Chapter 18

The following morning

Matt and Bridget both stayed overnight again. They alternated who would stay in the room with him. While one was in the room with him the other went to the lounge to sleep, Brian stayed awake most of the night he was too anxious to sleep, as happy as he was to have the Drainage tube to be removed in the morning he was kind of freaked out about it because he knew he would be awake during the procedure.

At 6:30 am the nurse came in and took his vitals and told him he would be taken down for surgery at around 7 am I will be back in a few minutes to give you some a sedative in your IV to prepare you for your procedure.

He looked over and saw Matt asleep. He asked the nurse, "Could you wake my brother up for me please."

The nurse woke Matt up and then left to get Brian's sedative

"Is it morning already?" Matt yawned.

"Glad you could sleep," Brian said. "Sorry buddy I tried to stay awake but I don't know at some point I just passed out.

"Nah its ok I know you were tired. Hey, could you go get Bridget from the lounge, I would like to see her before they take me down for that procedure in a half hour, and please tell me you are going in with me right?"

"Oh course I will go in I know that it will be tough for you because you will be awake during the procedure. Now why don't I go get Bridget I will be right back."

Matt walked down the hall to the lounge, Bridget was curled up on the couch a sleep He shook her a little and she woke. "Brian's asking for you."

"Ok will go to the ladies room and freshen up and brush my teeth and then go to his room"

He walked back to the Brian's room. The nurse was giving him a sedative in his IV that wouldn't put him to sleep but would relax him. "Oh hi, Dr Camden" the nurse said "I was told to give you these surgical scrubs that you need to put on since you were going with your brother."

"Ok thanks, Hey Brian I am going to change into these oh and Bridget will be right in she just had to go to the ladies room first. Oh I can I borrow your electric razor?"

"Sure" Brian said, "It's in the top drawer" Matt grabbed it and then went into Brian's bathroom to shave and get changed.

A few minutes later Bridget walked in looking a bit more refreshed and asked, "Where's Matt?"

"I am in here. I will be out in a minute." Matt called out from the bathroom.

Bridget walked over went to kiss Brian, He stopped her you don't want to do that. Boy do I have yuk mouth will you get me my tooth brush when Matt gets out my mouth is so gross its making me sick."

Matt actually heard him and brought the toothbrush and toothpaste out with a cup of water, "Here you go" Matt said, "Thanks" he replied when he was done he said to Bridget. "Now come over here" he grabbed her with his right arm pulled he close and kissed her. "Good morning" he then said

"You know even though I am nervous about this procedure I can't wait to get this thing out of my head. It being in there kind of freaks me out."

At around 7 am the nurse came in to take Brian to the OR. Brian kissed Bridget" See you in a little bit. Don't worry everything will be ok." she told him.

Brian was moved on to a stretcher and along with Matt went to the OR. Matt put on a surgical cap and mask before he went into the OR. Dr Fitzpatrick was already in there waiting for them. Dr Fitzpatrick said "Looks like we are already to do this, so let's get this show on the road."

Brian was then properly prepped and draped. Matt was able sit right next to him, even though Brian was given a sedative/ anti-anxiety medication, as soon as the doctor injected the local anesthetic into his head Brian started to panic" Matt said. "I guess it is a good thing I am in here hey buddy, now just relax and focus on me not what they are doing, let's do that breathing technique like we did before," Matt continued to talk him through it and kept him calm. Within about 45 minutes the procedure was done.

They administered some more pain medicine so when the local anesthetic wore off he wouldn't be on pain. Brian had done so well; he didn't even have to go to recovery he was taken straight back to his room.

By the time he got back to his room, his parents Nicole and someone he didn't recognize was in the room along with Bridget. They were surprised to see him back so quickly.

"Wow that was fast "Bridget said, "Now that you have the drainage tube removed, I have a present for you so you don't feel so self-conscious anymore."

She pulled out a knit cap and gently put it on his head it was loose fitting so as not to put any undue pressure on his surgery site

"Thanks honey now I won't be scaring anyone anymore" and then he gave her a little kiss.

Matt and an orderly then proceeded to help him over to the bed from the stretcher; Brian still had limited movement because his shoulder was still immobilized. He was settled in the bed and then he looked at the person he didn't recognize and wasn't sure if he was supposed to know her or not, he worried if he had a lapse in memory due to the head injury, Annie noticed he was looking at Mary kind of funny.

"Oh Brian let me introduce you to your only sibling you didn't meet yet this is your sister Mary."

Mary went over and gently gave him a hug. "I am so glad to finally meet you" she told him, then they all sat and chatted for a while and as promised the nurse brought his breakfast in at 9:30.

