The spring of 1985 posed many new problems for my ever-changing life. My best friend Violet since preschool finally faced the music. 

Violet lost her mom in a car accident two years ago. Since then, she found unhealthy ways of coping. Even though I talked to her, and tried to help her, she refused the help. Death was something I was unfamiliar with. I read books on how to help deal with grief. She turned to alcohol as her coping mechanism.

Then, it came to a head last month in March.  Violet got into a car accident herself after wandering out of a bar drunk. She walked into oncoming traffic and passed out in the middle of the road. 

Police and ambulances came to her side. When I got to the hospital, I was beyond angry at her.

"You got to get help. You can't keep putting yourself through this toxic cycle," I told her as she lay there in agony. 

She was defeated and sad. The hospital was no stranger to her. They knew her history and finally, they gave her pamphlets on the Betty Ford Center. I had pushed her for months to go to rehab and clean her life up. It took a near-death experience to have her realize she couldn't go on like this anymore.

After a week in the hospital, I took her home to pack her things and helped her enroll in the Betty Ford Center for their 6-week program. She would get out in May.

Violet would be changed for the better in the next 6 weeks. I would also be changed.

"You promise you will visit every week right?" she begged as I was told to leave for the day.

"Every Saturday I promise Violet. We will be here to support your growth," I told her.

"And you can also call here every day to check in on Violet," the rehab nurse told me as she gave me the center's number and Violet's room number.

"You got this. I promise," I told her as I hugged her.

The first week seemed to drag on to the first visit. 

I was allowed to bring her little things like perfume, deodorant, stuff like that. So, I made my way to the Betty Ford Center early Saturday morning to visit with Violet for at least 2 hours. She had nobody but me for moral support.

When I walked into the residence, I of course signed in and went to Violet's room. However, she was not there.

I stopped a nurse and she told me that the residents were doing a group activity in the big room. She took me to the room and told me to have a seat to wait for Violet. 

She was in a partner pairing for some sort of art activity.

I guess she noticed the time and turned around and looked at me. Her partner was lost in conversation with the other person at their table.

Violet motioned for me to come over to the table.

"Is it OK if I come over here?" I asked her.

"Of course silly," Violet remarked.

"I brought you some stuff," I told her as they dismissed the mini-class.

"It's been a rough week," she mumbled.

She paused before her partner told her something.

"Oh, this is uhm one of my fellow, uh," Violet explained.

"Ralph," the male introduced himself. He had a distinct accent.

He looked so familiar but I couldn't place his face. I racked my brain to figure out who he was.

"Ralph this is my friend (Y/N). I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her," Violet said to Ralph as he extended his hand out to me to shake.

"You both took a very courageous step towards help," I told them both.

He smiled meekly at me.

"Thank you," he whispered. 

Violet looked like she had been through hell for the past week. 

"May I ask, what you are in here for? I don't mean to sound nosy I just, I want to be able to help you too," I told Ralph.

He sighed.

"Well, I-I was using cocaine as a coping mechanism while also drinking," he replied.

"Well if no one has said it. You should be very proud of your courageous first step towards help," I told him.

Violet had gone to the restroom while I carried on my conversation with "Ralph."

I studied his face while he vented about how he had a terrible breakup and it turned him into a hermit and he just failed at life for the last 3 years. 

Sometimes people in these situations just need an ear.

Violet joined back soon.

"Hey wanna go to my room?" Violet asked me.

"Oh sure," I replied totally not paying attention to her comment.

"Sorry if that was too much I mean you came here to see Violet not me," he remarked.

I shook my head.

"No no, don't say that. I am glad you put your trust in me. I will see you later ok?" I told him as I extended my hand out to him.

He smiled at my action. He was like a lost puppy who had been beaten.

"Till we meet again Miss, uh what was your name again?" he asked hesitantly.

"(Y/N)," I told him as I let go of the handshake.

"(Y/N). I won't be able to forget that," he chuckled.

"Likewise Ralph," I told him.

He waved goodbye to us as we walked to Violet's room.

"What did you bring me?" she asked as she noticed the bag on my arm.

I was back to reality.

"Just stuff you could use. I know how hard it must be being here isolated but you know I am so proud of you. You are getting better every day," I told her as we walked into her room.

I handed her the bag and she was ecstatic to see her favorite body wash.

"You remembered?" she asked teary-eyed.

I wrapped her in a side hug.

"Shhh," I told her as she broke out in a crying manner.

That was one thing one of the nurses told me in private. The first two weeks were the hardest.

I consoled her until she recentered herself.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to," she commented.

"You have nothing to apologize for," I told her.

The first visit was over and another week went by. But this time, I brought stuff for Violet and Ralph.

I went to the front desk and asked if Violet and Ralph were taking visitors this morning.

"We don't have a Ralph," the lady told me.

"He told me his name was Ralph," I replied to her.

"Can you describe him?" the secretary asked.

"He has an accent if that makes a difference," I told her.

"Oh Mr. Gibb," she remarked.

"Mr. Gibb?" I asked him.

"Yes, Mr. Gibb," she replied.

"Oh okay. Well is Violet Kingston and Mr. Gibb accepting visitors?" I asked her.

"Yes just sign in and you will be taken to them," the secretary told me.

"Thank you," I told her.

And so, I made a promise to myself at that moment. Mr. Gibb would be Ralph till he was ready to tell me who he really was. It took courage to come here to get help. If it weren't for the front desk lady, I would have never put two and two together for weeks. For his protection, he would be Ralph. For Violet's sake,  I would continue coming to the center for the next 4 weeks. I was to help the two of them get to a better place. 

Authors Note:

Hi everyone! Here is another Andy Gibb what-if fanfic. This time, I decided to take it from the perspective of when Andy went to the Betty Ford Center in 1985. This is going to take another direction of "what if" if he had found someone who was willing to meet him halfway: his demons and all. Let me know your thoughts! Look forward to the same weekly updates as my other book series.