Chapter Eight

The phone was ringing at the Abbott's but at first Rose was inclined to ignore it. She had guests to entertain. Harold had not yet come back from the Denver hospital and so she was being forced to do everything.

And Amy was nowhere to be found.

But by the third time, she went to answer the phone.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hello? This is Nina. May I please speak to Andy Brown?" Nina said.

Rose frowned. "Okay, hang on please." Rose went to search for the elusive Dr. Brown. She found him, telling him he had a phone call from Nina.

Dr. Brown walked to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?" he said.

"Andy, hi. You need to come home. Ephram, he's, he's really sick." Nina said slowly.

"I'm coming," was all Dr. Brown could manage. He left the Abbott's quickly. His son was all he could think about at the moment.

***

"He's coming." Nina told Amy. They stood, watching Ephram for a while. He was unmoving, and he looked lifeless. Completely devoid of energy, Ephram was.

They were standing that way when they heard Dr. Brown come through the door. He walked over to them and then past them to his son.

He felt Ephram's wrist. His pulse was normal. But Nina was right. Ephram was really sick. And truth be told, he was a little scared.

Ephram, himself, had woken up now and could hear their voices, talking in a hushed whisper as though he were on his deathbed. He wanted to say something, but was far too weak.

Something serious was wrong.

Amy watched Ephram. Everybody she had a fight with.something always happened to them. Colin.and now Ephram.

Amy would remember this Christmas all her life. The most saddest time of her life.

***

In the weeks that had passed before this Christmas, Erin remembered how cold it was. The bitter feeling and sadness she could feel. And she knew tragedy for Everwood lay ahead.

She was to be completely right, for a death was coming soon.

***

The doctors at the Denver Hospital did not know what they did wrong. Bright was dead. He had apparently died of a massive tumor in his chest.

But that was impossible. That should not occur with someone so healthy. And the cancer was supposed to have just beginning. What did they miss? The doctor questioned himself.

A young intern stared at the file he was looking at. He started to shake, crying. If these were deaths he had to witness, he wasn't sure he wanted to be a doctor anymore.