“I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Maybe you should do a little more research. There are three ways to help me. And I have the scar to prove that they tried one already.” He brought his hand to his chest.

His aunt Janet moved in, grabbing up his fist in her grip. “We have talked with the doctor’s back home where Dr. Wilder works and they said they’ve had quite a few great successes with this procedure, Henri. This might be the answer.”

Henri’s gaze fell back on Dr. Wilder. She nodded, eager to explain.

“That’s not the only thing wrong with me.” He looked at Aunt Janet. “You told her the rest? About the Von-what’s it called disease?” He could see by his aunt’s face he was pushing her patience.

“Of course she knows about this, Henri. She is a doctor, and she also has your files right in front of her face.”

Dr. Wilder stood up. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, reminding him of Maven and taking him away from the futile chat bouncing around the room. He barely heard the details that his disease had been dormant lately, dormant enough to make him an ideal candidate for the new-fangled procedure where, with her doctor friend’s brilliant hands and a team of surgeons, they were sure they could manipulate his heart and body to do amazing things, restoring him to outstanding physical condition.

He blinked, coming back to reality, Aunt Janet’s fingernails digging into the skin of his hand.

“Isn’t that great, Henri?”

The two women stared at him, their smiles turning them into beaming idiots. But he couldn’t wrap his brain around it.

“Henri, Dr. Wilder believes this will fix you, that you will be able to go on living a normal life just like everyone else.” She touched his face, drawing his gaze to hers. “I know it’s a lot to take in. But be happy please. This is truly the answer to all of our prayers.”

Henri forced a smile, igniting a sob from Aunt Janet. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. Dr. Wilder smiled warmly rubbing her back. “This is great news, Henri.”

Henri nodded.

“This weekend we are going to admit you into the hospital. It’s very important you have several days of medications and all the right care before the procedure. This will guarantee your body can handle the surgery.”

He hated the word surgery. But he couldn’t deny that the idea that he might have a chance at living was an amazing thing. Better than what he expected when he first walked in the doctor’s office that morning.

“The weekend?” he asked, suddenly remembering the Hop. “This weekend?”

Dr. Wilder nodded. “Yes, this weekend, Henri. And it couldn’t happen soon enough. I have looked over your results from a few weeks ago and it’s the best thing that could happen, the sooner the better.”

Aunt Janet looked up. “What do you mean?”

Dr. Wilder’s eyebrows dropped. She didn’t want to ruin the good news by throwing bad news on top of it. “We will discuss the details about the procedure this weekend.” She dropped her gaze back to the paper. “It seems the pacemaker has been working a lot harder than before, Henri. And this indicates—”

“That things are worse.” Henri finished the sentence for her. The reason for all the dizziness was revealed, and for his lack of energy most days.

Aunt Janet kissed Henri on the cheek. “This weekend things will be better.”

“Yes. This weekend we will be one step closer to fixing Henri.” Dr. Wilder smiled along with Aunt Janet.

Henri smiled, staring off. He promised Maven he would take her to the Hop. He wasn’t about to disappoint her. It meant a lot to her. It was something she was looking forward to. He would go to the ball and be back before morning. And then the doctors could have at it.

“You won’t say anything to Maven right?” He asked Dr. Wilder.

Dr. Wilder shook her head very quickly. “Of course not. Anything that happens in here is between you and I. Doctor’s oath, Henri.”

Henri hopped down from the table. As soon as he hit the hallway he was bum-rushed by his father, his arms crushing him as he squeezed the life out of him.

“I got on the first flight out here, dude!” His dad exclaimed, he let him go, but then grabbed him by the shoulders nearly shaking the life out of him.

Aunt Janet slapped his father in the arm. “Stop shaking Henri, he is still unwell Doug.” They embraced. Henri stood back watching. It had been some time since he saw his father—if that was what you would call a guy who left his mother to “explore” the world (and nearly every twenty-something waitress he ran into) as he put it. There was no rhyme or reason behind his departure. He just took off six months after Henri did.

Henri crossed his arms, his gaze falling on his mother now. She gave a wave from behind the chaos, a purse in one hand, a gift in the other. She let both fall on the floor as soon as she could get to him.

“I missed you, Henri,” she said, squeezing him lightly. Henri rolled his eyes, lifting her off the ground in an attempt to give her the best hug he could muster.

“I missed you too, ma.”

She smiled, tears in her eyes, unlike Henri she wasn’t afraid to share her emotions for the entire world to see. Crying was better left for behind closed doors, that was his father’s motto. Henri wiped her eyes with the back of his hand. “Stop crying. You’re supposed to be happy.”

 

UNSURE

BURSTS OF SUNRAYS spilled through the sheer curtains of Maven’s bedroom, making a large spotlight of warmth at the end of her bed.

She was perched in that exact spot. Her phone beside her, filing down her nails, trying to prepare for the day.

Summer wasn’t exactly how she would have wanted it to go. It had been a couple days since she saw Henri in person and a couple since she kissed Jake Summit for the last time.

Today was the Hop, the big dance the entire town of Portwood looked forward to attending. She glanced at her dress hanging on the hook by her dresser. She wasn’t that excited anymore.

Before she could ponder it any further her phone chirped.

Hey beautiful. Henri said via text message.

 

Maven rested her file on the bed delicately lifting the phone.

Hi, Henri. How are you? She missed him.

 

It only took a couple seconds before he replied back.

Good. My family came for a visit. My dad is even here. How weird is that?

Maven stood up, walking across her bedroom floor, staring at his response. She was afraid to ask why the sudden surge of relatives. She also knew how Henri felt about his father. They weren’t close after he left his mother.

 

Pretty weird. She texted back, opening her closet. She plucked a white dress from its hanger and slipped it on, sitting down on the stool of her vanity to slip her sandals on her feet.

I could use an escape. You want to take a walk or something?

 

Maven smiled. She couldn’t see how a walk could get them into any trouble with Jake. It would be pleasant and give her a moment to see Henri and explain herself to him. She knew she owed it to Henri to explain why she had been acting so strange lately.

I will be ready in five minutes. See you soon.

Henri pocketed his phone as another round of laughter shook the kitchen. His parents and family all gathered around the table eating an enormous assortment of breakfast foods. Everyone was on cloud nine after the news of Henri’s upcoming surgery, but even with good news, Henri didn’t have an appetite. He poked at the pancakes and hash browns on his plate making sure to keep a grin plastered on his face at all times.