Bear Essentials

by Drama-Duchess

The Brown's camping trip turns sour when Ephram is attacked by a bear. Escaped but wounded, will anyone find him before it's too late?

8. Killing Him Softly With Kindness

(Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I took a little time off and spent an extended, well-deserved vacation in Las Vegas. I came back to NY refreshed and even developed a new idea for my next story. But first, I must finish this one! So, on with the story!)

Chapter 8: Killing Him Softly With Kindness

It was deathly still. He'd gotten used to the bleeping sound of his heart monitor, which has yet to be removed. Andy, however, reduced the number of ECG pads attached to Ephram's chest to just three. The devices were gradually being removed from the boy's body as soon as his strength shown considerable increase. This made Ephram quite happy. The bleeping noise that was initially an irritating sound no longer frustrated him. It became a calming background noise – kind of like elevator music in an elevator. However, it was more than he could say for the obnoxious ticking that came from an industrial clock affixed to the side of the wall that he could not see. The harsh and callous ticking of each second added with the stillness of the room made him nervous and irritable. It was the same feeling one gets while sitting in the waiting room of a dentist or doctor's office anticipating their appointment.

Ephram hated the sound of the clock. It wasn't anything like the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat or the hypnotic humming of air coming through the vent in his room. The ticking seemed to grow louder and louder in Ephram's head making it almost unbearable at times. He wondered if the noise was capable of making someone go mad, then he decided he would probably be the first. There was a reason why he disliked the sound of this clock.

For some people, a particular smell or the taste of a certain food brought back a childhood memory. Now, whether or not it jogged a good memory, it was up to the individual. For Ephram, it was a sound. He associated the ticking of the clock in his room to a black and white Felix the Cat wall clock that hung in his pediatrician's office. The sound was identical. The memories spilled and everything came back. He remembered his childhood yearly check-ups and the occasional drop-ins when he came down with something that caused his parents to worry. He remembered the long needles and shots that were administered by way of injection through his butt cheeks – the countless wooden tongue depressants that were forced down his throat, which he choked on when the doctor ordered him to say "ah". Above all, he could never forget the embarrassing way cold thermometers were rammed up his ass to take his temperature. As a child, he had to be obedient and allow the doctor to poke, prod, and harass him however she wished because if he was a good boy and didn't cry or throw a tantrum, at the end of the visit, he would be rewarded with a lollipop. He did it all for a piece of candy.

Five-year-old Ephram was huddled next to his mother on a couch in the waiting room of Dr. Meadows' office on the second floor of the Annex Building on West 4th Street. Ephram came down with the flu again and his mother took him to see the pediatrician. Young Ephram ran a high fever the night before and the over-the-counter medication didn't seem to do anything for his worsening cough. The visit was categorized as an unplanned drop-in, which meant they had to wait until all the other scheduled appointments were fulfilled. It was especially busy on a Saturday morning.

The doctor's office showed aging signs of wear and tear. Old pen and crayon marks were scribbled all over the dusty painted walls. Cool white fluorescent lights dangled on thick chains from the tall ceiling boards. Couches, chairs and mismatched furniture scattered the length of the waiting area. Old editions of Time, Newsweek and National Geographic magazines were strewn aimlessly on wooden end tables. On the wall across from where Ephram sat was the battery-operated creepy black and white Felix the Cat clock. The face of the clock was located on the body. The slivered black pupils contrasting in the whites of the cat's eye rolled left to right while the wagging tail below served as a pendulum ticking out the seconds of time. Adorned with a white bow around its neck, a black outline of an infectious feline smile against the white muzzle gave the clock a spine-chilling, evil look. Ephram hated the clock yet he felt a certain unexplainable attraction to it. He watched it relentlessly.

The rest of the waiting room resembled a daycare center. Regardless of the huge toy bin in the corner, the floor was a flowing mess of toys. There was everything from Legos and wooden building blocks to plastic go-carts to colorful toys that made noises when pushed or pulled to little kitchen sets to dolls and trucks. There was even a horse rocker that kids fought over. Ephram always thought the doctor's office appeared to be more like a playground than a place for sick children. But in reality, the toys were just distractions the doctor used to trick kids in an effort to decrease the stress level – make them forget the real purpose of their visit. The strategy seemed to work wonders.

"Momma, are you sure this is a doctor's office? They don't look sick to me." Ephram mumbled as he watched the other rowdy kids chasing each other and making a big racket. He was resting his head against his mother's side. It seemed to ease his spinning head if he leaned against something.

"Sweetheart, they're probably here just to get a check-up. You don't have to be sick to get a check-up." Julia swung her arm gently around the boy's shoulders.

Ephram scanned the room. A handful of tired parents who were sitting in plastic chairs tried to keep their kids out of trouble. A mother was participating in her toddler's activity of stacking a tower of blocks. Others watched their kids hooting and playing merrily amongst themselves. Another set of newly acquainted parents was caught in a drone of conversation about the best brand of diapers as they cooed at their babies sitting in strollers.

Of all the kids in the room, Ephram appeared to be the only one who was actually sick. He found that ironic being that it was after all, a doctor's office.

"Momma?" He called weakly as he nudged his cheek closer against his mother's sweater.

"Yes baby?" She replied.

"I don't feel so good." He whimpered. A scratchy tingle in his throat caused him to cough. With thick mucus caught uncomfortably in his throat, he tried to either cough it up or swallow it back down. As gross as it may seem, it usually went back down.

"I know. That's why we're here. You just hang in there, ok?" Julia said softly. She kissed him on the crown of his head.

"Ok." He answered. Ephram couldn't ignore the restless feeling in his stomach nor could he ignore the throbbing in his head. The aches in his feverish body left him feeling like silly putty. He brought his attention back to the cat clock. It ticked and tocked. The eyes darted left and right. There was something Satanic about that clock. Ephram hid his eyes into the folds of his mother's sweater and moaned.

"Close your eyes. Maybe you'll feel better after a nap." Julia suggested.

"Can't sleep." Ephram said as another coughing fit disrupted his concentration on the clock. Julia rubbed her young boy's shoulders in comfort.

Sucking in air was the drive that made him cough excessively so he decided to remain quiet. Each time he drew in a breath his throat became itchy. He watched the clock with an obsession. When he grew tired of doing that, he watched the traffic through the big white door behind the secretary's desk that read, "Dr. Judy Meadows, PhD" in big important block letters. He witnessed several parents and their kids entering and exiting the office. Eventually, the waiting room grew calmer, and this made Ephram feel a bit better. He was staring at the clock when he was rudely interrupted.

A boy about Ephram's age found his way over to where he sat and blocked his view of the cat clock. The boy had thick curly locks of blond hair that almost reached the base of his neck. Ephram thought the boy was in desperate need of a hair cut. The blond boy had rosy cheeks and buttery cherry colored lips. He wore a blue and red striped shirt under a denim overall. He carried in his hands one of the yellow toy dump trucks from the toy bin. The silent boy blinked curiously at Ephram with glassy cerulean blue eyes for a while. He then held the toy truck out as if offering it to Ephram. Ephram looked up at his mother.

"I think he wants to play with you, Ephram." Julia smiled down at her son. Feeling pretty horrible and sick to his stomach, Ephram buried his face deeper into his mother's sweater. Julia turned to the little blond boy in front of her. "He's sick. Maybe he'll play with you when he's better." She said to him.

The blond boy skipped away without being offended at the turn down. He went back to the other children, plopped down on the floor and happily played with the truck by himself. He occasionally glanced over at Ephram's direction.

Ephram was feeling too lousy to care. He wasn't in the mood for a playmate at the moment. He just wanted to pass out. Qualmish and frustrated at the nauseous sensation growing in the pit of his stomach, he began to cry.

"I know baby. I know. It's alright." Julia soothed gently. She stroked his hair hoping he would settle down.

"Momma, I have a tummy ache." Ephram sniffled. His big greenish gray eyes watered and more tears fell as he gazed at his mother for comfort.

"Here, let me rub it." Julia rubbed Ephram's stomach in a circular motion. "Is that better?"

Ephram nodded thinking it was helping. But without warning, he leaned over and hurled all the contents of his stomach onto the tiled floor. The loud splattering sound of vomit hitting the floor silenced the room. Ephram's method of getting inapt attention was uncanny. He stared at the puddle of puke at the tip of his worn out sneakers and it reminded him what he had for breakfast. Pulpy, mashed up bits with a few complete circles of Cheerios cereal floated in a pasty white substance that was once milk.

He had to admit that he felt slightly better after getting it out of his system. He looked up to find the whole room of people including his peers watching him. His head reeled from being sick, his muscles were close to numb, his chest was tight as a rope and on top of that, Ephram felt like he was being observed like the freaky two-headed kid at some sideshow. Suddenly, that lollipop at the end of the visit did not look so important anymore. He didn't care what others thought of him or the idea of embarrassing his mother in public. He did what anyone his age would've done at that instant - tears flooded his eyes and he broke out into a loud sob.

The room finally exploded into animation. The secretary behind the front desk came running with a roll of paper towels in hand while a few of the other parents approached Julia and Ephram, all trying to help any way they can. Julia scrambled to clean up the mess on the floor and comfort the ailing boy at the same time.

Ephram's small shoulders shook with each sob.

"There, there, sweetheart, don't cry." A female voice said. Ephram turned his head to find a woman materialized next to him. She was about average height and had thick mane of curly blond hair. There was nothing distinct about her except the fact that she looked exactly like the little blond boy that offered him the toy truck earlier. This woman was no doubt the blond boy's mother. They had the same nose.

