Falling Down the Primrose Path

Part 8

Justin looked nervously into the mirror. Jules had called to say she was on her way with his Mom and Molly. Turning, he made his way slowly to the entrance hall. Easing down into a chair, he waited. Running his hand over the two canes he held in the other, he sighed at the smooth texture and marveled at the rich grain pattern that the polish had brought out of the wood.

He was quickly brought out of his contemplation by the buzz that let him know that someone was coming through the gate. Slowly he used the canes to get to his feet and made his way to the door. In the times that he had talked to his mother, he hadn't really told her too much more about his injuries. He just wasn't sure how to tell her. Justin knew that Jules wouldn't tell his Mom everything but he was sure that she would fill her and Molly in on things she felt important in order to ease the shock.

Justin nervously stood waiting as the door opened and his Mom and Molly walked into the entrance hall. As soon as they saw him they both stopped short, their cries dying on their lips as they took in the true and full extent of the damage done to Justin. They both realized at that moment that the smiling, loving boy that they had known was gone for good and that the man standing in front of them was a stranger that they were going to have to get to know if they wanted Justin back in their lives.

"Hi Mom, Molly. Welcome to my home. It's good to see you. I'm…I…" Justin said feeling nervous and silly at the same time.

"Oh Justin." Jennifer said walking forward and gently hugging him with tears in her eyes. "Why didn't you call me when it happened?"

Justin hesitantly hugged Jennifer back with one arm. "I wasn't in a good state of mind Mom. I didn't want anyone much less for anyone to see me."

Justin released his mother and looked over her shoulder at his sister. "How about Jules showing you to your rooms and when you're ready I'll give you a tour."

Jennifer smiled and rubbed Justin's arm. "That sounds good sweetheart. I'm just so glad to have you back."

Justin watched as Jules led Jennifer and Molly upstairs then turned to slowly walk over to the nearest chair. Sitting down he leaned his forehead against his canes. He didn't see Molly stop and watch him or see the look of sadness mixed with anger cross her face.

An hour later, Justin was slowly showing his mother and sister around the house. Later at dinner the questions truly began and by the time it was over everyone was drained and in need of their space.

Justin had told them everything about his accident and continuing recovery. About the constant everyday struggle both emotionally as well as physically to not give up. Afterwards he excused himself due to a headache and went to bed early. Jennifer and Molly also excused themselves and went their own ways.

Jules looked at the now empty table and sighed. It had been a long stressful evening but she was sure that it had helped Justin to finally talk with his family, to start to get reconnected with them. She hoped that it would be a step to eventually get Justin to rejoin the outside world. Rising from the table she began to clear the table before starting on the dishes.

A few minutes later Jennifer walked into the kitchen. "Would you like some help?"

Jules knew that Jennifer probably wanted to talk as well as keep busy while her brain took in all the information she had been surprised with today. "Sure."

*****************************************

Molly walked past the kitchen and with a quick holler to tell her mother that she was just going out to the garden for a walk, she was out the door. Finding a spot far enough from the house, she pulled out her mother's cell phone. Scrolling through the names she found the one she was looking for and hit send. After several rings it was finally picked up.

"Yeah."

"You bastard!" She hissed. "Why didn't you tell us?! Justin told us about the accident and some of his injuries but we thought they were minor and he was okay. Do you have any idea at all how we felt when we saw him?!"

Brian sighed. "Molly…"

"No! You listen to me. I may only be a teenager but I'm not much younger than Justin was when he first met you. I've seen and listened to what's gone on. I watched my brother love you for years. Then you took him away with you. You took him to a big city, away from friends and family who love him and then you dumped him, left him alone to deal all on his own while you went on your merry way, once again thinking only of yourself." Molly was angrily trying to keep her voice down but was having trouble as she was also trying not to cry.

"I hated you so much. Then you began helping Mom try and find him. I thought maybe I was wrong, especially when you finally did find him. I was so angry at Justin for putting us through this. Then I saw him today. You did this. It's all your fault and I hope you rot in hell!" Molly quickly disconnected the call as she sat down and began to cry.

She didn't know anyone was there until she felt hands on her shoulders. "Don't cry Mollusk. I'm sorry to have sprung this on you like this but I didn't know how to tell you all of it."

Molly looked up and saw Justin. Getting to her knees, she wrapped her arms around his waist as she continued to cry. Justin quickly set the brakes on his wheelchair and moved the footplates out of the way so she could scoot closer.

Justin had seen Molly in the garden outside his window. Seeing her upset he had forgone his pride for speed and used his wheelchair. He had gotten there just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation so he had an idea of who she had been talking to and why she was crying. Taking the cell phone from her, he looked at the number and confirmed his suspicions.

Justin sighed. "Molly, he didn't do this to me. If anyone did, it was me. I was the one who was too drunk and strung out to know better than to get into the car. It was just sheer luck that I wasn't killed and while I will never be the person you once knew, I will always be your brother."

