Episode 45: Scene Two
The letter floated to the ground from Sharon's hand. Yet another plea had come from her mother to return home to support her little brother. Not only the words, but the feelings embedded in the crisp handwriting forced Sharon to reevaluate her decision to remain in Midway Prep.
She left the letter in its resting place on the kitchen floor, walking towards the window that faced the rising sun in the east. Eyes towards the gray-blue morning sky, Sharon pleaded, "Dear God, give me the strength to make the right decision so that I may help my little brother. He means so much to me, but I have to think that it wouldn't help any for me to be out of school and traveling back home where Will may lie asleep. I want to help him, God, but how? Should I go back, or should I stay? That's why I need you to give me guidance to help me make this decision, dear Lord. Amen."
Wiping her eyes, Sharon turned from the window. A visitor rapped at her door. "Who is it?"
"It's Kate. I forgot my key."
Sharon opened the door for Kate and smiled, though no feeling was in it. "It's on your dresser drawer. I noticed it when I finished cleaning up."
"Shar, are you feeling okay? You look kind of down," Kate eyed Sharon for hints of fatigue or sickness.
Sharon smiled. "Of course I'm okay! This is the day of our big tournament, for goodness sakes! How are things going with Zach?"
The light went out of Kate's eyes. She leaned back against the wall. "The man told Zach he would be coming for him today with no questions asked. I don't know what to do, Sharon. I'm so close to losing him."
"Have faith, Kate. God knows that's what I've had to have over the past couple of months," the last sentence slipped from Sharon's tongue without her being aware of it. She lightly put her fingers to her lips. "I'm sorry. My problems have nothing to do with yours."
Kate took Sharon's hand. "No, Sharon. I can tell that this thing with your brother has been bugging you for a while. You've tried to hide it, but obviously it doesn't work. Why don't you go talk to someone about it, like Dr. Woodman? Christian told me he works wonders."
"I don't need Dr. Woodman, Kate! I need to be there for my little brother!" Sharon quickly turned around and walked away from Kate. Still looking in the other direction she went on, "How will I ever be able to forgive myself if...if something happens to him and I'm still down here doing nothing to help him?"
"What can you do there that you can't do now? If you want to see him, then ask your mother to set up that web camera you said she bought a while ago. The school has one that I'm sure they'd let you use."
Despite herself, Sharon laughed. "If only it were that easy. Thanks, Kate, but this is something that a little web camera can't fix. When my little brother wakes up every morning, he needs to know I'm there to support him. I'm sure he's filled with questions about why I haven't shown up at home. If he were to die, Kate, I would never be able to live down the guilt that I would feel because I was so wrapped up in my own affairs that I pushed one of the people I love most in this world to the curb."
"How do you even know he's going to die?"
"Kate, it's not a matter of him dying!" Sharon cried out, closer to breaking down than she had ever been. "It's a matter of trust, of loyalty, of those unbreakable bonds that are supposed to withstand everything! How is he going to trust me again if I can't even be there for him in his darkest hour, hmm? No, he won't be able to, and I won't blame him because I'd hate myself too!"