Chapter 6

OK guys I meant to put this in the last chapter (5) and again I am sorry that it has taken so long. But I, Mari, am finally out of school and since we only have 3 chapters left to put up this should go quickly! Thanks for staying loyal to the story it means a lot to us!! And JustNHeaVen would like to say: Thanks everyone for your reviews!! The story couldn't have been done without them!

Andy, Ephram and Delia head back into the house instead of standing outside

and talking.

"Dad, where are Rosie, Crystal and Robbie sleeping?" asked Ephram.

"Crystal, Rosie, and Robbie are all covered up on the couch in the family room. They took the death of their parents so hard so I finally gave them something so they could sleep for a while" said Andy.

"Well, I am going to head upstairs and start my homework and stuff. Let me know if they wake up or anything. Is that okay dad?" Ephram asked.

"Sure thats fine. I am sure they might be up in a little bit and when they get up, I will offer them something to eat."

"Daddy, what should I do?" asked Delia.

"Honey, dont you have any homework?"

"Yes I do but only like three worksheets that are really easy."

"Okay, well why dont you go upstairs to your room and work on them so you don't wake up Crystal, Rosie and Robbie."

"Okay daddy."

"But wait, daddy I don't know what I should say around them since their mom and dad just died."

"Well honey just treat them as people treated you when we lost mom. But also remember that it takes time for the death of a parent to heal, especially with losing two parents at the same time."

"Okay daddy. So you mean I shouldn't mention their parents names?"

"Well you can always tell them how sorry you are to hear about the death of their parents, okay?"

"Okay daddy. I am going to go upstairs now."

Ephram sits in his bedroom staring blankly at his physics book, he had homework that he knew he should do, but he couldn't seem to get his mind to think about physics. He felt terrible for Crystal and her family, but more than anything he hoped he could be there for Robbie and Crystal, and not let this bring about more dwelling on the car accident that had killed his own mother.

Ephram had tiptoed through the living room on his way up to his bedroom, Robbie and Crystal were both asleep on the couch and Rosie was huddled in Nina's arms while Nina ran her fingers gently through the young girls hair and rubbed her back.

By the time Delia comes into the room to announce that it is dinner time Ephram doesn't realize that he had been lost in thought for nearly an hour an a half. Taking a deep breath Ephram slowly walks down the stairs and into the kitchen finding everyone up and sitting at the dinner table. The three orphans show different stages of grief, the only outward appearance that Robbie had been crying is that his eyes are red and swollen. Crystal on the other hand has tears stained cheeks and tears swim and melt into Crystal's blue eyes, that are paler than usual, the grief written in them. Rosie looks bewildered, unsure of what she should do, she eats the peanut butter and jelly Andy has provided slowly, with jelly dripping on her shirt, while watching her brother and sister, obviously taking cues from them.

Ephram walks immediately to Crystal and without a word takes her into his arms, hugging her tightly as she cries. When Crystal's sobs have slowed slightly Ephram asks, "Crys you want to take a walk with me."

Crystal nods and Ephram helps her to her feet and taking her hand the two walk out of the house, with approving looks from Andy and Nina.

Crystal and Ephram walk in silence for a long time until Crystal breaks it, "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"You're going to go on living." Ephram states and Crystal turns blazing blue eyes on Ephram. "I know, it seems so hard right now, almost impossible. To go on without your parents, I felt the same way when my mom died. Like, she was my everything and without my everything what did I have? But in time, and take all the time you need, you begin to realize that they're not gone, that everything you experience isn't being experience without them. Part of you is always with them, I know lame movie of the week sounding, I thought so too. Until I realized the first time I actually looked at a sunset here in Everwood, that my mother was there, in that sunset. Letting me know that she was OK. And you're not there yet, and no one expects you to be."

"But how do I get through today and the next day and the day after that?" Crystal whispers.

"Someone once told me to take it minute by minute. But for me even the minutes seemed to long, what I found best for me, was the take it. Just take it as it comes, one foot and then the next and then the next. Things won't be OK right away but they will be OK soon."

The two fall silent again as Ephram leads them to a rock and the two sit quietly on it staring out at their own individual experience.

By the time Ephram and Crystal return to the house night had fallen and Robbie, Andy and Nina were talking in Andy's office. Crystal and Ephram settle onto the couch with Sam, Delia and Rosie to watch the movie when Andy, Robbie and Nina exit the office.

Robbie's face is solemn but when he has everyone's attention he states, "we are going to stay here for awhile. Until everything is figured out."

Everyone nods and Andy states, "Ephram, Robbie is going to share a room with you. Delia you can share your room with Rosie and Crystal you can have the guest room."