When they finally reached the hospital they ran in and asked for Andrew
Brown. A helpful nurse told them that he was currently in a trauma room
and as soon as they had any news they would be notified. Ephram sat there
silently praying begging God to please give him back his father. The only
things that ran through his mind now were the handful of kind things his
father had done for him. Even though they were few and far between he
began to remember the many times his dad had attempted conversation and he
had brushed him off. How many nice things had his father done in his youth
that all the anger and bitterness made him forget. And why did they all
have to come flooding back now. Why he was remembering how much his dad
meant to him when there was now a possibility he would never speak to him
again. All Ephram could do to alleviate the suspense was to sit quietly
with his head in his hands.
Suddenly after what seemed like a long time Ephram could feel someone rubbing his back. He figured it was Nina. Even though he appreciated the gesture he was scared it would make him cry. As he lifted his head to ask her to stop he found himself looking into the face of Amy Abbot.
"What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" asked Ephram.
"You've lived in this town long enough to know that there are no secrets. Besides Nina called my grandmother to tell her not to open your dads clinic today." answered Amy
"Okay now answer my first question why are you here?" asked Ephram
"Ephram after all the time you spent with me going to and from Denver to see Colin do you think at a time like this I would be anywhere but here with you? I know what its like to need someone and I figured right now you might need me" answered Amy.
"Thanks Amy" replied Ephram. She sat down next to Ephram and wrapped her arms around him. Ephram sat up abruptly asking, "What time is it? Is my dad out of trauma yet? Where are Nina and Delia?" Just then Nina walked back from the reception area. Ephram ran up to her bombarding her with questions.
"Calm down." said Nina "Delia's still sleeping its about seven in the morning your dad is in ICU but he's stable."
"When can I see him?" asked Ephram
"Not for awhile they are still in the process of getting test results when they know everything then you can see him. How about you try to eat something." Nina said offering him a bagel.
"I can't", said Ephram "I need to know he's ok before I do anything. Why can't they just let me see him? I need to tell him I'm sorry."
"Ephram all we can do is wait and worry and what ever comes in between and now the best thing for you to do is eat", said Amy offering the bagel. Ephram took it and just handled it as opposed to eating it. Delia began to stir.
"Where are we?" asked Delia. This was the part Ephram was dreading. He didn't want to scare Delia but he had to be honest. He had to tell the motherless child that her father was in ICU.
"Do you want me to take care of it?" asked Nina.
"No I'll do it.," said Ephram. Ephram knelt down making eye contact with Delia. "Delia, we're in a hospital dad was in an accident but he's ok and we can see him soon."
"Why can't we see him now" Delia began to cry
"Everything is going to be fine" Ephram reassured her.
"Why does this keep happening?" sobbed Delia "All the people I love are being taken away. If something happens to him Ephram who will take care of us?"
"Hey, hey" said Ephram "I'm here and I'm going to take care of you and Dad's not going anywhere. We're just not in the greatest place right now. But everything is going to be fine." There Ephram stood trying to be strong for his little sister while Amy stood beside him with her hands on his shoulder trying to strong for him. Ephram's words did not assure Delia she collapsed into his arms sobbing. Ephram held her whispering to her that everything would be fine.
After a while Delia calmed down. Nina took her and Sam to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Ephram sat there next to a supportive Amy. Amy offered reassurance and Ephram was more than grateful for it. He never thought about calling her but he was so glad she came because he did need her. At around three in the afternoon Dr. Abbot, Bright, and Collin arrived at the hospital.
"Hey Dr. Abbot" said Ephram
"Hi Ephram. How's your dad?" asked Dr. Abbot
"I still haven't seen him"
"Well just tell him that until he recovers I'll be glad to be his physician and cover his patients free of charge."
"Thanks Dr. Abbot"
"How you holding up man" asked Collin
"I'm cool as far as I know everything is going to be fine"
"That's the attitude to have man. Laynie sends her love she says to give her a call if you need anything. She'll be home tomorrow she couldn't get a flight out tonight."