Ephram looked up at the woman with large droplets of tears resembling glass beads falling from his red eyes.

"Oh! He's very warm." The woman said to Julia when she touched Ephram's cheek to wipe away his tears. She had rough hands. "Feverish, I'd say." The woman announced with a worried tone.

"My son's been really sick since last night." Julia explained as she frantically mopped Ephram's vomit up with the paper towels.

"Poor dear!" Blond boy's mother gasped. She felt Ephram's forehead and cheek in a motherly fashion. A harsh coughing fit interrupted Ephram's sobbing when he sucked in a breath of air. Once the coughing diminished, he continued wailing.

"Ephram, it's ok." Julia finished up cleaning the mess and took a seat next her son. She swung a gentle arm around the boy and tried to calm him down.

"He must be feeling so awful." Blond boy's mother said. "Listen, my James is next in line to see Dr. Meadows but your boy can go ahead of him."

"Really? Are you sure?" Julia stammered with unsure eyes darting across the room. She had no intentions of cutting in line.

"Positive. I don't think any of us here would mind pushing the line back by one." Blond boy's mother said as she turned to gain the approval from the other parents in the room. "Especially since your boy is so sick. He really needs to see the doctor. James is just here for a check-up."

"That can be arranged." The secretary offered as she picked up the trashcan and tied a knot on the liner. She went back to her desk and jotted down something on her logbook.

"Y'all understand, don't you?" James' mother encouraged and got an immediate unanimous affirmation from the other parents. "See, it's quite alright." She said to Julia.

Ephram was still crying when Julia pulled him onto her lap and cradled the small boy in the comfort of her arms. He drowned out the mumble of adult conversation with his personal suffering and allowed his tears to blur his vision. When he grew tired of sobbing, he stuck his fingers in his mouth and stared at the Felix the Cat wall clock smiling at him showing off its animated feature. It rolled its eyes left to right as the tail wagged in the same direction. There was a whimsical presence about the clock like as if it was trying to cheer him up. It was saying, "Hey! Look what I can do!" Ephram hated the loud ticking sound that seemed to echo in his head.

"Momma." Ephram looked up at his mother miserably with wet eyes. He wanted relief.

"Shhh. Momma's here." Julia lulled and kissed the boy's feverish forehead.

"Don't worry sugar, the doctor's gonna fix you up and make you feel better." James' mother consoled Ephram. She took Ephram's tiny hand and gave it a gentle, sympathetic handshake. Ephram blinked out some tears and buried his face into his mother's chest. "How old is your darling boy?" The woman asked.

"Ephram's five." Julia replied.

"Yea? James is five as well. You have a beautiful child." She smiled and smoothed Ephram's hair.

"He's my precious baby." Julia answered shyly at the compliment. At that moment, little James appeared next to his mother's side. He still had that toy truck in his hands. It was apparent that he had difficulty parting with it.

"Mommy, is boy going to be ok?" James said as he tugged on his mother's pocket. He gave alternate looks between his mother and Ephram.

"Yes. The doctor is going to give him some medicine. Then he's going to get better." James' mother replied and pulled him close to her.

"Then boy can play with me?" James smiled. He had one of those dimply smiles – the type that makes you want to pinch his cheeks.

"Yes, that's right." His mother answered with a laugh.

The door to Dr. Meadows' office swung open and a freckled faced, redheaded ten-year-old girl walked out while flamboyantly sucking on a green lollipop showing off to all the other kids in the room that she had been a good girl during this visit. The lollipop meant status. Her mother stayed behind for a few minutes to chat up the doctor. Dr. Judy Meadows was a tall, thin older woman. The wrinkles on her friendly face defined her years of experience and stature. She had a face of full make up and neatly manicured nails colored in a shade of bronze. Polished and well groomed, she had tight curls of brown hair bobbing from her head as she walked. She seemed the type that cared as much about her appearance as she did her career. After the redheaded girl's mother finished her last words, the secretary pulled the doctor aside and briefed her on Ephram's situation. A few amiable words were exchanged and the doctor disappeared into her office.

"Ephram Brown." The secretary called.

"I believe that's your boy. You'd better go." James' mother shooed.

Julia got up in a hurry and carried Ephram in her arms since the boy was too weak to walk on his own. As she walked halfway towards the office, it suddenly dawned on her how rude she was in forgetting her manners. Her overwhelming concern with Ephram's condition fogged her mind.

"I forgot to say thank you. You are such a kind person. I really appreciate you letting us go first." Julia said as she spun around to face James' mother.

"Don't worry about it. No problem at all." James' mother smiled modestly. "Oh by the way, I didn't catch your name."

"It's Julia." Her face reddened. She's been so concerned with her son's health that she'd failed to introduce herself.

"I'm Janice." She beamed as she hugged little James from the back.

Julia smiled at her new friend and proceeded to bring Ephram into the doctor's office. Ephram didn't remember much of the visit. He clung to his mother's sweater and refused to part with it for a second. The boy was so sick that he didn't hear half the conversation his mother was having with Dr. Meadows, but he guessed they were questions pertaining to his health. He must've dozed off for a second because the next thing he knew, he was being fed some clear pink liquid that had a bittersweet taste. Obediently swallowing the liquid, he was then given a paper cup of cool water to wash it down.

Muffled conversation between Dr. Meadows and Julia continued as little Ephram blinked tiredly with his tiny fists still clutching his mother's sweater. He was sitting on a hard orange plastic chair next to his mother. Occasionally, he would glance over at Dr. Meadows and she would smile back at him. Finally, Julia carried the boy and placed him on the examination table. The rough tissue paper lining the table made loud crinkling noises when Ephram's weight was placed on it. Alarmed at parting with his mother, he pulled at his mother's sweater making it known that he didn't want her to leave.

Ephram leaned against his mother and closed his eyes. Apparently, he dozed off again because when he woke, he was no longer sitting upright and nestled by his mother's side. He was lying flat on his back atop the examination table. It was the tickle of the cold metal chest piece of a stethoscope against his warm skin that woke him. The deep furrowed eyebrows of Dr. Meadows showed she was in a deep concentration with the listening of his heart and breathing. The boy looked to his left and found his mother holding his hand for moral support.

Before long, he was dragged to his feet. This usually meant the visit was drawing to an end. Julia knelt down to fix Ephram's ruffled shirt. She took his hand and led him towards the door, where she exchanged a few words with Dr. Meadows. He was still lightheaded and standing on his feet made things worse. He felt like he was floating on air. Hardly able to stand anymore, he reached up his arms in front of his mother and begged to be carried. Julia understood and scooped the small boy into her arms.

Ephram knew he'd behaved badly and a lollipop at the end of the visit didn't look promising and he did not expect to receive one this time. Much to his surprise, Dr. Meadows presented him with a big red lollipop, regardless of his behavior.

"For when you feel better." Dr. Meadows said with a smile as she offered Ephram the lollipop. A weak as Ephram was, he was strong enough to accept the candy. There was not a kid on earth that could resist candy no matter how sick they were. It was a strange weakness that often preyed on children.

"Thank you." He mumbled. Even though Ephram was not the model patient this time around, the good doctor understood the source of his crankiness and pardoned the conduct.

Ephram was quietly occupied with looking at the delicious lollipop still covered in its transparent wrapper as Julia carried him through the door. A distraction tore the young boy's attention away from the bright-colored candy. There was only one thing in the world that held such power. The boy's pale complexion lit up in recognition at the figure standing by the exit door.

"Daddy!!" Ephram squealed. Julia walked over to her husband with Ephram in her arms.

"I was worried about the little runt so thought I'd leave the office early." He said to Julia after giving her a quick hello kiss on the lips. "Hey there, kiddo! How's my little man doing?" A beardless Andy said to Ephram as Julia passed the boy into his arms so she could finish the payment details of the visit with the secretary.

"I'm sick." Ephram replied with a raspy cough.

"No kidding." Andy said. "What do you have there?"

"The doctor lady gave me a lollipop." Ephram answered showing his father the candy.

"Well! That means you've been a good boy." Andy concluded. He suddenly realized the boy had a temperature when his lips touched the boy's forehead. "Ephram, you feel hot." He verified his discovery by running a palm over the boy's forehead.

"It's ok, Andy. Dr. Meadows gave Ephram a dose of Children's Motrin. She prescribed something for his fever, cough and congestion, which we have to pick up at the pharmacy." Julia spoke when she heard Andy's comment.

Speaking of medicine, the Children's Motrin was starting to kick in. It made Ephram drowsy. He leaned his head on his father's chest as he twirled the lollipop back and forth between his thumb and index fingers. Andy convinced the boy to put the precious lollipop in his little coat pocket for safekeeping. Too tired to argue, he consented.

Ephram threw his arms around his father's neck in a hug and rested a cheek on Andy's broad shoulders. Andy rubbed the boy's back with soft caring strokes. Being in his father's strong arms, Ephram felt protected and loved. There was no place he'd rather be than close and safe in his father's hold. Andy walked into the waiting room and passed the Felix the Cat wall clock. Suddenly, the ticking came back into Ephram's mind.

The boy was powerless against the sound and the evil grinning of the plastic cat with ghastly round darting eyes. He wanted the ticking noise to stop. He clasped his father's neck tighter and squeezed his eyes shut to block out the sound.

"It's ok, sweetie. Daddy's got you. Daddy loves you. You're gonna be ok. " Andy soothed as he rocked the boy gently. Those were the words that Ephram craved back then – those were still the words he craved now.

