Count On Me - Sequel (Laughing into Love)

Chapter 27: Keeping Busy

When Brian's parents arrive, Melanie quickly heads to the door to greet them. "Hi Carol, Hi Jim. Brian's in his room, he's doing pretty well considering." She tells them, happy they are here.

Carol grabs Melanie into a hug, "ohh, thank you so much for being there for him. We're so glad he's okay and that he has you to help him through all of this."

Jim nods in agreement, "it was nerve wracking getting your call but you really calmed our nerves. Thank you, dear." He leans in for a hug of his own.

Melanie insists everything they felt was justified, "I was a wreck heading to the hospital with little information so I just told you what I wish I knew when I was called." She changes the subject, "why don't you head back there, he has been waiting for you guys."

Carol lets go of her hand and the two head back to Brian's room. Melanie stays in the kitchen, making him some food so she doesn't have to go back and face him. However, before she finishes what she started, his parents come back out and Jim explains, "he's feeling really tired. He asked for us to come back. Maybe tomorrow he thought."

"My poor boy, looks so exhausted and beaten up." Carol signs "at least he's home now. Melanie, why don't I finish up in here and you can go check on him. He asked for you."

"Oh, I can finish this" she smiles politely, hoping they'll just say okay and leave. Brian may need her for something at the moment but that doesn't mean she's not okay with making him wait a few extra minutes. He deserves a little bit of that for invading her privacy like he did, she thinks to herself.

However, Carol interjects her stirring thoughts, "nonsense, I got it. And I'm going to be starting a food train as well! You shouldn't be worried about cooking as well as taking care of him, we already have the next two days covered!"

"It's fine, really" She tries to insist to his mother, ready to use the excuse of food making to distance herself from Brian.

She shakes her head some more, "Melanie, I'm his mother. I know how he got when he was sick as a kid. He's going to need your undivided attention. He's my giant child." She chuckles to herself "you know that."

Jim sides with her, "really, it's fine. We will come back when he's a bit better. Let us finish this." He goes to a cabinet to get out a bowl.

Melanie decides to cave, knowing she can't keep insisting to not go see him without looking like a terrible caregiver to their son and in return hating her for it. She thanks them for the generosity and slowly walks towards Brian's bedroom. When she gets in the room and closes the door quietly, Brian is looking at her with sad eyes and asks, "so I'm guessing all that yelling from before was because you found your letter?"

She mumbles through gritted teeth, "I don't want to get into it right now."

"Melanie, please. Let me—" he tries to start apologizing.

She stops him, "your parents are still here. I don't want to talk to you right now. Can we just forget it temporarily?" She asks, looking at him with pleading eyes.

He tries to sigh, his chest hurting, "fine." When they both hear his front door close, the tension fills the room. Although Melanie wants to be the first to say something, she bites her tongue. She's still not ready to deal with this yet. After a few moments of silence, Brian finally speaks, "Melanie, I'm sorry. I know I didn't have any right to open that letter from your dad, but I just couldn't let you throw it away."

"So you opened it?!" Her voice is loud, but he doesn't blame her for it.

He tries to shrug, "I was just going to take it and hold on to it for you. I thought maybe one day you'd regret throwing it away and wish you knew what it said."

"But you fucking opened it!" She growls back again, standing with her hands on her hips but averting eye contact.

"I was selfish, I wanted to know what it said. I wanted to know what your mom meant when-" but she doesn't let him finish.

"You're right, it was selfish! I don't care what your reasons were Brian! You went behind my back and invaded my privacy. How can I ever trust you again? Who does that?" My voice carries throughout his room.

She asks the question Brian knew she would ask if she found out. He didn't want to break her trust or lose it, and he never should've opened that damn letter. "I'll do whatever I have to to earn your trust back."

Although Melanie wants to keep having this fight, she can tell Brian is getting winded with all the talking and knows not to push that. She grumbles, "you should rest, we can talk about this later."

"No, I want to talk about it now. Please?" He pleads back to her, "I hate how mad you are."

She shakes her head, "you're already struggling to breathe. You need to rest so you can make it to the tub later. Don't worry, I'll still be livid in an hour." She rolls her eyes heading to the bedroom door.

"Are you leaving?" He asks her, knowing this could've been a possibility if she ever found out.

She lowers her head, "no, I'm just going to lay down on the couch. I'll be back in a bit to check on you."

She opens the door and Brian says to her, "I love you"

"Yea" She barely gets out in a breath before closing the door behind her.