Big Baby (Sequel to Cry Baby) (Frerard)
Four
“So...what did you wanna talk to me about?” Mikey asked as he took a bite of his orange sorbet, with Gerard across from him in the booth enjoying his rocky road ice cream. “You mentioned you wanted to tell me something, right?”
“Y-yeah, I did,” Gerard nodded. He was eager to tell his brother about his friend’s voice he hears in his head. “I’ve been talking to a friend,”
“Who? Is it someone at the group home?” Mikey asked, hoping that was the case, and not what he feared it would be.
“It’s F-frank,” Gerard replied, smiling. Mikey, on the other hand, was not. If anything, he was the complete opposite. He nearly dropped his spoon hearing that certain person’s name. It just couldn’t be him. Maybe it was a different Frank, he thought. He hoped it was.
“Gerard...Frank who?”
“The F-frankie th-that would c-come over t-to p-play with m-me wh-when m-mommy w-was at w-work,”
“Gerard…,” Mikey gasped, his entire body starting to shake. He could feel blood draining from his pale face, as well as his insides do a flip-flop in his tummy. “Gerard...you’re being serious about this?”
“Y-yeah, I am!” Gerard nodded again. “I h-hear his v-voice in my h-head! I also s-saw him in a d-dream I h-had!”
Mikey didn’t say anything. He just sighed and shook his head slowly. He cursed Frank’s name in his head for all the terrible things he did to his one and only brother. He hoped that after experiencing near-death and receiving therapy that Gerard would have forgotten all about Frank, but he was clearly mistaken.
“Gerard,” Mikey finally said. “What kind of things does Frank tell you to do?”
“H-he told m-me to c-come f-find him. I w-want to s-see him again s-so we c-can--”
“No,” Mikey interrupted, his voice stern. “You are not gonna be doing that, Gee,”
“Wh-why not?” Gerard whined loudly, making a couple heads at nearby tables turn to the Way brothers. “I-I wanna s-see F-frankie!”
“That’s not gonna happen, Gerard. Don’t you remember the awful things he did to you?”
“Th-they w-weren’t awful! W-we p-played games with each other! Th-they were f-fun!”
“No they weren’t, Gee. Frank hurt you. He took advantage of you!”
“He’s lying,” the voice inside Gerard’s head said suddenly. “He just doesn’t want you to see me, Gee,”
“Y-you’re a liar!” Gerard yelled, agreeing with Frank’s voice. “Y-you just d-don’t want me t-to see F-frank!”
“Of course I don’t want you to, Gerard. Why would I let you go see someone that’s a threat to you?” Mikey said defensively, feeling a pang in his chest. He knew what was happening. Gerard was becoming upset, which meant he could possibly have a meltdown right here in this ice cream shop, and he had to be prepared for it. “Just calm down, Ger--”
“N-no! I want F-frankie!” Gerard hollered, slamming his hands down on the table repeatedly. All around him and Mikey, other patrons in the shop turned and stared at the two, some of them sympathizing and pitying them with their stares, and others even pointing and laughing at them.
“Gerard, calm down!” Mikey said, raising his voice as he felt both panicked and embarrassed by his brother. He knew what he had to do when Gerard got like this, and he really didn’t wanna have to. “I don’t wanna have to call Janelle and tell her you’re being bad, do I?”
“N-no!” Gerard spat, continuing to slam his hands on the table loudly. He then turned the hitting and slamming on himself, punching and slapping his head. “I w-want F-frankie!”
“Gerard, cut it out!” Mikey yelled, leaping to his feet and trying to restrain his unstable brother, dodging his attacks. He soon got Gerard pinned to the ground, getting kicked and screamed at in the process as strangers watched it all unfold.
“G-get off m-me, you asshole!” Gerard screamed, fighting and struggling under his brother’s hold. He broke out into tears as he failed to get out of Mikey’s firm grip.
“Gerard, calm down. It’s okay,” Mikey said soothingly, ignoring Gerard’s vulgar insults towards him.
“Don’t listen to him!” Frank said in Gerard’s head. “Keep fighting him. He’s the one that doesn’t want you to see me, right?”
