by Hood, Holly
“What’s that, Maven?” Jake crossed his arm. “You think you found some great guy that’s going to treat you better? Once he knows the real you, he will find his own Tatiana, you will see that it’s not because I am an asshole, it’s because you’re just that boring.”
Maven ignored his vicious words turning to leave. She concentrated on putting distance between Jake and herself, not the foul mouth that was hurling horrible insults at her. Or the threats he was making trying to prove just how big and bad he was.
She told herself it was nothing more than Jake’s ego. He couldn’t stand not getting what he wanted. But now she knew that there was nothing between her and Jake anymore. And there would never be again.
She was over Jake Summit.
Sunbeams
The dull hum in the empty doctor’s office, the soft patter of footsteps on the other side of the door, even the crinkle and crunch of the paper beneath him was grating on Henri’s nerves today. Another appointment, another hour of his life left to the wayside for the doctor to come in check his vitals and ask him how he was feeling. For him to check the pacemaker residing in his chest and tell him that everything looked good.
What was good about a device designed to remind his pathetic heart to beat correctly? Some would say obviously to keep him alive. But Henri felt nothing more than robotic relying on a machine to keep him going.
Sometimes at night he lay in bed, staring at his ceiling, wondering how many times he had been saved from dying because of his pacemaker. And then other thoughts crept into his mind. The ones that made him feel bad for living a life that wasn’t meant for him. He wasn’t made right, his body had many flaws. He wasn’t supposed to be breathing anymore. The only reason he was—science. On some occasions he was alright with that. But days like today he couldn’t help but feel like it didn’t matter.
The door opened. Henri prepared himself for horrible news. He hadn’t been feeling all that great. He barely wanted to get out of bed this morning. He wasn’t going to deny it. He wasn’t certain if it were depression or stupidity. He rubbed the back of his neck watching Maven’s mother sift through his file, her back turned to him. She hadn’t even said hello. Maybe she was too afraid to hand over the bad news. Or maybe she just didn’t want to look at him knowing his tie to Maven was slowly drifting into the oblivion. He wanted to tell her it wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t the first time someone dumped him. He wanted to inform her that being dead last was kind of normal to him.
Jake Summit was a healthy, good looking guy. It made sense Maven would want Jake over him. His heart quickened. He just wished she would turn around and say something. His mind drifted back to Maven. She hadn’t picked Jake over him. She hadn’t even said anything like that to him. He was getting ahead of himself.
“Henri.” She took a few steps forward, her white doctors’ coat skimming past her knee. He studied her red heels. Not many doctors were so stylish. He was used to staring at running shoes or the kind to help ease a backache. The kind he expected to see today, but instead, there was Maven’s mother.
Henri lifted his head allowing her to inspect his lymph nodes. Opening his mouth for the usual peek, next he followed her pen, bored. He watched her write something down and then quickly place it in the pocket of her coat.
Instead of the usual talk about what he should or shouldn’t be doing, she pulled up a stool. Henri studied her closely, this was not the norm.
“Aren’t you going to ask me how I feel?”
She shook her head. “I have something to discuss with you.” She placed a hand on his knee squeezing ever so enthusiastically. His fingers jerked against the paper nervously. “Something good.”
Henri’s expression stayed stoic. He barely reacted to the idea anything she was going to say to him was going to be good. Things hadn’t been good for some time now.
She removed her hand, flipping the tablet open.
“I know your doctor has informed you and your family that he wasn’t willing to try any other attempts at fixing your condition.” She dropped her gaze from Henri to the tablet. “But I have talked to several of my colleagues back home and they tell me they have been very successful with a different method.”
Henri felt dizzy. He wasn’t sure if it was the usual reason or because this woman he hardly knew was trying to give him hope. “Everyone we have talked to has said the same thing.” He was growing angry that she would do this to him. “I have a heart condition,” he said.
She nodded. “I am fully aware of this.” She turned to the door as Henri’s aunt came in. A big smile on her face that only made him angrier, it was obvious she had taken the bait and believed Maven’s mother had answers to fix him. But he wasn’t so quick to believe anything anyone told him anymore. It wasn’t the first time someone tried to go to the extreme to save him.
“I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Maybe you should do a little more research. There are three ways to help me. And I have the scar to prove that they tried one already.” He brought his hand to his chest.
His aunt Janet moved in, grabbing up his fist in her grip. “We have talked with the doctor’s back home where Dr. Wilder works and they said they’ve had quite a few great successes with this procedure, Henri. This might be the answer.”
Henri’s gaze fell back on Dr. Wilder. She nodded, eager to explain.
“That’s not the only thing wrong with me.” He looked at Aunt Janet. “You told her the rest? About the Von-what’s it called disease?” He could see by his aunt’s face he was pushing her patience.