"Finally, real food." He said "I am starving."

When he had finished his food Matt moved the tray out of the way. At about 11 am Mary said she needed to go back to the house to check on the her kids.

then Matt said "Do you mind Brian if I go with her I will be back later I promise, I just think I need see my wife and kids I haven't seen them in a few days. And since you are doing so much better do you think you will be ok if I take off for a while I will leave my cell number with you if you need me"

"Yeah go ahead," Brian replied. "I have kept you here too long already; I feel kind of guilty, and thanks Bro I don't know how I would have gotten through the last few days without you."

"No problem Brian, see you later." So Matt grabbed his cell phone and bag and headed out with Mary.

So it was Nicole, his parents and of course Bridget who were left there with him. Brian just sat and relaxed, he just chatted with everyone for a while then around 1:30pm; Dr Fitzpatrick came into check on him and said he was progressing well. He told him "Maybe later today with help you may even be able to get out of bed." Brian liked that idea. He was tired of just lying in bed. After the doctor left, Nicole's cell phone started to ring.

It was Dave's number on the caller ID Nicole answered it, "Hey Nic, its Dave just checking to see how Brian is doing today?"

She replied. "He is doing so much better today; do you want to talk to him?"

"Yeah that would be great because I have news that will make his day."

"Hey Brian, Dave is on my phone and he wants to talk to you, do you feel up to talking to him?"

"Sure give me the phone." "Hi Dave, its Brian."

"Hi Brian, Boy do I have great news for you. I got you the job at KC Gaming. I will bring you over the HR paperwork. I can help you fill out the forms but as of today you are employed again. Boy do they have a big project for us to work on. Isn't it awesome the Greco /Davis team is back in business,"

"Whoa slow down Dave your making my head spin." Brian said. "I am grateful for the job but I hate to tell you, well you haven't really seen me yet so maybe you don't understand where I am at health wise, but just because I am doing better doesn't mean I am going home anytime soon or will be up for anything for a while."

"No problem you can work from the hospital using your lap top. Natasha Drew that's our boss gave the ok for that. Plus she knows all about Zap Monkey and Throttle Autobon She wants us as a team. Come on Brian I need this. I need you to do this buddy. She wants a revamp of the Berry town or a great new idea for it in a week we need to get this done and come up with an awesome presentation and that's your area of expertise I am the technical guy."

"In less than a week are you kidding Dave that would be tough under the best of circumstances I don't know."

"Come on Brian I need you. Dave pleaded.

"Yeah sure ok" he said in a defeated sounding voice "I suppose it will be nice to have a paycheck anyway."

"Thanks" Dave said, "See you in a couple hours. I will stop by the apartment and get both of our laptops"

Brian hung up the phone, and then held his head "I am not feeling so great can one of you see if I can get something for the pain in my head and my stomach?"

"I will go." Annie said "Eric come for a walk with me went to the Nurses station to tell them what Brian needed then she took Eric into the lounge to talk, "Did you see how that one phone call changed how Brian was doing, Now his friend knows how badly Brian was hurt and I have a feeling that This Dave Greco was putting expectations on him that he can't handle AGAIN but as Kevin said before It seems Brian doesn't know how to say no."

Back in Brian's room Bridget asked him what's wrong? Why all of a sudden aren't you feeling well?"

"I guess stress" He replied "I mean I should be grateful I do need a job But I don't know if I am up to it so soon" He told Bridget and Nicole what Dave said.

" Oh Brian no way you can't do that, I know normally you would have no problem with a project like this, I mean you basically carried Zap Monkey as far as creative development but now that's too much pressure under the circumstances." Nicole told him.

"She's right Brian it's too much for you honey." The nurse came in and gave him some pain medication and some anti-nausea medication. "I think I need to get some sleep. Dave will be here in a couple hours so I need rest to be able to work."

"Oh Brian I don't want you getting yourself all worked up over this." Bridget told him. "But I will let you sleep for a while Nicole and I will go find you parents and hang out for a while, we are not leaving though."

Nicole walked into the hall;

Bridget told her that she would be right out." Brian my love you can't let Dave walk all over you, I know he is trying to do you this great favor but you know HE needs the help!"

"I know Bridget but he needs me and I don't want him to lose his job so if me being hired so we can be a team again works then I will do it."

"My concern is for you and your wellbeing not Dave's." Bridget told him. "It's your health I am concerned with. Look at just how that one phone call affected you. Well don't think about it anymore for now just sleep for a bit." She held his face and kissed him. "I Love you sweetheart, now close your eyes ok"

Then she went with Nicole. They walked to the lounge and found Eric and Annie Bridget told them what Brian told both she and Nicole and how Dave made it sound like he did him this great favor by getting Brian hired, but when Brian said he didn't know if he could do it, then he laid this great big guilt trip on him until Brian finally agreed just like he always does.

