Under Pressure - Septiplier

Chapter Fifteen

It has not been a good first month for eighth grade. The entire time had been shadowed by a loss in Amy's family, in Mark's "family". Amy's mother had died only days after school started. She'd been fighting cancer for years, but in the few months before her death, things turned for the worst. The chemotherapy was useless, none of the drugs worked, it couldn't be physically removed. The cancer spread, invading her body, destroying it.

Mark and Ethan visited Lola a couple of times at the hospital. They'd witnessed how the light in her eyes dulled, how her skin sank and became sallow. Her body had become frail and weak. She was hooked up to so many machines, so many beeps and strange sounds, wires everywhere.

Mark hated the hospital. It was cold, austere. The lights shined too bright, and the smell of powerful cleaners burned his throat in the hallways. He hadn't been able to stay long the first time. His breathing had come so fast, and the idea of pain and suffering all around him had been overwhelming. Too much. The boy had come back though, armed with headphones playing relaxing sounds and a good friend. He, Ethan, and Lola had listened to soft music and talked about life. The coffee shop, the incumbent school year, the annoying nurse who served lunch. Whatever came up, whenever it came up. Mark couldn't help but feel that their conversations were distractions that always danced around the truth. However, Lola smiled while they talked, and the two young boys were loath to hinder a dying woman's smile.

Amy was much busier now. She helped her dad at Lola's almost full-time. At one point, Ethan offered to help, but Amy refused. The family couldn't afford more workers because of all the hospital bills. Mark never bothered providing his aid in such a way, knowing his anxiety made him useless in busy shops, servicing unruly customers. Still, the boy found ways to help that suited him. He cooked a lot more- cooked a lot of meals that Amy and her dad could freeze and eat whenever they needed it. His mom helped in the beginning, seeing her son's shaking hands as he tried to keep his mind focused over the loud sizzling of meat and the beeping of the oven. Mark did get better, though, working on concentrating his mind. Thomas was good at remembering timers and such, so he helped Mark remember when to take things out of the oven or off the heat. Mark was oftentimes too frazzled, mind running wild, to really think about things like that.

Ethan helped out by making paintings of Lola, surrounded by beautiful fields, or sitting in her coffee shop. He also pulled up old photos of her and edited them to look nice. The family used his art at the funeral. Amy cried into Mark's shoulder, one arm around him, and the other hand clinging to Ethan's. Mark could only imagine the grief she felt. His parents had divorced, and it had been hard enough to lose his father merely being at home, even though he saw him quite often. The boy can't understand her grief, but he tries, combining the feeling of the divorce with the loss he feels from Lola's death. Mark doubts it comes even close, but he feels pain, deep-seated grief, and he lets the tears run down his face at the funeral. He sat stoic and still to be strong for Amy, but grieving with his friend for someone he considered to be a second mother, tears wetting his cheeks.

Mark and Ethan sit in the library before school one day, about a month and a half after Lola's funeral. Amy doesn't show up until right as school starts- helping with the shop. She used to arrive early so the three could hang out, but not anymore. Mark and Ethan sorely miss her, feeling the absence of presence as an amputee feels the absence of their limb. They know right where she would jump in during the conversation, feel her energy, feel the beaming radiance of her smile. Yet, every time they turn to her or let the conversation pause so she can interject, there is nothing. Only silence and empty space greet them. A sore reminder that life is unfair, and things change.

"Hey, Orson Scott Card is coming to town to give a talk," Mark states softly, looking at the website before glancing at Ethan.

"That sounds fun," Ethan mumbles, not thinking much about it.

"We should go."

"Why?" Ethan asks, raising a brow and looking at Mark. "It'd be really mean to leave Amy out like that."

"Yeah, so we bring her with us. It's on a Sunday morning. They don't work Sunday mornings, so she can come. We can get her signed copies of the Ender's Game series, dude."

Ethan's eyes widen in realization as he finally picks up what Mark is putting down. It'd be an outing to help cheer Amy up.

"Yeah, and we'll pay for it all," he said with a nod, leaning over to look at admission prices. The boys talk more, planning the outing, and getting everything set up. Mark uses his debit card and buys the tickets, Ethan sends him some money through GooglePay to account for his half. The boy's head over to Lola's on Friday afternoon- printed tickets in hand. They march inside, proud grins on their faces as they announce the news. Amy smiles excitedly, hugging them tightly in thanks. No excited squeals or thrilled jumps as they may have once gotten, but they understand that she's tired and sad. They don't expect anything theatrical from her. She gets out her wallet to pay them back, but the two boys don't let her, say it's their treat, and crack jokes about what type of men they would be if they didn't pay for their dates. They all giggle and laugh, and Mark and Ethan help wipe down a few tables while Amy serves a customer. There is hope in the air, smiles on their lips, and excitement in their hearts for the first time in a long time.