Race to Recovery (Full Throttle) (10 page)

Chapter Six

Seth took his jacket back from David, one of the orderlies, and walked into the center only to be intercepted by Dr. Hurd.

“Good morning, Seth, I’m glad I caught you. We had an incident yesterday that I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Brant didn’t do anything stupid, did he?” Seth’s stomach was churning but his concern was not for his brother. He’d seen the way Brant had looked at Alice and he understood Brant’s stubborn and possessive nature better than most.

“No, actually it appears Brant was approached by another patient. They had a brief exchange, though neither will reveal what it was about, and then the other patient hit your brother.”

“Really?”

Dr. Hurd frowned, “You sound surprised.”

Seth shrugged. “Brant has a history of not controlling his temper.”

“Well, I just wanted to give you a head’s up. Brant got pretty badly beaten and I’m sure the bruises are even uglier this morning. He’s likely to be sore and in a bad mood, I know I would be.”

“I’ll watch out for him.” He started to walk away but Dr. Hurd stopped him with a gentle hand.

“If Brant mentions what the fight was about please let us know. We like to be away of any problems that may be stewing among the patients.”

“He’s tight-lipped at the best of times but I’ll stay alert.”

“Thank-you Seth.”

Seth jogged up the stairs and rapped his knuckles on Brant’s door. When Brant didn’t answer Seth knocked again and said, “Come on Brant, I don’t care how sore you are or how sorry you feel for yourself, get out of bed and open the door.”

Still no answer.

“Fine. I’m going down for breakfast. If you miss out don’t be mad at me. You’d better be up by the time I get back.” Seth stomped off.

When he reached the dining room he saw Brant and Alice holding hands across the table. Something reared up inside of Seth. He’d been jealous of Brant before for the way their father had doted on him and the way the girls at the track had flocked to him. Years ago, when the jealously had gotten painful, he’d found ways to push it down. He’d told himself he wasn’t interested in the one night stand type of girl so it didn’t matter that they weren’t interested in him.

He imagined the day when one did notice him and he politely turned them down, acting flattered but humble in the process. He told himself he didn’t need an outward acknowledgement of their father’s approval. A well-maintained race car that won consistently was proof he did a good job. If their father was too blind, or ignorant, to realize the importance of a mechanic that was his loss and not Seth’s.

It had worked and Seth had quietly stepped down to pay second fiddle without ever trying to compete. But now Alice had changed all that.
I have to play this right. I’m not flashy or attractive like Brant but there are other strengths in this world, strengths Alice has already said she’s interested in having in her life.

Seth had always considered himself a reader of people; it was how he had stayed ahead of his brother’s clumsy charm and arrogant attitude. He could see Brant’s rage building and could end or turn a conversation subtly without giving offense to avoid tactless remarks or harmful rants from his brother. He could judge people’s responses to Brant and he acted accordingly, heading off anger and annoyance whenever possible.

Brant is blind to anything that is not centered on him and he gives little or no thought to the consequences of his words or actions.

Like with Alice. Seth knew it was best for him, and for her, if he let her set the pace and tone of their friendship. When she shied away from a topic he avoided it. When she asked to be distracted he filled the air with pointless stories. He could protect her from insult and intrusion while she healed and he could save her from future grief.

Brant will only hurt her. He presses when he should back off. He’s abrupt when he should be gentle. He’s direct even though it offends. That is not what Alice needs in her life. Not after being hurt so badly by so many people.

Seth scanned the room and located a table of half a dozen disgruntled men. They varied in size and general appearance but the one with the black eye was by far the largest. Seth had met any number of men like him, big, generally hard-working, but short on patience when it came to fools, idiots, and liars. Brant, the loud mouthed, cocky kid he was had angered more than his fair share of these men on his trips to the bar. It wouldn’t surprise Seth to learn that this man with the black eye was a mean drunk.

The other men at the table had dark look on their faces, looks that spelled danger, and Seth was suddenly fearful that the next fight would see Brant facing a mob.

Alice happened to look up and notice him. She waved and he had to come in though he was sure he could learn more by standing on the edges for a while longer.

“Good morning,” he said. As he got closer he could see they weren’t really holding hands as he had feared. Alice was inspecting the damage to the back of Brant’s hands. “You look beautiful this morning, Brant. Purple is definitely your colour.”

Alice giggled and Seth felt better.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Brant said.

“I ate before I came,” Seth lied.

“Can you believe this?” Alice said. “We leave him alone for five minutes and he comes out looking like this.”

Seth smiled and pulled up a chair. “I can believe it. If I leave him alone in public for five minutes, half the time he comes out looking like this.”

“I do not,” Brant snapped.

“Okay,” Seth conceded. “I was only really counting when I left him alone in the company of other men. He generally handles himself quite well around the ladies.”

