Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > Fly Away, Dance on the Milky Way
Chapter 38: Lethal weapon
Gerard’s entire luggage was piled into the hall beside the door, nearly blocking the exit. Gerard was pacing around the house, certain that he had forgotten something important, which he probably had. Every time he went somewhere, he forgot something and didn’t realize it until it was too late.
“Where’s my toothbrush?”
“I packed it for you”, Gia answered with an annoyed sigh. “It’s in the blue bag inside the black luggage. Now will you stop running around? You’re making Jersey jumpy.”
“My black jacket! With the white stuff on it! And my wallet!” he continued, ignoring his daughter who was sitting on one of the bigger luggage with Jersey by her side.
Suddenly they heard a car honk outside and Gerard ran outside to talk to the driver. Gia had no idea where they were touring, but she figured that they were all going to the airport and flying somewhere first.
Gerard came back with the driver and they carried the luggage to the car. He was extremely nervous and panicked, and Gia felt like she was in the way, so she just awkwardly stood on the porch with Jersey as the two men ran around the place.
When they were all done, the driver went back into the car and Gerard came back to the house. He went in to get his phone and keys and only then would he look at Gia.
To her it seemed like he was just going to be gone for a few days. That’s what it always seemed like before when he toured. Like he never left. They never talked anyway, so it was like nothing changed.
But now things were different, her dad actually started to acknowledge her. For sure she would miss him this time.
“Well…” Gerard started, clearing his throat.
Neither of them were quite sure how to act in a situation like this. Last time he left for tour he didn’t even tell her he was leaving. She found out from Mikey.
And besides, they hadn’t really talked about all this since the ‘bedroom incident’ as Frank called it (and laughed himself sick), so overall, it was pretty awkward.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?” he asked.
“Dad, seriously?” Gia raised an eyebrow. As if she couldn’t get by. She did all the cleaning, cooking and all that stuff by herself anyway.
“Good point”, he chuckled. “Okay, so I asked Lindsey to come by every now and then to check up on you. If there’s a fire, scream and run. If there are burglars, scream and run. Don’t get brave, okay?”
“I promise I’ll be a coward.”
“Good. But just in case… Here”, he said, giving her a spray bottle of some sort.
Gia couldn’t help but laugh when she read the label. “Pepper spray? What?”
“Please, just carry that with you. It would make me sleep a lot better if I knew you had at least some way to defend yourself.”
“Yeah, fine. Anything else?”
“If you go anywhere, take Jersey with you, okay? He’s a bloodhound, a vicious killing machine. He’ll keep you safe.”
Jersey recognized his name and wagged his tail happily, looking up at the two of them with his tongue hanging out from the side of his mouth, drooling all over the floor. A bloodhound, alright.
“And… We’ll talk about that… California thing later, okay?”
Gia nodded. She knew that he meant the whole thing of her going to go stay with her grandparents in California. They hadn’t really talked about that either. She had promised herself that she’ll bring it up, but every time she tried, she couldn’t do it.
“I’ll call you when we land.”
“Okay, but hey, you don’t have to call me every day, just so you know.”
“I will call you every day and if you don’t answer, I’ll call the cops on you”, he answered.
The driver got out of the car again to tell Gerard that they would really be late if they didn’t leave right away.
“Okay I really have to go”, Gerard said, glancing at the car and then at Jersey. “And Jersey, you better keep her safe. Don’t let anyone strange into the house. Castrate anyone who gets too close, got it? Including that creep Lucas. I trust you with this.”
The dog barked excitedly at the mention of his name and tried to jump against Gerard to lick his face, but he just pushed the dog away.
Gia laughed: “I thought you didn’t believe in violence?”
“Hey, I worry, is that so wrong?”
“Dad, you don’t have to be so worried. Now go, I’ll be fine.”
“Yeah okay”, he sighed. “God, it’s almost like you’re trying to get rid of me. But trust me, you will miss me!”
“Sure I will.”
“Well… Bye then. I love you. I’ll definitely call.”
“Love you too. Now go, before Tina comes over here to say goodbye.”
