So this chapter has been in my head for a while now and I like it because it shows some insight into the childhood Everett had. I'm not big on doing flash backs or anything, so I like to give subtle tidbits and stuff about Everett's life before we started this story.
Anyways, not too much Lizzie/Everett (do we have a ship name for this?) in this chapter, but there will be LOTS to come!
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and vote and comment! <3
* * * * * * * *
"Fat chance."
To be fair, Lizzie could already see this coming. She could see it from miles away and she understood, really. But that didn't prevent the exasperated feeling from creeping up inside her bones.
Lizzie leaned against the doorway, a blank expression on her face as she watched Jesse pace back and forth across the living room of the North house. The list of reasons why Everett wouldn't be able to leave the state or even the city seemed to be never ending.
At this point, both Everett and Lizzie just began to tune him out. Both wore a bored expression and occasionally a smirk when he got particularly flustered or would repeat the same reason twice.
That happened several times already and she expected him to do it many more times before this conversation ended.
"Am I seriously the only one who finds everything wrong with this plan?" Jesse asked incredulously as he came to a stop and faced the two. His eyes were blazing with indignation. "I mean, how can you two be so ... so ..."
"Blind?" Everett offered as joke from his spot on the couch. And as the seconds passed by, maybe he couldn't actually see it, but he could definitely feel the glare his younger brother burned into his skin. He had a feeling that Lizzie's head was shaking back and forth at his tasteless joke.
Pouting, he leaned back. "S'just a joke," he muttered. "I should be able to light hearted joke about myself from time to time, you know."
Jesse let out a deep breath of air and replied, "But it's not funny, Everett. It's reality. You can't see. If something bad were to happened, to either of you, what would you do?" Silence followed his question and the argument seemed to be sealed. "Exactly."
"Do you really think I'm going to let something happened?" Lizzie stepped up, narrowing her eyes at Jesse. "I'm not exactly careless, Jesse. I've been on outings with the guy before," she pointed out.
A slight shudder from Everett and a low, "Not the best example ..." made her pinch his shoulder. This was not the time to rehash the NYC incident. In fact, there would never be a proper time to bring that up to the overprotective younger brother.
Thankfully, Jesse didn't seem to hear the comment and continued ranting. "But that's the thing, Lizzie. You can't control everything. You don't have ultimate power and things can happen that you aren't prepared for," Jesse said a bit angrily.
"Okay, seriously, before people start throwing things and getting a boxing match going here, why don't we ask the people who are actually in charge around here," Everett offered, standing and following the trail of tension to the two charged up individuals in the room. Silence fell and he knew they both were looking at him.
"Now I think the parents should really make the final call here. I don't want you two fighting over something that you have no control over. Not to mention one thing, Jesse." Everett turned to his brother and crossed his arms. "I'm not only an adult, but I'm older than you, Jess. I love that you care and have done so much for me but ..." Everett hesitated for a moment before continuing, "But I need to grow up a little, you know? I have to figure out my life after putting it off for so long and I think this would help. Getting away and just ... living."
Jesse knew where his brother was coming from, he did. But the worry outweighed the pride he felt for the enormous steps Everett wanted to take in order to change his life around.
Shaking his head, Jesse frowned. "Mom and dad will back me up on this. Mark my words, you are not going on a cross country adventure." And with that, Jesse left the room in silent fury, storming up the stairs to his room and slamming the door.
* * * * * * * * * *
"It's a bad idea, Denise. I just know it is."
Peter paced the bedroom he and his wife shared with one hand repeatedly running through his short hair. Mostly everyone, including Cole, were already asleep. The conversation they were due to have didn't need an audience.
Turning to walk in the other direction, Peter stopped short at the mirror, pearing at himself for a moment.
He halfway wondered when he got to looking so worn out and old. Crows feet began forming at the corners of his eyes and frown lines were permanently etched into his forehead. His hair wasn't as thick as it used to be and started to lose just a bit of its dark color.
Life definitely took it's toll on him and he could see it.
Peter knew most of the stress lines came from the difficultly of a disabled child. Of course Peter knew that if he had to, he would do it all over again because he loved Everett and would do anything for his son.
It was just hard to see what became of him. Before losing his sight, Everett possessed such an outgoing and happy personality. He loved life.
But the scars that came from the traumatic experience damaged Everett's entire personality. The withdrawn nature and the lack of enthusiam left Denise and Peter scrambling for ways to bring back their happy go lucky boy.
So many roads were tried and so many oppurtunies were given to Everett growing up. But even at that young age, Peter could see the depression eating away at Everett until he grew into the somber and angry young man he had been for his entire adolescent career.
And thankful as he may have been to Lizzie for helping Everett break out from his mold and become a bit happier, the odds of him letting the girl take him on a trip were not in her favor.