“Of course she knows about this, Henri. She is a doctor, and she also has your files right in front of her face.”
Dr. Wilder stood up. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, reminding him of Maven and taking him away from the futile chat bouncing around the room. He barely heard the details that his disease had been dormant lately, dormant enough to make him a ideal candidate for the new fangled procedure where with her doctor friend’s brilliant hands and a team of surgeon, they were sure they could manipulate his heart and body to do amazing things, restoring him to outstanding physical condition.
He blinked, coming back to reality, Aunt Janet’s fingernail digging into the skin of his hand.
“Isn’t that great, Henri?”
The two women stared at him, their smiles turning them into beaming idiots. But he couldn’t wrap his brain around it.
“Henri, Dr. Wilder believes this will fix you, that you will be able to go on living a normal life just like everyone else.” She touched his face, drawing his gaze to hers. “I know it’s a lot to take in. But be happy please, this is truly the answer to all of our prayers.”
Henri forced a smile, igniting a sob from Aunt Janet. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. Dr. Wilder smiled warmly rubbing her back. “This is great news, Henri.”
Henri nodded.
“This weekend we are going to admit you into the hospital. It’s very important you have several days of medications and all the right care before the procedure. This will guarantee your body can handle the surgery.”
He hated the word surgery. But he couldn’t deny the idea he might have a chance at living was an amazing thing. Better then what he expected when he first walked in the doctor’s office that morning.
“The weekend?” he asked, suddenly remembering the hop. “This weekend?”
Dr. Wilder nodded. “Yes, this weekend, Henri. And it couldn’t happen soon enough. I have looked over your results from a few weeks ago and it’s the best thing that could happen, the sooner the better.”
Aunt Janet looked up. “What do you mean?”
Dr. Wilder’s eyebrows dropped. She didn’t want to ruin the good news by throwing bad news on top of it. “We will discuss the details about the procedure this weekend.” She dropped her gaze back to the paper. “It seems the pacemaker is working a lot harder than before, Henri. And this indicates—”
“That things are worse.” Henri finished the sentenc
e for her. The reason for all the dizziness was revealed and his lack of energy most days.
Aunt Janet kissed Henri on the cheek. “This weekend things will be better.”
“Yes. This weekend we will be one step closer to fixing Henri.” Dr. Wilder smiled along with Aunt Janet.
Henri smiled, staring off. He promised Maven he would take her to the hop. He wasn’t about to disappoint her. It meant a lot to her. It was something she was looking forward to. He would go to the ball and be back before morning. And then the doctor’s could have at it.
“You won’t say anything to Maven right?” He asked Dr. Wilder.
Dr. Wilder shook her head very quickly. “Of course not. Anything that happens in here is between you and I. Doctor’s oath, Henri.”
Henri hopped down from the table. As soon as he hit the hallway he was bum rushed by his father, his arms crushing him as he squeezed the life out of him.
“I got on the first flight out here, dude!” His dad exclaimed, he let him go, but grabbed him by the shoulders nearly shaking the life out of him.
Aunt Janet slapped his father in the arm. “Stop shaking Henri he is still unwell, Doug.” They embraced. Henri stood back watching. It had been some time since he saw his father—if that was what you would call a guy who left his mother to “explore” the world (and nearly every twenty something waitress he ran into) as he put it. There was no rhyme or reason behind his departure. He just took off six months after Henri did.
Henri crossed his arms, his gaze falling on his mother now. She gave a wave from behind the chaos, a purse in one hand, a gift in the other. She let both fall on the floor as soon as she could get to him.
“I missed you, Henri,” she said, squeezing him lightly. Henri rolled his eyes, lifting her off the ground in attempts to give her the best hug he could muster.
“I missed you too, ma.”
She smiled, tears in her eyes, unlike Henri she wasn’t afraid to share her emotions for the entire world to see. Crying was better left for closed doors, that was his father’s motto. Henri wiped her eyes with the back of his hand. “Stop crying. You’re supposed to be happy.”
Unsure
Burst of sunrays spilled through the sheer curtains of Maven’s bedroom making a large spotlight of warmth at the end of her bed.
She was perched in that exact spot. Her phone beside her, filing down her nails trying to prepare for the day.
Summer wasn’t exactly how she would have wanted it to go. It had been a couple days since she saw Henri in person and a couple since she kissed Jake Summit for the last time.
Today was the hop. The big dance the entire town of Portwood looked forward to attending. She glanced at her dress hanging on the hook by her dresser. She wasn’t that excited anymore.
Before she could ponder it any further her phone chirped.
Hey beautiful. Henri said via text message.
Maven rested her file on the bed delicately lifting the phone.
