It Takes Someone Special to be a Dad
Heart-to-heart
I woke up quite early the next morning and, to be blunt, I felt like shit. My head pounded in the sunlight and my eyes managed to focus on my clock. I groaned and flopped back onto my pillow.
It was only 9am.
9am should be made illegal on Saturday mornings. Then again, the dream I had been having felt so real. That must have been the reason I was awake at such an unearthly hour.
After trying to get back to sleep, without success, for 10 minutes I decided enough was enough and I dragged myself to the bathroom.
Arriving back in my room, 15 minutes later, I slumped onto my bed and wondered where Gerard had gone. He was definitely there before my mind went blank. Maybe that was all part of the dream?
The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt, so I gave in and decided to give in to my urge for coffee, so stood up and left my bedroom in search of the heavenly caffeine.
I dragged myself downstairs, still in my pyjamas, and it immediately registered in my head that the house was quiet. Too quiet for my liking. The absence of Sammy might have had something to do with it, and I silently cursed Sophia for insisting she took him, along with her own ugly poodle, to be groomed that day.
I entered the kitchen and made my way to the coffee pot. As I opened it, I almost had a heart attack. The pot was empty.
“Oh you mother f-”I began but was interrupted.
“Sorry about that, I was in desperate need after last night.” A deep voice apologised behind me. I jumped round, recognising it instantly, and my eyes met the tired ones of Gerard Way.
Yes, the Gerard Way.
“Here…you can have mine, it’s still warm I just made it.” He offered and held out the mug of steaming liquid.
“No, that’s okay…” I mumbled in reply and, somehow, found my way over to the table without falling over or passing out again.
I was more shocked about the fact that Gerard Way was standing in my kitchen, and had just offered me his coffee, than the fact that he was my father.
“Are you okay?” He asked and took the seat beside mine.
“I’m…not sure.” I answered honestly. He smiled.
“It’s okay; I’d probably feel the same way if I had just met my father.” He answered and lifted my favourite mug, a white one with claret and blue bubbles on it, to his mouth.
“Are you sure you don’t want it?” He asked, before the cup met his lips. I shook my head and he took a large gulp of it, before placing it down on the table.
“I think I’m more shocked that you’re in my house than that you’re my father.” I told him, surprised at my own honesty.
“Yeah, it’s not everyday you find out that your dad is the lead singer of your favourite band is it?” He asked. I didn’t question him on how he knew that piece of information. No, instead, I shook my head and stared at my hands.
“I’m sorry I fainted on you.” I mumbled and he laughed slightly.
“It’s alright. Your boyfriend seemed more than capable of making sure you were okay.” He said and took another mouthful of his coffee.
“He seems nice.”
“Max is great, we’re really close. When did he leave?”
“Not long after you fainted. He helped your mom take you up to your room and then left pretty quickly.” I grinned as Gerard spoke, imagining Max getting all star-struck.
“He loves your band just as much as I do.” I explained quietly.
“He seems to care about you a lot.” Gerard said softly, almost with regret in his voice. I forced my eyes up to his.
“I wish I had cared enough to go against what my heart told me.” He added glumly and took another mouthful of his coffee.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to explain again.” I told him, he smiled at me slightly.
“You probably hate me for leaving.”
I studied his face as I thought about what I was going to say.
“I don’t hate you at all. I actually admire you for walking away.” I told him and confessed everything to him. A smile formed on his face.
“Gerard? I’ve read up a lot about your band…but, I want to get to know you as my dad, not just Gerard Way: lead singer of My Chemical Romance.”
“I’m glad you said that because I really regret walking away. I just want to catch up on everything I’ve missed.” He told me. I hesitated and then placed my hand on his.
“From what I know so far, you’re an amazing person.” I said.
“I’m glad you’re my father.”
Gerard opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He was clearly lost for words so we sat there in silence for a while.
“Gerard, I need to know something.” I asked as he stood up to leave. He turned to face me, confusion on his face.
“What’s that then?”
“Why were Frank and Mikey throwing skittles onto my letter?” I asked.
Just the week before, Gerard had written to me claiming it was more personal. On the letter were coloured stains and Gerard had hastily explained that ‘my brother and best friend just attacked it with skittles’. He hadn’t named Mikey and Frank, but it wasn’t hard to guess.
