Status: Finished :)
I Didn't Know I Could Break Your Heart
Epilogue-Part Three Of Five-Rudy
April 21st, Current Year
Rudy took a deep breath before flinging himself onto the couch. Linda, or Lyndsay, or Abagail had left right after breakfast, maybe staying two seconds longer than it took to finish her meal, and he would never see her again. In all honesty, he really could not care less. But most of the girls he used for one night stands were usually somewhat attached to him and the thought that he could be losing his touch scared him.
Reaching over to hit the play button on his answering machine, Rudy placed a cigarette in his mouth. He had lost count of how many he had smoked since Tyler had stopped talking to him but he knew it was a lot more than average. The smoke hung in the air of his apartment as if it was afraid to leave; as if it knew it would only be coming right back.
The answering machine beeped and the recording began, "Hey man... look, I checked you into the rehabilitation centre on fourth this afternoon. They're expecting you by noon tomorrow and if you don't come voluntarily they're going to come to your house and find you." There was a pause that sounded like a catch in the person's breath, "Please, Rudy, just... go there. You have a problem and you need help. And I need my number one outfielder for next season... I'll come visit you. I promise." There was a beep and the voice was gone.
Rudy stared at the phone as if it was an alien device for a whole minute. His hand trembled as he reached for his cell phone and looked up the place on Google Maps. It looked awful to him. They would take away his pot and force him to clear the smoke that hung around him. The doctors and nurses would refuse to let him forget. Why would Tyler do something like that to him?
That's when it hit him. Tyler was just doing what he, Rudy, had done for Tyler so many times. He had talked Tyler off of the ledge of the building and stopped him from overdosing in the hospital. Tyler was only trying to help him. But why? He hated Rudy now after what had happened with Marrietta. He would always hate Rudy.
His breath caught in his throat as he forced the message to play again. Tyler's voice washed over him. There was a loving feeling behind the words and it sounded as if he might have been crying. Rudy bit his lip, jumped off the couch and started packing his bags. He was going to rehab.
***
April 22nd, Current Year
Sunlight streamed through the windows of the centre, disorienting him. The last thing he remembered was telling the doctor everything he was on and how often he was taking it. He must have fallen asleep soon after because the light he was seeing was obviously from a sunrise.
In the chair next to his bed, someone was sleeping. A mop of blonde hair covered the man's face and he looked dirty, has if he had been up all night. Rudy could not help the smile that spread across his face at the sight. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he nudged Tyler with his foot and again when he did not stir.
"What?" Tyler grumbled as he blinked his blue eyes. Rudy smiled down at him, as giddy as a little kid on Christmas morning, and Tyler smiled back. "Hey there. I came as soon as they called to tell me you were here. I can't believe you actually... went by yourself. I thought you would hate me now."
"Me? Hate you?" Rudy swore, "I thought you hated me!"
Tyler smiled and shook his head, "I thought I did too, but in all honesty, once I calmed down, I realized something. I realized that... as upset that I was over what happened... I wasn't..." He paused and took a deep breath, "I wasn't worried about Marrietta. She's strong but you're not. I was worried about you. I wanted to be in your apartment helping you. I didn't want to be with her, she was just... there."
Rudy nodded, understanding, "Yeah... so how'd it go with Jen?"
His mouth dropping open in surprise, Tyler whacked Rudy gently on the arm, "How the hell did you know I went back to Jen? I didn't tell you anything about that!"
"I know you," Rudy replied smoothly, "Granted, I had no idea you were going to send me to rehab and I kind of thought you might kill me a couple days ago... but I know you when it comes to girls. You're only in love with one of them, which is a feat and if you're not in love with Marrietta... then you must be in love with Jen."
Tyler nodded as if he found this to be an acceptable answer and then asked, avoiding the question, "So what went down between you and Marrietta? Because knowing you it was probably insanely dirty and knowing her it was probably pretty clean. So I'm wondering who won that battle."
A sick smile spread across Rudy's face. He brought his fingers halfway to his lips but stopped when he realized there was nothing there. Stretching his hand almost absently, he responded, "I'm her rebound, buddy. I don't know how dirty she got with you, obviously not very, but damn that girl's flexible."
Tyler raised one eyebrow.
"That's as far as I'm going," Rudy said, shaking his head, "Which reminds me, do you think that they'll let me go out and hit on girls and maybe bring them back here?"
"I'd say no."
He nodded, "Do you think I can get one of the nurses to sleep with me?"
Tyler laughed, "I'm sure you can try, Rudy. But just remember, you're here to rid yourself of your addiction, not do the nurses."
"Want a bet I can do every nurse in this centre and get rid of my addiction by next season?"