He didn't always hate his father. There was a point in time when he looked up to his father and idolized him. At least that was the case until he became one of New York's top neurosurgeons and was in such high demand that strangers consumed all his spare time. Ephram envied his friends, who had dads that went out of their way to spend time with their sons. While other dads and sons were playing ball, he was left at the side of the road – on his own. Ephram hated his father for neglecting him all those years. He hated him for not being there for every birthday or every holiday. He hated how everything revolved around his father's schedule. The bond he once had with his father was broken and he drifted farther and farther away. Something that was so lost was now finding its way back.

Ephram was scared of being hurt again. He was afraid to let himself love his father like the way he once had. He didn't want to feel the burning chafe of disappointment and taste the bitterness of rejection. He knew how it felt and he could not bear the pain. He had to make his heart strong enough to withstand heartbreak. But he was only denying himself the truth.

The truth was that Ephram loved his father dearly – even when he said he hated him. He's always loved his father. Ephram just wasn't a hundred percent convinced that his father loved him the same way back – after the way he treated him. All those wasted years of resentment and animosity would've left a blank void in the man's heart for the boy. But Andy never gave up on Ephram. There was always a flicker of hope that the bond would somehow mend itself. The skies have cleared since then and a new beginning was under way. Ephram acknowledged his father's undying love for him and grown to appreciate it more and more each day. The only regret was the pangs of guilt that hovered around him every now and then.

Ephram thought about how he's made his father's life a living hell for the past year. He rebelled against everything he stood for. Most of the times, Ephram did the things he did to spite him, but he also did it to challenge him. He wanted to see just how far he had to go to make his father pop a blood vessel. It was the ultimate integrity test. Somehow, no matter what drama Ephram put forth, his father returned it with love and an attempt at understanding his son.

When it came to understanding human nature, Ephram was a little bit thickheaded. Soon enough, he learned that the powerful bond between a parent and child is too strong to be severed – maybe a little bruised but never completely broken. It took him worlds to realize this was the same father who held him in his arms and spoke comforting words of love that day at the doctor's office. His feelings for him have not changed - whether he was five or fifteen. He was truly touched by his father's affection and ready to give in.

----------

"You know, you might pop your eyes out of your sockets if you squeezed your eyes any tighter." A voice said. Ephram opened his eyes to find a woman standing next to his bed with clipboard in hand. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear someone come into his room.

"Gwen!!" Ephram beamed in recognition. Was it "Gwen time" already? Ephram thought. He wondered how long she'd been quietly standing there without him knowing.

"Ephram?" Gwen came closer when she noticed a glimmer of something shiny on the boy's face. It looked like a tear. "Have you been crying?" She asked curiously as she wiped the tear away with the tip of her index finger.

"Crying?" Ephram said in a surprised tone. He didn't realize he'd been crying until Gwen pointed it out. Ephram suddenly remembered the reason for his emotional spell. He had been crying because he had such a caring and forgiving family who loved him so much even though he didn't feel he deserved it sometimes.

"Yes. If I stand corrected, I'd say this is a tear." She showed Ephram the evidence on her finger. "Hey, I didn't go to med school for nothing." She tried to steal a smile from the boy. "Everything alright?" She felt compelled to ask.

"Huh? Oh, everything's fine. Just fine." Ephram stammered as he quickly wiped away any traces of tears on his face with the back of his left hand.

"You wouldn't be lying to me now, would you?" Gwen eyed him suspiciously like as if she'd caught the boy's hand in the cookie jar. "If you don't feel well or if you're in pain, you can tell me, you know."

"Yea, I know." He replied.

"Even if it's something else, you can tell me too." She offered. "Sometimes, it helps to tell someone your problems."

"I don't have a problem. It's nothing really." He insisted.

"You wouldn't be crying if it was nothing." She challenged. "I can find your dad if you want."

"I'm positive it's nothing." He claimed. "Please don't say anything to my dad. I don't want him worrying more than he should. Please. It was just a bad dream. I swear that's all." He lied.

"Hmm, I'll let it go this time. But the next time I catch you crying – " Gwen shook her finger at Ephram. "It's my job to be as nosy as possible especially since you're MY patient now, so you can't hide anything from me. If there is something wrong with you, I have to know about it, or my boss will have my ass in a sling." She humored.

Ephram gave her a Cheshire cat grin that was sure to soften anyone's heart. "I promise I won't get you in trouble." He said genuinely. Compromising Gwen's career was definitely not his goal, especially since he had a mad crush on her. The last thing he wanted was to make her angry with him.

"You better not." Gwen said firmly. "Now, before we get down to business, I brought something for you." Her face glowed with liveliness as she reached into the pocket of her white lab coat. "It's a little gift from me."

"A present for me??" Ephram gasped. The suspense was killing him. "You shouldn't have!!" He chirped. He never expected anything from Gwen and this was truly a big surprise. Drinking in her presence was enough.

"I know I wasn't required to come bearing gifts, but I wanted to. Besides, it's something you need." She said as she pulled out a round, ball-like bright neon orange object from her pocket. "Ta-da!"

Ephram stared blankly at the ball sitting in the palm of her hand. Maybe if he knew what it was, he'd like it more.

"Wow! Cool beans! I love it!! I've always wanted one of these!" He said as convincingly as possible. He didn't want to hurt Gwen's feelings.

"You don't know what this is, do you?" She raised an amused eyebrow.

"Well, no." Ephram admitted honestly feeling quite stupid at the moment but looking cuter than ever.

"It's called a Stress Reliever Ball or a squeezie, as some might put it. You see, it's made of a foam-like material, you squeeze it and when you let go, the shape bounces back. See?" She gave a demonstration. "I know the nerve damage from your shoulder injury has made your arm a bit slow with reflexes. This squeezie is kinda like rehab. It'll help you gain your flexibility and strength back in your right arm. You have to promise me that you'll put this ball into good use and work it."

Ephram watched Gwen place the orange ball into his right hand. For the first time, he felt the delicate touch of Gwen's hand. Overwhelmed with Gwen's thoughtfulness, the boy's eyes became moist. He couldn't understand his sudden bouts of weakness and sensitivity. He never used to cry because he believed that the brave was not allowed to shed tears. Ever since the bear incident, he's been crying at the littlest things. Perhaps he's held it in too long and the dam was breaking at the seams.

"What's the matter? You don't like it?" Gwen toyed with Ephram upon seeing him on the verge of tears.

"No. It's not that at all. I love it." He managed to say without cracking his voice.

"Then why are your eyes all glassy?" She pressed. "Out with it. Tell me."

"I – I didn't know so many people cared about me." He bit his lip.

"Oh sweetie, is that all!" Gwen laughed. "You poor thing! People DO care about you. It's something you'll just have to get used to. Gosh, I don't know what dungeon you've just been released from." She shook her head in dismay.

Ephram let out a sniffle. He tried to suck it in but he couldn't help his vulnerability. Trying to be man enough not to cry was difficult. He cursed himself for being a crybaby in front of Gwen.

"Aw now, you're crying again." She said with a warm smile. Somehow, Gwen felt sorry for this boy. It was obvious that during a dark point in his life something made him turn away all love and compassion. Gwen realized Ephram's problem - he was afraid of being loved. It was apparent that he was coming out of his shell by gradually showing his emotions. His burden was slowly peeling away. She couldn't get a grasp on what would make such a young, sweet boy turn this way.

"I'm sorry." Ephram didn't know what else to say.

"Oh Charlie Brown, you seem to be carrying the weight of the world on your small shoulders. You have a very loving family, who has their arms wide open to receive you. I don't know what you're so scared of. Look, I haven't known you for a very long time, but anyone can see how crazy they are about you." Gwen spoke eloquently. She leaned in closer and whispered, "A word of advice - let them into your life."

"You sound like Nina." Ephram allowed a tear to slide down his pallid cheek.

"Well, Nina is right then." She declared.

"Thank you. Thank you for the present. I swear I will use it every minute of the day." The boy said with an uncontrollable sob.

"Oh no! I don't want you to use it EVERY minute of the day!! If you do that, then you're going to strain your muscles. I didn't get the ball for you so you can hurt yourself." Gwen laughed. "When you're tired, you should definitely take a break."

"Thanks for being so nice to me." He looked up at Gwen with wet eyes.

"Alright now stop crying. You're gonna mess up your beautiful eyes." Gwen scolded the boy in a sweet-tempered tone. "Do you need a tissue?" She asked after watching Ephram suck in his mucus.

Gwen didn't wait for an answer. She plucked a bunch of tissues from a nearby tissue box. A wad of tissues was then held to Ephram's button nose. Ephram blew his nose clean. It wasn't every day that a beautiful lady was there to wipe the snot off his face. He felt almost flattered that Gwen didn't seem bothered by grossness. In a scary way, she reminded him very much of Nina. The only difference being that Nina was the epitome of a mother figure and Gwen – well, she was without a doubt - girlfriend material.

"Is that better?" Gwen asked as she discarded the used tissue.

"Yea, thanks." Ephram replied.

"You ok now?" Gwen searched the boy's eyes for the truth. Ephram nodded. "Good. Now let's get down to business, shall we?" She added most professionally.

Ephram recoiled like a small-frightened animal when Gwen suddenly reached for his hospital gown. He didn't know exactly why he would do such a thing. Come to think of it, there had been a lot of things he'd found himself doing lately that he couldn't explain and this was one of them. It was a reflex – a learned defense mechanism, which stemmed from the bear incident. Abrupt movements made towards him increased his stress level causing him to be more edgy and nervous at the most inappropriate times.

