“Kyle, leave Uncle Brent alone. He needs to rest.”
“He’s ok Angie. I’m awake now.”
“Kyle, why don’t you go play so that I can talk to your uncle.”
“Ok mommy.” Kyle hugged Brent before he slithered off the bed and ran from the room.
Angela entered the room, and sat beside Brent on the bed. “Are you ready to talk?” Brent shrugged. “Give me a straight answer Brent. I won’t push you if you aren’t ready yet.”
“I’m ready.”
“Ok. Why don’t you start with your feelings?”
“My feelings?”
“For Nick.”
Brent groaned. “I don’t know.”
“What do you know?”
“I know that I love him.”
“How do you love him?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you love him like a friend, a brother, or as more?”
“Well, I thought I loved him like a brother, but then he mentioned I was acting like I had a crush on him and now I don’t know.”
“When did you become so overprotective of him?”
“I’ve always been over protective of him. He’s my best friend. Or at least he was. Now he hates me.”
“Brent, Nick does not hate you.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I called him when you were in the shower.”
“You called him? How could you?”
“Shut up Brent. I did it for you. Well anyway, he said, and I quote, I don’t hate him Angie. I could never hate him. He’s my best friend.”
Brent looked away. “He kicked me out Angie.”
“He didn’t want to.”
“Then why did he?”
“He said it was the only thing he could think of to get the hovering to stop.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I couldn’t get any more out of him. He got upset and wanted off the phone. So you see, if he hated you, he wouldn’t have gotten upset about kicking you out. So the question I ask you is, when did you start hovering over him?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t realize I was.”
“When do you think it happened?”
“Probably when he received the invitations in the mail for his wedding to Katie.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know Angie.”
“So think.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because I love you and I want to help you figure out what is going on with you and Nick. Now, why?”
He sighed. “I guess because Nick was always there for me when I needed him.”
“You were always there for Nick so what made you think you had to step up your game so to speak.”
“I guess because he’s helped me through some deep shit, that I felt I wasn’t doing a good enough job of helping him through Katie’s death especially when he had a breakdown because of the invitations.”
“I’m sure Nick would say differently about your ability to help him through tough times.”
He shrugged. “I guess I stopped being confident in my helping ability when I was...when my relationship with Tiffany ended.”
“When you were what?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said when you were, then changed your sentence.”
“When I wasn't able to stop Katie's murder.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“W…W…Why not?”
“Because, you were in New York at the time of Katie’s murder in Florida. What the hell would you have been able to do to stop the murder? Now tell me. When you were what?”
“When I was almost.” He took a deep breath. “You remember Tiffany right?”
“You mean the sweet girl you dated around 9 months ago?”
“Yeah her.”
“What about her?”
“Well, um, did I ever tell you why we broke up?”
“The only thing you told me was that you broke up because things weren’t working out.”
“Yeah, that wasn’t the whole thing.” He said quietly and looked down.
“Brent.” He didn’t respond so she pushed his face up so she could meet his gaze. “What else caused you to break up?” Tears pooled in his eyes and he tried to turn away. “No Brent. Tell me what happened.”
“You know when I went to Florida to visit Nick, and I came back for that business endeavor.”
She nodded. “Keep going.”
“Well, the day I got back, I had to go straight to the office and then when I got back to our apartment, I was almost dead on my feet after traveling and then working.”
“Go on.”
“Well, um, she was horny that night, but I didn’t want to do anything. I was too tired, So she um…”
“She what?”
“She climbed on top of me, and s…sh…she.” He stopped.
“It’s ok, you can tell me.”
He looked down again, “She tried to rape me.” His voice was barely audible.
“What?”
“Please don’t make me say it again. It was hard enough the first time.”
“You don’t have to say it again, I heard you. I’m just in shock.” She took a deep breath. “She didn’t succeed did she?”
“No, I was able to get away.”
“Well at least you got away.”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid you’d be ashamed of me.”
“I wouldn’t have been ashamed of you. Did you tell anyone?”
“When I got away I went to a hotel. I called Nick then.”
“In the middle of the night?”
“Yeah. He didn’t care.”
“You were able to tell him without being ashamed but you couldn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t want to tell anyone. I needed someone to talk to and he was the first person I came up with.”
“So what did Nick say when you told him?”
“He asked me if I wanted him to come to New York. I told him no because he had company. We ended up talking all night.”
“Was he able to help you?”
“I guess. He helped me break up with her. I had my cell phone attached to my pants and my ear piece in. He was on the phone when I broke up with her. So he heard everything and was talking in my ear when I stuttered.”
“Did you experience any sort of depression from this?”
“Yeah, I’m still a bit depressed.”
