Sweep Me Off My Feet Ch. 04

Zayne and Brinxton kept up the same general schedule, and it was February before Zayne knew it. His dad's driver was able to take him to his first ablation of the nerves along the spine, but the second ablation, set for two weeks after the first, was a busy day for Zach and their dad, and Elias had a shift scheduled, leaving him completely without a ride, and he wasn't allowed to drive himself home afterwards.

The household was talking about it before Brinxton came over, and still didn't have any resolution by the time Brinxton knocked on the door. Zach got up and opened the door, deciding he would let Brinxton in without stopping his thought, so Brinxton heard his muffled voice before, "...and it's not like we can just have you wheel yourself back home or something. You're also not allowed to take a taxi or uber."

Zayne sighed. "I could reschedule it."

"Reschedule what?" Brinxton asked, absent-mindedly kissing Zach on the cheek.

"My..." Zayne trailed off while Zach got a grin on his face.

"Well nice to see you too, hot stuff," Zach said before he pointed at where Zayne was sitting in his chair.

Brinxton winked at him and kissed Zayne full on the lips before muttering, "Look it was bound to happen eventually, I just decided to head it off while you were present."

Zayne chuckled. "Well, you did say you wanted to know what dating a twin was like. We were talking about my ablation though. I have no ride and they won't let you uber or taxi from it. I'm not allowed to drive for a few hours after the procedure."

"It's important though because his left leg keeps giving out on him thanks to pain," Zach pointed out.

"Plus he has more nightmares when it hurts," Elias added, which got him a glare from Zayne since he hadn't mentioned his nightmares to Brinxton yet.

"Nightmares, huh? I didn't know you even liked horses," Brinxton quipped. "When is it?"

"Wednesday at eight AM," Zayne replied.

Brinxton took out his phone and texted his boss. The reply came quickly and he looked up with a smile. "I can take you! Apparently my boss has been bugging me to take PTO for a while because I have some use/lose time coming due at the end of my work year."

Zach and Elias gave each other a look, but Zayne smiled at Brinxton. "I appreciate it. I'll order brunch for us to make up for you having to drive me."

"Yeah, I'm sure brunch is all you'll do to thank him," Zach said, making it clear that they all knew better.

Brinxton smiled broadly, not seeing a need to confirm or deny his interest in such activities. He was sure that Zayne would find a way to make the day special no matter what happened. Zayne told him to ignore the two idiots though as he wheeled into the kitchen and pulled out two water bottles and a box that looked like medication. He motioned to Brinxton with his head and then wheeled down to his room, where he put the waters to the side and sat down on the bed after shedding his pants.

Zayne opened up the bag that the box came in and pulled out a shot as well as a bandaid and alcohol wipes. He started to wipe down an area on his leg before he moved on to getting the shot ready to take. Brinxton watched with interest, sensing that this was a new evolution in their relationship. Zayne wasn't particularly shy about medicating in front of him, but this was the first time he had seen this particular ritual.

"Monthly migraine medicine," Zayne explained as he put the shot up to his leg and pressed the button. Brinxton heard the shot click as the needle went into his skin, and then Zayne gave a pained expression as the seconds ticked by. Another click, and then Zayne moved the shot away and cleaned off the blood before putting a bandaid on and putting the shot back together and in the box, which he threw away in a sharps container that was attached to the wall. "I have it pretty well under control between that shot, injections in my neck every three months, and rescue medicine."

Brinxton winced at the look on his face when the needle penetrated his skin, but he could see how that little bit of discomfort may be worth the benefits. Zayne explained that many of the injections he got were a little painful but not horrible, but his monthly shot, and the ablation, were always intense to go through. They were worth it though.

The next week, when Wednesday hit, Zayne dressed in a long sleeved t-shirt and joggers that were easy to get off. He made sure he had his wallet and phone before he slipped his sneakers on and got into his wheelchair. He met Brinxton at the door and they went out to Zayne's car since it was the best set up for the wheelchair, and low enough to make it easy for Zayne to get in and out after procedures.

Zayne gave directions and they pulled up to a building that was specifically for his spine doctor's office. When they got into the building, they took his insurance card and ID and got him checked in, asking for Brinxton's name and number before having him sign that he was responsible for Zayne's transportation that day.

