Chapter 5: Let The Truth Be Told
"He's been asleep an awfully long time." Nina spoke in a low tone as she shifted her glance from Ephram to her watch. "It's 4:30 now - so that means wow, he's been sleeping for over twenty-four hours straight?! Something's not right." She shifted nervously in her seat and crossed her left leg over her right knee. "Maybe we should wake him."
"No, don't do that. He's just sleeping as much as he can. It's the body's way of dealing with physical stress and pain. Let him sleep for a while longer." Andy darted a glance over at the bed where his unconscious son lay. "Give him time to heal his body."
"I'm just impatient. He looks horrible."
"Luckily, the spinal tap results show no signs of infection."
"Hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. He's too scrawny. I'm afraid to touch him thinking he might snap in half. He must be so under weight. I've got to feed him and put some meat on those bones. Nobody's gonna believe he's fifteen. He looks twelve." Nina rattled.
"He's probably that way because cooking has never been one of my strong points. Nothing I make for him is halfway edible or appetizing. This is coming from a guy who managed to screw up toast. But hey, with a little practice and advice, I've graduated from making fried eggs to omelets." Andy's eyes lit up hoping to impress Nina. "Then again, that's the only thing I know how to make right now and it would be silly to have that everyday. It won't be long before we be swapping recipes."
"How can you be so calm? You always seem like you're in control. Does it have something to do with being a doctor or what?" She eyed him suspiciously.
"Are you kidding? I'm a nervous wreck."
"Right, and you definitely show it." She exaggerated and made an "OK" sign with her fingers.
"No, really I am. I just hide it very well." Andy replied. "I'm glad your mom took Delia for a stroll in the park. A breath of fresh air will do the kid some good."
"Yea, but it was like pulling teeth to tear her away from Ephram. She's so cute."
"She didn't even want to go to the cafeteria to eat lunch because she was afraid to miss Ephram waking up. And that's pretty amazing for a girl who's always the first one to remind everyone it's lunchtime." Andy kept his voice low.
"Delia's sweet."
"They've always been close but I think Delia attached herself to Ephram especially after Julia died. Delia is the most forgiving person I know. I'll admit that I don't know her as well as I should, since I haven't been around and all that, but she doesn't let that reason stop her from giving me half a chance." Andy said. He folded his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. "It took Ephram here a while to come around though. But I would like to think we're getting there."
"Shut up." Ephram grumbled. He appeared to be in a troubled sleep. The words from the sick boy caught the adults' attention and they hovered over his bed anxious for him to wake.
"Ex-cuse me??" Andy said humorously to his son. Ephram moaned.
"You're talking too loud." Ephram blinked open his eyes to find two figures standing over him. He didn't have to guess who they were - he knew it was his father and Nina.
"Well, good afternoon sleeping beauty!" Andy joked. "How are you?"
"I have a bad headache." Ephram squinted. The medication was wearing off. The low drone of conversation added with the light from the room's fixtures and sunlight thru the window made his headache worse. He had to close his eyes to block the blinding glare. Sharp pain emanated from the base of his skull putting stress on his neck and shoulders. The ill feeling from the lack of drugs and sensitivity to light and sound made him dazed and woozy. "I'm going to pass out." He groaned bringing a concerned look on Nina's face.
"Hey, there will be no passing out here, you understand me?" Andy replied lovingly. "Your headache is just a side effect from the spinal tap. It's an imbalance of fluid pressure in your spine. The spinal fluid bathes your spinal cord. And because of the needle puncture to the inner tube, fluid leaks out. So an imbalance of pressure occurs. Tension is applied to your nerves so a headache is not uncommon. Here, drink some of this." Andy took a cup from the end table. It was a tall cup with a green bendable straw sticking out.
"I feel like I have a hangover." Ephram didn't have the patience to listen to his father's nerdy and elaborate explanation of the cause of this headache. He only knew his head was hurting - he didn't care where it came from, he just wanted it to go away.
"Wait a cotton pickin' minute. Howdy YOU know what them hangover feels like? You not tellin' me somepin, boy?" Andy kidded in the best southern cowboy drawl he could muster up. He was aiming for a smile from Ephram and had succeeded.
"Good one dad. Everwood needs a comedian." Ephram replied.
Without batting an eye, Ephram watched Nina prop him up by the shoulders. Her skin had a soft wild flowery scent. She always had on just the right amount of fragrance - neither too strong nor too weak. Though, it wasn't Nina's style to douse herself with excessive perfume. Ephram was intoxicated by her pleasant smell. He held back a smile. The delicate smell reminded him so much of his mother. His mother always smelled nice no matter where she went - whether it was to a fancy social function or around the corner to the Duane Reade for a tube of toothpaste. That hint of sweet pea would follow her everywhere. Each time he hugged her, he would catch a whiff of that very scent. It was the calming smell that reassured him everything was going to be alright. He missed that smell.
Nina kept up her hopeful smile. He didn't mind being so weak that he had to completely rely on her to stay propped up. He was like a giant ragged doll dangling in her arms. Andy brought the straw to Ephram's lips as Nina held the cup. Ephram's sultry throat was parched and a big gulp of ice cold water would be just the thing he needed. Assuming it was cold water, Ephram thirstily sucked hard on the straw. He had not anticipated the liquid to be other than water nor did he bother to look into the cup to see what he was drinking. His undivided attention had been on Nina's graceful movements the entire time. After drawing up the first gulp, the sharp tart liquid went up his windpipe. He coughed and choked violently spraying Nina's hand with the sticky substance. Andy took back the cup and grabbed some paper towels to wipe up the mess.
Ephram didn't have the energy to cough but he had to relieve the obstruction in his trachea. After all, his chest was still tight and tingly from recovering from the pulmonary embolism. His hacking cough rattled and shook every inch of the boy's frail body. Little tears spewed from the corner of his eyes as he tightly squeezed his eyelids shut. After his gagging and coughing fit, he leaned the back of his head against Nina's shoulder drained of energy. He was putty in Nina's arms. They watched attentively until he got his strength back.
"Take it easy. Slow down. There we go." Nina said rubbing his back in a circular motion with her hand to ease the discomfort.
"Sorry." He said sheepishly as he cleared his throat several times. A little embarrassed, he wiped the liquid off his chin with the back of his left hand. Andy wiped his son's mouth and hands with the paper towels.
"Don't apologize. Are you ok now?" She cooed. "That cough sounded terrible."
"Geez, that hurts." Ephram rubbed his chest and winced.
"I'll bet." Andy raised an eyebrow. "What were you trying to do? Cough up your kidneys?"
"That's not water." Ephram stated as he noted the sweet bubbly aftertaste.
"No kidding." Andy beamed. "It's Coca Cola. The caffeine will help lessen your headache." Andy explained. "Ready for round two?" Andy said holding out the cup towards Ephram. "Maybe this time you won't shoot it out your nose."
"Very funny dad." Ephram's voice squeaked.
"Bottom's up, kid." Andy said.
Ephram obediently drank the remainder of the soda. Once he was done, Nina lay him down and pulled up the covers to his chest. He croaked out a loud burp, which, in reality, would've been quite vulgar, but given the circumstances, anything Ephram did seemed cute to the adults.
"Young man!" Nina flashed a smile and pretended to be dumbfounded. "Burping now are we?"
"Didn't it feel better to get that out of your system?" Andy ruffled Ephram's hair. Ephram smiled and stared at his father with his big glassy greenish-gray eyes.
"How's your headache?" Nina asked.
"Still there, but it's a bit better now." Ephram replied. He stared at his legs.
The dreadful question had been bouncing back and forth in his restless mind like the dot in an old Atari video game for a long time. Part of him didn't want to know the answer mostly because he was afraid of the truth. Deep down in the pit of his gut, he knew that truth. Hope was all he had and his grasp on it was slipping. He's seen the way his father avoided the topic the last time he tried to ask. He's seen the pained expression on Nina's face like a car just squished her pet cat. Even Delia's sudden overbearing attachment to him insinuated something very wrong. His question lingered - Will he ever walk again? He wanted to just come right out and ask but he didn't know how or even if he would get a straight answer. Whatever the outcome, he needed to be brave and take the truth like a man. But how could he? He was just a boy. His life had yet to begin and already, he may be deprived of a function so basic and fundamental like walking. The fate of his way of life was on trial. Things were about to change - he felt it. How could Ephram face his father with tears in his eyes when told he won't be able to walk again?
"I'll go wash my hands. You gonna be ok?" Nina said to Ephram. He nodded. She knew Andy needed a moment alone with his son. "I'll be back in a while." She left the room.
Now, there was only silence as Ephram waited for his father to take the first stab at conversation. He only stared at the old tired bearded face before him with a heavy heart. Andy took a seat at the edge of Ephram's bed.
"You know, Delia is really anxious to see you. You've got one loyal fan there. She was stuck to you like crazy glue the whole time." Andy said trying to lighten the mood. "We had to use a crowbar to pry her away from you. And remember that teddy bear you won for her? Well, she won't part with it only because of the fact that YOU gave it to her. You should've seen what happened when I tried to take it away. It was like this cute and sweet 8 year old turning into an instant Freddy Krueger. Warning - do not get on Delia's bad side. It's not a pretty sight - I tell you. Be VERY afraid. I never knew she had such sharp nails. She takes that thing everywhere. Even to the bathroom."
"Dad - " Ephram cut off. He felt the hot tears behind his eyeballs ready to pour down his face.
"What?" Andy sounded surprised.
"You're stalling." Ephram's voice shook. "I want to know about my legs."
"Ephram. It's only been two days."
"Tell me dad. I want to know." A tear had already escaped the barriers of his eyes.
"Look, Ephram." Andy paused in hesitation. He didn't want to add to his son's distress. His son was in no condition to take more bad news. The tears were already starting their journey down the poor boy's pallid cheeks.