That got him moving. Gerard kissed her forehead before running to the car. He went in and the car drove off.
Gia didn’t bother going inside yet, so she just sat down on the porch steps and leaned her elbows on her knees. Jersey lay down beside her after a while when he realized that she wasn’t going to move any time soon.
Even though it was already practically summer, the nights were chilly. Gia sat on the porch for a long time, and when it got dark, she was still there. She just moved from the steps to the bench, which was a lot more comfortable.
She just thought about things. There was a lot on her mind. She did worry about her dad, she always had. Now it was just different stuff to worry about. She used to worry about him overdosing, drinking too much, and doing something incredibly stupid while under the influence of those poisons… Now she worried that the plane would crash, that there would be an accident, that he’d overwork himself, etc. She wasn’t sure which one was worse.
But it did make her realize one thing. Things had changed. Her dad leaving for months felt a lot different this time. Because for the first time, she missed him. For the first time, she didn’t want him to go.
Gia was suddenly brought out of her thoughts when she heard Jersey raise his head and look into the pitch-black darkness of the yard. If the dog had been barking, she would have worried, but judging by the tail-wagging, Jersey recognized the person.
“Hey”, Lucas said, smiling. He appeared into the light of the porch and came up the steps. “Why are you sitting here?” he asked when he sat down next to her.
“Why are you?” she asked with a smile.
“I was coming home from Danny’s. Saw you sitting here. You looked lonely. Figured I’d do something about it. So, to return to the original question: Why are you sitting here?”
Gia shrugged. “I don’t know. Just thinking I guess”, she sighed.
“Your dad left?”
“Yeah.”
Lucas was silent for a moment, figuring that Gia didn’t really want to talk about it, but then he couldn’t keep his mouth shut any longer. “Okay so I get that this must be difficult for you, blah blah blah… But do you wanna hang out tonight?”
That’s why she liked hanging out with him. Even though Lucas apparently lacked the sensitivity and consideration, he made her laugh. Gia couldn’t help but smile.
“By tonight, do you mean it literally? Because it’s got to be like midnight already”, Gia asked.
“Yeah. But I mean, if you’d rather be alone…”
She shook her head quickly. “No, I’d like some company.”
“You know, you do have Jersey for that.”
“Well Jersey’s great to hang out with, but my conversations with him are pretty one-sided. I talk to him, he brings me toys or he demands me to play with him or licks my face.”
“What makes you think I won’t do all that?” Lucas asked with a wide grin. “I mean, with your dad gone…”
He made a very suggestive face; complete with the wink and eyebrow wiggling, and that was enough to make Gia freaked out.
“You know, I think I should stick with Jersey’s company for now”, she said, standing up.
“Oh come on, it was a joke!”
“Well it wasn’t funny!”
“It was kind of funny. Take it like a man!”
“But I’m NOT a man.”
“Could’ve fooled me. You’re flat as a board.”
Gia frowned and crossed her arms across her chest. She was aware that she lacked certain curves, and even though she knew he only meant it as a playful insult, nothing serious, it still hurt.
“Come on, let’s just hang out. I won’t make any questionable comments or act weird”, Lucas finally said.
“You promise?”
“Sure, I promise.”
“Okay, but remember that if you step out of line, I have a pepper spray and I know how to use it.”
A comment like that was guaranteed to make Lucas die of laugher, and of course he had to bet that she didn’t even know how to function the spraying can. Naturally Gia had to prove her ability to spray, and accidentally she pepper sprayed Lucas and herself. With all that screaming and shouting, it was a miracle no one called the cops.
If only Gerard knew what was going on in his porch, he would’ve seriously doubted his daughter’s surviving skills and been a lot more worried.
___________________
The tour bus was steadily taking them forward while the band slept. The bunks in the small, crammed area were all occupied, the loud snoring competing with the sound of the bus engine.
Two days on the road, and the five men were beat. They would get used to the tight schedule soon though, and then they would be much more energetic.
Four of the men slept like logs, but the fifth was tossing and turning, his sheets getting tangled on his legs. The temperature in the bus was actually very low, but to Gerard it was the same as being covered in gasoline and then lit on fire.
