Race to Recovery (Full Throttle) (18 page)

Chapter Twelve

When Seth walked in the visitor’s door the next morning the receptionist frowned. “Have a seat. We don’t allow visitors for another hour.”

“I’m not here to see a patient; I’m here to see Dr. Hurd. It’s very important.”

“Give me your name and I’ll see if he’s in.”

Five minutes later Dr. Hurd walked into the waiting room. “Seth, I wasn’t expecting you today. Your brother said you wouldn’t be returning.”

“Did he tell you why?”

“He mentioned a difference of opinions and a falling out. Is there more?”

“I think he’s become romantically involved with another patient.”

“You probably mean Alice, the young lady you both befriended. Given Alice’s past I find that hard to believe.”

“I really think they’re involved. And I think it’s become physical. I know she’s had it bad in the past but my brother can be very persuasive. Didn’t anyone catch them sneaking about? You have all those cameras.”

“Let’s go take a look at the footage from the last few evenings. I’m sure we can sort all this out without upsetting the patients.”

Seth followed Dr. Hurd into one of the offices. There was a single computer and a wall of high-tech DVD players. Seth frowned. “There are no monitors, and no security guard.”

“No, just days and days of footage. But the patients don’t know that. How far back do you want to look?”

“If I’m right, last night should be enough, maybe the night before if they were afraid I’d tip you off.”

Dr. Hurd dropped a disc in the computer and let it load. It took just a minute for him to skim through to the eight pm marker. “I’ll set it on fast forward and we’ll watch the next ten hours of footage.”

People milled in and out of rooms like ants scurrying in a hive. Gradually traffic decreased and then stopped. An orderly did a sweep of the hallway and then a ghostly figure stepped out of room seven. Dr. Hurd paused. “That’s Alice.”

“Let it play normally.”

In regular time they watched Alice cross the hall and move up to door sixteen where she stopped and knocked. After a second the door opened and she disappeared inside. Dr. Hurd pressed fast forward again but they hit the end of the disc without any further sign of Alice.

“This disc was changed at six o’clock this morning,” he said. “I need to take care of this. You can’t come up, of course.”

“Don’t worry; I’m on my way out.”

* * * *

Alice woke up slowly and her first thought, coming even before her eyes opened, was
Why is my right hand numb?
She tried to roll on her back but she hit the wall. She tried to move away from the wall but she was trapped. She sat up as far as her right arm, pinned below the elbow, would allow, and smiled. “Brant,” she whispered.

She laid back and smiled at the memory of their night together. The sex had been gentle and romantic but still passionate. He had taken the time to kiss and caress her until she was begging to be taken.

A knock at the door interrupted her reverie and she panicked. “Brant!” she hissed, shaking him awake. He opened his eyes as the early morning visitor knocked again.

“Hold on,” Brant called, “I’m not dressed.” He turned to Alice. “The bathroom,” he hissed.

She scrambled but the knocking came again and then an authoritative voice said, “Open it.”

Alice stopped scrambling for the bathroom and reached for something to cover herself with as Dr. Hurd and the overnight orderly walked in.

Dr. Hurd was frowning. “Brant. Alice. I really didn’t believe this could be true, not after what you went through to get here,” he gestured to Alice, and then turned to Brant. “And the fuss you made over Penny’s attentions.”

“There’s a big difference between being offered a blow job by a whore with dirty knees and being in love.” Brant reached out and took Alice’s hand.

“It’s not allowed. We encourage friendship and sharing and mutual support, but a romantic relationship creates a euphoric high that masks the symptoms of withdrawal. It’s counterproductive.”

“What about patients who are married?” Brant insisted.

“Love later in a marriage, especially one that has been strained by a drug addiction, is very different from the love of a new couple.”

“So we make each other happy, what’s wrong with that? We both know we aren’t cured yet.”

“Maybe you are aware enough but it’s still against the rules. You both knew that. I’m going to have to ask you to leave, before breakfast.”

Brant stood, no longer caring that he was naked. “I’ll leave, no fight, but let Alice stay. She’s so close to kicking it for good. Please, don’t make her leave now. If I’m not here she can focus on healing.”

“I’m sorry. Please get packed.”

“You heartless bastard.” His hands balled into fists.

Alice touched his arm. “Brant, it’s okay. I feel ready to leave. I don’t think I’m fully recovered but I think I could make it now. We’ll go.”

Brant nodded.

“Can you find my clothes?”

Dr. Hurd stepped back. “Mr. Nichols will wait in the hallway. Please give him your key cards when you’re finished.”

“I’m sorry Alice, if I had kept my fat mouth shut …”

“Brant, I love you, I just needed a nudge to see it. We all would have been miserable with all those emotions bottled up inside of us.” She sighed. “I just don’t know where to go. My mom has a little one bedroom place and my brother wants nothing to do with me.”

“Tell him you’re clean.”

“Without proof from Dr. Keaton he’ll never believe me.” She shook her head.

“Come home with me.”

“I wasn’t fishing for an invitation.”