When they called Zayne's name, they let Brinxton come back to the room. Zayne explained it was part of his care plan because he'd had times in procedures where he went non-verbal because of anxiety. Brinxton could stay in the recovery room rather than seeing the procedure if he wanted, but he could also come into the room with Zayne to advocate for him if it was necessary. The nurse came in and started going over everything with Zayne, checking his vitals, and having him take his Xanax before the procedure where she could see the bottle and watch him take it.

Brinxton sat down in the chair in the room, his and Zayne's jackets in his arms. They gave Zayne about twenty minutes for the Xanax to kick in before the doctor came in to speak with him. They went over exactly what they would be doing, though Dr. Kaur commented that he knew Zayne knew all of this already. He let Zayne get his shirt off and handed it to Brinxton before Dr. Kaur had them put the side of his bed up and then they went into the procedure room.

They let Brinxton sit off next to the wall, giving him a mask to wear. Zayne's bed was moved to right next to the procedure bed, where the side was pulled down and Zayne carefully rolled over onto the new bed onto his stomach. They put a pillow under his stomach and under his feet for comfort, and then had him put his arms up near his head. He laid his head down to one side so he could see where Brinxton was sitting. Brinxton smiled encouragingly, his face concerned but confident in the doctor's skill.

The doctor gave Zayne warnings whenever he did something, like pulling his pants and underwear down so they were sitting right at the bottom of his butt. The doctor draped covers all around Zayne so only the part of his back they would be working on was visible. Then they cleaned off the area with alcohol.

The doctor and his team worked methodically. He started with one extremely long needle that was attached to wires. He warned Zayne there would be a poke, then put the needle in, slowly working it down while asking one of the technicians to keep taking images to make sure he was going into the right spot. Zayne's face really only showed what was going on when the needle got down into the bones on the side of the spine.

They did this three more times, the needles all parallel to the spine on the left side. Each time the needles reached the bone, Zayne's upper arms and face would tense up. Zayne closed his eyes and took some deep breaths to try and get through it, knowing this wasn't even the worst part of the ablation.

"How are you doing?" Dr. Kaur asked Zayne.

"Okay," Zayne replied, his voice tense but evening out.

"Alright, we're going to do the difficult part," Dr. Kaur said. "You know the drill. Let me know if it's going down your legs, okay?"

Zayne gave a brief nod and a thumbs up. They went through testing it one needle at a time, going through different frequencies to see which one wouldn't go down his leg. Zayne's whole body looked tense, though it was clear he was trying to keep his back as relaxed as possible. He cried out a few times as the frequencies went down his leg, causing pain to spread all through the sciatic nerve.

Once they found the right frequency for one, they moved onto the next one, going through the same routine for each one. Zayne tried his best to stay as quiet as he could, but he cried out more than once with each needle.

When they found the right frequencies for each one, the doctor gave Zayne a warning that they would start the actual ablation at that point. It used soundwave frequencies to burn off the nerve endings, and they would do it for about five minutes before giving him a break and then doing it for a few minutes more.

Zayne closed his eyes against the sensation of the frequencies being sent through the needles, focusing on his breathing. His brows were furrowed from the pain and his shoulders looked tensed up but that was the only sign anything was going on besides the noise from the machines. It was only once it was done that Zayne really relaxed. The doctor carefully pulled the needles out and then wiped away some of the blood from the injection points before laying down a large bandage on top.

Zayne pulled his pants back up once the sterile sheets were taken away and they brought the other bed back over and helped him carefully shift over to that one, this time laying on his back. They got him back into the recovery room where the nurse came in to go over all of the normal risks and what he should be looking for as worrying signs, like extreme pain, fever, being unable to walk, and the like.

She helped Zayne stand up and then had him carefully march in place to show he was stable enough to handle getting into and out of his wheelchair. Zayne gave Brinxton a grateful smile when he held the wheelchair steady so Zayne could get in.

"You take care of him, okay, handsome?" the nurse said to Brinxton as they went to leave. Brinxton smiled at her but didn't otherwise acknowledge the compliment.

Zayne rolled his eyes. "Stop flirting, Lorraine. You don't have the right goods for him."

