Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a
college student.
Chapter 5 uses "Something about You" by Five for Fighting
Chapter 5 - Something about You
"Things are . . . awkward between you and Ephram?" Bright asked Amy gently the next morning at the breakfast table.
"Quite honestly, I'm not sure," she scooped some more of her grapefruit, and Dr. Abbott put down his morning paper, "I mean, at first it seemed like it, but then things settled down,"
They ate in silence for a few more moments until Dr. Brown and Bright rose from their chairs,
"Wow, Bright, you're turning into Dad," she joked, and he rolled his eyes, making a mocking face, "AND you act like a 22 year old," she added, her voice filled with sarcasm, "Why is it again that you still live home in the summers?"
"Because I don't have a job, Amy . . . but guess what? Me and Dad are gonna . . ." he shot back,
"Alright, alright you two. You've only been in the same house for a day and you're already at each other's throats," their father said laughing, "and strangely, I've missed this." They both smiled, "Now, Amy," he cleared his throat, "I hate to do this to you, because you've just gotten back, but Bright and I ARE indeed looking for apartments in Denver for him, and we'll be gone for a few days,"
"What about your job?" Amy asked her father, obviously upset that she'd be alone, but she understood. After all, they had no idea that she was coming home; if they had they surely wouldn't have planned to be gone so soon and for so long.
"Believe it or not, I've actually redirected them to Dr. Brown for the few days,"
"Yeah, Dad's really going out on a limb," Bright said, nodding, "He's actually creating a chance for his patients to want to switch doctors,"
"You've really relaxed, Dad," Amy said proudly, "You and Dr. Brown getting along any better?"
"They're best friends," Bright held his hand up to his mouth and whispered to one side.
"I wouldn't say BEST friends, Bright," his tone suggested what his son was silly, "but we get along just fine now,"
"Best," Bright coughed, "friends," he coughed again, trying to hide his words.
"Thank you, Bright," Dr. Abbott said laughing. "Now Amy, there's plenty of food in the house, and I'm sure Nina would love a visit from you at Mama Joy's,"
"I'm fine," Amy said smiling, "don't worry," she said as they gathered their things they'd already packed and given her goodbye hugs.
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"It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
I don't know where to begin
I don't know how to get out there... to see you
I don't know where to dig in
I don't know how to get in there...to feel you
It's been too long and I'm about to be in time for me
It's been too long and I'm in time, I'm in time"
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````
In the blink of an eye, Amy felt as if she'd never been away from Everwood. Being in an empty house, however, made her a bit anxious. She walked around for a few moments, looking at the family photos hung perfectly on the walls. Her eyes fell on her mother and they turned dark. She knew she couldn't be angry forever - after all, it was her mother - but she wasn't ready to forgive her, or the things she'd said.
In her room she found a pile of pictures in a dusty pile under her nightstand. Lifting them and blowing away the fine gray powder, the color in her cheeks rose as she saw what the pictures were of: the ski trip.
She was taken back there, for a moment -- **FLASHBACK**
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"I came today," he began and took the cup of cocoa from her hand, setting it down on the table, "because I couldn't stand the thought of not being here with you," his eyes were piercing through hers. She listened intently, silently. "I can't stand where we're at right now. You and I talking casually, laughing casually . . . that's all fine and good, but . . . it's so CASUAL. Amy, you and I used to be best friends. Maybe I ruined that, maybe you ruined that, maybe we both did, I'm not sure," he spoke quickly and without thinking. He took her her hand in his. "But I want to mend it. I want to trust you again, and pushing you away and ignoring you isn't helping me do that. So I came." She was losing control, slowly.
"I want that too," was all she could eek out. She knew how lame of a response it was, but also knew that nothing she could say would match what he just had. He still had her hand in his. "Thank you for coming," she said still staring at him. His scent had only just started to dance around her.
"How do we do that?" he asked softly, moving his hands to her shoulders. "Mend it, I mean," Everything was in slow motion that night.