“Alice, we’re supposed to be in love. Where you go, I go. Where I go, you go. We’ll do this together, all right?”

“What about Seth? I don’t want to rub this in his face.”

“Seth needs to grow up.” He kissed her. “Go pack. I’ll meet you in the hallway.”

* * * *

Dr. Keaton met them at the front door; he was still wearing his coat. “I’m sorry to see you both go. You two were making real progress. Brant, remember your recovery plan, okay?” He smiled at Alice. “I’m proud of you. I think you’ve come a long way these last few days. I might not have been ready to discharge you but I think you’ll make it.”

The secretary called to them. “You need to sign some papers.”

Brant lingered so he could talk to Dr. Keaton alone. “Do me a favour, if you really think she can make it, call her brother and tell him she’s clean. Give him my number so he can find her if he chooses to.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Good luck, Brant.”

They walked out onto the parking lot. The morning commute was well under way and the cars zipped back and forth on the road beyond the manicured bushes. “So, what now?” Alice asked.

Before Brant could answer, Seth stormed across the parking lot. “Seth? I thought you’d have left last night.”

“You lying bastard. ‘Just friends’ you said. You kicked me out so I wouldn’t blow your cover. I thought you didn’t want to get to know any of the low-life druggie scum in the clinic. I thought you said they were all losers.”

“That doesn’t matter now,” Brant said with a shrug. “I know it’s a lot to ask but could you give us a lift back to the farm? I can pay for all the gas.”

Seth laughed. “I don’t want you in my car, Brant. Besides, you still owe me for the groceries and the hotel room.”

“I need this money to get home. I thought I could pay your way too.”

“Figures. You always want something from everybody.” He turned to Alice. “You just wait. When he doesn’t want anything from you anymore he’ll forget all about you. I could have protected you, Alice. I loved you.”

“Seth, I don’t need to be locked in a cage and coddled. I need to learn to stand up to the world on my own. You never would have let me do that. You’re more worried about me getting hurt that I am.”

“I love you; of course I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I don’t need to be protected; I need to be supported. I need to make mistakes and actually learn from them. Would you let me do that? Or are you going to clean up after me all the time?”

“So you think it’s better to be with a drug addict again? What happened to learning from your mistakes?”

“I have. I’m sorry, Seth, my mind is made up, I’m staying with Brant.”

“To hell with you then!” He was surprised to feel tears in his eyes. “When he breaks your heart don’t come crawling to me. I won’t save you!” He turned back to Brant. “And the next time your temper snaps you’re on your own. I won’t be there to smooth it over for you. You’re a spoiled, arrogant, heartless first born bastard. You have never given a damn about anybody but yourself.”

“I’ve heard it all before Seth, I know it’s true.”

“I hope I’m there when this game of yours falls apart. I hope I’m there when you put your foot so far in your mouth that your sponsors abandon ship. I hope I’m there when all your spoiled dreams fall apart and you realize you’ll be stuck growing potatoes just like Dad.”

“Seth, don’t say something you’ll regret. In a few weeks …”

“No, Brant, this won’t blow over. I won’t get used to it. I won’t play second fiddle anymore. I won’t walk in your shadow anymore and I won’t be covering for you anymore. You and I are done. Forever. Find yourself another unlucky schmuck to tune your piece of shit car. Without me your career is over.” He turned and stormed off.

“Seth!” Brant called but his brother never looked back. The car tore out of the lot and into traffic to the sound of blaring horns.

“I guess we’re back to ‘now what?’ aren’t we?” Brant said.

“Did you really say those things?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Turns out I was the low-life scum.”

“Any idea how we’re getting out of here?” she said, taking his hand.

He stared at her in utter amazement. “We find a bus depot, buy two tickets, and get as close to the farm as we can. Then we call for a ride and hope someone there has pity on us. What do you think?”

“It’s kind of romantic in a hobo sort of way.”

He laughed and kissed the back of her hand. “Let’s hit the road.”

Epilogue

The phone rang interrupting Gerald’s rant about potato bugs and ‘green-loving hippy tree huggers’ who hounded him for using pesticides. Chloe happily skipped away from the table with an over-enthusiastic “I’ve got it!” leaving her mom and Trey to listen as Gerald resumed.

“Hello!”

“Hi Chloe, it’s Brant.”

“How does everyone know it’s me from one little word?”

“You’re perkier than Mom and you sound nothing like Dad.”

“Good point.”

“Look, Chloe, I know we weren’t on the best of terms when I left but I need a favor. I’m at the bus depot in Sturgis with no way home.”

“Is Alice with you?”

“I should have guessed Seth would be full of stories. Yes, she’s with me.”

“I’m on my way. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Thanks, Chloe. I owe you one.”

“I’ll put it one your tab. Be there ASAP!” She hung up the phone and breezed back into the dining room. “I have to run to Sturgis. I’ll be back when I’m back.”

“In the middle of supper?” he mother asked pointing to the half-eaten plate of food Chloe was leaving behind.

