A few days after the second Marketplace explosion, Eva posted a note on the door to her room above the bookstore.
The Doctor is OUT. Go to the hospital. NO EXCEPTIONS.
She was out of supplies. In her head, she?d gone over it a thousand times. Buying off the black market was the same thing as stealing from a hospital. She?d give money to one of her contacts, and then they would go rip off a supply truck, or slip money to a desperate nurse. It was almost the same thing as stealing directly from the supply room. But she still couldn?t bring herself to do it.
So once the hospital had calmed, and she couldn't go back to check on her patients anymore, Eva had nothing to do but hang around her room and worry. She was broke. Come January, she wouldn?t be able to pay for her room. Happy holidays to her.
When she heard the knock on the door, her initial instinct was to shout down ?go away?. But she didn?t. It could be Tucker. She hadn?t seen him since the second explosion in the Marketplace. Her heart lurched at the thought of him. She hadn?t realized how much she wanted to see him until then. That always surprised her.
Eva got up from bed, trotted quickly down the stairs, and pulled open the door. It wasn?t Tucker. Her brother John stood on the doorstep, snow lightly dusting his ginger hair, a big grin at the sight of her. ?Hey Eli.? He called her by her nickname, and before she could react, gathered her into a big strong hug. When he finally let her go, she managed to speak.
?What are you doing here??
?The explosion is all over the net. We were worried about you. You should have called.?
Eva blushed and looked at her brother with a shrug. ?I was busy.?
?Yeah, yeah. Come on, I?ve gotta call Gus and tell him you?re alright. Then I?ll buy you a drink.?
After a few minutes of a phone call, and some changing of clothes, Eva and John were headed to the Inn to get a couple of beers, and to catch up. On the way, Eva told him about the explosions, but she kept her tone relaxed and a little distant, trying not to scare him. And she didn't mention anything about her financial problems. From John, Eva got the home update. John?s wife, Katie, was expecting their first child in April, and Eva had been eager to hear about her progress and their growing excitement.
It wasn?t until they were settled into a booth that Eva got a glimpse of John?s true purpose.
?Eli? Gus thinks you should come home for the holidays.?
?Gus??
?Yeah, Gus and me both. It?s not safe for you here. We don?t like it.?
?Well, look I appreciate your concern, but I?m fine.?
?I brought the truck so there?s plenty of room in the back for your stuff. We can finish up here, and then you can pack.?
?John, are you listening to me? I?m fine here.?
?It?s not safe. Why do you want to be here? Just come home until after New Year?s.?
Eva frowned and looked down at her beer. She could leave now and she wouldn?t have to worry about money or anything. She could spend the winter with her brothers, and then be there for the birth of Katie?s baby, and spring planting. She chewed her lower lip and shook her head.
?There?s? someone here. I don?t want to leave.?
John looked at her across the table. He had such boyish looks usually. A full-cheeked smile. But he looked sad now, and concerned. Eva felt guilty for putting that look there.
?Elinor??
?It?s not just that, John. It?s? well? that?s your life. It?s not mine. I mean? it?s yours and Gus? and Meredith?s and Katie?s? you guys have your families? and I?m not saying I?m not a part of that? I am? but? I want my own. I know? I know it can never be like the family you guys have? or you and Katie are gonna have? but? I can have one of my own. My own kind of family. I don?t always want to be the person alone at the table, or the person who might leave? any day? I mean? that farm is your work. It?s not mine.?
?Eli, the farm is yours just as much as ours.?
?I know, but it?s not my work. It?s not my life. I need to have my own life. And that?s? well that?s here. Okay??
John looked at his beer, then across at her. ?Alright.?
Eva smiled a little, trying to lighten the mood. ?If you want? you can tell Gus that I made you rock-paper-scissors for it.? It was an old joke between the siblings. John always hesitated before throwing and that made him easy to read.
John snorted. ?He?d still beat me up.?
