We're Chasing The Sun (Frerard)

Chapter 26

"We'll catch the train to Lyndhurst and then we need to take the bus," Gerard disclosed his plans, finally, as Frank would think. Not that that enlightened him entirely, he was still in the dark, and it was obvious that Gerard was still being slightly cryptic about it. 

At a loss, Frank admitted, "I don't know where Lyndhurst is."

"We're in New Jersey, Lyndhurst is in New Jersey," Gerard offered, a sigh escaping him as he continued, "and I figured we could get the bus from there to get to my grandparents'."

Frank didn't speak. Again, that didn't provide the major help he was hoping for; he didn't know where Gerard's grandparents lived. So, he sat tacitly and observed Gerard packing their stuff, double-checking his wallet and everything. And thus, he seemed to be lost in his own little world again. But it would've been awry if he had been so lost not to listen to Gerard utter the single, sly-informative word; "Belleville."

"Huh?" Frank unfroze, shaking his thoughts away.

"That's where my grandparents live and, y'know..." Gerard mumbled, unsure, "I figured...you'd wanna...we could... If you want to, of course. We could pass by and you could see her?"

Frank stared at him like a goldfish, unblinking, his mouth agape, unable to produce words, which started to creep Gerard out after a while, until Frank finally squirmed out of that state to say, "Thank you."

"T-thank you? I-I just thought..." Gerard stammered, growing nervous. Drawing an invigorating breath, he shifted back into his former attitude and fumbled in his pocket for the scrap of paper he'd jotted Frank's mother's address on. He stared at it for a while and then handed it to Frank. "You don't need to, if you don't want to. I-I figured you'd wanna see her but...I'm not sure now."

"Of course I want to see her, Gerard," Frank said, his voice sounding calm but somehow sad, wistful, "she's my mother."

***

Public transport was, apparently, less complicated than registered in Gerard's memory. The only issue that occurred during the commencement of their journey was getting on the full bus. After finally getting on the bus, an equivocal twenty-minute ride followed. A true ordeal but, nonetheless, Gerard could manage. 

He didn't say anything, but he was convinced the driver was either drunk or nonexistent. And God, his neck had started hurting after so much head-bobbing. Not to mention, he and Frank were squished and at times almost separated from each other on that cramped bus of hell. Frank was firmly holding on to Gerard's hand, palms clammy from the heat, apprehension, and pressure. It seemed like an eternity had passed until they were finally free. 

"Fucking finally," Gerard grumbled, his hair falling wet on his face as if he'd run an entire mile.

Frank didn't complain. He was too busy studying the area, eyes darting around frantically. "This place looks so familiar."

"Thank fuck they didn't drop us off at some desolate place or something...My grandma's house is that way." Gerard pointed a finger limply to a long road ahead, scattered dwellings alongside the sidewalk. "We can go leave the stuff there, say hi, and head off. She won't mind if we tell her we'll come back."

By the time he'd finished his sentence, they were already walking down the long road. Lapsing into silence; which was more of an alleviation rather than a burden. It was a needed silence, during which Gerard enabled his deep-contemplation mode again, the place awakening memories from two years ago. 

Two years ago, Gerard had visited his grandparents in the summer, along with his friends. Ray, Bob, and his brother. It was strange to think about how everything had changed since then. Summer, he thought.