The next day was filled with much the same as the day before. Boxes were unpacked, rooms were decorated and Debbie continued to bop around happily. When 4 o’clock rolled around Debbie rushed everyone to get ready for dinner. Debbie was the first to shower and then locked herself in her room to “primp” for dinner. Everyone was instructed to be ready by 5:45 so Melissa got into the downstairs bathroom while Brandy used the one upstairs. Brandy had just gotten the shampoo washed out of her hair and was about to turn off the water when she heard Marshall scream.

Brandy pulled her towel around herself and ran dripping toward Marshall’s room. Marshall sat on the floor crying as blood seeped from a large gash in his forehead. The large metal bedpost he had been trying to put up lay beside him. Debbie was the first to reach Marshall’s room, brush still in hand. She stood over him, “Didn’t I tell you not to try to put the bed posts on yourself! You never listen do you? You’re getting blood all over the carpet. You are so stupid, get up now!” Marshall continued to lie on the floor, crying much more violently now.

Debbie grabbed his arm and was trying to pull him up when Brandy walked into the room, “God mom what are you doing?” Debbie stopped for a moment and looked at her son on the floor crying and then at her daughter standing in the doorway with a towel wrapped around her. She released Marshall’s hand and he fell to the floor. Brandy ran over and knelt down beside her brother.

She pulled him into a tight embrace and he locked his arms around her neck. “It’s ok sweetheart,” she whispered in his ear, “Let me see your head.” He let go of her neck and pulled away slowly. Blood was now on Brandy’s towel and chest and Marshall’s shirt was wet and sticking to him. “You have quite a nasty cut there. Here, give me your shirt,” she told him as she pulled his damp shirt off and used it to clean the blood from his forehead. Melissa, who had been silently standing in the doorway until now, said, “Is he gonna be alright?”

Marshall had stopped crying at this point and most of the blood was cleaned up, “Yeah Mel, he’s gonna be ok. Do me a favor and get some band aids and peroxide and clean him up while I get dressed.” Melissa, who was already dressed and mostly ready, said, “Sure. I’ll be right back.” As soon as Melissa left Marshall looked up at Brandy teary eyed, “I’m sorry.” Brandy almost cried too as she kissed his cheek, “It was an accident honey. Don’t worry about it, you know how mom gets. 10 minutes from now she will be all bubbly again.”

Brandy finished getting ready while Melissa helped Marshall. They were all sitting on the sofa and ready at 5:45 when Debbie finally came downstairs. They all knew she would never apologize or even bring up the subject again. Whenever she lost her temper she thought that ignoring the problem would make it go away. Debbie was wearing a blue dress with long sleeves that flattered her figure. She had her hair pulled back from her face and looked very nice. Debbie smiled at her children sitting on the sofa in blue jeans.

Brandy and Melissa were wearing sweaters and Marshall had on new sweatshirt. “Don’t you all look nice?” Debbie commented, “Let’s go before the food gets cold.” She led her children next door and knocked on the door. Ephram answered the door and smiled warmly. He introduced himself to Debbie and invited them in. Debbie walked past Ephram into the house where she was introducing herself flirtacously to Andy.

Ephram smiled at Brandy and Melissa, “So, how do you like Everwood so far?” Marshall was clinging to Brandy’s hand and looking down at the floor hoping that no one noticed the huge gash mark on his forehead. “All we have really seen so far is our house.” Brandy told him, “Which is pretty nice now that we have some of our stuff set up.”

“Don’t worry,” Ephram told her with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, “Soon you will see all the fabulous sites of Everwood.” Melissa giggled but Brandy just smiled, “I could just wet myself with excitement.” Melissa concurred, “Indeed.” Ephram found this comment humorous and very familiar.

“Ephram,” Andy called outside, “come on in the foods getting cold.” Ephram led Brandy, Melissa, and Marshall to the kitchen. “So, is your dad a good cook?” Melissa asked as they walked through the living room to the dining room. Ephram laughed, “God no, but don’t worry because I cooked most of the food for tonight.”

They took their seats at the dining room table with Andy and Debbie who were chatting like old friends. Delia walked in shortly afterwards and sat between her father and her brother. The table was covered with food; fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, buttery biscuits, and an apple pie for dessert. “This all looks wonderful,” Debbie said to Andy. “Yes it does,” Andy replied giving Ephram a smile, “but the thanks goes to Ephram. He cooked all you will eat tonight with the help of his lovely assistant Delia.” Delia gave her dad a smile but Ephram didn’t acknowledge the compliment. They began to eat in silence. The food really was good, and was the first non-fast food items the Mathers had eaten in a while.

