FicWad

Friday morning found Monica anxiously waiting for Liv to arrive with Elle. She was rehearsing in her head what she wanted to say to the woman. Would Liv agree to let Elle spend time with them? She realized that the first step would be to get Liv to sit down and talk to her. Something that so far Liv hadn't seemed interested in doing. The doorbell interrupted her thoughts.
On the front porch Liv and Elle stood holding hands. Monica smiled, "Hello. Come on in." She stepped back and Elle happily skipped inside. Liv however hadn't moved. "Liv, could you come in for a minute?" Monica asked softly holding the screen door open.
Liv reluctantly walked into the entry hall just inside the door but moved no further. As her eyes glanced around at the beautiful interior of the home she tried to control the bitterness she felt, "Nice house." she said with a deadpan expression.
Monica nodded, "Would you like to see the rest of it?" She didn't think Liv would agree to the suggestion but she felt it only polite to ask.
Liv shook her head, "I've got somewhere I have to be. I'll be back to get Elle at 2:00."
"Oh, I was hoping she could stay longer. The girls won't be home from school by 2:00 and they really wanted to see her."
"Mommyca can Elle have a cookie?" Elle tugged on Monica's hand.
"After lunch, sweetie." Monica answered looking down at her. "Why don't you walk down that hall and push open the door? There's a surprise."
Elle grinned and slowly made her way down the hall glancing at the other rooms on the way. She got to the kitchen swinging door and pushed it open. Out bounded Frank knocking her to the ground.” Doggie" Elle squealed happily. She sat petting Frank who proceeded to give her dog kisses.
From the front of the house Liv and Monica watched them. "Cute dog" Liv said softly. "Gee and I had a dog." She stopped herself.
Monica looked over at her, "Really? What was its name?"
Liv shook her head, "Don't remember, it was just a stupid mutt. Look I gotta go. I'll be back at 2:00." With that she turned and walked back out the door.
"Liv" Monica followed her out onto the porch. "Thank you for bringing Elle over."
Liv turned back to her. Monica wished she would remove the dark glasses so she could read her emotions.” Thank you for watching her." Liv said quietly.
Monica cleared her throat, "I really would like to talk to you. I know this must be hard for you."
Liv's temper snapped, "Hard for me? You have no idea." She turned and started down the walk. Slowly Monica turned to go back into the house.
"So all the crap with Eliza got settled I take it?" Liv's voice called out.
Monica was shocked by the question. She turned and moved down the steps to where Liv stood. "What do you mean?"
Liv sighed, "I was there when you saw the pictures of Gee with her. Remember?"
Monica hated to think back to that day. "I suppose you saw all the photos and videos on the Net." Monica said.
Liv shook her head, "Don't own a computer and don't care to. I just wondered if you and Gee got it all straightened out."
Monica wanted to ask her what business it was of hers but she held her tongue. "Yeah, he and I worked though it. Eliza wasn't the friend he thought she was."
"No shit." Liv snorted. "Of course he never could see through her fake friendship. You know she ‘helped’ him whenever he and I would have a fight. She was such an angel to him." The sarcasm in her voice was strong.
"He told me." Monica admitted.
Liv was surprised, "He told you he screwed around on me? I'm shocked. Wow, how honest Gee has become."
"He's a different man now." Monica said softly.
Liv said nothing. She simply walked away.

Gerard had a few spare minutes so he decided to give Bert a call. "Hey man, how's it going?"
"G-Man, what's up?"
"Heard you stopped by my house. Monica said you were asking about Liv."
Bert laughed, "Direct and to the point. You upset I went to see Monica?"
Gerard lit a cigarette, "No, of course not."
"I saw your gazebo. Dude, pay someone to finish it." Bert laughed.
Gerard's temper flared, "I'm fucking gonna finish it myself. It's important to me. Monica and I are gonna be married outside in the gazebo."
Bert realized he had stepped on his toes, "Hey, I didn't say I didn't think you could do it. I just figured you’re too busy with touring and all."
Gerard gave a shaky laugh, "Yeah, I am busy but I'll make time. So you never did answer my question. Why you asking about Liv?"
Bert sighed, "Dunno. Guess it's fucking stupid of me but I'm worried about her. Last time I saw her she seemed wrong, you know?"
"No, I don't know. I haven't seen her since she tried to get me to fuck her at the Christmas Gala." Gerard said with hatred in his voice. "You've seen her, Ray's seen her, Monica's seen her but not me."
Bert didn't like where the conversation was going. "Yeah, well it's no big deal anyway."
Gerard stood and began pacing, "Yeah, it is a fucking big deal at least to me it is. She's got my kid."
Now Bert's temper was building, "You mean the one that you didn't even want to see when you first heard about her? The one who you kept saying probably wasn't yours?"
"That's not true." Gerard shot back.
"Yeah, G-Man it is. Now all of a sudden you got this great woman, a home of your own so now you want the kid too?"
Gerard sat back down, "Look I just want to get things settled with her but she's avoiding the fuck out of me."
Bert knew his next question was gonna stir up shit but he couldn't help that. "So are you more interested in getting the chance to know your daughter or seeing Liv again?
"What kind of a fucking question is that?" Gerard lit another cigarette, "I don't give a shit about seeing Liv again."
Bert spoke softly, "You still can't lie worth a shit, my friend."
Gerard was about to answer when Mikey walked into the room. He didn't want to discuss this in front of his brother. "Look, I gotta go. Talk to ya later." He disconnected without hearing Bert's reply.
"Who was that?" Mikey asked
Gerard stood, "Bert. So, everyone waiting?"
Mikey nodded, "Yeah. What did he want?'
"To talk, why? So I'm not allowed to have phone calls without your fucking approval?"
Mikey didn't answer. He followed Gee to the van all the while wondering what the hell was going on now.