Hi, Henri. How are you? She missed him.
It only took a couple seconds before he replied back.
Good. My family came for a visit. My dad is even here. How weird is that?
Maven stood up, walking across her bedroom floor, staring at his response. She was afraid to ask why the sudden surge of relatives. She also knew how Henri felt about his father. They weren’t close after he left his mother.
Pretty weird. She texted back, opening her closet. She plucked a white dress from its hanger and slipped it on, sitting down on the stool of her vanity to slip her sandals on her feet.
I could use an escape. You want to take a walk or something?
Maven smiled. She couldn’t see how a walk could get them into any trouble with Jake. It would be pleasant and give her a moment to see Henri and explain herself to him. She knew she owed it to Henri to explain why she had been acting so strange lately.
I will be ready in five minutes. See you soon.
Henri pocketed his phone as another round of laughter shook the kitchen. His parents and family all gathered around the table eating an enormous assortment of breakfast. Everyone on cloud nine after the news of Henri’s upcoming surgery, but even with good news Henri didn’t have an appetite. He poked at the pancakes and hash browns on his plate making sure to keep a grin plastered to his face at all times.
Henri stood up. Everyone’s eyes fell on him, their conversations ending quickly. Every move he made seemed to invoke some sort of hushed silence in the house.
“Where you heading off to?” Flynn asked. “Are you meeting up with Blondie?”
Henri sighed. His mother perked up even more at the utterance of a female in Henri’s life.
“Blondie?” She looked between Flynn and Henri.
Henri’s father leaned back in his seat a pleased grin on his face. “That a boy.”
“Why would you say that?” His mom asked. She glued her callous stare on his father. Henri knew what was coming next. “Have a little decency, Doug.”
“He’s a grown man, what would you rather me be doing scolding him and sending him to his room for liking a girl?” They both stared at one another, daring each other to say anything else. His parents were like those knights back in the old days that jousted each other from horses at a high rate of speed.
“Her name is Maven. And that’s all I care to discuss with anyone. I’m sure Aunt Janet would be willing to fill you in.” He pulled his chirping phone from his pocket. “That’s her now and I’m late.”
His father stood. “Invite her over. We want to meet her.”
His mother sat back in her chair. She lifted her orange juice, refusing to agree with her ex husband although she felt the same way.
Henri shook his head, looking down at his phone.
I’m outside your house, and you’re in trouble.
He winced at the sound of the doorbell. His father was already heading to the door to see what girl was willing to pay him attention.
Henri groaned.
Maven was a bit surprised to see an unfamiliar man answering the door to Henri’s house. But she knew the minute she looked at him he was Henri’s father. It was the smile. The same big smile that was a tad crooked and reached his eyes and made them turn into little slits—in a attractive way of course.
He waved a hand, and then accepted hers. His skin warm and his nails perfectly manicured.
“I’m Doug Levitt.” He opened the door wider letting her in. “Henri was just telling us about you.”
Maven pushed some hair behind her ear. “Really?”
He nodded dramatically. “Oh yeah, but he left out the part about just how beautiful you were.”
Henri rounded the corner in time to see his father’s pathetic flattery pan out. He wasn’t one of those creepy older men, he just was too complimenting.
“Hey,” he said to Maven, running a hand through his hair. “I would have got out of here sooner, but as you can see.” He nodded toward his dad.
“Are you hungry, Maven?” His father asked, ignoring Henri’s attempt at taking off.
“No, I already ate, but thank you for asking.” She smiled warmly.
“Darn.” His dad looked between the two of them. “So what are the plans for the day?”
Henri grabbed Maven by the arm before she could answer and practically shoved her up the stairs. She looked back at Henri’s father and gave an apologetic wave. He waved back, shaking his head as he went back into the kitchen with the rest of the family.
“Henri what was that?” Maven asked as soon as he closed his bedroom door.
He tried to hide behind a smile. Coming close and wrapping his arms around her waist.
“I missed you. And I wanted to see you. Not here with my family, just the two of us.” He pushed her bangs from her eyes. “My dad likes to talk. It would have taken forever to have a moment alone.”
Maven scanned his eyes. She wasn’t sure what was happening. But she felt a bit awkward.
“I missed you too.” She move
d away, her feet clicking soundly across Henri’s floor. She took a seat. “I wanted to apologize for the way that I’ve been acting.”
Henri waved his hand dismissing the attempt. “No need.”
“I feel like there is, Henri.”
He sat down across from her in the window seat. Drawing up his legs, the only reason he swept Maven away so fast was because he didn’t want his father or anyone hearing about the hop later on that night. Not to hear any kind of explanation for her feelings towards another guy. Good or bad, he didn’t want to talk about it.
