Chapter 27

For me, the months seemed to blur together, rushing by, yet at the same time, it seemed as if I had to trudge through them. They got slower, longer, but when they were finished, it felt like not even a day had passed. I felt left behind, I needed to catch up. Everything was slipping my mind. It felt like I was left out of everyone’s world and pushed into my own, prisoner to my own thoughts; but even that wasn’t much because my mind felt like mush.

Dad was home now, permanently in a wheelchair. He was going to physical therapy often, Monday and Wednesday. Wait, no, Monday and Friday. Or maybe…I forget. I am not sure. But he’s home, and that made me happy. We had ramps added in the house for the stairs and for the front porch. It made me sad to see them, walk up the ramps every day and know that someone so strong had something so valuable ripped away from them. I wouldn’t say it changed him, but it certainly made him more sentimental. Or maybe that was because he saw God.

Currently, I was sitting in bed staring off, my knees tucked to my chest. School work laid sprawled out around me, piling up. It was nearing the end of the year now and I had barely even realized. The air was warmer, summer approaching quick while I was still stuck in last fall. I knew I could get it done, I was a wonderful student typically, but it seemed as if the paperwork glared at me, and I didn’t even want to touch it.

“Eveee,” I heard my name called, causing me to jump, blinking quickly. I turned around, crawling to the edge and slowly smiling as I saw Ellie sitting outside my window on a branch of the old oak tree. She smiled back beautifully, winking at me as she waved an envelope in her hand. Even when it felt like I was drowning, she was always there to shake me awake and make me endure it long enough to see the good parts in life. I breathed out, slowly standing up and heading to the window with furrowed brows.

“What is that?” I asked curiously as I unlatched the window, pulling it up with a gentle grunt.

“Mail,” she said casually as she crawled inside. “Adressed to Evelyn O. Wells,” she hummed with a smile as she held the envelope out, reading dramatically.

“Oh, so we’re stealing my mail now, I see?” I teased, snatching the paper away from her. I turned it over, pausing a moment as I saw a familiar S and a tree stamped on the front. “Ellie…this is from Stanford,” I said breathlessly.

“I know,” she shrugged. She walked over and plopped onto her bed as she pulled her phone from her pocket. “I got an email back today too, from my offer. Wanted to read them together,” she said. Ellie got many basketball offers. I knew she was amazing, but it was still surprising.

“Oh…God please,” I murmured, muttering prayers under my breath as I carefully opened up the envelope. My heart raced in my chest as I slowly pulled out the paper. Sure, I applied to other places, but Stanford was Stanford. I pressed my lips into a thin line, hesitating a moment.

“Hurry up, slowpoke,” Ellie teased. I blinked, taking a deep breath and blowing it out, reminding myself that it would all be okay no matter the outcome. I pulled the letter out, quickly unfolding it and scanning over it frantically. Suddenly, I screamed, whipping around to face Ellie. She grinned, quickly standing from the bed as I screeched again.

“I got it!” I screamed. I threw my head back in relief, crying softly as I dropped the letter, throwing myself at Ellie. She chuckled softly, holding me against her as happy tears rolled down my cheeks, smiling wide.

“I knew you would…worried for nothin’…” Ellie murmured in my ear tenderly.

“Did…did you?” I asked breathlessly, pulling back.

“Of course! I knew you would-,” Ellie said, but I shook my head.

“No, did you. Get accepted? Did you get accepted?” I asked quickly. She paused a moment, blinking at me and sighing. “Oh…oh, I-,” I murmured sympathetically, but she suddenly burst into laughter.

“‘Course I did!” She exclaimed. I let out a happy squawk, jumping up and down and shaking her shoulders wildly as she cackled. Suddenly, the door opened up, Dad wheeling his chair in as he looked at us in confusion.

“Why does it sound like a bird is dyin’ in here?” He asked gruffly. He then glanced to Ellie, raising a curious eyebrow. “When the hell did you get in here?” He added.

“Dad! I got in!” I screamed, picking up the discarded letter from the floor and shoving it in his face.

“Alright, alright, got in ta what?” He grumbled as he snatched it, looking it over curiously. “Oh, damn, Stanford…how the hell you get a scholarship to Standford?” He asked in awe, looking up to me in shock.

“My essay…” I murmured with a smile, pointing to a separate section of the paper.

“Essay? What essay? You write that good and I don’t hear nothin’?” He asked playfully.

“My essay,” I repeated. “‘Preacher’s Daughter.'”