This Could All Be Yours

19

The next afternoon was spent out on the back patio. I sat on the pool side, tanning and regaining color to my skin, hopefully without getting burned this time.

"Frank,"

I looked behind me and saw Bob walking out to me. "Hey!" I cheered, smiling up at him.

"Frank, Jay's outside."

"What is he doing here?"

"He says he wants to talk to you."

"I'm not home."

"He knows your home, Frank. He knows Gerard left."

I sighed. "I should talk to him...huh?"

"I think it would be better."

"You'll be close by, right?"

"I was instructed by Gerard to be."

Jay was in the hall as I walked towards him.

"Mr Iero! Or is it Mr Iero-Way now?"

"What do you want, Jay?"

"You know, for someone who's supposably sick, you seem to be doing fine."

"I threw up. It wasn't a virus or anything major. I'm fine. Why are you here?"

"I think you know why I'm here, Frankie." He looked me up and down.

I looked down at myself, remembering that I was only wearing my swim trunks.

"You had the nerve to cheat on me when I was gone. You can do it to him." Jay spoke quietly, for only me to hear him. "Remember how good I was to you, Frank? I gave you everything you ever wanted. You can have that again. You can be my little baby again, pumpkin."

"B-But Gerard -"

"It doesn't matter. It'll be too late for him to do anything." Jay pushed my hair behind my ear, "Come home with me, my dear."

His lips were so close to mine.

"Stop it! Stop it! Frank, what are you doing?! STOP!"

"I-I can't..." I spoke.

He pulled back a bit. "What?" His voice was dark.

"I can't be yours again."

"Oh, I see..." he started to circle me. "And how do you know he's not out fucking someone else?"

"Gerard's not like that."

"You used to think I wasn't like that as well, remember?"

Then it hit me and I grew angry. "What makes you think I want you back when you always left me to go fuck someone else?"

"Watch what you say, Frankie. You could get hurt."

"Bob!" I called and he came into the room quickly. "Escort Mr Paterson out, please?"

Bob did as I asked, pushing Jay towards the door. Jay kept eye contact with me until the door shut in his face.

"You okay? Did he hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Two more days, Frank."

***

I had the house closed up in fear of Jay coming back. I stayed in Gerard's office for the rest of the night. It smelled of coffee, paint, and cigarettes. Every inhale made me feel calm, like his arms were around me and my face was buried in his hoodie, breathing him in.

"Frank?" Bob knocked on the door, interrupting my daydream.

"Come in,"

"Hey, why are you not in bed?"

"No reason."

"Well, you scared me half to death when I looked in the bedroom and you weren't there." He walked over to me, helping me up to me feet. "It's late, you're going to bed." He picked me up, bridal style, taking me up stairs.

After he made sure I was settled, he sat next to me. "I know you miss him, but he's coming back in two days. Can you work with me for just two more days?"

"I want Gerard," I whined like a small child.

"Frank, please? I'll get my ass handed to me by Gee if you're not properly taken care of. Cooperate for two more days, Frank, please?"

"Fine."

"Thank you." Bob got up.

"Bob?" I called before he left the room.

"What is it, Frank?"

"Gerard's not cheating on me, right? He loves me?"

"Gerard is crazy about you. Why would you ask that?"

"Jay said -"

"Really? You're letting him into your head?"

"I was just wondering..."

He sighed. "Gerard is not cheating on you, Frank. He would never do that to you."

"Did I cheat on him? You know, after he came home from the war?"

"You didn't know any better."

"I did cheat?"

"It's okay. No ones mad at you, Frank. You didn't know any better."

"I hurt him, didn't I?" I was taking deep breaths to control my emotions.

"Gerard wasn't thrilled about it but it doesn't matter now. And you know why?" Bob grabbed my shoulders, trying to get me to listen to what he had to say. "Because you're his again. You came back to him, Frank. He's so happy he has you again. Don't let someone like Jay ruin what you and Gerard have, okay? You know better than to let him corrupt you like that."

I nodded.

Bob laid me down and tucked me back into bed. "Two more days, Frank," He said, shutting the door behind him.

I had grabbed my journal, putting the date and time at the top like last night, and writing about my day - every last detail.

"Two more days," I repeated.

I pressed the pen back down to the piece of paper in my journal.

"Two more days and I'll be in your arms; safe and secure.

-xofrnk"

I put my journal away and laid back down in bed. I shivered slightly and wished for those two familiar arms to wrap themselves around me, to warm me.

"Gerard is crazy about you,"

"You're his again,"

"You came back to him,"

"He's so happy he has you,"

I smiled to myself, replaying these words in my head. I turned my head, looking at Gerard's side almost like I was smiling at him when I noticed a dusty, faced down picture frame.

"What's that?"

I sat up and crawled over to his nightstand slowly picking up and flipping over the picture frame.

I gasped.

"He still had this?"

It was an old picture of Gerard and I from six years ago. The one his brother took right after dinner with his family. I remember him saying how much he loves this one.

It was broken and I knew why it was.

I held it close to my chest as I laid back down.

"I'm sorry, Gee."