Jessica's POV
As promised, Brian arrived at my house about an hour later. As soon as I opened the door, Brian looked into my eyes and wrapped his big arms around me. I really needed a hug in that moment, and Brian was like a big teddy bear. Brian knew how to comfort me in that moment, without having to say anything.
"I'm sorry," he stated, simply. This time I could tell it was sincere. No matter what his relationship was like with Katie, he genuinely felt sorry for me.
"Thank you, Brian. But, I'm okay. You really didn't have to come over today," I told him.
"Are you kidding? Do you really think I would let you sit here all day, sulking by yourself? I brought some stuff to help you through this," he stated.
"What stuff?" I asked. I knew he would be bringing over some supplies like we talked about. But what would else would he bring?
"I brought some cheesy movies we could watch. And I stopped at the store to get ice cream. I bought your favorite flavor," he said confidently.
"Chocolate fudge brownie?" I asked, to see if he knew me as well as he thought.
"Of course. Is this too cheesy? I thought this is what girls want during a breakup," he said.
"I think it's sweet. Thank you," I told him.
Brian was such a caring friend. He would always have these little gestures to help me feel better whenever I was upset. I did the same for him. But in his case, instead of ice cream, it's usually alcohol.
"There's beer in the fridge if you want it. And Jameson on the counter. You're welcome to take whatever you want," I told him, even though at this point in our friendship it's sort of understood that he could take whatever he wanted. Brian came over a lot, so I was always stocked with his favorites, just in case. Just because I didn't drink, didn't mean I was uncomfortable having alcohol in the house, especially if it was for my best friend.
"You're the best," he said.
"I'm just trying to be a good hostess, ready for whenever you come over," I told him.
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Brian brought his cats in, gently trying to adjust them to their new home for the next few days. I didn't get to interact with Brian's cats much. Most of the times I hung out at Brian's house, Sal would be there too. Because of Sal's almost debilitating fear of cats, Brian would courteously store the cats away in his bedroom while he had guests over.
Going back and forth from Brian's car, I helped him bring in some of the supplies he had brought. To say he was prepared would be an understatement.
"Seriously Brian, is an ax really necessary?" I asked concerned, but also genuinely confused.
"What if we get stuck underneath something? Or what if I need to break a door down? Or if I have to go out and rescue someone? I'm just trying to be prepared, for our own safety," he explained.
I just gave up. "No, you're absolutely right. You're the fireman. What do I know?" I asked, sarcastically.
Brian also brought some things to keep us busy. He had old movies and some video games. But he also brought board games, so we'd have something to do in case the power went out.
"Wow, you really thought of everything, didn't you?" I asked, admiring how prepared he was.
"Well, isn't it better to be ready, just in case?" he asked. I agreed, even though I thought he was going a bit overboard.
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At one point during the storm, the power went out. I thought I'd be bored out of my mind. But Brian and I spent a lot of time just talking. We sat on my couch together, eating ice cream, and we talked for HOURS. It was actually refreshing to have that much time to just vent to each other. I enjoyed talking with him. I felt like I could finally enjoy our friendship because I didn't have Katie's jealousy looming over me. It was a liberating feeling.
When Brian asked me what happened with Katie, I was hesitant to give him all the details. I didn't want him to feel guilty about how we broke up. It wasn't his fault. But it was sort of the elephant in the room. So when he asked me about it, I knew I needed to address it.
"So, tell me. What happened with you and Katie?" he asked.
"We were just constantly arguing about the same thing. She didn't trust me," I said.
"Look, I don't want to sound full of myself. But was this about me?" He asked. I looked down at the ground and didn't answer him right away. So without saying it, I gave him the answer. Brian wasn't stupid. We had broken up right after I got off the phone with him. He probably put part of it together. And maybe he could sense that Katie disliked him.
"She didn't like me inviting you to stay. We got in this huge fight, like all our other fights about you. She just couldn't handle our friendship," I confessed.
"All your fights about me? How many did you have?" he asked.
"Honestly, I lost track. So, way too many. But this was the final straw. She gave me an ultimatum. It was either her or you. I chose you. And I told her to get the fuck out of my house, and never come back," I told him.
"Jess, I'm so sorry. I didn't know I was causing these major issues in your relationship. I never wanted you to have to choose." he said, with this guilty look in his eyes. This is why I didn't want to tell him.
"Brian, don't be sorry. You have nothing to apologize for because you did nothing wrong," I reassured him.
"But still, maybe there's something I could've done to help," he said.
"It was never you. It was just Katie's own insecurities. She was so paranoid about me leaving her that she felt threatened by you. But you have never crossed the line with me. You and I know that nothing like that has ever happened between the two of us," I told him.
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After giving some more details about my breakup, Brian started talking about his own dating history. He was telling me about his ex-fiancé and how that relationship fell apart. Brian had mentioned that he used to be engaged, but he never really went into too much detail. He never explained why that relationship didn't work out. I could tell that the topic was a sore subject for Brian, which is completely understandable. I never wanted to pry, but I just wanted him to feel comfortable confiding in me if he needed someone to talk to.
"So, she went on this vacation with her friends. There was this dude on a scooter, who was apparently a cop. Anyway, they hit it off. She swore nothing ever happened between them while we were together. But after she met him, things changed. One night I confessed to her that I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. From the stress of the upcoming wedding and the thought of her cheating on me, it was all becoming too much. Instead of comforting me, she went off on me, accusing me of trying to sabotage the wedding. That night, she went out with her friends. Then she called me at like 2 in the morning, asking me to get her bagels. She was trying to act like nothing happened. For some reason the bagel thing made me snap. That night, I left," Brian explained, giving me more details then he ever has.
