In Sickness and In Health

Chapter 7

Lindsay's POV:

I think he's fallen asleep, finally. I hear a little wheeze. I remember that wheeze from when we were back at college. Sometimes we'd fall asleep while we were studying. God, that was a long time ago. And he's still so beautiful. Damn! How does he stay so young and so good looking. I swear he hasn't gained an ounce, well maybe he has, but in all the good places. He was always so thin but he's filled out, looks more masculine. He'd shoot me if he knew what I was thinking.

Shit, what time is it? Sidney must be having a cow and I can't reach the phone.

"John?" I try to whisper as loudly as I can but without waking Brian. Sleep is probably the best thing for him right now. Brian snuggles closer.

"You okay in there?" John asks softly as he climbs the steps.

"I need to call the gallery. I only intended to take a short break. I've been gone for hours."

"I'll call. Is Sidney there today?"

"Yes."

"I'll take care of it. Brian needs you. He didn't sleep well last night and I know he's hurting." I nod and smile. John is a good man. So like Brian in so many ways, and yet so different.

I hear him on the phone with Sidney. John has a quiet, calm way about him. He hangs up and walks back to the bedroom.

"Not a problem, apparently Melanie had already called. He said for you to take all the time you need. He knows how important your family is to you and he sends his regards to Brian."

I let out a big puff of air. I forget that Sidney Bloom is really a very nice man. He's become one of us to a certain extent. Justin and I have grown up and benefited a lot under his tutelage.

"Lindz, if you're going to be here a while, I have to go out and get some air. Is that okay with you?"

Those same hazel eyes that haunt my dreams plead with me.

"Of course. This must be hard on you too," I tell him. He shrugs his shoulders. He brings the phone to within my reach and tapes his cell phone number to it.

"I won't be long," he promises.

"You take as long as you need. I'm not leaving anytime soon," I say as I kick the pumps off my feet and loosen up my blouse.

John bends and gently kisses my forehead. "You're a good woman, Lindsay. And he loves you so much." I smile at John and at Brian who so reminds me of Gus, right now, when he was little.

John's POV:

God, I feel so useless right now. And I have to get out of this loft. How did he ever live in that place for so many years? Shit, it feels like the walls are caving in on me. I have no fucking clue where to go and it's fucking freezing. If I was back home, I'd cut through the woods to the farm, saddle up and take a good long ride. But I'm not at the farm, I'm not fucking home, I'm in fucking Pittsburgh and I sound like Briana throwing a tantrum.

He'd shoot me if he knew what I'm thinking.

Fuck!

"John? Honey? You look frozen! You want some coffee? And we have homemade chicken soup. It'll cure what ails you. Shit, I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry, sweetie. John? You okay?"

Somehow I'm standing in the middle of the diner and Debbie is talking at me. She is expecting an answer. I think I feel faint.....

"Holy SHIT!"

Debbie's POV:

"John Anderson, you're one heavy fucker, you know that?" Poor John, he's so worried about Brian that he damn near keeled over in the middle of the diner! Thank God, Brad and Chuck came in and in the nick of time too. They grabbed him and now he's resting in the break room.

"Come on, honey, open those beautiful eyes for me." I tap him a little on the cheek to rouse him. Cook hands me a cold cloth to lay on his forehead. There, he's back.

"What happened?"

"Well, for some reason you decided you needed to take a nap on the diner floor. I didn't think it was such a good idea so I had you brought back here. Now, are you finished giving me and half of Liberty Avenue a heart attack?" He slowly sits up, wiping his face with the cloth.

"Yeah, I'm done."

"When was the last time you ate something?"

"Debbie, you should know, it was here this morning."

"Sweetheart, that was hours ago and you didn't eat that much."

"But I ordered a deluxe."

"One egg, a strip of bacon and half a slice of toast doesn't count."

"But..."

"Honey, I saw you. We all saw you. And all he ate was the other half of the toast. Now, you and I are going back into the diner and you are going to have some soup. After you finish the bowl, we'll figure out what else you're going to eat."

"I should get back. I left him sleeping."

"Alone?"

"No, of course not! Lindsay is with him. He's all cuddled with her in bed, snoring away."

"Brian Kinney does not snore, he wheezes."

"How would you know?"

"All the fucking times he slept on my fucking couch or with Michael! I ought to know, the little shit. Now come with me. There's a bowl of soup with your name on it waiting. He'll be fine with Lindsay."

Reluctantly, the big lug follows me back out into the main diner. His legs are still wobbly but he makes it to the counter. Brad and Chuck are still sitting at their booth and they nod at me. Those two are good boys even though they scare the hell out of most people. And they've been together for years.