"I don't know," she whispered, knowing for the first time that he wasn't just there because he thought she'd be bored; feeling that he didn't want to JUST be her friend. She hugged him, laying her head against his chest. "Like this?"
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**END OF FLASHBACK**
Back then, things had seemed so hard to figure out - how to move to be near each other, when to kiss - but compared to the way things were now, that was child's play . . . and it really was . . .
"Ephram!" Delia shouted up the stairs, "Tell your FRIEND that's its practically LAW that no one gets up around here until 11, let alone turn the TV up as high as it goes!"
"I'm in the room, Delia, you could just tell me," Todd said laughing.
"I don't know how Ephram lives with you all the time," she said walking out of the room in a huff. Her feelings toward Todd were extremely negative. Although she wouldn't admit it, this was because he was stealing all her time away from Ephram, and in her mind, the only one who was allowed to do that was Amy.
"Fine, I'll turn it down," he said clicking the remote fiercely. Ephram waddled down the stairs sleepily,
"T, it's summer vacation, why the hell are you awake already?" he rubbed his eyes.
"I'm programmed for early morning," he shrugged, "come on, sit down and have a bowl of oatmeal with me,"
"Oh god," Ephram laughed, "where'd you get that?"
"The fridge, why?" he asked shoveling more in his mouth quickly.
"We don't HAVE any oatmeal," Ephram said cringing, "so what you're eating is NOT oatmeal . . ." Todd dropped his spoon and wiped what he had in his mouth with a napkin, a disgusted look coming across his face.
"Then what the hell is it?"
"You'd have to ask Dad, he's the one who cooks around here," he laughed.
"Yeah . . . I'll just stop eating now . . ." he put the bowl down on the table. "So, what're you doing today?"
"Probably nothing, still up for that tour?" he asked, finally waking up.
"How about tomorrow, I feel kind of sick today,"
"And yet, you woke up early . . ."
Dr. Brown entered with a package in his hand. "Morning guys," he sighed, "so, Ephram, when are you going to start working back at the grocery store?"
"Probably next week sometime," he yawned, "why?"
"Just wondering," he shrugged, but Ephram knew there was a reason more than his father's inquisitiveness, "I just thought maybe, since you aren't busy or anything, you could do me a favor,"
"What KIND of favor?" Ephram asked laughing.
"Well, I've got a few more patients this week than usual, so I don't have much time. This package came in the mail this morning, but its not for my office, it's for Dr. Abbott's."
"Dude, I think he wants you to take it over there," Todd said elbowing his friend, making Ephram give him a strange look.
"Yeah, so I gathered," he said quickly, "Yeah, Dad," he said nodding, "that's cool,"
Dr. Brown didn't tell him that Amy was the only one home; and frankly, he thought this was the most clever thing he'd done in a long time. He just wanted to see his son happy again. "Don't take it to his office, Harold never sees things when I put them there . . . he's so disorganized at times . . ."
"Really? I always thought he was really organized," Ephram said, his suspicions high.
"Harold's changed," Dr. Brown said nodding convincingly.
"Here, just give me it, I'll run it over after I get showered and dressed," he said, and quickly ran upstairs.
"Guess he thinks he's gonna see Amy," Todd said laughing then turned the TV back up.
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
"Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
I never thought I would win
I never thought much about that
(It's been a long time coming)
I never stopped to begin
Thinking about the process
(It's been a long time coming)"
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Sound asleep on the couch, Amy tossed and turned until she was awoken by the sound the doorbell. "Visitors!" she sat up quickly and remembered she was still in her pajamas, her hair tied messily in what was once a bun. Chunks of hair fell loosely from all directions. Sleepily she opened the door, blowing hair out of her face.
"Oh," Ephram said nervously, looking down. . . "I'm sorry, I was just looking for your Dad . . . I, uh, I have this package,"
"Yeah, he's not here right now, I'm sorry, Ephram," she said, her heart about to explode. "I can, um, take that from you, you probably want to get back home . . ." she said noticing his clothes, the looking at hers.
Silence.
