Love is a reason to stop drinking

Chapter 17: Gerard's and Frank's relapse

A few days had gone by since the boys, Bandit and Lnyz had returned to New Jersey. Gerard knew he had the bailiff coming round, however, the beautiful singer had a different plan in mind "When will we get the news we can keep Bandit?" Mikey asked the bailiff.

"I'm not too sure, where is her father?" The bailiff replied.

"We're not too sure either, it's been a few days since he left... the last time he was like this, he ended up in an AA meeting"

"Ha! AA meeting my ass!" Lnyz laughed "more like sat in the pub the fucking drunk" she rolled her eyes.

Frank looked at the boys "you don't think it's possible, do you!" Mikey held Frank's shoulder and he had his face in his hands.

"We're so sorry Frankie, he's still the same person"

"He promised he'd change, he promised me" he cried out.

"He doesn't change for anyone, if you don't mind, I'll be taking my daughter" Lnyz grabbed her daughter's wrist and dragged her out.

Frank called and called and called and called. Until he finally gave up "I'm going to bed" and he walked up the stairs.

The bailiff walked out and it started getting dark when the man of Frank's dreams walked in "WHAT THE FUCK!" Mikey shouted.

Gerard looked at his brother "what?" He hiccuped.

"IF YOU CARRY ON DRINKING THE WAY YOU ARE, I'M GOING TO DISOWN YOU, RAY AND I WILL LEAVE YOU AND FRANK WILL END UP KILLING HIMSELF! I KNOW IT'S HARD WITH BANDIT STAYING AT YOUR EX GIRLFRIEND'S BUT YOU NEED TO GET SOBER TO WIN BACK YOUR DAUGHTER!" Mikey shouted.

"Oh well! At least I'm safe" his other brother hiccuped.

"SAFE!? SAFE!? IF THE COURT SEE YOU LIKE THIS THEY WILL GIVE FULL CUSTODY TO YOUR EX GIRLFRIEND! YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Mikey slapped his brother on the back of the head.

"Ow you tart!" Gerard snapped, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't be a dick! Stop drinking and get your life back on track! Fuckface!" Mikey said as Ray ran downstairs.

"Guys" Ray cautiously said as the two brothers were still shouting at each other "guys!" He raised his voice trying to get their attention "WOULD YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING!?" He finally shouted. "You're an alcoholic" he said looking at Gerard "babe, you have anger issues, I'm not sleeping and Frank's relapsed" the boys ran upstairs and found Frank laying on the bathroom floor, eyes shut, smiling. "Frankie, come on! We got you! Mike get the first aid kit"

Gerard couldn't move. While Ray and Mikey were trying to stop Frank from bleeding Gerard's whole body stopped as if it became a clock with dead batteries. Mikey looked over at Gerard, eyes wide open and unable to blink. "He's going to be okay, Gee, I promise" the leader of the band didn't say a word "Gee, I promise he's going to be okay, come on, come 'ere" Mikey tried to comfort his brother.

The oldest brother started shaking hysterically his head "no, no, I can't! This is all my fault, I promised him, I promised him I'd stop, I can't let him die, I've lost Bandit, I let myself, my brother, my brother in law and Frank down, what have I done?" He trembled over to Frank and collapsed to the floor "this is all my fault. I should've stopped, I promised you I'd change and I haven't" he cried. He held Frank up to feel a beat "PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" He screamed.

Frank just managed to open his eyes "everyone slips up, it's not your fault" he barely spoke and forced himself to hug Gerard "do what you can to get Bitty b back, if anything happens, I'll be there" paramedics ran in and took Frank to the ambulance.

The three boys stood at the door and Mikey closed it when Gerard went to his room holding a photo of the four boys when Bandit was first born, Gerard holding Bandit, Mikey and Ray holding each other and Frank smiling at the father of a new born baby.