Dr. Brown walked into the kitchen and over to the cupboard. He got himself a glass and opened the refrigerator to see what they had to drink. Milk, that was good. He poured himself a glass and looked over to see Delia sitting at the kitchen table.
"What are you doing?" he asked walking over to her. She looked up at him.
"Homework," she replied. He looked at the book she was working out of. Geography.
"Good subject. Uh, what happened to you head?" he asked her, noticing the Band-Aid on her forehead.
"Bucky Gates hit me in the head with a dodge ball in gym class," she answered. Dr. Brown frowned.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her.
"It's okay, it didn't really hurt. The teacher cleaned it and everything. It's fine," she reassured him. He nodded, taking her word for it.
"Well, if you need any help…"
"I know, thanks Dad," she told him. He nodded, and walked out of the room, grabbing a few cookies for his milk, of course.
Desi sat glued in front of her computer screen. She read over her last few written lines while an odd assortment of songs came from the speakers on either side of her computer. She was getting very involved in this novel of hers. But she was enjoying it. She loved writing the scenes between Kamala and Nino. In the beginning, they'd have to hate each other. Have this sort of merry war where they crack jokes on each other and generally hate each other's guts. But, then, through Desi's plot they would be forced to depend completely on each other for their very lives, and they get used to each other so much, they know what the other will do without any warning. Then, at the very, very, very, very end, in one brief, quick, incredible moment, they realize they love each other and kiss. Desi had that scene already played out in her mind, she just had to get to it. It was this great scene, where the two of them snuck into the Eiffel Tower after nightfall, and they're standing at the very top looking up at the stars, and they kiss. Oh, beautiful! Desi threw herself into a fit of teenage girl giggles just thinking about it. It wasn't a normal romance. It wasn't like how a person usually finds love. But that's what made it great. There was nothing normal about it. If people wanted to experience real things, they'd go outside and talk to an actual person. But if they did that, her book would never sell. Desi cracked her knuckles and continued typing.
This was going to be a great book. She'd become a world famous novelist. It'd be made into a movie, and she could meet all of the big stars that would be in it. She'd get to go to the movie premiere, and be adored by everyone. Her name would mean 'money' in the book and movie industries. Everyone would love her. She'd have more friends then she could remember. Maybe, after a few years, she'd write her autobiography. She'd dedicate it to Christopher, of course. Or maybe Ephram. Hm… How would Ephram handle her fame? He didn't seem to handle his father's pretty well… No, she'd make sure she made time for him. He'd come first, her public second. They'd understand that.
Desi smiled thinking about Ephram. She had never had a boyfriend before. Actually, it was still kind of weird to say. She had a boyfriend. Weird… Desi let out a yell of surprise as she noticed that every time she was supposed to type 'Nino,' she had typed 'Ephram.' She deleted them and retyped it correctly. Maybe, one of these days, she'd name a character after Ephram. Maybe one for Jig too. One for Amy. Actually, ever since she started this novel, her head has been filling with other ideas. One is about a girl who is told she's Death. Another is about a girl who finds out all of the women in her family are angels, herself included. The other is about a mute woman whose sister is married to the President but purely for politics sake, but the Pres. and her end up falling in love. Another is about eight girls who are transplanted to this world where they're told they must rule. Another is about a woman who has to save God from hate. Then there's one about a knight of the Round Table who was actually a woman. And a redo of the Cupid and Psyche myth, which is like, Desi's favorite love story for some reason. But, obviously, Desi has tons of ideas. Hopefully she'd be able to get to them all. Hopefully, one at a time. Her mind was a run of a thousand ideas, all fighting and shoving and kicking their way into the limelight. Desi would lie awake at night, thinking about scenes. It was some sort of madness, it had to be.
For some reason Ephram woke up early Saturday morning. Well, it really wasn't due to 'some reason,' it was due to the fact that today was Ephram's sixteenth birthday. He got out of bed, rubbed his hair with his hand, and went to the bathroom. Both Delia's and Dr. Brown's doors were closed so Ephram dawdled downstairs. He became slightly unnerved as he walked through the foyer and into the living room. It looked like the entire downstairs had been covered in streamers and balloons, with wrapped gifts every where. He walked into the dining room to find Jig up on a ladder, taping some balloons to the ceiling. He walked up close to her.
