Stray Heart

Last of the American girls

I'm currently resigning in Mike's big grey Ramones shirt and my lacy pink underwear, with my hair up in a messy pony tail. Mike made waffles drenched in syrup. I smile at him sweetly as he hands me the plate with a cup of orange juice, snuggling up next to me to eat his own. He is the best boyfrie- FIANCE!!

'Thank-you my love.' I say, eating the food.

'No problem babe.' He replies, digging in to his own. It's back to school soon, and no one can be bothered in the slightest. The heating is currently broken so Mike and I have just spent two days snuggled under the duvet together in a vague attempt to keep warm, and showering together to, y'know, save water...

My phone suddenly rings, and I pick it up without reading the caller ID.

'Hey Nicola.' A male voice calls.

'Hello? Who is this?' I ask warily, holding the phone closer to my ear.

'It's Jimmy. Your brother.' Ah yes, another piece of my past I have eluded from everyone here for the past 5 and a half years.

'Hey Jimmy! How are you? I haven't seen you in donkeys!' I squeal down the phone.

'Well, I'm about as good as you can be locked up in a fucking looney bin.' He growls.

'But health wise you're okay right?' I say.

'On the mend my dear, on the mend, they're letting me out for the first day out by myself in 4 years.' He whispers.

Mike's POV

Who's that guy she's talking to on the phone? I've never heard of him before. He sounds British, maybe an old friend from England I suppose. Nicola hangs up the phone and I walk over to her.

'Who was that?' I enquire, wrapping my arms around her waist.

'Oh, no-one.' She replies quickly, trying to walk away but I pull her back so she is facing me.

'Nicola?' I question. 'Why so secretive? I know you're hiding something from me.'

'Okay,' she begins, 'When I used to live in England, I had a brother. His name was Jimmy and he was 2 years older than me, but he started to go a bit crazy. He'd cut every night and thought that he was some sort of God. He called himself the Jesus of Suburbia, the son of rage and love. It consumed him, he'd go from being regular Jimmy to this St Jimmy, and then he'd do all sorts of crazy things; he'd vandalise, he'd be violent, anything he could do to rebel. He met this girl, oh, whatsername? Anyway he met this girl and she was really good for him, whenever he had a turn, she'd be there to help him, but she couldn't handle it forever. She broke up with him and we lost Jimmy, it was St Jimmy or nothing, and when he chose nothing it was even scarier, he'd sit there and stare at the walls, without eating or sleeping for days. Unfortunately, with the breakdown of my parent's relationship, they couldn't handle our St Jimmy, so he's been in a looney bin with Schitzophrenia and Multiple Personality Disorder for the past 7 years on East 12th Street.' She was choked. Why did she hide this from us for so long? Tears have formed in her eyes and they're rolling down her cheeks. I wipe them away with my thumb gently and hug her. Comfort her.

'I'm so sorry I pushed you to tell me that babe.' I whisper and she shakes her head.

'No, no, you didn't, I needed to tell someone. It was burning me up inside. He's being allowed out for an entire day by himself - first time in 4 years.'

I smile and hug her tightly.

Nicola's POV

When we have both finished our waffles Mike makes an excellent suggestion.