Therapy

Gerard's eyes fluttered open. He heard an awful beeping sound ringing in his ears. He looked around the room sleepily. He was hooked up to a heart monitor and other machines he didn't know the purpose of. He noticed his younger brother, Mikey, curled up in a chair in the corner, asleep. His mother was by his side, squeezing his hand. Her head was down as she pressed gentle kisses on his pale hand. He frowned at the awfully bright white room. It smelt of hospitals. Gerard laughed to himself, probably because I am in hospital. He then groaned to himself as he realised what had happened. He looked down at his bandaged arm. I failed.

***time lapse***

It had been almost half a month since Gerard's failed suicide attempt. Donna had moved Gerard and Mikey to Belleville. She had a childish thought that everything would magically get better after moving. But as she listened to her eldest son screaming and crying, slamming his fists into the wall and floor, she realised nothing had changed. Gerard still needed help. Help that she couldn't give him alone.
"Can you tell him to be quiet?" Mikey mumbled angrily, growing tired of listening to his brother throw tantrums.
"Mikey, please stop complaining," Donna rubbed her temple with her finger tips. She had a horrible headache, and Mikey's moaning was only making it worse.
"The neighbours are going to know he's crazy..." Mikey sighed loudly as he heard something smash. Suddenly everything went quiet and Mikey sighed in relief.
"Gerard's not crazy, Mikey. Please stop saying that" she mumbled. Just then Gerard appeared in the doorway. His knuckles red and bleeding. Donna shot up and walked over to her son, grabbed his hands and inspecting them.
"Oh sweetheart, lets get these cleaned up, yeah?" she said softly, desperately wanting to shout at him but too scared of what he'd do if she did. She pulled him over to the sink and put a cloth under the tap. She dabbed the wet cloth over his knuckles, cleaning the blood of them. Mikey rolled his eyes at how much of a pushover his mother was.
"You treat him like a fucking prince," he mumbled before leaving the room. Gerard carried on staring at his hands. He felt like such a fuck up. His mum pushed his sleeves up his arm so she could wrap bandage round his hand. Gerard noticed the scar on his wrist. The sight of made him feel ill.
"Mum?" Gerard's voice was barely a whisper, but his mother's head shot up to look at him.
"Yeah, sweetie?" she carried on wrapping the bandage round his damaged hand.
"Does Mikey hate me?" he choked out, trying not to cry. He knew his mum would lie to him. He knew Mikey hated him.
"Of course he doesn't, Gee. He loves you, you're his brother he would never hate you," She gently stroked his cheek with her hand. He nodded gently, not wanting to go any further with the questions.
"School tomorrow, hey?" Donna said cheerfully, trying to make Gerard smile. He shrugged and faked a smile.
"Yeah, can't wait" he said sarcastically. His mother rolled her eyes and moved away from him.
"All done...Look, sweetheart, school will be fine, you'll make friends easily," she said hopefully. Gerard nodded again, not wanting to say anything. Truth be told, he was terrified of going back to school. Especially a new school. What if he didn't make friends? What if he was bullied? He started to feel sick at the thought.
"Thanks, mum" he mumbled and held his hand up, gesturing to the bandages wrapped tightly around it. She settled her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.
"It'll be fine, I promise" she said before letting Gerard leave the room.
It was almost midnight, and Gerard was still wide awake. He was too scared and anxious about starting school again he couldn't bring himself to even close his eyes. He groaned and rolled onto his side, so he was staring out the window. Trees rustled in the wind, he could see the moon through the tree branches. He sighed and forced his eyes shut. Soon, with the sound of the trees blowing in the wind, he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Notes