"You know, this seems pretty familiar," Ephram said, blushing, "I mean pajamas, well you know," he stuttered. She did know.
**FLASHBACK**
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"Nice pajamas," she said hanging up her phone. He looked down and his face turned bright red.
"Well I didn't expect visitors," he said laughing. He grabbed some jeans and threw them on quickly as she only became more read in the face. He rubbed his eyes and tried flattening his hair. "You can come in, you know," he said gesturing for her to enter his room. She walked in slowly, trying directing her gaze away from the still shirtless Ephram. "So, explain how you plan to convince my dad that I need to go on this trip," he said waiting for an answer but she was still staring.
"I know I'm hot Amy, but really," he said jokingly.
"Actually," she said laughing, thankfully finding an excuse in time, "I was looking at the drool hanging from the corner of your lip extending alllll the way down to your shoulder." She spoke these words as she motioned her finger in the air in a downward motion. She wasn't lying. There really was drool. She knew it was because he was just waking up and not from seeing her but she thought she'd call him on it just the same.
"Can't a man drool at a pretty girl?" he said obviously in jest, but trying to wipe it away in embarrassment.
"Shut up, you," she said lightly pushing him and laughing. He landed on his bed.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
**END OF FLASHBACK**
She looked beautiful, he thought, even after just waking up.
"Come in, Ephram," she said seriously, "Sit down, I'll be right back," she pointed upstairs.
"Yeah, okay," he said quickly. When he saw that she was upstairs, he ran into the bathroom to fix his hair in the mirror. In his mind, he could never look good enough for someone like Amy.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Amy was quickly throwing on decent clothes and brushing her teeth at the same time. She found a bottle of perfume in her room from when she used to live there and quickly sprayed it on, remembering Ephram had commented on it once. She brushed her hair swiftly and had just enough time to curl it before she heard something crashing on the main floor. "Shit!" Amy said burning herself on the curling iron when she put it down so quickly.
"Damn it!" Ephram said, trying to pick up the pieces of the broken 8x10 picture frame that had fallen before she came back down. "Oh god," he said trying to salvage the picture so it wouldn't get scratched from the debris of the glass.
Amy ran down the stairs so quickly that she nearly fell down the last two. "Ephram . . ." she said out of breath, "are you okay? What happened?" she asked but stopped as her eyes fell to the glass. He was holding the picture, a family portrait from when she was 16, right before everything had spun out of control. His hand bleeding, dripping onto the photograph . . . glass had scratched her mother's face . . .
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"It's been too long and I'm about to be in time for me
It's been too long and I'm in time, I'm in time
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that"
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
She covered her mouth as he turned his gaze from the photo to her eyes. "I'm sorry," his voice shook. Her eyes were closed,
"It's fine," she said bending down by him, "it's probably a sign anyway," she breathed.
"Don't say that, Amy," he said, nearly breathless, tears forming in his eyes. She was deeply moved when she noticed the small droplets, "I only came over to give you a package, I never meant for any of this . . ."
"I said it's no big deal," she insisted, putting on a smile, "honestly." In ALL honesty it didn't bother her that the photo was ruined, it was just ironic that the person who wasn't distinguishable was Rose, "accidents happen," she stood up now, seeing that Ephram had picked up all of the debris.
Ephram handed her the photo, to which she placed on the victrola and frowned, "your hand," she whispered.
"Doesn't even hurt," he lied, swinging it around.
"Go wash it off," she said cringing. He knew the sight of blood made her queasy so he put it behind his back and nodded. Her eyes followed his woozy steps to the bathroom sink. As he was just about to approach the door, he braced himself up against the wall; Amy ran over to him -
His unwounded hand pressed against the wall, his bloody hand pressed to his forehead, trying to regain balance, he closed his eyes. "Hey," Amy said concerned, she'd been in pre-med long enough to know better than to let him walk over by himself after that much blood loss, she just hadn't wanted things too seem awkward; he was an independent man. "Slow down," she breathed, standing in front of him.