"There's no way to sugar-coat it. I'm never going to walk again, am I?" Ephram bit his lip as he searched for the truth in his father's eyes. "I just need to hear it from you."
"The blood clots seem to be dissolving nicely and as expected. However, there are complications with the healing process of your spinal contusion. Your X-ray and CT scan results show that when you fell, additional pressure was applied to the injury site causing damage to some nerve fibers. It will take time for your body to repair them."
"So, is that a yes or no?" Ephram hated the suspense.
"All I can say for now is that any likelihood of recovery diminishes after six months." Andy eyes hardened.
"You're avoiding the question again." Ephram muttered. "Please dad."
"Ephram, I want to believe that one day you will be able to walk again. I just can't give you a definite answer right now." Andy blurted. "What I'm saying is, you have a good chance to regain the strength and motor function in your legs though it's not going to happen overnight. No one knows how long - several years maybe. But for the time being, you will need to depend on a wheelchair to get around. Your legs don't have the inherent capacity to hold up your body. At least for now." Andy said. "I'm sorry, Ephram."
The word 'wheelchair' danced around in his head. His nightmare was coming true. The contraption he detested the most was something he is going to continuously rely and depend on for years to come. The very thing that hurt his pride was taking over his life.
"But I can feel my legs. I just can't move them. I'm able to move my toes though." Ephram swallowed the massive salty lump caught in his throat.
"Yes, that is naturally a good sign. It means the circulation is back and your body is healing from the blood clot. But like I said, your legs are not strong enough to hold up your body. You will have to go thru extensive rehab before you can even stand up on your own." Andy saw the tears brimming in his son's eyes. "I don't want to rule out any slight possibility that you will recover. If you show signs of improvement within the first six months, it increases the chances of recovery." He was trying to give him hope.
Andy saw the despair in Ephram's eyes. Ephram closed his eyes and turned his head. His eyebrows shook and chin quivered. The sturdy dam he built to prevent the tears from slipping was slowly crumbling.
"Ephram?" Andy's concern grew.
"Dad, I'd like to be alone." Ephram said calmly.
"I'm not leaving you alone Ephram. I won't leave you."
"I'll be alright. I just need a moment. Please?" His tears had begun.
"Ephram. Look at me." Andy tried to comfort his son.
"I can't. I can't look at you." Ephram stifled a small sob. "Please. Let me alone." He begged. "Just for a while."
"Is that what you really want?" Andy questioned. Ephram nodded. "OK, then. But only for a few minutes. I'll be right outside." Andy added. He thought twice about staying and decided to head for the door. Just as he reached for the doorknob, he turned his head to face Ephram. "Son, I love you." Andy said.
"Yea. I know." Ephram mumbled as his eyes blinked out a few droplets of tears. As soon as Ephram heard the door close, he exploded into tears and sobs. His whole world caved in on him. He tried to cover his eyes with his hands but the cruel tears seeped passed the gaps of his fingers.
*** Outside Looking In ***
Nina strolled down the hall after a visit to the washroom to get the sticky soda off her hands. She made sure Andy and Ephram had enough private time before she barged in on them again. They probably had things to talk about that were not meant for her ears. She turned around the corridor and stopped short when she found Andy loitering outside of Ephram's room peering thru the small rectangular window apparently watching his son from the outside.
"What's going on? Why are you out here?" Nina asked while she approached Andy. "You told him." Nina said as-a-matter-of-factly judging from Andy's serious expression.
"I had to. He wanted to know the truth so badly. And he deserved to know." Andy jammed his hands into his white lab coat and continued to stare pass the window.
"How did he take the news?" Nina folded her arms.
"Not good." He turned to face Nina. "Maybe I shouldn't have told him so fast. Maybe I should have waited until he was feeling better. I don't know what to do any more." He doubted himself.
"Andy, don't be so hard on yourself." Nina touched his arm. "The last thing Ephram wants is to be lied to. He trusts you."
"I want to be there for him but he won't let me. He kicked me out of his room, Nina. He said he wanted to be by himself. I'm not sure if I did the right thing by letting him alone like that. Look at him." Andy nodded towards the window.
Nina peeked thru the window to see Ephram's shoulders shaking with each sob. "Poor kid."
"I can't stand to see him sobbing like that and there's no one to hold him. We should be with him." Andy already had his hands on the doorknob.
"Wait Andy. Give him a moment. I think he needs a moment." Nina suggested. Andy gave her a confused look.
"Do you ever notice the way he acts so brave in front of you? Like he can handle everything all by himself?" Nina questioned. She nodded her head and waited until Andy slowly bobbed his head in an agreeing fashion.
"Don't you see? He's found a good quality in you to model after. Andy, your son wants to be strong and fearless like you. I'm not saying it's a bad thing but because of that, he hides his feelings all too well and refuses to accept help from anyone. Ephram's at such a young age - he shouldn't be thinking that way. Sometimes, he acts like he's ambivalent about everything, like he doesn't care - even in front of you. Truth is, he does care. He needs help and guidance but he's too ashamed to ask for it. He doesn't know that it's ok to be vulnerable. I don't think he wants you to see him crying and bawling like a baby. You are the man he looks up to and wants to gain approval from the most. And for you to see him at his weakest moment, he thinks he has disappointed you. You see yourself as a screw up in his life and it might've started out that way but I think little by little, you're rubbing off on the kid. He's beginning to learn that there is more to you than what he sees in plain sight."
"What? How do you know?" Andy was taken aback by the comment. "I mean, I never thought of it that way before."
"Some things are easier to see when you're on the outside looking in. The view is very clear from here, Andy." She winked. "Let him blow off some steam."
"Wow. So, you really think Ephram looks up to me?" Andy leaned the back of his head against the door. Andy was surprised he didn't possess the insight that Nina had.
"Oh yes. He does. You're a remarkable man. Don't think that Ephram doesn't see it. But don't expect him to show it either. The Brown pride seems to run in the family." Nina pursed her lips. "And something else, he respects you. You think he doesn't because he's always trying to tick you off, but he's starting to know where you're coming from. People show affection in different ways Andy. Annoying you is just his way of showing his affection for you."
"You know, you've got a knack for analyzing people. You'd make a great psychiatrist. Nina, how did you get so damn smart?"
"Ha - I'm a woman. It's called woman's intuition. That's how."
"Are we, outsiders, so easy to figure out?"
"No, your type is the hardest - so reserved and withdrawn." Nina wrinkled her nose. "Ephram needs our support. We've got to be strong for him. We'll do whatever it takes."
*** Battle Scars ***
The next couple days were most difficult for Ephram as he let the idea of being wheelchair bound sink into his head. The thoughts revolved around and haunted him every waking moment. And when he grew weary of thinking about his situation, he passed the time by sleeping. Sleep was his only escape and he found comfort in it even when he wasn't tired. Ephram often used sleep as an excuse to get everyone out of the room and leave him alone. Sometimes, when he heard someone enter the room, he would close his eyes and pretend he was asleep. He felt his life had unsuspectingly hit a gargantuan iceberg and he was drowning in the cold icy waters. He didn't feel the desire to live anymore. Hence, he withdrew himself from the ones he loved. The answers to questions asked of him were kept to a minimal. Smiling and happiness no longer existed for Ephram no matter how his father tried to be funny and provoke laughter. He would only turn his head, find a spot in the corner of the ceiling and stare at it. There had been not a single tear shed since the day his father told him the news. Both Andy and Nina were very worried. No one knew what to do.
"Ephram. I brought you some lunch." Nina called as she entered the room. She set the metal tray of food on the rolling over the bed table.
Standing in the middle of the room, she stared at the boy lying on his side with his back facing her. His flimsy backless top flung wide open exposing his knobby backbone and brittle shoulder blades protruding under his pale skin. The elastic waistband of his pants was low enough to reveal the long narrow pink scar trailing about five inches in his lower back - an unpleasant souvenir and reminder of the spinal surgery. And right below it was a white bandage covering the area where the spinal tap had been done.
'Battle scars. He's too young to have battle scars.' Nina thought and shook her head. Ephram had been able to turn his torso onto his side, but his legs toppled over each other in a twisted manner. He had not stirred since she had walked in. His breathing was stable and appeared as though he was asleep.
"Ephram?" Nina said softly. She couldn't see his face to tell whether he was really sleeping or pretending to be sleeping.
"I'm not hungry." Ephram murmured without moving.
"But you have to eat, honey." Nina lifted the cover on his food tray. "Let's see what we have here - hmm, looks like we have turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy today. And Ooo - blue Jell-O! I know you're partial to hospital cuisine, but it can't be that bad. Smells decent."
"Then you eat it." Ephram retorted with no emotion. Nina recovered the steaming tray and walked towards Ephram's bed. She realized how small Ephram's body was compared to the bed. The bed could easily fit two Ephrams comfortably. Nina took a seat on his bed.
"Honey, will you try and eat something?" Nina urged. She looked at the crown of his head where rumpled dark hair stuck up from leaning against the pillow too long.
"I said I'm not hungry." Ephram muttered. "Did my dad send you?"
"I would be lying if I said no. He's just worried about you. We all are. You won't talk. You won't eat. You don't want to see anyone." Nina stared at his pointy hairline at the nape of his neck. "Amy and Colin came by again this morning to see you."
"I don't wanna see them."
"They weren't the only ones asking about you, you know. Edna, Irv, and Dr. Abbott also wanted to know how you were doing. The Abbott's and the Hart's only came back from their Hawaiian vacation a few days ago but when they heard what happened, they all flocked over to inquire about you. Even Bright came. I don't know why you don't want to see any of them. They were devastated!"
"I don't need anyone to feel sorry for me. I don't want their pity or guilt."
"They care about you. I care about you."
