My Unintended

I had been too busy with Michaela and the band to actually pick up the phone and call Melissa myself.

At least, that’s what I had forced myself to believe.

In reality, I was just too afraid of re-living the past. So I had phoned my mom and asked her to do it instead.

I sighed loudly to myself as I locked my car door and looked towards the dingy house.

I had finally made it off tour and was standing outside Melissa’s home trying to find the courage to walk up to the house and find out what the hell she was playing at.

I became dimly aware of my feet moving and the next thing I remembered was the door being flung open and my eyes resting on the tiny figure that was Melissa.

“Hey…erm…come in.” She mumbled and motioned for me to enter.

The first thing I noticed was that the house was un-naturally dark. It was a muggy day outside, but the house shouldn’t have been as dark as it was.

I followed Melissa down the dark hallway and into the kitchen.

I recoiled slightly as its un-natural cleanliness.

It looked like it hadn’t been used at all. Except for the fridge, which was covered in dirty finger marks, everything was sparkly.

“So, how have you been?” I asked calmly as she shuffled to the fridge and wrenched the door open.

“Oh, you know, same old.” She replied and stuck her head inside the fridge.

“Do you want a drink?”

“No, I’m okay, I can’t stay long.” I replied and leant on the doorframe.

Melissa pulled out a bottle of beer from the fridge and slammed the door shut.

She walked past me and disappeared into a room off the hallway. I followed nervously.

I watched as she slumped onto the sofa and I stepped cautiously around several empty beer bottles and an over-flowing ashtray.

“Melissa…”

“Melissa? I thought we were through with that and were stuck on Mel?”

“Melissa, we were done with that five years ago remember?” I asked and sat down on a chair.

“You don’t believe it ended do you?”

“Hell yeah I do, I ended it remember? You decided you would rather waste your life partying than to be with me and…our daughter.” I said and tried to keep my voice calm.

I noticed her expression soften slightly at the mention of Michaela.

“How is she?”

“She’s everything to me and I can’t believe you walked away from her.”

“I was scared, Gee…”

“Don’t call me Gee.”

“Look, I was scared and I didn’t know what else to do. I really regret what I did and just wish I could go back.” I watched as tears formed in her eyes.

“The only thing you regret is sleeping with me. If you could go back, you would change that one night so you wouldn’t have to feel like this.” I said. Melissa looked over at me with a slight smirk.

“I saw that show you played on Halloween. Really sweet of you to bring her onstage to sing for your guitarist. You didn’t even do that to your own brother.” She said to change the conversation.

“Look, Melissa, it really isn’t any of your business who I get her onstage to sing for. I love Frank and thought he would love to see the two main people in his life sing for him.”

I watched as Melissa’s expression changed and I had a sudden flashback to the night she had made me confess to how far I had gone with a man.

“Oh my God, that’s why your mom told me you would never take me back; you’re a fag.” She stated with a tone of understanding but her eyes were looking at me in disgust.

“Melissa, I couldn’t care less what you think! Even if I wasn’t with Frank, I wouldn’t take you back because of Michaela! You deserted her on the day she was born and you expect me to just come over here and let you back into her life?” I asked incredulously and I felt my temper rise slightly.

“Actually, yeah I did. I’m her mother for fuck’s sake Gerard! Don’t I have a say in who raises my child?” She asked and sat up on the sofa to drain the rest of her beer.

“Melissa, you already did. You signed those papers to allow me full custody of her. There is nothing you can do about it now.” I explained and stood up. I couldn’t handle anymore of her dramatics.

“Where the hell are you going? If you walk away, I will call the cops on you.”

“And say what? That the man who you gave full custody of your daughter to is walking away? You’re delusional.”

“Oh really and why is that? I can’t let you raise my daughter away from me with that…fag…its morally wrong for the child.” Melissa said and stood up just as I reached the living room door.

I turned and pointed my finger at her.

“And it's not morally wrong for me to just give her back to her junkie mother?”

“Just leave, Gerard, I don’t want to see you around me anymore…fags just aren’t worth the effort....”

“You weren’t saying that when we had sex…and I would rather chop my own head off than willingly come back here.” I sneered and walked away.

As I got to my car Melissa’s voice reached me.

“You can’t watch her forever Gerard. One day I will get her back and there will be nothing you can do to stop me.”

I forced the key into the ignition and drove away quickly, desperate to get back to Michaela and hold her again.

A/N: Dun dun duuuun. The action really has started....