Chapter 9 Jessie's Girl
Brenda peaked her head in the hospital room door. She smiled as she saw Dylan dressed ready to go sitting on the edge of the bed with his head down.
"Morning." Brenda said cheerfully as she walked over sitting next to him.
Dylan took a deep breath and didn't say anything.
"Dylan… what's wrong?" Brenda set her hand on Dylan's shoulder.
"I don't want to go to jail Bren." he finally looked over.
"Well that's why I'm taking you to treatment. Don't tell me your changing your mind?" Brenda ran her hand up and down his arm.
Dylan shook his head, "No…I'm ready." he took a deep breath.
"Ok then lets go." Brenda got up and started to head for the door. Dylan grabbed her hand and pulled her back to his lap. Brenda smiled subtly and wrapped her arms around his neck. Dylan had been in the hospital for a week and a half. He was completely drug free physically but now it was time to work on emotionally and that was going to be harder than the physical. Brenda rubbed her nose against his.
"Are you going to wait for me?" Dylan said softly as he closed his eyes taking in her scent.
Brenda moved out so she could look into his eyes, "What do you mean?" she said confused.
Dylan looked down before meeting her gaze. "I mean 90 days is a long time and I want to make sure I'm doing this for a reason…for you."
"What about doing it for you." Brenda stopped.
"I'd rather do it for you…and me." Dylan was serious. "I know there is something going on with you and David."
Brenda nervously looked down and started to fidget. "Wh…What are you talking about?"
"Brenda…I'm not stupid, the last couple of days I saw him look at you and you look at him like that too. I know that look it's the same one I give you."
Brenda looked down uncomfortably, "He is my friend." Brenda tried to justify.
Dylan nodded, "Yeah...right" he whispered sarcastically. "Bren…I understand turning to someone else and I know I have my own shit to deal with but I don't think I can do it without you." Dylan looked at Brenda with tears in his eyes, "Please say there is nothing going on, I mean nothing more than maybe a little tension or attraction."
Brenda swallowed hard and looked him straight in the eye, "There is nothing going on. He has been an amazing friend to me."
Dylan looked at her trying to read if she was lying, he didn't see any indication she was. "I'm sorry, I know… it's just the last couple of days I have been in my right mind and seeing the way he is taking care of you makes me…" Dylan looked down feeling stupid.
"Jealous?" Brenda tried to lower head to see him.
"I guess so." Dylan was short.
Brenda smiled a little, it was kind of cute, "Dylan, you and me…remember? We have been together for while now. I love you."
Dylan raised his eyebrow and finally gave her that half smile she loved. His vulnerability and insecurity was surprising, Dylan wasn't like that but she also knew he never let anyone see it except her. "Ready?"
Dylan nodded as he leaned into her, kissing her hard, long, border lining inappropriate for where they were. David walked into the room and saw them. His head dropped to the floor as he cleared his throat. "The car is parked in a loading zone." He murmured.
The two separated, Brenda looked quickly at David and wiped under her bottom lip. Brenda got up taking Dylan's hand in hers and pulled him through the door. Dylan stared at David as they passed him. Dylan didn't mean to be obvious but it was like he wanted to know that even though he appreciated David being there for Brenda at this time. Not to forget she was his girlfriend and David was Dylan's friend. Making a pass at his girlfriend while he was in rehab was NOT ok.
David drove the three of them to The Promise Treatment Center in Malibu. Brenda got out first, "I'm going to let them know you are here." She smiled and walked inside.
Dylan and David got out of the car and started to unload his bags. "Good luck man, we are all pulling for you." David said as he patted Dylan on the back.
Dylan looked at him straight faced, "I appreciate what you're doing for Bren, she has been through a lot with me and I know I haven't been there for her these last six months." Dylan said seriously.
"Yeah well…you have been dealing with your own stuff. Bren is my friend; I would have done it for any of my friends." David swallowed hard; Dylan's seriousness made him feel uncomfortable and he got the vibe Dylan was trying to tell him something.
"Look David, I'm not going to beat around the bush, I know you have something for my girlfriend."
David began to stutter. "Wh…"
"Bren is very important to me and I don't want to worry about the two of you living together while I'm in here realizing more and more how much I love her. You got it?"
David nodded slowly still in shock what Dylan was actually saying to him. The truth was David was falling for Brenda…hard but how would he know that. He didn't see them kiss, or the moments they were sharing, he had been out of it. "It's not like that dude but I understand where you are coming from." David lied.