Molly looked up at Justin as she slowly stopped crying. "You know, I hated you for a long time. Mom was so worried about you that she became overbearing at times and at others, almost as if I didn't exist. When you finally called, I didn't know what I was going to do so I decided to wait until I saw you. Now…now I still don't know but I do know that I'm glad that you're back. Don't you ever disappear on me again!"

Justin smiled down at Molly. "I won't. I promise. Now come on, let's go back into the house."

*****************************************

Steve walked into the house after taking a stroll down to the village. "Oh man! Brian, you should have come with me. What a great day it is."

Steve walked toward Brian as he stood on the patio looking out, but not seeing the view. One look at Brian's face and he knew something was wrong. He had been working hard over the past couple of weeks to get Brian to relax, open up, and talk to him. While Brian was no where near where they had been when things started going bad for them, he felt that they had been slowly getting better.

"Brian? What's the matter?" Steve stopped beside Brian and covered Brian's hand with his own.

Brian didn't look at Steve. "Molly called."

Steve looked confused and tried to remember who Molly was. "Molly?"

Brian released a pent up breath and pulled his hand out from under Steve's. "Justin's little sister."

Steve lost it. He had had enough. "Jesus! You found Justin for them, what more do that want! I am so sick and tired of the Taylors! They need to just get a grip and leave us the hell alone!"

Brian turned angrily toward Steve. "The way you left me and Justin alone?! I mean think about it Steve. You knew I was with Justin and you promised to leave us alone but did you? Really? I mean, I recall phone calls that anyone could have made but you always made them and then turned them somehow into personal phone calls. What about those meeting that you were always trying to get me to attend? You knew that I wasn't needed at them and neither were you but you kept pushing for me to attend them so that we could see each other, as friends you always said but did you really mean that? I don't think so. Just when did you decide not to keep your promise Steve? Was it when you found out that Justin was just some young kid? And then you finally get me. But it doesn't stop there. Don't think I don't know about the misplaced invites to Justin's shows that he sent while he was here in New York or the calls from the school and I'm not just talking about the last one."

Steve looked shocked, hurt, and caught at the same time. "What…Brian, I…"

Brian walked up and got into Steve's face. "You know, it's amazing some of the things you find out accidentally when you're looking for something else. Imagine my surprise when I contacted Justin's school to help in my search for him and they asked me about my sudden concern. When I questioned them about their comment, I was informed that they had sent letters and made phone calls over several months before he quit. Phone calls and letters that I never got."

Brian turned away from Steve as if he couldn't stand to look at him. "Even then I made excuses to myself about that. Then I found Justin and it all came back. I needed to talk to someone so I called Lindsey. As we talked, she told me that it wasn't just the school. That Justin had tried to contact me several times and it doesn't stop there. No! It seems that over the past couple of years, you've also been forgetting quite a few messages from the family as well."

Brian turned back to face Steve and then anger radiated from him. "Let me tell you just what your manipulations have helped to do besides alienate me from my family. Justin has spent the last three years alone, trying to learn to live again from a near fatal car accident. He lost one of his beautiful blue eyes and is still using a wheelchair or crutches to get around with."

Steve was shocked. "Brian, that's not fair. I had nothing to do with that and neither did you. If he said anything to the contrary, he was wrong."

Brian walked toward Steve but stopped when he was about half way. "No, he didn't say it because after he spotted me, he told me to get out then turned and left. I had to find out what happened from that woman, Jules. But in a way it is our fault. If you hadn't been stopping his calls or the contact from the school, maybe he would have finished school and moved on with his life. And if I had been the true friend to him that I claimed I was, I would have checked on him regardless of what you said about giving him time to get over me."

Brian looked sad for a moment but then the anger returned. "You didn't believe in me or us. Instead, you did everything you could to make sure we stayed together. That Justin was out of the picture and when the family didn't warm to you right away, you tried to get them out as well. Well you know what? It backfired. I'm leaving. I'm on the next flight to New York. When you get home, I'll be gone. What you've done, I don't think I can ever forgive and right now I have to learn to forgive myself first. I don't have time to try and forgive you too."

Brian turned and walked back into the house just as a horn beeped in the front of the house. Brian picked up the luggage that Steve hadn't seen and walked out the door and climbed into the waiting cab.

Steve stood on the patio looking through the house and out the open front door, watching the cab pull away with Brian. Slowly he sank to the ground as all that Brian had said sank in. What had he done?! He knew that he had made a big mistake. He just wasn't sure how to fix it. One thing was for sure. He had to try. Getting to his feet, Steve rushed to the phone and called the airport. He had to get to New York before Brian moved out. He had to make Brian listen to him. To make him understand. "Yes, I'd like to book a ticket to New York please. Your very next flight."

Return to Falling Down the Primrose Path