Cry Baby (Frerard)

Frank stood by the flagpole as he waited for Mrs. Nestor’s Cadillac to pull up in the drop-off. He had to talk to Jamia and tell her sorry for being so ignorant of her plans. He also wanted to just talk to her and start off fresh on a new day. Jamia still can’t be mad at Frank. She did say she was gonna talk to him later, so he knew she didn’t break off the relationship with him. It wasn’t long before the white Cadillac pulled up, with Jamia stepping out of the car and waving goodbye to her mom. Frank smiled a bit, both happy and a little nervous to see her. He begged in his mind for her not to be the way she was with him yesterday.
“Hey, babe,” Frank said shakily.
“Hey,” Jamia replied, wrapping her arms around Frank. He happily accepted it, smiling to himself that she indeed wasn’t mad with him anymore. She was just having a bad day after all. “I’m really sorry, Frank. I was being horrible to you, and I know you don’t deserve that,”
“It’s okay, honey. I understand. It’s my fault for not remembering you telling me about Lindsey’s birthday party,”
“It’s fine. Shit happens,” Jamia smiled. Frank smiled, leaving a kiss on her lips.
“We still can’t have that date because of it, can we?”
“No, we can. Are you working Sunday?”
“No, I’m off this weekend. Can we have our date that night?”
“Yeah, that’s what I wanted to ask you,”
“Great, babe. I’ll pick you up at five, alright?”
“Sounds good. Let’s go inside, okay?”
“Of course,” Frank said, taking Jamia’s hand and walking with her inside the school. They walked to Jamia’s locker, where she opened it to grab her books for first period Honors Trigonometry class.
“Hey, Frank…,” Jamia said, sighing. “I’m also sorry about calling that kid you’re watching a retard. That was terrible of me. My cousin’s got mental issues like him, so I should’ve known better,”
“It’s okay,” Frank smiled, happy that Jamia took back what she said about Gerard yesterday, calling him a derogatory name.
“I was having a really bad day yesterday. My parents got into a fight, and of course, they got me involved,”
“I kinda figured something was up. But you’re feeling better now, right?”
“Yeah, I am. Hey, I told Lindsey and Chantal I’d meet up with them. I gotta go,”
“Okay, that’s fine. See you at lunch?”
“Yeah, I will,”
“Alright, babe. See you later,” Frank said, giving Jamia a hug and a kiss before they departed. Frank walked down the hall and upstairs to his locker to grab his book for English class. As he put in his locker combination, an afro-sporting kid walked by, waving at him.
“Hey, Ray,” Frank said, waving back.
“What’s up?” Ray asked, stopping next to Frank.
“Not much. Got a new job the other day. Why weren’t you here yesterday?”
“I had a killer headache, so I decided to stay home. What’s the new job?”
“I’m watching after this neighbor’s kid. He’s got some mental issues though,”
“Oh, really? Is he like autistic or something?”
“Sorta like that. He got into a bad car accident, and it messed him up bad,” Frank lied, not wanting to remind himself of the horrible thing that really made Gerard the way he is now. “He’s seventeen, but he’s got the mindset of a four year old,”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Ray frowned. “I feel bad for the family,”
“Yeah, he only lives with his mom. His dad and brother left them not long after the accident, and the mom has to work two jobs to support her and her son, which is kinda why she needs someone to look after him,”
“That’s terrible. What’s the kid’s name?”
“Gerard. He’s really sweet, actually,”
“Wait a minute…,” Ray furrowed his brow. “That name sounds familiar,”
“Really? How?” Frank asked, his eyes widened.
“You’re not talking about Gerard Way, are you?”
“Yeah...I am,” Frank said, shocked. “How do you know him?”
“Him and his mom Donna sometimes stop by the comic book shop I work at. She brings him to look at some of the comics, mostly Batman and Incredible Hulk, and some others. That kid definitely has some issues. One time he had a huge meltdown in the store because his mom wouldn’t buy him a X-Men comic, and he ended up nearly trashing the whole store. It was so bad that Donna and a few other employees had to hold him down. My boss wanted to ban him from the store, but Donna fought with him tooth and nail to let him keep coming because of his disability. She kept saying he doesn’t know any better, which is true, I guess,”
“Yeah, it is. He has his bad days like that. At the end of the day though, he’s a real sweetheart. He has a really contagious smile and laugh,”
“He does. He likes to talk to me about his favorite superheroes. I one time snuck him that X-Men comic book he wanted. Told him he could have it for free. He was so happy to have it, he told me thank you. He wanted to give me a kiss, but of course I had to decline,”
“Yeah, he’s sweet like that. I like working with him,” Frank nodded, looking forward to doing just that when he gets out of school later...and playing his “special games” with him. The first bell rang, and every student stopped and began to walk to their first hour classes.