"Good." Dylan leaned in before turning toward the entrance. Brenda walked up with Eric Sands the director of the Promise Treatment Center.
"Hi Dylan, I am Eric, welcome." He smiled at Dylan as he held out his hand. "We are glad you are here and your wife here seems like she cares about you a lot and will be a great support for you in your recovery."
"His girlfriend." Brenda corrected him.
Eric nodded his head, "Alright well let me show you to your room." Eric picked up one of Dylan's bags.
Dylan turned and looked at Brenda, "I'm proud of you." Brenda said with a smile as she took both his hands in hers.
"I'll call you when I can and I will write you." Dylan looked down at her. Saying goodbye to her for 12 weeks was hard.
"Ok." Brenda took a deep breath. "I will come visit you when they let me."
"There is a family day every couple of weeks." Eric said with a smile as he waited for Dylan to say goodbye.
Brenda wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and squeezed him. Dylan slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly back. He looked at David, in which looked down uncomfortably. Dylan buried his face in her neck and sniffed her taking in her scent again and gently kissing her neck.
"I love you." He whispered softly.
Brenda closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I love you. I'm going to miss you" She exhaled.
"I'm going to miss you too Bren."
They slowly and gently kissed each other good bye, lingering there for a few moments. Brenda stepped back and watched Dylan walk with Eric toward the door. She looked up at David and sighed.
"I hope he'll be alright."
David nodded, "Me too." the two watched Dylan enter rehab.
"I don't think he's too keen on you staying with me though." David looked over at her.
Brenda smiled, "Why? What did he say?"
"Oh nothing really…I think… he just wanted me to remember who butters his bread." David looked at her with a smile and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Oh really?" Brenda smiled back, she gently hit him in the gut. "Shut it." Brenda joked.
Dylan looked around and as the director of program started explaining things. Dylan pretended to listen but looked out the glass front doors instead. He took a deep breath as he watched Brenda talk closely to David and playfully smack him in the stomach. David wrapped his arm tightly around Brenda's neck pulling her down in a brotherly fashion as Brenda laughed. Dylan swallowed hard as he looked back at the director still rambling on about 12 steps and the house rules. Dylan looked at the two one last time as they still were joking and playing around, they got in the car and drove away.
"Dylan…Dylan?" Eric said louder, Dylan turned to look at him, "Did you have any questions?" Dylan looked one last time at the car leave the parking lot and drive down the street. He shook his head quickly and picked up his bag. It was going to be a long long 90 days.
**
"Brenda…come on…come to the club, everyone will be there." David begged playfully.
"That's the point, I really don't want to be in the middle of the pity circle. Oh poor Brenda…Poor Dylan, hmmm why is she at a bar the first night her boyfriend is in rehab?"
Brenda made a face, "No thanks."
"Oh come on, they wont say that. They will be happy to see and glad you aren't sitting home watching movies and eating ice cream…ALONE"
Brenda laughed, "I wasn't… maybe I was going to read...besides, what if Dylan calls." Brenda smiled.
"Suit yourself but if you change your mind, you know where we are."
"Ok." Brenda nodded and smiled.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow probably, you will probably be sleeping by the time I get home." David grabbed his jacket and his keys.
"Bye." she called out as she made her way into her bedroom.
"See ya." yelled back leaving for the club to do his radio show.
David made his way into the club and walked to the bar, "Hey Noah, can I get a Corona?"
"Sure…how's Brenda?" Noah said as he popped the cap off the beer bottle.
"She is hanging in there. Thanks Noah." David turned his back to the bar and saw Matt, Kelly and Donna at one of the tables. He walked over putting down his bear and sitting next to Kelly.
"Hey…how's Bren?" Donna asked sincerely.
"She is ok…I told her to come here with me but she declined." David took a deep breath and took a sip of his beer.
"Yeah well…that's understandable, how did Dylan seem?" Kelly leaned in so she could hear him over the music.
"Uh you know, he seemed good…considering he was about to go to rehab. Besides that he looked like the old Dylan." David ran his tongue against his cheek.
"Sup Silver." Steve came up with Janet. "How's Brenda?"
David let out a laugh as he got up, "She is fine…you know you guys could actually call her and ask her yourself." David looked at all of them and grabbed his beer, "See you guys later, I'm going to start my show."
