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It wasn't until after the Meet & Greet that Gerard found the time to call home. Kelly answered Monica's phone.
"Hey Dad" she sounded happy.
"Hi Kell. How come you're answering your mom's phone?"
"She's making dinner right now and left her phone in the family room. I'm walking towards the kitchen right now as we speak." She explained. "Hold on. Here's Mom." Kelly walked over to the counter where Monica was slicing onions.
"Gee?" she asked.
Kelly nodded.
"Tell him about what happened in court today." Monica said surprising Kelly. She thought her Mom would have wanted to talk to him herself.
"Mom, said for me to tell you what happened." Kelly explained to Gerard. She sat down at the kitchen table.
"Okay. How did it go?" Gerard asked. He took a seat in the lounge backstage but it was too loud. Getting up he walked towards the backstage exit and went outside. Here he could have a cigarette and it was quiet.
"Well I was kinda scared but Kara kept encouraging me. She kept reminding me what a jerk Mike was and how I couldn't let him get away with the stuff he'd done. We filed the papers and got lucky. The judge was willing to see me ‘cause of the situation. He was really nice and asked me a bunch of questions. I told him I was afraid of Mike and I told him all the things Mike has done and said. He issued an emergency restraint against Mike. He said they would serve him with the papers tonight. Basically he has to stay away from me."
"That's great, Hon. I'm glad." Gerard took a drag and sat down on a low cement wall.
"Yeah, I feel so much better. Kara really helped me today. She made me realize that I could do this. That I am stronger than I ever thought I could be."
"Uh, Kell is your Mom in the room with you?"
"Yeah."
"Just listen okay? This is really hard for your Mom. She's feeling bad cause she didn't do the things Kara did for you, ya know?"
Kell looked over at her Mom who was still slicing onions. Her eyes were watery. Kelly hoped it was because of the onions. "Oh" she said softly.
"I just wanted you to know. I asked her if she wanted to talk to an abuse counselor herself but the idea really upset her."
"Oh" Kelly said again. Monica looked over at her. Kelly smiled.
"Thanks, Dad. Well, I'll let you talk to Mom now." She hoped she understood that her Mom had been listening so she couldn't say more.
"Got it,” He replied letting her know he understood.” I’ll talk to ya later, Kell. I'm really proud of you."
"Thanks, Dad." She walked over and handed the phone to Monica who was drying off her hands.
"Hi, Honey." She said faking a happiness she didn't feel.
"Hi, Hon. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. I heard Kelly telling you about how our trip to the courthouse went. I was so proud of how Kara helped Kelly with this."
"I'm proud of both our girls." He said honestly.
Monica sat down at the table. "So how's the weather there? Bet it's nicer than here. It's rained all day."
He laughed, "It's sunny and warm here."
"Wish I was there." She blurted out but regretted her words as soon as she said them. "I just miss you."
"I miss you." Frank walked out and smiled.
"Talking to Monica?" He asked. Gerard nodded. Frank leaned up next to him.
"Hey, Monica. Miss me?" He kidded.
"Of course, Frankie." She laughed.
Frank giggled. "Hey dude, we're needed inside." He said to Gerard then added raising his voice so Monica could hear him. "Love ya Monica. Talk to ya later."
Gerard shoved him away. "Hon, I've gotta go. I'll call you after the concert if you want me to but it will be pretty late for you."
"Call, me Gee." She said softly. "Please."
"I will" he promised then disconnected. Frank was watching him.
"Something wrong?" He could tell by the look on Gerard's face something wasn't right.
"Kelly got an emergency restraining order against Mike."
Frank nodded, "That's good."
"Yeah, but this all this shit about abuse has opened a lot of old wounds for Monica. Kara is really the one who has been handling things and now Monica feels like a bad mother because of it."
"Kara has handled it?"
"Yeah, and don't get me wrong. I'm really proud of her for doing this for Kell. I'm just worried about Monica. The shit that fucker did to her just won't go away."
Frank nodded, "Maybe she should talk to someone. You know someone who's been through shit like her."
"I suggested that but it upset her."
"Hey, sorry but we really gotta get in there." Frank said remembering why he came out to get Gerard in the first place.
Gerard nodded and followed him through the door. He hoped Monica was okay with all his heart.

"Kawa let's me's take bubble baff." Elle said frowning at the bath water that filled the tub. Not one bubble.
Liv tried not to lose her patience but it was getting late and Elle was getting tired and whiney. "Well maybe tomorrow we can get some bubble bath of our own."
Elle nodded, "Wike Kawa's?"
The pain in Liv's side was getting worse. The ugly bruise was painful to the touch. "Yeah, sure, Baby." She winced as she lifted Elle into the tub. "Now get some soap on the sponge and soap yourself all up." She said sitting on the floor by the tub.
"Mommy not feel dood?" Elle asked frowning.
Liv forced a smile. "Mommy's fine. Now come on get all clean and we'll watch some TV."
"Me's wanta see Cinrellla."
"Honey, remember we watched Cinderella when we lived at Jill's house. She had a DVD player. We don't have one."
"Mommyca's gots one." Liv said innocently,.
Liv tried to control her temper. "Yeah, I'm sure she does."
"Me's wansta go to Mommyca’s." Elle said with a pout.
The pain was getting worse. The doctor had warned Liv that her cracked ribs might have to be bound. She would have to go back to the doctor in the morning. "Want to go to Monica's in the morning?"
Elle jumped up and down in the water. "Yeah me's go to Mommyca's."
Liv tried to swallow the jealousy and hurt she was feeling. Of course Elle would want to go to Monica's. She had a beautiful home full of nice things. Compared to where she and Elle lived it was a palace.
'"Mommyca’s, Mommyca’s" Elle sang happily unaware of the tears her mother was brushing away.

"Just forget about it Ray." Christa said before sitting down on the sofa in the backstage lounge. She folded her arms and hugged herself.
Ray sat down next to her noticing how she moved slightly further down the couch away from him.
"I didn't mean it the way it sounded." He tried to explain.
"Whatever" she answered looking away. "You need to go get ready."
He did need to get changed but he needed her to understand. He hated that his words had hurt her. "Christa, look at me." He tried to touch her arm but she pulled away.
"Dude, why aren't you ready?" Mikey asked walking by them.
Ray looked up, "I'll be ready." He told him. Mikey continued walking. "Look at me" He said to Christa. "Please?"
She turned to face him. He could see the tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded."
"Excuse me? What part of "Did you ever notice that it all goes to shit when they bring their girlfriends on tour" did you not mean?"
He sighed, "Look, you know I was talking about the guys from that new group. You saw the video of how they are messing up, not interacting with each other now that they are all fighting because of their girlfriends. I wasn't talking about us."
Christa shook her head. "Look Ray, it's okay really. I know it hasn't exactly been like you thought it would be having me come along. You've made the guys mad a couple of time cause we've been late. I get that." She looked down at her hands. "I'm gonna head home tomorrow."
"The hell you are." He said.
"Ray, come on." Bob yelled from the door. "We're on in five."
"Go" Christa said.
"We'll talk about this after the concert" He told her. Leaning over he kissed her lips and took off for the stage.
"You okay?" Worm asked looking at Christa strangely.
She nodded, "Yeah, fine."
He nodded and took off for his place on the side stage. Christa sat thinking for several minutes. They had been watching a video of a new band they were considering using as an opening act. However the group was having some problems allegedly because of the girlfriends who were causing friction within the band. Ray's comment had been made without thought. When he had said it she had been shocked. Yeah, she knew he wasn't talking about them and their relationship but still....