“See you in gym, Frank,” Ray waved, walking away to first period Spanish class.
“You too,” Frank said, grabbing his books and heading to class. He knew today was gonna be a good day, now that he and Jamia have made up and that he’s yet to see Gerard after school. He wondered what kind of game he’s gonna play with him today.

_ _ _
“Gerard hasn’t been having a good day,” Donna sighed, her son pinned to the floor and wrapped under her arms as he kicked and screamed at the top of his lungs. Frank knew that was so when he pulled up to the driveway and heard Gerard screaming. Frank frowned, seeing Gerard so distressed as he cried and cussed out his mom.
“How come? What happened?” Frank asked.
“First at breakfast, he threw a fit because we ran outta pancake mix and he wouldn’t eat his cornflakes. He then threw a tantrum when I took him to the bank with me to deposit my checks from work. Then, when we got home, he started flipping over some of the furniture and punching holes in the wall. He calmed down and took a little nap, but started back up again when I told him he couldn’t have any cookies before dinner. It was just not a good day for him at all,”
“Wow...that’s not good,”
“Tell me about it. He’s also been...hearing voices and seeing things, too. I think that’s part of the reason why he’s so agitated today. What’s very common for him is that he sees people and hears voices that tell him the boogeyman is out to get him, which is what he’s been freaking out about,” Donna said, dodging a hit to the face from Gerard’s fist, barely missing her. “I dunno if it’s best for you to stay here with him. I don’t want you to get hurt. I can just call off work and stay here with him,”
“No, Donna. I’ll stay,” Frank said, walking up and kneeling down to Gerard and Donna.
“Let me see if I can calm him down,”
“Frank, I don’t know if--”
“Hey, Gee. It’s me, Frankie,” Frank said soothingly to Gerard, who looked up at him with teary eyes. “What’s wrong, buddy?”
“F-frankie?” Gerard said, his voice choked back by tears. “I-I’m scared, F-frankie!”
“Of what?” Frank asked, only to not have Gerard respond. Instead, he just got up and hugged Frank tightly, sobbing and sniffling into his shirt. Frank held Gerard, stroking his head softly. Donna stared, looking almost dumbfounded by how quickly Gerard calmed down. He was still upset, but he at least wasn’t combative and enraged.
“I’m-I’m scared, F-frankie. M-me scared of th-the b-boogeyman!”
“Oh, Gerard. You know the boogeyman isn’t real,” Frank said.
“H-he is! H-he is r-real and he w-wants to k-kill me!” Gerard cried, his sobs muffled in Frank’s snot-covered shirt.
“Oh, my poor baby,” Donna sighed deeply. “At least he’s not fighting anymore,”
“I know. You should get to work, Donna. I’ve got it taken care of from here,”
“Are you sure, Frank?”
“I am. I’ll call you if he acts up again, heaven forbid he does. I doubt that’ll happen, though.
He looks pretty wiped out,” Frank said, holding Gerard’s limp and shaking body in his arms as he wept softly and sniffled. “I’ll try to get him to lay down for a while. That should help him,”
“Alright,” Donna got up, giving Gerard a kiss and grabbing her purse. “I’ll come home if he starts acting up again and it becomes too much for you. I’ll call you later, alright?”
“Okay,” Frank said as Donna walked out the door to her car. He went back to soothing Gerard, who still wept on him. “It’s okay, Gee. I’m here,”
“B-boogeyman is g-gonna g-get me!” Gerard whined.
“No, he’s not. I’m here. No one’s gonna hurt you. You’re safe,” Frank whispered in Gerard’s ear, leaving a kiss on his forehead. “How about if we go lay down for a while? I’ll lay with you,”
“Okay,” Gerard said. Frank helped him up to his feet and lead him down to his room, sitting him on the bed and taking off his black pullover hoodie and jeans, so he wouldn’t be so hot under the bed. He then dressed him in a pair of Spiderman pajamas to keep him comfy. Before he did that, he checked his diaper to make sure he was dry, which he was. He laid down Gerard under the covers and joined him, with his clothes still on. Now was not the time to take advantage of Gerard again, Frank thought; not when he’s this upset. There’s a better time for that, hopefully later tonight if Gerard’s in a better mood. He just wanted him to be okay right now.