“Is it safe to say that Nick helped you through you lowest points of depression?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want my interpretation of your feelings?” He nodded. “Ok, Nick helped you through a deep depression, so you are grateful to him. Now a lot of times, people mistake that gratefulness as a deeper love. I personally feel you’re feelings for Nick are brotherly. As for why you were spending so much time hovering over Nick, you felt safer with Nick. He’s your best friend, so you figured he wouldn’t hurt you. That’s why you were more occupied with Nick then your girlfriend. Also since you’re last girlfriend attempted to rape you, you are afraid of getting close to another girl. Does this make sense to you?”
“I guess.”
“You guess?”
“Well, what if you’re interpretation is wrong and I do have stronger feelings for Nick?”
“That’s something you’re going to have to work through on your own, in your own way. We can talk about this until we turn blue in the face, but in the end it’s you who has to make the final decision. I’m going to go start breakfast. I’ll call you when it’s done.”
Meanwhile
Abby’s bedroom door was wide open as Nick walked past. He heard Abby sniffling, so he stopped and peeked his head into the room. He saw her looking at a picture. He stood in the doorway and knocked. She jumped and tried to wipe her eyes. He entered the room and sat down beside her. He glanced at the picture and pulled Abby into a hug. “It’ll be ok Abby. Please stop crying.”
She snuggled into Nick as she started crying harder. “I can’t help it. I feel like I’m such a horrible girlfriend.”
“Don’t you ever say something like that again. I don’t know from personal experience but I’m sure you’re a great girlfriend because you’re a great friend.”
“But you don’t understand. You don’t…” her voice trailed off.
“What don’t I understand?”
“You have a great girlfriend, you are a great guy, and I know you’d never do what he did.”
“What he did? Who’s he?”
“He..he…he’s Skylar, the love of my life…or at least I thought he was.”
“What happened?”
“We were going out for most of high school and he cheated on me and then this thing with Brent.”
“What thing with Brent?”
“This whole, Brent paying more attention to you thing.”
“Sweetie, that’s just a misunderstanding. It’ll get fixed, I promise.”
“How do you know?”
“I just know.”
“How?”
“Because I know Brent as well, if not, better than you know Casey. I know everything that Brent has gone through, nothing I can tell you now. But trust me.”
“How bad?”
“What do you mean?”
“The stuff he’s gone through, how bad was it?”
“Pretty bad.”
“As bad as some of the stuff you went through?”
“Some of it comes really close.”
She rested her head on Nick’s shoulder. “I miss him so much.”
“I know you do. I miss him too.”
She looked back to the picture, “We were all so happy there. How can you go from this picture to now?”
“I don’t know Abby.”
“Even you were happy.”
“I highly doubt that. I haven’t been happy in over a year.”
“But you were doing better. You were just starting to get over the rape so you were at least smiling again. And then this happened.”
“Abby, this won’t last long. You’ll see.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. What would make you feel better?”
“This whole thing going away and everything being back to the way it was.”
“Everything will be normal soon. Just stick it out. Just remember you aren’t alone in this.”
“Oh my god. I’m being selfish. Here I am blubbering about this and he’s your best friend and I’m not thinking about how this is affecting you.”
“Not as deeply as you may think.”
“Why not.”
“Because Brent and I need each other like we need air. We are each other’s life line. So I know that this won’t last long because of that reason. So it’s not affecting me that deeply because I know all this will be over soon. Would you feel better if you had a way to contact Brent?”
“You know how to contact him?”
“Yeah, he’s staying with his older sister. I can give you that phone number if you think it’ll make you feel better.”
“Can you?”
“Yeah. I just have to look it up. I don’t call there often so I don’t have it memorized.”
“Ok.” Nick stood up to leave. Abby stood up and flung herself into Nick’s embrace. “Thank you Nick. You really are a great guy. Casey’s lucky she has you.”
Casey entered the room. “Hey now, what are you doing in my boyfriends arms?” She asked teasingly.
“Thanking him for being a great guy.”
Casey snuggled into his free side. “Yeah, he is great.” She then leaned up to kiss him softly.
Nick left the room and returned moments later with the number. He handed it to Abby. “Abby, give him a call. I’m sure he could use that. Then when you’re done, we’ll order Chinese food and a movie ok?”
“Yeah Abby, while you’re on the phone, Nick and I will be out back cuddling. Just co me find us and we’ll order dinner.”
Once Abby was alone in the room, she settled on her bed and grabbed the phone. She dialed the number and waited. “Hello?”
“Hi, can I speak to Brent?”
The woman on the other side hesitated a bit before saying “Sure.”
Abby waiting some more. Soon Brent was on the phone. “Hello?”
“Come back.”
“Who is this?”
“It’s Abby. We need you to come back. No, wait. I need you to come back.”
“I can’t come back there Abby.”
“Why not?”
“It’s Nick’s house, and apparently he doesn’t want me there.”
“You don’t see him. He does want you here.”