Lorraine's eyes were sparkling with humor as she winked at them. "Can't blame a girl for trying, can you? Next time bring that twin of yours. He always flirts back."

Brinxton carefully got Zayne into the passenger seat of his car and put the wheelchair away. As they drove back to Zayne's house, Brinxton looked over and commented, "So that was an experience. How often do you have to do that?"

"About once a year," Zayne replied. "They do one side first, and then two weeks later they do the other side. They don't want to do it all at once because it's a pretty intense procedure and they can't exactly put you under or numb you very much for it. I also do an epidural injection every year too. They've talked about pain pumps, but we haven't done that yet." Then he was quiet for a moment as he looked at the window in thought. "I guess you can see now why Daniel hated going to the procedures and surgeries."

"Not really," Brinxton said, "It was fascinating. It's hard watching you go through pain, but I've accepted that pain is part of your life, so long as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks."

"They do," Zayne agreed. "The pain in the moment sucks, and I can be sore afterwards for a few days, but it's helped a ton. I used to barely be able to bend down to wash my legs or dry myself off. I can't tell you how many times Zach or Elias have helped me with that, and it's embarrassing and dehumanizing sometimes."

Brinxton reached over with his free hand and squeezed Zayne's thigh gently. Zayne smiled and put his hand over Brinxton's. It felt so natural to do so; it had been so long since he had held someone's hand like this but it felt right. Once they got back to Zayne's house, Zayne went on one of the food ordering apps and with Brinxton's input, ordered a small feast for them.

They had eggs, french toast, crepes, bacon, and more. Zayne, with Brinxton's help, set it up so the coffee table was closer to the couch and he sat on the chaise section while he let Brinxton sit next to him and they ate there and talked. Despite the intensity of the procedure, it ended up being a great day.

The next event that came around was in March, as the weather was just starting to be a little nicer and it was getting warmer. Their small group decided to go together, with Daniel saying he would meet them all there. They took Zach's SUV because it was big enough for everyone and Zayne's wheelchair.

They got Zayne into his wheelchair and headed down towards where everyone was supposed to be when they were met with a gravel pathway that would take them the rest of the way to the venue. Zayne stopped right before the pathway, looking at it with his eyes narrowed as he tried to decide whether his wheels could handle it. His wheelchair never did well with small pebbles. The wheels always got stuck or wouldn't move.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to get through," Zayne said with a frown on his face.

Brinxton looked at him and frowned at the pebbles. "What do you want to do? We can text the others and let them know we can't make it or see if there's a more accessible option?"

Zayne looked thoughtful for a moment. "I mean, we could try with my cane, but I don't know how far we have to go. I believe the invite said this was the only way in. It's supposed to be a nice secluded venue for privacy. I suppose you could go and I could just come back when the event's over..."

Brinxton didn't even hesitate before shaking his head. "No, you're the only person who makes these things bearable."

Zayne couldn't hide the smile that caused, as a warmth went through his chest at the thought. "Let's go back to the car and text the others. Elias and Zach likely won't even hesitate to leave. Daniel and Brielle can do whatever they want."

Zayne was proven right too, because Elias and Zach came back quickly and their comment was that the food wasn't worth leaving Zayne behind. So they went back to the house and ordered food instead while they played some card games and board games they had. Zayne and Zach were fairly competitive, and Elias made a joke that at least the only thing that could be injured here were egos.

Daniel and Brielle eventually showed up, though Brielle kept to herself on her phone while Daniel played some of the games. Daniel let them know the plans for the rest of the wedding events. Most of it was stuff the others didn't have to be there for, except for Brinxton, like tux fittings, the rehearsal, and such. He did tell them he hoped they would come to the rehearsal dinner as extended family, and he had plans for them all to rent out an amazing suite in Las Vegas for the bachelor party so they could gamble, go to shows, and have fun.

Brielle rolled her eyes at that plan. "It sounds so basic, but whatever you want, my love." Then she looked over at where Zayne was. "Were you going to the bachelor party or is the bachelorette more your thing?"