“G-get off m-me, you f-fucking s-stupid p-prick!” Gerard hissed, swinging his held down fists at Mikey as he cried and sniffled. He fought and struggled under Mikey’s hold until he grew fatigued and weak. Mikey sighed deeply, feeling both embarrassed and tired.
“Come on, Gee. Let’s go home,” he said, helping Gerard up to his feet as he continued to cry. They both walked out after Mikey went around the store apologizing to the store’s workers and manager, explaining his situation. They then went out to the car, where Mikey buckled Gerard up in his seat. Mikey made a note to himself to talk to Janelle when they got back to the Rainbow House, and to also have her schedule an appointment with Dr. Martinez for Gerard.
“I-I’m sorry, M-mikey,” Gerard sniffled, feeling genuine remorse for what he did, making a fool of himself in the ice cream shop.
“Don’t’ be sorry, Gee. It’s Mikey that should be sorry. He’s the one that won’t let you see me,” Frank said, spite in his voice.
“I think it’s about time we schedule you another appointment with Dr. Martinez,” Mikey said as he started up the car. “It’s not normal for you to be acting like the way you are. You also shouldn’t be hearing voices in your head. How long has this been going on?”
“I h-heard it th-this m-morning. I d-don’t need t-to see D-Dr. Martinez!” Gerard whined.
“Yeah you do, Gee. I think it’s about time we get your meds adjusted. What you did in the hospital the other day was uncalled for, despite what had taken place beforehand. You’re lucky they didn’t put you in the psych ward,” Mikey replied firmly as he pulled out onto the road, turning left.
“You don’t need to see a doctor, Gee. You are just fine,” Frank said to Gerard, his voice echoing in his head. “Tell Mikey that there’s nothing wrong with you,”
“Th-there’s nothing w-wrong with m-me!” Gerard pouted, slamming his fists on his lap. “I-I’m just f-fine!”
“Gerard, stop it right now. You’re acting like a little kid,” Mikey replied sternly. “If you don’t stop, I will have to pull over and--”
“N-no!” Gerard screamed, grabbing hold of the wheel and yanking on it, making the car swerve back and forth in between lanes, with other drivers honking at them and giving them the finger.
“Gerard, let go right now!” Mikey yelled, fighting with Gerard over the wheel. He was soon able to regain control of the wheel before Gerard was able to get the both of them in an accident. Surrendered, Gerard curled up in the corner of his seat and sobbed loudly, covering his face with his hands. Mikey sighed deeply in frustration and pulled over to the side of the road, stopping the vehicle. He ran a fed-up hand through his hair, shaking his head as we waited for his agitated older brother to calm down. Gerard looked at him apologetically, knowing he did something terribly wrong when Mikey pulled over and stopped the car.
“I-I’m sorry, M-mikey!” Gerard sniffled, wiping at his eyes.
“I’m not gonna continue driving until you’re calm, Gee,” Mikey replied. “You’re clearly unstable. I’m not moving this car until you’re no longer agitated,”
“B-but p-please, M-mikey!’ I’m s-sorry! I d-didn’t mean to d-do that!”
“Uh huh,” Mikey nodded, sarcasm in his voice. He knew to make note of setting up an appointment with Dr. Martinez for Gerard. That was going to be the first thing he’s gonna do when he gets home after dropping off Gerard. Mikey waited about another ten minutes until he saw that Gerard had exhausted himself from all his crying and screaming. He started up the engine and looked back at his brother.
“You all done, Gee? Have you calmed down?” he asked.
“Y-yeah. I’m s-sorry, Mikey,” Gerard replied, still sniffling.
“Good,” Mikey nodded. To brighten the mood, he put on one of Gerard’s favorite artists--The Smiths. “I recommend you take a little nap when you get home, Gee. It’ll help you unwind,”
“O-okay,” Gerard nodded, lying. A nap was not gonna be what Gerard planned on doing when he got home. He wanted to socialize with the friend in his head. He also realized that tomorrow was gonna be special day for him--he was gonna return to work, and he was gonna do it with the friendly voice in his head. He could hardly wait.
