TONIGHT WE'RE GOLD

FORTY-FOUR

'Congratulations to my favorite psychologist,' Gerard says when Frank joins him in the kitchen. He's not awake enough, but that makes it even better.

'Technically, I'm not a psychologist yet –' the tattooed man mumbles, wrapping his arms around his husband neck.

'Details. Doesn't mean I'm less proud of you.'

'Thank you.' Gerard just pecks him. 'No, I mean it. I would have never done it if you wouldn't have encouraged me, and supported me all this time.'

'I'd do it again.'

Frank leans in for a kiss, taking in the moment. He's graduating college. He's almost forty, but he's finally graduating. And after everything he's gone through, he's proud of himself, and can't help smiling. 'How are our little demons behaving?' he asks.

'They're doing great. I just fed them, so they're finally asleep.'

'I missed the house being so quiet.'

'It has never been quiet,' Gerard tells him. 'Between you and the dogs.'

'Oh – is that how it is?' He slaps Gerard playfully, and that turns into a playful fight, and that into more kisses. 'God – I miss this! But I need to take a shower and get ready before they wake up.'

'Maybe we can continue later. As a graduation gift.'

'I'd love that.' He goes upstairs and gets in the shower.

He can't believe it's his graduation day. He'd never thought in a million years that he'd be actually getting his degree, and a year earlier he probably would never consider it. But he's excited.

He'll get to help kids and people to get better, and that makes him feel like he's doing something. It may not be music, but seeing the look in their faces when he tells the kids that things do get better in the end, makes his heart full.

And they do get better.

Thinking back to when he was working as a server, living by himself and not sure where his life was going. Sure that he'd be alone forever because nobody wanted to be with someone as fucked up as him. Anxious all the time. About to break his sobriety at any moment because there wasn't really a point. And now – he has a family, a degree, a job. He's okay.

He smiles at his own reflection, and an idea comes to him.

He finds the clippers and the scissors in the top drawer. It's time for a change. He loves his long hair, but it's too damaged from the bleach, and his roots are showing. It's time.

He likes it. Short on the sides, and only the blond tips on top.

He puts on a button up and dress pants, combs his hair and fixes himself in the mirror. On one pocket, he carries his nine month sober chip, on the other, a silver cross his mom gave him when he was younger. But his real good luck charms are waiting downstairs.

'Look at you, babe!' Gerard says, all excited. He approaches for a kiss on his way to take Dylan upstairs for a change. 'Can you help me with Emi?'

'Of course.' They put them on some cute outfits they found for the occasion, and get their bag ready. The babies are barely a month old but they've both mastered being parents already.

'Your parents are meeting us there,' Gerard says as they get in the car.

'Let's go, then.'

***