"It's ok. I know what I'm doing. Don't be afraid." Gwen coaxed when she witnessed the boy's reaction to her touch. "I won't hurt you." She reassured while watching Ephram's eyes grow wider with fear. The soft trusting tone of her voice restored his confidence and eventually snapped his senses back into reality.

Ephram had no words for his actions. Feeling quite embarrassed, he focused his attention at the tiny white lint balls that had formed on the corner of his blanket.

"I apologize. I shouldn't have startled you like that." Gwen expressed her regret.

"It's not your fault. I – I don't know why I'm – "His confused voice trailed off.

"It's ok. Don't worry about it. Somehow, I kinda forgot your current state of mind. It's normal considering what you've been through. I'll try to be more gentle." She smiled. "I'm going to have take a look at that wound and change your dressing though."

"Go ahead." Ephram allowed.

"You sure?" Gwen questioned.

"Mm-hm." The boy replied.

"Ok then." Gwen rolled up the side of Ephram's hospital gown slowly making sure not to startle the poor kid from any more hasty movements. She removed the old gauze bandages carefully and observed the healing status as Ephram watched her face for signs of approval. She then rolled the cart holding the tray of fresh bandages and utensils closer within her reach.

Ephram flinched at the gentle dabbing on the tender spot of his wound with a Q-Tip. He couldn't tell whether it hurt or tickled more. Either way, he didn't make a peep. He wanted to be strong and manly. Quite on the contrary, he was just a boy and Gwen saw through his thick mask. She felt pity for him.

"So, are you a fan?" Gwen finally asked without looking up from her task. She tried to distract the boy from any discomfort she may be temporarily inflicting.

Ephram looked up at Gwen in confusion. She darted her eyes at the DVD on the table nearest the bed. "Tomb Raider." Gwen added.

"Oh." Ephram had forgotten it was there. He shot an embarrassed look at the cover of the DVD. The sexy smirk across Angelina Jolie's lips was mocking him. "Um – it was a gift. I haven't seen it yet." Ephram reasoned. It was just a stupid crush on a dumb actress. Why did he suddenly feel as though he was caught cheating on Gwen?

"Cradle of Life, huh? I saw it." She said as she rubbed on some type of ointment on Ephram's wound with a new Q-Tip. "But don't you worry. I won't ruin the ending for you. It's a pretty cool movie – well – if you like action/adventure."

"I'm sure it'll be an interesting movie." He muttered.

"Angelina Jolie was great though. I think she's a very talented actress. Do you like her?" Gwen asked trying to keep the boy's mind off his 46 stitches.

"She's alright." Ephram lied. It was painful lying to Gwen.

"Of course you like her. Why don't you admit it? You don't have to be bashful about it!" She giggled.

"Fine, then maybe just a little, ok? You happy now? There, I admit it. I like Angelina Jolie." Ephram confessed.

"I have a younger brother who's a little older than you and all he thinks about day in and day out is Angelina Jolie."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? That I'm not the only one who suffers from S.U.L.S. - Silly Unrequited Love Syndrome?" Ephram retorted humorously.

"Charlie Brown, everyone has crushes on movie stars. Take me for instance. I used to be in love with Mel Gibson. I thought he was hot." Gwen shared.

The big green-eyed monster called "jealousy" spawned inside Ephram's gut. What did Mel Gibson possess that Ephram didn't already have twice of? Ephram felt he was just as funny, just as manly, just as witty, just as intelligent, and just as charismatic as Mel Gibson. And yet, the whole female popular seemed to find Mel sizzling hot despite the fact that Mel was just a hairy guy with bulging biceps the size of baseballs. Well, maybe it would help if he "looked" like Mel. But then he decided in the end that he hated Mel for being a "chick magnet". He couldn't believe he was jealous over a movie star – someone who Gwen may never actually meet. This revelation made Ephram feel better.

"You know Ephram, I could see why you like Angelina." Gwen continues while still focusing her attention on her work. "Just look at her. She's gorgeous."

"She's ok but she's not THAT gorgeous." Ephram brushed aside.

"Alrighty, that about does it for your side wounds." Gwen said as she finished taping a large thick sheet of gauze to Ephram's chest. "Now, I need to see that shoulder." She demanded and fixed the boy's hospital gown.

"I'm gonna need a little help rolling over." Ephram requested. Gwen shifted the boy over carefully on his left side. He let out a tiny moan when he felt the pressure placed on his side wounds.

"So, you don't rate Angelina as gorgeous?" Gwen picked up the subject. It was her technique to distract the patient from thinking too much about his ailment. She removed the gown from the top exposing another white bandage.

"Nah. I think there is someone even more gorgeous than her." Ephram hinted. "And she's sitting with me right now." Even thought it came out as a joke, he partially meant what he said.

Gwen laughed wholeheartedly as she cleaned Ephram's shoulder wound. "You sure know how to sweet talk a girl."

"You ever think about going into show business?" Ephram spoke.

"Show business?? No, no, no. Not me. The closest I ever got to show business was that time in the first grade when casting directors came to my school to recruit kids for the revival of The King and I on Broadway."

"Broadway!! As in New York's Broadway??" Ephram shouted excitedly. "I'm from New York. I didn't know you were from New York too!!!"

"Actually, I'm not. I'm from Connecticut. My family did a lot of traveling and relocating because of my dad's research. But I spent most of my earlier years in Connecticut before moving to other states. Lived in New York briefly for about two years though before moving here to the beautiful city of Denver."

"In many ways, we are alike." Ephram said. With his cheek against his pillow, he couldn't see Gwen's face and this made it easier to talk to her. If he was depressed, embarrassed, or thrilled, she couldn't see it. "I miss New York." He said finally. New York was where his mother was buried. New York was where his life had begun and ended. He missed his life there – his life with his mother. Gwen caught the boy's disheartened tone.

"You know, it's not so bad moving to a new town. I know its tough being the new kid. You don't know anyone, you feel kinda lonely sometimes, and people always stare. I know how it feels. I've moved to at least five different environments during my childhood. I like to think of it this way – moving to a new town is like a fresh start. You leave all your the problems back in the old place and start from scratch at the new place. You build new memories. Create new traditions. Make new friends. You keep the happy memories in your heart and leave the sad ones behind. That way, you lighten your load." Gwen advised as she applied ointment onto Ephram's shoulder wound.

"Thanks. I needed to hear that." Ephram mumbled after a brief pause. He felt considerably better after hearing those comforting words from Gwen. "So, tell me about your brush with fame."

"I hardly call it that. And there's not much to tell either. I didn't even make it passed the audition. We were herded into our school gymnasium where each of us was instructed to sing a simple song in front of the recruiters. I did my 'Mary had a little lamb' and in the end, they didn't pick me." Gwen summed it up while taping new gauze to Ephram's shoulder.

"Why didn't you get picked? Were you that tone deaf?" Ephram joked.

"No, I sounded fine. They didn't pick me because I was too tall." Gwen said. "Apparently, they were looking for shorter kids. Oh well." She shrugged. "Ok, I think we're done here. I'm going to turn you around now."

"It's their loss anyway. They didn't know a gold mine even if it kicked them in the face." Ephram blasted in defense. Feeling kinda brave, he tried to roll himself over. He grunted softly when the pressure caused some discomfort.

"Easy now. Careful." Gwen cautioned. "I know you're an independent and you want to do everything yourself but believe me, you don't want to know what's gonna happen when you rip those stitches." She caught the boy by the shoulders. This was the closest Ephram has ever been face to face with Gwen. He could smell her perfume. Drunk with love, Ephram's weak heart nearly caved in. It may have very well been his physical condition rather than euphoria that let to his delicate disposition.

"Ephram? Ephram!!!!! Hey!!" Gwen's exclamation topped by a gentle shaking brought the boy back to his senses.

"Huh? Wha?" He mumbled incoherently.

"Sweetie! Are you alright?!!"

"Of course, I am. Why do you ask?" He stammered looking squarely at a beautiful but worried face.

"Your eyes fluttered. Looked like you were about to faint." She set the boy gently down against the pillows.

"No, I wasn't." Ephram blinked.

"I heard the hike in your heart monitor. The heart monitor doesn't lie, Ephram." She scolded. "Are you in pain? Do you feel nauseous? Dizzy? How about your chest? Does it hurt when you breathe?" Questions were fired at the boy as he ducked for cover.

"Gwen – I'm ok. Nothing's wrong. I feel fine." Ephram said still slightly confused. He cleared his throat trying to hide his perplexity.

"Ephram...I wasn't born yesterday." Gwen spoke sternly as she made an unpleased pout at her young patient. "I'm not kidding. This is no time for jokes. You tell me how you feel this instant." She snapped.

"Alright, my chest feels a little tight and my head feels like it weighs a ton. But that's it." The boy finally admitted. "I swear."

Gwen's eyes probed the boy suspiciously for a second trying to determine if he was lying. Ephram's overall appearance was a weak one but that was expected. For a moment he even seemed scared by her sharp tone but he offered a frail smile as a truce. "You are one tough nut to crack. You know that?" Gwen said.

"That's what my dad says." Ephram replied smartly. "How does the saying go? The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree?"

"I think it was an apple, not an acorn." Gwen laughed. "I'm sorry I was so rash with you just now. You gave me a quite a scare."

She DOES love me!! Ephram thought to himself and felt giddy all over again. Forgiveness? I could never be mad at beautiful Gwen! Never!! He was putty in her hands only she didn't know it.

