Brian was greeted by the sound of music as he entered Nick’s room.
Nick was sitting on his wheelchair while swaying his head to “Faraway” by Nickelback.
Brian sat on the couch as he waited patiently for Nick to converse.
Finally, after a few minutes, Nick looked at him, his eyes swollen.
“Do I suck Brian, as a band mate, friend, or person?”
“Of course, you don’t, Nick. Even though you’re the youngest among us five, you’ve made right decisions for yourself.” Brian told him.
“Well most of them anyway.” Brian thought to himself but he didn’t want to focus on the negative qualities of Nick.
What he needed now was encouragement not criticism.
“It was just so stupid of me, so stupid of me.” Nick mumbled to himself in between sobs.
“Tell me what happened, Nick. In the accident, I mean.”
Nick told him everything, from the thoughts he had about Brian, to the phone call from Leighanne, to the supposed surprise visit to Brian which ended up as a car accident.
Brian at first couldn’t speak. He had been too busy thinking about Nick that he had forgotten the very reason why he was depressed in the first place—even before Nick had been caught in that car accident.
The last two weeks have been a blur to him that he barely remembered what exactly made him feel empty and depressed.
He tried to recall the events before Nick’s accident.
Recording with Dan Muckala. The dream about him, having leukemia. He shuddered even at the thought of leukemia. His passing out. The dream about everyone turning their backs on him. Then finally he remembered it.
“Just wait here, Nick. I’m gonna get something upstairs.” Brian told him as he jumped from the couch and ran for his room.
Meanwhile, Leighanne opened the door to what she thought was Nick’s room.
Finding the canopy bed, she decided it wasn’t Nick’s room. He wouldn’t even sleep in a canopy bed unless you drag him.
She was about to close the door when she saw the red-headed nurse.
Her red and tearful eyes looked back at Leighanne seeking encouragement.
She sat cross-legged on the couch beside the nurse.
“My name is Leighanne; I’m the Brian’s wife.” Leighanne held up her hand in greeting.
“I’m Alex.” the nurse shook her hand, partly happy that she could talk to someone.
“So, Alex,” Leighanne familiarized herself with the name, “is there something wrong?”
Alex ran her fingers though her hair uncomfortably and sighed.
“You don’t have to tell me, but I want to help you.” Leighanne replied seeing her uneasiness in discussing the subject.
Her reaction reminded her of her boyfriend. Well, her ex-boyfriend now.
They had first met in a counseling hotline. Her boyfriend was a volunteer and she had called the hotline in need of advice.
“I dumped my boyfriend because I wanted to date another guy.” Alex told her.
“Go on,” Leighanne persisted seeing the look of helplessness in her eyes.
“Allen, the guy who I wanted to date, was a university student studying to be a doctor,” Alex continued, “He’s probably everything you could wish for in a man: handsome, smart, hardworking, athletic, etc.”
“I know this is off-topic,” Leighanne interrupted her, “but why are you working in the hospital? Do you still go to university?”
“I actually just graduated from university as a nurse. I just started working full-time in the hospital last week so it’s pretty hectic.” Alex grinned which transformed her hard and cold face to that of a beautiful, young woman, “I’m broke so I’m trying to raise as much so I can study be a pediatrician. I really love kids.”
“Oh really? Then you’ll love Baylee.”
“Your son?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I guess I’m getting way off-topic now.” Alex laughed.
“Anyway, I really like Allen and one day, he asked me out on a date. I was still hooked up with my boyfriend at that time so I wanted to make our relationship secret from him.
At first it went out well, but then he got suspicious when I kept making excuses why I couldn’t hang out with him.
Then one day, he caught me kissing with Allen in public.
He tried to bring me to talk with him privately but I broke up with him on the spot, in front of everyone else.” Alex began sobbing at this point.
“I told him he didn’t deserve my friends so eventually, when my friends found out that we broke up, they kicked him out of their band.” Alex wiped her eyes with a tissue as she continued her story, “Meanwhile, I was having a great time partying almost every night with Allen.
One day, though, I began to realize that Allen and I were living an unhealthy relationship.
As I became closer to him, I realized that he was totally addicted to drugs.
He would offer me a cigar or a beer and when I would refuse, he would beat me in front of his friends. It was humiliating and I wanted to stop the physical abuse.
One day, in my apartment, he tried to make sex with me, but when I refused, he raped me.
I finally decided the relationship was going no where. I broke up with him at that very moment and he flew into a rage.
He beat me until I bruised and bled. Then he left me.
I reported it to the police and when they saw my wounds and bruises from the severe beatings, they arrested him immediately.
I was relieved but I wanted to apologize to my first ex-boyfriend for breaking up with him in the first place. I knew he hadn’t done anything but be encouraging ever since the first time we’ve met.
When I tried to call his apartment, though, the superintendent told me he left with no forwarding address.
I cried for several nights.
I knew deep in my heart that I’m the reason why I made him leave. I feel like I screwed up his life and I felt bad that I won’t be able to apologize to him.” Alex cried as Leighanne patted her back comfortingly.
“What was the name of your ex-boyfriend?” Leighanne asked her.
The answer she heard stunned her and made her cry joyful tears.
“Nick… Pearson.” Alex replied.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Hope you enjoy the chapter. I'll be out of town for a week so I probably won't be able to update.