Brinxton, looking offended, glared at his sister, but kept silent for now, wondering what Zayne would say. Zayne saw his offended look and put a hand on his shoulder to show he was okay before he turned to look at Brielle and said, "That depends. It's not worth going to the bachelorette unless I'm gonna get a full brazilian, a mud bath, manicure, pedicure, and a facial. So unless you're taking care of all of that, I'll just take Vegas. Pampering isn't pampering unless you're as smooth as a baby's butt."

Brielle rolled her eyes at that. "Have fun in Vegas then."

"We'll bring you back a souvenir," Zayne told her. "Unfortunately I can't buy you a new personality, but I'm sure we can find something sparkly."

Daniel sighed but Brielle couldn't help but smirk at the good comeback. "Can you two stop it?" Daniel asked.

"What? This is how we bond," Zayne said. "Or, I suppose, we could bitch about all of your annoying habits."

Brielle grinned at that. "That's a good idea. Maybe we should go get a mani/pedi."

"No, absolutely not!" Daniel cried.

Brinxton snorted at the instant response from Daniel. Zach offered to pay for the mani/pedi, which just got Daniel to try and shut it down more. Zayne started to ask Brielle if Daniel still had some odd habit in bed, and Daniel put his hand over Zayne's mouth before he could finish the sentence.

They were all laughing and horsing around when Zach's phone rang. Zach answered while Zayne leaned into Brinxton's side a little and said in a low voice, "See? Your sister can be handled with the right motivation."

"Honestly she's the one who has determined how close we get and she's always been happy with more than a little distance between us," Brinxton shrugged helplessly.

Zayne kept himself against Brinxton and gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, if it helps, I'm pretty sure Zach and Elias are ready to adopt you."

Brinxton looked thoughtful about that as the conversation continued on around them. Zayne looked over at where Zach was on the other side of the room, just listening into the phone with his other hand over his ear so he could hear better. Zach was completely still now, ignoring the joking atmosphere behind him, and Zayne felt the change in him like it was happening to himself too. He instinctively knew something was wrong.

Brinxton felt Zayne tense up against him as he watched his twin say a few words to whoever was on the phone. "What's going on?" Brinxton asked in his ear, indicating his brother with his chin.

Zayne shook his head. "I don't know."

Brinxton looked incredulous and said, "Use your Twin Telepathy!"

Zayne gave a weak chuckle. "It doesn't quite work like that. I just know something's wrong. Zach? What's up?"

Zach turned back to the group, his eyes meeting Zayne's and it was clear there was some sort of communication going on between them before Zach said into his phone, "Yeah, we're on our way. I'll see you soon. Let me know if you hear from the doctor, okay?"

Zayne had already moved over to grab his shoes so he could put them on before Zach had spoken, and Elias asked Zach what exactly was going on. Zach explained to everyone there that their dad collapsed and was being taken to the hospital via ambulance. They didn't know much, but their mom said he looked awful and she was worried it might be a stroke or heart attack.

Zayne stopped moving then, looking at his brother with a look that showed his shock and worry. After a moment, he went back to getting his shoes on, but Brinxton knew the man well enough now to tell that it was mostly a mechanical thing. Zayne was on autopilot. Brinxton looked at Zach with an obvious question in his eyes, wondering if he should come along or not.

Zach gave him a nod to say he should come with them while everyone else went about getting ready to leave. Brinxton got himself ready and helped get Zayne into the car quietly, sensing that he didn't need conversation as much as the space to wrap his head around what was happening.

Elias got into the driver's seat of the SUV while Brielle drove her and Daniel over, and when they came into the hospital waiting room, they found Aspen sitting in one of the chairs looking like she had been crying. As soon as she saw them, she got up and ran over to throw her arms around Elias and Zach.

"Where's mom?" Zach asked.

"She's in the room with him," Aspen replied. "I haven't heard anything recently. I know they're running tests right now but that's about it."

"I'm gonna run to the cafe," Elias said. "Does anyone want coffee? Tea?"

A few people asked for coffees, while Zayne asked for a chai tea, and Elias and Aspen went off to get the drinks. Zayne wheeled over to one of the big chairs and locked his wheels before getting out and sitting down in one of the normal chairs. When Brinxton sat next to him on the bench chair, Zayne immediately took his hand and clung to it like it was a lifeline. Brielle looked between their hands as she sat down across from them but she didn't say anything, just looked at her brother questioningly.