"I didn't mean to scare you. Everything went dim for a second. I can't explain what happened. Please don't tell my dad. He'll just worry more." Light from the fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling reflected off the boy's greenish gray eyes giving his eyes a docile glow.

"I'm gonna monitor you closer from now on." Gwen said ignoring Ephram's request. She scribbled something on his medical chart and placed it back on the hook by his bed.

A knock on the door pulled their conversation to a halt. The door squeaked open and a big, heavyset old man stumbled in. He wore a brown parka over an old plaid shirt. A battered leather belt held up his dusty blue jeans. Except for a few swirls of white hair covering the crown of his head, he was bald as an eagle. He had a tiny pair of round, silver rimmed glasses that perched on the bridge of his nose. With hands dug deep into his pockets, he stepped forward.

At first, Ephram thought the man had the wrong room. But there was something vaguely familiar about the old man. Has he seen him somewhere before? Did he know him? The memory wheel in Ephram's mind reeled forward as he tried to remember why this man looked so impressionable. Gwen, on the other hand, was quite protective of her young patient. It was obvious to her that Ephram did not know the stranger. She was about to question the man when he spoke.

"Hey there, Tiger!!" The old man's deep wrinkles on his stubble-free face creased as he broke into a smile. Suddenly, it all came back to Ephram. Every single memory was as clear as it had happened yesterday. There was only person in the entire galaxy that called him Tiger.

"LEO!! Is that really you???" Ephram hollered in recognition. The boy's eyes lit up at the surprise. "Oh my God! What are you doing here??"

"What? I can't come and visit you?" Leo joked. "I didn't think you'd remember me."

"Of course I remember you! Hotdog stand corner of 59th and Central Park South. Many Saturday's spent eating hotdogs and pretzels." Ephram was happy to see his long lost friend. "How did you know I was here?"

"Your father looked me up in the book a few days ago. Had a long talk with him about the old days and the new days. He told me what happened to you – horrible thing by the way. And he mentioned you asked about me. I really wanted to see you so I decided to fly out to Denver. But I gotta tell ya, I was kinda nervous because I didn't think you'd recognize me. And it's my first time in Denver, you know." Leo explained. "Your dad wanted to come in with me but I thought I'd take my chances and come in by myself to surprise you. And from the looks of things, I think I have."

"I'm very glad to see you!" Ephram's eager voice cracked.

"I'm glad to see you too, Tiger." Leo laughed. "So, who is your lady friend?" He turned to Gwen. For the first time, Ephram was so caught up in his excitement that he'd forgotten about the beautiful creature that was standing next to him.

"Oh, this is Gwen. Gwen, this is my friend Leo. We go back a long way. Eleven years to be exact." Ephram made the quick introductions. Leo stuck out a hand for a cordial handshake.

"Well, nice to meet you Leo." Gwen smiled and took his hand.

"Likewise." Leo replied warmly. "Always a pleasure to meet a pretty lady."

"Gwen's my doctor." Ephram boasted.

"Technically, I'm a surgical intern. Not a doctor yet." Gwen blushed.

"Oh pish! Doctor – surgical intern, ah, what's the difference." Leo marveled.

"She takes care of me." Ephram said. "Visits me everyday." He wasn't just giving out compliments he was dropping hints, drawing boundaries, and marking his territory. He wanted to make things clear that Gwen belonged to him.

"Then, I'm sure you're in good hands." Leo grinned with gentleman air.

Feeling a little awkward at the pause in conversation, Gwen spoke.

"I'll leave you two alone to chat for a while. Don't keep him up too long though. He needs his rest." She advised to Leo nicely before turning to Ephram. "I'll talk to the nurse and see what they can give you for your chest and head. Make you feel better. You hang in there, Charlie Brown."

"See you tomorrow?" Ephram said. He hated it when it was time for Gwen to go. If he could have his way, he'd make her keep him company for the whole day. She can call him Charlie Brown all day long and he wouldn't mind it one bit.

"Sooner than that my darling. I might drop by later when I'm done with my rounds to see how you're doing." She said.

"Really? You mean it?" Ephram couldn't believe his lucky streak. Seeing Gwen twice in one day was a real treat.

"Of course. Have I ever broken my promise?" Gwen smiled. She said good-bye to Leo and gave Ephram a friendly wink before turning around to leave the room.

Both Leo and Ephram watched Gwen attentively as she exit the room. It was hard not to notice Gwen's attractiveness. Her long shiny brown hair brushed the middle of her back in a left to right swinging motion when she walked. She held a good posture with her broad shoulders straightened to a "T." Even though her figure was hidden beneath a lab coat, Ephram still secretly admired the curve of her back and imagined her long legs scissoring back and forth as she took her strides. No one spoke until she disappeared completely through the door.

"Wow. She's a knockout." Leo gaped humorously.

"She's off limits, Leo." Ephram staked his claim. "I saw her first. She's mine."

"Relax, Tiger. I have no intentions of swiping your girl. I mean, look who I'm up against. You're young, cute as a kitten, and you're injured. If those combinations don't strike up sympathy in women, then I don't know what will. See, I don't stand a chance." Leo pointed out. "I've always suspected you'd turn out to be a heartbreaker – ever since the first time I saw you. Even when you were little, all you had to do for female attention was flash a big smile and they come running like bees to honey."

"I don't think I'm like that at all." Ephram opposed timidly. "You're wrong about me."

"Well, let's see Tiger. Let me take a closer look at ya." Leo walked to Ephram's bedside and pulled up a chair. He was shocked by the boy's pasty complexion and the narrowness of his frame. Ephram had ash colored circles revolving around his tired eyes, which made it look like he'd been sleep deprived for days. The strong, energetic little firecracker Leo once knew was replaced with an unfamiliar weak, brittle, and sickly being. He wondered how on earth could it come to this. Leo decided to set his tender feelings aside. "My! How you've grown. You still have the same baby face though." He chose to say.

"I see you got rid of the beard." Ephram noticed.

"Minus the beard, minus the hair, and add a pair of glasses. I was tired of loosing all the hair on top of my head and gaining it all on my chin – I call transference – so, I decided if I was gonna be bald, my whole head may as well be bald." Leo kidded. "Though, I must admit, I'm surprised to find your father bearded. I almost didn't recognize him."

"It's been eleven years. Things change." Ephram added. "When did you fly in?"

"Yesterday. Had a nice long dinner with your father. Caught up with all sorts of things. He tells me you're a rather passionate piano player now and that you're getting to be quite a genius at it too." Leo said.

"I play. I can't say I'm a genius yet. I could only try." Ephram's smile disappeared almost too quickly. "But I don't think I'll be able to play that well for a while. I have a problem with my right arm." He shot a glance at the little orange stress reliever ball in the palm of his right hand. "My dad probably already told you that it's because of the damaged nerves in my shoulder."

Poor kid. Leo thought.

"I guess it'll come back to me eventually. One day at a time – that's what everyone keeps telling me." Ephram said.

"At a boy. Keep fueling the positive attitude. That's the important thing to remember." Leo applauded.

"Maybe I can play something for you when I get better." Ephram offered.

"Sure! I would like that very much." Leo accepted. "I met your little sister yesterday. She's a doll."

"Delia's great. The best thing that's ever happened to me. I love her to bits." The boy said.

"She loves you too. All she could talk about was you. Ephram likes this, Ephram hates that. You both seem to know each other so well."

"Yea, we do." Ephram replied sounding quite satisfied. He stared at Leo for a while. Ephram was amazed that his father set up this neat reunion. He never imagined his father was capable of doing such things. Truly touched, Ephram promised to be a better son to his father going forward.

"You feelin' alright, Tiger?" Leo said after the brief pause in conversation. "You're kinda quiet."

"Yea. I'm good." Ephram said. "Just a bit tired. I seem to be more tired than usual lately. But I don't want you to leave." He hurried his sentence. "I have so much to tell you."

"You're still a sweet kid." Leo let out a laugh. "Believe me, I want to hear everything you have to say. But don't push it. Didn't you hear what Gwen said? You need your rest."

"Yea, yea, yea." Ephram said pretending to be annoyed. "I've only slept for the past fifteen hours." Spunk crept into his voice as the corners of his lips curled up into a mischievous smile.

"An order is an order." Leo breathed.

"So, you still have that hot dog stand?" Ephram asked.

"Nah. Those days are over. I don't think I can hack it anymore. Maybe you haven't noticed it but I'm gettin' old. It's catching up with me. I gave up selling quality food to New Yorkers about three years ago." Leo answered.

"You're retired then?" Ephram said.

"You could say that. But I've been keeping busy. I've taken up several hobbies though."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like fishing and gardening. I have a few of the guys over for poker night at my place every Thursday. And I've taken up woodcarving. Oh, I almost forgot! I brought you something." Leo was suddenly reminded of his gift. "See, the memory is the second thing to go. The first is the hair." He said as he reached into the deep pockets of his parka.

"Here, I made this for you." Leo pulled out a round artistic wooden figurine. It was about the size of a lemon. Leo placed it into Ephram's left hand.

"Wow – you made this?" Ephram gasped in amazement as he held it to eye level to get a better look. He admired the fine detail done on the object. The surface was well sanded and smooth to the touch. A layer of lacquer was painted around the exterior of the carving to give the appearance a mahogany glow. Although, the carving was an abstract and contemporary piece, it was clear that the end product was some sort of bird.

"It's a pigeon." Leo said. "When I heard about what happened to you, I was inspired to do a wood carving. Do you remember back in New York what we said about pigeons? You reminded me of a pigeon."