Suddenly his eyes opened. Gerard gasped for air and sat up. He kicked the sheets off of his legs and used his arm to wipe the sweat off of his eyes and forehead.
Gerard rarely had bad dreams, but when he did have them, they really were bad. He didn’t remember most of the dream he had, but the parts he did remember was bad enough to make him freak out.
He got up from the bunk, careful not to make any noise so the others wouldn’t wake up. Gerard went straight to the coffee maker and drank the last of the coffee they had made. He didn’t even care that the old coffee was bitter. If he had access to alcohol, he would have drunk himself into a coma.
“What are you doing up?”
The voice startled Gerard, nearly making him drop the now empty coffee mug. He hadn’t bothered to turn on the lights, but Ray did that for him. The curly strands of hair were looking livelier than ever, sticking up and down and sideways.
“Didn’t sleep very well” Gerard shrugged.
“Why?”
He shrugged again, staring at the mug in his hands. “I don’t know. I’m worried.”
“Gia?”
“What else.”
“What’s up?”
“Well, you know how she wants to go to California for the summer? I just don’t think it’s a good idea. I don’t want her there. Yeah, they’re her grandparents, but she hardly knows them! It can’t be safe.”
“Did you tell her that?”
“We didn’t really talk about it”, Gerard sighed. “I just… What can I do?”
“Let her go.”
Gerard shot a mean glare at his friend. “You’re out of your mind. Go back to sleep.”
“Look, maybe you two can agree on some sort of a deal. She can be with her grandparents for half of the summer and the other half she can hang out with us.”
“That actually makes sense”, Gerard admitted, although hesitantly.
“I know. I’m gonna go to sleep anyway. And I suggest you do the same.”
“Nah, I’m gonna make some more coffee.”
Ray left, but Gerard didn’t start making coffee just yet. He just stood in the silence for a while, trying to gather his thoughts. His brains felt like a bowl of soggy noodles. Thinking wasn’t very easy.
Finally he sighed: “I need a drink”, and wondered if he should have taken an emergency bottle with him.
Gerard’s entire luggage was piled into the hall beside the door, nearly blocking the exit. Gerard was pacing around the house, certain that he had forgotten something important, which he probably had. Every time he went somewhere, he forgot something and didn’t realize it until it was too late.
“Where’s my toothbrush?”
“I packed it for you”, Gia answered with an annoyed sigh. “It’s in the blue bag inside the black luggage. Now will you stop running around? You’re making Jersey jumpy.”
“My black jacket! With the white stuff on it! And my wallet!” he continued, ignoring his daughter who was sitting on one of the bigger luggage with Jersey by her side.
Suddenly they heard a car honk outside and Gerard ran outside to talk to the driver. Gia had no idea where they were touring, but she figured that they were all going to the airport and flying somewhere first.
Gerard came back with the driver and they carried the luggage to the car. He was extremely nervous and panicked, and Gia felt like she was in the way, so she just awkwardly stood on the porch with Jersey as the two men ran around the place.
When they were all done, the driver went back into the car and Gerard came back to the house. He went in to get his phone and keys and only then would he look at Gia.
To her it seemed like he was just going to be gone for a few days. That’s what it always seemed like before when he toured. Like he never left. They never talked anyway, so it was like nothing changed.
But now things were different, her dad actually started to acknowledge her. For sure she would miss him this time.
“Well…” Gerard started, clearing his throat.
Neither of them were quite sure how to act in a situation like this. Last time he left for tour he didn’t even tell her he was leaving. She found out from Mikey.
And besides, they hadn’t really talked about all this since the ‘bedroom incident’ as Frank called it (and laughed himself sick), so overall, it was pretty awkward.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself?” he asked.
“Dad, seriously?” Gia raised an eyebrow. As if she couldn’t get by. She did all the cleaning, cooking and all that stuff by herself anyway.
“Good point”, he chuckled. “Okay, so I asked Lindsey to come by every now and then to check up on you. If there’s a fire, scream and run. If there are burglars, scream and run. Don’t get brave, okay?”