I make sure John finishes his soup. I give him a couple of slices of thick crusty bread to sop up the rest in his bowl. Nothing goes to waste here.

I slide the special in front of him, meatloaf. Thick with gravy and mashed potatoes. And up it goes, that famous Kinney eyebrow. But I have my own weapons to use against him. He forgets that I have years of experience with Brian. I glare and point my finger at him. He picks up the fork and eats.

Ha! He didn't stand a chance.

John's POV:

Okay, so now I am so fucking stuffed that my belly hurts. I let out a large, loud belch, pardon myself and she comes around the counter to give me a bear hug. And then I cry. In the middle of the fucking diner, I cry. No one says a word, no one takes any particular notice.

She pulls out a wad of tissues and shoves them in my hand.

"Go to the bathroom, honey, wash up a little. You'll feel better. I'm going to get you some pie and coffee."

As she pushes me toward the men's room, I want to scream at her. Pie?! You think all this will go away with your fucking pie?

And as if she can read my mind, she just smiles at me then says...

"I know, honey, but it will feel good going down and you'll sleep better on a full tummy. Now, go on and I'll have your pie and coffee ready for you."

So I go. My mama raised no fool.

Debbie's POV:

Poor boy, he looks so lost. I know how he feels. I'm not prepared to see any of my boys go before me. I was ready for Vic, in a way. And I guess I'm sort of prepared for Ben and, God forbid, Hunter. We all know what to expect, knock wood, they're both fine. But Brian, not my Brian, I couldn't bear that.

John's back, sitting at the counter like a dutiful boy. He looks so much like Brian. Jack Kinney must have been one good looking hunk, back in his day. Too bad he never knew what good sons he has. Stupid bastard.

I fill John's coffee cup, slide over the milk and sugar and a slice of blueberry pie. I add a small dollop of whipped cream to it. He doesn't complain; he just eats.

"When will you get the test results?" I think it shocks him for a minute that I know as much as I do. I really don't know anything, but I do know Brian Kinney. He may like to think that his life is private but I know that boy better than most. He stayed here so he could see his doctor the first chance he got. He's walking funny because they took a biopsy and he's staying here, waiting for the test results. It's what I would have done. All his doctors are here. If it turns out to be more serious than a pimple, he'll want to be treated immediately. No grass grows under that boy.

"We should know by Thursday, maybe sooner. But we go back on Thursday to the doctor."

"And you'll be with him?"

"Yes, I won't let him go through this alone."

"You're a good man, John Anderson. Now finish your pie and I'll pack up something for you to take back to him. No arguments."

"Yes ma'am," he says.

John's POV:

Shit, what the hell did that woman pack? This bag weighs a ton. Maybe I should have taken Brad and Chuck's invitation for a lift. Those are two big men.

The loft isn't all that far and the air feels good even though I don't think I can feel my nose. I hope someone put on a pot of coffee.

Lindsay's POV:

I managed to wriggle myself out from under him. I don't remember him being this heavy. He stays asleep and I quietly pad to the kitchen and put on some coffee. Thank the gods he keeps some appliances here. I fill the tea kettle and find some tea bags. Hopefully John should be back soon, and he'll be cold.

The loft looks so big when it's quiet. I often wondered what it would be like to live here. Considering all the shit Mel and I have been through, it's a wonder why I haven't lived here. He'd never refuse me, but I have never asked. I think he just expects Mel and me to work it all out. We always seem to but we never really resolve anything. We just go on and on. Maybe one day we will take that vacation.

I still don't fully understand what happened to him. I know he was fine last month. He called me with the results of his scan. He said he wanted me to know everything, just in case, and that besides Justin and John, he trusts me the most. I thought it would be Michael but I guess so much has happened between them over the years.

John's back and he looks cold. Hmm, what's that heavenly smell?

"Hi, where'd you go?"

"To the diner." His teeth are chattering.

"You poor thing, I bet you're frozen. I made coffee and the water is hot if you prefer tea."

"Does he have any hot cocoa?"

"I think so. I'll look. What's in the bag?"

"Debbie..."

"Debbie?"

I hear movement behind me, it's Brian.

"He means that when he went to the diner, Debbie force fed him then packed up enough food to feed us and half of Pittsburgh. Did she pack up her soup? And you look cold, big bro. Lindz, the cocoa mix is in the cupboard. Would you mind helping John, I need to lay down on the sofa."

John and I stare as Brian hobbles over to the sofa and gingerly lays down on his stomach. I guess his pain medication wore off.

