FicWad

Chapter Four

On the drive over we talked almost nonstop about ways to approach my parents- what angle to come from. So far saying we ran into each other or ‘look who I brought’ seemed less formal.
And since my mom already knew I was bringing my girlfriend- fiancé- there was no way to explain why Kaylie and I were together and start from the beginning, because the moment we walked in together and once all the chips fell into place, I knew my parents would start jumping to conclusions and voicing their allegations.

That’s what I was expecting along with a ‘How could you?’ and ‘What is your brother going to think?’ but I had to remain calm and look at it positively because in retrospect it could go either way.

There were lots of different ways to approach this and the one I wanted to execute wasn’t really possible because we were going to their home and not the other way around. So I wouldn’t be able to conceal Kaylie and then bring her out once I finished explaining. We’d have to go into this only marginally prepared. And that was like walking into open fire with a blindfold on.

But Kaylie kept reassuring me that everything would be fine. And she kept me calm enough to relax and not stress too much.

In part, I did believe her. Because I knew that my parents loved her. When she had been dating my brother, my parents adored her. And mostly because she was a good kid who made my brother very happy. She was sweet and smart and kept Mikey grounded.

Kept me grounded too.

When we met up in New York at the art convention it was like she was a whole new person. She pretty much dominated the room in a mature fashion and she looked so grownup and professional.

But of course I couldn’t see that at first. Instead I saw a grown woman doing perfectly well for herself while my brother was uselessly struggling to put his life back together.

So I gave her a piece of my mind.

“Well, well, well. Look who it is,” I mused.

She gave me a curious glance before replying, “Gerard?” Her look was incredulous. “Gerard Way? Mikey’s older brother?”

I nodded and she gasped.

“Hey. Long time no see.”

“So what are you doing here?”

“Just enjoying the art while trying to get mine noticed. And you?”

“Pretty much the same.” I shook my head. “So where’s your boyfriend? You seem to be doing awfully well for yourself.”

“I am,” she agreed. “But I don’t have a boyfriend or anything to that affect. I’m sorry if you and everyone from our hometown misunderstood the reason I broke up with your brother. I just-I couldn’t do the distance thing. And we were both heading in different directions. Aside from that, Mikey didn’t know what he wanted to do and I did. It wouldn’t have worked out between us, Gerard. Not forever. And I-I never meant to hurt him. In fact, I still love him. I always will. And deep down I’m sure he knows that.”

I sighed roughly. She seemed so grown up and sincere that I couldn’t condemn her and lash out at her for something that had happened years ago. She had her own life now and Mikey had his and I had my own.

“Look, I’m sorry if I-if I just jumped on you like that. It’s just since you left my brother’s been a mess and nothing like he used to be. Takes a lot for him to even smile now. Took him even longer to get his life back together and when he needed someone to talk to I was the one he confided in. So I conceived his pain second handedly.”

Kaylie grimaced and looked away from me.

“I really am sorry for how it all went over, Gee. Truly, I never wanted to hurt him. And if it makes you feel any better, it was hard on me as well. There were nights I cried myself to sleep.” She shook her head sadly. “And I haven’t been in a relationship since then. My focus is strictly on my work and that’s how it’s been for me since I left home.”

And so the grudge I had been holding against her no longer applied, could no longer remain valid. So I let it drop and tried to sympathize with both sides.

“I’m…sorry. Really.”

She nodded and asked, “So which piece of artwork is yours?”

I smiled and said, “Right this way.”

After that she marveled at my work and, showed me hers, and then I marveled. Since that afternoon in August we met up a bit after.

I was intrigued to find out she lived in New York, just as I did, and had moved here after college once offered a great job by a record label to help with album artwork and other designing and advertising companies.

I had recently just moved to New York so she showed me around and asked about how I was doing. She was very sweet and also very radiant in the New York atmosphere.

We grew to be friends within a few weeks and after that we met up whenever we could.

Months after that- after spending a great deal a time with her for nearly a month and then only seeing her occasionally afterward- I realized I had fallen in love with her.

Kaylie was so beautiful and fun to be around and I loved her company. I hadn’t quite realized how much till she wasn’t constantly with me and that’s when I knew I felt more for her. But I had been in denial because I was scared to let go of the past. Scared to be rejected. Scared to be accepted.

But being around Kaylie was the greatest feeling in the world and I followed my heart, putting aside everything else, and asked her out a few days before Christmas in Central Park while the snow was falling all around us. To my utter surprise and pleasure she said yes in a voice so thrilled and excited I couldn’t help but smile with her as I took her into my arms so we could share our first kiss which lasted a very long time.

From that moment on we had been inseparable.

And now it was January and we were going to see my parents. I was beyond nervous for their reactions.

Only Kaylie’s hand on mine kept me from freaking out and turning back the way we had come, especially since I could feel her engagement ring in place on her third finger… which reminded me of something.

“Do you think we should enter my parents’ house with the ring already on your finger?” I asked curiously. “Or should we explain first how we met and then afterward became boyfriend and girlfriend, talk about our relationship, and then say we’re engaged and I slip the ring on your finger again?”

Kaylie smiled and said, “Well, since they don’t know I’m me, I’d go with the second option.” She frowned. “I just don’t want to take it off.”

I smiled widely and lifted her hand up to kiss her fingers.

“I’ll only take it off once we get there and put it back on shortly afterward. It’ll only be off for about ten minutes, okay?”

She hesitated. “Okay,” she finally murmured in defeat and leaned back in her seat. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.”