"Oh no, Dave isn't going to do that to my son." Annie said,

"Brian isn't up to that kind of pressure at least not yet. If Brian wants to do a little work fine but if it too much for him then he isn't going to do it no way. Look at how the little bit of pressure made him sick." Nicole said,

"I am worried he will backslide if he takes too much on. I mean he has a brain injury and we don't know the long term effects of this on him. Bridget said "I kind of wish Matt didn't go home" I want to run all this by him or maybe even Kevin before Dave gets here."

Back at the Camden's

Matt felt guilty about leaving Brian but he was happy to see his wife and boys, "Hey stranger" Sarah went over to him and gave him a kiss "I missed you and so did Noah and Jacob"

They heard Matt and ran to him yelling "Daddy!" He knelt down and hugged them both.

Then came Carlos and the kids came in the living room, to welcome Mary and Matt back.

Sarah then said "Brian must be doing much better if you came home Matt.

"Well he has a long road ahead of him but yeah he is doing really well for the moment. Have you either of you eaten?"

"No we haven't" Matt replied "Well let's make you some lunch and then go take a shower."

Matt took a long hot shower after he ate lunch, and then put on some fresh clothes. It was about 2 pm when he went back down stairs, all the kids wanted to play so he and Carlos and Simon who was also there, took the kids outside to run around. It felt good to be back at his parent's house.

Since Kevin and Lucy lived next door they were able to see out the window that Matt was back and they were outside with the kids, he and Lucy brought Savannah over to play. Lucy went into the house with Sarah, Mary and now also Ruthie was in there too taking care of some of the chores that fell behind because Mom and Dad had been at the hospital so much.

Matt's phone was on the charger in the kitchen but on vibrate so they didn't notice when a call was coming in on it. It was Annie trying to get a hold of him.

Annie told Bridget "I called Matt's cell phone and it went to his Voice mail. "

This had been the second time that she had tried to call him, "you know what, and I am just going to call the house. He just might be outside with the kids or something but someone is always at the house."

She dialed her home and after a couple of rings Sarah answered it she saw it was Annie's cell phone number on the caller ID, "Oh hey mom what's up"

"Hi Sarah is Matt or Kevin around I really need to talk to one or both of them it's important?"

"Yeah they are both in the yard with the kids; I will get them hold on a second" She yelled out the back door. "Matt, Kevin, mom's on the phone she wants to talk to the both of you she says it's important,"

they both came in Matt took the phone, "Hey mom what's up?"

"Where's Kevin?" she asked.

"He is right here" he replied, "Have him pick up on another extension so I can talk to you both at the same time."

Kevin went and picked up the phone in the living room."Ok Mom we are both on"

"Actually I want Bridget to talk to you Annie said.

Bridget took the phone from Annie. She proceeded to tell them about Brian's phone call with Dave, and how that physically affected him.

"Oh brother that's not good at all." Matt said, "He can't take that kind of stress, which is obvious since he had that kind of physical reaction to it."

"Yeah it doesn't sound like he is ready to go back to work yet." Kevin said, "But it sounds like he is being St Brian again. You know what let's hang up the phone with you Bridget; I am coming over to the hospital. Are you coming Matt?"

"Yes I am," I will go next door and get my car."

"Ok Kevin and I will grab my cell and tell Sarah and Lucy where we are Bridget see you in 20 minutes," and they hung up the phone.

Matt told Lucy and Sarah that they needed to go back to the hospital and a brief explanation of grabbed his cell and went outside and got in Kevin's car

"You know Kev I am happy for Brian that he has a job to be able to go to when he is ready, but this sounds like a forced situation that Dave is pushing on him because HE again needs help. If Brian really wants to have some input in whatever this Project is fine but Dave is going to have to be the one to carry this project and deal with the stress from it and the long hours it may take to complete it no Brian. From a medical standpoint Brian can't deal with ANY pressure or deadlines or anything else. It could be VERY detrimental to his healing process."

They pull into the Hospital parking lot, when they got to the floor Dave hadn't gotten there yet luckily they looked in Brian's room. No one was in there but Brian and he was asleep. They went to the lounge and that is where they found everyone.

"Hey we just looked in on Brian, he's still asleep. Matt said,

"Yeah he has been asleep since about 2pm" Bridget looked at the clock "so for about 2 hours now and Dave should be here anytime now" Kevin stated "I can see the elevators from where I am sitting now, let's keep this door open, we need to keep an eye out for Dave and head him off before he goes to see Brian"