“I’ll eat it when I get back, I promise. This is sort of an emergency.”

“Maybe I should come with you?” Trey said, avoiding Gerald’s pointed stare.

“There is no need for everyone to get up. I’ll go on my own.”

“Chloe, what is this about?” her mom said. “Both of my boys have already run off to god knows where.”

“I’m only going to the city and then coming straight home. Besides, I can’t run away, you have Trey here.”

“Chloe.”

She recognized that tone of voice and sighed. “I’m bringing Brant home.”

“I’m coming with you,” everyone said at once.

“No, Dad, he doesn’t need to argue or explain himself until he gets home. Trey, you two have never got along, give him time. Mom, he has Alice with him. Meeting the baby sister is less intimidating than meeting the mom.”

“I’m not intimidating,” NAME said.

“You’re a tough country momma, of course you’re intimidating. He’s expecting me, I have to go.”

* * * *

It was full dark long before Chloe would have even reached the city but that was normal for this time of year. Even with the cooler temperatures, Gerald, NAME, and Trey took their after dinner coffee and went out to the covered porch to wait. The night was clear and silent and the sky went on so far in every direction that Trey felt they were the only people on Earth.
So different from the crowded skyline of the big city. I can see why Chloe loves this place. There must be farms near Chicago. Maybe we could buy a little place with just enough land that we don’t feel crowded.
He was happily imagining a quiet rural life when the inky black was split by two beams of light.

They all sat up a little straighter and held their breath. The lights turned into the driveway, blinding them.

“They’re here,” NAME said, setting down her mug. She was down the front steps before the car had even shut off. Brant stepped out of the car to find his mom waiting to hold him. “I wasn’t sure I’d be welcome.”

“Nonsense, let’s get your bag. What took you so long to get home? Seth was back three days ago.”

“Then he was speeding. We had to wait at the depot; the bus to Sturgis didn’t leave right away.”

Chloe came around the car with a pale young woman in a very thin coat. “Mom, this is Alice, Brant’s friend.”

“Brant’s girlfriend,” Brant corrected, taking Alice by the hand.

“Well, well. It’s getting to be a full house. Come on in, both of you.”

The men were still waiting on the porch. Trey took Brant’s duffle bag and Alice’s backpack and nodded once at Chloe. “I’ll take these straight upstairs, you just take your time.”

“He didn’t have to do that,” Brant said.

“He’s getting out of the way in case Dad decides to yell at you,” Chloe said with a cheeky grin. “Come on Alice, I’ll show you around the house. It’s going to be nice having an extra girl in the house.”

Alice looked over her shoulder but Brant just stood there with an amused grin on his face and made no attempt to stop his sister.

“So,” Gerald said. “Rehab?”

“Yeah. It was the damn painkillers. I was so angry about New York I tried to use the pills to kill an emotional pain. It didn’t work very well.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” his mother asked. “We’ve been worried about you.”

“I thought a drug addiction would end my career so I went away to get it cured.”

“It didn’t take you long.”

“Well, I fell in love with Alice and they kicked me out. I’ve only been clean for two weeks or so and it’s going to be hard to stay clean, but I have nowhere else to go now.”

“What about this Alice? What sort of issues is she dragging us into?”

“Gerald!”

“No, Mom, Dad’s right to ask. She’s clean. The doctors would have released her in a few days. I know it’s tough to feed one more but she has no one but me.”

“We’ll work it out,” NAME said. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“So am I. The sponsors …”

“That can wait, Dear.”

“It’s okay Mom,” Brant said, laughing. “I’ll be back on the track in the morning. When’s the next race?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Okay, I won’t be running that one. I guess that gives me a week to practice and a week for Rueben to promote my return?”

“Yeah. But we have another problem. Seth is gone.”

“Gone?” Brant’s eyebrows furrowed. “Gone where? For how long?”

“We don’t know,” NAME said. “When he got home the first thing out of your father’s mouth was ‘where’s Brant?’ and then Seth exploded. He said some terrible things about you, and your father, and then hid in his room. By morning he was gone. He’d taken clothes and tools and his car. He hasn’t called us since then, never left a note.” She stopped as the tears overwhelmed her.

Gerald wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “What are we going to do with a mechanic?”

“I can get a mechanic anywhere, Dad. What are we going to do about Seth?”

His mom smiled. “Thank you.” She took a deep breath and calmed herself. “We’ll deal with it in the morning. Let’s go in and have dessert.”

Inside Brant found Chloe had set Alice up at the table with coffee and was regaling her with stories about Brant. Brant settled beside her and took her hand. She smiled. “Are we staying?”

“Yeah, it looks like we’re staying, at least for a week. I have to travel for the races but we’ll sort that out tomorrow.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “I think I could just stay here with Chloe, right?”

“Oh, no, you two are getting along, aren’t you.”

Alice nodded.

“I’m doomed.”

“Maybe, but I love you.” Alice kissed his cheek as Chloe laughed and the rest of the family just smiled.

~~ END ~~