Bright said nothing he just stood there being his usual dumb self. Ephram hating knowing that at any moment he could be in tears with this jerk near him. Bright finally spoke saying "We're all pulling for your old man he helped save my life. Let us know if you need anything."
"Thanks Bright" said Ephram.
The day continued to drag on for hours they were later joined by Edna and Irv who came after Irv finished his route. Ephram sat there looking at all the people who were there. It felt good to know that he was surrounded by support and love. He had turned Everwood into a hell and now looking around he realized that he had gained an extended family. Ephram continued to sit in silence just praying that any minute a doctor or nurse would walk through the doors of the waiting room telling him that his father would be fine. He wanted to hug his father and tell him that he loved him and that he was certain the love was mutual. He wanted to tell him that he would be a better son and do anything he had to, to help him recover. He wanted to apologize for being a jerk. There were so many moments he wanted back.
An hour later at four in the evening a doctor walked in asking for all relatives of Andrew Brown. Everyone rushed to the doctor wanting to know of Andy's status. The doctor gave them a solemn look saying, "Because of complications with internal bleeding we were unable to save Dr. Brown. I'm sorry".
The moment for Ephram felt like an eternity. He just knew he had to be dreaming this wasn't happening. His dad was fine and he was going to get the chance to apologize. From that day on he and his father were going to get along no matter what. He was going to show his father he loved him. And most important of all he was going to allow his father to love him.
Ephram looked up taking in his surroundings. Nina was sobbing holding Sam. Delia was bawling in Edna's arms while they both leaned on Irv. Amy had begun to cry and was in the arms of her father. Collin and Bright stood in one place looking sad. Ephram sat there still completely unaware of the moment. He still knew it wasn't happening. Everything was fine. He knew this wasn't happening. Then all of a sudden the doctor came back in Ephram walked up to him and began to yell, "Let me see my father."
The doctor led him to the room where Andy lay perfectly still looking peaceful. It was true he was gone. Andy was gone and Ephram would never get to apologize. He would never know anything about his father. It all hit Ephram at one time half of him was gone and it was a half he didn't even know. Standing there staring at his father Ephram tried to bring himself to cry. If he was going to this was the place in privacy. Even though he was more than entitled he did not want any of the people in the other room to see him cry. He still had to be strong for Delia.
Suddenly after what seemed like a long time Ephram could feel someone rubbing his back. He figured it was Nina. Even though he appreciated the gesture he was scared it would make him cry. As he lifted his head to ask her to stop he found himself looking into the face of Amy Abbot.
"What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" asked Ephram.
"You've lived in this town long enough to know that there are no secrets. Besides Nina called my grandmother to tell her not to open your dads clinic today." answered Amy
"Okay now answer my first question why are you here?" asked Ephram
"Ephram after all the time you spent with me going to and from Denver to see Colin do you think at a time like this I would be anywhere but here with you? I know what its like to need someone and I figured right now you might need me" answered Amy.
"Thanks Amy" replied Ephram. She sat down next to Ephram and wrapped her arms around him. Ephram sat up abruptly asking, "What time is it? Is my dad out of trauma yet? Where are Nina and Delia?" Just then Nina walked back from the reception area. Ephram ran up to her bombarding her with questions.
"Calm down." said Nina "Delia's still sleeping its about seven in the morning your dad is in ICU but he's stable."
"When can I see him?" asked Ephram
"Not for awhile they are still in the process of getting test results when they know everything then you can see him. How about you try to eat something." Nina said offering him a bagel.
"I can't", said Ephram "I need to know he's ok before I do anything. Why can't they just let me see him? I need to tell him I'm sorry."
"Ephram all we can do is wait and worry and what ever comes in between and now the best thing for you to do is eat", said Amy offering the bagel. Ephram took it and just handled it as opposed to eating it. Delia began to stir.
"Where are we?" asked Delia. This was the part Ephram was dreading. He didn't want to scare Delia but he had to be honest. He had to tell the motherless child that her father was in ICU.
