by Holly Hood
Henri raised an eyebrow. He already was 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 home 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. And upon waking he lay in his bed, the room was dark. He stared up at his ceiling. He 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 minds 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.
“I’m going to grab a shower,” Henri informed Flynn. “I’ll leave the clothes in here so nobody notices I’m about to head anywhere.”
Flynn nodded in agreement. “Sandra and April already left with their dates.” He told him.
“Great.” Henri rubbed the back of his neck. He was nervous.
Flynn could tell. “Just relax. I won’t let anything happen to you. You want this to be an amazing night than it will be. That’s what I’m here for.” Flynn reached into his pocket pulling something out. He waved his hand.
Henri studied him closely, a look of embarrassment revealing itself on his face. “Flynn. I have my own condoms.”
Flynn shrugged, pocketing them. “It’s been a while I wasn’t sure. Do you need any tips?”
Henri shook his head. “I’m not thinking about sex right now. I am more worried about sneaking out of the house.” Besides if that happened he wanted it to be spontaneous and impulsive.
Flynn ignored him and decided to throw him a few pointers. “Make sure you make it about her if you know what I’m saying. Girls these days hate guys that rush to the finish line.”
Henri didn’t have a rap sheet as long as Flynn’s arm, but he knew enough to know better than that.
“And don’t get to creative. Girls don’t like being turned into pretzels.” Flynn wiped the scuff from the toe of his dress shoe. “And be careful. You’re the only person I know who could die while making love to a girl. Your mother would kill me.” Flynn stood, worried. “Maybe sex should wait. Or you let her do all the work or something.”
Henri laughed. “Don’t worry about my sexual endeavors. No matter what happens I’ll be fine. I’m not an idiot.”
Henri left to shower while Flynn fashioned a ladder out of bed sheets to stealthily sneak Henri from the house. They had it all set up perfectly. After Henri showered he would tell them all goodnight. Say he was going to get some much needed rest for the big day tomorrow and more or less tell them all to back off for the night because he needed to get in the zone. As long as his mother and Flynn’s bought into it he was pretty sure he could manage a night out with Maven without anyone noticing he was gone. And he could be back by morning.
Maven anxiously spritzed herself with one finishing puff of perfume. She turned her head in the mirror, admiring her black earrings. They swayed with ever movement she made.
Nick tapped on her door. He was already decked out in all black. Black dress slacks and a black dress shirt and tie. His hair perfectly styled, looking nothing less than messy and like he just rolled out of bed into a bunch of hair product.
“Could you do us a favor?” Nick said. He handed over a camera before Maven agreed to any favors. April appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a pencil dress with a shiny white belt around her tiny waist. Her hair swept up in soft waves, fashioning into a messy bun at the back of her head.
“Let me guess. A picture?” Maven waited for them to pose themselves. April looked Maven up
and down, admiring her turquoise dress and soft makeup. She was a little concerned why Maven was going when Henri wasn’t going to be there, but before she could say anything she was blinded by the flash of the camera. She straightened up. Slipping one hand behind Nick’s back, pressing her cheek against his. In her heels she was the same height as him.
“One more,” Nick instructed. Maven pushed the button on the camera again and then handed it back to her brother.
“Nice dress,” April said, quietly slipping out of Maven’s room before Maven could offer her the same kind word. Nick lingered for a moment.
“What?” Maven asked, he was acting strange.
Nick shrugged. “Nothing, I just wanted to say you look beautiful, Maven.” He headed down the stairs.
Maven raised an eyebrow. She fluffed her shiny waves, eyeing her makeup. She was trying for natural yet chic. She wanted Henri to smile at the sight of her.
Her phone chirped. It was Henri. Fifteen minutes.
She couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. The dance had started twenty minutes ago and Henri and Flynn were just showing up. She stood on the porch hands on hips wondering what the holdup was. But that just as soon was forgotten when she saw Henri.
Her mouth fell open. Flynn grinned. He shoved Henri forward. He apprehensively stared at the ground, looking a bit shy yet pleased to be on her porch step she thought.
“A bow tie.” She touched his neck a big smile filling her face. “Henri you look really great.”
“I’ve always wanted to try a bowtie,” Henri said, causing everyone to laugh. He was wearing a black dress shirt, with a dark gray bow tie and matching gray slacks. At the compliment he smiled, but quickly pushed it aside to compliment her now.
“Not as great as you.” He lifted her hand, kissing the top of it ever so gently, a small grin creeping up on his face. Formal events made him a bit silly.
Flynn cleared his throat, slinging a hand around Tori, his girlfriend. “I think it’s safe to say we all look amazing.”
They introduced the girls before heading to the hop.
Walking through town, through a swarm of fellow townspeople, Henri had to admit he was nervous. His parents and Flynn’s weren’t there of course, but that didn’t mean someone else wouldn’t recognize him being there. Flynn had to keep reassuring him that anyone who saw him wouldn’t break the news until the weekday once business resumed. It took a lot of reminders from Flynn for Henri to believe it and just enjoy the night.
As the four of them approached it was very obvious a gathering was happening. A lively trumpet medley sounded, flowing through the streets. Kids and adults of all sizes and shapes laughed and danced, everyone was full of summer bliss. It always reminded Maven of a time long before any of the kids her age, when people danced to songs with no words, songs fueled by instruments and nothing more and just had plain old fun. Maybe that was why everyone enjoyed it so much—it was simple and easy.
Just as Ms. Lisa had promised tiny twinkle lights hung from the willows making a beautiful canopy of lighting overhead. Candles perched in windows, turquoise and black balloons swayed in the breeze as they got closer. It was perfect.