He swallowed hard, "I just got a little dizzy, I'll be fine, don't worry," Amy opened the door and led him inside the small bathroom. "What? I'm fine," he laughed and faked a smile, but cringed shortly after.
"Put out your hand," she demanded pointing to the counter. He was taken aback by her assertiveness. He listened as Amy cupped cold water in her hand and poured it gently on the cut. The blood washed away put reappeared just as quickly, "this cut is pretty deep,"
"What are you saying?" he asked confused.
"This amount of blood loss, this rapid reappearance of blood, we have to do stitches," she washed her hands, "sit on this stool," she said bringing one in from the living room, "and don't move until I get back. Keep your arm under the water and put your head down on the sink if you feel like you're going to pass out," she instructed in a very efficient, orderly manner.
"You really know what you're doing, don't you?" he laughed.
"I started . . . I'm in school for this," she corrected herself. She sterilized a needle over the stove and found the material used for stitches in her father's office. Her hand shaking, she walked back toward the bathroom. As she approached him, he looked up at her, his face pale.
"If blood makes you woozy, how are you in pre-med? How are you helping me?" he laughed as best he could.
"It's different, Ephram," she said concentrating on her work.
"How?" he tensed as she began stitching his hand. One of her soft hands held his wrist, the other worked delicately with the needle. He felt her hand shaking . . .
"It just is," she responded seriously. Her facial expression suggested diligence and confidence. After a few minutes she was all finished. "Look at me," she said taking her hand to his chin and lifting him to see his eyes.
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"And I'm going to be there...
Be there... alright... alright...
I don't know where to begin
I don't know how to get out there to see you
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that"
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
"Thank you," he was very impressed, "Amy," she pulled her hand away from his chin.
"You're a mess," she laughed looking up at the dried blood on his forehead. He looked in the mirror and frowned. As he began reaching for some water from the faucet, Amy screamed and grabbed his hand.
"You have stitches, you can't do that," she laughed and he looked down then back up at her. Silently she smiled and let warm water run lightly on a washcloth near them. Lifting it to his forehead, she slowly wiped the blood from his forehead as he closed his eyes and smiled. Every now and then he could feel one of her nails brush over his skin, sending chills down his spine. He didn't open his eyes until she was finished, but when he did, he saw that she was staring at him.
"This is . . . weird, isn't it?" she said slightly embarrassed
"That I cut my hand? Yeah . . ."
"No," she said, "never mind . . ." she blushed and began walking out of the bathroom. She wished so much that he wouldn't have pretended that he didn't know what she meant. They couldn't just pretend nothing had changed with them when everything HAD.
"Wait," he sighed and looked at his hand, "I'm sorry, I knew what you meant . . ." she turned and he slid off the stool, walking towards her. She backed away from him, unsure of what to do.
"We should talk," he started, touching her shoulder with his good hand.
"Maybe later,"
"You brought it up!" he laughed. Amy didn't know this sarcastic side of him. He'd never talked to her in this way. Her eyes widened and she swallowed.
"Please don't yell at me . . ." eyes tearing up.
"What?" he asked smiling, "I'm not . . ." then he realized what he'd said, remembering that he hadn't picked up the yelling sarcasm til he met Todd. Amy certainly wasn't Todd . . . "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it . . ."
"I'm just being foolish," she said wiping her eyes, "Just ignore it,"
"Never," he said and moved ever closer to her. He brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled. She knew what he was about to do; he had a certain look in his eyes when he about to kiss her . . . she closed her eyes as she could feel his warm breath moving closer to her lips . . .
But he didn't. He merely spoke . . . "You," he swallowed, "could never be foolish . . ." she slowly opened her eyes when she no longer felt his breath on her. She was disappointed that he hadn't kissed her, she was positive it was going to happen.
She moved to hug him, placing her head on his chest and holding on to him closely to her. He put his chin down on her head,
"Yes," she cried, "Yes I could . . ."