"Why can't everyone just leave me alone?" Ephram whispered.
"Ephram, is that what you want? Do you want ME to leave you alone?" Nina's said sternly. "And I was beginning to think you liked my attention."
"I'm tired now." Ephram mumbled after a short pause.
"Well, I'm not leaving until I squeeze a nice conversation out of you." She persisted.
"I'm not feeling well."
"C'mon, you can fool everyone else with that line, but do you think you could really fool me? You're pretending to be tired so you can get rid of me. I tell ya, it's not going to be that easy. Snap out of it Ephram. Stop kidding around. I mean it." Nina shot back hoping to get a dramatic response.
"I'm - " Ephram sighed trying to suppress a shaky voice as tears swelled in his throat. "I - " He tried again, but realized his voice was cracking so he just heaved another sigh and gave up. She waited for another sound out of the boy. But he was silent.
"Ephram?" Nina said after her attempt at reverse psychology failed. More silence. A slight touch of panic crept under her skin as she continued to stare at the back of the boy's head. What if he really was sick and she was being so mean to him? What if he's not pretending? "Sweetie, are you alright?" No reply.
Nina reached over and felt Ephram's forehead to see if he had a temperature. He didn't have a fever, however, he did have a face wet with tears. It wasn't long before his body shook as he sobbed into his pillow.
"Oh Ephram. I didn't mean to be so cross with you. I just wanted you to talk to me." Nina apologized and rubbed his shoulder. "You are my soft spot and I can never really be mad at you."
For the first time, Ephram turned his torso around to face her with humiliating red and swollen eyes. Looked like he'd been crying for hours. "I don't want you to leave." He blubbered.
"I never planned to." Nina replied and embraced him with a comforting motherly hug. Ephram cried miserably into her shoulder and soaked her blouse thru with tears. Nina held him for as long as he needed. "That's good. Let it all out. You need to cry." She smoothed his hair while he choked on his sobs. "It's going to be ok." Nina said as his uncontrollable cries became even harder upon Nina's caring touch and gentle solace. He remembered the last time he cried this hard - it was at his mother's funeral. And the only one to comfort him then was his grandmother.
"I'm sorry." Ephram bellowed. "Sorry for everything."
"Sshh, nothing's your fault. You didn't do anything wrong." Nina hushed. She stroked his neck. "There, there. You're a good boy. Yes, you are." She whispered.
"I'm so scared." He sobbed.
"I feel your pain and grief, baby, don't think that I don't. I know you're very scared, but I'm always going to be here whenever you need me." She lulled.
It's been too long since Ephram's been soothed and consoled. The year and a half without a mother had been the most difficult and challenging time for him. He was drifting aimlessly and falling deeper and deeper into the dark void where he felt out of touch with his emotions and those around him. He needed a safety net to catch him and there was no one - until Nina came along. The numbing feeling was gone. All he really needed was to be told that things are going to be alright and that someone cared. Ephram had a father to tell him all this and more, but he was so distant with him. Then again, he hadn't known Nina for very long either but there was something different about a mother's love that was hard to explain. It was a tenderness that Ephram yearned for.
"I love you." He murmured in desperation. This sudden group of words caught Nina in a stupor. She hadn't expected the boy to say those words to her. It was apparent that she had earned his love. She looked down at the weeping boy shivering in her arms and smiled.
"Love you too." Nina wasn't sure if Ephram heard her thru his sobs. She hoped he did.
When the faucets of his eyes gradually ended the waterworks and the uncontrollable sobbing calmed down, Nina let him go. She put her hands on his cheeks and wiped the remaining tears away with her thumbs. "Listen to me Ephram. Your father says you have a good chance at regaining the use of your legs. No one knows how long it's going to take - it could be a year from now or five years from now. Progress depends on time and effort, ok? So just think of this as a temporary situation. But I'm not going to lie to you. Things ARE going to be different from now on. You're going to need a lot of help in the upcoming months - everything from rehab to getting around. Your father, Delia, even Sam, and I want you to know that we will be right there by your side. We're all here to help you so anything you need, even if it's a very tiny thing, you ask. And don't push us away, OK?"
Ephram nodded with quivering lips. "Thanks." He whimpered.
"It's ok if you want to cry sometimes. Crying is a normal, healthy part of life. Nobody's going to see you any differently if you show your sadness. Even a stone-faced man like your father has a weak spot. You would think he never sheds a single tear, but then you didn't see him when you were lying on the hospital bed after your spinal surgery with so many tubes sticking out of you, that you resembled a human pincushion. He was bawling like a baby."
"Yea?" Ephram could never picture his father to be the emotional type. Even at his mother's funeral, he was somber but well composed. He dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief occasionally but he never came right out and bawled in front of everyone. It took Ephram's near death incident to break out all those emotions his father had securely locked up in his heart.
"Yea. He did. So, it's quite alright for you to cry. And don't worry, once you get the hang of everything, it'll be ok. I promise." Nina hugged him again and kissed him on the forehead. "Better?"
Ephram sucked in the thick nasal drip in his nose and wiped the rest of the tears away with his hands. "Yea, I'm ok now." He said.
"Good. Now let's get some food into you." She said and pulled the rolling over the bed table over. She lifted the food-cover and showed Ephram the entrée. He stuck his tongue out in disgust. "It's really not that bad!!" Nina laughed as she started to cut the turkey into bite-size portions with a fork and knife. "Tell you what, if you eat all your meals for the next two days, I'll try to smuggle in some Chef Nina specialties for you. How's that sound?"
"Really?? You can do that?" Ephram's raised his eyebrows.
"I'll see what I can do. Have to check with your father first though." Nina smiled. "Open wide." She then fed a forkful of turkey into Ephram's mouth. "Chew it before you swallow. Your stomach doesn't have teeth, you know." He wasn't used to being spoon-fed, after all, he wasn't a baby and it looked kind of silly. But for a change, being vulnerable and sick wasn't so bad. Besides, Nina didn't seem to mind feeding him his lunch. In fact, she almost enjoyed it a little too much. Ephram's heart felt a spark of joy. He found a mom.
Nina eyed the rectangular window in the door and caught a glimpse of Andy's pleased face. She knew he had been watching the entire time. It was initially Andy's idea to let Nina have a try at getting Ephram to open up. If anyone can be that insistent and persuasive, it was Nina. She not only had she gotten him to release his bottled feelings, she also got him to eat. Andy was impressed and relieved at the same time. He made a mental reminder to take her out to a nice restaurant for dinner once things calmed down. Nina flashed a smile at Andy telling him that everything was looking up now. He returned the smile.
*** Lessons Learned ***
Although Ephram became slightly more talkative in his family's presence thereafter, there were times when he still wallowed in self-pity and grief. Those were usually the moments when he was left alone. His sleeping patterns had become more regular and his appetite started to return. It was thanks to Nina's cooking that made Ephram recover his desire for food. She brought him his meals everyday. A healthy glow eventually developed on his cheeks. Ephram was still not very open to receiving his visitors. It wasn't like people were chartering buses to come see him, but he was self- conscious about people he knew seeing him this way.
He decided to allow Amy to see him. He was most curious on Amy's reaction to this tragedy. But to his disappointment, she always had Colin in tow. Amy and Colin resembled Siamese twins - practically joined at the hip. There was not a single place one went without the other. Not one spare moment left Amy alone with Ephram. Colin was always there right by her side. It was a reality check that she belonged to Colin. Ephram didn't expect anything different. Amy was Amy. She seemed unusually nice but he sensed there was more guilt that prompted her actions than genuine friendship. She'd broken his heart, now she wanted to do right by piecing it back together. Everyone knows you can't glue back a shattered vase and expect it to look like brand new. Even an idiot knows it would never look the same.
Colin was trying so hard to be a friend. He was the expert on reassurance that odds don't matter and all that mumbo-jumbo about acing recovery - always the annoying Colin-optimism - the whole if-I-can-do-it-so-can-you attitude made Ephram sick. It was a total waste for Colin not to vie for the cheerleading squad. Colin's pep talks were something else - a natural Richard Simmons - and being in a similar situation a few months ago, made him the likely spokesman for miracles. Ephram didn't know whether to be jealous of the guy or be pals with him. He just let Colin do his preaching. Ephram didn't have the heart to say 'shut-up already!' Especially since he's heard the spiel a gazillion times by his family, the doctors and nurses, even his physical therapist. He nodded politely and kept saying 'yea' - in one ear and out the other. When he grew weary of watching Amy and Colin together, he would yawn and pull the "I'm so tired" routine. That usually got them out of the room in a heartbeat. Neither of them knew how to act in front of a newly disabled person.
Andy and Nina both felt Ephram shouldn't be left alone. Ephram was the most depressed when left in his solitude. There was too much time for him to think melancholy thoughts. This was where Delia came in. Delia often spent the afternoon with her brother. She was the only one that was capable of truly making him laugh. At first, Ephram was just humoring his sister. He didn't want to brush her off like he did Amy and Colin. Delia wanted to be with him. After a while, he had grown to enjoy the company of his new companion.
Ephram laughed harder and joked more. Each afternoon, they would find something to amuse themselves with. He kept his sister entertained with his talking dog shadows he made with his hands against the light. Other times were spent talking, playing video games or board games, and reading books to each other. Ephram made Delia laugh by giving a silly voice to her blue teddy bear - the one she lugs around with her everywhere. Ephram and Delia often took naps together when pure exhaustion took over their bodies. Andy and Nina frequently spied on the twosome to see what they were up to. There was one instance that both adults could recall that touched Andy's heart.