"I just couldn't take it if something else happened to my boy," Peter muttered, leaning forward and putting his head in his hands. Shaking his head slightly, he said in a firm and determined voice, "Everett is not going and that is final."
With that he walked into the bathroom where Denise was putting her hair into rollers and began brushing his teeth with finality in his entire posture.
Denise, however, said nothing. Her mind was still reeling from how Everett had looked when he asked. He looked ...
Excited and ...
Hopeful.
Years - that's how long it had been since seeing such emotions on Everett's face and they looked good on him. She wanted Everett to be happy and excited and hopeful and full of joy.
And maybe that's what pushed her decisions in the way they did.
"I think he should go," she said softly, so soft in fact that she didn't know if Peter heard her at all.
But then toothpaste was spit all over the mirror and with a grimace, she grabbed a towel. Peter definitely heard her.
"Excuse me?" Peter demanded, wiping his mouth with a towel and still slightly sputtering and coughing. "You want to let our blind son just, go off? And leave?"
"It's not like we wouldn't know where he was going, Peter. Please don't make this as dramatic as I think you will," Denise replied, rolling her eyes. Pinning the last roller, she squeezed a little moisterizer onto her hands and walked out of the bathroom rubbing them together and up her arms.
"Denise, do you even hear yourself?" he countered, storming after her.
On a dime, she spun around to face him with determination in her eyes. "Did you even hear Everett?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands out. When Peter faltered, she pushed on. "Do we really want to take away what Everett is feeling by chaining him somewhere that could potentially suffocate him? This may be where Everett lives, but it's not his home anymore."
Denise could feel her chest tighten at her own words, but she couldn't stop. Not now. "Everett has been cooped up and trapped in this house for years, Peter. Everett has been forced to walk these halls with the burden of his disablity and not knowing what to do with his life. He finally has hope in his eyes and I will not be the one to stomp on that. I want him to be happy and if that isn't here in this house, then we need to let him go."
When she looked at Peter, she found him squeezing his eyes shut and fingers pressed into them. Perfectly understanding how her husband was feeling, Denise walked up to him and hugged him tightly. He quickly returned the action and let out a shuddering sigh.
"I just want to protect him from any other bad things that can hurt him. He doesn't deserve anymore," Peter mumbled, his resolve breaking bit by bit.
Denise lightly smoothed her hand over his back and nodded. "I understand. Honestly, I do. But we can't keep him here forever."
And Peter knew that. He did. But letting go was the hardest part. He just wanted to protect Everett. For months and months after the accident took Everett's sight, he would have nightmares. He couldn't sleep and didn't want to.
His world turned into a nightmare and Peter didn't know how to fix it.
But Peter was starting to realize that maybe, just maybe ...
He wasn't the one who could fix it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dinner the next day started out painfully quiet. Jesse's schedule left him with a day off and he spent it holed up in his room blasting music. Everett's music gave off an anxious, anticipating vibe, a clear reflection of the nerves on his parents opinion.
Peter and Denise were filled with nerves as well, the weight of their decision bearing down on them.
Denise took a quick moment as she sipped her drink to survey the table and get a feel for everyone. Everyone looked a little tense, too tense for her liking.
With a deep inhale of breath, Denise lightly cleared her throat and effectively captured the attention of everyone at the table. Peter looked weary, Jesse looked smug and Everett looked downright nervous. But he lifted his face and turned in the direction of Denise giving her his full attention.
Nerves filled Denise's stomach and she tried to think of how to say this without crying. "It shouldn't be this hard," she kept telling herself, over and over. But it was. It hurt and it was hard to let go of Everett, even though he needed it.
Taking in a deep breath, Denise said, "Everett ... you know your father and I love you ... very much, in fact." She watched as Everett's face fell and immediately continued, not wanting to give him the wrong idea. "Which is why we decided that the only one who can make the decision to go on the road trip ... is you."
The eyes of both Jesse and Everett widened as a loud, "What?!" left both their mouths. Both were shocked, but Jesse also felt confusion and a little bit angry.
Why would their parents allow this?
"Everett, you're an adult now. I've ... for so long, we just thought that there was nothing more we could do to help you and so we stopped trying so hard." Denise pressed one hand to her mouth and closed her eyes for a moment to contain herself. "But, sweetie, you've grown up so much in the past year and I'm so proud of you for coming out of your shell and I'm very thankful that it finally happened. I want you to continue growing and experiencing life and enjoying life." With a small and slightly watery smile, she finished, "I'm not going to be the one to take that away from you."
The smile that crept across Everett's face was brighter than the sun and he immediately jumped from his seat. As fast as he could, he made his way around the table and hugged both his parents tightly.
"I love you guys so much."
The words were quiet and whispered, but in a way - they were the loudest words Everett had spoken in years.
That one sentence meant absolutely everything to Denise and Peter.
Yes - they definitely made the right decision.