Andy stayed in the back of the ambulance with Ephram while Nina and Delia
drove. Andy had no idea what happened; Ephram had seemed okay only a few
minutes before. As they reached the hospital, Andy felt tears come to his
eyes. He grabbed Ephram's hand and whispered "I can't lose you too, Ephram.
I love you too much."
Once Ephram was being checked out, Andy sat down in a cold plastic chair. He saw Delia running towards him oblivious to the other doctors and patients in her way. She jumped into his arms, sobbing. Nina walked up cautiously, not wanting to intrude. "Hey. How's he holdin' up? Did they find out what's wrong with him yet?"
"No, not yet." He looked down, not wanting Nina or Delia to see his tears. Then he suddenly remembered. "Madison."
"What? What about Madison?" Nina didn't understand.
"Call her. She'd want to know and I think Ephram would want her to be here." Andy handed Nina some change.
.:MEANWHILE:.
As Madison sat down at a booth in Mama Joy's, alone, she noticed that one of Ephram's friends was there, alone as well.
"Hi...Amy, is it?"
"Oh! Um, yea! You're Madison, right?'
"Yea. Well, um. I realized that I really don't know any of Ephram's friends. I want to get to know you. Would you like to join me?"
Amy was shocked, but agreed nonetheless. As the two girls sat bonding over French fries and milkshakes, Madison's cell phone suddenly rang. It was a number she didn't recognize. Amy saw her new friend's face suddenly turn from cheerfulness to utter shock. Tears forming in her eyes, Madison managed to say "Amy, we need to go. Ephram..." She couldn't hold it in any longer. She started sobbing. Amy put her hand on her shoulder and asked "What? What is it?" Madison looked up and fear and sadness were written all over her face. "Something happened to Ephram. They aren't sure what, but they think it was a seizure. Come on, I'll drive us to Denver."
People looking at them on the highway to Denver must've been confused. Two girls, around the same age, were sobbing uncontrollably. Amy and Madison weren't even sure what exactly happened, but they knew it couldn't be good. People don't just get seizures randomly one day.
As Madison and Amy walked into the Intensive Care Unit, they immediately saw Dr. Brown, Delia, and Nina. Delia was sitting on Andy's lap, but as soon as she saw Madison she went running straight into her arms. Madison almost fell back and hugged Delia as hard as she could; she needed the comforting as well. Amy, as weird as it might have seemed to a passerby, hugged Dr. Brown. It felt natural and she found it difficult to let go. The questions bombarded Dr. Brown at once.
"Is he okay?"
"What happened?"
"Can we see him?"
"What happened? We came as soon as we could!"
Andy took a deep breath and replied, "I'm not sure exactly what happened or if he's okay. They won't let us see him yet."
The five people solemnly and numbly sat down. As if on cue, two doctors came out of the swinging doors that read: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
"Uh, Doctor Brown? Could we have a word with you?" As Andy got up, everyone exchanged nervous glances.
"So what's the news? Is Ephram going to be okay?"
"Well..." The two doctor's exchanged glances.
Once Ephram was being checked out, Andy sat down in a cold plastic chair. He saw Delia running towards him oblivious to the other doctors and patients in her way. She jumped into his arms, sobbing. Nina walked up cautiously, not wanting to intrude. "Hey. How's he holdin' up? Did they find out what's wrong with him yet?"
"No, not yet." He looked down, not wanting Nina or Delia to see his tears. Then he suddenly remembered. "Madison."
"What? What about Madison?" Nina didn't understand.
"Call her. She'd want to know and I think Ephram would want her to be here." Andy handed Nina some change.
.:MEANWHILE:.
As Madison sat down at a booth in Mama Joy's, alone, she noticed that one of Ephram's friends was there, alone as well.
"Hi...Amy, is it?"
"Oh! Um, yea! You're Madison, right?'
"Yea. Well, um. I realized that I really don't know any of Ephram's friends. I want to get to know you. Would you like to join me?"
Amy was shocked, but agreed nonetheless. As the two girls sat bonding over French fries and milkshakes, Madison's cell phone suddenly rang. It was a number she didn't recognize. Amy saw her new friend's face suddenly turn from cheerfulness to utter shock. Tears forming in her eyes, Madison managed to say "Amy, we need to go. Ephram..." She couldn't hold it in any longer. She started sobbing. Amy put her hand on her shoulder and asked "What? What is it?" Madison looked up and fear and sadness were written all over her face. "Something happened to Ephram. They aren't sure what, but they think it was a seizure. Come on, I'll drive us to Denver."
People looking at them on the highway to Denver must've been confused. Two girls, around the same age, were sobbing uncontrollably. Amy and Madison weren't even sure what exactly happened, but they knew it couldn't be good. People don't just get seizures randomly one day.
As Madison and Amy walked into the Intensive Care Unit, they immediately saw Dr. Brown, Delia, and Nina. Delia was sitting on Andy's lap, but as soon as she saw Madison she went running straight into her arms. Madison almost fell back and hugged Delia as hard as she could; she needed the comforting as well. Amy, as weird as it might have seemed to a passerby, hugged Dr. Brown. It felt natural and she found it difficult to let go. The questions bombarded Dr. Brown at once.
"Is he okay?"
"What happened?"
"Can we see him?"
"What happened? We came as soon as we could!"
Andy took a deep breath and replied, "I'm not sure exactly what happened or if he's okay. They won't let us see him yet."
The five people solemnly and numbly sat down. As if on cue, two doctors came out of the swinging doors that read: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
"Uh, Doctor Brown? Could we have a word with you?" As Andy got up, everyone exchanged nervous glances.
"So what's the news? Is Ephram going to be okay?"
"Well..." The two doctor's exchanged glances.