Ephram and Delia were playing a competitive game of UNO on top of the rolling over-the-bed table using Oreo cookies as wagering chips. They sat across each other with Delia's fuzzy blue teddy bear sitting on the end - apparently also participating in the game. Stuck to Ephram's forehead was a black "wild" UNO card. Delia's forehead had the yellow "skip" card. Even the bear had a green "3" card stuck to its forehead. It was a serious game of UNO going on from what Andy and Nina could tell by looking thru the rectangular glass window on the door. And judging from the neat tall stack of Oreo cookies, it looked like the bear was doing all the winning. Everything was going along well. Until Delia said something excruciatingly funny to cause Ephram to burst out laughing so hard that he ended up choking on his own spit. He was coughing so horrendous that his eyes nearly popped out of his head. It wasn't good for him to cough so hard, especially since he was recovering from a pulmonary embolism. Ephram sat bent forward coughing into his left fist while his right arm hugged his chest. Andy was ready to rush into the room to the rescue when Nina held him back and told him to watch what happens.
They watched Delia rush to Ephram's side and rubbed his back in a gentle massaging motion. She mouthed a few inaudible words to her brother and he replied as the coughing lessened. She then went to the end table and poured a glass of water for Ephram. He took a sip and handed the glass back to Delia. He leaned back on his bed to catch his breath. And before long, he was back in the game, laughing and joking with his sister.
Andy shot an astonished glance at Nina. Delia knew exactly what to do. She took care of her brother. Andy shook his head and swore Delia would make a terrific nurse some day. It's only natural that a proud father would think it'd be nice if one of his children followed in his footsteps in the medical profession. Nina had already known Delia was capable of helping. It was she that approached Nina to inquire about what to do if a certain situation should arise with Ephram when no grown up was around. Nina explained to her the emergencies versus the non-emergencies.
Ephram became more energetic as Delia continued to spend her afternoons with her favorite brother. That is, until school began. Delia wanted to quit school until Ephram got out of the hospital, but her father refused at the absurd idea. However, as a compromise, Nina brought Delia to see her brother after recess everyday.
His daily routine was rehab in the mornings for one hour, sponge bath at promptly 10:45 am, lunch with Nina, visit from Delia, visits from Amy and Colin every other day, dinner party with Andy, Nina, Delia and Sam, and through out the day were lingering visits from Nina and Andy. But ever since school had begun, from the moment after lunch until 3 pm were the hardest times of the day to pass - these were the hours he usually spent with Delia. If he wasn't taking a nap, he was listening to his MP3, or practicing his range of movement in his toes and ankles. He had been doing well with rehab. They didn't allow him to do anything too strenuous yet - just a lot of toe wiggling and knee bending with the help of a physical therapist. The effort in moving his legs forced him to literally sweat bullets but nonetheless, he was getting somewhere and his father praised him to the sky. Soon enough he would have to fit learning how to maneuver himself in a wheelchair into his daily routine - a necessary task he dreaded.
One restless afternoon, as he waited for his MP3 player to recharge its batteries, Ephram decided to do a little experiment. He didn't understand why his physical therapist wasn't allowing him to stand or try walking yet. It was very obvious that he had mastered pointing and flexing his feet as well as rotating his ankles. Ephram was feeling a little too brave and confident that day and took a risk on trying to stand up by himself.
'I mean, how hard could it be? Surely I can stand on my own two feet.' Ephram thought. 'I'll surprise my dad.'
A surprise was definitely in stored for Andy alright.
Ephram sat up in his bed. He dug his hands under each leg and swung each leg over the side of his bed slowly one at a time. Who knew a leg could be so heavy. His bare feet dangled about six inches above the shiny tiled floor. He discovered the drawstring pant he had on was a bit too long on him as his toes scantily peeked out of each pant leg.
'OK, it's now or never. It's too late to turn back.' Ephram heroically thought. He knotted his fingers together and crackled his knuckles. He took a couple of quick deep breaths and was ready for his reckless venture. Carefully, he slid off the bed placing each foot on the floor slowly to gain footing.
His feet were firmly planted on the floor much to his surprise. All he had to do to complete his brave attempt was to not lean on the mattress. 'And they said I couldn't walk. Someone's been lying to me.' Ephram thought boldly.
The first step he took was his last. The very second he released his grasp of the mattress, he lost his balance altogether. His legs collapsed under his body. He landed on his stomach with a loud splat as his soft flesh hit against the slippery tiles. He groaned at the soreness resulting from his stomach's impact with the hard floor. He struggled to push himself up and realized he had taken his entire blanket down with him. The blanket was tangled around his body like a snake coiled around its prey. He didn't know if it was harder to unravel from the blanket or trying to lift his upper body. He knew exactly how an overturned turtle felt. His left shoulder was smarting from the fall. Somehow, he figured then that it was a bad idea to get out of bed. 'Fine mess you've gotten yourself into this time, Mr. Genius.' He thought. He couldn't lie on the floor until someone came for him. He thought about yelling for help, only no one would hear him since the walls were sound proof. The button to call for the nurse was miles away. He concentrated in making his legs move but it was useless. How was he going to get back on his bed?
Coincidentally, Andy dropped by to check on Ephram. He opened the door expecting to find his son in bed, but instead, the bed was empty. Andy quickly glanced around the room and to his horror, he found Ephram sprawled across the middle of the floor.
"Ephram!" Andy exclaimed and kneeled down by his son's side.
"Uh, hi dad." Ephram said hoping his father wasn't too angry with him.
"What on earth are you doing on the floor?" Andy said untwining the blanket around Ephram's body and threw it onto the bed.
"I was bored and thought I'd go for a walk." Ephram said sheepishly.
"My God, do you want to give yourself another injury?! You know better than to pull a stunt like that." Andy turned his son over gently.
"Everyone keeps telling me my legs don't work. I just wanted to prove them wrong. I guess they were right." Ephram explained while trying to sit up.
"It's too early to tell, Ephram." Andy replied. "Easy there. Let's get you back into bed first." Andy scooped up Ephram with one robust arm around the armpit and the other under the knees. Ephram was so light that it was easy to pick him up without difficulty.
"I need to walk dad. I've already missed too many days of school. I'll never catch up." He complained.
"Walking takes time and therapy. Remember, Rome wasn't built in one day." He placed Ephram on the mattress gingerly. "Oh, I don't think there will be a lack of homework for you when you get back to school - if that's what you're worried about." Andy teased. "I talked with the principal and he understands the situation. He also sends his regards, by the way." Andy scrutinized his son. "Did you hurt yourself?" He asked after a pause.
"I'm fine."
"Oh yea? Then why are you rubbing your shoulder?" Andy pointed out. Ephram had been absentmindedly kneading his shoulder for quite some time now.
"Huh? Oh. I dunno. It's nothing." Ephram mumbled taking his hand away from his sore shoulder.
"I better have a look at it." Andy insisted. He pulled the back of Ephram's gown over to examine his son's shoulder. "Hmm, let this be a lesson to you. Don't try to do stupid things without someone here." Andy scolded when he realized it was only a minor bruise.
"Just the men I wanted to see. Wait till you guys taste this. My very own creation, marshmallow choco - " Nina's voice trailed off as she whirled into the room holding a large foil pan of baked goodies. "What's going on?" She questioned seriously when she caught Andy tending to Ephram's shoulder.
"Oh, hey Nina! The boy wonder here thinks he can run before he can walk. He got out of the bed assuming he could walk only to end up falling down on the floor and hurting himself. It was a good thing I was coming to check on him otherwise, who knows how long he would've been lying on the floor." Andy shook his head in disbelief.
"Ephram, what were you thinking?!" Nina gasped. Having nothing to say for himself, Ephram shrugged. "It's all red!" Nina observed the red blotch developing on Ephram's shoulder.
"It's not that bad. I bruise easily." Ephram said innocently. "What'd you bring?" He switched his attention to the sweet aroma of desserts coming from the foil pan Nina held.
"Marshmallow chocolate chip cookies. Don't change the subject." Nina replied. "Ephram, it's very dangerous what you did. And alone at that. What if you broke a bone or knocked yourself unconscious - then what? This is serious. Walking is not something you should attempt at your whim. You will walk when your physical therapist says you can." Nina lectured.
"Sorry." Ephram muttered under his breath and looked down sadly at his blanket regretting he ever got out of bed in the first place. He didn't mean to cause so much trouble. His father yelling him was one thing, (since he did it all the time - he was used to it) but he definitely couldn't take Nina yelling at him too.
"Forgiven." Nina said after raising Ephram's chin with her index finger. "Just don't do it again, ok?" Her smile gave him the official sign that she wasn't mad at him. Ephram nodded. "Does it hurt?" Nina finally asked.
"No. It's fine, really. Well, kinda sore." He admitted.
"I'll get some ointment for that bruise and some milk to go with those cookies." Andy said pointing to Ephram then to the cookies Nina placed on the table. "Nina, do me a favor and keep Mr. Daredevil out of trouble. No more embarking on mindless adventures while I'm gone."
"I'll keep an eye on him." Nina laughed while fixing Ephram's top. "If he tries anything again, we'll put bed rails up."
Ephram had a lot of things to be thankful for. He was ultimately satisfied that his father and Nina were so fond of him. It was silly to think his father wouldn't be fond of him in the first place. Strange things ran through teenaged boys' minds. They had their doubts about everything, even their own parent's love. Ephram savored each moment of the rest of that day because it's only a matter of time before his introduction to his new best friend - his wheelchair.
* end of chapter 5 *
Author's Note: I know some of you are probably wondering where Amy fits into this story. Please note that my initial intention is to write a story dealing with Ephram/Andy/Nina/Delia. I'm going to leave the romantic Ephram/Amy storylines up to my fellow Everwood fanfic authors to write. However, out of necessity, I'm going to squeeze the Three Musketeers or Three Stooges (whichever you prefer) - namely Amy, Colin, and Bright - into a minuscule scene in my upcoming chapter (6). Thanks for reading!! I love reading all your reviews! They definitely help me keep going!!! Until next chapter.
