The bottom line is," Ephram begins again, "that Everwood is home now, I don't want to go back to New York. There is nothing there for me anymore. My life is here now, with my family, with my friends, with-"
"Me." Amy finishes and she kisses him again.
"Are you sure you want to take Rumor?" Nina asks one morning a month later.
Ephram picks Rumor up out of her high chair and carries her over to the sink so that he can clean off her face. "It's fine. We are only going to be at school for about an hour maybe two. We're just picking up our schedules and whatever, we don't have a problem taking Rumor. Besides it's not like anything is going to come as a surprise to the people at school. They know about Rumor, they knew about me and Amy, and while they may not be so cool with it we're going together and I'm taking Rumor. But if you really feel the need to baby-sit we might go out with Colin and Vanessa tonight."
"We can baby-sit." Andy speaks up from the opposite end of the table Nina sits at, "We were going to rent movies with Sam and Delia and make a night of it."
Ephram smiles and nods. "OK thanks. Listen I'm going to meet Amy, I'll see you all later."
"You want to go see Amy?" Ephram asks Rumor after he has made sure he has her diaper bag, and everything else necessary for a 9 month old.
Rumor responds like she normally does, giggling and clapping her hands together in glee.
Ephram and Amy arrive at the corner they had agreed to meet at the same time. Ephram and Amy lean in too kiss and Rumor latches onto to Amy quickly and as Ephram and Amy attempt to pull apart Rumor clings to Amy, kissing her on the cheek and holding tight around her neck.
Both Amy and Ephram laughs and Ephram lets go of Rumor and Amy adjusts her so she sits on her right hip and wraps her arm around Ephram's waist.
"Are we going out with Vanessa and Colin tonight?" Ephram asks as he and May begin the 5 minutes walk toward their high school.
"Is someone going to watch Rumor?" Amy asks.
Ephram nods, "Nina and Dad are renting a bunch of movies for Sam and Delia, as a last thing before school starts back again."
"Great, then yeah." Amy responds. "I can't believe it's all ready the Friday before school starts again."
"Neither can I." Ephram sighs.
"Did you get Rumor enrolled into the nursery school?" Amy asks picking up immediately on Ephram's main concern about starting back at school again.
Ephram sighs again and nods, "Yeah. It's a nice place and the people seem really nice. It's just going to be weird not spending the entire day with her."
Amy doesn't say anything but kisses Ephram softly on the cheek as they arrive at the school
"Ephram! Amy!" Vanessa calls from across the street.
Amy and Ephram stop and let Vanessa and Colin catch up with him. Vanessa and Colin were a great couple, Vanessa had moved to Everwood in March from Denver; and since Vanessa didn't know Colin before the accident they were the perfect couple.
Vanessa and Amy got along really well. Vanessa was about 5'5 with reddish brown hair and a really upbeat, cheerful personality.
"Hey guys." Amy greets as Vanessa hugs her and then Ephram.
"Hey man." Colin greets as Amy and Vanessa walk a few steps ahead, anxious to find out their schedules.
"Great to be back right?" Ephram asks sarcastically.
"Yeah." Colin rolls his eyes, "This year is going to be interesting. Paige and everyone still ignoring Amy?"
Ephram nods, "Yeah. It's really great that Vanessa and Amy got so close. You guys were like Everwood's version of Romeo and Juliet or something. I don't know, whatever."
Colin shrugs, "They're going to have to get over it. Are we all still going out tonight?"
Ephram nods, "My dad's going to watch Rumor tonight."
"Vanessa and I were thinking that maybe we could go into Denver?" Colin suggests.
"What's in Denver?" Colin asks.
"A new club opened up there last week, we thought we would try it out." Colin replies.
"It could be cool." Ephram responds.
"How was Denver last night?" Andy asks Ephram the next morning.
"It was fun, where's Rumor?" Ephram asks, "I got up and she wasn't in her room."
"She's next door at Nina's, she fell asleep over there and we didn't want to take her up to bring her home."
Ephram nods, "All right, I'll go get her."
"Oh Ephram before I forget a friend of yours from New York called last night, Dane Johnson?"
Ephram gives his father a puzzled look, "Dane called? Did he say if something was wrong?"
Andy shakes his head, "No, he just told you to call him as soon as possible. Call him on his cell phone he said."
"I think I'm going to call him before I go to pick up Rumor. Because something might be wrong, I get emails from him all the time but he hasn't called since we moved here."
