Whole Lot More

Chapter Forty Five

Chapter Forty Five

Josh strolled into the office Monday morning after a long weekend knowing he had a lot to catch up on. He flipped his computer on ready to begin his equally long week, but his attention was captured by a news headline.

Fire at 'Fusion'  - complete loss

He quickly opened up the article hoping there was some chance that it was not what he thought it may be. Maybe there was another place or thing called Fusion? Maybe he was just on Brynne overload after the last couple weeks?

But no matter how many questions he asked, his heart sunk when he read the article.

Boston, MA - Police and fire officials are investigating what
went wrong at 'Fusion', one of Boston's biggest
night spots early Saturday morning. The initial
call came in around 3:00am of smoke coming from
the windows and by the time fire trucks and fire-
fighters arrived on scene, the fire was burning
out of control. All possessions and the building
were a complete loss. Fire investigators still do
not know what started the fire, or whether it
was intentional or an accident.

"Fuck," Josh swore. While he may not have known before the extent of what that club meant to Brynne, after his most recent visit he did. And he could only imagine how she was taking it.

If anything was sure, it was that Brynne needed the people she loved more than ever now, and that meant Martin needed to know what was going on.

He closed his computer down knowing that his work could wait, and headed out to the shop, knowing that's where Martin would be.

*

Josh's footfalls echoed as he walked through the oddly quiet shop. But it was a Monday morning and sometimes depending on where they were racing on Sunday, some of the guys got a later start on Monday mornings.

"Now let's just hope Martin came in early like he normally does," Josh muttered. Martin's office door was in the far corner of the shop, and even from this far away, Josh could see the blinds drawn, the light on and Martin sitting behind his desk, ever the faithful employee and always at work early, even on a Monday morning.

He walked up and lightly knocked on Martin's door, peeking his head around the corner by way of an entrance, "Hey man."

Martin's head snapped around and he glared at Josh, obviously not over their fight. "What do you want?"

It wasn't until this moment that Josh really took a good look at Martin. At the bags under his eyes, the stubble on his face (it was obvious he hadn't shaved recently) and just how he generally looked like shit. Martin was taking his separation with Brynne just as badly as Brynne was.

"I didn't mean to bother you," Josh sputtered, "But I think you should see something?"

"Yeah?" Martin sneered, "And what's that Joshie?"

"Hey man, please just get over this crap with Brynne, there's something more important to be worrying about right now."

Martin ran his hands over his face and sighed, "You want me to get over this crap with Brynne, Josh? You slept with the girl I love man! How do you expect me to just get over that?"

"It didn't mean anything-"

"I know it didn't mean anything!" Martin shouted, "But do you think that makes me feel better? It still happened whether it meant anything or not!"

"I'm sorry," Josh said, "But like I said, there's something more important to be worrying about right now."

"Yeah? And what is that?"

Josh walked behind Martin's desk and to the computer, "I have to show you something."

"Really Josh?" Martin asked when he saw Josh clicking on news headlines, "It's Monday morning and you think it's more important I read a news story over doing my job?"

"Not just any news story," Josh said, "This one specifically."

He stepped back from the computer so Martin could see what he had opened up, and Martin's eyes grew wide in alarm, "Fusion burned down?"

"Yeah man, Saturday morning. A complete loss. There's nothing left of it."

Almost as quickly as concern had crossed through his eyes, his guard was back up. "Well, that sucks."

"Really?" Josh asked, "That sucks? That's all you have to say about it?"

"What do you want me to say Josh? Brynne wants nothing to do with me. She won't answer my calls, texts or e-mails. And then I send my best friend to make sure she is okay and she sleeps with you and sends you to tell me she's just not ready to forgive me yet. What the hell else do you expect me to say?"

"I don't know, something other than that sucks Martin! That was her bar, her livelihood, it meant everything to her. How would you feel if you couldn't race anymore? I am sure that's how she feels right now!"

"If she wanted me to feel anything more than that it sucks for her, she could have called me herself. But she didn't, so obviously she has it all covered. She's got people there to help her out and comfort her, and she doesn't need me."

"But she does need you," Josh argued, "You are probably the only person that she does need right now."

"Obviously not."

"Just give her a chance Martin, call her or go see her or something. Let her know you care and that if she needs something she can go to you."

"And where does that get me, Josh?" Martin eyed Josh suspiciously. "What aren't you telling me Josh? Why are you trying to push me to go see her? What do you know that I don't?"

"It's not my business to tell you, Martin. It's Brynne's. And it's the reason I know she needs you right now. Trust me, I wouldn't be sitting here in your office pleading with you to go see her if I knew she didn't need you. She may have her family and her friends in Boston right now, but what she really needs is the man who loves her by her side through this. But if you can't get over the fact that I slept with her and it meant nothing and the fact that she says she doesn't need you, then I guess you're not the man I thought you were and you're certainly not the man Brynne thought you were and fell in love with."

Martin watched Josh storm out of his office and rolled his eyes, he sure could overreact when he wanted to get something.

Question was, was he really overreacting? What had Brynne told Josh?

*

All day Josh's visit had nagged at Martin, and by the end of the day he couldn't take it anymore. He had to go see her.

He grabbed his stuff, let his crew know he would be out of town for a couple days and rushed to the airport, determined to catch the first flight out of North Carolina bound to Boston.

And if there wasn't one leaving tonight, well then he would track down one of his buddies who had their own private jet. Either way, he intended to be in Boston by the morning.

*