A/N – Hello my faithful readers and Happy Easter! I'm so sorry that this took longer to get out…it took me awhile to write, but I promise, I wrote every spare chance I got. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter; it's nice and long. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Please keep reading and reviewing, it's my motivation! Enjoy!
Ephram looked around the dismal waiting room, sighing. He had been waiting all morning for his father to arrive, though knew that it would take awhile for him to drive to Everwood. He certainly knew that his father wouldn't be there before 11 o'clock, but nonetheless had been waiting since 10. Ephram wanted to be there when he got there, and it wasn't like he had anything else to do. Of course, it was a Thursday, so there was school, but he couldn't go there. Everything there reminded him of Amy and he would spend the entire day wanting to be at the hospital. Julia understood this, and had called the school to tell them that her son would not be coming today.
Though she didn't know the Abbott's well, Juila felt the impact that Amy's accident had on Everwood. It horrified to think that it could have been Ephram in the car, and she deeply sympathized with Amy's family.
Ephram smiled as he thought of his mother, she had been so good to him the past day. She hadn't complained when he asked to come home from school and go immediately to the hospital, and had made his favourite dish for dinner. She'd been patient with him and especially affectionate. He winced, feeling guilty about lying to her. Not directly, of course, but most definitley indirectly. His mother had no idea whatsoever that Andy was coming to town, and no doubt she would be exceedingly angry with him once she found out that he had known beforehand. And that he had arranged it.
Ephram really didn't know what else to do, though. If he told her, she would automatically close herself off, and be angry with him right away. Not to mention that she would ignore his father, and not give him a chance. At least by the element of surprise, his dad might have a chance.
Then again, his father didn't know that Julia had no idea he was coming.
Wow, is that ever confusing, Ephram thought, shaking his head and deciding not to think about it anymore. When it all came down to it, in the end, both his parents would be mad at him.
"Hey man," Bright said as he sat down beside him, "What's going on?"
Ephram shrugged, "Not too much. Just…waiting. How's Amy? Any changes?"
Bright shook his head slowly, "No, no changes. You know, before that would have made me incredibly upset, but now that your dad's coming, I feel better. I feel like she has…some sort of hope, you know what I mean?"
Ephram smiled tensely and looked over at his friend, "Yeah, I know…that is if my dad ever – "
"Somebody order a doctor?" a voice called loudly from the doorway.
Ephram looked up to see his father standing there, with a sad smile on his face. He got up to meet him, walking quickly to get to him. Once he got there, he stood before him for a moment before giving him a hug.
Andy was surprised at his son's affection but he certainly wasn't upset about it. As soon as the embrace ended, Andy looked questionly at Ephram and his son pointed him in the direction of Amy's family.
"Hello," he greeted gravely, "I'm Doctor Andy Brown…you must be Dr. and Mrs. Abbott."
Dr. Abbott looked up at his fellow doctor and for the first time since Amy's accident, he smiled.
"Very nice to meet you, Doctor Brown." he replied, standing up.
"Andy, please." Andy requested. He paused, then added, "I was so sorry to hear about your daughter. I assure you that I'll do everything I can to help her…but I need to know everything about Amy first. Do you mind going somewhere else? Is there a room we could go into?"
Dr. Abbott nodded, "Follow me. And please, call me Harold."
He helped his wife up before leaving. Ephram, still standing at the doorway, noticed that she was looking very ill. Nonetheless, she still accompaigned her husband and Ephram's father. Andy gave his son a smile as the three left, and Ephram mouthed a thank you.
When they had left, Ephram turned to Bright.
"Hey, Bright?" he asked curiously.
The older boy turned toward him.
"Yeah, Ephram?" he answered.
"How did the accident happen?" Ephram enquired softly.
Bright gave Ephram a sharp look and Ephram immediately held his hands up in surrender.
"Look, man, I didn't mean to offend you…" Ephram trailed off as Bright walked away, sitting down in one of the uncomfortable chairs again.
Ephram took a breath, deciding to follow him and sit beside him. He had to know, he needed to know how the accident happened. Whose fault was it? Bright's? From the boy's reaction, it would definitely seem so.
"Bright…I just want to know…I need to know," Ephram explained, "I won't judge you, I promise…it was no one's fault, I'm sure."
"Yeah, it was." Bright replied almost inaudibly, "It was his fault."
Ephram's eyes widened and he whispered, "Colin's?"
Bright turned to Ephram and nodded.
"He was driving…he didn't tell me that he'd been drinking, if I'd known that I would've have gotten in beside him. I wouldn't have let Amy ride with him either! Oh man…I hope he gets what he deserves." Bright finished, his hands clenched in fists.
Ephram shook his head, "Come on now, you don't mean that. It was an accident…"
"Sure, that's what he says!" Bright exclaimed, his voice getting louder, "But I know…he was going to break up with her anyway, why not kill her – "
Bright stopped in midsentence, his eyes wide and he was out of breath. Ephram looked at him incredulously.
"Bright," he started gently, "It was an accident. Colin would not have purposely gotten himself, his best friend and his girl friend in a car crash."
Bright stayed silent.
Ephram decided to continue, "I know that you're upset. You have a right to be very upset, your little sister was in a car accident and you don't have any control over things. I know that if Delia was in an accident, I'd be going insane right now."
A tear rolled down Bright's cheek, and Ephram stopped for a moment.
"But just you watch, Bright. My Dad'll fix everything. Don't worry. He'll make Amy better." Ephram replied.
He silently prayed that he was right.