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"Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
I'm going to hold on to that"
Chapter 5 uses "Something about You" by Five for Fighting
Chapter 5 - Something about You
"Things are . . . awkward between you and Ephram?" Bright asked Amy gently the next morning at the breakfast table.
"Quite honestly, I'm not sure," she scooped some more of her grapefruit, and Dr. Abbott put down his morning paper, "I mean, at first it seemed like it, but then things settled down,"
They ate in silence for a few more moments until Dr. Brown and Bright rose from their chairs,
"Wow, Bright, you're turning into Dad," she joked, and he rolled his eyes, making a mocking face, "AND you act like a 22 year old," she added, her voice filled with sarcasm, "Why is it again that you still live home in the summers?"
"Because I don't have a job, Amy . . . but guess what? Me and Dad are gonna . . ." he shot back,
"Alright, alright you two. You've only been in the same house for a day and you're already at each other's throats," their father said laughing, "and strangely, I've missed this." They both smiled, "Now, Amy," he cleared his throat, "I hate to do this to you, because you've just gotten back, but Bright and I ARE indeed looking for apartments in Denver for him, and we'll be gone for a few days,"
"What about your job?" Amy asked her father, obviously upset that she'd be alone, but she understood. After all, they had no idea that she was coming home; if they had they surely wouldn't have planned to be gone so soon and for so long.
"Believe it or not, I've actually redirected them to Dr. Brown for the few days,"
"Yeah, Dad's really going out on a limb," Bright said, nodding, "He's actually creating a chance for his patients to want to switch doctors,"
"You've really relaxed, Dad," Amy said proudly, "You and Dr. Brown getting along any better?"
"They're best friends," Bright held his hand up to his mouth and whispered to one side.
"I wouldn't say BEST friends, Bright," his tone suggested what his son was silly, "but we get along just fine now,"
"Best," Bright coughed, "friends," he coughed again, trying to hide his words.
"Thank you, Bright," Dr. Abbott said laughing. "Now Amy, there's plenty of food in the house, and I'm sure Nina would love a visit from you at Mama Joy's,"
"I'm fine," Amy said smiling, "don't worry," she said as they gathered their things they'd already packed and given her goodbye hugs.
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"It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
I don't know where to begin
I don't know how to get out there... to see you
I don't know where to dig in
I don't know how to get in there...to feel you
It's been too long and I'm about to be in time for me
It's been too long and I'm in time, I'm in time"
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In the blink of an eye, Amy felt as if she'd never been away from Everwood. Being in an empty house, however, made her a bit anxious. She walked around for a few moments, looking at the family photos hung perfectly on the walls. Her eyes fell on her mother and they turned dark. She knew she couldn't be angry forever - after all, it was her mother - but she wasn't ready to forgive her, or the things she'd said.
In her room she found a pile of pictures in a dusty pile under her nightstand. Lifting them and blowing away the fine gray powder, the color in her cheeks rose as she saw what the pictures were of: the ski trip.
She was taken back there, for a moment -- **FLASHBACK**
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"I came today," he began and took the cup of cocoa from her hand, setting it down on the table, "because I couldn't stand the thought of not being here with you," his eyes were piercing through hers. She listened intently, silently. "I can't stand where we're at right now. You and I talking casually, laughing casually . . . that's all fine and good, but . . . it's so CASUAL. Amy, you and I used to be best friends. Maybe I ruined that, maybe you ruined that, maybe we both did, I'm not sure," he spoke quickly and without thinking. He took her her hand in his. "But I want to mend it. I want to trust you again, and pushing you away and ignoring you isn't helping me do that. So I came." She was losing control, slowly.
"I want that too," was all she could eek out. She knew how lame of a response it was, but also knew that nothing she could say would match what he just had. He still had her hand in his. "Thank you for coming," she said still staring at him. His scent had only just started to dance around her.
"How do we do that?" he asked softly, moving his hands to her shoulders. "Mend it, I mean," Everything was in slow motion that night.
"I don't know," she whispered, knowing for the first time that he wasn't just there because he thought she'd be bored; feeling that he didn't want to JUST be her friend. She hugged him, laying her head against his chest. "Like this?"