"I'll go get Rumor for you." Andy offers.
"Thanks." Ephram replies picking up the phone and dialing his friend's cell phone number.
"Hello?"
"Dane it's Ephram."
"Ephram." Dane's voice sounds strained.
"Dane what's wrong?" Ephram asks, immediately knowing for sure that something was wrong.
"It's Daisy." Dane sounds like he's fighting tears when he mentions his twin sister's name.
"What's wrong with Daisy?" Ephram asks his heart constricting at the thought of something being wrong with one of his friends.
"She's in the hospital."
"What for?" Ephram asks his voice sounding more calm than he feels.
"They say that her caner's back Ephram." Dane's words come out sounding like gasps.
Ephram falls silent not knowing what to say to Dane, not knowing what to think even.
"She wants to see you Ephram." Dane states quietly.
"I'll be there. Just let me work it out with my Dad and I will be there as soon as I can."
"Thanks Ephram."
Ephram says good-bye quickly to Dane before hanging up and going on a search for his father.
"I understand you have to go." Andy states, "but what about school. It starts Monday."
"Dad one of my best friends is in the hospital, I have to go. The first week of school is nothing, going over rules or something."
"All right. I'll get you a plane ticket, you go pack, you should probably call Amy."
Ephram nods, "I will, and I'm taking Rumor with me."
"Ephram you can't...Who would take care of her while you are at the hospital?"
"Grandma or Grandpa. Or maybe even Laine or her parents, besides Laine has a right to see Rumor. So do her parents and there is a pair of great-grandparents who haven't met their great-granddaughter."
Andy seems ready to contest Ephram's statement but instead he nods and picks up the telephone. "You better get packing."
Ephram nods and hurries up the stairs to his bedroom.
"Amy come in." Andy pulls open the front door surprised to find Amy there. "Did Ephram get a hold of you?"
Amy shakes her head, "Was he trying to?"
Andy nods, "He's up in his room you better go talk to him."
"Where are you going?" Amy asks sticking her head in Ephram's doorway.
"Amy! I've been trying to get a hold of you for like the last half an hour."
"Oh I was at Vanessa's, what's going on?"
"I got a call from my friend Dane in New York."
"What's wrong Ephram?" Amy asks quickly.
"His twin sister Daisy is in the hospital, they found out that she had cancer 3 years ago, and it's back. Dane and Daisy have been friends of mine for a long time, I have to go."
"Of course you do." Amy says moving forward to hug Ephram, "Don't worry about anything. You've got either Colin, Vanessa or I in all of your classes we will keep you updated."
"I know. I'll call you when I get to my grandparents." Ephram replies.
"I'll miss you." Amy states wrapping her arms around Ephram's waist.
"I know I'll miss you too." Ephram kisses Amy gently on the forehead. "We're actually leaving for the airport."
"Is your dad driving you?" Amy asks.
Ephram shakes his head, "No, there's no reason for him to spend 6 hours in the car going both ways."
"I could drive you." Amy suggests.
"That would be great Amy, but you can't, it's your last weekend do something with your friends." Ephram suggests, "And I will see you when I get home."
"Ephram!" Ephram spots his grandparents in their car at the pick up stop they had arranged on the phone. Ephram took a deep breath, his grandparents knew about Rumor and when they ahd found out they had not been nearly as supportive as Andy had been. They had blown up at him telling him that hew as to young to have a child and about an hour more of things, and now was the first time they were going to see Rumor.
After greetings had been exchanged the silence became so heavy in the air that Rumor must have become uncomfortable because she began whining.
Ephram lifts her out of the carrier and his grandmother asks softly from the front seat, "Can I hold her?"
Ephram nods slowly and gently hands Rumor to his grandmother, "She may whine for a little bit, she's really shy around strangers back home."
"Her skin is so light compared to Laine's and she has your mother's eyes."
Ephram nods, "I noticed mom's eyes right away."
True to her father's words Rumor began to make a fuss and eventually Ephram had to take her back. Once she was back in Ephram's arms she quieted and eventually fell asleep, something she had not done the entire plane ride from Denver.
"Did you want us to take you to the apartment first?" Jacob asks.
Ephram shakes his head, "I just want to stop by the hospital quick and see Daisy before visiting hours are over."
"Are you sure? You are both probably tired." Nonny states.
"Please, I won't be there long and Rumor will probably sleep the entire time anyway." Ephram requests.
"Of course." Jacob takes the exit that leads to the hospital.
