Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
My friend giggles.
“That you are,” she agrees, eyeing my swollen form. “Is it uncomfortable?”
I nod while sitting with a relieved sigh.
“Yeah. It isn’t easy moving around sometimes, and my belly is so big that it enters the room two minutes before I do! Weird, right?”
She nods.
“Well, at least you look good, girlfriend. Pregnancy is making you glow.”
At that moment, a sharp rap sounds on the door and we both gasp.
“Gary!” I call to the back while making my way to the front door. “Brian’s here.”
With one last deep breath, I open the wooden slab and smile at the young man standing on our porch. Brian pretty much looks the same. He’s still thin with brown hair and blue eyes, but he looks more calm somehow. I don’t know exactly what it is, but he gives off more mature vibes. I smile nervously, but actually, Brian looks pretty anxious himself as he sends me a small smile of his own.
“Hi, Patty,” he murmurs. “Wow, you’re big! I mean—I’m sorry, you’re not big, I—”
“It’s okay,” I laugh. “I am pretty huge right now. Come on in.”
“Right, thanks,” the young man says, stepping inside.
“Brian,” Gary growls, holding out one big hand from in back of me. “It’s good to see you, son. You look good.”
“Thank you,” Brian says, nodding with acknowledgment. “They treat us well over at the Pines. They feed us good food, we go on hikes all the time, and we get counseling and therapy too. It’s been restful.”
“Good, good,” Gary murmurs, inviting his son to sit. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Brian nods before clearing his throat.
“So yeah, I know this is awkward because I gave you some trouble the last time we were together, but I just want to let you know that I’m making a lot of progress at the Pines, and it’s thanks to you. I didn’t realize how severe my problems were before landing in treatment, but now I do.”
Gary and I both nod.
“You don’t have to thank me, son,” my boyfriend growls. “It’s something I probably should have done a long time ago. I knew you needed help and didn’t do anything about it for a long time, and I wasn’t sure how to go about things either. So I chose to do nothing instead of trying to help, and that was my error. I just wish I’d acted sooner.”
“It’s okay,” Brian shrugs awkwardly. “Things happened when they were supposed to, and I’m in a good place now.”
“That’s excellent to hear,” my boyfriend says in a relieved tone. “Why don’t you have something to eat? Patty’s put together a great spread. And this is her friend, Lorraine,” he adds, introducing my buddy.
But Brian merely nods while looking at the snack tray.
“Thanks, but I can’t stay for too long. My counselor recommended that I only stay for ten minutes or so because extended home visits aren’t encouraged at this stage. I hope you understand. I’m sorry—”
“No, no, don’t apologize!” I shake my head quickly. “Really, it’s fine. Do whatever’s best for you, Brian. We’re just happy to see you.”
“Thanks,” he says, and his smile looks genuine. “I guess I just wanted to apologize for doing what I did. I don’t know why I did it. I don’t know why I thought it was okay either, and I don’t know if there’s anything that I can say to make you forgive me for invading your privacy like that. I guess there’s a lot of “I don’t knows” in my speech, but I just want you to know that I’m sorry. It was a total violation of your privacy, and I apologize.”
I swallow hard and muster a smile.
“It’s okay, Brian,” I manage in an even tone. “I mean, it’s not okay, but there’s no going back and changing what happened. The past is in the past now, and your father and I have decided to focus on the present, instead of things we can’t alter.”
He bows his head.
“Thanks, Patty. Thanks, Dad,” he says in a soft voice. Then he stands and clear his throat. “Well, I guess I should head out now. It’s been nice seeing you, but my therapy group’s meeting up for dinner and I don’t want to miss that.”
“It’s no problem,” I say in a gentle tone. “It was good seeing you, Brian.”
My boyfriend nods while clapping a large hand on his son’s shoulder.
“You’ve done well, son, and this visit means the world to us. Drop by the next time you’re in town, okay?”
Brian nods.
“Will do.” Then, with a small wave, the young man sees himself out, and I let out a small breath once the door closes behind him. That went better than I thought it would, and I’m glad because this was a loose thread that had been niggling me. But now, Brian really seems to be a changed man, and my heart is put to ease. I hope he continues making progress, and that one day, our family will unite.