The Fowler Anxiety Results

Chapter 09

The conversation with Stephen went as well as could be expected. Amy didn't think he knew exactly what was going on, but he knew his Daddy wasn't coming home, and he knew his sisters were still in hospital. Afterwards, Penny, Amy and Bernadette had cried together, it had been the first time they'd been together since before the accident, with Penny holding the fort at home and Bernadette running everyone around. Amy just wished they were celebrating rather than commiserating.

It was a warm day so Penny had opened the doors to the back yard letting all of the kids play on the swing set and tree house that Leonard had broken his wrist building a few years ago. Megan and Leonard had finished the next bag of Lego and decided to leave it there for now. Ever since the infamous treehouse building injury Leonard's wrist wasn't as good as it used to be and he could only spend a certain amount of time doing Lego. Megan had gone to the treehouse to do some reading, her inquisitive little mind trying to read as much as physically possible. there she found Stephen, he had made himself as small as he could in the darkest corner of the playhouse and was crying

"oh, sorry" Megan shrugged, a little bit annoyed that her planned reading time had been interrupted "Stephen? Are you crying?"

"go away" Stephen responded, he knew Megan meant well, but now wasn't the time for that "I don't want to talk to you"

"Mommy always says that talking can make things better" Stephen heard his auntie Penny's voice come straight through Megan "and if you don't tell me I can't help you"

"there's nothing you can do" Stephen felt helpless in what he was saying "you can't bring my Daddy back"

"no, I can't" Megan shrugged "but I can listen with you, and we can think about good things"

"I can't do that" Stephen shouted, stamping his feet the anger evident to everyone who would listen "there will be no more good days, Megan, my Daddy is gone"

On the last word Stephen stepped forward and pushed Megan hard towards the opening of the tree house she stumbled back trying to steady herself but didn't manage it in time, falling backwards out of the treehouse and slamming down hard on her back. Leonard saw it all but couldn't get there quick enough, and Penny was consoling Amy so she couldn't get there either. Megan screamed in pain and started crying trying to get herself to stand up.

"Stay still, Megan" Leonard shouted at her, unaware of any injuries she may have "just stay where you are"

"what happened?" Penny shouted running towards Megan and holding her hand "did you fall baby?"

"Stephen pushed me" Megan cried, obviously in a lot of pain "he said that all the good days are over and then he pushed me"

"Stephen" Amy shouted, louder than she had anticipated "what did you do that for, you think I haven't got enough to deal with at the moment, your father has just died and now you're throwing Megan out of the treehouse"

"its not fair, Mommy" Stephen shouted back almost as loud as his mother "Megan still has her Daddy, but mine is gone, and he's never coming back"

"I know it's not fair" Amy shouted, a little quieter this time "but that is not a reason to push her out of the treehouse"

"Leonard, call 911" Penny screamed "I think she's badly hurt"

"I just wanted Stephen to remember the good times of uncle Sheldon" Megan cried "I wasn't trying to upset him"

"I know baby" Penny rubbed Megan's leg "he shouldn't have pushed you"

With that Stephen ran down the steps of the treehouse and past everyone, he ran to the downstairs bathroom locked the door, sat down in the corner and sobbed. He hadn't meant to push Megan and he certainly hadn't meant to hurt her. Stephen just couldn't control his anger, it wasn't fair that uncle Leonard was still around, while his father had died, it wasn't fair that Leonard could do Lego with Megan and take her to school. It wasn't fair that Leonard would be there when Megan graduated each time. He wanted his Dad to come back, he wanted him to be there for him. he wanted his Dad to talk him through string theory and get a little annoyed that he didn't really care for it. he wanted his Dad to listen begrudgingly to Stephen's plans to go to MIT. He wanted to hear his father sing Soft Kitty to his sisters and get them to go to sleep. He just wanted his Dad.