"Do you want us to go in with you?" Nonny asks when they reach the hospital.
"You don't have to."
"All right." Jacob nods, "We'll wait in the car."
"Do you mind if I leave Rumor with you?" Ephram asks looking at the sleeping baby in his arms.
"No of course now." Ephram sets Rumor into his grandmother's arms before opening the door and stepping out of the car.
"Ephram!" Marlee Brink exclaims running towards Ephram and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't believe you're here."
Ephram hugs Marlee and as they pull apart Ephram states, "Of course I came. You guys should have called me soon as she went into the hospital I would have come then. There's a lot you guys shouldn't have kept from me..."
"Ephram about the baby, it wasn't our place. And your mom had just died..."
"I can't talk about that now." Ephram shakes his head, "Where is Daisy's room?"
"I'll take you." Marlee responds quietly, when they stop at the door Marlee suggests, "Why don't you go in alone. Dane is down with his parents getting dinner and Laine's all ready gone."
Ephram nods and knocking on the door quietly he hears Daisy's quiet "Come in" from the other side.
"Ephram!" Daisy breaks into a huge smile when he pushes open the door. "You came."
"Of course I came." Ephram responds moving forward quickly and hugging Daisy, and kissing her gently on the cheek.
"I didn't want Dane to call you, I know school is starting for you guys soon I didn't want to take you away from that. And with the baby now you must be so busy, but Dane insisted that you would want to know."
"I'm glad you called." Ephram responds, "You look all dressed up you got a hot date with one of the male nurses?" Ephram asks taking in the dark and light pink shirt with matching headband covering her wisps of blond hair."
"I didn't want you to take one look at me in my hospital garb and run screaming back to Colorado." Daisy smiles.
"You wouldn't scare me. I've seen you in the morning, a hospital gown wouldn't scare me." Ephram jokes.
Daisy smacks Ephram lightly, "Well if you want to know a secret." Daisy pushes back the covers revealing pink pajama pants decorated with white bunnies.
"That's Daisy." Ephram smiles. "So how are you? Seriously?"
"Seriously?" Daisy asks. "I've been better, and I've been worse. But I'm glad you're here."
"So am I." Ephram responds hugging Daisy again. "And I will be here for as long as you need me."
"Did you bring Rumor?" Daisy asks cautiously.
Ephram nods, "I figured Laine would like to see her."
"I, we, everyone's so sorry we never told. We just never knew how, and Laine was so confused about what to do for awhile. Her parents were so stunned they were all just going through all the necessary motions for awhile. And then when the scholarship came Laine just about jumped out of her skin she was so excited but there was no way they were going to let her have the scholarship if she ahd a baby. It's not right but Laine's father knew what would happen and all she could think of was to take the baby to you. I felt so terrible for never telling you."
"Daisy don't worry about it. It's in the past now, and I love Rumor more than anything." Ephram responds, "I'll bring her by tomorrow OK?"
Daisy nods, "That would be great."
"I'll let you get some rest, I think I'll go find your parents and Dane."
"All right Ephram I'll see you tomorrow." Daisy states her eyes all ready closing.
Ephram closes the room door behind him heading back toward the parking lot, not the cafeteria, knowing he can't deal with seeing Daisy's parents and Dane.
"I got it!" Amy calls when the phone rings.
"I got it!" Bright's voice echo's Amy's words as he picks up the phone. "Oh it's you."
"Bright let me talk to Amy." Ephram insists.
Bright rolls his eyes and hands the phone to Amy, "Ephram?" Amy asks.
"Hi."
"How was your flight?" Amy asks taking the phone and walking toward her room with it.
"Not bad, Rumor found it all very amusing." Ephram responds.
"How's your friend?" Amy asks tentatively.
"Daisy's doing OK. I stopped by to see her before visiting hours close and I'll go back tomorrow morning."
"Good." Amy responds, not knowing what more to say, "There's not much going on around here. Just the same old, same old. I miss you."
"I miss you too." Ephram responds, "But listen I should probably get Rumor to bed, it's a three hour time difference."
"Right, I'll talk to you later." Amy states and as they say their good-byes she hangs up the phone.
"Did you want to leave the baby with us today?" Ephram's grandmother asks the next morning.
"No. Daisy wants to see her and Laine's supposed to be at the hospital later so she will want to see her too. But thanks. I'll get a cab home." Ephram states.
"You don't have to do that one of us can come and get you." Ephram's grandfather states.