"Jig?" he asked. She yelled out in surprise and fell backward off of the ladder. Lucky for her (and Ephram's heart), she fell right into Ephram's arms. Her feet and legs were still supported by the ladder, but he held her torso. She looked up at him grinning.
"Oh, hi Ephram. Happy birthday!" she told him.
"Jig! What the Hell are you doing on a ladder?" he yelled at her. Jig had been out of the hospital for a few days now, but she still needed a cane to walk, her legs being mostly, but not fully, healed. She laughed as she removed her feet from the ladder and stood up, grabbing her cane.
"I was putting up decorations, duh," she told him as the two looked around at the work she had already done.
"You weren't supposed to be up yet. Dr. Brown said you never got up on Saturdays before ten," she said. He shrugged.
"It's my birthday, I got up early. Where is everyone?" he asked her.
"Getting your cake."
"I get a cake too?"
"Of course you get a cake. Half chocolate, half vanilla. They even drew Ranma on it for you. I gave them a picture," she said smiling. Ephram rolled his eyes and sighed.
"An anime birthday cake…"
"Well yea, it's your Sweet Sixteen."
"No. No it's 'sweet' for girls, not boys."
"Strapping Sixteen then," she substituted. He nodded in approval.
"I like that," he told her. She smiled.
"Good. Now, there's something that's supposed to happen when you came downstairs, something I was supposed to do. Oh! Oh yea! Surprise!" she yelled, raising her arms in the air. He lowered her arms with his hands.
"Yea, thanks," he said. Her smile turned from one really cheesy one, to one that was really quite sweet.
"Though, seriously Ephram, happy birthday," she told him. He smiled.
"Thanks," he said as the front door opened and a rush of people walked in.
"Oh hey! Quiet down everyone, let's not wake him," Dr. Brown said in the lead, carrying the cake.
"Uh, Doc," Jig said as she and Ephram walked into the living room. The entourage came to a halt, seeing Ephram there.
"Aw damn…" Dr. Brown said.
"Jig!" Desi yelled at her.
"I was quiet! I swear!" Jig leapt to her own defense. Delia set down what she was carrying and walked over to them. She hugged Ephram.
"Happy birthday," she told him. He smiled.
"Thanks," he replied. Desi copied Delia's actions, only Desi kissed him briefly on the lips.
"Happy Sweet Sixteen, Ephram," Desi told him. Jig tapped her shoulder.
" 'Strapping Sixteen,' " Jig corrected her. Desi smiled and turned back to Ephram.
"Yes, of course," she said smiling. By now Dr. Brown had placed the cake down in the kitchen and returned. He walked over to his son and shook Ephram's hand.
"So much for a surprise party, huh? Happy birthday Ephram," Dr. Brown told him. Ephram nodded.
"Thanks Dad," Ephram said.
"For the record, he did look very surprised when I first saw him," Jig said. Ephram smirked but neither of them explained.
"Come on, let's open your presents!" Delia said pulling her sixteen-year-old brother to the couch.
Dr. Brown and Star were in the kitchen as Ephram opened all of his gifts. The brother and sister were cutting the sheet cake into a series of squares. Oddly, both of them cut exactly the same sized pieces. Every other cut or so they'd get frosting on their hands, and they both cleaned it off exactly the same way, they licked it off. Dr. Brown and Star never really resembled siblings while they were speaking, but in silence, the relationship was impossible to miss. They had so many of the same gestures, so many of the same facial expressions. They were brother and sister.
"You know, Andy, I couldn't help but notice that Waltz girl was using a cane. Has she always used that?" Star asked him, knowing every well the answer already.
"Who Jig? Well, no, actually. She's recovering from an illness that weakened her leg muscles."
"Oh, really? When did she get sick?"
"A little before Christmas, I think."
"Now was that before, or after Orrie left?" Star asked, getting to the information she really wanted. Dr. Brown watched his words, knowing his sister's games.
"Before, I think."
"So, I guess she didn't tell Orrie about it, then?"
"He was already gone by the time she woke up," he said, making sure he didn't say that Orrie not knowing had been Ephram's call.
"Ah…" she said in acknowledgment, nodding her head. The two fell silent for a few more moments.
"So, you're leaving today?" Dr. Brown asked her.
"Yea, yea. At five. We're driving to Denver, and then flying to Buffalo. Our things have already been sent, the house has been sold," she answered. He nodded his head.
"Things won't be the same without you," Dr. Brown told her. What? It was true!
"Well duh," Star replied.