“I promise I’ll be a coward.”
“Good. But just in case… Here”, he said, giving her a spray bottle of some sort.
Gia couldn’t help but laugh when she read the label. “Pepper spray? What?”
“Please, just carry that with you. It would make me sleep a lot better if I knew you had at least some way to defend yourself.”
“Yeah, fine. Anything else?”
“If you go anywhere, take Jersey with you, okay? He’s a bloodhound, a vicious killing machine. He’ll keep you safe.”
Jersey recognized his name and wagged his tail happily, looking up at the two of them with his tongue hanging out from the side of his mouth, drooling all over the floor. A bloodhound, alright.
“And… We’ll talk about that… California thing later, okay?”
Gia nodded. She knew that he meant the whole thing of her going to go stay with her grandparents in California. They hadn’t really talked about that either. She had promised herself that she’ll bring it up, but every time she tried, she couldn’t do it.
“I’ll call you when we land.”
“Okay, but hey, you don’t have to call me every day, just so you know.”
“I will call you every day and if you don’t answer, I’ll call the cops on you”, he answered.
The driver got out of the car again to tell Gerard that they would really be late if they didn’t leave right away.
“Okay I really have to go”, Gerard said, glancing at the car and then at Jersey. “And Jersey, you better keep her safe. Don’t let anyone strange into the house. Castrate anyone who gets too close, got it? Including that creep Lucas. I trust you with this.”
The dog barked excitedly at the mention of his name and tried to jump against Gerard to lick his face, but he just pushed the dog away.
Gia laughed: “I thought you didn’t believe in violence?”
“Hey, I worry, is that so wrong?”
“Dad, you don’t have to be so worried. Now go, I’ll be fine.”
“Yeah okay”, he sighed. “God, it’s almost like you’re trying to get rid of me. But trust me, you will miss me!”
“Sure I will.”
“Well… Bye then. I love you. I’ll definitely call.”
“Love you too. Now go, before Tina comes over here to say goodbye.”
That got him moving. Gerard kissed her forehead before running to the car. He went in and the car drove off.
Gia didn’t bother going inside yet, so she just sat down on the porch steps and leaned her elbows on her knees. Jersey lay down beside her after a while when he realized that she wasn’t going to move any time soon.
Even though it was already practically summer, the nights were chilly. Gia sat on the porch for a long time, and when it got dark, she was still there. She just moved from the steps to the bench, which was a lot more comfortable.
She just thought about things. There was a lot on her mind. She did worry about her dad, she always had. Now it was just different stuff to worry about. She used to worry about him overdosing, drinking too much, and doing something incredibly stupid while under the influence of those poisons… Now she worried that the plane would crash, that there would be an accident, that he’d overwork himself, etc. She wasn’t sure which one was worse.
But it did make her realize one thing. Things had changed. Her dad leaving for months felt a lot different this time. Because for the first time, she missed him. For the first time, she didn’t want him to go.
Gia was suddenly brought out of her thoughts when she heard Jersey raise his head and look into the pitch-black darkness of the yard. If the dog had been barking, she would have worried, but judging by the tail-wagging, Jersey recognized the person.
“Hey”, Lucas said, smiling. He appeared into the light of the porch and came up the steps. “Why are you sitting here?” he asked when he sat down next to her.
“Why are you?” she asked with a smile.
“I was coming home from Danny’s. Saw you sitting here. You looked lonely. Figured I’d do something about it. So, to return to the original question: Why are you sitting here?”
Gia shrugged. “I don’t know. Just thinking I guess”, she sighed.
“Your dad left?”
“Yeah.”
Lucas was silent for a moment, figuring that Gia didn’t really want to talk about it, but then he couldn’t keep his mouth shut any longer. “Okay so I get that this must be difficult for you, blah blah blah… But do you wanna hang out tonight?”
That’s why she liked hanging out with him. Even though Lucas apparently lacked the sensitivity and consideration, he made her laugh. Gia couldn’t help but smile.
“By tonight, do you mean it literally? Because it’s got to be like midnight already”, Gia asked.
