The Best Day of My Life

by Lynda Throsby

  We stayed in there for ages, swimming, splashing, and talking, getting to know each other and just generally having a great time. When we decided it was time to get out, Evelyn got out first and went into the pool house to get a towel to dry off before heading into the main house to her room to change, leaving me alone to get dried and changed in the pool house. She was the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful person I knew.

  I thought I might be in love with Evelyn. No, scrap that, I knew I was in love with her.

  We did that a few times, swimming after hours of working. The project was nearly finished, just some tidying up on algorithms and tweaking some of the graphics. Other than that, we have an amazing game to hand in.

  We’ve finished our game, It’s the Saturday before we hand in the project. “Hey, Theon, as my parents are away for the weekend, shall we go out tonight and celebrate finishing our amazing game? Maybe we could go for a meal and then to the cinema. What do you think?”

  What do I think? Hmm, hell yeah. But I have to tell myself it’s not a date — we’re just friends.

  “Sounds great. Shall we go for pizza then see what films are on?” She nods enthusiastically, smiling that big beautiful smile. Her green eyes shine and sparkle when she smiles like that.

  “Let’s go for a dip in the pool. It’s so hot today.”

  “Yeah, sure. You go and get ready, and I’ll save everything.”

  We head down to the pool. We have a routine now. Evelyn change’s in her room while I head to the pool house to get changed. Then she goes into the main house to get us some bottled waters while I jump into the pool. It saves any embarrassment. God I love her.

  “THEON, YOU NEVER talk about your parents or home life. I don’t even know where you live?” I knew this would come up at some point. We’ve become inseparable over the last two months. Do I tell her? Yes, I’m not going to lie. I sit on the steps in the pool, and she comes and sits next to me.

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. I know most things about you except that.” I run my hand to slick back my hair that has fallen in my face. I let out a deep sigh.

  “I don’t want you to think any differently of me than you do, Evelyn. I think it would destroy me if you did.”

  “Theon, I could never think of you differently than I do. You’re my best friend, no matter what.” I’m all warm and fuzzy inside from her saying that. She’s my best friend as well.

  “I live with my grandma. She raised me from birth. My mother got pregnant at sixteen and had me at seventeen. My father didn’t want anything to do with her once he found out she was pregnant, and I don’t even know who he is. She didn’t want me either once I was born. She wanted to party, telling my grandma she was too young for a kid. She died of a drug overdose. I never knew her. My grandma is my hero.” I look at Evelyn, and I see a lone tear falling down her cheek. I wipe it away with my thumb.

  “Please don’t cry, Evelyn. I don’t want sorrow or pity. I don’t know any different. As for where I live, that’s the hard part. We live in a trailer on a trailer park, north on Mission Hills.” I look straight into her eyes to gauge her reaction. All I see is warmth and admiration — no pity, sorrow, or shock. I love her more if that’s possible. She takes my hand and holds it between her two on her lap. She squeezes it, so I look at her.

  “I can tell how much you adore your grandma. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone is different, Theon. Where we live does not dictate who we are as a person. That’s in here.” She points at my head. “And in here.” She rests her hand over my heart. “They are the most important things in a person.” She leaves her hand on my chest and stares into my eyes. I stare straight back into hers, and I shiver from her touch. I feel sparks, and I have goosebumps all over. I wonder if she feels it too. I want to lean in and kiss her, but I’m terrified she doesn’t see me that way, and I don’t want to ruin our friendship. That would kill me.

  I DON’T HAVE to wonder for long. With one hand still on my chest and her other hand still holding mine in her lap, she leans in closer to my face, searching my eyes, checking if she’s doing the right thing. I lean in slightly too, letting her know this is what I want.

  I look from her eyes to her lips to her eyes again. She looks at my lips then leans in more. Her mouth opens slightly, and I can feel her breath on my face. We are mere inches away from our lips touching. I lean in just that fraction more resting my lips on hers.

  “Tell me this is okay, Evelyn. I won’t do anything unless you tell me it’s okay,” I say with our lips still touching.

