Him & Her

Ch.36

Ch36

At 9:30pm, Elizabeth was standing at her front door, waiting. Her parents had left 10 minutes ago. She stood on her front porch, waiting for Henry.

Then, a car she had seen before blinded her with its bright headlights. She put her hand up to block the light and squinted at the car when it pulled up at her curb.

The front window rolled down and Elizabeth saw Henry smiling at her from the front seat. Elizabeth walked down the porch steps and across the sidewalk to the car.

"Henry?" Elizabeth peered into the drivers seat and saw Brandon at the wheel. "Brandon." Elizabeth smiled.

"Hop in." Henry said.

Elizabeth popped open the back car door and slid into the passengers seat. She closed the door and told the boys, "Thank you guys for helping me."

"No problem." Brandon replied, pulling the car away from the curb. He said, "Henry told me the plan and I'm all in." he paused,"How are you feeling Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth sank into her seat and sighed, "Better than Cole probably is."

Henry looked back at her and smiled weakly, "Everything is going to be fine."

Elizabeth ruffled his hair and said, "Thanks, but I hate false hope." she paused, "Who was with Cole when I left?"

"We were, but then my parents needed me so I had to go." Brandon said.

"And I kind of left to check on you." Henry said, "Cole was asleep so I didn't think it was bad to leave him."

"What about Matilda?" I asked.

"Who?" Henry said.

"His little sister."

"Oh, she was watching movies the last I saw her."

"Cole has a sister?" Brandon asked.

"When did you go back?"Elizabeth asked Henry.

"I...uh...didn't." Henry muttered.

Elizabeth close her eyes and sighed inwardly. She wasn't one to judge them, she had left first. "Thanks anyway." she said.

No one replied.

"So," Brandon changed the subject, "When do you have to get back home?"

"Before my parents do. They come back at 11:00." she replied.

The car pulled onto the highway. The tall lights at the edge of the road cast a dim gloomy glow onto Elizabeth's face. She hated the dark. She believed that evil things could hide in the dark, in the shadows of every corner. As Elizabeth peered into the dark night she almost expected to see Cole's dad standing in the endless darkness of a shadow, smiling, his glowing blue eyes the only things visible.

•••

Brandon pulled into the hospital parking lot and killed the engine. The three friends got out of the car and started walking towards the hospital building.

"You want us to go in with you?" Henry asked.

Elizabeth smiled at them, "Could you?" They nodded their reply.

"How are you going to tell him?" Brandon asked.

"I don't know." Elizabeth replied.

"Perfect." Brandon mocked.

"Have any ideas?" Elizabeth asked as they stepped through the front doors and into the air conditioned hospital.

"Not a clue." Brandon smiled.