Snow Lodge
Chapter 47
Howie jumped as the door closed behind him, but did not turn around. Instead he was frozen watching Brian in front of him.
Brian's small frame was scrunched up even smaller than normal, his knees drawn up against his chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. His whole body was shaking with the force of his sobs, which were almost hysterical in their intensity.
After getting over the shock of seeing Brian so vulnerable and broken looking, Howie snapped out of his stupor and rushed over to the bed. He climbed up behind Brian and pulled him back into his warm embrace.
"Brian. Oh God. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible friend. I didn't mean it. I swear. I was just upset 'cos of AJ. Don't cry. Please don't cry." Howie babbled softly as he fell into the rocking motion Brian was making.
Brian was lost in his own world, where nothing else existed except him and his pain. Howie's earlier harsh words swirled around in his head, making him dizzy and sending him spiralling into a pit of despair.
He vaguely felt another pair of arms wrap around him, and heard soft words whispered in his ear. He recognised the voice as Howie's and at first thought that he had returned to scream at him some more, but slowly, surely, Howie' s heartfelt apologies and whispered reassurances broke through the fog surrounding him, and he slowly brought himself back from the brink.
"Howie?" Brian whispered brokenly, so softly that Howie almost didn't hear it.
"I'm here Brian."
"I'm sorry." Brian sobbed, his shoulders continuing to shake with the force of his tears.
"No Brian. It's me who should be sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I swear. I was just so upset, and I needed to take it out on somebody. I don't think you are terrible, in fact I think you were the best thing that ever happened to AJ. You made him so happy, like no-one else ever has."
Howie pulled Brian into his arms more securely, and turned him so he could look Brian in the eye.
"I love you Brian. And nothing is ever going to change that. What's done is done, and we can't change the past. AJ keeps telling me that everything happens for a reason, and you and I just have to believe that, and have faith that everything will be okay."
"I don't know if I can�" Brian whispered. He wanted so badly to believe that everything was going to be okay, but he was weighed down by the memories of AJ's limp form as they took him into the hospital.
"You can Brian. I know you can." Howie told him firmly.
Brian looked so lost to Howie, but he knew that he had not lost his faith totally, and he just needed that extra push to make it show.
"You still love him, don't you." Howie whispered softly. It was not a question, more a statement of fact. Brian looked at him for a moment, before opening his mouth to answer. Before he could, there was a disturbance outside, and raised voices could be heard.
"�.is he. He's my husband. Of course I can see him." A familiar female voice yelled from outside. Howie noticed Brian suddenly go pale, but before he could say anything else, the door was flung open and a familiar figure breezed into the room.
"Brian!" She called cheerfully.
"Leighanne�"
