“Just forget about everything that has you upset and let’s have a good night.” He pulled away waiting for her to agree. “I have a lot planned for us. So don’t ditch me on my night.”

Maven laughed. “Oh, so now it’s your night.”

“It’s got to be someone’s.” He smirked. He knew tonight was going to be something special. It was going to be the night he told her that there was hope for him. That he was about to have a second chance at life, and that he wanted her in it.

“Okay. So we will go.” She kissed his cheek. “I feel better.”

“I’m glad.” They were both still, finally their mouths met up for a soft kiss. Henri pulled her closer. She could feel the heat from his skin through the light material of her dress. She kissed his neck, not worrying anymore that things were happening too fast. Henri squeezed her arm, enjoying her lips. He pulled away, and took a seat on his bed. Maven followed. They both fell backward. Maven kissed him again, pressing herself against him, running her hands up his arms, down his chest. He slid a hand through her hair, down the back of her legs, his kisses growing stronger. She trailed her fingers down his chest. Henri pressed his forehead against hers ending their connection.

“Don’t you have to be getting ready for tonight?” He smiled as she pressed her lips into his once more, giggling at the realization that if they didn’t pull it together they probably would miss the Hop.

“I.” She kissed him. “Do.” She kissed him again. “But…I’d rather lay here with you.”

“I promise tonight we can do whatever you want.” He kissed her cheek, staring into her eyes.

“Even lay down by the water under the willow?” It was her favorite place to be with Henri.

“Even there.” He sat up. “I’ll bring a blanket.”

“Fine. I will go home and get ready.”

Henri felt a twinge of panic setting into his system. “Didn’t you say your parents go to this thing too?”

Maven fixed her hair, smoothing her dress. “Yeah. But my mother said something came up with work so she won’t be going. She said she has to be up early. She will probably be in bed before this evening if I know her.”

“What about your dad?”

Maven gave Henri a strange look. “He’s working a long shift at the hospital for Mr. Summit. He rarely goes to the Hop. And Maggie refuses ever since my mother told her she couldn’t wear Converse with a dress.”

Henri felt a little relieved. As soon as Maven was safely on her way home, Henri searched for Flynn. He found him outside about to mow the lawn.

“Flynn. Hey can I talk to you for a second?” He looked around for any sign of his parents.

Flynn slung his shirt over his shoulder, beads of sweat already collecting along his brow. “What can I do for ya?”

Henri raised an eyebrow. He was already feeling guilty and he hadn’t even asked Flynn to help him out.

“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.