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**END OF FLASHBACK**
Back then, things had seemed so hard to figure out - how to move to be near each other, when to kiss - but compared to the way things were now, that was child's play . . . and it really was . . .
"Ephram!" Delia shouted up the stairs, "Tell your FRIEND that's its practically LAW that no one gets up around here until 11, let alone turn the TV up as high as it goes!"
"I'm in the room, Delia, you could just tell me," Todd said laughing.
"I don't know how Ephram lives with you all the time," she said walking out of the room in a huff. Her feelings toward Todd were extremely negative. Although she wouldn't admit it, this was because he was stealing all her time away from Ephram, and in her mind, the only one who was allowed to do that was Amy.
"Fine, I'll turn it down," he said clicking the remote fiercely. Ephram waddled down the stairs sleepily,
"T, it's summer vacation, why the hell are you awake already?" he rubbed his eyes.
"I'm programmed for early morning," he shrugged, "come on, sit down and have a bowl of oatmeal with me,"
"Oh god," Ephram laughed, "where'd you get that?"
"The fridge, why?" he asked shoveling more in his mouth quickly.
"We don't HAVE any oatmeal," Ephram said cringing, "so what you're eating is NOT oatmeal . . ." Todd dropped his spoon and wiped what he had in his mouth with a napkin, a disgusted look coming across his face.
"Then what the hell is it?"
"You'd have to ask Dad, he's the one who cooks around here," he laughed.
"Yeah . . . I'll just stop eating now . . ." he put the bowl down on the table. "So, what're you doing today?"
"Probably nothing, still up for that tour?" he asked, finally waking up.
"How about tomorrow, I feel kind of sick today,"
"And yet, you woke up early . . ."
Dr. Brown entered with a package in his hand. "Morning guys," he sighed, "so, Ephram, when are you going to start working back at the grocery store?"
"Probably next week sometime," he yawned, "why?"
"Just wondering," he shrugged, but Ephram knew there was a reason more than his father's inquisitiveness, "I just thought maybe, since you aren't busy or anything, you could do me a favor,"
"What KIND of favor?" Ephram asked laughing.
"Well, I've got a few more patients this week than usual, so I don't have much time. This package came in the mail this morning, but its not for my office, it's for Dr. Abbott's."
"Dude, I think he wants you to take it over there," Todd said elbowing his friend, making Ephram give him a strange look.
"Yeah, so I gathered," he said quickly, "Yeah, Dad," he said nodding, "that's cool,"
Dr. Brown didn't tell him that Amy was the only one home; and frankly, he thought this was the most clever thing he'd done in a long time. He just wanted to see his son happy again. "Don't take it to his office, Harold never sees things when I put them there . . . he's so disorganized at times . . ."
"Really? I always thought he was really organized," Ephram said, his suspicions high.
"Harold's changed," Dr. Brown said nodding convincingly.
"Here, just give me it, I'll run it over after I get showered and dressed," he said, and quickly ran upstairs.
"Guess he thinks he's gonna see Amy," Todd said laughing then turned the TV back up.
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
"Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
I never thought I would win
I never thought much about that
(It's been a long time coming)
I never stopped to begin
Thinking about the process
(It's been a long time coming)"
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Sound asleep on the couch, Amy tossed and turned until she was awoken by the sound the doorbell. "Visitors!" she sat up quickly and remembered she was still in her pajamas, her hair tied messily in what was once a bun. Chunks of hair fell loosely from all directions. Sleepily she opened the door, blowing hair out of her face.
"Oh," Ephram said nervously, looking down. . . "I'm sorry, I was just looking for your Dad . . . I, uh, I have this package,"
"Yeah, he's not here right now, I'm sorry, Ephram," she said, her heart about to explode. "I can, um, take that from you, you probably want to get back home . . ." she said noticing his clothes, the looking at hers.
Silence.