"Do you want me to take care of it?" asked Nina.
"No I'll do it.," said Ephram. Ephram knelt down making eye contact with Delia. "Delia, we're in a hospital dad was in an accident but he's ok and we can see him soon."
"Why can't we see him now" Delia began to cry
"Everything is going to be fine" Ephram reassured her.
"Why does this keep happening?" sobbed Delia "All the people I love are being taken away. If something happens to him Ephram who will take care of us?"
"Hey, hey" said Ephram "I'm here and I'm going to take care of you and Dad's not going anywhere. We're just not in the greatest place right now. But everything is going to be fine." There Ephram stood trying to be strong for his little sister while Amy stood beside him with her hands on his shoulder trying to strong for him. Ephram's words did not assure Delia she collapsed into his arms sobbing. Ephram held her whispering to her that everything would be fine.
After a while Delia calmed down. Nina took her and Sam to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Ephram sat there next to a supportive Amy. Amy offered reassurance and Ephram was more than grateful for it. He never thought about calling her but he was so glad she came because he did need her. At around three in the afternoon Dr. Abbot, Bright, and Collin arrived at the hospital.
"Hey Dr. Abbot" said Ephram
"Hi Ephram. How's your dad?" asked Dr. Abbot
"I still haven't seen him"
"Well just tell him that until he recovers I'll be glad to be his physician and cover his patients free of charge."
"Thanks Dr. Abbot"
"How you holding up man" asked Collin
"I'm cool as far as I know everything is going to be fine"
"That's the attitude to have man. Laynie sends her love she says to give her a call if you need anything. She'll be home tomorrow she couldn't get a flight out tonight."
Bright said nothing he just stood there being his usual dumb self. Ephram hating knowing that at any moment he could be in tears with this jerk near him. Bright finally spoke saying "We're all pulling for your old man he helped save my life. Let us know if you need anything."
"Thanks Bright" said Ephram.
The day continued to drag on for hours they were later joined by Edna and Irv who came after Irv finished his route. Ephram sat there looking at all the people who were there. It felt good to know that he was surrounded by support and love. He had turned Everwood into a hell and now looking around he realized that he had gained an extended family. Ephram continued to sit in silence just praying that any minute a doctor or nurse would walk through the doors of the waiting room telling him that his father would be fine. He wanted to hug his father and tell him that he loved him and that he was certain the love was mutual. He wanted to tell him that he would be a better son and do anything he had to, to help him recover. He wanted to apologize for being a jerk. There were so many moments he wanted back.
An hour later at four in the evening a doctor walked in asking for all relatives of Andrew Brown. Everyone rushed to the doctor wanting to know of Andy's status. The doctor gave them a solemn look saying, "Because of complications with internal bleeding we were unable to save Dr. Brown. I'm sorry".
The moment for Ephram felt like an eternity. He just knew he had to be dreaming this wasn't happening. His dad was fine and he was going to get the chance to apologize. From that day on he and his father were going to get along no matter what. He was going to show his father he loved him. And most important of all he was going to allow his father to love him.
Ephram looked up taking in his surroundings. Nina was sobbing holding Sam. Delia was bawling in Edna's arms while they both leaned on Irv. Amy had begun to cry and was in the arms of her father. Collin and Bright stood in one place looking sad. Ephram sat there still completely unaware of the moment. He still knew it wasn't happening. Everything was fine. He knew this wasn't happening. Then all of a sudden the doctor came back in Ephram walked up to him and began to yell, "Let me see my father."
The doctor led him to the room where Andy lay perfectly still looking peaceful. It was true he was gone. Andy was gone and Ephram would never get to apologize. He would never know anything about his father. It all hit Ephram at one time half of him was gone and it was a half he didn't even know. Standing there staring at his father Ephram tried to bring himself to cry. If he was going to this was the place in privacy. Even though he was more than entitled he did not want any of the people in the other room to see him cry. He still had to be strong for Delia.