Kevin didn’t speak until after he heard the sliding glass close with a soft thud. Drawing a hand through his thick hair, he searched for the words he needed to get the discussion started with Jane before any interruptions started.

“I guess we should take advantage of the peace and quiet,” Kevin started, quickly noticing his cousin’s bewildered expression. “Is there something wrong?”

Brian shrugged his shoulders. “Who would like a glass of sweet tea?” he asked, desperate to draw the attention away from himself.

“No thanks,” Jane replied, her expression soured as she added, "I honestly don’t know how anyone could drink that stuff.”

“Soda then?”

Jane shook her head.

“Water?”

“Brian!” Kevin hissed a warning; quickly feeling uncomfortable when he realized he lost control of temper.  “She said she doesn’t want anything!”

“I see both of you still like to bicker.”

“We don’t bicker,” Kevin defended.

“Really? I couldn’t tell.”

Rubbing a hand across his face, Kevin sighed into his palm as he tried to push thoughts of choking Jane right where she sat. “We need to talk about what you came over here for.”

“So when can I see Nick?”

“That’s not what I was talking about!”

“That’s why I came over here.”

Walking toward the other side of the kitchen, Kevin balled his hands into fists. ’This woman doesn’t get it!’ he mentally seethed.

“Kevin called you because of your son’s ongoing care and how you still have Power of Attorney,” Brian stated when he noted his cousin’s temper starting to be tested.

“Nothing like getting to the point,” Jane huffed. “I don’t see why me having Power of Attorney rights should bother either one of you.”

“You just aren’t getting it,” Kevin snapped. “Do you have any clue as to how your son is; wait you probably don’t because you seem to be living in your own little dream world when it comes to your children!”

Jane pushed herself away from where she sat. “I don’t have to listen to any of this! I’m going to see Nick.”

Kevin quickly cornered the woman and roughly pushed her back into the seat. “SIT DOWN!”

“How dare you!” Jane growled as tears pooled in her eyes.

“AJ came back from the pharmacy today and the copays on Nick’s medications was over four hundred dollars,” Kevin stated.

“That’s AJ’s problem then, isn’t it?”

This time it was Brian that turned on Jane Carter. “Good lord! Can’t you tell that Nick has to be on a lot of medications to bring the bill up to over four hundred and some dollars?”

“There is no way that a medication would have to have a four hundred dollar copay,” Jane replied.

”Medications Jane,” Kevin clarified.

As Jane opened her mouth to respond, Nick entered the kitchen. Instead of greeting her oldest son with a smile, the woman’s mouth dropped open when she took in his appearance. “Nicky?”

Ignoring his mother Nick looked over towards Brian. “Where’s AJ?”

“I sent them out to the deck,” Kevin replied.

Satisfied, Nick turned and started to walk away.

“Nick, don’t you think you should say hello?” Brian admonished.

Turning back toward the kitchen Nick nodded. “Hello,” he mechanically replied toward Jane.

“That’s not the way you greet your own mother,” the older woman remarked with a shaky voice. A puzzled expression etched on her face.

“Go out and see what AJ and Aaron are doing,” Kevin directed.

“No, I want my Nicky to answer me!” Jane demanded.

Looking down towards Jane, Nick scratched the side of his head; a confused expression washed over his face.

“Do you really want to go there right now?” Kevin asked the woman. “Nick go out and see what the guys are up to.”

Nick obediently turned on his heels and quickly left the room.

“What have you done to my son!?”

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s gotten fat,” Jane spat.

“You haven’t seen your son in over a year and that is all you can say is that Nick has gained some weight?” Brian said in defense of his best friend.

“Some weight? He’s gotten fat!” Jane corrected. “What have you done to him? Do you just let him sit around and eat all day long?”

Kevin Richardson got into the older woman’s face. “Didn’t you notice that Nick had no clue as to who you were? Nick isn’t who he was anymore and all you care about is his weight gain?”

“Don’t you care that your son’s life has changed forever?” Brian added.

“He just looks so uncomfortable,” Jane sniffed in defense.

“Don’t you even care that Nick’s life has changed forever?” Brian repeated.

“Carrying that much weight around I’m sure it has,” Jane replied.

“Fucking drop it about the weight Jane,” Kevin hissed. “He weighs two hundred and fifty-five pounds as of last Monday if this will shut you the hell up about the weight!”

“Oh my god,” she gasped.

“I agree his weight has changed some since the last time you saw him but let’s be reasonable here, medication has played a significant role in Nick’s weight gain since you last saw him in the hospital when all of this started,” Brian remarked.

“Some? He weighed a little over two hundred pounds at the hospital if I remember, he has a lot of work taking that off before you go back out and tour,” Jane stated.

Kevin punched the wall angrily.

“Why on earth did you do that for? Nicky is not going to be very happy when he sees what you’ve done to that wall.”

“Are you fucking kidding me right now? Nick has no concept that this is his house why would he even care about this goddamn wall?” Kevin snapped as he shook his hand.

AJ and Aaron rushed into the room.

“What’s going on?” AJ rasped.

“Didn’t I tell you two to go out on the deck?”

Aaron immediately noticed Kevin shaking his hand. “Dude, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Go back outside.”

“Whoa, you better get that checked out!” AJ chipped in as Nick joined the others in the kitchen.

“Go back outside! NOW!” Kevin repeated.

“Kev, I think you broke your hand,” Brian calmly stated. “We should go to the emergency room.”

Kevin winced when the pain in his hand finally connected with his brain. “I’m fine,” he repeated.

“I’m not too sure about that,” Jane disagreed. “You’re as white as a sheet.”

“Sit down Kevin,” Brian pled as he took note of his cousin’s pallor, “before you fall down.”

Instead of heeding his cousin’s request, Kevin Richardson stubbornly stood his ground. It wasn’t until the all-too-familiar tunnel vision and Brian appearing to be miles from him instead of a few feet away did Kevin realize his mistake of being appropriately called 'bull headed' as he started to fall against Nick’s body as his legs failed to support himself.