"He's been asleep an awfully long time." Nina spoke in a low tone as she shifted her glance from Ephram to her watch. "It's 4:30 now - so that means wow, he's been sleeping for over twenty-four hours straight?! Something's not right." She shifted nervously in her seat and crossed her left leg over her right knee. "Maybe we should wake him."
"No, don't do that. He's just sleeping as much as he can. It's the body's way of dealing with physical stress and pain. Let him sleep for a while longer." Andy darted a glance over at the bed where his unconscious son lay. "Give him time to heal his body."
"I'm just impatient. He looks horrible."
"Luckily, the spinal tap results show no signs of infection."
"Hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. He's too scrawny. I'm afraid to touch him thinking he might snap in half. He must be so under weight. I've got to feed him and put some meat on those bones. Nobody's gonna believe he's fifteen. He looks twelve." Nina rattled.
"He's probably that way because cooking has never been one of my strong points. Nothing I make for him is halfway edible or appetizing. This is coming from a guy who managed to screw up toast. But hey, with a little practice and advice, I've graduated from making fried eggs to omelets." Andy's eyes lit up hoping to impress Nina. "Then again, that's the only thing I know how to make right now and it would be silly to have that everyday. It won't be long before we be swapping recipes."
"How can you be so calm? You always seem like you're in control. Does it have something to do with being a doctor or what?" She eyed him suspiciously.
"Are you kidding? I'm a nervous wreck."
"Right, and you definitely show it." She exaggerated and made an "OK" sign with her fingers.
"No, really I am. I just hide it very well." Andy replied. "I'm glad your mom took Delia for a stroll in the park. A breath of fresh air will do the kid some good."
"Yea, but it was like pulling teeth to tear her away from Ephram. She's so cute."
"She didn't even want to go to the cafeteria to eat lunch because she was afraid to miss Ephram waking up. And that's pretty amazing for a girl who's always the first one to remind everyone it's lunchtime." Andy kept his voice low.
"Delia's sweet."
"They've always been close but I think Delia attached herself to Ephram especially after Julia died. Delia is the most forgiving person I know. I'll admit that I don't know her as well as I should, since I haven't been around and all that, but she doesn't let that reason stop her from giving me half a chance." Andy said. He folded his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. "It took Ephram here a while to come around though. But I would like to think we're getting there."
"Shut up." Ephram grumbled. He appeared to be in a troubled sleep. The words from the sick boy caught the adults' attention and they hovered over his bed anxious for him to wake.
"Ex-cuse me??" Andy said humorously to his son. Ephram moaned.
"You're talking too loud." Ephram blinked open his eyes to find two figures standing over him. He didn't have to guess who they were - he knew it was his father and Nina.
"Well, good afternoon sleeping beauty!" Andy joked. "How are you?"
"I have a bad headache." Ephram squinted. The medication was wearing off. The low drone of conversation added with the light from the room's fixtures and sunlight thru the window made his headache worse. He had to close his eyes to block the blinding glare. Sharp pain emanated from the base of his skull putting stress on his neck and shoulders. The ill feeling from the lack of drugs and sensitivity to light and sound made him dazed and woozy. "I'm going to pass out." He groaned bringing a concerned look on Nina's face.
"Hey, there will be no passing out here, you understand me?" Andy replied lovingly. "Your headache is just a side effect from the spinal tap. It's an imbalance of fluid pressure in your spine. The spinal fluid bathes your spinal cord. And because of the needle puncture to the inner tube, fluid leaks out. So an imbalance of pressure occurs. Tension is applied to your nerves so a headache is not uncommon. Here, drink some of this." Andy took a cup from the end table. It was a tall cup with a green bendable straw sticking out.
"I feel like I have a hangover." Ephram didn't have the patience to listen to his father's nerdy and elaborate explanation of the cause of this headache. He only knew his head was hurting - he didn't care where it came from, he just wanted it to go away.
"Wait a cotton pickin' minute. Howdy YOU know what them hangover feels like? You not tellin' me somepin, boy?" Andy kidded in the best southern cowboy drawl he could muster up. He was aiming for a smile from Ephram and had succeeded.
"Good one dad. Everwood needs a comedian." Ephram replied.
Without batting an eye, Ephram watched Nina prop him up by the shoulders. Her skin had a soft wild flowery scent. She always had on just the right amount of fragrance - neither too strong nor too weak. Though, it wasn't Nina's style to douse herself with excessive perfume. Ephram was intoxicated by her pleasant smell. He held back a smile. The delicate smell reminded him so much of his mother. His mother always smelled nice no matter where she went - whether it was to a fancy social function or around the corner to the Duane Reade for a tube of toothpaste. That hint of sweet pea would follow her everywhere. Each time he hugged her, he would catch a whiff of that very scent. It was the calming smell that reassured him everything was going to be alright. He missed that smell.
Nina kept up her hopeful smile. He didn't mind being so weak that he had to completely rely on her to stay propped up. He was like a giant ragged doll dangling in her arms. Andy brought the straw to Ephram's lips as Nina held the cup. Ephram's sultry throat was parched and a big gulp of ice cold water would be just the thing he needed. Assuming it was cold water, Ephram thirstily sucked hard on the straw. He had not anticipated the liquid to be other than water nor did he bother to look into the cup to see what he was drinking. His undivided attention had been on Nina's graceful movements the entire time. After drawing up the first gulp, the sharp tart liquid went up his windpipe. He coughed and choked violently spraying Nina's hand with the sticky substance. Andy took back the cup and grabbed some paper towels to wipe up the mess.
Ephram didn't have the energy to cough but he had to relieve the obstruction in his trachea. After all, his chest was still tight and tingly from recovering from the pulmonary embolism. His hacking cough rattled and shook every inch of the boy's frail body. Little tears spewed from the corner of his eyes as he tightly squeezed his eyelids shut. After his gagging and coughing fit, he leaned the back of his head against Nina's shoulder drained of energy. He was putty in Nina's arms. They watched attentively until he got his strength back.
"Take it easy. Slow down. There we go." Nina said rubbing his back in a circular motion with her hand to ease the discomfort.
"Sorry." He said sheepishly as he cleared his throat several times. A little embarrassed, he wiped the liquid off his chin with the back of his left hand. Andy wiped his son's mouth and hands with the paper towels.
"Don't apologize. Are you ok now?" She cooed. "That cough sounded terrible."
"Geez, that hurts." Ephram rubbed his chest and winced.
"I'll bet." Andy raised an eyebrow. "What were you trying to do? Cough up your kidneys?"
"That's not water." Ephram stated as he noted the sweet bubbly aftertaste.
"No kidding." Andy beamed. "It's Coca Cola. The caffeine will help lessen your headache." Andy explained. "Ready for round two?" Andy said holding out the cup towards Ephram. "Maybe this time you won't shoot it out your nose."
"Very funny dad." Ephram's voice squeaked.
"Bottom's up, kid." Andy said.
Ephram obediently drank the remainder of the soda. Once he was done, Nina lay him down and pulled up the covers to his chest. He croaked out a loud burp, which, in reality, would've been quite vulgar, but given the circumstances, anything Ephram did seemed cute to the adults.
"Young man!" Nina flashed a smile and pretended to be dumbfounded. "Burping now are we?"
"Didn't it feel better to get that out of your system?" Andy ruffled Ephram's hair. Ephram smiled and stared at his father with his big glassy greenish-gray eyes.
"How's your headache?" Nina asked.
"Still there, but it's a bit better now." Ephram replied. He stared at his legs.
The dreadful question had been bouncing back and forth in his restless mind like the dot in an old Atari video game for a long time. Part of him didn't want to know the answer mostly because he was afraid of the truth. Deep down in the pit of his gut, he knew that truth. Hope was all he had and his grasp on it was slipping. He's seen the way his father avoided the topic the last time he tried to ask. He's seen the pained expression on Nina's face like a car just squished her pet cat. Even Delia's sudden overbearing attachment to him insinuated something very wrong. His question lingered - Will he ever walk again? He wanted to just come right out and ask but he didn't know how or even if he would get a straight answer. Whatever the outcome, he needed to be brave and take the truth like a man. But how could he? He was just a boy. His life had yet to begin and already, he may be deprived of a function so basic and fundamental like walking. The fate of his way of life was on trial. Things were about to change - he felt it. How could Ephram face his father with tears in his eyes when told he won't be able to walk again?
"I'll go wash my hands. You gonna be ok?" Nina said to Ephram. He nodded. She knew Andy needed a moment alone with his son. "I'll be back in a while." She left the room.
Now, there was only silence as Ephram waited for his father to take the first stab at conversation. He only stared at the old tired bearded face before him with a heavy heart. Andy took a seat at the edge of Ephram's bed.
"You know, Delia is really anxious to see you. You've got one loyal fan there. She was stuck to you like crazy glue the whole time." Andy said trying to lighten the mood. "We had to use a crowbar to pry her away from you. And remember that teddy bear you won for her? Well, she won't part with it only because of the fact that YOU gave it to her. You should've seen what happened when I tried to take it away. It was like this cute and sweet 8 year old turning into an instant Freddy Krueger. Warning - do not get on Delia's bad side. It's not a pretty sight - I tell you. Be VERY afraid. I never knew she had such sharp nails. She takes that thing everywhere. Even to the bathroom."
"Dad - " Ephram cut off. He felt the hot tears behind his eyeballs ready to pour down his face.
"What?" Andy sounded surprised.
"You're stalling." Ephram's voice shook. "I want to know about my legs."
"Ephram. It's only been two days."
"Tell me dad. I want to know." A tear had already escaped the barriers of his eyes.
"Look, Ephram." Andy paused in hesitation. He didn't want to add to his son's distress. His son was in no condition to take more bad news. The tears were already starting their journey down the poor boy's pallid cheeks.
