AJ's head jerked up as he stared at Brian. "What the fuck did you just say?"
Brian avoided eye contact with his band brothers and opted for looking down at the ground. "I said he's got cancer."
"Stop messin' around Bri, this isn't funny!" AJ growled.
Brian could only shake his head slowly. "It's the truth."
"How long have you known about this?" Kevin asked quietly, breaking the uncomfortable silence that hung in the air.
Not trusting his voice at the moment, Brian only shrugged his shoulders. Sighing, he slumped down into the seat behind him and cradled his head in his hands. Slowly rocking his body back and forth, he finally replied, his head still in his hands. "What difference does that make?"
Kevin clenched his jaw. "I just want to know, that's all."
"I, um, I don't know exactly how long, but it's not been too long I guess."
"Months? Weeks? Days?" AJ spat.
Brian lifted his head and glared at AJ. "I don't fucking know how long dammit! I didn't tell Leighanne right away either so don't think you're the only people that's been in the dark about this! God, his own family doesn't know about this yet either as far as I know!"
Kevin, AJ and Howie were shocked not only at Brian's outburst but also by his choice of words when he snapped at AJ. Feeling badly that he had pushed his friend to the limit, AJ sank down in the chair that was next to Brian.
"Man, I'm sorry. I.. I just can't believe this...I can't believe this is happening," AJ repeated over and over before he leaned his body forward and covered his face as he started to cry.
Swallowing hard, Kevin took a seat on the bench that was propped up against the house. "Brian, I think you need to tell us exactly what's been happening with Nick. I think we all need to know what's going on, like how this started."
"All I know is what Nick's told me," Brian stated in a somber voice.
"That's fine, I just want to hear something more about all of this," Kevin encouraged.
Brian drew a breath in before he started his explanation. "Well, from what I've kinda pieced together, Nick's been sick for awhile. All he told me was that he's got Hodgeskin's Lymphoma and he's been doing chemotherapy and radiotion therapy to beat this. Nick's not really telling me much about this. All I know is he gets really sick on his chemo days and then he has good days in between treatments."
"What the hell is Hodg..Hodge...whatever the fuck?" AJ snapped, fresh tears streaming down his face.
"It's cancer of his lymph glands. That's why he got so puffy looking and you were teasing him about gaining weight. Well, Nick wasn't getting fat, he was getting sick and he never told anyone because you teased him about it and I think he just thought he was getting heavier and didn't see the doctor sooner than he should have!"
"Come on, let's not start accusing people about all of this!" Howie shouted.
Kevin started rubbing his forehead, trying to push the headache he was developing away. "I agree. This isn't going to solve problems."
"So you're saying I made Nick sick?" AJ rasped.
"I don't know but it seems pretty clear to me that Nick was sick and you kept up with your jokes and comments about his weight and it made him a little embarrassed about it so I think he didn't get help for his problem early enough," Brian spat back at AJ.
AJ put his hands up defensively. "You can't pin this on me! God, Bri, how the fuck was I to know what was going on with that kid? You know Nick, he's always throwing up and getting sick and complains constantly about not feeling good!"
"Yeah, but I think you pushed it too far this time!" Brian stated angrily.
"I didn't push shit! You'r looking for someone to blame about this and you're barking up the wrong fucking tree Littrell!" AJ cried out defensively.
"I'm telling you what I know!"
"You know about as much as we know about this! I think you're lying about all of this shit just so I stop picking on Nick!" AJ challenged.
Brian let out a sarcastic laugh. Kevin, who had up to this point been listening to the two men bicker about the situation, stopped rubbing his temples. "That's about enough you two!"
"Is everything alright? I heard someone shouting," Leighanne asked as she appeared in the doorway.
"Go back and rest sweetheart, it's okay," Brian soothed.
AJ stepped around Brian and faced Leighanne. "Lee, is it true about Nick?"
Leighanne's dark brown eyes darted nervously between her husband's face and AJ's. "What?" Judging by Howie's tear filled eyes and Kevin's pale complexion, Nick's news had been broken to the young men.
"Brian said that Nick has cancer. Is it true?" AJ pressed.
Leighanne immediately burst into tears.
"Oh thanks AJ, way to go," Brian snapped as he placed a protective arm around his wife.
"This is bullshit! How long have you known?"
"That's enough AJ!" Kevin growled.
AJ persisted. "How long have you known?"
"AJ, drop it, please!" Howie begged.
"I- I don't know, maybe less than a week or so, I think, I don't know," Leighanne sniffeled, wringing her hands.
Brian stepped in front of Leighanne. "Stop upsetting her!"
"This is fucking crazy! First, Nick gets sick in Japan, then this doc over there says it's the mumps, then he keeps getting sick at home and he kept saying he wasn't better from the mumps yet. He starts to look like he's five months pregnant and then he shows up here all shitfaced with a fucking hooker on his arm. Now you're telling me he's got cancer? Bullfuckingshit!" AJ boomed.
Howie followed AJ as he ducked back into the house, grabbing his ball cap, his wallet and Nick's car keys. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to see Nick, I want answers," AJ hissed.
"AJ, no, please don't do this!" Brian begged.
"Why the fuck not? He owes us an explanation."
"Nick's going to tell you guys, okay? I wasn't supposed to say anything to you about this," Brian pleaded as he tried to stall.
"I don't give a rat's ass, he owes all of us an explanation and I'm going to talk to Carter and find out where the hell his head is at, that's all."
"AJ, please wait!" Brian called out to AJ as he opened the door leading to the garage.