"Elle, you want to take Frank outside in the backyard to play?" Monica asked. She and Elle had been watching "Dora the Explorer" but the show had ended.
Elle clapped her hands happily. "Otay"
They walked into the kitchen but suddenly Elle ran back into the living room. She returned a moment later with her hat. "Good idea, put your hat on first."
"My burfday hat." Elle said happily adjusting the hat on her head. At her feet Frank was bouncing up and down excitedly.
"Your birthday hat?" Monica repeated thinking she understood Elle words.
"Yep. My burfday hat. Mommy gived it to me."
Monica smiled, "When was your birthday?"
"Yesterday." Elle told her. "Mommy and me went to the park. I gots a ice cweem cake with candles."
Monica was shocked. Good Lord Elle and Gee had the same birthday. "That sounds like lots of fun." She opened the sliding door to the deck.” Now you and Frank play right out there where I can see you while I'm making lunch, okay?"
Elle nodded and she and Frank both bounced out the door. Monica wasn't worried about letting her go alone with Frank. The yard was fenced and Frank would guard her. She smiled watching Elle run in circles laughing as Frank followed behind. They both were going to be dizzy. The phone rang and she picked up the cordless receiver then retuned to the window.
"Hey, Honey." Gerard didn't sound near as happy as he had yesterday.
"Gee, what's up? How's Kanata?
"It's good. We got a photo shoot in a few minutes. I just thought I'd check in, see what you're doing."
"Well I'm getting ready to make lunch and watching Elle and Frank in the backyard. She's running in circles and he's following as quickly as his little legs can carry him."
Gerard had forgotten she was watching Elle today. "Oh, bet that's cute. Did you talk to Liv?"
Monica sighed, "Tried to but she's pretty distant." She reached for the loaf of bread and added, "She wanted to know what happened about Eliza."
"What? Why the fuck would she ask about that?" He looked around to see if anyone was listening to his conversation.
"I don't know. Remember she was there the day I saw the pictures for the first time."
"So? What? She was just throwing salt in the wound?" He said angrily
Monica sighed, "The more I think about it I really don't think so. I think she was making sure you and I were good."
"Why?"
Monica laughed, "Stop asking questions I don't know the answer to."
"Whatever" he said, "Guess it don't really matter."
Outside Frank was running around the huge oak tree and Elle was chasing him. "Gee, what was the name of the dog you and Liv had?"
"What? Liv told you we had a dog? I thought you guys didn't talk."
"She saw Frank and mentioned that you and she had a dog."
Gerard rubbed his eyes. In his mind he pictured the little dog he and Liv had loved, "Olivia"
Monica smiled, "Pretty name. I'm guessing a small dog, right?"
"Yeah, right. Hey, tell me about Elle. Is she happy?" He didn't want to think about his past with Liv. That included their dog.
"She's always happy and very sweet. There's something I need to tell you that's kinda weird." She pulled out the sliced cheese from the fridge as she spoke.
"Okay, what?"
"Yesterday was Elle's birthday." She said softly.
He was silent for a minute. "Shit, that is weird. How'd you find out?"
"Elle was showing me her new hat she got for her "burfday"
Once again he was silent. Monica began to wonder if the connection had failed when he spoke, "Let me talk to her for a minute."
"Okay" Monica said slightly surprised. She walked out onto the deck "Elle, honey come here." She waited until Elle and Frank came up onto the deck, "Honey, remember Gee?'
"He calls me bug." Elle said smiling.
Monica laughed, "Yep, he does. He's on the phone and wants to talk to you." She handed the phone over. It was sweet to watch Elle hold it up to her ear looking very serious, "Hi"
"Hi" Gee said smiling, "How are you today?"
"Me's good. Me and Fwank's playing."
"That’s good. I heard yesterday was your birthday so I wanted to wish you happy birthday."
"I went to the park and mommy gots me a cake." She told him happily.
Gerard was trying to picture Liv as mommy. It was hard. "Know what? Yesterday was my birthday too."
"Did you go to the park?"
He laughed, 'No I had to work. I gotta go to work now. Can you tell Monica I'll call her later?"
Elle pulled the phone away from her ear, "Gee's gonna call later." She said sounding quite official. "Me's told Mommyca." She said holding the receiver back up to her ear.
Gerard laughed again, 'Thank you, Little Bug. Go have fun with Frank now."
"Otay" She handed the phone back to Monica.
Gee walked out into the hall as he was closing his phone. Mikey saw his smile.
"So am I gonna get my head bit off if I ask who you were talking to?" He asked
Gerard grinned, "No. I was talking to Elle."
Mikey was shocked, 'Elle?"
"Yeah, Elle. Come on we gotta get going."
Mikey trailed along behind him still very confused.