“I don’t know about that Abby.”
“Trust me. He misses you. I miss you. I miss your smile. I miss your laugh. I miss the way your eyes twinkle when you laugh. I miss the way you and Nick goof off together.”
He started to chuckle. “Abby, you’re rambling.”
“God Brent, I am so in love with you, you need to come back.”
“W…what did you just say?”
“You need to come back.”
“No before that.”
She pauses to think about it. “I love you.”
“Do you really?”
She paused once again to think. “Yeah, I do love you.”
Now it was Brent’s turn to think. “Can you say it again?” He got a warm feeling
and a sense of completion as Abby said those words again. “I think I love you too.”
“You think?”
“I’m confused about everything right now.”
“It’s ok Brent.” She walked into the kitchen while talking on the phone. At the kitchen table was Nick and Casey. Nick was crying and Casey was trying to comfort him. It was then that Abby realized just how much Nick needs Brent. If she was in Nick’s place, she would have Casey to comfort but Nick doesn’t have his best friend to run to right now. It was then that she realized how much Nick actually does need Brent.
“Hey Abby; earth to Abby.”
“Huh, what?”
“What’s going on over there? You like zoned out on me or something.”
“Sorry, I walked into the kitchen and it hit me how much Nick needs you.”
“What? How does walking into a kitchen tell you that?”
“Because Nick and Casey are there and Nick is upset.”
“How upset?”
“Like the day he told us what happened to him. See Brent, you need to come back.”
“I’ll think about it ok?”
“That’s better than nothing. I should probably go help Casey. Just remember, I miss you. I love you.” She paused hoping he’d say it. When his side stayed quiet, she said. “It’s ok; you don’t have to say it back right now.”
“I’ll talk to you soon Abby. Bye.”
“Bye Brent.” Abby hung up the phone and entered the kitchen completely. “What happened?”
Casey looked at Abby, “Jamie was lurking around outside.”
“Jamie as in…” she lowered her voice and mouthed the next part to Casey, “the asshole who raped him.”
Casey nodded. “We called for security to come watch the house but they can’t get here until tomorrow.” She went back to Nick. “Are you ok?”
He shrugged. “He knows where I live. I don’t feel safe.”
Casey went back to rubbing his back soothingly. “Nick, you should press charges.”
“I can’t, that means I’d have to face him again.”
“But it would be the last time you would have to face him.”
“Just think about it Nick.”
Meanwhile
Angela was walking through her house looking for Brent. She found him in the den watching old home movies of when he and Nick were little. She also found old photo albums scattered around the room. “What are you doing Brent?”
“I’m frustrated. I need to know what is going on.”
“So, explain to me why you are watching home movies from when you and Nick were 10.”
“I dunno, I thought it would help.” He paused. “You know, Abby called me earlier.”
“Who’s Abby again?”
“Well, before Nick kicked me out, she was my girlfriend.”
“Well then what is she now?”
“I don’t know. She told me that she’s in love with me.”
“And how do you feel about her?”
“I don’t know. I think I might love her.”
“You think that you might?”
“Yeah. When she told me she loved me, I had this really strange warm feeling inside of me and all of a sudden I felt a sense of completeness.” Angela groaned in frustration. “What?”
“Brent how dense can you be?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re over here gushing about how much you love this girl Abby, who I have yet to meet, then you go back to thinking that there’s a possibility that you have relationship type feelings for Nick.”
“But what if I do have relationship type feelings for Nick and I love Abby?”
“Is that even possible?”
“If I’m bi it is.”
“Well are you?”
“I never thought I was but now I’m not so sure.”
“Well, then call Nick.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“How can I call Nick?”
“Oh, it’s real easy. Just pick up the phone and dial the 10 numbers that will connect you to the phone in his house.”
“I know how to make a phone call Angela. I just don’t know if he’d want to hear from me.”
“Why?”
“He kicked me out.”
“Damn Brent, get over it. Just because he kicked you out doesn’t mean he hates you. The day Nick Carter hates you is the day I’m the Queen of England. Call him. If his voice invokes in you the same feelings Abby’s voice invoked then you know you have more thinking to do. If it doesn’t, well that right there should be enough evidence that you don’t have relationship type feelings for Nick.”
“Why do you always have to psychoanalyze me?”
“Because I’m a psychiatrist. It’s what I do.” She handed him the phone. “Now call him before I start charging you for my services.”
“Fine I’ll call him.” He grabbed the phone and started dialing Nick’s number. Angela didn’t move. “Um, do you mind giving me some privacy?”
“Oh fine. If I must.” She left the room.
When she was gone, he dialed the number. He held the phone up to his ear waiting for someone to pick up. “Hello?”
“Um…hi.”
“Brent?”
“Yeah.”
Nick was silent for a little bit. “How are you?”
