You're a Mind Fuck, Babe

Chapter 30: This Means War

Over the next three weeks, I've grown quite fond of Fletcher. As much as he pukes, cries and shits all the time, he's cute and fun to have around. He's really kicking our asses and Gerard and I's sex drive has been at an all time low. I haven't seen Gerard half as often as I usually did because he hasn't been at school. I see him after school some nights if I'm lucky. He'll be heading back any time now. My mom hasn't brought him back up in conversation since we had dinner a couple weeks ago. I'm glad for that. Gerard's been tutoring me when he can. Brendon hasn't bothered us much at all. He's been getting into a lot of fights at school though and I feel sorry for him. Not as sorry as I feel for Mikey though. We still haven't heard from him but we're still taking care of his baby. I'm sure if we tried hard enough, we could find him but we're all too busy to track him down.

Tomorrow's my birthday and it's on a Monday which really sucks but what can you do? I'm probably just gonna go as a Frankenstein monster as a clever joke. But today, I'm hanging out with Fletcher and Gerard at the park for a picnic. I feel like we're already a married couple with a child. The sun is out and the leaves are dancing in the wind as they fall gently to the ground. People with their dogs go by and parents with their children. It's a picturesque scene for such a dangerous town. I lay back on the blanket we have laid out. The sun burns my eyes so I close them. There's a sudden weight on my stomach and I'm forced to open my eyes, squinting and trying to shield my eyes from the sun with my hand. Gerard set Fletcher down on me.

"It's your turn to hold him, you already ate," he laughs. I sit up, picking Fletcher up carefully and holding him. I watch Gerard as he eats his sandwich, admiring the silence. I usually don't enjoy silence but after three weeks of either hearing Fletcher cry or teenagers shouting, I've grown to love it.

Once Gerard finishes his sandwich, we pack up and leave. We head back to Gerard's place and find Mikey sitting on the couch with tears in his eyes, looking like shit. Gerard really needs to change his locks.

"Mikey? What's wrong? Where have you been? Are you okay?" Gerard asks the second he closes the door.

"I was scared and I fucked up and I-I just wanted to see him. How is he?" Mikey replies.

"He's good. He's a pain in the ass but we still love him," Gerard answers.

"I'm so sorry," Mikey cries. I hand Fletcher to Mikey so he can hold him and Mikey starts to cry even harder. I help Mikey position his arms to make sure Fletcher won't fall.

"You're not even out of high school but you're still taking better care of him than I am. I'm so so sorry to the both of you." Neither Gerard nor I reply.

"Look, I've found this place where I can take care of Fletcher in a safe environment with less crime rates and stuff to protect him, you know? So I came here to take him with me. I know that I should've never left but I'm here to fix that. I want to be in my son's life," Mikey explains. As much as I wish I could, I can't stop him. He stands up with Fletcher in his arms. He moves towards the crib and sets Fletcher in it. I stand there completely stunned and unable to move as he begins to pick up Fletcher's toys and pack up his things. I wish I could protest but I can't. No words will leave my mouth and I can't get my limbs to function. Gerard looks just as stunned as I am and just as paralyzed.

"I already have a nursery set up so I won't need a lot of these things. Thanks for not resisting," Mikey says while pushing past is and leaving with Fletcher. I go to lunge towards him but Gerard grabs my wrist firmly, stopping me.

Mikey closes the door behind him and I collapse to the floor. I start crying. I don't really know why. Fletcher wasn't really mine. But I loved him as though he was. Who knows when we'll be able to see him again. Gerard sits on the floor beside me, his eyes are glassy. He pulls his knees into his chest. I stop crying and sit there completely numb. As much as it hurts that he's gone, I feel a little better not having to worry every five seconds if he needs to be fed or have his diaper changed. But it wasn't all that bad. He was cute. He looked kinda like Mikey but with bright blue eyes.