"What are you two staring at?" Brian growls at the two of us.

"Nothing!" John and I say at the same time.

I find the cocoa and start making it for John. John takes out a couple of bowls and pours some of Debbie's soup into it. He nukes the bowls, leaving one for me and bringing a bowl over to Brian. John pulls the coffee table closer to the sofa so that Brian can still have his soup while lying on his stomach. It's not the ideal situation but he has no choice. John quickly goes for the bathroom and brings Brian a couple of pills. Brian takes them without any argument.

He finishes the soup greedily and then the Brian we all know and love, snarks, "So does all of the Pitts know that I have a pimple on my balls?"

It sounds cruel, but I laugh and choke and wind up spitting soup across the counter. John is at my side in a second, thumping me on the back with one hand and mopping up the soup with a paper towel with the other.

"What do you do for an encore, Lindz?"

"Shut up, Brian!" John snaps at him.

"Hey, I'm not the one who's laughing at my balls," Brian grouses at John's admonishment.

"Lindsay deserves your respect. She stayed with you all afternoon."

Brian gets quiet and maneuvers himself off the sofa. He hobbles over to us in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry," Brian says contritely as he hugs me. "Thank you for staying with me." He pushes me back a little so he can see into my eyes. I can see into his and I see a little glow starting to twinkle there. "You know you still have the distinction of being the only woman I'd ever like to sleep with." I see the love and the mirth in his eyes. And we both crack up. He hugs me again.

"You know, you two deserve each other. I need a drink," John grumbles as he fumbles with the liquor cabinet door.

"John." Brian goes to his brother. "Let me." Brian deftly makes his brother a long tall drink. "Go sit, I'll bring it to you. Why don't you call Bobby?" John sits on the sofa. I see him force himself to be calm. Brian ignores the discomfort in his crotch to bring John his drink.

"He misses Bobby; they rarely sleep apart."

"Like you don't miss Justin?"

"I miss him, Lindz. But I travel a lot and so does he. We've been apart. With any luck we'll be back home Thursday night. Now what's going on between you and the demon from hell?"

"You mean Melanie?"

"Who else?"

"Brian, that's not nice."

"Yeah, well, Craig Taylor is easier to deal with than your wife. Lindsay, when are you going to wise up and dump the bitch, for good I mean."

"Bri, I love Melanie and she loves me."

"She has a funny way of showing it. When was the last time you two went away on a vacation."

"As a matter of fact we're planning a vacation with the kids and a second honeymoon. I like your idea about the B&B. It sounds wonderful."

"You'll love it there."

"I hope so. We need to reconnect."

"I still don't know how you two connected in the first place. She's arrogant, vain and she has to be right all the time. Fuck! She's like me, isn't she?"

"Yes, in some ways. Only you're arrogant and vain when you need to be and you usually are right. But you're not right about this. Your cancer isn't coming back. You're healthy and you're going to live forever. This pimple or ingrown hair or whatever the fuck it is will heal and you'll go home with your balls in one piece."

"Fuck! I hope not. Balls in one piece, I mean. I kinda like the way my balls are. Did you know there's this kind of seam that runs down the middle..."

"Brian! TMI!"

"Whoops, sorry, Lindz. I've been doing a lot of reading lately."

"Brian, speaking about information, I think you need to call a family meeting. Let them all know what's going on before rumors spread."

"Lindz..."

"She's right, Brian. Allen called; I'm sure Ted put him up to it. Your friends are scared. They know most of it already," John says reasonably.

"I don't like people nosing around in my business."

"Oh for fuck's sake, Brian! You said it yourself, half of Pittsburgh already knows. This way you can disseminate the correct information, not just conjecture," I tell him.

"Lindsay's right. The best way to prevent rumor is for you to come clean. And do not say it. I am warning you." John arches that brow at his brother. Brian holds up his hands in defeat.

The pain pills must be kicking in because Brian looks very sleepy all of a sudden and he has already slept for hours.

"Easy there, little bro. Let's go back to bed."

"I'm tired of being in bed."

"Okay, the sofa then. Anywhere, as long as I don't have to carry you."

"Kay."

John leads Brian to the sofa. He's asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow or I think he is.

"Thank you for staying with him today. I really needed the air."

"Anytime. Do you think he'll call the family?"

"I'm not sure."

"Lindsay, have Emmett drive you home and tell him I want to call a family meeting for tomorrow night. He'll take care of everything," we hear Brian say and then the telltale wheeze lets us know he's asleep.

"I guess I have my orders," I say, as I get my things together and get ready to leave.

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