Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 23:36:40
From: Jeff Langdon <jeff_langdon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Westlife Romance - Chapter 44

Westlife Romance - Part 44

Nicky glanced at his watch.  Seven o'clock.  He walked over to a payphone
and picked up the receiver.  "At least the lines are back up," he thought as
he slowly dialed Shane's number.

"Hello?" It was obvious that Shane had been up for a while now.  As a matter
of fact, Shane had been up all night.

"Shane...it's Nicky..."

"I don't have anything to say to you, Nicky," Shane answered coldly.

"But Shane..." The line was cut.  Shane had just hung up on him.  Sighing,
Nicky dialed again.  This time, he dialed Mark's number.

"Hello?" Mark answered groggily, though more awake that Nicky would've
expected at seven in the morning.

"Hey Mark...it's Nicky..."

"Nicky...where were you??" Mark asked with a more awake tone.  "We couldn't
find you anywhere and it was raining outside and your mobile had no
answer..."

"It ran out of batteries..." Nicky answered.

"So where are you?  You know that Bryan's missing too?  He ran out yesterday
afternoon and he's still not back yet," Mark asked worriedly.

"I know, Mark...Bryan's at the hospital," Nicky continued.  "He..."

"He's WHERE??" Mark shouted so loudly that Nicky had to pull himself away
from the receiver.

"He's in the hospital, Mark," Nicky replied again.  "But he's fine.  They're
going to release him later today.  You lads should come..."

"Which hospital?" Mark asked in a more calm tone.

"St. Mary's...Room 405..."

"Okay, we're on our way..."

"Great," Nicky answered.

"Nicky?" Mark asked before hanging up.

"How 'bout you?  You alright?"

"I'm fine, Mark.  Thanks."

Within ten minutes, the three lads were in a taxi heading to the hospital.
Shane was upset with himself for hanging up on Nicky, but was more worried
about Bryan's well-being.  Kian, who was feeling somewhat better, was
shocked to learn that Bryan was in the hospital, though he was still
preoccupied with the Derek question.  Mark was the calmest of the three
lads, though he too was worried about Bryan, but also about Nicky.

The three lads walked into Bryan's room just as he was stirring from his
sleep.  "Hey, look who's here?" Bryan managed to ask with a smile.

"Well, you're certainly cheerful for someone who just spent the night in a
hospital," Mark commented.

"Hey, it wasn't anything serious," Bryan answered.

Shane still looked worried despite Bryan's apparent good spirits.  "You sure
you're okay?"

"Yep," Bryan answered.  "Doctors say I can leave later today."

"What the hell happened anyways?" Shane continued.  "You were gone for the
entire day and next thing we knew, you end up in a hospital!"

"I just went out for a drink at some bar, and then ran into two lunatics and
then I ended up here," Bryan stated matter-of-factly.  It was then that
Bryan noticed that Nicky wasn't in the room.  "Hey, where's Nix?"

"I don't know," Mark remarked.  "Maybe in the cafeteria getting some
breakfast or something.  He was the one who called me this morning..."

"Oh..." Bryan answered, somewhat disappointed that Nicky wasn't there.  Even
though what Nicky said yesterday still hurt him, Bryan was eager to see how
his friend was holding up.

For the next hour, the four lads just chatted.  They had cancelled
everything for the day since finding out about Bryan's condition.  The door
opened and in came the nurse.  "Breakfast time, Mr. McFadden," she said
cheerfully as she set down the tray of food.

"Thanks!" Bryan answered happily as he began to eat as he was famished.
"Oh, and have you seen my friend by any chance?"

"Oh, you mean the young man who brought you here last night?"

Bryan looked confused.  "Was he blond?  A little shorter than me?"

"That's him," the nurse commented.  "You two caused quite a commotion last
night in the emergency ward.  I hear you were both drenched and sporting
quite a few wounds.  The other nurses tell me he carried you in the rain
from a few miles away."

Bryan sat silent for a minute as he absorbed the information before turning
to the nurse again.  "So do you know where he is?"

"Well, I just came in for my shift.  Let me check with the other nurses."

A couple of minutes later, a slighly older nurse walked into the room.  "Hi
Mr. McFadden, I understand that you're looking for Mr. Byrne, is that
right?"

"Yes," Bryan answered.  "Where is he?"

"I'm afraid that I can't seem to locate him at the moment.  He might have
gone to the cafeteria for some rest.  He didn't sleep at all last night,"
she continued.  "But he did ask me to give this to you."

...to be continued....