Walking Fragile Lines

I Want To Fix This

Their trip to Hawaii had been the best idea Brian had had in a while. The kids had had a blast and he honestly couldn't remember the last time he and Liv had made love as much as they had on their vacation. The sex wasn't the be all and end all of course, but Brian had been so busy over the last year that he and Liv barely had the time, or the energy. Arriving back home, the whole family seemed happier and more content somehow, but after only being back for 48 hours, reality soon set in.

Maci had been sleeping incredibly well whilst on vacation and seemed relaxed overall, but she had soon returned to her previous routine when she woke up still exhausted two mornings in a row. Brian and Liv had agreed they wouldn't push her on the subject, but it was becoming problematic and Brian was growing anxious trying to figure out how he could fix something he didn't know anything about. He had also spent two whole days listening through 76 voicemails he had been left by various people. Some were from the guys, purely just to run show ideas by him, which Brian was totally fine with. The rest of the messages however, consisted of calls from the Tru TV offices about meetings and upcoming shows and calls from the producers of the Misery Index wanting to go over details for the next season of the show. Brian loved his job, but he also loved his family. He so desperately wished there was a way he could make everyone happy, including himself.

One late afternoon, Brian sat in a meeting with the crew from the show, who were trying to bring filming back to its previous date. Frustrated as he was with the entire meeting, he was glad that Casey and the guys were fighting back.

"Listen, we love the show, and we wanna carry on as long as we can - of course we do! But we have families too", Joe explained.

"The fans are going crazy for the next half of the season guys", Peter, one of the shows directors, sighed.

"They've waited way longer than what we're asking for a season!", Brian finally snapped. "Look I'm sorry but we're not being unreasonable here Pete - we just want one extra month with our families. We got the thumbs up a couple of weeks ago, what changed?", he asked. There was an eerie silence as the crew pondered what Brian had said.

"The network just want more", Peter told him shyly.

"Well, if they want us so badly? They can wait a little longer", Sal said as-matter-of-factly. "And on that note - I've gotta get ready for date night", he continued as he got up and left. Brian didn't have to think twice about following him out, and he was happy to see Joe and Murr following suit.

"We don't want this to end, right?", Murr finally said what they were all thinking as they made their way out to the parking lot.

"Of course we don't", Brian sighed. "How do other people do it?", he asked.

"Do what?", Murr asked in return.

"Be a TV star and still make time for their family", Brian answered shyly.

"I really don't know man", Joe sighed.

"I mean, Sal, you're lucky - you get to go home and get ready to take your wife on a date - me? I've gotta go record a podcast and by the time I'm finished? Liv's gonna be starting her night shift", he sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Can't you reschedule?", Murr suggested. Brian simply shook his head as he began fumbling with his car keys.

"I've rescheduled three times already - the podcast is supposed to be fun, not a chore but - but it's just getting difficult", he admitted. "Liv's been getting so down about it lately and I - I can't blame her", he sighed. The guys looked at him sadly, clearly understanding him more than he could possibly imagine, but it was an impossible situation.