FicWad

Gerard sat down on his bed, “What about Liv? Have you heard from her? Did she come back for Elle?”
Monica’s voice quivered, “Gee, she never left town. I went to the apartment where she and Elle were living. I found her there.”
“So what did she say? Why’d she lie and say she was leaving?”
Once more Monica took a deep breath, “Gee, she made me Elle’s legal guardian because she knew that we would be raising Elle.” She paused then forced the words out, “Liv has cancer, she’s dying.”
Gerard sat in stunned silence. “Oh God.” He finally whispered. “She’s dying?”
Tears were coursing down her face, “When I got to the apartment she was getting ready to leave for a hospice center. That’s where she was going.” She couldn’t say the word die again.
He closed his eyes feeling so many emotions wash over him. “Cancer. What about treatments? Isn’t she getting any kind of treatment?”
“She’s in the final stages. When she found out in December she had cancer the doctors told her then that there was nothing that could be done.”
He couldn’t believe her words. “Nothing? Nothing at all?”
“The only thing that can be done for her is what we’re doing. She’s on morphine
for the pain.”
“Christ, morphine.” Gerard felt this body shake. Suddenly what Monica had said hit him. “December? She found out it December?”
“She had just found out a few days before the Christmas Gala. She had come to try to get you back into her life. She believed you knew about Elle but didn’t want her. Liv thought that if she could get back into your life that you would grow to love Elle.”
“Oh, fuck.” Gerard uttered, “Why didn’t she tell me? Why the fuck didn’t she just tell me she was sick? I would have helped her and I would have found out about Elle.”
“I know you would have.” Monica whispered. “I know that.”
Gerard was too emotionally upset to hear the pain in Monica’s voice.
“Where is she now?”
“She’s here, Gee. I brought her home with me. I just couldn’t let her do that, I couldn’t let her be alone when…” Her voice trailed off into gentle sobbing.
“Oh, God. You’ve been taking care of her? What about Elle? Does she understand what’s happening?”
Monica grabbed a tissue off the bedside table, “I send her and Kelly to stay with your mom. Kara stayed here to help me. Oh Gee, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you right away but I promised Liv. She didn’t want anyone to know.”
“She didn’t want me to know because she didn’t want to see me.” Gerard said with anger in his voice.
“She didn’t want anyone to know. She hated to accept help from be but I’m sure she did because she’s so afraid.” Monica tried to stop crying but it was proving impossible, “Liv is only twenty.” She whispered. “Only twenty and fucking dying.”
Gerard stood and began to pace, “No, she’s older than that. She was nineteen when I met her.”
“She lied. She was only sixteen. She ran away from her past. A past that you need to hear about. It explains so much about Liv and how she acted.”
“Fuck, Sixteen?” He shook his head, “Monica, if she won’t talk to me what can I do?”
“She’s changed her mind. There are things about her life she wants to try to make better before it’s too late.” She knew she had to tell him but it wasn’t going to be easy, “Bert came by to visit me and Liv asked to talk to him. She wanted to try to make amends with him for all the hurt she’s caused him.”
“Bert? He’s been there? He fucking knew Liv was dying and I didn’t?”
Monica started crying again, “Please, listen. She didn’t ask for him to come here. He did that on his own. She didn’t decide to see him until he showed up. He’s staying here.”
“What? Bert is there now?” Gerard sat back down trying to get a hold of his emotions.
“Yes, and he is really the one who convinced Liv that she needed to talk to you. He understands it’s something you both need.”
Suddenly all the things he’d just been told hit him. Gerard slumped forward and closed his eyes, “I’ll have to call you back later.” He disconnected and threw his phone down. Liv was dying. Tears filled his eyes as he remembered one of the last times he’d seen her. How they had talked on the way to the bus station. He remembered how sad she’d looked when she turned to say goodbye. He’d asked her to take off her sunglasses; he’d wanted to see her eyes. Her beautiful eyes. Now he understood the sadness he’d glimpsed. Tears fell from his own eyes. “Oh God, Liv.” He whispered. “I should have known. I should have seen it in your eyes.”

Monica set her phone down then curled up on the bed. She closed her eyes and replayed the conversation with Gee in her head. Was he angry with her? Couldn’t he see she had done what she believed was the right thing to do? She didn’t hear Kara come into the room until her daughter spoke.
“What did he say?” Kara asked sitting down on the bed.
Monica didn’t open her eyes, “He’s so upset.”
“Yeah, of course he is but is he gonna talk to her?”
Monica honestly didn’t know what Gee was going to do. “He didn’t say. He said he’d call me back.”
Kara shook her head sadly, “Please tell me he’s not pissed at you for not telling him.”
“I don’t know.” Monica whispered, “I don’t know how he feels about that.”
“I know this is a shock to him but you’ve been taking care of her for God’s sake. He’s got to know what kind of stress you’re under.”
Monica just wanted to shut off her brain. Too many thoughts, bad thoughts, seemed to be eating away at her. “Kara, I just need to lie here for a bit and rest. My head is pounding. Can you tell Bert that I’ve told Gee?’
“Yeah, I’ll tell him.” Kara said standing. “Do you need something for your headache?”
“I’m fine.” Monica murmured.
Kara left the room knowing her mom wasn’t fine at all. She delivered her mom’s message to Bert while he sat watching Liv sleep then went into her room. Turning on her phone she saw that Bob had called several times. She hadn’t wanted to talk to him until after her mom told Gerard. Punching in his number she sat down and waited to tell him the truth about what was going on. She needed to tell him how much her mom was hurting and that Gerard needed to realize that fact.

Bob walked in and saw Gerard lying on the bed. He was shocked to see it was obvious he was terribly upset. “Gee, you okay?”
Gerard didn’t answer. Bob’s cell rang. “Kara can I call you back?” He needed to find out what was going on with Gerard.
“No, she answered, “I need to talk to you now.”
Bob was shocked by her words, “Uh, but..”
“Bob, this has to do with Gee and what is going on here.” She prayed he’d understand the importance of this call.
“Okay.” He turned and left the room. Finding a bench by the hotel elevators he sat. “Kara what the fuck is going on? Gee looks like he’s been crying.”

Mikey spotted Bob deep in conversation as the elevator doors slid open. Bob looked up at him with a shocked expression on his face. “Kara hold on a minute.” He lowered the phone. “Dude, go talk to your brother. He needs you.”
“What’s going on?” Mikey could see Bob was upset.
“Here” Bob handed him the card key to his and Gerard’s room. “Just go talk to him.”
Mikey took the card from Bob and without question started for the room. He slid it in the lock and entered. Gerard was still lying on the bed. “Bro, what the fuck is going on?’
Gerard didn’t acknowledge his presence.
Mikey walked over to the bed, “Gee?”
“Mikey, just leave me alone.” He closed his eyes.
“No way. Tell me what’s going on? Is it Monica?”
“No, not Monica.” Gerard’s voice sounded strangled, “It’s Liv.”
Mikey looked down at his brother, “Liv? I don’t understand. What about her?”
“She’s fucking leaving me again.” Gerard whispered, “This time forever.”