"Huh?" Ephram interjected in confusion. Never did his face look so puzzled in all his fifteen years. "You mean I remind you of a rat with wings?"

"No!! Ha, ha. You're real cute." Leo burst out in laughter. "That was what YOUR father said about pigeons not what I said. I said pigeons are strong birds. They survive the coldest of winters and the hottest of summers. Though rain and snow –"

"But they always come back." Ephram finished Leo's sentence.

"Ah, you remember!" Leo was impressed at the young boy's recollection of so many years ago.

"I remember." Ephram confirmed.

"You are a strong boy and I believe you will find the will to survive. Just like the pigeon, you will come back stronger." Leo revealed.

"Thanks for believing in me. And thanks for the present. I think it's beautiful." Ephram said as he ran his fingers through the whittled sections of the design.

"You're welcome, Tiger." Leo replied as he took a hard look at the boy's appearance.

Leo couldn't help but stare at the thick piece of gauze covering a good portion of the boy's left side. It was difficult not to notice the raised section under the hospital gown. He could only imagine what it looked like underneath all the bandages. Leo watched the boy observe his new present in wonder. His eyes followed the knobby wrist bone that bulged in Ephram's hand as the boy's fingers traced the crevices of the carving. The protrusion gave the boy's hand the illusion of being massive. Ephram's bony frame was the thing that bothered Leo the most. Everything about Ephram was skeletal – skin and bones. He just couldn't digest the fact that Ephram was no longer the robust boy with rosy freckled cheeks that he once knew back in New York. Seeing the boy lying so breakable in that bed made Leo sad. He wasn't used to it. The kid deserved so much better. Leo watched the boy's gaunt collarbone raise and fall when he took in air.

"How long did it take you to make this?" Ephram piped.

"About three hours if you don't count the bathroom break." Leo answered.

"That's it? Just three hours?" He almost didn't believe it. "But it's so detailed."

"When I was in the war, this was my pastime. I had a lot of time sitting in the barracks waiting for orders. I killed time by carving stuff out of wood pieces with my knife. After a while, I got pretty good at it and my war buddies even put in special requests. Some asked for animals, some asked for planes or cars. But I didn't mind, it was like a challenge for me." Leo explained. "Now, if there is a request you would like to put in, just say it."

"You can make anything?" Ephram's glassy eyes opened wider.

"Yep, you name it."

"Do you know how to make an elephant?" The boy asked curiously.

"Yep."

"Then how about a rhinoceros?"

"Easy as pie." Leo said.

"Really? How about a dinosaur?"

"Sure."

"Um." The boy pondered for a second. "A battle ship."

"No problemo."

And this went on for a while. Needless to say, they were both enjoying each other's company.

-Meanwhile, Outside Ephram's Room-

Andy loitered around the waiting room. He wanted to give his son a little time alone with old Leo. He didn't want to suffocate his son every hour of the day with his presence. Besides, Ephram and Leo go back a long way and they would have no problem shooting the breeze for a while. Getting slightly restless, Andy strolled out of the waiting area and wandered into the hall to see if any new developments have occurred. Much to his disappointment, the hall was not as busy with activities as he had hoped. Out of boredom, he scanned the area for someone to strike up a conversation with. In front of the nurses' station, he noticed Gwen talking to a nurse behind the desk. The nurse was showing her agreement with quick nods of her head before disappearing into the back.

Hungry for conversation, he made his way to the desk. He realized that all though this chaos, he's never really had a chat with the surgical intern who sew Ephram up.

"Miss Stanton?" Andy called amicably trying to get Gwen's attention. She had been reviewing a stack of patient folders when she heard someone speak. Disheveled, Gwen spun around on her heels to see who called her.

"Oh, hi Dr. Brown. I didn't see you there. Please, it's Gwen. Everyone calls me Gwen." She said with a smile. Andy could now see why his son had a crush on her. He hadn't noticed it until he was looking directly at her. It was true - she was genuinely beautiful.

"Looks like you've got a handful there." Andy said referring to the stack folders.

"Yea, sixteen patients in one day. It's a lot to juggle. But in the end, it's worth it right?" She humored.

"Oh, definitely." Andy concurred.

"I take it you want to know how Ephram's doing?" She said assuming he was going to inquire about his son.

"Yes. An update would be nice."

"Overall, your son is healing nicely - aside from the fact that he almost passed out in my arms today when I was turning him around after changing the bandage on his shoulder." Gwen began. "Oh but he's ok now. He wouldn't say what was the matter at first but I beat it out of him. He says his chest feels tight and his head's a little heavy. The nurse will give him something to ease the discomfort." She added as she caught the concerned look on Andy's face. "He told me not to breathe a word to you because the silly boy didn't want you to worry. But I thought you should know at least."

"I appreciate you letting me know." Andy said feeling relieved at the news. "Ephram tends to keep to himself a lot. But I am glad you've managed to pry him open. Then again, it does help that he's sweet on you though." He chuckled lightly.

"You know, I kinda sensed that. It would definitely explain the minty fresh breath." Gwen observed comically.

"You noticed! He's been popping starlight mints like there's no tomorrow. He's almost gone through a whole pound already." Andy exclaimed in humor. They both shared a nice laugh.

"But really, Ephram's a smart and adorable kid. He's a pup." Gwen said.

"He's your number one fan these days. Apparently, you've made quite an impression on him. He loves to talk about you."

"Well, I'm flattered. He's a lovable boy – very charismatic." Gwen spoke with confidence. "If you don't mind me saying though, he seems incredibly fragile. By that, I mean mentally more so than physically. I didn't want to say anything until I was certain and maybe I'm fretting over nothing." She said nervously.

"No, not at all. I want to hear your thoughts – however outrageous they may sound." Andy insisted.

"The poor boy's been having bad dreams. I've caught him crying in his sleep on several occasions. It breaks my heart to see him that way so I wake him up each time. He always has some weird lame excuse ready whenever I ask him about what's in his dreams that makes him so sad. He seems so – I don't know the right word for it – so uneasy, I guess – like as if something's bothering him but he won't say what. I can see it in his actions. He's fidgety. When I confront him about it, he blames it on the drugs." She said. "It's not my intention to load more worries on you, Dr. Brown. But like I said, I just thought you should know."

"I value your observations and concern. I know Ephram's been through a lot of trauma. I honestly can't imagine what it was like to be mauled by a bear and live to tell the story. But I will have a talk with him." Andy sighed.

"Let me know if there's anything else I can do. You have a remarkable son and I hate to see him get worse." Gwen offered sympathetically as she started to collect her stack of folders on the desk.

"That's very nice of you." Andy showed his gratitude. "By the way, I've seen your stitching. You've done an excellent job of sewing Ephram up." He added when he saw she was getting ready to leave.

"I'm happy you approve." Gwen blushed at the compliment.

"You have a very skilled and orderly technique in the way you placed the stitches. Your style is very careful and discriminative when it comes to stitch placement. Your method reminds me a lot of myself."

"I guess all those years of practice in mending eggplant skins paid off." She chortled and getting a laugh out of Andy in the process. "Though, I must admit that Ephram's case was definitely a challenge. In all the stitch- work that I've ever done on anyone, this has got to be the hardest. I knew Ephram was going to have massive scarring either way but I took my time and did the stitching small to try and get the scarring to be as minimal as possible."

"By the care you put into the simplest task of sew up, I can tell you are going to make one fine doctor. You've got more potential than you know." Andy gave his approval.

"Thanks. I needed to hear that every once in a while."

"Have you picked your specialty yet?" Andy asked out of curiosity.

"Everyone says I should go into neurology and become a surgeon because I've got the grades and the drive plus the patience." She began.

"Hmm, somehow you don't sound too excited by that. I sense it in your voice." Andy said.

"With all due respect, Dr. Brown. I know you are a very good neurosurgeon – one of the best in fact - and I've heard so many great things that you've accomplished through the grapevine. And I'm not trying putting your specialty down or anything - " Gwen's voice trailed off.

"Let me give you a word of advice. Choosing your specialty is a very important step. It should be considered carefully because that's the thing that will decide your future and ultimately change your life. Your choice should be based on what YOU want – not what someone else wants." Andy suggested. "Do you know what YOU want to do?"

"Actually, I do know what I want. I've always felt strongly about going into pediatrics. I love helping children." Gwen revealed.

"That's a start." Andy replied with a good-natured chuckle. "I think kids would love you. You've already hit it off with Ephram. He's crazy about you. That's generally a good sign." He joked making Gwen laugh. "On a serious note, it's been ages since I've come across someone so dedicated to perfecting the basics. I'm quite impressed, I must say."

"That compliment means a lot to me when it's coming from you."

A smiling nurse appeared behind the desk with a tiny paper cup filled with two round pills that looked like M & M's. She exchanged greetings with Andy. She then handed the pills politely to Gwen before taking refuge behind her computer screen again.

"Are those for Ephram?" Andy asked referring to the pills.

"Yes. Its just Acetaminophen. But it'll help alleviate the discomfort in his head and chest." Gwen replied.

"I'll take it to him." Andy volunteered. "I see you've got a lot on your agenda today." He nodded to the folders in Gwen's arms.

"That would be great." She accepted the favor. "It was a pleasure talking to you, Dr. Brown. Thanks for the advice. I will remember what you told me."

"No problem." Andy was glad to have been an influence. "Oh, one more thing." He said just as Gwen was about to turn away. "If you need any recommendations or anything, I would be happy to help."

