FRERARD Haven't Got a Prayer boyxboy

part 7

                I had forgotten about calling my mom… I really had.  So I was seriously caught by surprise on Friday afternoon when I got home.  Earlier that week Gerard had gotten in trouble.  I couldn’t get specific details, but basically he got in a fight.  Mikey told me that the guys had been saying something about their dad, and Gerard just snapped.  He had to go talk to the pastor, which seems like a big deal to me, but Mikey didn’t seem too worried.  I tried talking to Gerard about it, but he just brushed me off.  I don’t blame him.  I wouldn’t be keen on talking about it either.

                So anyways, on Friday afternoon I was walking home with the Way brothers, like we tend to, and they invited me to spend the night at their house.  The only other time I’ve ever spent the night at someone’s house was when we were smoking pot, and we were both too high to move so we just passed out.  I figured that this time wouldn’t be anything like that.

                They had turned down the road to their house and I was running to ask if I could spend the night.  I planned to ask Grandma, not Uncle Clark, because I had a feeling Grandma would say yes.  I knew Uncle Clark would say no.

                When I got to the house I ran through the front door like a cyclone of energy.  “I’m home!” I called out happily.  But nobody answered.  I stopped, looking around, and automatically feeling uneasy.  “Hello?” I called out.

                “We’re on the back porch, dear,” my grandmother’s voice reached me, and I carefully placed my bag on the floor before walking to the porch.  It just didn’t feel right.  You know what I mean?

                Imagine my surprise when I walked onto the back porch and was instantly glomped by my mother.  For one, I hadn’t been hugged by anyone besides Gerard for the past five-ish weeks.  Secondly, my mom was there!  I hugged her back, and it was only when she pulled away and I saw the disapproving expression on Uncle Clark’s face that I felt uneasy again.

                “What’s going on?” I asked slowly, and my mom led me to sit down next to her on the porch swing. 

                “I’m here because of a phone call you made last weekend,” my mom said, and I immediately began trying to remember if I’d made any prank phone calls… then I thought back.  And I remembered kissing Gerard, and then I remembered calling my mom.  The memory came rushing back and hit me on the forehead.

                “Oh…”

                “Baby!  I had no idea you were so unhappy here!  Why didn’t you get a hold of me sooner!?” she insisted, sounding like my very worried mother.  I had really missed her.

                “I-I was… just upset…” I said slowly, trying to find words to explain myself.  Uncle Clark continued staring me down.  “It’s no big deal…”

                “I’ve been trying to call you all week but couldn’t get through,” My mom explained, and I pinched my lips together.

                “He’s grounded,” Uncle Clark droned.  “The boy needs to learn how to hold his tongue,” I rolled my eyes without meaning to and he jabbed a finger at me.  “See!? That is exactly the problem!  Complete disrespect,”

                Hypocrisy is really annoying… just saying.  One of my pet peeves.  Whenever I see Uncle Clark my middle finger gets a boner.

                “Oh hush, Clarence,” Grandma rolled her eyes.  THIS is why I like this woman.

                My mom set arm around my shoulders, a loving gesture she’s always done, and I kind of leaned into her.  Because I hadn’t been able to for five weeks, and because I kind of missed it.