?Yeah but he?ll know why you lost.? Eva laughed, and eventually John joined her.
The Doctor is OUT. Go to the hospital. NO EXCEPTIONS.
She was out of supplies. In her head, she?d gone over it a thousand times. Buying off the black market was the same thing as stealing from a hospital. She?d give money to one of her contacts, and then they would go rip off a supply truck, or slip money to a desperate nurse. It was almost the same thing as stealing directly from the supply room. But she still couldn?t bring herself to do it.
So once the hospital had calmed, and she couldn't go back to check on her patients anymore, Eva had nothing to do but hang around her room and worry. She was broke. Come January, she wouldn?t be able to pay for her room. Happy holidays to her.
When she heard the knock on the door, her initial instinct was to shout down ?go away?. But she didn?t. It could be Tucker. She hadn?t seen him since the second explosion in the Marketplace. Her heart lurched at the thought of him. She hadn?t realized how much she wanted to see him until then. That always surprised her.
Eva got up from bed, trotted quickly down the stairs, and pulled open the door. It wasn?t Tucker. Her brother John stood on the doorstep, snow lightly dusting his ginger hair, a big grin at the sight of her. ?Hey Eli.? He called her by her nickname, and before she could react, gathered her into a big strong hug. When he finally let her go, she managed to speak.
?What are you doing here??
?The explosion is all over the net. We were worried about you. You should have called.?
Eva blushed and looked at her brother with a shrug. ?I was busy.?
?Yeah, yeah. Come on, I?ve gotta call Gus and tell him you?re alright. Then I?ll buy you a drink.?
After a few minutes of a phone call, and some changing of clothes, Eva and John were headed to the Inn to get a couple of beers, and to catch up. On the way, Eva told him about the explosions, but she kept her tone relaxed and a little distant, trying not to scare him. And she didn't mention anything about her financial problems. From John, Eva got the home update. John?s wife, Katie, was expecting their first child in April, and Eva had been eager to hear about her progress and their growing excitement.
It wasn?t until they were settled into a booth that Eva got a glimpse of John?s true purpose.
?Eli? Gus thinks you should come home for the holidays.?
?Gus??
?Yeah, Gus and me both. It?s not safe for you here. We don?t like it.?
?Well, look I appreciate your concern, but I?m fine.?
?I brought the truck so there?s plenty of room in the back for your stuff. We can finish up here, and then you can pack.?
?John, are you listening to me? I?m fine here.?
?It?s not safe. Why do you want to be here? Just come home until after New Year?s.?
Eva frowned and looked down at her beer. She could leave now and she wouldn?t have to worry about money or anything. She could spend the winter with her brothers, and then be there for the birth of Katie?s baby, and spring planting. She chewed her lower lip and shook her head.
?There?s? someone here. I don?t want to leave.?
John looked at her across the table. He had such boyish looks usually. A full-cheeked smile. But he looked sad now, and concerned. Eva felt guilty for putting that look there.
?Elinor??
?It?s not just that, John. It?s? well? that?s your life. It?s not mine. I mean? it?s yours and Gus? and Meredith?s and Katie?s? you guys have your families? and I?m not saying I?m not a part of that? I am? but? I want my own. I know? I know it can never be like the family you guys have? or you and Katie are gonna have? but? I can have one of my own. My own kind of family. I don?t always want to be the person alone at the table, or the person who might leave? any day? I mean? that farm is your work. It?s not mine.?
?Eli, the farm is yours just as much as ours.?
?I know, but it?s not my work. It?s not my life. I need to have my own life. And that?s? well that?s here. Okay??
John looked at his beer, then across at her. ?Alright.?
Eva smiled a little, trying to lighten the mood. ?If you want? you can tell Gus that I made you rock-paper-scissors for it.? It was an old joke between the siblings. John always hesitated before throwing and that made him easy to read.
John snorted. ?He?d still beat me up.?
?Yeah but he?ll know why you lost.? Eva laughed, and eventually John joined her.