A Different Slice

48 - Missing You (Kieran)

On Saturday evening, despite the sun lurking well above the horizon, Kieran lay in bed. He'd tumbled into it on Friday night after his brother had picked him up and had scarcely left it all day. He hadn't eaten or drank anything either, as much as Jake checked in and tried to force it on him. Tonight, his headache matched his heartache.

The knocking on his door intensified the throbbing in his skull, and he pulled the navy comforter higher over his head to muffle the offending sound.

"Kieran," Jake's voice rang out.

Kieran stayed still, planning on pretending to be asleep, which would deter Jake as he wouldn't enter without permission. The drawn blinds and dark room would help his case.

"Brinny's on the phone and says it's urgent."

Kieran was too overwhelmed to handle whatever romantic meltdown she was having right now. He just wanted to disappear.

"It's about Naomi," Jake added with a hopeful lilt to his last word.

That almost got Kieran to move until he recalled how she had left him when the world caved beneath his feet. He had no desire to speak to her, despite how much his heart ached with each inhalation of her fruity scent on his pillow. He should change the pillowcase, but he struggled to do that too.

Jake's footsteps retreated after a minute, departing then pausing before disappearing. Kieran breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed into the comforter's softness and warmth.

Thirty minutes later, hurried footsteps rushed to his door, followed by aggressive knocking.

"Kieran, get up. We need to fix this!" Brinny's firm tone carried inside.

As he remained silent and still, Jake's tense voice said, "No, you can't—" but the door swung open.

Brinny stepped over a tray of food left at the doorway and flicked on the light. As Kieran's eyes adjusted to the switch, Jake's curled shoulders and fidgeting hands caught his attention.

"Sorry, I tried to stop her," he said before leaning down to pick up the tray with unsteady hands and darting away.

Kieran wanted to tell Jake this wasn't his fault, but that took energy he didn't have today.

Brinny folded her arms in front of her blue sweater and said, "Kier, you need to come with me and talk to Naomi."

He shook his head. That would only end in more pain or rejection.

"If you care about your relationship, you need to do this now." Brinny's tone had never been more firm, but he still maintained his choice.

"She left me, Brin." Speaking irritated his dry throat. Jake reappeared with a glass of water that seemed more appealing now. Kieran sipped it to build up the courage to voice yesterday's events. He set the glass on the bedside table and sighed. "I broke down about Katy, and Naomi abandoned me for her ex."

"That's shitty. But you also hid an entire murder trial from the woman you love. That's not nothing either."

His heart thumped in his chest as his eyes widened. Brinny knew, yet she'd come here to fight for his happiness. A tear tickled his eye, then another until he was shaking and crying into his comforter. She sat beside him, alternating between gently stroking his back and hugging him from behind.

"We'll figure this out, Kier. I promise. When you're ready." Her earlier pushiness had evaporated from her tone.

The question remained, did he want to? Was it worth the risk of being rejected twice over? Regardless of the answer, at least he had a genuine friend. Someone who saw the untrue accusation for the falsity it was and who unquestionably trusted him. He hadn't suspected that person would be Brinny, but they had grown a lot closer.