Letters to the Star Whisperer

-80-

          
Ethan sat at the kitchen table writing and rewriting the first sentence. He had no idea what to say. So after a while, he stopped and walked around. He went to visit Joy to tell her what had happened to Aspen. She was worried about her, and seeing the ambulance in their yard didn't help non. Her son had happened to be there and was saddened by the news too.

              "She's okay now, right?" he asked.

              Ethan nodded. He asked me if they would write her a letter. Joy seemed excited about it and started right away.

              After he left, he walked to Aspen's work. He kept hoping to see her in there, working and smiling. Instead, Keith was working again. After he visited Keith for a while, he walked down to Jenny's book store and told her about everything that happened. She was shocked and confused, just like everyone else.

              He walked down the street, and he found the coffee shop that him and Aspen had went the first day he met, The Laughing Cow. He went in, and he saw some of Aspen's friends working. After he had dare himself to order the chicken friend latté, her friends asked her where she had been. Ethan explained she wasn't feeling too well and asked them to write her a letter. Some of them seem like they really wanted too, but some looked nervous.

              He knew the Jane was asking people that she knew. Jane had known a lot more people than Ethan. He however had spoken to Abby on the phone. They both shared their sorrows, but when Ethan had proposed the letter idea, he could hear a smile on her face. "That seems like a wonderful idea sweetie."

-38-

              "You have a visitor," one of the nurse told Aspen. She always got a nervous feeling in her stomach when they told her that. When she asked who it was, the nurse said, "Mr. Sullivan."

              She smiled and almost ran out her room looking for Ethan, but it was not who she thought it was. It was an older looking version of Ethan. "Hi, Aspen?" Ethan's dad said. Aspen froze, and she wasn't sure if it was fear or confusion.

              "Mr. Sullivan," the words came out. "Ethan's dad, right?"

              He nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry on dropping by like this. Can we talk?"

              They walked in the hall, sitting on the cushion couch in front of the tall thick windows. They sat there, neither of one not knowing what to say. She spoke first. "May I ask, are you the one paying for my treatment?"

              He smiled. "You do seem like a clever girl. When did you figure it out?"

              "Well, I kind of figured it out about yesterday morning. It makes sense."

              He just nodded. "Well, I suppose so."

              "Thank you, by the way."

              Marcus held up a hand. "It's honestly not a problem. You make my son happy. ..happier than I've ever seen him. He called us, well his mother, the first night you were in the hospital. Carol told me everything, and we both cried. I came down to see Ethan, and he's so different now, and I think it's because of you. Does that make sense?"

              "You came down?" Aspen asked. "I'm sorry, I just, I don't remember anything that first night."

              "It's okay."

              "I'm sorry."

              "No, it's really okay."

              Aspen shook her head. "No, I'm sorry for what I told you, about you having a stick up your ass."

              To her surprise, he gave a laugh. "No, now that I think about it, it's actually funny. I didn't think I would hear anything like that from someone as small as you. I needed it anyways. I thought about what you said. Ethan is my youngest son. Him and his brother will be my only children I will ever have. And I have always been tough on them. I didn't realize how bad I was."

              Aspen didn't know what to say. "Ethan is a good friend."

              Marcus nodded. "Can I tell you something? I was in the army when I was a teen. I have seen some of my fair share of horror. I don't want to get into details, but when I got back, it was harder than I thought it would be. I was angry all the time, and I had thought about killing myself. A few times, I almost did it, but back then, you didn't talk about that stuff. Maybe if I had got help, maybe I would have learn how to deal with it all better."

              Aspen's mouth hung open, not sure what to say. "No one else knows?"

              "I wouldn't care for anyone else to know if that's okay with you."

              "Yeah, I won't tell anyone. But I'm sure Ethan would understand."

              He gave a smile. "I'm sure he would.. .. You're good for him, you know that? You're the type of girl that every parent hopes their son brings home."

              "But sir, I tried to kill myself."

              Marcus waved her off. "Little thing." That had made her laugh. They both sat there, smiling and she felt hope for the first time in a while. "You'll get better. Ok?"

              "Thank you, Mr. Sullivan."

              "Call me Marcus."

              After he left, Aspen spent the rest of her day with a pencil in hand and a paper below the tip. She had to draw where the nurse could see her, but she didn't mind. It was an excuse not to go to her room and sulk. For the first time in a while though, she didn't have a reason to sulk.

              She had a reason to smile.