“Isn’t that better, Gee? I’m right here next to you so the boogeyman can’t get you,”
“B-boogeyman g-gonna g-get me, F-Frankie,” Gerard whined again, sniffling. “B-boogeyman gonna g-get--”
“Shhh,” Frank whispered, carding his fingers through Gerard’s hair. “Let me sing to you, okay Gee?”
“O-okay,”
“Twinkle, twinkle little star,” Frank sang softly as he continued to stroke Gerard’s hair. “How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are…,”
Frank could hear Gerard’s cries and sniffles calm down as he left him a kiss on the cheek. Gerard closed his eyes, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep. Frank smiled, feeling accomplished that he was able to soothe Gerard down from his meltdown. He just hoped it wouldn’t happen again, or never again, even though that was simply just not possible. He knew Gerard was far beyond repairable from his violent outbursts and psychotic episodes, as well as just the way he is. Frank shut his eyes as he continued to hold Gerard in his arms.

_ _ _
Frank didn’t really feel like cooking, so he just ordered a pizza for him and Gerard, one half cheese and the other half pepperoni. He wasn’t sure what kind of toppings Gerard liked, so he decided to just play it safe with ordering half cheese. Gerard woke up around the time Frank got the pizza from the delivery driver, sitting on his bed.
“Oh, someone’s awake,” Frank smiled. “I got us pizza, Gee,”
“Y-yay! I like pizza!” Gerard smiled. “C-can I have ch-cheese p-pizza?”
“Yep, that’s what I got you. Here,” Frank sat down, opening up the box and handing Gerard a slice.
“Th-thank you,” Gerard said, taking a bite.
“You’re welcome. You feeling better?”
“Y-yeah, F-frankie. Th-the b-boogeyman was g-gonna get m-me...but y-you ch-chased him off. Y-you saved m-me!”
“Oh...yeah, I did,” Frank laughed, playing along with Gerard’s delusion. “You shoulda seen the look on his face. What a wuss!”
“Y-yeah!” Gerard laughed back loudly, food crumbs falling outta his mouth and onto his shirt. “Wh-what a s-scaredycat!”
As Frank watched Gerard eat his food and laugh, he started to wonder about something--who exactly are the voices he hears in his head, and who does he see? Who are these people that tell him that the boogeyman is out to get him? Frank was by no means a psychiatrist, let alone one for people that are intellectually disabled, but he just wanted to know how to better handle Gerard when he has his psychotic episodes, or even just his temper tantrums. He wanted to have an idea about what exactly goes on in his head.
“Hey, Gee. I got a question for you,” Frank said.
“Wh-what?”
“Who are the people that tell you that the boogeyman is out to get you? Do you hear voices in your head, or see people?”
“Y-yeah. I t-talk to L-lola and th-the aliens,” Gerard said, finishing up his pizza. “I-I hear th-the aliens in m-my head wh-when th-they talk t-to me, and I s-see L-lola,”
“Oh, I see,” Frank nodded, feeling a part of him die inside hearing Gerard go on about his hallucinations and delusions brought on by a mental illness he was diagnosed with as a young child. “What do they look like?”
“I-I don’t know about th-the aliens, th-they’re up in s-space and th-they’re t-too sh-shy to come d-down here, b-but Lola is p-pink and f-fuzzy, and sh-she has c-cat ears,
“Oh, that’s cool,”
“Y-yeah. M-me happy y-you ch-chase b-boogeyman away. Y-you m-my hero!” Gerard smiled, hugging Frank. “Y-you m-my hero and f-friend, a s-special f-friend!”
“Special friend, huh? That’s very nice of you. You’re my friend, too,” he lied as he hugged Gerard back, seeing the boy as more than just a friend...way more than that. He knew Gerard didn’t see him that way, as a lover, or even as a friend with benefits. He highly doubted Gerard even knew what that meant. That was alright, though--just as long as Frank got what he wanted out of Gerard, he was happy with him. “Hey, Gee. Let’s go do your reading and spelling lessons in your books, okay?”
“Okay, F-frankie,” Gerard said, standing up and walking upstairs with Frank to the living room.

_ _ _
After Gerard’s reading and spelling lessons, Frank gave Gerard a bath and then watched Lady and the Tramp with him. When the movie was over, Frank looked at the time on his phone--it was quarter til ten, probably a good time to get Gerard to bed...but not just yet. There were a few things Frank still needed to do. He changed Gerard’s diaper and then walked him back to his bedroom. It was now time for him to make his move again. Gerard seemed to be in a good mood when he woke up from his nap earlier, so it should be a piece of cake, Frank thought to himself.