One of the things that makes me most upset about that story is how she treated Brian while he was having a mental breakdown. This is a man who she thought was going to be her husband. In a moment where she should've been there to comfort him in a time of need, she went out with her friends instead. I didn't understand how she could do that to someone that she supposedly loved. If someone I cared about was on the verge of a breakdown, I would do everything I could to help them through it. But I tried not to judge her. Maybe she just didn't know how to deal with someone having mental health problems.
"So anyway, it turns out a year after we broke up she married that cop from the boat. I suspect something was going on between them while we were engaged. But I guess I'll never really know," he told me.
As Brian told me more of the details, he was getting a bit more emotional. It broke my heart to think that someone put him through all that pain.
"Brian I'm so sorry. I had no idea what you had been through," I said. I leaned over and gave him a hug. I guess this day turned into us comforting each other over our respective failed relationships.
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Once the storm had started, I had been getting these calls and texts from Katie. She was trying to apologize, and weasel her way back into my life. I didn't answer her calls. When I said I was done, I meant it. I tried ignoring her, but the calls got too obnoxious. Apparently, she wasn't taking the hint that I didn't want to talk to her. I could tell Brian was getting annoyed too, partly because the constant calls were getting me aggravated. So, the next time Katie called, Brian took matters into his own hands.
"She's still calling?" he asked, as the phone rang.
"Apparently, she doesn't get the hint," I told him.
"I'll take care of it. Give me that," Brian said. He grabbed my phone from me, and answered the call, putting it on speaker so that I could hear too.
"Jessica! I'm so glad you finally answered. I've been trying to call you all night," Katie said, sounding all sweet and innocent. Yes, you have been calling all day. It's annoying as fuck.
"I'm sorry, Katie. Jess can't come to the phone right now," Brian said in a monotone voice as if it was a recording.
"Brian? Is that you? This is not funny. Just put Jess on the phone," she demanded, her voice suddenly getting more serious, and annoyed.
"Unfortunately Jessica doesn't really want to talk to you right now. I can't imagine why," Brian said sarcastically. I covered my mouth so that she couldn't hear me laughing so hard. I was kind of loving how effortlessly Brian was handling Katie.
"Seriously, this isn't funny. I want to talk to her. Haven't you done enough to ruin our relationship?" Katie asked. No, Katie, this isn't Brian's fault. You're the one who ruined our relationship.
"Right, I ruined your relationship. Cause Jess and I were totally in love and fucking on the side while you guys were together, right? It's all my fault," Brian said, with heavy sarcasm.
"I know you want her. Don't even try to deny it. We would still be together if it wasn't for you," Katie claimed.
"No, you're right. We were definitely fucking the whole time. Actually, the reason Jess hasn't been responding is because we've been fucking all day. You know, the power is out so there's not much to do. As a matter of fact, Jess is waiting for me, so I should get back to her. Enjoy your night. I'll be fucking your ex-girlfriend all night," Brian said.
Then he hung up the phone. He knew that the thought of us having sex would drive Katie insane. That's what she's been accusing me of, ever since I had met Brian. Their entire conversation was so entertaining to me. I was laughing so hard that I did a Sal fall to the floor.
"Holy shit. I love you. That was amazing," I told Brian. I was so appreciative that he was able to get Katie off my back, and I didn't have to deal with her. It turns out Katie got the message because her constant calls and texts stopped.
"Well she's a real piece of work," Brian said.
"She's a bitch," I stated simply, "It's okay, you can say it."
"Hey, you said it, not me. Not that I disagree with you..." he commented.
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After the storm had died down, Brian received a nervous call from Sal.
"What's the matter, buddy. Is everything okay?" he asked Sal. It wasn't on speaker, so I could only hear Brian's side of the conversation.
"Yeah, of course. Just tell me where it is. I'll be right there," he said, hanging up the phone.
"What's the matter? Is Sal hurt? Is everything okay?" I asked, concerned. Maybe I was a little paranoid, but my mind was racing with all the possibilities of what could be happening.
"Jessica, don't worry. Sal is fine. Everyone is fine," Brian said, reassuring me.
"Oh, okay," I said, still not totally relieved, "Then what was that about?"
"You'll probably think I'm making it up," he said, smiling.
"Brian, just tell me," I said, anxiously awaiting.
"Sal wants me to come rescue a kitten from a tree behind his mother's house," he told me. I was relieved that nobody was seriously hurt. And I figured Brian would be able to save the cat, so it wouldn't be harmed.
"Seriously? He called a fireman to get a cat out of a tree? That's so cheesy," I joked with him.
"I know, I know. But I have to go, I can't let a poor little animal stay out there like that. You'll watch my cats while I'm gone?" He asked.
"Of course, go. Help the cat, you big softie," I joked.
I was touched by Sal's concern for the animal he despised. Sal never wanted to be around cats, but that doesn't mean that he wanted them to be harmed in any way. Sal has a heart of gold. I also thought it was so sweet of Brian to want to save the cat. Not that I should be surprised. Brian may have a tough exterior, but he's really a sweetheart, and I saw that side of him, even more, these past few days.
After the storm was over, Brian wenthome to assess the damage. For the two of us, the damage wasn't too bad. Brianhad some broken windows, and I had a few trees fall in my yard. But thingscould've been a lot worse. There were people in different areas that had a lotworse damage than us. Some people even lost their lives. But the two of us werelucky. Throughout the whole experience, I was worried something worse mighthappen to the two of us. But Brian made me feel safe. I was grateful to have mybest friend help me through this whole thing. From the breakup to the hurricane,Brian was there for me.