Epilogue: Eight Weeks After Recovery
Andy walked into the house and found Nina putting the finishing touches on her turkey noodle casserole before placing it into the oven.
"Hey! Looks delicious!" Andy smacked his lips while observing what's for dinner. "Where is everybody?"
"Sam and Delia are playing video games in her room. And the prince is on the couch over there. You will never guess what he's doing. Unbelievable." Nina flashed a smile showing her pearly whites.
"Why? What's he doing?" Andy asked curiously.
"He's reading!!" Nina whispered as they perched behind the kitchen counter like a couple of deep gossipers.
"No kidding?" Andy whispered back as they stared at the back of Ephram's head.
"He just sits there all day with his nose buried in that book. I ask him if he wants to go out or take a nap or watch TV. I mean, school doesn't begin in another 2 and a half weeks. I tell him to go do something fun before the summer's up. But he doesn't want to do anything but read. Isn't it amazing?"
"Wow. The Ephram I know hated to read. This is very interesting indeed." He scratched his beard. "Is he better?"
"Yea, getting there. He still complains about soreness and an occasional headache."
"Let me go bother him."
Shortly after awaking in the hospital, Ephram was unable to feel his legs for two days. It frightened him. He cried and cried thinking that he will never be able to walk again. But as luck would have it, his motor functions gradually returned. Before long, he was able to wiggle his toes and bend his knees. The pain caused by inflammation and bleeding from blood vessels near the contusion was excruciating. The medication helped but there were days when it just hurt too much to even move a muscle.
When he got stronger, he was forced to walk around his hospital room - first with crutches, then without. It was debilitating. He fell a few times but it was all part of the recovery process. They released him when he was able to walk down a hall by himself without falling. Ephram thought he was slower than a snail but nonetheless, he did it.
"Ephram. How about we get out of the house and go take a walk around the block before dinner? It's a beautiful day." Andy said.
"Go out? In a wheelchair and crutches to have all the neighbors fawning over me like I was some cute poor injured puppy? I don't think so." Ephram book-marked his page and adjusted the pillow he was leaning up against.
"You know you're supposed to work those legs. You can't sit here all day."
"I did walk today. If you don't believe me ask Nina. She's my witness." He challenged.
"Yea, he walked to the bathroom and walked back to the couch." Nina input. Andy shot a disappointed look at Ephram.
"Alright. I'll walk IN the house after I finish this chapter, ok?" He sighed.
"Buddy, you feeling ok?" Andy said placing a hand over Ephram's forehead. "Nina says you've become a bookworm. This is so unlike you." He joked.
"Very funny dad. Very funny. You should quit your day job and become a stand-up comic. Everwood needs one of those." Ephram rolled his eyes.
"So, what's with all the reading?"
"What is so strange about me reading!? Everyone acts like I've totally flipped my lid. When I goof off, you yell at me. When I start doing something intellectual like reading, you yell at me. It's a no win situation, isn't it?" Ephram boasted. "Reading is just a new hobby that Jewels help me find."
"Aha!!! Jewels got you into reading. Well, I'm glad you're beefing up on your literary insights. Good. Girls like guys who like what they like - you know? So, you guys discuss the book after you read it?" Andy questioned. Ephram nodded shyly.
"We talk about it after every few chapters." He admitted.
"So, you got your own personal book club going there."
"Don't make fun of me. I'm not a dork. It's actually enjoyable."
"No, I think it's great! What are you reading now?"
"Victor Hugo's Les Miserables." Ephram showed the thick book to his father. "We decided we liked reading about people whose situations are way more miserable than ours. It makes us feel better. Haha." Ephram laughed.
"Ah, getting your kicks at the expense of other people's misery. I knew I raised my son up right." Andy mused. "So, come on. Get off your butt and show me some walking. You can finish your chapter later."
"Da-ad.I don't want to. I'll fall." He whined.
"You won't." Andy pulled him up from his seat. Ephram walked to the den and back into the living room. He circled the couch once.
Delia came skipping into the living room with Sam trotting not too far behind.
"Ephram! You're walking." She squealed in delight. "Do you want to hold my hand?"
"No Delia, not this time. He's got to do this himself." Andy said. Ephram ignored the soreness and tingling in his legs and concentrated on walking further. He walked around the living room several more times. Sweat was starting to bead on his forehead.
Just as he walked to his father, his legs became rubbery and stumbled forward. Andy caught him before he fell and supported him back to the couch. Delia sat next to her brother and Sam copied her. Ephram was exhausted from the workout.
"Satisfied?" Ephram puffed. "Now my legs feel like jellyfish."