"I know. " Ephram responds, "but I don't want to interfere with whatever you have going on. Just completely ignore me."
"Ephram-"
"I'm serious you guys I don't know how long I will be here but you don't have to treat me like a guest." Ephram hugs both of his grandparents before leaving their apartment with Rumor.
As Ephram gets out of the cab he can hear someone calling his name, turning he is faced with Laine.
"Laine." Ephram stops short unsure of what to say to Rumor's mother, she hadn't kept in contact after she abandoned Rumor and he had no idea what she was thinking now.
"I didn't know you were in New York." Laine states shifting uncomfortably.
"Dane didn't tell you?" Ephram asks as they fall into step together.
Laine shakes her head, "No."
"Oh well here I am." Ephram states watching as Laine's gaze falls on Rumor who is sleeping with her head on Ephram's shoulder.
"She got big." Laine comments.
"It's been 3 months." Ephram responds.
Laine nods, "I know and I should have kept in contact with you...It's just well it was hard for me you know."
"Of course it would be hard on you." Ephram snaps, "but what did you think it was on me? Easy? All of a sudden I'm 16 and have a 6 month old to take care of."
"I was 17 does age really make the difference?" Laine snaps back.
"No it's got nothing to do with the age. It's got to do with the fact that you show up across the country and leave me with a baby, it took me by surprise."
"You think it didn't surprise and scare the shit out of me when I found out that I was pregnant?" Laine asks.
"Of course it can't have been easy." Ephram responds, "but you had 9 months to adjust to the idea that your life was completely changed forever. I had about 2 minutes." Probably picking up on her father's tense mood Rumor begins to whine in her sleep, automatically Ephram reaches up and begins to rub her back. "We can't have this conversation here, we're here to see Daisy not argue about what we did wrong."
Laine nods, "Right."
"Hi." Daisy's voice sounds feathery soft from her bed.
"Ephram." Dane sits next to Daisy's bed as they both flip through a manga. "Hey man." The two exchange a handshake they had shared since they were about 7 and Ephram hugs Daisy.
"Wow look at Rumor, she got so big." Daisy coos making room on the bed for Ephram to set Rumor down.
Ephram attempts to set Rumor down but she won't budge, she hadn't slept much the night before and she's cranky. Ephram shrugs and apologizes, "I think she is having a problem with the time change."
Daisy nods understandingly, "My doctors supposed to stop by to tell us what's what."
"What do you think he'll say?" Ephram asks.
"Probably that another round of chemo is going to make everything better." Daisy shrugs, "Not fun, but I can deal with it."
"Everything's going to be better." Marlee states brightly running a hand through her short spiky black hair.
An hour later as the group continues to talk about everything, what Ephram has missed in the year he has been gone, the new anime/manga that Daisy and Dane were into and more , the doctor comes in followed by Dane and Daisy's parents, Grace and Harley Russel.
"Ephram we heard you were in town." Grace hugs Ephram before the doctor begins to speak.
"If you kids wouldn't mind we need to talk in private." The doctor states, aiming his words at Laine, Ephram and Marlee.
"I want them to stay." Daisy states, "They're my friends and we are going to have to tell them everything anyway I want them to stay."
The doctor shrugs, "If that's what you want."
"It is." Daisy responds.
"We're fine with it." Harley adds.
The doctors words as he began to speak were a blur and all Ephram could get out of it was that there wasn't anything else they were going to be able to do. Some transplant, something they must have all ready talked about, wasn't going to work for Daisy and that even the chemo wasn't going to work.
The group fell silent for a long time until Daisy finally asked, "Am I going to die?"
The doctor nods sadly, "I'm afraid so."
"How long?" Daisy whispers, the only able to find the use of her vocal cords.
"6, maybe nine months." The doctor responds, "I am so sorry Daisy I wish there was more that we could do but there really isn't."
"What about the chemo?" Harley asks, "Won't that help her?"
"If we put Daisy back on the chemo it would lengthen her life maybe 3 months, but it won't save it."
Daisy sits up in bed and despite the tears in her eyes her words are firm, "I don't want to go back on chemo. All it does is make me even more sick, and if it's not going to save me then I would rather feel well for 9 months then be sick for 12. Please don't put me back on the chemo."
"Ephram are you OK? Do you want to talk about it?" Andy asks over the phone that evening. "I'm sure this news is really hard for you."
"I want to move back to New York." Ephram responds, "To live with grandma and grandpa."