Challenge #48 - Angst
Title: Love and Other Bruises (Parts 37 - 40) Author: Foreverbm Timeline: Season 3 - Post 308 A/N: RL calls so this is it for a while. Will try and finish it tonight. I am somewhat regretting attempting to write this story in drabble form but will persevere and hopefully conclude it for everyone's liking soon. Condoms: 4 to Michael
(37)
The morning dragged. Customers came and went. I worked on auto-pilot, answering questions, stocking shelves, my mind filled with thoughts of Ben. I’d picked up the phone a dozen times, my fingers poised to dial his number but always stopping at the last moment. At midday I put up the closed sign, ignoring the irate knocks on the door. I picked up my cell, finally finding the courage to punch in his number, holding my breath, not knowing what I would say if he answered. All I got was a recorded voice saying ‘this number is unreachable at the moment’
(38)
Where the fuck was he! I was really starting to worry now. I knew at the back of my mind I had the thought that he would just turn up, tell me he had stopped using them and our life would gradually return to normal. How fucking stupid was I! He had been using that shit for weeks. I knew you couldn’t just stop with the click of your fingers. He needed help and I just hoped he had found somewhere or someone who could give it to him. I just wished it had been me he had turned to.
*************************************
(39)
I fiddled with my cell, another thought of finding him coming into my head. I punched in the number of Carnegie-Mellon and waited patiently for a reply. A bright and bubbly voice finally answered and when I asked to be connected with Mr Bruckner there was a moment’s silence. The voice was less bubby when it finally replied. “I’m sorry, Mr Bruckner is on extended leave and is not contactable at the moment” I probably mumbled a thank you before hanging up. The tears I had held back finally fell and I put my head in my hands and sobbed.
*************************************
(40)
Loud hammering on the door bought me back to the present. I wiped my eyes on the back of my hand as I walked over and peered out. Brian was standing there. I could see his lips moving but his voice was drowned out by the noise of the traffic. I turned the lock and stepped aside as he walked in, closing the door behind him. “I guess you haven’t heard from Ben?” I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak, knowing tears were once again not far away. “I could fucking kill him for putting you through this!”