Count On Me - Sequel (Laughing into Love)

Chapter 33: Brian's Appointment

Brian's mom insists on taking her son to his next doctors appointment. Brian tried to convince her he was going with a friend, but she didn't care. She was going to meet him at the office if she couldn't drive him. Brian just gave in and told her to pick him up at 2. Him and Melanie have been broken up for 9 days. In those 9 days Brian only left the house to go to that doctors appointment. Canceling all his rehab and ignoring most of his friends who were trying to reach out to him. Brian caved after day 3 a part with telling his parent that he and Melanie had split. They were wondering why she wasn't answering their messages and how he was doing. He didn't want to talk to tell them, he didn't want to tell anyone. He didn't want to explain what happened between him and Melanie. How does he tell them he crossed the line? He broke her trust, but not in the way they'd probably think. He didn't tell them why, and luckily they didn't ask, but he could tell how upset it made them.

The only reason Brian kept this doctors appointment was because he was basically out of pain pills, and those were the only thing helping him get through each day, helping him sleep through it till the next one. When the doctor comes in, he asks about his rehab first, "how are things at rehab? Feeling stronger?"

"Not yet, still in quiet a bit of pain." He mumbles, keeping out the part of him not going.

His mom glares over at him and stands up, "he's been skipping rehab."

The doctor looks at her then back to Brian, "Brian?"

He shrugs, feeling like he's 12 again and lying to his mom about not feeling well to get out of a test, "it's hurting bad, I can barely get around the block anymore."

"Hmmm" the doctor writes down a note, "I can up your pain meds a bit but it won't get better by skipping rehab. You really need to keep your appointments, your leg will get full functioning if you do the rehab."

"I will, it's just hard." Brian takes the prescription from his hand, "thanks."

The doctor goes over a few more things with Brian while his mother sits in and when the two of them leave, Brian already knows what his mom is going to ask. He lets her ask anyway, "so, are you going to tell us what happened with you and Melanie?"

He sighs but decides just to explain, "what do you think? I fucked up like usual."

She puts her hand on his knee, "Brian, please."

She's asking him not to use the foul language, he nods and apologizes, "sorry. I just messed up. I hurt her and broke her trust.

"I would think after everything you went through you'd.." She starts to respond.

He interrupts her, "I didn't cheat on her. And it's actually really complicated with family sh—" he catches himself "crap so I just don't want to get into it."

"So you're just going to let what you two have go?" She questions back as she turns down Brian's street.

He shrugs, "she's not talking to me right now, and I'm giving her the space she asked for." The two glance at one another and he sees how hurt his mom is, hurt to see her son in pain both physically and emotionally.

When she pulls into his driveway and he unbuckles to get out, she gives him some advice, "don't give her too much space, I'm sure she's struggling with this as well. I know how much you two loved one another. Don't let yourself lose that because of pride."

Brian turned when she started talking and when she's done, he nods, "thanks mom." He shuts the door and limps over to the driver side. She rolls down her window as he made his way over. He leans down to give her a kiss on the cheek goodbye, "love you, I'll see you and dad soon."

"I love you, too. Take care. Please." She requests.

Brian gimps his way inside and plops down in bed. Chessie and Benjamin cat make their way over to him for some cuddling. He ponders what his mom says. He knows she's right, she's never steered him wrong. However, his heart hurts too much and he pops three of the left over pills he has, hoping that'll be enough to put him to sleep to numb the pain. When he wakes up, he grabs the bottle to take some more but grumbles when it's empty. He shuffles his way to take a piss and texts Lenny.

Brian "Q": I need you to pick up my refill prescription here and get it filled for me.

Lenny: of course, I'll come by in a few hours to drop it off.

Brian "Q": I need it now, ran out of my others. Sorry

Lenny: sure, I'm on my way.

Lenny understands that what his boss is going through sucks but he's being a bit demanding and aggressive with his requests lately. He's never seen him so down, which in turn is causing him to be quiet an ass and ignoring any boundaries they used to have between boss and assistant. When Lenny gets to Brian's place, he scrambles to pick up a few beer cans and pizza boxes left on the ground and places it in a pile, mentally making a note schedule some time to come back and clean it up. As soon as he knocks on Brian's door Brian yells out "it's on my nightstand!"

Lenny steps in, moving directly to the stand to grab the script "you need anything else? I have that family dinner tonight, remember? So I won't be around to help out later."

"No, just the medication. As soon as possible, my legs killing me." He mumbles back without looking up from his phone." Lenny nods, leaves and drops the medication off right away. He waits the 50 minutes it takes to get filled and returns back to Brian's to drop it off. As he's about to leave, Brian asks him to get him some of his favorite Chinese food, back in the direction he just came home. Lenny sighs but agrees, pulling out his phone to text his family that he'll be late tonight.