Henri stole Maven’s hand as they slipped into the crowd. It wasn’t hard to see that soon they were an insignificant part of the community. There were too many people to pick Henri out. And the only thing that mattered to anyone was the music.
“Do you want to dance?” Maven said in his ear, talking louder than usual so he could hear her.
“Let’s get it over with.” Henri joked, taking hold of her waist. He kept telling himself not to step on her toes. He smiled, watching Maven smile back showing him just how to enjoy himself as they began dancing, she held on to his neck as they circled the floor—which was a task with so many people in the way.
“See...fun right?” Maven asked him. She poked his bowtie. “You’re light on your feet, Henri.”
Henri smirked. “I might know a thing or two about the art of slow dancing. Just don’t ask me to break dance.” He took her hand, securing his other hand on her back and dipped her. Maven giggled, her hair spilling down across her shoulders when he set her on two legs again.
They spun in a circle, a little too fast and a little to playful, but neither of them cared. It wasn’t about the music it was about the moment and they both were in one together.
As the song ended and another one began Maven noticed this one had lyrics. She raised an eyebrow. Henri smiled even bigger than he was already smiling at her. “Sound familiar,” he said.
Maven kissed his cheek. “How did you?”
Henri nodded. “If you look to the left you will see my cousin. He is responsible for the song choice.” Henri guided Maven in the direction of Flynn. Flynn waved.
Days after knowing Henri he told her about the song. How it spoke to him. How for weeks on end he played it on repeat. It meant a lot to him, more than she understood she was sure. And because it meant so much to Henri it meant a lot to her too.
“Good choice,” Maven said, Henri dipped her once more and as soon as she gained her footing he raised her hand, twirling her in a circle. The night and the lights made her more adorable than she already was to him as he stared into her eyes.
“I’m glad we’re here together,” he said in her ear, holding her close. He was tired and a little too hot, but being part of the night, being with Maven, it kept him going.
Flynn watched Henri and Maven dancing the night away, a big grin on his face. It was great to see Henri enjoy himself for once.
Tori, his girlfriend, elbowed him in the side. She hoped he didn’t think she hadn’t noticed his sudden disappearing act. “Where did you run off to? I was standing with the old people. I looked like an idiot, Flynn.”
Flynn took Tori’s hand. “Don’t be mad at me. I was doing good things.”
Tori sighed. “What kind of good things?” But she was only met with a childlike smirk.
Flynn pushed through the crowd. Tori coming up the rear, he was hot and growing a bit concerned that the high temperature and all the dancing was going to take its toll on Henri.
“Henri, my man,” Flynn said once he located him in the crowd.
Henri and Maven slowed their dancing. “What’s up?” Maven’s golden hair stuck to the side of her face, her cheeks flushed with color. Henri was just as flushed, but more spent than any of them.
“Have you had your fill for the hop?” Flynn asked, touching Henri’s forehead. His eyes filled with concern. “You’re tired. You got to know when to quit. Maven knows when to quit.” He shot a look at Maven giving her the opening to bail Henri out of his commitment of dancing the night away.
“Of course.” Maven’s eyes were filled with distress, she shook her head. She cursed herself for not noticing how tired Henri was. “We can go right now. It’s not a problem.”
Flynn smiled, pleased there was no argument. But as soon as they escaped the throng of dancers Henri put on the brakes.
“I promised Maven we would sit by the water.” Henri told them. Maven waved a hand trying to object. “Sitting is a good thing. I promise I’ll be home in no time.”
Flynn sighed. “Tori and I will hang out for a little while longer, Henri. You give me a call when you’re ready to go.” Flynn squeezed Henri tightly as if he was a proud father sending his son to school for the first time.
“What was that all about?” Henri asked as they broke apart, he looked skeptically at Flynn who offered no reason behind his weird disposition.
Flynn blew him off. “Nothing. Just make some memories you old stud you.” He slapped his back and left Henri to it.
“I left a blanket by the tree.” Henri told her as they walked down the hill to the water below. A moth swooped past his face as they hurried to their secret place.
Maven squeezed his hand. “Did you have a good time?”
“Of course.”
“Promise?” She looked at him, hoping he was being honest because for her it was the
best time she ever had at the hop.
Henri shook his head, tracing a finger across his chest as a form of a promise.
Maven gasped, bringing her hands to her face in shock at the sight in front of her. “Henri!”
Henri was shocked himself. “Flynn.” He said under his breath. All along the grass were candles in protective glass lanterns. A radio sat nestled in the grass playing soft music. Maven dropped to her knees.
“This is beautiful.” She kissed his cheek. “Henri this is amazing.” She looked back and forth between the candles to the picnic basket. Flynn had snuck away without a word and set the entire thing up. Henri had no idea, but it meant a lot, and it answered the question of why Flynn was acting so odd.
He opened the picnic basket. “Water or soda?”
“Water,” Maven said, accepting the bottle.
He took a swig of his own and then set it down next to him. It was time to tell her why the night meant so much to him. He took her hand, she scooted closer. Searching his eyes, she suddenly felt nervous. She laid down, staring through the willows at the star lit sky. Henri laid down beside her, their hands blindly finding one another all over again.
“I have something to tell you.” Her grip tightened on his. He wondered if she was thinking the worst.
Maven squeezed her eyes shut. She knew it, he was about to tell her that he had gotten worse. She held her breath—waiting.
Henri turned over, stroking her hair. It was now or never. “What would you say if I told you they found a way to fix me?”
Maven sat up. She was confused, his words didn’t make sense. So she just looked at him.
Henri stayed where he was taking in the stars. “I found out yesterday that they think they can fix me. Your mother told us all about it at my last appointment. Tomorrow morning I will be admitted to start the procedure.”