"There's no way to sugar-coat it. I'm never going to walk again, am I?" Ephram bit his lip as he searched for the truth in his father's eyes. "I just need to hear it from you."
"The blood clots seem to be dissolving nicely and as expected. However, there are complications with the healing process of your spinal contusion. Your X-ray and CT scan results show that when you fell, additional pressure was applied to the injury site causing damage to some nerve fibers. It will take time for your body to repair them."
"So, is that a yes or no?" Ephram hated the suspense.
"All I can say for now is that any likelihood of recovery diminishes after six months." Andy eyes hardened.
"You're avoiding the question again." Ephram muttered. "Please dad."
"Ephram, I want to believe that one day you will be able to walk again. I just can't give you a definite answer right now." Andy blurted. "What I'm saying is, you have a good chance to regain the strength and motor function in your legs though it's not going to happen overnight. No one knows how long - several years maybe. But for the time being, you will need to depend on a wheelchair to get around. Your legs don't have the inherent capacity to hold up your body. At least for now." Andy said. "I'm sorry, Ephram."
The word 'wheelchair' danced around in his head. His nightmare was coming true. The contraption he detested the most was something he is going to continuously rely and depend on for years to come. The very thing that hurt his pride was taking over his life.
"But I can feel my legs. I just can't move them. I'm able to move my toes though." Ephram swallowed the massive salty lump caught in his throat.
"Yes, that is naturally a good sign. It means the circulation is back and your body is healing from the blood clot. But like I said, your legs are not strong enough to hold up your body. You will have to go thru extensive rehab before you can even stand up on your own." Andy saw the tears brimming in his son's eyes. "I don't want to rule out any slight possibility that you will recover. If you show signs of improvement within the first six months, it increases the chances of recovery." He was trying to give him hope.
Andy saw the despair in Ephram's eyes. Ephram closed his eyes and turned his head. His eyebrows shook and chin quivered. The sturdy dam he built to prevent the tears from slipping was slowly crumbling.
"Ephram?" Andy's concern grew.
"Dad, I'd like to be alone." Ephram said calmly.
"I'm not leaving you alone Ephram. I won't leave you."
"I'll be alright. I just need a moment. Please?" His tears had begun.
"Ephram. Look at me." Andy tried to comfort his son.
"I can't. I can't look at you." Ephram stifled a small sob. "Please. Let me alone." He begged. "Just for a while."
"Is that what you really want?" Andy questioned. Ephram nodded. "OK, then. But only for a few minutes. I'll be right outside." Andy added. He thought twice about staying and decided to head for the door. Just as he reached for the doorknob, he turned his head to face Ephram. "Son, I love you." Andy said.
"Yea. I know." Ephram mumbled as his eyes blinked out a few droplets of tears. As soon as Ephram heard the door close, he exploded into tears and sobs. His whole world caved in on him. He tried to cover his eyes with his hands but the cruel tears seeped passed the gaps of his fingers.
*** Outside Looking In ***
Nina strolled down the hall after a visit to the washroom to get the sticky soda off her hands. She made sure Andy and Ephram had enough private time before she barged in on them again. They probably had things to talk about that were not meant for her ears. She turned around the corridor and stopped short when she found Andy loitering outside of Ephram's room peering thru the small rectangular window apparently watching his son from the outside.
"What's going on? Why are you out here?" Nina asked while she approached Andy. "You told him." Nina said as-a-matter-of-factly judging from Andy's serious expression.
"I had to. He wanted to know the truth so badly. And he deserved to know." Andy jammed his hands into his white lab coat and continued to stare pass the window.
"How did he take the news?" Nina folded her arms.
"Not good." He turned to face Nina. "Maybe I shouldn't have told him so fast. Maybe I should have waited until he was feeling better. I don't know what to do any more." He doubted himself.
"Andy, don't be so hard on yourself." Nina touched his arm. "The last thing Ephram wants is to be lied to. He trusts you."
"I want to be there for him but he won't let me. He kicked me out of his room, Nina. He said he wanted to be by himself. I'm not sure if I did the right thing by letting him alone like that. Look at him." Andy nodded towards the window.
Nina peeked thru the window to see Ephram's shoulders shaking with each sob. "Poor kid."
"I can't stand to see him sobbing like that and there's no one to hold him. We should be with him." Andy already had his hands on the doorknob.
"Wait Andy. Give him a moment. I think he needs a moment." Nina suggested. Andy gave her a confused look.
"Do you ever notice the way he acts so brave in front of you? Like he can handle everything all by himself?" Nina questioned. She nodded her head and waited until Andy slowly bobbed his head in an agreeing fashion.
"Don't you see? He's found a good quality in you to model after. Andy, your son wants to be strong and fearless like you. I'm not saying it's a bad thing but because of that, he hides his feelings all too well and refuses to accept help from anyone. Ephram's at such a young age - he shouldn't be thinking that way. Sometimes, he acts like he's ambivalent about everything, like he doesn't care - even in front of you. Truth is, he does care. He needs help and guidance but he's too ashamed to ask for it. He doesn't know that it's ok to be vulnerable. I don't think he wants you to see him crying and bawling like a baby. You are the man he looks up to and wants to gain approval from the most. And for you to see him at his weakest moment, he thinks he has disappointed you. You see yourself as a screw up in his life and it might've started out that way but I think little by little, you're rubbing off on the kid. He's beginning to learn that there is more to you than what he sees in plain sight."
"What? How do you know?" Andy was taken aback by the comment. "I mean, I never thought of it that way before."
"Some things are easier to see when you're on the outside looking in. The view is very clear from here, Andy." She winked. "Let him blow off some steam."
"Wow. So, you really think Ephram looks up to me?" Andy leaned the back of his head against the door. Andy was surprised he didn't possess the insight that Nina had.
"Oh yes. He does. You're a remarkable man. Don't think that Ephram doesn't see it. But don't expect him to show it either. The Brown pride seems to run in the family." Nina pursed her lips. "And something else, he respects you. You think he doesn't because he's always trying to tick you off, but he's starting to know where you're coming from. People show affection in different ways Andy. Annoying you is just his way of showing his affection for you."
"You know, you've got a knack for analyzing people. You'd make a great psychiatrist. Nina, how did you get so damn smart?"
"Ha - I'm a woman. It's called woman's intuition. That's how."
"Are we, outsiders, so easy to figure out?"
"No, your type is the hardest - so reserved and withdrawn." Nina wrinkled her nose. "Ephram needs our support. We've got to be strong for him. We'll do whatever it takes."
*** Battle Scars ***
The next couple days were most difficult for Ephram as he let the idea of being wheelchair bound sink into his head. The thoughts revolved around and haunted him every waking moment. And when he grew weary of thinking about his situation, he passed the time by sleeping. Sleep was his only escape and he found comfort in it even when he wasn't tired. Ephram often used sleep as an excuse to get everyone out of the room and leave him alone. Sometimes, when he heard someone enter the room, he would close his eyes and pretend he was asleep. He felt his life had unsuspectingly hit a gargantuan iceberg and he was drowning in the cold icy waters. He didn't feel the desire to live anymore. Hence, he withdrew himself from the ones he loved. The answers to questions asked of him were kept to a minimal. Smiling and happiness no longer existed for Ephram no matter how his father tried to be funny and provoke laughter. He would only turn his head, find a spot in the corner of the ceiling and stare at it. There had been not a single tear shed since the day his father told him the news. Both Andy and Nina were very worried. No one knew what to do.
"Ephram. I brought you some lunch." Nina called as she entered the room. She set the metal tray of food on the rolling over the bed table.
Standing in the middle of the room, she stared at the boy lying on his side with his back facing her. His flimsy backless top flung wide open exposing his knobby backbone and brittle shoulder blades protruding under his pale skin. The elastic waistband of his pants was low enough to reveal the long narrow pink scar trailing about five inches in his lower back - an unpleasant souvenir and reminder of the spinal surgery. And right below it was a white bandage covering the area where the spinal tap had been done.
'Battle scars. He's too young to have battle scars.' Nina thought and shook her head. Ephram had been able to turn his torso onto his side, but his legs toppled over each other in a twisted manner. He had not stirred since she had walked in. His breathing was stable and appeared as though he was asleep.
"Ephram?" Nina said softly. She couldn't see his face to tell whether he was really sleeping or pretending to be sleeping.
"I'm not hungry." Ephram murmured without moving.
"But you have to eat, honey." Nina lifted the cover on his food tray. "Let's see what we have here - hmm, looks like we have turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy today. And Ooo - blue Jell-O! I know you're partial to hospital cuisine, but it can't be that bad. Smells decent."
"Then you eat it." Ephram retorted with no emotion. Nina recovered the steaming tray and walked towards Ephram's bed. She realized how small Ephram's body was compared to the bed. The bed could easily fit two Ephrams comfortably. Nina took a seat on his bed.
"Honey, will you try and eat something?" Nina urged. She looked at the crown of his head where rumpled dark hair stuck up from leaning against the pillow too long.
"I said I'm not hungry." Ephram muttered. "Did my dad send you?"
"I would be lying if I said no. He's just worried about you. We all are. You won't talk. You won't eat. You don't want to see anyone." Nina stared at his pointy hairline at the nape of his neck. "Amy and Colin came by again this morning to see you."
"I don't wanna see them."
"They weren't the only ones asking about you, you know. Edna, Irv, and Dr. Abbott also wanted to know how you were doing. The Abbott's and the Hart's only came back from their Hawaiian vacation a few days ago but when they heard what happened, they all flocked over to inquire about you. Even Bright came. I don't know why you don't want to see any of them. They were devastated!"
"I don't need anyone to feel sorry for me. I don't want their pity or guilt."
"They care about you. I care about you."
"Why can't everyone just leave me alone?" Ephram whispered.
