So sorry for not updating in a while I've been extremely busy. This will be the last update until after finals. I'm hoping to get some free time to just be able to focus on the story after finals; I've got a lot of great ideas so now I just have to get to writing them all down. So enjoy and please, please review it makes me smile! :)
The next day around twelve in the afternoon Ephram heard a loud banging at the door.
He said to himself, "Can't I get a second of peace." Then louder to whomever was banging at the door, "Hold on, this had better be good."
He swung open the door and was basically attacked, "Dude! Why didn't you call man?" Bright Abbott let out as he bear hugged his friend.
Coughing a little out of breath from the hug, "Hi, nice to see you too."
Bright letting go of Ephram and letting himself in, "Man I didn't have a clue you were in town until I heard some guy at the grocery story say that he saw "The Ephram Brown" at the gym with some hottie."
"That was me."
"So who's the chick, I mean is she here now?" Bright asked excitedly as he raised his eyebrows and looked up the stairs.
"It was Madison."
"Oh, so is this Madison character around?"
"Umm… no." stressing her name this time, "Madison isn't."
It took a moment to register for him but then it clicked, "Wait Madison, as in the great Madison Kellner, your first love Madison."
"That's the one, hey you want something to drink?" changing subject as he moved toward the kitchen.
"I think my feelings are hurt." He says.
"Bright, you feelings come on now."
"Not feelings but maybe I'm a little insulted. You've got enough time to come into town, find your first love and go out on a date all before you can even call your best friend and say you're coming into town."
"It wasn't a date; it was a coincidence we were at the gym."
"Coincidence, date whatever it's the same thing, her before me."
"Hey but you're here now, see I knew it'd be a matter of time and this way you do the work not me."
"Well dude now that I know you're here we've got tons of stuff to do."
"Like what?"
"We're back. I've got you here now, like the ultimate babe magnet, why I really don't know but anyways we've got a lot of area to cover. I never thought I'd say this but Everwood is like being taken over by young hottie's, ripe for the picking. So what'd you say?"
"Thanks man but I'll pass."
"What, are you insane? We used to do this all the time when I used to visit New York. What's the hold up?"
"I'm just not like that anymore, plus I've got plans."
"Plans? Plans with who? Who could possibly be more important than me and you getting girls?"
"Madison."
"Ha…I knew it, you and her got a little thing going don't you?" he says with a wild grin on his face.
"No we don't, not yet at least."
"Its starting to make sense now bro, you came back here cause you finally woke up and realized what an idiot you were back then and now you want her back."
Honestly shocked, "How'd you manage to figure that out and nobody else did."
"This is me were talking."
"Yea I know" he says sarcastically.
"Funny, but I'm the same guy who's had to put up with you for the last four years without Madison. I knew it was coming eventually, I just never thought it'd take you this long."
"I finally saw it Bright, finally saw what really mattered."
"Yo this is awesome, you and her dating again."
"Were not dating, were doing that whole getting to know each other again friendship thing."
"Sure you are. That's just what you guys are telling yourselves, it's safer that way."
"I just don't want to rush things and have her push me away for good. But I don't have a lot of time."
"You're leaving soon? Great I just found out you're here and now you're leaving."
"No, no I'll stay as long as it takes."
"Then what was that "I don't have a lot of time" all about?"
"Nothing just forget it."
"Cool, but you've got to be like the master of bad timing; today was like the only day I could do anything."
"How's that?"
"I have to go out of town for a while."
"That sucks."
"I know I thought we could do something before I had to head out. But you said you're staying for a while?"
Ephram nods his head.
"So then I'll call you when I get back into town and we'll hang."
"Sound's good to me."
"It's set, you do your thing with Madison and when I get back you fill me in and then we'll go from there. But I really gotta go and finish up packing I leave tonight."
Ephram and Bright walk to the door and Ephram opens the door for Bright.
"Bye, be safe and have a good trip, don't get into too much trouble."
Bright walks out and towards his car, "Trouble," he points to himself, "me not a chance." He says sarcastically. "Bye Ephram" Bright gives a last wave and gets in his car and speeds off. Ephram waves back and then shuts the door behind him. Deciding he'd get started for the day even though half the day was already gone.
Ephram had decided against calling Madison that day as a test. He wanted to know if he wasn't the one to pick up the phone would she take the initiative, would she show that she cared enough to call when he hadn't. It was around nine o'clock that evening and Ephram had almost picked up the phone himself to call her but stopped himself deciding to give this test a little more time. He was so anxious he couldn't seem to keep still so he walked around and around his house searching for anything to do. He found nothing so he decided he'd sit and play the piano hoping it would help him escape his current world of worry.
Madison was sitting at her desk in her office at home aimlessly staring at her computer screen. She'd been doing that for about ten minutes and every few seconds she'd glance at the clock which never seemed to move. She'd almost gotten used to picking up the phone and hearing Ephram on the other line, but today that hadn't happened which saddened her. That morning she'd woken up energized and excited about the day to come for the first time since that horrible day not to long ago. She was full of anticipation wondering what'd he'd do today what they would do. That phone call that she waited for hadn't come and she was disappointed. Had he forgotten about her? Had he left as unexpectedly has he had come? Had he found another "distraction" to occupy his time? Madison hoped not and knew the only way of finding out why he hadn't called was to pick up the phone herself and dial those seven numbers.
"Hello" Ephram said into the phone after allowing it to ring three times, so he didn't seem to be awaiting her call, which he most certainly had been.
"Hi, it's me"
"Madison, hey how are you?"
"I'm good. I was just calling to see what you've been up to today."
"Busy work really, things around the house that needed to be done." He responded content that his test was successful; she was thinking about maybe even missed him.
"I know how tiring those days can be, I've been locked up here in my office all day pretending to understand what I'm doing." She said half jokingly.
"Come on, I'm sure your doing everything perfectly."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence but its just getting real close to some deadlines and I'm getting a little stressed."
"What do you say that tomorrow I steal you away from your prison that is the fashion world for a few hours?"
"That'd actually be really great." She said satisfied that she had accomplished her goal for the phone call, another outing with Ephram.
"Do you have any preference as to what we should do?"
"You have surprised me twice already so I guess it's only fair that I decide where we go."
"Before you say that I have to make sure you understand the incredible responsibility that you're taking on here. Its really no easy task," he said teasing her.
"I see…afraid to loose control are we."
"No, I just didn't want to add to your stress any further."
"Then I have a solution for us."
"Do share."
"We wing it."
"What?"
"We don't plan anything and we just go with whatever comes to us in the moment."
"Very interesting."
"I think so."
"Then that's what we'll do, we'll plan on not planning anything."
She laughs, "You've got a deal."
"Good, but its getting late and I've got a lot to do tomorrow, so I guess I'll see you sometime tomorrow, I'll pick you up at your house."
"Sure, I'll be here, have a good night Ephram."
"You too bye" Ephram hung up the phone and was left with a large smile on his face. He seemed to be doing that a lot more these days, smiling that is, he was just so happy. Happy to be in Everwood and chasing after Madison instead of in New York working until all hours of the night and sometimes morning. Most of all he was away from all his doctors, but he knew that it wouldn't last long, before to long he expected there'd be phone calls about his health, but for now he tried to forget he was sick and just think about being in love again.