David moved to the booth and sat down. He put his headphones on his head and clicked the on air switch. "Hey guys…its David Silver taking you into the party hours. Can someone tell me exactly why love is so hard to get these days? Why is it in high school and college it was easier to meet people? They say us guys get better with age well then what exactly is the problem? I will tell you. All the good ones, the non psycho, fun, pretty girls are unavailable. Taken guys… that's right totally taken. Or you are in the friend zone, which may be worse. Give me a call and let me know what your thinking." David clicked on a song and moved his head phones off and laid them around his neck. He noticed the lights on his phone light up, he smiled and waited for the song to end to take his calls.
**
Brenda got out of the bath and wrapped her robe around her small frame. She ran her fingers through her hair as she took her hair down and walked into the living room clicking on the radio. She had listened to David's show a couple times and she was always very entertained. She made her way into the kitchen and opened the freezer. She laughed to herself as she grabbed a pint of butter pecan out and lifted the lid. She grabbed a spoon from the drawer and walked over the couch.
**
"Alright you're on with David Silver."
"What up? David."
"What's your name?"
"Greg."
"Hey Greg…so what are you thinking? Are all the girls unavailable or am I just looking in the wrong places?"
"No bro, I couldn't agree more but my situation is totally messed up. I'm in love with my friend's girlfriend."
"Oooh no bro, not good, that's taboo to the extreme. Does she like you back?"
"I think so but they have been together awhile and I know she is in love with him but when we are together everything is so great. And to make matters worse, they live with me."
"You poor bastard, ok this is what you do, nothing…I know sucks but true. He is your friend, he had her first, respect it and find someone else."
"But…I mean maybe in high school it was wrong but now don't you think it's different?"
David laughed slightly, "It wasn't cool in high school and its not cool now. Save yourself even more heartache and move on before you fall for her harder."
David clicked on the song, Jessie's girl and took a deep breath.
Jessie is a friend,
Yeah, I know he's been
A good friend of mine
But lately something's changed
That ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl
And I want to make her mine
And she's watching him with those eyes
And she's lovin' him with that body,
I just know it
Yeah 'n' he's holding her in his arms late,
Late at night
You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girl,
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find a woman like that
I play along with the charade,
there doesn't seem to be a reason to change
You know, I feel so dirty
When they start talking cute
I wanna tell her that I love her,
But the point is probably moot
David listened to the words and shook his head. That makes two of us Greg. David brought his beer to his lips and took a swig.
**
Brenda bit the inside of her cheek as she listened to David and the song. She put down her ice cream and ran her hand across her forehead. She looked over to the kitchen table as the phone rang. She got up and grabbed it.
"Hello?"
"Bren?" Dylan said softly.
Brenda smiled, "Hey baby, how are you?"
Dylan took a deep breath, "Better now."
"I was hoping you would call." Brenda walked with the cordless phone to the couch.
"What are you doing?" Dylan felt better just hearing her voice.
"Well, I just got out of the bath…"
Dylan grunted, "Oh god don't go there." Dylan smirked. "What are you wearing?"
Brenda giggled, "Dylan."
Brenda heard Dylan sigh, "Well nothing actually, my robe." Brenda laughed.
"Please say David isn't there with you."
Brenda playfully rolled her eyes, "No…he is doing his show."
"I miss you baby." Dylan tone changed.
"I miss you too, what's it like?"
Dylan turned around from the pay phone and looked around, "The usual, boring…the food is terrible and I have a obnoxious 19 year old recovering alcoholic as a roommate."
"I'm sorry, well when I come visit you in a couple weeks I will…" The line clicked, "Hang on Dylan." Brenda pressed the flash button. "Hello."
"Are you eating ice cream?" David laughed.
"Haha…yeah I was. Hey…call me back in twenty, I'm talking to Dylan."
"Oh…ok." Dylan took a deep breath.
"Bye." Brenda got off quickly clicking over to Dylan again.
"Ok sorry. I was going to say when I come I will bring you something delicious to eat."
"Sounds good…so back to you sitting naked." Dylan groaned quietly.
"Dylan" Brenda giggled.
**
David looked at the phone and sighed. This was going to be a long 90 days. David clicked the next song. He grabbed his beer and looked at the time.
Has it been twenty minutes yet? David thought to himself.
Ok so as you can see the triangle begins or one of them at least. I was asked about Brandon…he is coming, not too soon but in the next few chapters I think. Things will settle a bit and not be so dramatic and solemn. It will be a bit more lighthearted not so sad. Even though stuff will come back but it wont be so emotional for awhile. I will also go into Dylan in rehab a bit as well. Please review, you know I love them!