Chapter 4: Siblings

A Chapter by Brooke

When I woke up I was in a familiar room, but I couldn’t quite place it. I smelled the air – it smelled like someone, but whom, I didn’t know. I slowly opened my eyelids; maybe there was someone in the room with me.

“Hello there,” said a voice I recognized at once.

“Scott? Where am I?”

“In my room.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Four or five hours.”

“Hours?”

“Yes, hours. I think the blood was to much for your stomach.”

“Ya think,” I said in a sarcastic tone. I tried to sit up, but Scott pushed me down.

“You look very charming when you’re passed out.” This comment made me blush. Then a thought occurred to me.

“Is Paul OK?”

“Yeah, he’s fine. All stitched up and proud of it too. I think you’re worse off then he is.”

“Question: how come you brought me in here – instead of bringing me to Mandie’s?”

“Answer,” he countered with a laugh, “Mandie told me to bring you in here. She didn’t want you puking on her floor. And then C told me to keep watch over you while you while everyone else went to hospital.”

“Oh,”

“Yeah,”

“Is everyone back now?”

“Yes.”

“Then I better get out there. Make sure they know I’m ok. And see Paul too.”

“Ok.” I pushed myself off the bed and made my way to the door on wobbly feet.

"Whoa there - steady" Scott said. I gave him a look that was meant to be scornful but he just tipped his head back and laughed.

"What," I screamed.

"You are so cute." I blushed again and shot him "the look" again, and then I stormed out of there slamming the door on my way out.

Outside of Scott's room I ran to Mandie's to find her lying on her bed, curled up with Paul in her arms. She looked up as I opened the door and put a finger to her mouth in a quiet motion. I nodded, to show I understand.

"Is he alright," I whispered?

"Yeah, I think so..."

"Sorry I fainted like that."

"It's not your fault. Could have happened to anyone."

"No, it happened to me. It didn't happen to you and it didn't happen to Scott."

"Liz, really it's ok."

"You sure?"

"Yes"

"Ok, thanks. You did really well."

"Thank you. I wanna be a doctor. Did you know that?"

"No, I didn't, but you'll make a great doctor."

"Thanks..." We smiled at each other and that special BFF kinda way, but then Paul woke up.

"Hey buddy," Mandie said to Paul in that voice that one always uses with little, groggy children. Paul's cheeks were rosy red and, as he rubbed the sleep out of his eye, he yawned a yawn that I would have thought impossible for someone with such a small mouth. Paul reached up to where his newly stitched stitches were and smiled.

"You like your stitches Paul," I asked.

He nodded and said, "Yup, now I'm Frankenstein and I can eat you!"

"Oh, no I better stay away from your room at night from now on." He laughed.

"Hey bud, why don't you go see if you can help Harry with dinner," Mandie suggested. He smiled and skipped from the room, repeating H's name over and over again till he answered back. Mandie got up and undressed, being still wearing her blood stained pjs till that point. After she pulled on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, she tossed the pjs into the trash and turned to me.

"So," she asked, "Do you wanna stick around for dinner or go out?"

"Why don't we stick around and then head over to my place and watch a movie. Sound good?"

"Perfect." So we both went downstairs to the kitchen, where we could hear and smell something delicious cooking. In the kitchen H was at the stove moving something around in a pan, Paul was standing next to him, transfixed by the stove's flame, C was sitting in the nook reading some parenting magazine, and Scott was looking through the fridge for God knows what. Mandie cleared her throat, as is her custom when she enters a room and nobody immediately acknowledges her.

To this Scott snorted, "Do you have to do that?"

"Do what," Mandie questioned.

"That clear-my-throat-so-people-will-notice-me thing. It's so annoying -- the world doesn't revolve around you ya know."

"For your information, I do know that. You, I'm not so sure about."

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?"

"You think your--"

"Scott. Mandie. Stop." It was H talking. "There's really no reason to fight. Stop and let's have dinner" Both my best friend and her brother shot death glares at each other but didn't say a word.

"What's for dinner Harry," I inquired, trying to ease the tension that was gonna reach a boiling point any second.

"Stir-fry. Will you be joining us for dinner tonight, Liz?"

"O! Yum, I love stir-fry! Yeah

"Of course it's alright, your welcome any time," C answered over the top of her magazine. I smiled, just as I always do when C and H treat me like their own child.

"Dinner is served," H said while spooning veggies and rice onto six plates.

"What can I get everyone to drink," I offered.

"Kool-aid," Paul screamed.

"Water, please," C answered.

"Ditto," Scott said.

"Me too," H replied.

"Me three," Mandie finished.

"Ok one kool-aid and four waters coming up." I got six cups out of the cabinet; a small blue one, three matching green ones, and two identical glass cups. I filled the blue one and one of the green ones with kool-aid and the rest with water from the fridge door. I placed them all down in front of their respective owners.

"Thanks, honey, your a doll," C said, as I placed hers in front of her plate on the table. "Let's eat" We all sat at the table, quietly, all of us chewing on H's amazing stir-fry. When dinner was finished and all had made light small talk, Scott pushed his plate away and patted his stomach.

"That was wonderful, Thanks Harry," Scott sighed.

H replied, smiling, "Anytime."

"Liz and I are going to go to go over to her house and watch a movie. I may or may not be home before midnight, if I'm not you'll know I'm spending the night," Mandie informed her parents. They nodded their approval and Mandie and I pushed ourselves out from the table. We walked to the front door and then across the street.

"So wathcha wanna watch," Mandie questioned.

"I don't know, what are you in the mood for?"

"A comedy."

"How about Robin Hood--"

"Men in Tights," Mandie finished for me, her eyes lit up. I nodded.

"Yes, let's" As we entered my empty house I saw a new note posted on the bulletin board that my dad and I keep in the main hall. I walked over to the board and picked the note off. It read, "Hi honey, sorry to run off like this. I had a business meeting in Bend this weekend. Will you be alright by yourself and to get yourself to school on Monday and Tuesday? I'll be home on Tuesday -- late. Love you, Dad."

"I guess my dad won't be home the rest of the weekend or the first part of the week," I informed Mandie.

"Really now?"

"Yupp, and Rose isn't coming over."

"Cooly"

"Yupp." We walked into the family room, opened the cabinet where I keep all my movies, and popped Robin Hood into the DVD player. While the previews were running we both went into the kitchen. I popped popcorn while Mandie got us both sodas. We both sat down, popcorn and soda in hand; just as the movie starting credits were rolling. As we watched the movie I thought about Mandie and my friendship and about how I had told Scott no today because of her. I thought about how I knew she would never do anything like that to me and I thought about all the good times she and I have had. Before I knew it the movie was over and the end credits were rolling. Mandie, as is her custom, had fallen asleep on my shoulder sometime around the middle of the movie. I quietly laid her head down on the couch and covered her with a blanket from the footlocker that serves as a coffee table. I turned the TV and DVD player off and headed downstairs. Once in my room, I undressed and got into bed. I don't know how long I laid there, in my bed, staring at the ceiling, but the next thing I knew I was being flung head first into a dream.

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