Snow Lodge
Chapter 6
A little while later, the two of them were sat in the main living room area, eating their meal. Neither of them spoke, both too wrapped up in their own thoughts.
Brian was wondering when AJ would get around to asking him why he had been drunk when he had found him, whilst AJ was watching Brian stuff the food down his throat as if he hadn't eaten in days. It suddenly occurred to him that he probably hadn't. It looked like Brian had just been drinking for the last few days, eating little or nothing in the way of food.
That brought him back to the one question he wanted to ask. Why?
Why was Brian drinking himself silly? What had happened to make him so bad that he felt he had too? Who had hurt him so much that he felt he had to try and forget it through alcohol?
A little voice in his head gave him an answer. Leighanne. It must've had something to do with her. But what? He had no idea. In fact, he had trouble believing it. Brian and Leigh, they were the perfect couple. Destined for 2.5 children and white picket fences. They were so in love it made him almost sick, especially because... no. That was all over now. It had been for a long time. He wasn't going to think about it. He couldn't. It was too painful. But being up here, in this place made it difficult. So many memories.
Brian looked up from his food to look at AJ, wondering why he was being so quiet. He was hit with a sudden feeling of deja vu. How long had it been since the two of them had sat here, like this, just enjoying each other's company? Too long. So many years, so much pain.
He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped dead when he saw the look in AJ's eyes. He was staring at the wall, staring yet not seeing. Brian could see pain and anguish shining brightly in the depths of AJ's chocolate brown eyes. So much pain. Brian felt his heart freeze in his chest. He had never seen such tortured emotions in his friend's eyes before. Even when he was drowning his sorrows in alcohol, AJ had somehow always managed to hide it from him. Brian had thought that AJ had gotten over this, over them.
He guessed he was wrong.