  “It’s okay,” she says with a slight nod to her head. That’s all I need. I press harder on her lips. Her mouth’s still open, giving me access with my tongue. I’ve never done this before, but I’ve watched enough movies. I slip my tongue into her mouth, and I move my lips on hers.

  She does what I do, and our tongues start to duel. She tastes so sweet. I edge closer to her on the step. With our mouths still attached, she climbs onto my lap and straddles me. I moan into her mouth. She’s moaning into mine. She wraps her hands around my neck trying to pull me closer. She shifts slightly on my lap then breaks the kiss. With our forehead’s touching, she smiles.

  “Oh,” she says. She can feel how hard I am. It’s like steel. I suck in a deep breath when she wiggles slightly, and I close my eyes, gritting my teeth. I can feel her core right on my hard shaft, and I shiver.

  “Are you cold?” she asks

  “No, no, not cold, it’s just you when you wiggle like that right against my erection it kind of does things to me.”

  “Oh sorry.” She giggles and edges back slightly. I need to move before I explode. I grab one of her hands from around my neck and edge her off my lap onto the step next to me, still holding her hand. I stand up, which is the wrong thing to do. My erection is now staring Evelyn right in the face. Shit. I quickly pull her up to standing. She’s blushing crimson red, but I think she just matches my face right at this moment. I kiss her lips again very softly and gently bring my hands to her waist.

  I suddenly lift her up and throw her into the water. I need the distraction.

  She comes up spluttering and glares at me. “Right, mister, this is war!” She splashes me then grabs my ankle and drags me off the step and climbs on my shoulders, trying to dunk me. She’s no match for my size though, and I flip her around and dunk her instead.

  We fool around for a while and keep stealing kisses all through playing. Now, this has to be the best day of my life. The day Evelyn Westcott became mine.

  Present

  I PICK THE kids up from school, and we head to the doctor’s office.

  “How has your day been, Evs?”

  “I got a gold star today for getting all my math right,” Evander tells me.

  “Wow, that’s my boy. That’s fantastic. Well done, son. I’m so proud of you.” He looks really proud of himself too. Sitting down for an hour each night and helping with homework is paying off. Even when they don’t have homework, we do extra math and English.

  “What about you, poppet? Did you have a good day? You haven’t been poorly, have you?”

  “I was all right in school, but my tummy hurts again now. I can see she has both her arms wrapped around her middle. I hate seeing my kids in any kind of pain. It’s like a knife being jabbed through my heart.

  “How bad does it hurt? Is it bad like when Evander pulls your hair or like when he just pokes you in the side with his finger?”

  “When he pulls my hair.” I can see tears falling down her cheeks. I feel helpless. She’s in the back, and she needs a daddy cuddle, but I’m driving. I need to get to the doctor’s as soon as I can.

  TEN MINUTES LATER, I’m parking the car. It’s been the longest ten minutes ever. Evelina was crying in the back holding her tummy. Even Evander was comforting her, cuddling her. I can’t believe I didn’t crash the car with watching Evelina through the rearview mirror all the time. It broke my heart.

  I get out of the car quickly, t
hrowing the back door open and gently lifting Evelina into my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist and grips onto my neck tightly. She’s crying but trying to be brave. I rub her back as I walk towards the doctor’s office.

  “Sshhh, poppet. Daddy’s got you. I love you to the moon and back,” I whisper into her ear, but she doesn’t say it back. God, let her be okay. The receptionist sees we are distressed.

  “You can go straight in, Dr. Harrow is ready for you.” We enter the doctor’s room with me still carrying Evelina.

  I explain what Evelina told me this morning and Dr. Harrow can see she’s in pain.

  “Can you lay her on the bed for me please, Mr. Tourney so I can exam her tummy?” I lay her down gently. She clings to my neck, not wanting to let me go. The doctor starts gently pressing all around asking Evelina to say where the pain is. She takes her other vitals and listens to her heart with her stethoscope. I keep hold of Evelina‘s hand throughout the examination. She’s so brave, my strong, sassy little girl.

