Give up Forever to Touch You

As soon as his cell phone had hit the bar Brian had known it was a mistake. Of course he didn’t resent meeting Andie. If he was honest, her coming into his life was the best thing to have happened to him in a long time, immediately he tried to call her back only to be diverted to her voicemail. With a sigh he scrolled through his contacts looking for another number.

“S’up dude?” Jimmy asked cheerfully as he answered the phone.

“I’ve fucked up Jim, really bad.” Brian replied.

“Where are you?” Jimmy asked.

“Johnny’s bar.” He replied simply.

“I’ll be there in ten.” Jimmy replied hanging up.

Brian placed his phone back down on the counter and ran his hand over his face. He was a class A fucking idiot. Of course he was upset by what Connor had said, but it was by no means Andie’s fault. He was upset and had lashed out at the wrong person. He loved Andie more than he’d ever loved Michelle and he wanted to be with her. but right now, after what he’s just said he wouldn’t blame her for taking off again and not wanting to have anything more to do with him. Right now he thought he may have ruined everything with his second family.

Feeling the need to drown his sorrows he beckoned the bar man over and ordered another shot of vodka and a bottle of beer.

“So how’ve you fucked up this time?” Jimmy asked as he took a seat on the stool next to Brian, catching the barman’s attention.

“I’ve just told Andie that I resent meeting her.” he muttered before knocking back another shot of vodka, not lifting his gaze to look at Jimmy.

“Shit dude. Why the fuck have you said that? I take it you don’t really mean it?” Jimmy yelled.

“Of course I don’t fucking mean it! I fucking love her; she’s been the best thing to happen to me.” Brian retorted, finally lifting his gaze from his glass.

“So why the fuck did you say it dude?” Jimmy retorted confused.

With a sigh, Brian began to explain what had happened with Connor earlier and how he’d spent the past three hours sat in Johnny’s bar downing shots and about what he’d said to Andie when she’d called worried about where he was.

“Fuck dude, you’re an ass!” Jimmy stated.

“I know dude! I’ve tried calling her, but she’s not answering her cell.” he replied.

“Oh I wonder why?” Jimmy retorted.

Brian glared at him for a moment. “What am I going to do Jim? I don’t know what I’ll do if I’ve fucked things up with her.”

“I really don’t know dude, this isn’t going to be easy and it can’t be done tonight while you’re still in this state.” He replied.

“I’m not going to lose her am I?” Brian pleaded.

“That’s going to be up to her Bri.” Jimmy told him sadly, hating the heartbreaking look on his best friends face.

~*~

As soon as Jimmy had told her what Brian had told her on the phone, Rhian knew that it must have something to do with Andie. She tried ringing her but there was no answer, so she decided to make her way over to the house. When she found it dark and empty the next place she decided to look for her was Brian’s.

“Andie, if you’re in there let me in sweetie!” she yelled thumping the front door. She heard Abi crying followed by the door opening.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake her; I’m just worried about you.” Rhian said quietly as she stepped into the house, noticing immediately the tears that trickled down Andie’s cheeks.

“How did you know there was anything wrong?” she asked as she gently rocked Abi back off to sleep.

“Brian called Jimmy, said he’d fucked up.” she said quietly.

“Where is he?” she asked.

“Johnny’s I believe, Jimmy reckons he sounded pretty far gone when he called him.” she explained. “Sweetie, what’s happened? I thought after last night everything was great?”

“It was. It was near enough to perfect, but now he hates me.” she replied, more tears streaming down her face.

“He hates you? Sweetie I don’t think so. He’s crazy in love with you.” Rhian told her in disbelief.

“They say there’s a fine line between love and hate. He told me that he resents ever meeting me.” she replied.

“What? No, that’s bullshit! Why would he say that?” Rhian yelled quietly.

“I don’t know, he didn’t make a lot of sense on the phone, but he said something about Connor hating us and not wanting anything to do with either of us.” She replied.

“Oh sweetie, I’m sure he doesn’t mean it, and neither does Connor. Brian loves you more than anything, and as for Connor he’s probably just confused and upset. You’ve got to remember sweetie that he’s just a kid, who’s had his family torn apart.” Rhian told her gently.

“I know.” Andie said quietly, wiping tears off her cheeks.

“Connor just needs time to get used to how things are now that’s all. He loves you and so does Ella.” She said with an assuring smile.

“What about Brian?” Andie asked.

“Sweetie, Brian just needs to sober up.” she told her with a smile, which Andie returned. “He already knows he’s fucked up, that’s why he called Jimmy. He loves you Andie, more than anything, only an idiot couldn’t see it.”

“I love him too. I can’t deny it anymore. I want to be with him properly. I want the three of us to be a family.” She admitted.

Rhian smiled at her best friends words. She’d been more than aware from a long time that she had feelings for Brian. She’d always found him attractive ever since they watched the band playing when they were younger. When she first took the job, they’d talked about her attraction to him and she’d been adamant that she could remain professional around him, and Rhian was sure that if Brian had never made advances she would have. However, as soon as Andie had told her about what was going on, she knew that Andie was only going to fall deeper and deeper in. Of course neither of them had expected Brian to fall just as hard.

Rhian had watched over the past couple of months that Andie had been back in Huntington how the two of them had been together and had known it was only a matter of time before she admitted that she loved him as much as he loved her.

“Everything will be fine sweetie.” Rhian replied with an assuring smile.

“I hope so. I’m going to go put her down upstairs.” She replied quietly getting up from the sofa.

Rhian nodded and watched her walk slowly up the stairs. She sighed, relaxing back in her chair.

“Thanks for coming over.” Andie said quietly causing Rhian to open her eyes again.

“Hey, what are friends for?” she replied with a smile.

“I know, but you’ve been there for me a lot this past year or so. You must be getting bored of it by now” she replied with a faint smile.

“Oh, like you’ve never been there for me countless times over the years.” She replied with a chuckle.

“Okay, fair enough, I still appreciate it though.” She replied. “Do you wanna stick around and have some food? There’s wine in the fridge too.”

“Sounds good to me.” she replied as Andie made her way into the kitchen. Rhian went to follow but was stopped at the sound of her cell phone ringing.

“Hey baby.” Jimmy greeted. “Listen, you may wanna check in with Andie.”

“Already one step ahead of you James.” She replied with a smirk.

“Is she okay?” he asked quietly.

“Just about. How’s Brian? Has he stopped being a dick yet?” she replied.

“Yeah he regrets what he said, he knows he’s been an idiot but he’s hammered though.” Jimmy said. “He’s in no state to deal with anything tonight, so I’m going to take him back to ours to sleep it off.”

“Okay baby, I’ll stay here with Andie.” She replied.

“Okay, I’ll call you in the morning before I bring Brian over.” He told her.

“Okay, love you baby.” She replied.

“Love you too. Night babe.” Jimmy replied before hanging up.

With a sigh, Rhian stood up and made her way into the kitchen where Andie was stood warming up the meal she had originally prepared for Connor.

“Was that Jimmy?” she asked.

“Yeah, he said that Brian regrets what he said, but he’s in no state to talk to you tonight, so he’s going to crash at Jimmy’s and I’m going to crash here with you if that’s okay?” she replied.

“Oh no, that’s okay I-“ Andie began to protest.

“I don’t mind and I want to stay and keep you company. Jimmy will bring Brian over in the morning, now where’s that wine?” she replied with a smile.

“In the fridge. Glasses in the corner cupboard.” She replied.