Licking his lips, Tyler held out a hand, "You're on."
Rudy took a deep breath before flinging himself onto the couch. Linda, or Lyndsay, or Abagail had left right after breakfast, maybe staying two seconds longer than it took to finish her meal, and he would never see her again. In all honesty, he really could not care less. But most of the girls he used for one night stands were usually somewhat attached to him and the thought that he could be losing his touch scared him.
Reaching over to hit the play button on his answering machine, Rudy placed a cigarette in his mouth. He had lost count of how many he had smoked since Tyler had stopped talking to him but he knew it was a lot more than average. The smoke hung in the air of his apartment as if it was afraid to leave; as if it knew it would only be coming right back.
The answering machine beeped and the recording began, "Hey man... look, I checked you into the rehabilitation centre on fourth this afternoon. They're expecting you by noon tomorrow and if you don't come voluntarily they're going to come to your house and find you." There was a pause that sounded like a catch in the person's breath, "Please, Rudy, just... go there. You have a problem and you need help. And I need my number one outfielder for next season... I'll come visit you. I promise." There was a beep and the voice was gone.
Rudy stared at the phone as if it was an alien device for a whole minute. His hand trembled as he reached for his cell phone and looked up the place on Google Maps. It looked awful to him. They would take away his pot and force him to clear the smoke that hung around him. The doctors and nurses would refuse to let him forget. Why would Tyler do something like that to him?
That's when it hit him. Tyler was just doing what he, Rudy, had done for Tyler so many times. He had talked Tyler off of the ledge of the building and stopped him from overdosing in the hospital. Tyler was only trying to help him. But why? He hated Rudy now after what had happened with Marrietta. He would always hate Rudy.
His breath caught in his throat as he forced the message to play again. Tyler's voice washed over him. There was a loving feeling behind the words and it sounded as if he might have been crying. Rudy bit his lip, jumped off the couch and started packing his bags. He was going to rehab.
***
April 22nd, Current Year
Sunlight streamed through the windows of the centre, disorienting him. The last thing he remembered was telling the doctor everything he was on and how often he was taking it. He must have fallen asleep soon after because the light he was seeing was obviously from a sunrise.
In the chair next to his bed, someone was sleeping. A mop of blonde hair covered the man's face and he looked dirty, has if he had been up all night. Rudy could not help the smile that spread across his face at the sight. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he nudged Tyler with his foot and again when he did not stir.
"What?" Tyler grumbled as he blinked his blue eyes. Rudy smiled down at him, as giddy as a little kid on Christmas morning, and Tyler smiled back. "Hey there. I came as soon as they called to tell me you were here. I can't believe you actually... went by yourself. I thought you would hate me now."
"Me? Hate you?" Rudy swore, "I thought you hated me!"
Tyler smiled and shook his head, "I thought I did too, but in all honesty, once I calmed down, I realized something. I realized that... as upset that I was over what happened... I wasn't..." He paused and took a deep breath, "I wasn't worried about Marrietta. She's strong but you're not. I was worried about you. I wanted to be in your apartment helping you. I didn't want to be with her, she was just... there."
Rudy nodded, understanding, "Yeah... so how'd it go with Jen?"
His mouth dropping open in surprise, Tyler whacked Rudy gently on the arm, "How the hell did you know I went back to Jen? I didn't tell you anything about that!"
"I know you," Rudy replied smoothly, "Granted, I had no idea you were going to send me to rehab and I kind of thought you might kill me a couple days ago... but I know you when it comes to girls. You're only in love with one of them, which is a feat and if you're not in love with Marrietta... then you must be in love with Jen."
Tyler nodded as if he found this to be an acceptable answer and then asked, avoiding the question, "So what went down between you and Marrietta? Because knowing you it was probably insanely dirty and knowing her it was probably pretty clean. So I'm wondering who won that battle."
A sick smile spread across Rudy's face. He brought his fingers halfway to his lips but stopped when he realized there was nothing there. Stretching his hand almost absently, he responded, "I'm her rebound, buddy. I don't know how dirty she got with you, obviously not very, but damn that girl's flexible."
Tyler raised one eyebrow.
"That's as far as I'm going," Rudy said, shaking his head, "Which reminds me, do you think that they'll let me go out and hit on girls and maybe bring them back here?"
"I'd say no."
He nodded, "Do you think I can get one of the nurses to sleep with me?"
Tyler laughed, "I'm sure you can try, Rudy. But just remember, you're here to rid yourself of your addiction, not do the nurses."
"Want a bet I can do every nurse in this centre and get rid of my addiction by next season?"
Licking his lips, Tyler held out a hand, "You're on."