“Yeah. But I mean, if you’d rather be alone…”
She shook her head quickly. “No, I’d like some company.”
“You know, you do have Jersey for that.”
“Well Jersey’s great to hang out with, but my conversations with him are pretty one-sided. I talk to him, he brings me toys or he demands me to play with him or licks my face.”
“What makes you think I won’t do all that?” Lucas asked with a wide grin. “I mean, with your dad gone…”
He made a very suggestive face; complete with the wink and eyebrow wiggling, and that was enough to make Gia freaked out.
“You know, I think I should stick with Jersey’s company for now”, she said, standing up.
“Oh come on, it was a joke!”
“Well it wasn’t funny!”
“It was kind of funny. Take it like a man!”
“But I’m NOT a man.”
“Could’ve fooled me. You’re flat as a board.”
Gia frowned and crossed her arms across her chest. She was aware that she lacked certain curves, and even though she knew he only meant it as a playful insult, nothing serious, it still hurt.
“Come on, let’s just hang out. I won’t make any questionable comments or act weird”, Lucas finally said.
“You promise?”
“Sure, I promise.”
“Okay, but remember that if you step out of line, I have a pepper spray and I know how to use it.”
A comment like that was guaranteed to make Lucas die of laugher, and of course he had to bet that she didn’t even know how to function the spraying can. Naturally Gia had to prove her ability to spray, and accidentally she pepper sprayed Lucas and herself. With all that screaming and shouting, it was a miracle no one called the cops.
If only Gerard knew what was going on in his porch, he would’ve seriously doubted his daughter’s surviving skills and been a lot more worried.
___________________
The tour bus was steadily taking them forward while the band slept. The bunks in the small, crammed area were all occupied, the loud snoring competing with the sound of the bus engine.
Two days on the road, and the five men were beat. They would get used to the tight schedule soon though, and then they would be much more energetic.
Four of the men slept like logs, but the fifth was tossing and turning, his sheets getting tangled on his legs. The temperature in the bus was actually very low, but to Gerard it was the same as being covered in gasoline and then lit on fire.
Suddenly his eyes opened. Gerard gasped for air and sat up. He kicked the sheets off of his legs and used his arm to wipe the sweat off of his eyes and forehead.
Gerard rarely had bad dreams, but when he did have them, they really were bad. He didn’t remember most of the dream he had, but the parts he did remember was bad enough to make him freak out.
He got up from the bunk, careful not to make any noise so the others wouldn’t wake up. Gerard went straight to the coffee maker and drank the last of the coffee they had made. He didn’t even care that the old coffee was bitter. If he had access to alcohol, he would have drunk himself into a coma.
“What are you doing up?”
The voice startled Gerard, nearly making him drop the now empty coffee mug. He hadn’t bothered to turn on the lights, but Ray did that for him. The curly strands of hair were looking livelier than ever, sticking up and down and sideways.
“Didn’t sleep very well” Gerard shrugged.
“Why?”
He shrugged again, staring at the mug in his hands. “I don’t know. I’m worried.”
“Gia?”
“What else.”
“What’s up?”
“Well, you know how she wants to go to California for the summer? I just don’t think it’s a good idea. I don’t want her there. Yeah, they’re her grandparents, but she hardly knows them! It can’t be safe.”
“Did you tell her that?”
“We didn’t really talk about it”, Gerard sighed. “I just… What can I do?”
“Let her go.”
Gerard shot a mean glare at his friend. “You’re out of your mind. Go back to sleep.”
“Look, maybe you two can agree on some sort of a deal. She can be with her grandparents for half of the summer and the other half she can hang out with us.”
“That actually makes sense”, Gerard admitted, although hesitantly.
“I know. I’m gonna go to sleep anyway. And I suggest you do the same.”
“Nah, I’m gonna make some more coffee.”
Ray left, but Gerard didn’t start making coffee just yet. He just stood in the silence for a while, trying to gather his thoughts. His brains felt like a bowl of soggy noodles. Thinking wasn’t very easy.
Finally he sighed: “I need a drink”, and wondered if he should have taken an emergency bottle with him.
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