This is Eliphai from Silvanosity,
And we're going to rejoin the story of Dad in Spirit.
But before we do,
Let's take a moment.
Take a deep cleansing breath.
Let it out slowly.
As you do this,
I would like you to imagine all of the weight of the stress from today becoming nothing more than bubbles that flowed off and popped in the distance,
Leaving you to sit there relaxed and ready to take a journey.
As you prepare yourself,
Take a deep breath and imagine those bubbles.
Now before we join the story,
I'd like you to consider how do you decide what to do next?
Are you the type of person who jumps in with both feet and does the next thing that comes to mind?
Are you the type to weigh your options?
Consider what might happen if you choose option A,
B,
Or C.
Then again,
You may just consider the consequences of your actions.
What would happen if you did this?
Another option might be to ask for advice.
Others might consider how their choices would affect others.
Whatever decision-making process you currently use,
I'd like you to consider there are other options out there that might be even better.
I'm sure I could discover a few new ones myself.
But for now,
Let's join the chapter on the run.
There was nothing I could do but run and hope Dad could follow me.
As I ran down the middle of the street,
I thought it must have all been a dream,
But I could feel tiny rocks jabbing the bottoms of my feet,
And it sounded like those chirpy birds laughed at me.
Cutting across BJ's lawn,
I tapped at her window.
She yanked it open,
Saying,
Geez,
You almost made me peel out of my skin.
I saw him.
Who?
Seeing her blink at me,
Half asleep,
I figured she'd never believe me.
Why would she?
I crawled past her to go over the phone by her bed to tell Mom I'd gone totally nuts.
Then I thought,
What if I did see Dad?
What if he was a ghost?
I said to BJ,
He could have died,
And that was his ghost.
Oh,
Man,
I can't call.
You call.
I threw the phone at her,
And it landed on the bed.
What are you talking about?
BJ asked,
Rubbing her face to wake up.
Dad,
I saw Dad.
He was all blue and glowing,
Just like one of his goolies from Hamilton Hall.
You're making this up.
Would I be here if I made it up?
BJ dropped down on her bed and covered her face with her pillow.
I thought I'd scared her too.
Then she said,
This is not funny,
Evan Jones.
Funny?
I sat next to her.
You think I'm kidding?
BJ sat up.
This is the worst practical joke ever.
How can you be mad at your brother for the Rip Bam Winkle crack if you do something like this?
No way,
I stood up.
This is no joke.
I saw him.
Twice.
BJ leaned forward,
Looking at me like she was scoping for wood ticks.
You aren't lying.
I shook my head,
And she sat back,
Her face a little paler.
Wow,
I hope you're going crazy.
Me too.
Sad,
I felt ready to cry.
The phone rang.
We both died for the floor.
We lay there,
Our chins buried in the shag carpeting as the phone kept ringing.
Belinda Jane?
Her grandma Helen called down the stairs.
It's Wynn Jones.
Is Evan down there?
Oh no.
Oh please,
God,
No.
I started pacing because I was sure Dad had died.
BJ picked up the phone.
Wynn?
She listened to Mom,
Then said to me,
Evan,
She heard you go ballistic and tear out of the house and figured you'd come here.
Dad's dead,
I whispered to myself.
BJ started shaking when she told my mom.
Evan?
Evan thinks he's afraid Luke's dead.
BJ hung up the phone,
Then came to give me a hug.
Your mom's coming.
She's coming,
Evan.
Grandma Helen came down to see what was up,
And a few seconds later my mom arrived.
She must have flown over.
Sitting down on the bed,
She drew me to her.
Evan,
If something happened to your father,
The hospital would call us.
What if they didn't have time?
What if they just didn't want to ruin our sleep and decided to wait until morning to tell us?
They wouldn't do that,
Evan.
They know how much Dad means to us.
But I saw him.
I saw his ghost.
Mom tried to tell me it was all a dream,
But I saw Grandma Helen hugging BJ,
And I heard her say,
Knowing Luke Jones,
He'd find a way to go home,
Dead or not.
And now for the next chapter.
He said cough syrup.
I couldn't go back to sleep.
I sat on my bed glaring at the staircase.
I jumped every time my curtains moved or the headlights of a passing car cast a shadow on my wall.
I tried,
Though reciting the President's trick.
That made me more nervous.
I felt like I'd been thrown inside the scariest movie ever.
Then the phone rang.
I jumped out of bed,
Knowing it had to be about Dad.
I hated the way the waiting made my skin sting,
As if it had just touched an exposed wire in an extension cord.
I'd done that,
And hated the thought of even having to relive it.
I heard someone charging up the stairs.
Eben?
Mom pounded on the door.
The hospital just called.
We have to go.
What happened?
I yanked the door open.
Is Dad okay?
Mom smiled,
Waving her hands in the air.
They think he said something.
He talked?
He talked!
We jumped around the room.
Joliet and Samuel showed up.
We spread the good news.
Then practically fell down to the—flew down to the car.
Doctor Parker met us at the nurses' station,
Wearing a trench coat.
I could see her sweatpants poking out from under the bottom.
False alarm,
She said,
Her voice a low rumble.
What do you mean?
Mom asked,
Almost growling.
The nurse thought he said something about cough syrup.
But I've checked in on him.
His vital signs have not changed.
His pupils are nonreactive.
He's still in a coma.
Cough syrup?
I muttered.
What happened?
Mom asked.
Did you say cough syrup?
I asked.
Yes,
But she must have been mistaken.
Doctor Parker led Mom toward the door,
Saying something about a special head doctor coming in from the Mayo Clinic.
I slipped past them to go see Dad.
His skin looked pale,
Like the lining of a clam.
I took his hand,
Still warm to the touch.
Dad,
I whispered real close to his ear,
Tell me about Pop Dad.
Please tell me.
He didn't so much as twitch.
I heard you,
Dad.
I squeezed his hand.
I heard you.
Mom came in,
Putting her hands on my shoulders.
She kissed me,
Then said,
We have to go,
Eben.
I heard him,
Mom.
He did say cough syrup.
Just now?
Mom practically shouted as she pointed at Dad.
No,
At home.
That's why I ran out.
I saw him in his study.
He told me Pop started out as cough syrup.
Oh,
Eben.
She held her heart as if it beat too fast.
Honey,
You just thought you saw Dad.
What about the cough syrup?
The nurse said she heard him say it,
And so did I.
It's just a coincidence,
Eben.
Nothing more.
She patted my back.
Give your dog,
Dad,
A kiss.
I leaned forward,
Kissing him on the ear.
I whispered,
I know you were there,
Dad.
Please come back.
Mom gave Dad a kiss on the lips.
Putting his hair back behind his ears,
She said,
Sleep well,
My prince.
And I hope your sleep goes well.
I hope that you take the time to stretch and release.
Stretch and release.
Take a deep cleansing breath.
Let your worries float away like bubbles.
And relax into sleep.
And thoughts of what the new day may bring.
Thank you for joining me.
This has been a lefay of silver nosity.