Brandy finally decided to break the silence, “So Ephram, what’s school here like?” Ephram swallowed his mashed potatoes and told her, “It sucks!” Brandy raised her eyebrows and quickly took a bite of a roll. “Ephram!,” Andy scolded, “That’s not the kind of thing you should be telling these girls.” Ephram shrugged, “Yeah well the truth hurts.” Debbie tried to save the conversation, “Andy, it’s normal for kids not to like school. If Ephram did I would worry about him. God knows my kids didn’t like it.” Andy glanced around the table looking embarrassed, which caused Ephram to smile. “You guys will never guess what Andy does for a living,” Debbie said to her children, “He is the other doctor in town. Isn’t that funny. But, he has promised that we can be friends even if I work for Dr. Abbott.” Brandy cleared her throat as Debbie gave Andy a flirtatious smile, “That’s great.” Marshall decided to ask Andy the question Debbie had yet to even consider, “So, Dr. Brown are you married?” Melissa shot Brandy a cautious glance, unsure as to whether an answer of yes would have phased Debbie in the least. “Widowed actually,” Andy said as he stared at the table cloth, “Julia died a little over a year ago. That was when we moved to Everwood.” The room suddenly got even more silent than before. Melissa smiled at Ephram, “The food is really good. Thank you Ephram.” He smiled back at her. “You’re welcome,” he said quietly. Everyone finished their food in silence and then Marshall began complaining that he was tired. “Well, Andy thank you so much for having us over. We should do it again really soon,” Debbie told Andy as they walked out the door. “See you in school next week Ephram,” Brandy said as they walked away. She and Melissa waved goodbye.

They walked back to the house in silence. But as soon as they got through the door Debbie began dancing around, “Well, I call the father. Who gets the son?” Brandy rolled her eyes, “Christ mom.” Debbie giggled, seemingly unphased by the awkward dinner they had just had to endure, “What? He’s cute. Wish I were working for him. You girls think I should ask him to see a movie with me next week?” Melissa closed and locked the door, “Mom, his wife has barely been dead a year. Isn’t there some kind of waiting period.” Debbie gave Melissa a mock quizzical look, “That’s for handguns.” Brandy picked up her sleepy little brother, “We’re going to bed.” Debbie pulled a sprite out of the refrigerator, “Alright, I’m going to watch a little TV and then I’m going to join you.”

Brandy tucked Marshall into his bed, wondering how long he would stay there. Then she kissed him goodnight and went into her own room where Melissa was waiting. “She is so embarrassing,” Melissa said softly so Debbie couldn’t overhear. Brandy had to laugh, “Tell me about it.” She began to imitate her mother, “Andy, I need you. I want you. Take me NOW!!” Now it was Melissa’s turn to laugh, “You sound just like her. Ephram is really a cutie. I wonder if he has a girlfriend.” Brandy put on her pajamas, “He is too mad at the world to have a girlfriend. And I thought Debbie and I fought a lot.” Melissa frowned, “Indeed, he does have some issues. I better get to bed. Being that embarrassed and uncomfortable all in the same night can be tiring. I’ll see you in the morning.” Melissa walked to her room down the hall. Brandy walked to her window to draw the curtains when she looked down and saw Andy and Ephram in their back yard. She inched the window open just a bit so she could hear what was going on. “Great job embarrassing me in front of the new neighbors,” Andy told Ephram. “Oh please,” Ephram yelled back, “You embarrass yourself enough without my help. Besides if that woman had thrown herself at you anymore I would have thrown up.”

Brandy couldn’t figure out why, but that statement made her angry. She and Melissa had just joked on Debbie themselves and god knows it was true. But to hear someone else say it, someone who didn’t really know them at all, it made her angry. She didn’t want to hear anymore so she closed the window and pulled the curtains shut. ‘That’s what I get for eavesdropping’ she told herself. She turned off the light, climbed into bed and pulled the covers over her. She kept wondering to herself, ‘Will things really be better here? Of will it be the same old problems in a new setting?’ She was desperately trying to fall asleep so she could escape for a few hours when she heard someone walk into the room. Her brother stood in the doorway silently as though he couldn’t tell if she was still awake. She shifted to the far side of the bed and gestured for him to lay down. He cuddled up next to her and they both shortly fell asleep.