on a cold Sunday

Connor couldn't stay home another minute. He had to get out of the house.

Yes, his brother was home and his parents were dwelling on Jared. There was a lot of talk that Connor didn't want to listen too.

Of course, their son was innocent, even if he'd been caught with a gun at a party. There were witnesses. But his mother was sure they were wrong. They didn't have any guns. It couldn't be Jared's gun.

So Connor bundled up for the cold. It wasn't the dead of winter, but it was rather deceiving out there. Funny, the weather made him think of his brother. Just how deceiving he could be.

Sure he knew about the gun, but Conner swore he'd never tell. Aside from the fact his brother threatened him, too. Did he want J.D. to kill him?

Connor felt so sad and numb. He didn't care how cold it got. He didn't want to go home. Sure there was the chapel. But it was Sunday. Someone might ask him why he was there. He kept walking. He didn't know where.

And then he found the hospital. He sort of laughed thinking why would he come here? But it was cold and the lobby was so warm. He smelled coffee and went straight for the little coffee place which was over priced and when Connor dug in his jean pockets, he found that he didn't have a dime on him.

His stomach rumbled. He didn't eat breakfast. He looked up at the clock. It was going on two in the afternoon. He squinted hard, thinking he hadn't been out that long.

Connor took a turn down the stairs to the basement. He noticed some meeting going on past the lab that was closed. And there in the hallways was a table with a canister of hot chocolate and big platter of homemade cookies. And such a variety.

He hurried to get a cup of hot chocolate and a napkin full of a sugar, a peanut-butter and chocolate chip cookies. Then he felt like a thief as he looked up to see there was a grief counseling meeting in session.

He made a quick turn and head straight for the elevator. It was there on the elevator he savored a cookie in the hot chocolate. Connor didn't know how hungry he was until now. So he missed the third floor and second floor. Before he knew it, he was on the third floor. When the door opened, there was Bree and she was in a uniform. Well, a striped apron of some sort.

"I didn't know you were a candy striper?" He wondered if he had cookie crumbs on his faced mixed in with some hot chocolate.

"Oh...Yeah." She looked sort of puzzled. "What are you doing here? Are you OK, Connor?"

"You, did remember my name." He smiled as if no one seemed to remember his name. When people saw him they always asked about Jared.

"Yeah, I know who you are." She smirked as she pushed a button to go down to the lobby. She pressed her lips tight as she smiled at him once more.

"Right. Because of my brother." He sighed wondering what people think of him now at school when they saw him.

"No." She almost laughed. "Church. Remember?"

"Oh, I don't really go there." He winced. "So are you going to church?" He supposed she did a lot of good deeds on Sunday.

"No, my Uncle's picking me up. I'm moving today." She drew a slight frown, explaining to him that he was taking her directly to the new place.

"You're moving?" He yelped as if that couldn't be possible.

"I'll still be at the same school. Actually, just a block or two from where I am now. Its just I won't have any of my stuff to take with me." She shrugged.

The elevator door dinged and slid open.

"Oh." He walked out with her. "Would this be a bad time for a ride home? Actually, I'd like to see where you're moving too. If ..if you don't mind."  Deep inside, he was so happy to find her, again. She was so easy to talk too. Bree was such a good listener.