Your Memory Will Carry On (Mikey Way)

Frank

                  

I woke up for the third time to sun shining on my face. I decided to get up this time, instead of rolling over and trying to sleep again. I sat up slowly, pulling my hair out from under my sweaty neck. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand.

There were posters on the wall of bands that I was not familiar with. The bed I am in is not my own. I can't remember where I am, for a split second, but then I smell pancakes. I get up, my t-shirt falling to my mid-thigh.  The shirt is not mine either. My door is cracked open, so I slowly push it open and peek down the hallway. I can see someone's head poking around in the kitchen. I step into the hallway. I walk toward the kitchen, and the floor boards squeak, making me jump along with the man in the kitchen. His head turns to me. It's Gerard.

"Jesus, Chris. I didn't expect you to be up yet. I was gonna make you breakfast in bed." He said, dramatically throwing a hand over his heart. I smiled. Gerard's eyes fluttered down to my legs, seeing the bruises, then back up to my face, seeing the gash on my temple.

"I can go back if you want." I said, smiling.

"No, no. Just have a seat at the table. It's almost done." He said, turning back to the pan on the stove. "I made you pancakes."

"Do I like pancakes?" I asked, trying to scare him by making him think my memory loss is much worse than it actually is. Gerard whipped his head around so fast I was sure he pulled a muscle.

"Seriously? Chris, tell me you're joking." He said, sadness filling his eyes. I laughed, and he relaxed a bit.

"Yes, I'm joking." I laughed. He relaxed, and pointed at me with the spatula.

"Chris, your sarcasm might actually be the death of me. You can't do that this early in the morning." Gee scolded. I shrugged.

"How early is it? I didn't see a clock."

"Mikey doesn't believe in clocks. He prefers to wake up naturally and judge the time based on the location of the sun." Gerard answered, plopping pancakes onto a plate. So I was in Mikey's room last night. But where was Mikey?

"So what happens when he needs to be up at a certain time?" I asked. Gerard walked over to the table and put the pancakes down. I took two and placed them on my plate.

"That's what big brothers are for, I guess."

"What are big brothers for?" Mikey asked, strolling into the room with my mom right behind him.

"Alarm clocks." Gerard said sharply, fitting a quarter of a pancake into his mouth.

"You know I don't like the sound they make." Mikey defended. He sat down at the table and took a pancake. My mom did the same.

"Good morning, Christina. How are you?" She asked. Mom seemed to be in a good mood today.

"Same as yesterday. How are you, mom?"

"I'm alright. Gerard's room is awfully dark. I nearly walked into the bedpost." She answered with a laugh. I smiled and took a bite of Gerard's pancake. It was nice, warm and fluffy.

"Wow, Gerard. I didn't know you were such a good cook."

"Yes you did. I used to cook for you all the time." Gerard said, looking at me with wide eyes. I looked down, embarrassed.

I just wish I could remember.

There was a very awkward silence after that, only filled with scraping utensils across plates.

The front door of the Way's apartment opened. Frank shoved open the door with his hip while he put something under the welcome mat. Probably the spare key. He stepped in fully, and closed the door behind him. He scanned the room before he spotted us at the kitchen table. He smiled immediately and moved toward us.