Title: Truths of Life
Author: lizzie1986
Disclaimer: Don't own any of it. If I did, I obviously wouldn't be writing any of this.
A/N: I changed a few parts of Chapter One, so you might want to re-read it. Nothing major, though. You won't get lost if you don't.
A/N 2: I don't know if I'm turning this into a series of whatnot. Just on ff, people were mentioning the lack of interaction between E/L, so I decided to write a second part. I'll probably continue to write this as a series, though. Did this make any sense?
Ship: Eventually Ephram/Laynie (Frosty Frencher)
Chapter Two: Coming to Terms
"Are you okay now?" Ephram asked, concerned.
Laynie nodded, wiping her eyes to clear away the remaining tears.
"Yeah. Thanks for being there. God, I feel so…" Laynie paused, unable to come up with a word to describe how she felt. How she had been feeling since she had received the phone call.
Ephram knew immediately he had to cheer her up, no more consoling. "Worthless? Undeserving of my presence?"
"More like you're undeserving of my presence." Laynie cracked a small smile.
"So now I'm not good enough for Queen Laynie?" Ephram sarcastically asked.
"Took you long enough to figure that out Brown. I think you're starting to lose your edge."
Ephram widened his eyes in mock shock at this.
"Me? Lose my edge? I think not."
"I think so. Everwood has that effect on people."
"Really? I just thought I was going crazy."
Ephram flopped down on his bed after saying this. Laynie looked for a moment, there laid down next to him.
"I think everyone eventually goes crazy here." She murmured quietly. Ephram caught her comment, but chose to ignore it. They laid there in silence, caught up in their own thoughts. Like two friends who both wanted the same thing.
* * * * * *
Andy was trying not to burn breakfast when Ephram walked into the kitchen the next morning.
"I'm making omelet's." He said cheerfully, not seeing Ephram's wince.
"You know, I'm not that hungary. I'll just have some juice. Where's Delia?" Ephram asked, pulling open the fridge door.
"At Nina's. What are your plans for the day? Spending time with Laynie Hart?" Andy asked, giving up on the omelet's and scraping them into the garbage.
"Smart move" Ephram motioned to his father's activity.
"I'm smart enough to know when you're trying to change the subject. And I'm smart enough to know when a girl leaves my son's room at 5:00 in the morning."
Ephram put his glass in the sink. "Nothing happened."
"I know."
Ephram shot him a look, but decided not to ask. He left the kitchen without a word. Andy still had his smile on his face.
* * * * * *
Laynie sat in chair, staring into her vanity mirror. She slowly wiped away the few stray tears that had made their way down her face. Laynie just looked. She didn't know who she was anymore. When Colin had died, he had taken with him the only dependable family member she had. She could hear her mother already, bustling around the kitchen. Sharon Hart tended to avoid everything she considered painful. Her father was probably still in bed, suffering through his latest hangover. Jim Hart had always solved his problems by drinking. But Laynie? How did she solve her problems? That was the problem, she had yet to figure it out. She heard her mother climb the stairs and Laynie quickly made sure her face was tear free. Soon her door quietly opened and her mother came in.
"Breakfast's ready." Sharon stated.
Laynie nodded. "All right. I'm not really that hungry."
Sharon let out a sigh. "God Laynie. Stop acting like this!"
"Like what? Like a person who lost her only sibling? I'm sorry mother, but that's what I am."
"Let it go Laynie. Don't punish your father or me. It wasn't our fault."
"If you guys hadn't ignored the signs, maybe Colin would still be alive! So tell me who's fault it is!" Laynie yelled, shoving all her hurt and rage at her mother.
Sharon finally lost her cool. "It's Andrew Brown's fault! If he hadn't of operated, Colin would still be here today!"
Laynie eyed her mother disgustedly. "You really think that? God, I can't believe you!"
Laynie headed for the door and left the room and the house. She could barely hear her father's groggy voice.
"What the hell is going on?! Where the hell is she going?!"
Laynie ignored it and shut the door with a loud bang.
* * * * * *
Laynie knocked on Amy's door before quietly entering. She looked at Amy laying on her bed, looking just like Laynie felt.
"Hey"
Amy looked up at the sound of Laynie's voice,
"Hi. How are you doing?"
Laynie shrugged, not sure exactly how to answer such a simple, yet complicated, question. "I'm holding up. How about you?"
Amy nodded. "I'm fine. Completely fine." Her voice sounded false to both of their ears.
Amy seemed in thought for a moment, then continued. "Laynie, I'm sorry no one called you about…"
Laynie shrugged. "It's all right. At least I had a few more hours thinking I had a brother."
The impact of her words hit them both and silence reigned through the room.
"But I'm staying in town now. For good. So if you want to get together, I'll be around." Laynie shrugged awkwardly and Amy nodded.
"Yeah."
The two girls just looked at each other. Brought together by the grief of losing the same person, yet worlds apart with their coping. So they did nothing, just stayed there in silence.
* * * *
End of Part Two