“Can it, Seth,” Brant snapped. “I was young, single, and I drove a fast car. Yes there were a lot of girls, no, I didn’t have flings with all of them, and no, I don’t plan to have flings with any more of them. You’re worse than the goddamn shrink.”

Alice had physically pulled back from their harsh voices and in the silence that followed Brant’s statement she cleared her throat. “I thought only me and my brother fought like that. I need to use the ladies’ room. Excuse me.” She pushed away from the table and walked with forced calm from the room.

“Nice going, Brant,” Seth muttered.

Brant just stared longingly at the door.

“Do you want to tell me what this fight of yours was about?”

“It was just two aggressive personalities and a pointless misunderstanding, okay?”

“No, not okay. I suppose you’re sticking to that story?”

Brant nodded.

“Why?”

“I don’t want to scare Alice.”

“Was he threatening Alice?”

“No, nothing like that. He was mad at me, only at me, and I kept it that way. The rest doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.”

“To you or the doctors? They harassed me for an hour last night. It doesn’t matter Seth. They made their point; they don’t want to get kicked out. It’s over, so leave it alone.” Brant grabbed the trays of dirty dishes and walked away from Seth.

I don’t recognize Seth anymore. He was always so laid back, so easy going, so quick to try to smooth things out, to soothe everyone, to make it all better. I’ve never seen him take a verbal jab at me, at least not in front of other people, and never one that sharp before. Of course I hardly recognize myself anymore. I feel less confident, but less angry too. A week ago I would have swung first. A week ago I would have tried to get him kicked out for picking a fight with me. I thought the withdrawal would make me angrier and more aggressive.

Returning to Seth he said, “I’m tired of cards. I wonder if they have any board games.”

Seth’s jaw dropped. “You hate board games, you said they were pointless!”

“What else is there to do? Come on.”

* * * *

They were both surprised when Alice joined them a short time later. Seth hid his behind a smile and said, “Do you want to play? We could start over.”

“We just didn’t think you were coming back. Ow.”

Alice smiled a little. “Thanks Seth, but it’s okay. He’s right. I don’t like when people fight. It stirs up a lot of bad memories.”

“That’s okay,” Seth said.

“Was there a lot of fighting at home? Is that why you left? Ow! Dammit Seth, stop kicking me. I’m sore enough from the fight yesterday.”

That stopped Seth short. Pain had gotten them into this mess.
There’s no sense in asking for more trouble. Besides, Brant isn’t listening to subtle hints like he used to. At least I made her smile.

“No, I came from a very normal, very safe, suburban family, except that my dad died when I was young. The fighting came later. I had a long string of bad relationships.”

“You said you and your brother fought.”

Seth wanted badly to kick his brother again but he also wanted to know more about Alice so he waited.
If she shies away I’ll scold Brant and make her feel safe again. Right now he doesn’t seem to be upsetting her too much.

“He didn’t approve of my lifestyle; I guess you can’t blame him. After the last time I left a rehab center without an ‘all clear’ from the doctors there my brother came to see me. He told me he was done, that he wasn’t coming to rescue me anymore. At the time I was in love and living with the man who was supposed to keep me clean so I spat in his face. Not literally, but we didn’t end things on a happy note. When things went from bad to worse than I could handle I swallowed my pride and called him. He …” She stopped and took a long shuddering breath.

“Brant,” Seth said, “I think that’s enough prying. You’re upsetting her over something that’s none of your business.”

“He hung up on me,” Alice said before Brant could snap at Seth. She forced a smiled as she swallowed her emotions and went on. “I had to get here on my own, but maybe this time I can stick it out.”

“So you’ve been in rehab before?”

“Brant! Enough already!”

“Yes,” Alice said. “I’ve been in rehab before. But I’m interrupting your game. Whose turn is it?”

“Brant’s,” Seth said and quickly handed him a set of dice.

Brant’s mind was racing. He wanted to ask more questions but she had made it clear she was done answering.
But how do you make small talk after a story like that? How do I show her I understand how hard it was for her to talk?

Out of the blue he said, “I had a big fight with my sister recently. It sounds like it ended about as well as yours did.”

“Chloe still talks to you,” Seth pointed out.

“Only because Mom makes her. She has this look in her eyes like she’d rather eat the fertilizer we get from the beef farmer than talk to me.”

“Now there’s a pleasant thought,” Alice said, making a face. “What did you fight about?” She relaxed now that the questions weren’t directed at her.

“Growing up, I guess. She wanted to and I wouldn’t let her. She fell in love with a man that I didn’t like so I refused to believe anything but rumour even when Chloe basically slapped me upside the head with proof that I was wrong.”

Seth’s eyes just about fell out of his head.
Brant has never admitted to being wrong. Those three words in that order have never come out of his mouth before. When we checked in he was still blaming Chloe and Trey for everything.