Together, they cleaned the fridge and took the trash out to the garage, where AJ discovered six open cases of Bud, their contents drained and neatly replaced. AJ emptied each box into the recycling until it was so full, Brian had to use one of the flattened cartons to compress the cans.
“He missed one,” said Brian cheerfully, holding up a lone undrunk beer.
AJ frowned. “Aren’t we cutting back?”
She had really frightened herself after theSNLholiday party. She couldn’t remember going home that night, or fucking Brian, or throwing up in her bed, all of which she’d apparently done. She’d awoken the next day in her bathtub, upper body clothed, lower body ass naked, pieces of her fight with Noah lodged in her mind like shrapnel. WhenBrian had found her he’d thought it was hilarious, but he’d readily agreed to Dry January once he realized how upset she’d been.
Now, he shrugged. “It’s just Bud.” He popped the lid, downed half, and offered it to AJ, who threw back the rest mostly to drown out her own revulsion.
Then they headed over to Patrick and Elle’s split-level and stripped their beds, emptied their trash. When AJ wept over Pat’s inanimate running shoes, Brian held her.
Brian was easy in the waiting room. He sat equidistant from Mike and AJ’s dad and watched the silent television with an unobtrusive expression on his face. If anyone spoke to him, he responded kindly, then went right back to occupying himself. AJ, who felt like she had enough to juggle with her family, appreciated that Brian did not make himself one more person to appease.
Libby, of course, felt like AJ had brought Brian to show her up. The main downside of being fully supported by Lucas was that he worked long hours, so while Libby could (and did!) frequently mention that he was “upholding the Constitution,” she was also mostly alone.
Whatever dissatisfaction Libby felt on this score was now being redirected at AJ and Brian through a number of choice comments about how AJ shouldlock him down—presumably as a reminder that she, Libby, had successfully done so.
“Such ahelp,” said Libby after Brian had brought their mother a cup of water. “Age, you should reallylock him down.”
AJ found these remarks extremely irritating, but Brian wasn’t fazed. He would turn to Libby and ask her about her own life with such earnest ESPN-journalist interest, he could mollify her for up to an hour at a time.
“You really should lock him down,” whispered Mike after one such intervention.
“Because he has a way with huge egos?” said AJ.
Mike shook his head, getting shy. “Because he’s a good guy.”
The only person who didn’t seem particularly keen on Brian was Emily. At first, AJ assumed she was preoccupied with Patrick. Of all of them, Emily was spending the most time in his room, wordlesslycommuning with him while he slept. But one Sunday night, Brian brought dinner to the hospital, and AJ got to observe them together.
It wasn’t that Emily disliked Brian so much as she didn’t really take to him. She was friendly enough, and AJ doubted whether Brian knew the difference, but when Emily loved you, likereallyloved you, it beamed out of her. With Brian, Emily’s smile was this side of dim.
“Don’t you like him?” AJ asked later as the two of them said goodbye outside Patrick’s room. She hated to go, but she had to be back in the city for work the next day.
“Yes, I like him,” said Emily. “I like him just as much as you like him.”
AJ laughed to hide her dismay.
AJ and Brian hitthe road right after the February 18 episode ofSNLwrapped so they could be at the hospital first thing Sunday morning. Brian was unusually quiet on the drive up. In fact, AJ realized as she caught him glancing at her for the dozenth time, he’d been tense all week.
AJ chalked it up to stress at work. Brian had been traveling as much as ever without any real rest since all their spare time was being siphoned into AJ’s family.
It wasn’t until the next day, when AJ caught sight of the Simmons receptionists’ heart-filled candy bowl and lacy pink calendar, that she remembered Tuesday had been Valentine’s Day.
It felt so far away now. AJ had canceled their plans last-minute for work. It suddenly occurred to her that Brian might have had more than dinner in mind. Automatically, she glanced at his pockets. When she looked up, Brian was watching her.
Before AJ could so much as open her mouth, Elle appeared, baby Claire strapped to her chest. With an apologetic smile to Brian, she grabbed AJ’s arm and whisked her off toward Patrick’s room.
“What is it?” said AJ.
“You’ll see,” said Elle conspiratorially.
Inside, Pat was propped up in bed, looking as energized as AJ had seen him since the accident.
“Age, look!” he said, and raised his right hand a few inches above his tray table.
“Andhe’s feeling some tingling in his right leg,” said Elle, bouncing Claire.
This, they explained, boded well for further recovery, at least on that side of his body. AJ grinned, feeling the vise on her heart ease.
