I Never Told You What I Did for a Living
The Weekend
"I'm impressed," I muttered in astonishment as I suddenly recognized the road we were on.
"Did you ever really doubt my sense of direction?" Gerard pretended to be hurt, clutching his chest with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel.
"You once got us lost at a petting zoo," Mikey piped up suddenly.
"We weren't lost," Gerard said defensively. "I was saving you from the demon goat!"
"It was a lamb, and then we got lost."
"It was not a lamb!" he persisted. "That thing had horns, and I swear its eyes were red!"
"Only because you had just kicked dirt into them. No wonder it was pissed off."
"Nevertheless, I saved you."
"More like you ran away and I followed because I didn't want to be left alone."
"Because you were scared of the demon goat."
"Right... that's what it was."
I couldn't stifle my laugh any longer. Despite the glare Gerard shot me, I burst into a fit of giggles that were so fierce I could hardly stop for a breath. When I finally inhaled enough to calm myself, my eyes were watering profusely, and Mikey, too, had started to laugh.
"You guys suck," Gerard grumbled as he turned onto a slightly larger road and continued driving.
"Sorry, I just can't get that image out of my head," I explained, fighting back another giggle.
He pulled the car into my driveway and I saw, to my disappointment, that Dad's car was home.
"We're going to go straight to my room, okay? I don't want to take any chances this time."
"Agreed."
We hurried inside and down the hall. I closed the door and flopped down on my bed. None of us left the room until breakfast the next morning.
"Morning, Lily," Dad said as he looked up from his bagel.
"Hey, Dad."
"Hello, boys."
Gerard shot me a confused look. "Hey, Mr. Green."
I was about as confused as he was. This was a strange occurence. Dad was being nice. I was a little worried.
"What?" he asked as he noticed us all exchange glances.
"Nothing," I said quickly.
He let the subject drop, which was yet another rare moment.
The three of us skipped breakfast and returned to my room. I paced the room anxiously.
"What's wrong?" Mikey asked.
"This is so fucked up. He's never like this."
"I'm not complaining," Gerard shrugged. "I like this new side of him. This side doesn't hate me!"
I smirked. "Okay, I agree. Maybe he's actually trying to be a part of my life now and keep me happy. That would be a plus."
"Definitely. I would love it if he did and let us hang around here more."
The afternoon came too soon and the guys had to leave. Dad seemed to be happy that Gerard was taking the initiative and going home early enough to get rest before school. I had to admit, if Dad was trying to get on my good side, he was making a pretty good step in that direction. I was sad to see Gerard and Mikey go, but I knew I would talk to them soon.
When I went back inside after watching them drive away, Dad was smiling.
"What?"
"You're happy."
"So are you," I murmured, a little cautiously.
"I like seeing you smile. It's a nice change."
I shrugged. "Maybe you'll see it more often now."
"I hope so."
"Did you ever really doubt my sense of direction?" Gerard pretended to be hurt, clutching his chest with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel.
"You once got us lost at a petting zoo," Mikey piped up suddenly.
"We weren't lost," Gerard said defensively. "I was saving you from the demon goat!"
"It was a lamb, and then we got lost."
"It was not a lamb!" he persisted. "That thing had horns, and I swear its eyes were red!"
"Only because you had just kicked dirt into them. No wonder it was pissed off."
"Nevertheless, I saved you."
"More like you ran away and I followed because I didn't want to be left alone."
"Because you were scared of the demon goat."
"Right... that's what it was."
I couldn't stifle my laugh any longer. Despite the glare Gerard shot me, I burst into a fit of giggles that were so fierce I could hardly stop for a breath. When I finally inhaled enough to calm myself, my eyes were watering profusely, and Mikey, too, had started to laugh.
"You guys suck," Gerard grumbled as he turned onto a slightly larger road and continued driving.
"Sorry, I just can't get that image out of my head," I explained, fighting back another giggle.
He pulled the car into my driveway and I saw, to my disappointment, that Dad's car was home.
"We're going to go straight to my room, okay? I don't want to take any chances this time."
"Agreed."
We hurried inside and down the hall. I closed the door and flopped down on my bed. None of us left the room until breakfast the next morning.
"Morning, Lily," Dad said as he looked up from his bagel.
"Hey, Dad."
"Hello, boys."
Gerard shot me a confused look. "Hey, Mr. Green."
I was about as confused as he was. This was a strange occurence. Dad was being nice. I was a little worried.
"What?" he asked as he noticed us all exchange glances.
"Nothing," I said quickly.
He let the subject drop, which was yet another rare moment.
The three of us skipped breakfast and returned to my room. I paced the room anxiously.
"What's wrong?" Mikey asked.
"This is so fucked up. He's never like this."
"I'm not complaining," Gerard shrugged. "I like this new side of him. This side doesn't hate me!"
I smirked. "Okay, I agree. Maybe he's actually trying to be a part of my life now and keep me happy. That would be a plus."
"Definitely. I would love it if he did and let us hang around here more."
The afternoon came too soon and the guys had to leave. Dad seemed to be happy that Gerard was taking the initiative and going home early enough to get rest before school. I had to admit, if Dad was trying to get on my good side, he was making a pretty good step in that direction. I was sad to see Gerard and Mikey go, but I knew I would talk to them soon.
When I went back inside after watching them drive away, Dad was smiling.
"What?"
"You're happy."
"So are you," I murmured, a little cautiously.
"I like seeing you smile. It's a nice change."
I shrugged. "Maybe you'll see it more often now."
"I hope so."