“Well, Gee...I think it’s about time you get to bed,” Frank said, motioning towards Gerard’s bed.
“N-no,” Gerard shook his head. “N-no bed. M-me want c-cookies,”
“No, Gerard. You already had some Oreos when we were watching our movie. That’s enough sweets for tonight. Let’s get you to bed--”
“N-no!” Gerard pouted, stomping his feet. “M-me want c-cookies, F-frankie!”
“Gerard, be nice,” Frank scolded the defiant Gerard, his voice firm. “You shouldn’t be having sugar this late at night--”
“N-no! G-gimme c-cookies...y-you m-motherfucking p-piece of sh-shit!” Gerard spat, grabbing the collar of Frank’s shirt. Frank held onto Gerard’s wrist to defend himself, feeling a pang in his chest. He knew what’s ensuing--Gerard was having another tantrum, and Frank was in his path of rage and destruction.
“Gerard, don’t talk like that,” Frank said, raising his voice. “That’s not nice. Let go of me and get to bed--”
“G-gimme c-cookies, f-fucker!” Gerard growled, his free hand balled up into a fist and raised in the air toward Frank, ready to hit him.
“Gerard, stop it! Calm down--”
Frank fell back as Gerard swung his fist at him, hitting and kicking him. Frank got up and backed away to regain himself. He held down the cheek where Gerard hit him, his jaw throbbing in pain, as well as a few other places where he was hit. He then went behind Gerard and grabbed his arms, crossing them over his chest to stop him from hitting him. Gerard screamed, kicked, and thrashed as Frank brought him to the floor, lying face-down with him as he held the boy down.
“L-let me g-go, F-frankie!” Gerard cried, soaking his eyes and cheeks. “P-please let m-me go!”
“Not until you’ve calmed down, Gerard!” Frank said. Under him, Gerard continued to wail and scream, making incomprehensible noises as he struggled under Frank’s hold.
“L-let go, F-frankie! P-please, please, p-please!” Gerard begged.
“You’re not gonna hurt me, are you? You’re not calm,”
“M-me no hurt you, F-frankie!”
“Are you sure?”
“Y-yes!”
“Okay, Gee,” Frank said, letting Gerard go. Gerard sat as he continued to cry, his face buried in his hands. Frank sighed deeply, knowing that he’s not gonna get what he wants from Gerard tonight. That’ll have to be another day. He went over to Gerard and hugged him tightly, rocking him in his arms.
“I-I’m a b-bad boy! I’m a c-cry baby, F-frankie!”
“No you’re not. You just gotta behave,”
“M-me a c-cry baby! I’m s-sorry, F-frankie!”
“It’s okay, Gee. You’re not a cry baby,”
“R-really?” Gerard looked up at Frank, snot running down from his nose, his eyes raw with tears. “B-but th-that’s what C-calvin t-told me I-I am,”
“Calvin’s a bad person that hurt you, Gerard. He’s a liar. You’re not a cry baby, Gee. I promise,” Frank said, kissing Gerard on the forehead. “Just stop crying. I’m here. You’re okay,”
Frank rocked and hummed to Gerard in his arms until he was sure Gerard was asleep, or at least on the verge of it. He carried Gerard back to his bed, tucking him under the covers and kissing him goodnight, then turned on his bed alarm. He then sat and read his Stephen King book until he heard Donna come through the front door. He looked at his phone as he walked upstairs--it was quarter past ten. She was home a little early.
“Sorry, it was shockingly a slow night for a Friday,” Donna said. “How was he today?”
“Alright...until I got him to bed. He had a tantrum because he wanted cookies, and I don’t think you want him having sugary stuff this late at night, so when I told him no, he got pretty mad. He hit me,”
“Oh, Jesus. Not again,” Donna sighed. “He has an appointment with his psychiatrist tomorrow morning. Maybe it’s about time to up the dose of his medication,”
“Maybe,” Frank shrugged. “Should I get going, or do you want me to stay?”
“No. You go home and get some rest. You must’ve had a rough day with Gerard. I’ll give you the pay for the last two hours you won’t be here,”
“Alright, Donna. I appreciate it,” Frank said, walking out the front door. “Hope Gerard feels better in the morning. Night,”
Frank walked out to his car and got inside, revving up the engine and driving away from the Way household and towards home. He really did hope that Gerard was gonna be okay. He will be, he thought. Every day is a new fresh start. He just hoped that when he comes back to see Gerard that he’ll get what he missed out on today because of Gerard’s meltdown.

Notes