Count On Me - Sequel (Laughing into Love)

Chapter 21: Advice

"Hey, can you get the trash on your way out?" Melanie calls to him before she gets to the door the next morning.

Melanie has to start her errands for Sal so Brian's just going to hang out for a bit before heading home to take care of his cats "of course" he says back.

Melanie yells "you're the best! Love you!"

"Love you back!" He returns, rolling over in bed as she shuts her apartment door. When he gets up from the small morning nap he took, he gets dressed and ready to leave. He goes to the kitchen, taking the trash lid off to get to the bag. Just as he's about to pull the strings to tighten and tie, he sees the envelope he held on to for her, the one from her dad. He looks up, as if he's going to see her and she's going to explain why it's in the trash. "Huh" he scratches his head, staring at it. Moments tick by and all he's managed to do was take the bag out of the bin but still leave it untied. He wonders if he should just pretend he didn't see it? Maybe not take the trash out and let her do it later? Did it accidentally get in there? Should he take it out? He asks himself these questions over and over again until his phone rings in his pocket. He quickly pulls it out and answers without looking at it.

It's Murray "yo, Q. Where are you? I thought we were gonna go paint-balling today?"

"Shit" Brian mutters, totally forgetting. He pulls the letter out of trash and tucks it into his pocket "I'm leaving Melanie's now. Give me an hour? I gotta feed my cats."

"I'll just meet at your place" Murray returns, not showing any hint of annoyance that he forgot their plans.

Brian ties the trash up and heads out of the apartment "thanks man, see ya soon." He hangs up and heads to the stairs.

Brian gets to his house and Murray has already let himself in and is sitting on the couch live-streaming on Facebook. Brian hears him say "and here he is, the man whose always late! My main man Q."

Brian walks over behind his couch, leaning down to be seen in the camera "oh hi livestream, welcome to my home, where my friends welcome themselves at any time."

Murray replies "hey! Maybe if you weren't always running late I wouldn't have to wait around your place for you to be ready. That's why you gave me a keg anyway, so I'm not stuck outside waiting for you to pick out the right scarf."

"Well, you can't just throw any old scarf on. It's gotta speak to you." Brian squints to look at the comments "Felicity23G gets it. And Happy birthday to you, Joanna. Go get em girl." He winks then pats Murray on the shoulder "let me feed my cats then we can go."

Brian smiles and leaves Murray to close out the live feed on his own. After finding all three cats and giving them their bowls, Murray is scrolling through comments waiting for him. Brian comes over to the door and Murray says "finally ready?"

"Yeah, sorry man. Lost track of time over at Melanie's." Brian smirks as they walk out the door.

Murray asks "so, she's doing better?"

"Yah, seems to be. We're really good too." He replies "I do need some advice though, but you can't tell Sal."

Murray one shoulder shrugs "that won't be a problem. What's up?"

They hop into Brian's Jeep, Murray taking a lyft over and Brian passes over the letter "Melanie was gonna throw out that letter from her dad."

"So you took it out of the trash for her? You sure that was a good idea?" Murray asks his friend back, looking at it sitting in his lap.

Brian mumbles "I don't know man. I don't think she should just throw it away. What if she wants to read it one day? I mean, her mom kept it a secret for years, there has to be a reason she would do that."

Murray returns "yah, I'm sure there was. But it's not your place to take the letter out of the trash."

Brian retorts "we're engaged. I'd say I do have some sort of say in it. At least, an opinion."

Murray gets where his friend is coming from, but still doesn't think he should've taken the letter. After a few seconds of an awkward silence, he asks "so, you going to just keep it a secret until maybe one day she wishes she never threw it away?"

Brian shakes his head "I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead."

"Well, I wouldn't keep it a secret. Secrets never end well with you." Murray replies. Brian raises his eyebrows at his costar and Murray elaborates "remember that lap dance?"

Brian pushes him arm "I wouldn't have had to keep a secret if you didn't record it, asshole!"

Murray quickly corrects him "no, you wouldn't have had to keep a secret if you just didn't get a lap dance."

Brian growls his frustration but decides to agree "ya, you're right. I'll have to think about it. She seems to be finally doing better after everything with her mom's death and Marcus and shit, maybe getting rid of the letter will be the best thing to do."

"Yah, it just might be bud." Murray toothlessly smirks at me. He perks up when he changes the topic "now, let's check out this joint! I totally think it's a perfect punishment for Sal!"

"He's going to kill us if we ruin all his nice shoes." Brian reminds him.

Murray shakes his head "maybe we'll only ruin a few,  get a fake pair for the real nice ones. Yanno, like ya guys did with my blankie."

Brian retorts "hey, you guys blew up my jeep. I have no sympathy for anyones personal stuff being destroyed anymore."

"Well, good. Cause it'll be great!" Murray confirms, his grin turning wide.