“If you’re wondering where your parents are they are with mine. They all went up to check out the yogurt hut and do a little window shopping. So what’s got you looking two shades of gray?” Flynn took a seat on the porch steps. He left a hand on the lawnmower waiting for Henri to cough it up.
“I need your help getting out of the house tonight.” Right away he could sense Flynn’s hesitation. “Just listen before you flip out.”
Flynn raised a single eyebrow. His golden brown hair fluttering in the breeze, he rolled his eyes. “You are being admitted in the hospital bright and early tomorrow morning. Super early, I think mom said five in the morning early.”
“That’s why it’s perfect. I can be back in no time.”
Flynn chuckled, shaking his head. “Do you really think the clones are going to allow you to walk out of this house tonight when you’re this close?” He held up two fingers, demonstrating the closeness. “You’re crazy, it’s not possible.”
Henri sat down beside Flynn. “You used to say anything was possible back when we were younger. We used to sneak out all the time. I thought you had balls, Flynn.”
Flynn shoved Henri playfully, nearly knocking him off the porch steps. “Oh, I have balls. And I also like you, and am thrilled by the news.”
Henri nodded. He was sure Flynn was. He knew he had a hard time dealing with the thought of losing him. “So you’re in?”
Flynn sighed and then nodded. “Sure, fine. Tori and I will be there anyways in case something happens.”
Henri grinned. “So what’s the plan?”
They started discussing different options for getting Henri safely out of the house without anyone knowing that he was gone. They both knew it would not be happening if anyone found out. Flynn’s mother, and Henri’s, would never let Henri leave the house knowing he was close to dying, knowing that his body was slowly fading away as everyone sat and waited for a miracle.
WHAT-IFS
HENRI TOOK A NAP before the Hop. Upon waking he lay in his bed, the room was dark. He stared up at his ceiling. He had had an awful dream, so much so he wrote it down.
He was in that stupid hospital gown again lying in a hospital bed, but nobody was there. And there was such a horrible presence in the room that it scared him. That was the part that woke him out of his sleep. He was surprised he hadn’t aroused suspicion that something was not right and had his entire family in his room. Or maybe the scream was part of the dream too. He wasn’t sure.
He remembered the hospital staff coming into his room. They weren’t ordinary staff. They all wore dark cloaks all the way to the floor. Henri couldn’t see their feet. They just looked to be floating all around him.
And no matter what he said, nobody would listen. He worried this was his mind’s idea of death. And for some reason even after he was awake it soured his feelings about the surgery.
What if things didn’t turn out the way they thought they would? What if he didn’t make it?
He sat up. Taking his phone from his nightstand, he started the video camera and turned it to face him. He ran his hand down his face and then through his hair trying to look halfway decent on film.
“I really have no idea what to say. But I figured I would say something.” He dropped his feet to the floor. Staring across his room trying to bring the right words to the rather eerie calm that was all around him, finally he looked at the camera again. “I’m Henri Levitt. And if these are my last days on earth…well, I say goodbye to everyone I cared about. And I say hello to the unknown.” He stood up, crossing the floor to get to his window. He took a seat. “I just hope there is something else.” He made a face. “Who am I kidding? The only way you find out is by dying, the part that sucks about that, I can’t come back and tell anyone if the theory was right or not.” He smirked. “To all of you who worried about me…thanks for that, but if I’m gone now please stop and just be happy for once.” He scribbled a little note on a scrap of paper telling his Aunt Janet or Flynn—whoever went through his room first, that he left them a message on his phone. It wasn’t a lot, he didn’t know how to say goodbye, but at least it would give them some kind of peace if by some horrible turn of events he didn’t make it out of the surgery.
He sighed. Opening his closet and taking out his black dress shirt.
It was now or never. He had to get going or he would never make it out of the house. Just as he was about to head for the shower Flynn came bustling into the room. He sanded his hands together. A big grin pinned on his face. “This is kind of exciting.”
Henri raised an eyebrow, grinning. “Yeah, maybe a little.” Flynn tossed him the dark gray dress slacks that were in his hand. “Picked these up for you.”
“Thanks.”
Flynn plopped down on Henri’s bed. He was already decked out head to toe in black dress pants and a dark red dress shirt. The first couple buttons open exposing his bare chest.
“I’m going to grab a shower,” Henri informed Flynn. “I’ll leave the clothes in here so nobody notices I’m about to head anywhere.”
Flynn nodded in agreement. “Sandra and April already left with their dates.” He told him.
“Great.” Henri rubbed the back of his neck. He was nervous.
Flynn could tell. “Just relax. I won’t let anything happen to you. You want this to be an amazing night then it will be. That’s what I’m here for.” Flynn reached into his pocket pulling something out. He waved his hand.
Henri studied him closely, a look of embarrassment revealing itself on his face. “Flynn. I have my own condoms.”
Flynn shrugged, pocketing them. “It’s been awhile I wasn’t sure. Do you need any tips?”
Henri shook his head. “I’m not thinking about sex right now. I am more worried about sneaking out of the house.” Besides if that happened, he wanted it to be spontaneous and impulsive.
Flynn ignored him and decided to throw him a few pointers. “Make sure you make it about her if you know what I’m saying. Girls these days hate guys that rush to the finish line.”
Henri didn’t have a rap sheet as long as Flynn’s arm, but he knew enough to know better than that.
“And don’t get too creative. Girls don’t like being turned into pretzels.” Flynn wiped the scuff from the toe of his dress shoe. “And be careful. You’re the only person I know who could die while making love to a girl. Your mother would kill me.” Flynn stood, worried. “Maybe sex should wait. Or you let her do all the work or something.”
Henri laughed. “Don’t worry about my sexual endeavors. No matter what happens I’ll be fine. I’m not an idiot.”
Henri left to shower while Flynn fashioned a ladder out of bed sheets to stealthily sneak Henri from the house. They had it all set up perfectly. After Henri showered he would tell them all goodnight. Say he was going to get some much needed rest for the big day tomorrow and more or less tell them all to back off for the night because he needed to get in the zone. As long as his mother and Flynn’s bought into it he was pretty sure he could manage a night out with Maven without anyone noticing he was gone. And he could be back by morning.
***
Maven anxiously spritzed herself with one finishing puff of perfume. She turned her head in the mirror, admiring her black earrings. They swayed with every movement she made.
Nick tapped on her door. He was already decked out in all black. Black dress slacks and a black dress shirt and tie. His hair perfectly styled, looking nothing less than messy and like he just rolled out of bed into a bunch of hair product.
“Could you do us a favor?” Nick said. He handed over a camera before Maven agreed to any favors. April appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a pencil dress with a shiny white belt around her tiny waist. Her hair swept up in soft waves, fashioning into a messy bun at the back of her head.