"Wow, would you really do that for me??" Gwen exclaimed in surprise.

"Why not!" Andy shot back amusing her.

"I'm a nobody. You don't even know me that well." She stammered.

"You obviously don't know it yet but you have the capacity of achieving something great. I can't explain it, but I know adeptness when I see it. It's in the way you stitch up patients." Andy waved his index finger knowledgably at Gwen. "You and I both know that stitching is boring. It's kinda like reaching the cone part of a triple scoop ice cream cone. The exciting part has already been finished and what you're left with is the melted ice cream that leaked into the cone. It's the same thing with stitching up."

"Is that so?" Gwen probed.

"Why do you think most head surgeons allow the interns to finish patching up? The problem has already been fixed and the rest is a done deal." He spoke as he played with the paper cup in his hand.

"You have a point there."

"Stitching is a fundamental part of the job. You were given a monotonous task yet you were still able to make it count by using caution and spending time getting it perfect. Now, I'd say if you were able to do this with one ordinary procedure, imagine what you can accomplish when you're given something more critical." He said. "And hey, I want to get credit for noticing you first."

"Well, thanks all the same."

"Anyway, I don't want to keep you from your rounds. I can empathize the long, endless days. But just keep in mind what I said. Offer still stands." Andy said noticing that his selfish conversation was taking up her hectic schedule.

"I will." Gwen promised. After saying their farewells, Gwen rushed towards the silver elevator doors down the hall and Andy approached Ephram's room. He turned the doorknob.

-And Back In Ephram's Room-

"Well, I see you remembered Leo." Andy said as he heard the two laughing at some joke he'd missed.

"Dad! Where have you been? What took you so long?" Ephram said when he saw his father walk into the room.

"I didn't stray too far. I was just outside in the hall talking to Gwen." He explained.

"WHAT?! You talked to Gwen?!" Ephram's mortified tone rang out as his eyes followed his father approaching the bed. "Dad – are you trying to ruin me???" He cried.

"What? What'd I do?" Andy had not anticipated Ephram's disapproval. "Geez, I didn't know I wasn't allowed to talk to her."

"You're not allowed to talk to her unless I say it's ok." The boy said immaturely. "W-What did you say? What did she say?" He pressed. Andy found his son's adolescent reaction rather entertaining.

"She knows EVERYTHING now. Oh yes, the cat is out of the bag. She knows all about the Oggie." Andy kept a straight face.

"No! You didn't!!!" Ephram gasped in horror.

"Oggie? What's Oggie?" Leo asked curiously.

"Oh, Oggie is Ephram's security blanket. When he was a toddler, he had this purple blanket that he would lug around with him everywhere he went. He called it 'Oggie' because he had trouble saying the word 'blanket'. He would have a fit if Julia or I took it away from him. It took months to get rid of that thing." Andy said.

"Dad! How could you do this to me?? How could you embarrass me like that?? I'm humiliated." The boy ranted. "Now, I can't face her again."

Andy had a good laugh but decided to call it quits when poor Ephram looked like he was going to cry. "Oh Ephram. You don't have to look all teary- eyed. I was just kidding. I was playing with you. Gwen doesn't know about the Oggie." He said.

"What?" Ephram squeaked.

"I lied. I didn't tell her about your Oggie. It was a brief conversation. We talked a bit about your status but mostly it was about the job. I told her I was impressed by the way she stitched you up and if she ever needed a recommendation that all she had to do was ask. She was very happy that I offered to help in fact." Andy told the real truth.

"Really?" The boy asked.

"Yep, so you can relax. I didn't reveal any of your embarrassing moments to her." Andy said.

"That was a cruel joke, dad. I don't find it funny one bit." The boy said in dissatisfaction.

"Yes and I'm sorry. But you can't tell me who I can and can't communicate with." Andy scolded.

"Alright." Ephram obeyed. "Did she say anything about me?" He wanted to know.

"She thinks you're cute." Andy said. "And stubborn. This is for you." He slid the paper cup holding the pills on the rolling over the bed table next to the wood carving of the pigeon.

"She told you what happened." Ephram stated and felt a little betrayed.

"Yes."

"What happened?" Leo was feeling left out.

"Ephram here almost passed out today when his bandages were being changed. When he was asked how he felt, he casually brushed it aside regardless of the fact that he was feeling horrible. His justification for his actions was because he didn't want me to worry." Andy reported. "Can you believe this one?"

"Tiger, you should know better than that. Your father worries about you no matter what." Leo said to Ephram.

"I wasn't feeling horrible. I was just a little under the weather – that's all. You don't have to chew my ear off." Ephram complained.

"Of course I'm gonna chew off your ear. Ephram, it's imperative that you say what's wrong especially in your condition so we can better access the problem." Andy said as he took the pitcher of water on the end table and poured a glass for Ephram.

"Alright. Alright." The boy was tired of arguing when he knew he was never going to win.

"You should take the pills now." Andy ordered and took a tablet from the paper cup. "Open wide." He instructed.

"What is it?" Ephram asked as he opened his mouth to receive the medication. Andy placed one pill into the boy's mouth.

"A pain reliever." Andy advised as he put the glass of water to the boy's lips and slowly tilted the glass. He did the same with the second pill.

"Why didn't you tell me Leo was in the neighborhood?" Ephram inquired of his father.

"If I had, then I wouldn't get to see that big smile on your face." Andy placed the glass back on the table.

"Look what Leo gave me." Ephram nodded to the wooden pigeon in front of him. "He made it."

"Hey, that's pretty neat." Andy said.

"Leo and I were talking about New York. I told him that we would be traveling back there real soon. I was hoping that when that happens, could we do something together? Maybe go fishing? Leo says the fish are biting! And the sea bass are huge!!" Ephram's eyes lit up.

Seeing the boy so happy, Andy didn't want to disappoint him. "Of course we can do that. It sounds like fun." He agreed.

"But first, you have to heal that body of yours, Tiger." Leo said to the boy.

"I'm working on it." He muttered. Quite satisfied with things, the boy smiled contently at his father.

Andy's heart softened. He reached over and kissed the boy on the forehead. "Love you baby."

"Aw dad! Not in front of people." Ephram whined tiredly.

"Sorry but I couldn't resist. You're so cute when you grin like that." Andy laughed.

"I think I best be going now." Leo announced.

"You're leaving?? So soon? Why??" Ephram cut in.

"Tiger, you've been up for a long time now. You should get some shuteye. You look exhausted." Leo said. "'Sides, I'm here for a few days. I'll come back and visit you tomorrow after you've been well rested. I've never seen Denver before so I'm gonna go do the tourist thing."

"Ok. But I would stay away from camping if I were you." Ephram said pointing to the bandage on his side. "Not a good idea."

"Hey, I've done my time in the jungles of Vietnam back in the war. What makes you think I'd want to go camping? I've had enough of the wilderness to last me a lifetime or two. Don't you worry, Tiger." Leo reassured.

"It was really nice seeing you again Leo." Ephram said.

"Good to see you too. Now get some rest, K?" Leo took Ephram's left hand and pulled it into a gentle handshake. "See ya tomorrow."

"Not if I see you first." Ephram mumbled. Leo grinned at the boy's joke.

"I'll walk you out." Andy said to Leo before turning to Ephram. "I'll be right back, ok?"

Ephram nodded. He watched the two adults get up and head for the door. Leo was the first one to reach the doorknob and he held the door for Andy.

As they walked down the hall to the elevators, Leo turned to Andy. "You know, when I was in the service, I've seen many horrible things happen to people – body parts blown off, bodies riddled with bullets, bodies completely blown up. At first, it bothered me and the visions haunted me for months but you learn to be immune to it after a while. Most of them didn't live long enough to suffer a great deal. And they were the lucky ones." Leo revealed his feelings with slight hesitation. "But seeing your boy suffering like this – it's just too much to handle – even for an old timer like me."

"Leo, it's ok." Andy began.

"He's just a boy. This shouldn't have happened to him." Leo said with a sad tone. "He's hanging on with such courage. I don't think I ever knew a braver kid."

"Leo," Andy began again only to be cut off by his friend once more.

"Are you sure he's going to be alright? He looks awful. Way too skinny and those dark circles under his eyes – is that normal?" Leo asked.

"Ephram's actually not as bad as he looks. Compared to last week, he's made a lot of progress." Andy said. "Good news is that he's officially off the feeding bags. He's eating solid foods again. Just this morning, he had applesauce for breakfast."

"I can't believe that sweet kid in there almost died." Leo shook his head in dismay.

"I thank God everyday for sparing his life. I love my kids so much. They are my life." Andy admitted.

"I don't care what you've told me before. You are a good father and Julia would've been proud." Leo said. Andy pressed the down button on the wall when they arrived at the big elevator doors.

"Call if you need anything." Leo patted his cell phone in his breast pocket.

"Sure, will do. And thanks." Andy replied.

"I'm going to take a walk to – you guys call lower downtown LoDo I think. Maybe grab some dinner then head back to the hotel." Leo said. "I have a walking tour of the Coors Brewery tomorrow. Should be exciting cause I am a big fan of beer."

"I hear they give out free samples." Andy added.

"Ah, the icing on the cake." Leo humored. "I'll come by here in the afternoon."

The red light above the elevator lit up and a soft electronic bell sounded. The two huge metal doors slid open and Leo waited for a few nurses to file out of the elevator before stepping in. Andy and Leo exchanged farewells and the doors closed.