"Ephram, is that what you want? Do you want ME to leave you alone?" Nina's said sternly. "And I was beginning to think you liked my attention."
"I'm tired now." Ephram mumbled after a short pause.
"Well, I'm not leaving until I squeeze a nice conversation out of you." She persisted.
"I'm not feeling well."
"C'mon, you can fool everyone else with that line, but do you think you could really fool me? You're pretending to be tired so you can get rid of me. I tell ya, it's not going to be that easy. Snap out of it Ephram. Stop kidding around. I mean it." Nina shot back hoping to get a dramatic response.
"I'm - " Ephram sighed trying to suppress a shaky voice as tears swelled in his throat. "I - " He tried again, but realized his voice was cracking so he just heaved another sigh and gave up. She waited for another sound out of the boy. But he was silent.
"Ephram?" Nina said after her attempt at reverse psychology failed. More silence. A slight touch of panic crept under her skin as she continued to stare at the back of the boy's head. What if he really was sick and she was being so mean to him? What if he's not pretending? "Sweetie, are you alright?" No reply.
Nina reached over and felt Ephram's forehead to see if he had a temperature. He didn't have a fever, however, he did have a face wet with tears. It wasn't long before his body shook as he sobbed into his pillow.
"Oh Ephram. I didn't mean to be so cross with you. I just wanted you to talk to me." Nina apologized and rubbed his shoulder. "You are my soft spot and I can never really be mad at you."
For the first time, Ephram turned his torso around to face her with humiliating red and swollen eyes. Looked like he'd been crying for hours. "I don't want you to leave." He blubbered.
"I never planned to." Nina replied and embraced him with a comforting motherly hug. Ephram cried miserably into her shoulder and soaked her blouse thru with tears. Nina held him for as long as he needed. "That's good. Let it all out. You need to cry." She smoothed his hair while he choked on his sobs. "It's going to be ok." Nina said as his uncontrollable cries became even harder upon Nina's caring touch and gentle solace. He remembered the last time he cried this hard - it was at his mother's funeral. And the only one to comfort him then was his grandmother.
"I'm sorry." Ephram bellowed. "Sorry for everything."
"Sshh, nothing's your fault. You didn't do anything wrong." Nina hushed. She stroked his neck. "There, there. You're a good boy. Yes, you are." She whispered.
"I'm so scared." He sobbed.
"I feel your pain and grief, baby, don't think that I don't. I know you're very scared, but I'm always going to be here whenever you need me." She lulled.
It's been too long since Ephram's been soothed and consoled. The year and a half without a mother had been the most difficult and challenging time for him. He was drifting aimlessly and falling deeper and deeper into the dark void where he felt out of touch with his emotions and those around him. He needed a safety net to catch him and there was no one - until Nina came along. The numbing feeling was gone. All he really needed was to be told that things are going to be alright and that someone cared. Ephram had a father to tell him all this and more, but he was so distant with him. Then again, he hadn't known Nina for very long either but there was something different about a mother's love that was hard to explain. It was a tenderness that Ephram yearned for.
"I love you." He murmured in desperation. This sudden group of words caught Nina in a stupor. She hadn't expected the boy to say those words to her. It was apparent that she had earned his love. She looked down at the weeping boy shivering in her arms and smiled.
"Love you too." Nina wasn't sure if Ephram heard her thru his sobs. She hoped he did.
When the faucets of his eyes gradually ended the waterworks and the uncontrollable sobbing calmed down, Nina let him go. She put her hands on his cheeks and wiped the remaining tears away with her thumbs. "Listen to me Ephram. Your father says you have a good chance at regaining the use of your legs. No one knows how long it's going to take - it could be a year from now or five years from now. Progress depends on time and effort, ok? So just think of this as a temporary situation. But I'm not going to lie to you. Things ARE going to be different from now on. You're going to need a lot of help in the upcoming months - everything from rehab to getting around. Your father, Delia, even Sam, and I want you to know that we will be right there by your side. We're all here to help you so anything you need, even if it's a very tiny thing, you ask. And don't push us away, OK?"
Ephram nodded with quivering lips. "Thanks." He whimpered.
"It's ok if you want to cry sometimes. Crying is a normal, healthy part of life. Nobody's going to see you any differently if you show your sadness. Even a stone-faced man like your father has a weak spot. You would think he never sheds a single tear, but then you didn't see him when you were lying on the hospital bed after your spinal surgery with so many tubes sticking out of you, that you resembled a human pincushion. He was bawling like a baby."
"Yea?" Ephram could never picture his father to be the emotional type. Even at his mother's funeral, he was somber but well composed. He dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief occasionally but he never came right out and bawled in front of everyone. It took Ephram's near death incident to break out all those emotions his father had securely locked up in his heart.
"Yea. He did. So, it's quite alright for you to cry. And don't worry, once you get the hang of everything, it'll be ok. I promise." Nina hugged him again and kissed him on the forehead. "Better?"
Ephram sucked in the thick nasal drip in his nose and wiped the rest of the tears away with his hands. "Yea, I'm ok now." He said.
"Good. Now let's get some food into you." She said and pulled the rolling over the bed table over. She lifted the food-cover and showed Ephram the entrée. He stuck his tongue out in disgust. "It's really not that bad!!" Nina laughed as she started to cut the turkey into bite-size portions with a fork and knife. "Tell you what, if you eat all your meals for the next two days, I'll try to smuggle in some Chef Nina specialties for you. How's that sound?"
"Really?? You can do that?" Ephram's raised his eyebrows.
"I'll see what I can do. Have to check with your father first though." Nina smiled. "Open wide." She then fed a forkful of turkey into Ephram's mouth. "Chew it before you swallow. Your stomach doesn't have teeth, you know." He wasn't used to being spoon-fed, after all, he wasn't a baby and it looked kind of silly. But for a change, being vulnerable and sick wasn't so bad. Besides, Nina didn't seem to mind feeding him his lunch. In fact, she almost enjoyed it a little too much. Ephram's heart felt a spark of joy. He found a mom.
Nina eyed the rectangular window in the door and caught a glimpse of Andy's pleased face. She knew he had been watching the entire time. It was initially Andy's idea to let Nina have a try at getting Ephram to open up. If anyone can be that insistent and persuasive, it was Nina. She not only had she gotten him to release his bottled feelings, she also got him to eat. Andy was impressed and relieved at the same time. He made a mental reminder to take her out to a nice restaurant for dinner once things calmed down. Nina flashed a smile at Andy telling him that everything was looking up now. He returned the smile.
*** Lessons Learned ***
Although Ephram became slightly more talkative in his family's presence thereafter, there were times when he still wallowed in self-pity and grief. Those were usually the moments when he was left alone. His sleeping patterns had become more regular and his appetite started to return. It was thanks to Nina's cooking that made Ephram recover his desire for food. She brought him his meals everyday. A healthy glow eventually developed on his cheeks. Ephram was still not very open to receiving his visitors. It wasn't like people were chartering buses to come see him, but he was self- conscious about people he knew seeing him this way.
He decided to allow Amy to see him. He was most curious on Amy's reaction to this tragedy. But to his disappointment, she always had Colin in tow. Amy and Colin resembled Siamese twins - practically joined at the hip. There was not a single place one went without the other. Not one spare moment left Amy alone with Ephram. Colin was always there right by her side. It was a reality check that she belonged to Colin. Ephram didn't expect anything different. Amy was Amy. She seemed unusually nice but he sensed there was more guilt that prompted her actions than genuine friendship. She'd broken his heart, now she wanted to do right by piecing it back together. Everyone knows you can't glue back a shattered vase and expect it to look like brand new. Even an idiot knows it would never look the same.
Colin was trying so hard to be a friend. He was the expert on reassurance that odds don't matter and all that mumbo-jumbo about acing recovery - always the annoying Colin-optimism - the whole if-I-can-do-it-so-can-you attitude made Ephram sick. It was a total waste for Colin not to vie for the cheerleading squad. Colin's pep talks were something else - a natural Richard Simmons - and being in a similar situation a few months ago, made him the likely spokesman for miracles. Ephram didn't know whether to be jealous of the guy or be pals with him. He just let Colin do his preaching. Ephram didn't have the heart to say 'shut-up already!' Especially since he's heard the spiel a gazillion times by his family, the doctors and nurses, even his physical therapist. He nodded politely and kept saying 'yea' - in one ear and out the other. When he grew weary of watching Amy and Colin together, he would yawn and pull the "I'm so tired" routine. That usually got them out of the room in a heartbeat. Neither of them knew how to act in front of a newly disabled person.
Andy and Nina both felt Ephram shouldn't be left alone. Ephram was the most depressed when left in his solitude. There was too much time for him to think melancholy thoughts. This was where Delia came in. Delia often spent the afternoon with her brother. She was the only one that was capable of truly making him laugh. At first, Ephram was just humoring his sister. He didn't want to brush her off like he did Amy and Colin. Delia wanted to be with him. After a while, he had grown to enjoy the company of his new companion.
Ephram laughed harder and joked more. Each afternoon, they would find something to amuse themselves with. He kept his sister entertained with his talking dog shadows he made with his hands against the light. Other times were spent talking, playing video games or board games, and reading books to each other. Ephram made Delia laugh by giving a silly voice to her blue teddy bear - the one she lugs around with her everywhere. Ephram and Delia often took naps together when pure exhaustion took over their bodies. Andy and Nina frequently spied on the twosome to see what they were up to. There was one instance that both adults could recall that touched Andy's heart.
