Broken String

CXXI

"Lily, hi."
"Eddy!" Her voice is instantly worried. She knows, of course, what today was. Eddy grimaces as he thinks of how many people he'll still have to fill in after this first phone call. Still, at least he is home, safely installed on their balcony, courtesy of a very relieved Todd pushing him here as Brett rushed to get to his violin lesson only just not too late.
He doesn't even mind so much that he's left right now. The world is brighter, somehow, clearer.
He is not dying for the moment, and Brett cares.
He actually, really cares. His heart jumps and he reminds himself his friend is still waiting for an answer on the other end of the line.  
"It's good news, I guess. They found nothing. So no M.S., no neurological shit. She's referring me to a colleague who knows more about this stuff"
She is quiet for one, two, three seconds. Then he can hear her forced breath. 
"Whoa." she says. "O-okay. So we know... nothing more, but so far so good?"
"That's a fair assessment of the situation." Eddy smiles. 
What is it with him? Where is the strength coming from to actually be wry about where he finds himself? Something is different in him, he can feel it, and he's not sure if he can ever go back to where he was before. 
Should he even want to?
"Wow." she says. "I'm glad you called. I've been worried sick."
"I called you first." he smiles. 
The world outside of the balcony looks bright and colourful. The sun is up, spring really hitting now, and it's only just not too hot. The park underneath him seems to beckon. Maybe he could go there with Brett, after dinner tonight. He almost grins. 
Yeah, if they can stay out of the bedroom long enough. 
"Lils? Um. I have a question."
"That's all? That's all you're going to tell me?"
"It's all I got." he smiles again. "There's more stuff to follow. The doctor is super nice but she doesn't seem to know much more. So I have to wait but at least I'm not dying right this moment."
He doesn't miss the small sigh on the other end of the line.
"You'd better not, Eddy, or I'll kill you twice."
He grins. "Don't let Edlyn hear it or she'll be wondering why you're killing Uckle Eddy."
"She's in bed. Anyway. You had a question."
"Um. Yes." 
Why is his throat suddenly dry? She already knows about him and Brett anyway. So what's the big deal?
"Um. I want to take... um... Brett. Out. Tonight. For... I guess, like, a date? He took me the other day to eat pizza."
He can just hear her eyebrows shooting up, she doesn't need to be here for him to know her face, the beautiful brown eyes wide, the mouth slightly open. He hears it in the second she takes before she giggles.
"A date! A date! God, Eddy, you'd better make me maid of honour when you wed. Edlyn can be flower girl."
"Lily! Stop!" he says, ignoring completely how his heart just jumped. "Just stop. Don't even. Just tell me. You said you knew a great restaurant I hadn't seen. You know, the hotpot one?"
"Oh! Yes! I'll text you the address. Oh, that's perfect for a romantic date!"
Eddy smiles at the park underneath him. Perfect for a romantic date. That's just what he needs. To show Brett that he can do romance too, but more than that: to show Brett how much he appreciates him. 
"Cool. How do you know this place anyway?"
She is quiet for another one, two, three seconds. 
"Um. I'll tell you that another point. I do have to run, though, Edlyn's awake."
"Oh! Um. Sure. Give her a kiss from me."
"Will do! Glad you're not dying! Love you!"

He doesn't even have a chance to retort to that or to  say he loves her too, she's already hung up. He stares at the quiet phone for a long moment before looking up, squinting against the sun. 
Wait. What the hell is she up to?