Cantrell: The Middle Years, Part Two

Somebody Call a Doctor! a Cantrell: The Middles Years, Update-5

[Author’s note: this could be considered a little intense. Read at your own risk.]

The concert went well; Erik was feeling on the top of his game. So, he was quite unprepared for what met him once he walked into his home.  Andrew was raging at his siblings, again. When Erik confronted him, realizing this simply had to stop, the boy turned on him. For a moment, Erik reared back, lest the boy come at him.
“Whoa, there. Surely you don’t intend to strike your own father. What is wrong? We used to be able to talk. Now, lately, I don’t even feel as if I know you at all.”

The look on the teen’s face scared his father witless. Was his son demon-possessed? Or something simpler; ailment, perhaps? Erik took a moment to get a very good look at his son’s face. No green markings anywhere to be seen. No signs of any ailment, thankfully. Yet he knew something was terribly wrong with the boy. Andrew had numerous sessions talking things over with Father James. 

For a time, he settled down, was more in control of his raging hormones. The anger nearly dissipating to everyone’s relief. Then the headaches began. The school nurse even called them when Andrew appeared to throw himself on the ground, convulsing. Erik reached out a hand to pat his son’s shoulder. That’s when the boy fled to the Livingroom, as if he feared his father’s touch. Erik’s mind flitted back to possession, with a shudder.

Moments later a ruckus drew Erik to the next room.  “My God, what is going on here? Stop it, both of you!  That can’t possibly be your sister you’re roughing up?” He said, pulling them apart.

Standing in front of his two children, Erik gave them each a pained looked. “Andrew, all I can say is there is never a reason to hit a woman. Never. Do you understand?”

“But she started it. She told me to get out of the family, that I didn’t belong.”
Erik sighed heavily. “Melodie, apologize to your brother. If anyone throws anyone out of the house, it will be me, understood?”
“Yes, Daddy. I’m sorry, Andrew. Truly. I just wanted you to leave me alone, is all.”
Turning to his son, he said, “Apparently, I haven’t made it clear to you. A man is stronger than a woman. There can be no excuse for hitting her. Or any woman. If she comes at you, you grab her by the wrists, only, to keep her from attacking. And that’s all the further you’re to go. Do you comprehend?”  

With that Erik watched as the boy crumbled into a fit of emotion. Weeping pathetically into his hands. Moments later he sidled onto the floor. Melodie and Erik watched in horror as Andrew’s body began to twitch all over. “Get your mother,” he told Melodie. Pulling out his phone, Erik called his brother. “Joey, can you get here, please, we have an emergency. If I didn’t know any better, which I don’t, I’d swear Andrew is having some kind of seizure. Yeah, it just started. Okay, thanks.”

Joey arrived immediately, in a funnel of sparkles, via his personal transporter, just as the front doorbell rang. Taking out his medi-scanner, his diagnosis was swift. “He needs some additional tests run, stat. As in immediately, in layman’s terms. I’ve already called an ambulance.”

“What is it, Joe, what do you expect to find?”
Joey, patted Erik’s upper arm just as the ambulance crew came rushing in to carry the limp boy off.  Kayleigh fast on their heels.
“Brain tumor,” Joey said, quietly. “I’ve been noticing his strange behavior lately. I’ll let you know when we know.” With that Andrew was carted out of the door and into the Medi-craft. “Be prepared they’ll likely wish to keep him overnight for observations.”

“But tomorrow is Peter’s birthday.”
“I know, but Andrew is seriously ill.”
Erik just nodded, numbly. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.
Kayleigh turned her pleading eyes to her husband. “Did I hear him say brain tumor? Oh, my God . . .”
Hugging his wife to his chest, “Easy, there, Kay-Kay. It’s going to be okay.”

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

While the adults in the room did their best to keep their spirits up, for Peter’s sake, the fact that Andrew had to remain in the hospital for a few days, had everyone in a very somber mood. The party only transpired for the toddler, who really couldn’t comprehend the situation. When asked about Andrew’s whereabouts, he was only told that Andrew had to spend a few days in the hospital. Peter’s reaction was a scowl, “Humph," he said, chubby little arms crossed. "Bad Andrew. Bad.”

“No, he’s not bad,” Harmony said. “He’s just sick. We all need to pray for him to get better.”
"He in jail, he bad."
"Hospital," Harmony corrected, shaking her head in dismay. 

All kinds of questions were asked for which Erik and Kayleigh really had no answers. Having spent the night by Andrew’s bedside, both were spent. “They are doing some extra tests to define just what he has. The type. It’s not looking good, though. Joey even hinted at . . .” Erik stopped. He couldn’t bring himself to utter the word. Shaking his head, he solemnly picked up his youngest child to help him blow out his candles, before the top of the cake was covered in melted wax.

Okay, you know what to do. Take a big breath and —”
“I blow out da candles!”
Tears filling his eyes, Erik said, “That’s right, Buddy.”

A moment later the boy twirled and amidst a shimmery glow turned into a child.

Toddler Peter was no more, replaced by five-year-old Peter. Erik was quick to catch him up into his arms for the Best Hug Ever. Clinging to the child, as if he could keep him well by doing so. Doing his best to master his emotions. Scared to death for Andrew’s identical twin.

As Peter received hugs all the way around, the family quietly began their exodus just as Erik’s phone went off. “Okay, thanks, Joe. No, we’ll bring him in first thing in the morning so you can put him through a whole battery of tests. And thank you.”

“Well?” came the collective question.  Erik rolled his lips inward. He gazed at his wife, who instantly burst into tears.
“It’s positive, isn’t it?” She said, “I knew in my heart it was. Oh, Erik, what do we do now? Our baby . . .” She squeezed her husband so tight, he nearly couldn't breathe.

“Does this mean I’m going to get it, too?” Jamison said, growing quite pale. “I think I’m going to puke,” he declared as he ran from the dining room to his parent’s ensuite.

All for now, thanks for reading!