"You know, this seems pretty familiar," Ephram said, blushing, "I mean pajamas, well you know," he stuttered. She did know.
**FLASHBACK**
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"Nice pajamas," she said hanging up her phone. He looked down and his face turned bright red.
"Well I didn't expect visitors," he said laughing. He grabbed some jeans and threw them on quickly as she only became more read in the face. He rubbed his eyes and tried flattening his hair. "You can come in, you know," he said gesturing for her to enter his room. She walked in slowly, trying directing her gaze away from the still shirtless Ephram. "So, explain how you plan to convince my dad that I need to go on this trip," he said waiting for an answer but she was still staring.
"I know I'm hot Amy, but really," he said jokingly.
"Actually," she said laughing, thankfully finding an excuse in time, "I was looking at the drool hanging from the corner of your lip extending alllll the way down to your shoulder." She spoke these words as she motioned her finger in the air in a downward motion. She wasn't lying. There really was drool. She knew it was because he was just waking up and not from seeing her but she thought she'd call him on it just the same.
"Can't a man drool at a pretty girl?" he said obviously in jest, but trying to wipe it away in embarrassment.
"Shut up, you," she said lightly pushing him and laughing. He landed on his bed.
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**END OF FLASHBACK**
She looked beautiful, he thought, even after just waking up.
"Come in, Ephram," she said seriously, "Sit down, I'll be right back," she pointed upstairs.
"Yeah, okay," he said quickly. When he saw that she was upstairs, he ran into the bathroom to fix his hair in the mirror. In his mind, he could never look good enough for someone like Amy.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Amy was quickly throwing on decent clothes and brushing her teeth at the same time. She found a bottle of perfume in her room from when she used to live there and quickly sprayed it on, remembering Ephram had commented on it once. She brushed her hair swiftly and had just enough time to curl it before she heard something crashing on the main floor. "Shit!" Amy said burning herself on the curling iron when she put it down so quickly.
"Damn it!" Ephram said, trying to pick up the pieces of the broken 8x10 picture frame that had fallen before she came back down. "Oh god," he said trying to salvage the picture so it wouldn't get scratched from the debris of the glass.
Amy ran down the stairs so quickly that she nearly fell down the last two. "Ephram . . ." she said out of breath, "are you okay? What happened?" she asked but stopped as her eyes fell to the glass. He was holding the picture, a family portrait from when she was 16, right before everything had spun out of control. His hand bleeding, dripping onto the photograph . . . glass had scratched her mother's face . . .
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"It's been too long and I'm about to be in time for me
It's been too long and I'm in time, I'm in time
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that"
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She covered her mouth as he turned his gaze from the photo to her eyes. "I'm sorry," his voice shook. Her eyes were closed,
"It's fine," she said bending down by him, "it's probably a sign anyway," she breathed.
"Don't say that, Amy," he said, nearly breathless, tears forming in his eyes. She was deeply moved when she noticed the small droplets, "I only came over to give you a package, I never meant for any of this . . ."
"I said it's no big deal," she insisted, putting on a smile, "honestly." In ALL honesty it didn't bother her that the photo was ruined, it was just ironic that the person who wasn't distinguishable was Rose, "accidents happen," she stood up now, seeing that Ephram had picked up all of the debris.
Ephram handed her the photo, to which she placed on the victrola and frowned, "your hand," she whispered.
"Doesn't even hurt," he lied, swinging it around.
"Go wash it off," she said cringing. He knew the sight of blood made her queasy so he put it behind his back and nodded. Her eyes followed his woozy steps to the bathroom sink. As he was just about to approach the door, he braced himself up against the wall; Amy ran over to him -
His unwounded hand pressed against the wall, his bloody hand pressed to his forehead, trying to regain balance, he closed his eyes. "Hey," Amy said concerned, she'd been in pre-med long enough to know better than to let him walk over by himself after that much blood loss, she just hadn't wanted things too seem awkward; he was an independent man. "Slow down," she breathed, standing in front of him.