  Dr. Harrow asks us to go back to the waiting room for a few minutes, which worries me. Evelina is really clinging to me now. “How’s the pain now, poppet?”

  “It’s going again now. It does that all the time.”

  Dr. Harrow comes out. “Mr. Tourney. May I speak with you please? The children can wait here. Stacey, can you just keep an eye on them, please?” She asks the receptionist. I start to get up.

  “No, Daddy, don’t leave me. Please don’t.” I get the sad puppy eyes. The ones I can’t refuse. Dr. Harrow looks at me with quite a stern look that has me in a panic.

  “Poppet, I just need to speak to the doctor. You stay here for two minutes, okay. Evander will look after you.” She reluctantly lets me go, and I walk into the doctor’s office.

  “Please take a seat, Mr. Tourney. I’m going to send you to the hospital to get some tests done.”

  I look at her worried. “What kind of tests? What’s wrong with her?”

  “I don’t know at this stage, and I don’t want you to worry. I know that’s going to be hard to do. I need some blood work and a urine sample, and I also want her to have an ultrasound.” I start rubbing my hand over my face then through my hair. “What do you think is wrong, Doctor? I thought it might be her monthlies, but she’s only ten?”

  “I don’t think she has started her menstruation, no. Her abdomen felt hard, and I need to get it checked out as soon as possible. I have just phoned the children’s hospital on Sunset Boulevard, and they are expecting you in the next hour. Are you okay to take her over there now?” I must look like a deer caught in headlights. I don’t speak. I’m just staring at the doctor.

  “Mr. Tourney, can you take her over there now? It will probably take you a half hour to get there.”

  “Yes, yes of course. I’ll do it now.” I jump up out of my seat and head for the door.

  “Take these notes with you and hand them to the reception desk when you get there. Please try not to worry, at least not until we know what’s wrong with little Evelina.” She gives me a half smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She knows there is something wrong. Shit, I need to keep it together in front of the kids. I nod at the doctor and then take a couple of deep breaths to calm myself before I walk out of the door. I put on a fake smile as I approach the kids. I don’t want them to see me worried or alarmed.

  I crouch down in front of Evelina putting my hands on her knees. “Right, poppet. The doctor wants you to have some tests done.”

  Her eyes go wide. “What tests? Like a math test?”

  I smile at her shaking my head gently. “No, I need to take you to the hospital.” Her eyes nearly pop out of her head. Neither of them has ever had to go to the hospital before.

  “That’s for really sick people, Daddy.”

  “No, poppet, not always. It’s also where you have to go to get tests so that the doctor can find out why you don’t feel well. We need to make you better and not feel so poorly.” She nods her head at me. I stand up and take her in my arms. She clings to me chimp-style again.

  “Come on, buddy, let’s go and see if we can find out why your sister doesn’t feel well,” I say to Evander stroking my hand over his head.

  Forty minutes later we are entering the children’s hospital on Sunset. I head straight to reception and hand over the letter Doctor Harrow gave me. We are directed to a waiting area to take a seat.

  “You okay, poppet?” I ask kissing the top of her head that’s resting on my shoulder. She nods. “How are you feeling now?”

  “Scared,” she mumbles into my shoulder.

  “It’s okay, nothing to be scared about. We just need to know why you’re feeling poorly. Is your tummy better now?” She nods a yes to me.

  We are called through to a room where another doctor asks us questions. Doctor Cassidy is very good with Evelina and manages to get the answers to her questions. As she examines her, she continues to reassure her. “You are one of the bravest little girls I have ever met,” she tells Evelina.

  “I’m not so little. I’m a big girl now, aren’t I, Dad.” And we are back to dad now. I do love it when she calls me daddy. I hate to think of them growing up so fast.

  “You are my big girl.” I smile at her and kiss the top of her head.

  “Well, as you are a big girl, do you think you can be brave enough for me to take some of your blood from your arm? I have to use a needle to do this, and it might sting a little bit. But big girls can handle a little scratch, can’t they, Dad?” Dr. Cassidy asks me.

