Count On Me - Sequel (Laughing into Love)

Chapter 28: Angry

Melanie is too angry and hurt to rest so she does the only thing she can think to do, call her best friend. When she picks up, Melanie starts off "you won't believe the shit I've dealt with the last few days"

"Melanie! I've sent you like a million texts! Is Q alright?" She asks nervously, hearing the news through social media first. Melanie sent her a simple text right after it happened but hasn't reached out since.

TruTV made an official announcement yesterday about Brian's accident, explaining the push back of future episodes, allowing him to have time to heal. Also allowing everyone at work to find people to fill in for him while he's out. Melanie barely explains to her friend "he's going to be fine but that asshole read my letter from my dad."

"He what?" She asks, shocked he would tell her he did that so soon. Caroline just spoke to Brian about it, she didn't think he'd go and tell her so soon after. "What did he say?"

"He didn't! I found it in his belongings!" Melanie spits back.

Caroline responds "I meant your dad. What did the letter say?" Although she knows, she's hoping Melanie read it, knowing she'll have a few answers and maybe a sense of belonging again once she does.

Melanie retorts "I'm not reading it, I'm going to throw it away."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Isn't that what Brian was trying to stop you from doing"? Caroline answers.

"Wait, how do you know I wanted to throw it away?" Melanie catches something Caroline wasn't expecting.

Caroline hums, knowing she doesn't want to lie to her best friend "because Brian came and told me he read it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It was literally just the other-"

But Melanie starts yelling and crying into the phone "so you lied to me too?"

"Mel, I didn't lie. And I told Brian I'd have to tell you I knew. I was just giving him time to figure it all out."

"My mom dies, my fiancé lies to me and then gets my best friend to lie to me too. What a fuckin' year! and to think, I thought things would get better after getting engaged and moving past all that shit with Marcus." Melanie flies into her own self-loathing.

"Come on, you know it's not like that! Things will get better. Have you talked to Brian or did you just yell and storm out?" Caroline calls her out, knowing how her friend acts when she's mad.

"Oh, fuck you." Melanie mutters and hangs up, not wanting to hear it from her right now. Normally she'll listen to her, but today she's pissed as hell and doesn't want to hear what her friend has to say at this moment.

Melanie huffs out, wanting so badly to go back into Brian's room and cuss him out for getting Caroline to lie to her. She paces the floor, not sure what to do with herself anymore.

Meanwhile, Brian's doing the same thing and kicking himself in the ass for ever opening that letter. As the pain meds he took earlier in the morning start to wear off, he reaches to the side of the bed for more. He takes an extra one, hoping it'll stop the pain he's feeling from hurting the person he loves the most. A couple hours later, Brian is loopy as hell from taking the medicine too quickly after his last dose and Melanie comes in to help him go to the bathroom. As he attempts again to sit and urinate, Melanie draws the bath water, preparing a little spot on the bath for him to rest his leg with some towels. "Melanie, please talk to me." He mumbles, head down as he waits for her.

"You want to talk about how you got my best friend to lie to me?" She snaps her head up.

He semi shrugs "I'll talk about anything, I just want us to be okay." He can't help the tears that start to fall. He's not sure if it's a mix of pain, regret and sorrow but he just starts to ball "Melanie I'm so sorry I hurt you like this. I promised you I would— never hurt you like before but I fucked up. I fucked up so bad."

Melanie drops her own head, hating hearing him cry. She's never seen him like this. Sad, defeated, helpless. Brian's always been her rock, with everything she's been through. Although she wants nothing more then to have some space from him, she knows she can't do that. She goes over to him, still sitting on the toilet and helps him up. She helps him undress and slowly get into the warm bath, all the while listening to him cry and apologize. Once he's situated, she starts to help him clean up. She whispers out "look, I'm not saying I'm forgiving you right now. But you can't worry about all this while trying to heal. I'm going to do my best to pretend I never found the letter. Ill be here for you for whatever you need until you're able to take care of yourself again."

"And then what?" He sobs, starting to regain himself again.

She sighs and shrugs, pouring some water on his back "and then I'll go back to my apartment for a few days and sort myself out."

"I don't want to lose us." He confesses.

She replies "I'll do what I can. I don't want to lose us either, but I'm going to need some time." She hates to say it, but she knows that once Brian is able to take care of himself, their relationship will change. She's not sure how, but she knows it can't get back to what it used to be