He swallowed hard, "I just got a little dizzy, I'll be fine, don't worry," Amy opened the door and led him inside the small bathroom. "What? I'm fine," he laughed and faked a smile, but cringed shortly after.
"Put out your hand," she demanded pointing to the counter. He was taken aback by her assertiveness. He listened as Amy cupped cold water in her hand and poured it gently on the cut. The blood washed away put reappeared just as quickly, "this cut is pretty deep,"
"What are you saying?" he asked confused.
"This amount of blood loss, this rapid reappearance of blood, we have to do stitches," she washed her hands, "sit on this stool," she said bringing one in from the living room, "and don't move until I get back. Keep your arm under the water and put your head down on the sink if you feel like you're going to pass out," she instructed in a very efficient, orderly manner.
"You really know what you're doing, don't you?" he laughed.
"I started . . . I'm in school for this," she corrected herself. She sterilized a needle over the stove and found the material used for stitches in her father's office. Her hand shaking, she walked back toward the bathroom. As she approached him, he looked up at her, his face pale.
"If blood makes you woozy, how are you in pre-med? How are you helping me?" he laughed as best he could.
"It's different, Ephram," she said concentrating on her work.
"How?" he tensed as she began stitching his hand. One of her soft hands held his wrist, the other worked delicately with the needle. He felt her hand shaking . . .
"It just is," she responded seriously. Her facial expression suggested diligence and confidence. After a few minutes she was all finished. "Look at me," she said taking her hand to his chin and lifting him to see his eyes.
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"And I'm going to be there...
Be there... alright... alright...
I don't know where to begin
I don't know how to get out there to see you
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that"
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"Thank you," he was very impressed, "Amy," she pulled her hand away from his chin.
"You're a mess," she laughed looking up at the dried blood on his forehead. He looked in the mirror and frowned. As he began reaching for some water from the faucet, Amy screamed and grabbed his hand.
"You have stitches, you can't do that," she laughed and he looked down then back up at her. Silently she smiled and let warm water run lightly on a washcloth near them. Lifting it to his forehead, she slowly wiped the blood from his forehead as he closed his eyes and smiled. Every now and then he could feel one of her nails brush over his skin, sending chills down his spine. He didn't open his eyes until she was finished, but when he did, he saw that she was staring at him.
"This is . . . weird, isn't it?" she said slightly embarrassed
"That I cut my hand? Yeah . . ."
"No," she said, "never mind . . ." she blushed and began walking out of the bathroom. She wished so much that he wouldn't have pretended that he didn't know what she meant. They couldn't just pretend nothing had changed with them when everything HAD.
"Wait," he sighed and looked at his hand, "I'm sorry, I knew what you meant . . ." she turned and he slid off the stool, walking towards her. She backed away from him, unsure of what to do.
"We should talk," he started, touching her shoulder with his good hand.
"Maybe later,"
"You brought it up!" he laughed. Amy didn't know this sarcastic side of him. He'd never talked to her in this way. Her eyes widened and she swallowed.
"Please don't yell at me . . ." eyes tearing up.
"What?" he asked smiling, "I'm not . . ." then he realized what he'd said, remembering that he hadn't picked up the yelling sarcasm til he met Todd. Amy certainly wasn't Todd . . . "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it . . ."
"I'm just being foolish," she said wiping her eyes, "Just ignore it,"
"Never," he said and moved ever closer to her. He brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled. She knew what he was about to do; he had a certain look in his eyes when he about to kiss her . . . she closed her eyes as she could feel his warm breath moving closer to her lips . . .
But he didn't. He merely spoke . . . "You," he swallowed, "could never be foolish . . ." she slowly opened her eyes when she no longer felt his breath on her. She was disappointed that he hadn't kissed her, she was positive it was going to happen.
She moved to hug him, placing her head on his chest and holding on to him closely to her. He put his chin down on her head,
"Yes," she cried, "Yes I could . . ."
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"Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
Baby there's something about you that
I can hold on to I'm
Going to hold on to that
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
It's been a long time coming
I'm going to hold on to that"