"OK - we'll call it a day. You've had enough exercise."
"You think my legs will be back to normal by the holidays?"
"If you keep working them you will. Why? Where are you going?" He humored.
"I dunno, maybe we can take a family trip back to New York.." He hinted.
"It has to do with a girl." Andy explained to Nina who was setting the dinner table.
"Doesn't it always?" Nina smiled.
"We'll see what happens. Not making any promises." Andy said to Ephram as he massaged his son's leg. "That feel better?"
"Yea. Much." Ephram stated. "Anyway, after that freak bus accident, I am never taking another bus ride again in my entire life. You'd have to drive us to the airport or get car service or something. Cause I think I've found my phobia."
"Don't worry Eph, I'll protect you." Delia said sweetly and swung her arms around his waist.
"I knew I could always count on you!" Ephram chuckled and accepted her hug.
There always comes to a point in our lives when we're faced with life's meaningful challenges. Each challenge is a valuable lesson to be gained - a hurdle. There are twists and turns, trials and solace, blessings and grief. Life is cruel, beautiful, merciless, bounteous, compassionate and unforgiving. Sometimes, life in general can be overwhelming. Life can be viewed as a long and tiring obstacle course, an intricate and confusing maze, or a perplexing jigsaw puzzle. But I like to think of life as one mean son of a bitch roller coaster ride. It has its turbulent ups and downs. You never know when it will hit a pitfall or when it will rise to the apex. The only thing anyone should know is that life is a precious gift. The good must be taken with the bad. Things can never be too simple and flawless - it wouldn't be called life if it were that easy. Life is fragile and can be readily taken away at any time. Whether it'd be natural or extraneous causes, there is no telling when a life would come to an end. Live life to the fullest. Every day is a new beginning.
~ End ~
Footnote: Well, hope you've enjoyed my dabble. Since, you're reading this, I assuming it's safe to say that you've read the entire story. You've been a most patient audience and I humbly thank you! This story idea was actually conceived while I was on a plane ride to Milwaukee. Yes, I know - such gruesome thoughts get into my head when I'm flying. It's no wonder I don't freak myself out. Please let me know your thoughts! I love feedback!!!
PS - I pretty much left this story open for continuation. I can think of several ways on how it can play out but I don't know... Do you think it needs a continuation?
Andy walked into the house and found Nina putting the finishing touches on her turkey noodle casserole before placing it into the oven.
"Hey! Looks delicious!" Andy smacked his lips while observing what's for dinner. "Where is everybody?"
"Sam and Delia are playing video games in her room. And the prince is on the couch over there. You will never guess what he's doing. Unbelievable." Nina flashed a smile showing her pearly whites.
"Why? What's he doing?" Andy asked curiously.
"He's reading!!" Nina whispered as they perched behind the kitchen counter like a couple of deep gossipers.
"No kidding?" Andy whispered back as they stared at the back of Ephram's head.
"He just sits there all day with his nose buried in that book. I ask him if he wants to go out or take a nap or watch TV. I mean, school doesn't begin in another 2 and a half weeks. I tell him to go do something fun before the summer's up. But he doesn't want to do anything but read. Isn't it amazing?"
"Wow. The Ephram I know hated to read. This is very interesting indeed." He scratched his beard. "Is he better?"
"Yea, getting there. He still complains about soreness and an occasional headache."
"Let me go bother him."
Shortly after awaking in the hospital, Ephram was unable to feel his legs for two days. It frightened him. He cried and cried thinking that he will never be able to walk again. But as luck would have it, his motor functions gradually returned. Before long, he was able to wiggle his toes and bend his knees. The pain caused by inflammation and bleeding from blood vessels near the contusion was excruciating. The medication helped but there were days when it just hurt too much to even move a muscle.
When he got stronger, he was forced to walk around his hospital room - first with crutches, then without. It was debilitating. He fell a few times but it was all part of the recovery process. They released him when he was able to walk down a hall by himself without falling. Ephram thought he was slower than a snail but nonetheless, he did it.
"Ephram. How about we get out of the house and go take a walk around the block before dinner? It's a beautiful day." Andy said.
"Go out? In a wheelchair and crutches to have all the neighbors fawning over me like I was some cute poor injured puppy? I don't think so." Ephram book-marked his page and adjusted the pillow he was leaning up against.
"You know you're supposed to work those legs. You can't sit here all day."
"I did walk today. If you don't believe me ask Nina. She's my witness." He challenged.
"Yea, he walked to the bathroom and walked back to the couch." Nina input. Andy shot a disappointed look at Ephram.