Ephram and Delia were playing a competitive game of UNO on top of the rolling over-the-bed table using Oreo cookies as wagering chips. They sat across each other with Delia's fuzzy blue teddy bear sitting on the end - apparently also participating in the game. Stuck to Ephram's forehead was a black "wild" UNO card. Delia's forehead had the yellow "skip" card. Even the bear had a green "3" card stuck to its forehead. It was a serious game of UNO going on from what Andy and Nina could tell by looking thru the rectangular glass window on the door. And judging from the neat tall stack of Oreo cookies, it looked like the bear was doing all the winning. Everything was going along well. Until Delia said something excruciatingly funny to cause Ephram to burst out laughing so hard that he ended up choking on his own spit. He was coughing so horrendous that his eyes nearly popped out of his head. It wasn't good for him to cough so hard, especially since he was recovering from a pulmonary embolism. Ephram sat bent forward coughing into his left fist while his right arm hugged his chest. Andy was ready to rush into the room to the rescue when Nina held him back and told him to watch what happens.
They watched Delia rush to Ephram's side and rubbed his back in a gentle massaging motion. She mouthed a few inaudible words to her brother and he replied as the coughing lessened. She then went to the end table and poured a glass of water for Ephram. He took a sip and handed the glass back to Delia. He leaned back on his bed to catch his breath. And before long, he was back in the game, laughing and joking with his sister.
Andy shot an astonished glance at Nina. Delia knew exactly what to do. She took care of her brother. Andy shook his head and swore Delia would make a terrific nurse some day. It's only natural that a proud father would think it'd be nice if one of his children followed in his footsteps in the medical profession. Nina had already known Delia was capable of helping. It was she that approached Nina to inquire about what to do if a certain situation should arise with Ephram when no grown up was around. Nina explained to her the emergencies versus the non-emergencies.
Ephram became more energetic as Delia continued to spend her afternoons with her favorite brother. That is, until school began. Delia wanted to quit school until Ephram got out of the hospital, but her father refused at the absurd idea. However, as a compromise, Nina brought Delia to see her brother after recess everyday.
His daily routine was rehab in the mornings for one hour, sponge bath at promptly 10:45 am, lunch with Nina, visit from Delia, visits from Amy and Colin every other day, dinner party with Andy, Nina, Delia and Sam, and through out the day were lingering visits from Nina and Andy. But ever since school had begun, from the moment after lunch until 3 pm were the hardest times of the day to pass - these were the hours he usually spent with Delia. If he wasn't taking a nap, he was listening to his MP3, or practicing his range of movement in his toes and ankles. He had been doing well with rehab. They didn't allow him to do anything too strenuous yet - just a lot of toe wiggling and knee bending with the help of a physical therapist. The effort in moving his legs forced him to literally sweat bullets but nonetheless, he was getting somewhere and his father praised him to the sky. Soon enough he would have to fit learning how to maneuver himself in a wheelchair into his daily routine - a necessary task he dreaded.
One restless afternoon, as he waited for his MP3 player to recharge its batteries, Ephram decided to do a little experiment. He didn't understand why his physical therapist wasn't allowing him to stand or try walking yet. It was very obvious that he had mastered pointing and flexing his feet as well as rotating his ankles. Ephram was feeling a little too brave and confident that day and took a risk on trying to stand up by himself.
'I mean, how hard could it be? Surely I can stand on my own two feet.' Ephram thought. 'I'll surprise my dad.'
A surprise was definitely in stored for Andy alright.
Ephram sat up in his bed. He dug his hands under each leg and swung each leg over the side of his bed slowly one at a time. Who knew a leg could be so heavy. His bare feet dangled about six inches above the shiny tiled floor. He discovered the drawstring pant he had on was a bit too long on him as his toes scantily peeked out of each pant leg.
'OK, it's now or never. It's too late to turn back.' Ephram heroically thought. He knotted his fingers together and crackled his knuckles. He took a couple of quick deep breaths and was ready for his reckless venture. Carefully, he slid off the bed placing each foot on the floor slowly to gain footing.
His feet were firmly planted on the floor much to his surprise. All he had to do to complete his brave attempt was to not lean on the mattress. 'And they said I couldn't walk. Someone's been lying to me.' Ephram thought boldly.
The first step he took was his last. The very second he released his grasp of the mattress, he lost his balance altogether. His legs collapsed under his body. He landed on his stomach with a loud splat as his soft flesh hit against the slippery tiles. He groaned at the soreness resulting from his stomach's impact with the hard floor. He struggled to push himself up and realized he had taken his entire blanket down with him. The blanket was tangled around his body like a snake coiled around its prey. He didn't know if it was harder to unravel from the blanket or trying to lift his upper body. He knew exactly how an overturned turtle felt. His left shoulder was smarting from the fall. Somehow, he figured then that it was a bad idea to get out of bed. 'Fine mess you've gotten yourself into this time, Mr. Genius.' He thought. He couldn't lie on the floor until someone came for him. He thought about yelling for help, only no one would hear him since the walls were sound proof. The button to call for the nurse was miles away. He concentrated in making his legs move but it was useless. How was he going to get back on his bed?
Coincidentally, Andy dropped by to check on Ephram. He opened the door expecting to find his son in bed, but instead, the bed was empty. Andy quickly glanced around the room and to his horror, he found Ephram sprawled across the middle of the floor.
"Ephram!" Andy exclaimed and kneeled down by his son's side.
"Uh, hi dad." Ephram said hoping his father wasn't too angry with him.
"What on earth are you doing on the floor?" Andy said untwining the blanket around Ephram's body and threw it onto the bed.
"I was bored and thought I'd go for a walk." Ephram said sheepishly.
"My God, do you want to give yourself another injury?! You know better than to pull a stunt like that." Andy turned his son over gently.
"Everyone keeps telling me my legs don't work. I just wanted to prove them wrong. I guess they were right." Ephram explained while trying to sit up.
"It's too early to tell, Ephram." Andy replied. "Easy there. Let's get you back into bed first." Andy scooped up Ephram with one robust arm around the armpit and the other under the knees. Ephram was so light that it was easy to pick him up without difficulty.
"I need to walk dad. I've already missed too many days of school. I'll never catch up." He complained.
"Walking takes time and therapy. Remember, Rome wasn't built in one day." He placed Ephram on the mattress gingerly. "Oh, I don't think there will be a lack of homework for you when you get back to school - if that's what you're worried about." Andy teased. "I talked with the principal and he understands the situation. He also sends his regards, by the way." Andy scrutinized his son. "Did you hurt yourself?" He asked after a pause.
"I'm fine."
"Oh yea? Then why are you rubbing your shoulder?" Andy pointed out. Ephram had been absentmindedly kneading his shoulder for quite some time now.
"Huh? Oh. I dunno. It's nothing." Ephram mumbled taking his hand away from his sore shoulder.
"I better have a look at it." Andy insisted. He pulled the back of Ephram's gown over to examine his son's shoulder. "Hmm, let this be a lesson to you. Don't try to do stupid things without someone here." Andy scolded when he realized it was only a minor bruise.
"Just the men I wanted to see. Wait till you guys taste this. My very own creation, marshmallow choco - " Nina's voice trailed off as she whirled into the room holding a large foil pan of baked goodies. "What's going on?" She questioned seriously when she caught Andy tending to Ephram's shoulder.
"Oh, hey Nina! The boy wonder here thinks he can run before he can walk. He got out of the bed assuming he could walk only to end up falling down on the floor and hurting himself. It was a good thing I was coming to check on him otherwise, who knows how long he would've been lying on the floor." Andy shook his head in disbelief.
"Ephram, what were you thinking?!" Nina gasped. Having nothing to say for himself, Ephram shrugged. "It's all red!" Nina observed the red blotch developing on Ephram's shoulder.
"It's not that bad. I bruise easily." Ephram said innocently. "What'd you bring?" He switched his attention to the sweet aroma of desserts coming from the foil pan Nina held.
"Marshmallow chocolate chip cookies. Don't change the subject." Nina replied. "Ephram, it's very dangerous what you did. And alone at that. What if you broke a bone or knocked yourself unconscious - then what? This is serious. Walking is not something you should attempt at your whim. You will walk when your physical therapist says you can." Nina lectured.
"Sorry." Ephram muttered under his breath and looked down sadly at his blanket regretting he ever got out of bed in the first place. He didn't mean to cause so much trouble. His father yelling him was one thing, (since he did it all the time - he was used to it) but he definitely couldn't take Nina yelling at him too.
"Forgiven." Nina said after raising Ephram's chin with her index finger. "Just don't do it again, ok?" Her smile gave him the official sign that she wasn't mad at him. Ephram nodded. "Does it hurt?" Nina finally asked.
"No. It's fine, really. Well, kinda sore." He admitted.
"I'll get some ointment for that bruise and some milk to go with those cookies." Andy said pointing to Ephram then to the cookies Nina placed on the table. "Nina, do me a favor and keep Mr. Daredevil out of trouble. No more embarking on mindless adventures while I'm gone."
"I'll keep an eye on him." Nina laughed while fixing Ephram's top. "If he tries anything again, we'll put bed rails up."
Ephram had a lot of things to be thankful for. He was ultimately satisfied that his father and Nina were so fond of him. It was silly to think his father wouldn't be fond of him in the first place. Strange things ran through teenaged boys' minds. They had their doubts about everything, even their own parent's love. Ephram savored each moment of the rest of that day because it's only a matter of time before his introduction to his new best friend - his wheelchair.
* end of chapter 5 *
Author's Note: I know some of you are probably wondering where Amy fits into this story. Please note that my initial intention is to write a story dealing with Ephram/Andy/Nina/Delia. I'm going to leave the romantic Ephram/Amy storylines up to my fellow Everwood fanfic authors to write. However, out of necessity, I'm going to squeeze the Three Musketeers or Three Stooges (whichever you prefer) - namely Amy, Colin, and Bright - into a minuscule scene in my upcoming chapter (6). Thanks for reading!! I love reading all your reviews! They definitely help me keep going!!! Until next chapter.