Upon reentering Ephram's room, Andy found the boy fast asleep. He closed the window blinds and drew the blanket up to cover Ephram better. Andy stood there for a moment watching his son's small frame tucked under the blanket. The boy looked innocent and peaceful in his slumber. Andy leaned over and kissed the top of his son's head softly. Ephram let out a sleepy "Hmmmm" when he felt Andy's rough beard brush against his tender skin.

With Nina and Delia back in Everwood, Andy had more time to devote to Ephram. It was difficult to part with Delia and even Nina since she had been so supportive throughout the whole time. But spring break was over and school was back in session. As much as Delia hated to be so far away from her brother, there was no reason why Delia should miss school. To make things fair, Andy decided to grant Delia off from school on Fridays so she can visit Ephram. He broke the news to Delia after clearing it with her teacher on the phone. Nina promised to drive Delia up.

In addition to looking after her own son, Nina had been looking after Delia as well. The little girl was her very special houseguest. The guest room was prepared for Delia's stay. Much to Nina's surprise, Delia was pretty easy to handle. Perhaps it was because her brother being in the hospital dampened her spirits. She was disinterested in activities and usually kept to herself. Nina tried her best to make her talk, whether it was over pizza or chocolate milk and cookies long after Sam had gone to bed. There were a few instances where Delia ended up crying in Nina's arms.

Andy sat in the dark room thinking, wishing, hoping, and praying. It had been hours since the sun descended the sky. He rested his socked feet on another chair trying to create a comfortable position. His spine slouched into the back of the cushioned chair and he rested his head against the top edge of the leathered foam. He still had a good view of Ephram sleeping. After Gwen informed him of Ephram's nightmares, another tidal wave of insomnia hit.

He watched Ephram turn positions in his sleep by himself. The boy was now sleeping on his side with his head facing him. He was able to see his son's face in the limelight cast from the lights in the hall through the rectangular window inset in the door. Ephram had a boyish face and an aura around him that made him look delicate and weak.

Andy waited. He wanted to see if Ephram really did have frequent nightmares. He needed to witness it himself. The darkness was calming and his mind followed the soft beeps coming from Ephram's heart monitor. This was the first time that he noticed the loud ticking of the industrial clock on the wall counting out the seconds.

Gosh, that's got to be annoying. Andy thought.

A few hours passed and still no signs of nightmares. Ephram was sleeping soundly. Despite his tiredness, Andy fought to keep his eyes open nonetheless. His droopy eyelids were eventually winning the battle over his desire for alertness. Finally, he made a deal with himself that he would just rest his eyes for two minutes. Two minutes turned into two hours. He would've slept well into the night if something hadn't awakened him. Perhaps it was the alarm clock in the back of his mind going off. Maybe it was because of the way he slept. Sleeping in a makeshift bed with his body twisted into a pretzel was not his idea of the best comfort.

Andy stretched in his seat and checked his watch. Three-thirty AM. It was still pitch black outside. He looked at Ephram's direction. The boy seemed to have changed positions again. This time, he was almost curled up into a "C" at one side of the bed with his back facing Andy. Ephram had somehow pushed off his blanket in his sleep. The backless hospital gown exposed the knobby column of Ephram's backbone and the thick gauze affixed to his shoulder.

Andy heard a noise. Perhaps that was the noise that woke him. He wasn't sure if the sound came from Ephram. He stood still to catch that sound once more. He listened to the darkness and sure enough, he heard the same noise again. It sounded like a soft whimper. This time, he was positive it came from Ephram. Andy rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and made his way to Ephram's bed. Because of the dark room, he moved slowly careful not to trip over anything. The whimpering was more audible when he approached the boy.

"Ephram." Andy called softly. Ephram did not hear him.

"Hey, Ephram." Andy called again and nudged the boy gently on the arm.

Still trapped in his dream, Ephram did not respond to his father's touch. As the dream grew more intense, he let out a heart-wrenching sob. "No!!" He cried as his body racked with fear.

"Ephram. Hey – wake up." Andy shook the boy slightly harder. It seemed to have worked because Ephram's eyes opened. Confused, he squinted in the dark.

"Dad?" His small voice quivered.

"It's me. I'm here." Andy said.

"Dad – Dad. I'm sorry. I forgot to take out the trash. It's my turn and I forgot. Don't ground me. I'll remember to do it tomorrow." Ephram stammered still in a sleepy state. Disoriented, he couldn't tell where he was. He thought he was in his own room. He cringed in pain when he tried to sit up.

"Easy. Lie back down." Andy quickly threw an arm around the boy's shoulders and lowered him back onto the bed.

"What? Where?" Ephram faltered as his confused mind tried to sort things out and backtrack.

"Ephram, you're in the hospital. You had a bad dream. Come on boy, you're scaring me." Andy said as he reached for the light switch on the lamp near the bed.

"Huh? Oh, right. Now I remember. I'm sorry. I-I don't know why I said that..." He managed to say this much with a straight tone before bursting into tears.

"Buddy, it's ok. It's ok." Andy comforted. He wished he could take the boy in his arms and hold him. "You want to talk about it?" Andy watched Ephram brush away the falling tears on his already wet cheeks.

Ephram shook his head and let out a sob. "I'm so stupid." He said through clenched teeth.

"No, you're not. How could you say that? It was dark and you were just confused." Andy said while rubbing Ephram's arm affectionately. "Could've happened to anyone."

Andy grabbed some tissues and helped Ephram wipe off the tears. The boy's eyes were red and puffy from crying. He wished there was something more he could do for him.

"Don't cry, my baby. I'm right here. Things will be alright. I promise." Andy soothed.

Ephram sucked it in and quit crying even though his eyes were still moist. "Daddy." The boy blubbered. "Stay with me. Please?"

His son's scared small voice made it hard to resist. "Of course. You don't even have to ask." Andy said as he proceeded to fix Ephram's blanket. "Let's get this straightened out. There we go." He spread the blanket on top of the boy.

"Dad? Can you lie with me?" Ephram asked. "Just for a little while?"

For Ephram to ask for such a request, Andy knew the boy was troubled. The last time the boy asked to be accompanied to bed, was when he was six. It was very unlike Ephram's nature to be afraid of anything – especially a dumb dream. He was the one that Delia always went to when she something spooked her. Whether it was an ugly insect, a scary movie on television, or when she swore the boogeyman was hiding in her closet. In the middle of the night, it was Ephram that Delia ran to when her vast imagination got the better of her. Delia slept in Ephram's bed dozens of times.

"Sure." Andy replied. With Ephram's small size, the bed was definitely big enough for both of them. Ephram slid over slowly to make room for his father. "Well, I gotta admit one thing. This bed is way more comfortable than that chair." He said on a light note.

Andy put an arm around the boy gently and pulled him closer. He drew the blanket up so it covered both him and Ephram. "There. Are we more comfortable now?" Andy asked as he stroked the boy's head with the back of his hand.

Ephram sniffled and rested his cheek on his father's shoulder. "Feeling better?" Andy inquired. The boy gave a short nod. "How's your side and shoulder? Does it hurt?"

"It's ok. Doesn't hurt as much." Ephram murmured.

"Wanna try and get back to sleep?" Andy suggested.

"Yea." The boy replied and snuggled beside his father.

Just as Andy reached over to turn off the lamp, Ephram shouted, "NO!!" Startled, Andy stopped in his tracks and looked at his son.

"Please don't turn that off." Ephram begged. The fragile sound of the boy's plea put a knife through Andy's already bleeding heart. "Please."

"Alright. We can sleep with the light on if you want." Andy allowed. His eyes fell on the frightened child resting in his arms. The worrying never really ceased. As long as Ephram is distressed, he will still be tormented.

Gwen was right. Andy believed her now. There was something very wrong with his son. Aside from the physical injury, Andy saw how the nightmares were starting to weigh heavily on Ephram. In the beginning, Andy figured a few bad dreams were probably expected. He never imagined it would have such an adverse effect on the young boy. This wasn't a temporary state of mind that would ultimately pass within a short period of time. He wondered about the frequency of these rapidly surfacing dreams that haunted Ephram's subconscious. Andy's reflection was broken with a sigh from Ephram.

"You're going to be alright. I'll hold you for as long as you like. I'm not going anywhere." Andy guaranteed. Ephram responded by putting his right arm around his father's waist and giving him a soft squeeze to show his affection. Andy was happy that his son needed him so badly. He stroked Ephram's back.

"That's a good boy." Andy lulled. "You are so brave." He gave Ephram three kisses on the temple. Ephram accepted the display of affection as a few more tears squeezed out of his eyes. "Are you still crying?" Andy said when he felt a few drops of hot tears soak thru his shirt.

Ephram dried his eyes with an old tissue he held in his hands. He wanted to speak, but he just couldn't find the words.

"Sweetheart, it was only a dream. I know it was horrible, but you don't have to be scared. It wasn't real." Andy whispered. "I'm real. And you're real. I'll protect you. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you. Don't cry, ok?"

"Ok." Ephram replied.

"Good, now close your eyes and get some sleep." Andy advised. "Remember, I love you."

As much as Ephram was afraid of the uncertainty of what might appear in his dreams, he was dead tired and sleep didn't sound so threatening after all. He prayed that he would be spared for the rest of the night. He closed his eyes and drifted off into the dream world almost instantly. Andy continued rubbing the boy's back in a tender up and down motion. Doing so seemed to calm the boy tremendously as well as help put the boy to sleep. Andy watched his son carefully until he, too, was claimed by the sandman.

End of Chapter 8

Author's Note: So, does anyone want to know what happens next?