"Alright. I'll walk IN the house after I finish this chapter, ok?" He sighed.
"Buddy, you feeling ok?" Andy said placing a hand over Ephram's forehead. "Nina says you've become a bookworm. This is so unlike you." He joked.
"Very funny dad. Very funny. You should quit your day job and become a stand-up comic. Everwood needs one of those." Ephram rolled his eyes.
"So, what's with all the reading?"
"What is so strange about me reading!? Everyone acts like I've totally flipped my lid. When I goof off, you yell at me. When I start doing something intellectual like reading, you yell at me. It's a no win situation, isn't it?" Ephram boasted. "Reading is just a new hobby that Jewels help me find."
"Aha!!! Jewels got you into reading. Well, I'm glad you're beefing up on your literary insights. Good. Girls like guys who like what they like - you know? So, you guys discuss the book after you read it?" Andy questioned. Ephram nodded shyly.
"We talk about it after every few chapters." He admitted.
"So, you got your own personal book club going there."
"Don't make fun of me. I'm not a dork. It's actually enjoyable."
"No, I think it's great! What are you reading now?"
"Victor Hugo's Les Miserables." Ephram showed the thick book to his father. "We decided we liked reading about people whose situations are way more miserable than ours. It makes us feel better. Haha." Ephram laughed.
"Ah, getting your kicks at the expense of other people's misery. I knew I raised my son up right." Andy mused. "So, come on. Get off your butt and show me some walking. You can finish your chapter later."
"Da-ad.I don't want to. I'll fall." He whined.
"You won't." Andy pulled him up from his seat. Ephram walked to the den and back into the living room. He circled the couch once.
Delia came skipping into the living room with Sam trotting not too far behind.
"Ephram! You're walking." She squealed in delight. "Do you want to hold my hand?"
"No Delia, not this time. He's got to do this himself." Andy said. Ephram ignored the soreness and tingling in his legs and concentrated on walking further. He walked around the living room several more times. Sweat was starting to bead on his forehead.
Just as he walked to his father, his legs became rubbery and stumbled forward. Andy caught him before he fell and supported him back to the couch. Delia sat next to her brother and Sam copied her. Ephram was exhausted from the workout.
"Satisfied?" Ephram puffed. "Now my legs feel like jellyfish."
"OK - we'll call it a day. You've had enough exercise."
"You think my legs will be back to normal by the holidays?"
"If you keep working them you will. Why? Where are you going?" He humored.
"I dunno, maybe we can take a family trip back to New York.." He hinted.
"It has to do with a girl." Andy explained to Nina who was setting the dinner table.
"Doesn't it always?" Nina smiled.
"We'll see what happens. Not making any promises." Andy said to Ephram as he massaged his son's leg. "That feel better?"
"Yea. Much." Ephram stated. "Anyway, after that freak bus accident, I am never taking another bus ride again in my entire life. You'd have to drive us to the airport or get car service or something. Cause I think I've found my phobia."
"Don't worry Eph, I'll protect you." Delia said sweetly and swung her arms around his waist.
"I knew I could always count on you!" Ephram chuckled and accepted her hug.
There always comes to a point in our lives when we're faced with life's meaningful challenges. Each challenge is a valuable lesson to be gained - a hurdle. There are twists and turns, trials and solace, blessings and grief. Life is cruel, beautiful, merciless, bounteous, compassionate and unforgiving. Sometimes, life in general can be overwhelming. Life can be viewed as a long and tiring obstacle course, an intricate and confusing maze, or a perplexing jigsaw puzzle. But I like to think of life as one mean son of a bitch roller coaster ride. It has its turbulent ups and downs. You never know when it will hit a pitfall or when it will rise to the apex. The only thing anyone should know is that life is a precious gift. The good must be taken with the bad. Things can never be too simple and flawless - it wouldn't be called life if it were that easy. Life is fragile and can be readily taken away at any time. Whether it'd be natural or extraneous causes, there is no telling when a life would come to an end. Live life to the fullest. Every day is a new beginning.
~ End ~
Footnote: Well, hope you've enjoyed my dabble. Since, you're reading this, I assuming it's safe to say that you've read the entire story. You've been a most patient audience and I humbly thank you! This story idea was actually conceived while I was on a plane ride to Milwaukee. Yes, I know - such gruesome thoughts get into my head when I'm flying. It's no wonder I don't freak myself out. Please let me know your thoughts! I love feedback!!!
PS - I pretty much left this story open for continuation. I can think of several ways on how it can play out but I don't know... Do you think it needs a continuation?
