Frerard - Free Now (Null Trilogy Part 2)

Part 5

My father stared back at me blankly, no hint of recognition on his face. "Excuse me?" he spoke and I read his lips.

I gulped. "Dad, please..." I signed. He frowned and turned to Miss Bowen, asking me what I was saying.

Miss Bowen looked rigid as she translated my words. Gerard gripped my hand tightly, his jaw locked as he glared up at my Dad.

He soon left, and it felt like a massive slap in the face. I was transported into a memory of how the door slammed all those years ago when he walked out as a drunken wreck. The vibration of the present door slamming brought me back into the real world.

I shook madly, my shoulders hunching. I stood up and ran out, ignoring Gerard's signs for me to stay. It all made sense to me now. Why I wasn't getting my treatment.

I ran to my venting spot - the graveyard. With tears down my face, I sat in front of the largest gravestone and just cried. My father was the reason I'd lost my hearing, and now he was denying it from me? What a heartless bastard. I had to let the deaf foundation know about what he was doing.

I then sighed. What reason would they have to believe me? They'd just think I was lying because I hadn't got my treatment yet.

I stayed crying in the same spot for a good half an hour until I felt the crunch of gravel under someone's feet. I turned and saw Mikey.

Mikey sat beside me and rested his hand on my shoulder before pulling me into a comforting hug. My tears had stopped, but I still let out dry sobs.

I looked up at Mikey sadly. He gently pushed me away from his chest so he could sign to me.

"What happened?" he asked with small signs.

My hands shook as I motioned. "My Dad is the one who's stopping me from getting my hearing back...he's the new appeal manager, and he saw my name, so he's been stopping me from having my operation..."

Mikey seemingly gasped. "Oh Frank...I'm so sorry...but why are you here?"

"I ran out," I admitted. "I couldn't face it..."

Mikey nodded. "Where's Gerard?"

"I left him there." I looked down. Mikey pressed his lips to my head and helped me up, taking me back home. Gerard was sat on the stairs and looked up when we entered. His face changed with relief when he saw me with Mikey. My husband grabbed me in a tight hug. I hugged back half-heartedly.

Mikey made us some coffee, which I drank gladly. He also gave the second best cuddles - under Bob of course - and he knew that I thought that, so he decided to stay and cuddle me with Gerard.

I closed my eyes and slowly fell into a broken sleep, finding myself not wanting to wake up.