  “Of course, Evelina can do that. If she can take the hair pulling and the smacks from Evander, then I’m sure a little scratch will be nothing compared to that. What do you say, poppet?” Evelina looks a bit shocked, but she nods her head.

  “Well, Dad, if I am a brave big girl and let the doctor scratch me, can I have a treat, pleasssseeee?” And just like that, my little madam is back.

  “Of course you can,” I say ruffling her hair.

  “Great. Evelina, can you sit on the edge of the bed for me and roll your sleeve up. I think if you keep looking at your dad and not at what I’m doing, it won’t hurt so much.” Evelina does as she’s told. She keeps her eyes on me, I start pulling funny faces to distract her, and it works. The doctor has the needle in her vein and is filling up vile after vile of blood. Evelina barely flinches and hasn’t looked once, just concentrating on keeping her eyes on me.

  “Wow, you were amazing. So brave. Did you even feel the scratch?”

  “Not really, Dad, it was your silly faces making me laugh.”

  “No, I think it’s just that Dr. Cassidy is very gentle.”

  “Why, thank you. Now, Evelina, just a couple more things. Do you think you can go to the bathroom for me?” Evelina looks at the doctor and shrugs.

  “I would really like it if you could try for me, Evelina. I need you to have a pee for me in this bowl. Do you think you can try for me?”

  “Eww, no. I can’t pee here and in that. That’s just gross, Doctor.” Dr. Cassidy laughs out loud at that, and so do I. Evelina isn’t sure what we’re laughing at.

  “Poppet, you don’t have to pee here in front of us. You go to the bathroom to pee. I don’t want to see you peeing any more than you want to pee in front of us and I’m sure the doctor doesn’t want to see you either.”

  “Oh, then yes. I can do that in the bathroom. I think I need a pee anyway, Dad.”

  “Great, Evelina. Then you can use my special bathroom just through this door here. My toilet is a little special because we can fit this bowl just inside the toilet to catch your pee.”

  “What do you want to catch my pee for?” Evelina asks scrunching up her nose in disgust.

  “Well, I don’t want it to flush down the toilet because I have to collect your pee from the bowl and put it into these special jars. Then they get sent away to the science doctors, along with your blood, and they look at them very closely to see if they can find out why you have not been feeling very well. Does that sou
nd like a plan?”

  “Huh huh. I just want to be better,” she says nodding her head.

  “Can I go pee now please? I’m busting after talking about peeing” she says holding herself. The doctor takes her to the bathroom and tells her not to flush but to wash her hands and that she will collect the bowl when she comes back out.

  “Doctor, do we have any idea what we are looking at here?” I ask once the door is shut running my hand over my head.

  “Until we have the results from the tests, Mr. Tourney I can’t possibly speculate. It would be unfair to you. Please know that whatever it is we will get to the bottom of it.”

  “I’m just losing my mind with worry, Doctor. How long till the results are back?”

  “Tomorrow. Make sure I have your contact details and Mrs. Tourney’s. We just need an ultrasound next then you can go home.” I look over to Evander who has been sitting quietly in the corner on his Nintendo switch. “There is no Mrs. Tourney. It’s just me and the twins. I head to Evander. “You okay, son?” I ask rubbing his head before sitting next to him.

  “Yeah, Dad, just worried about Lina, like you.”

  “I know, son, I know. I’m sure she will be fine.” Just then she comes waltzing out of the bathroom with not a care in the world. God, I love her with all my heart.

  “All done, it’s in the bowl for you, Doctor. You can go and get it now,” she says, smiling, all proud of herself.

  “Dad, what treat do I get for being the bravest big girl ever in the whole wide world?” She’s standing in front of me, hands on hips, head slightly cocked. I could just get her and cuddle her to death, so I do. She’s wiggling and squealing in my arms, but she is no match for her big strong dad. Evander and Dr. Cassidy are laughing at us.

  “Right, young lady, just one last thing I need you to do for me,” Dr. Cassidy says to Evelina.

  “I need you to come with me to another room. I want to take pictures of inside your tummy to see if I can find out what is going on.”