Gerard grinned at me and opened the front door.
“I don’t actually know. It was just a random thing they decided to do.” He explained and stepped out onto the path.
“I’ll give them a slap from you if you want?” He suggested and I picked up on the hopefulness in his voice. I grinned.
“Nah thanks, it’s alright.” I answered and waved him goodbye. I watched him climb into the Porsche and drive away.
I closed the front door and leant against it, sighing loudly. I felt like I was floating, seriously I did. Everything felt so surreal. After all these years I finally knew my father. Yet, at the same time, I knew my idol.
I fucking knew Gerard Way.
It was only 9am.
9am should be made illegal on Saturday mornings. Then again, the dream I had been having felt so real. That must have been the reason I was awake at such an unearthly hour.
After trying to get back to sleep, without success, for 10 minutes I decided enough was enough and I dragged myself to the bathroom.
Arriving back in my room, 15 minutes later, I slumped onto my bed and wondered where Gerard had gone. He was definitely there before my mind went blank. Maybe that was all part of the dream?
The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt, so I gave in and decided to give in to my urge for coffee, so stood up and left my bedroom in search of the heavenly caffeine.
I dragged myself downstairs, still in my pyjamas, and it immediately registered in my head that the house was quiet. Too quiet for my liking. The absence of Sammy might have had something to do with it, and I silently cursed Sophia for insisting she took him, along with her own ugly poodle, to be groomed that day.
I entered the kitchen and made my way to the coffee pot. As I opened it, I almost had a heart attack. The pot was empty.
“Oh you mother f-”I began but was interrupted.
“Sorry about that, I was in desperate need after last night.” A deep voice apologised behind me. I jumped round, recognising it instantly, and my eyes met the tired ones of Gerard Way.
Yes, the Gerard Way.
“Here…you can have mine, it’s still warm I just made it.” He offered and held out the mug of steaming liquid.
“No, that’s okay…” I mumbled in reply and, somehow, found my way over to the table without falling over or passing out again.
I was more shocked about the fact that Gerard Way was standing in my kitchen, and had just offered me his coffee, than the fact that he was my father.
“Are you okay?” He asked and took the seat beside mine.
“I’m…not sure.” I answered honestly. He smiled.
“It’s okay; I’d probably feel the same way if I had just met my father.” He answered and lifted my favourite mug, a white one with claret and blue bubbles on it, to his mouth.
“Are you sure you don’t want it?” He asked, before the cup met his lips. I shook my head and he took a large gulp of it, before placing it down on the table.
“I think I’m more shocked that you’re in my house than that you’re my father.” I told him, surprised at my own honesty.
“Yeah, it’s not everyday you find out that your dad is the lead singer of your favourite band is it?” He asked. I didn’t question him on how he knew that piece of information. No, instead, I shook my head and stared at my hands.
“I’m sorry I fainted on you.” I mumbled and he laughed slightly.
“It’s alright. Your boyfriend seemed more than capable of making sure you were okay.” He said and took another mouthful of his coffee.
“He seems nice.”
“Max is great, we’re really close. When did he leave?”
“Not long after you fainted. He helped your mom take you up to your room and then left pretty quickly.” I grinned as Gerard spoke, imagining Max getting all star-struck.
“He loves your band just as much as I do.” I explained quietly.
“He seems to care about you a lot.” Gerard said softly, almost with regret in his voice. I forced my eyes up to his.
“I wish I had cared enough to go against what my heart told me.” He added glumly and took another mouthful of his coffee.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to explain again.” I told him, he smiled at me slightly.
“You probably hate me for leaving.”
I studied his face as I thought about what I was going to say.
“I don’t hate you at all. I actually admire you for walking away.” I told him and confessed everything to him. A smile formed on his face.
“Gerard? I’ve read up a lot about your band…but, I want to get to know you as my dad, not just Gerard Way: lead singer of My Chemical Romance.”
“I’m glad you said that because I really regret walking away. I just want to catch up on everything I’ve missed.” He told me. I hesitated and then placed my hand on his.
“From what I know so far, you’re an amazing person.” I said.
“I’m glad you’re my father.”
Gerard opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He was clearly lost for words so we sat there in silence for a while.
“Gerard, I need to know something.” I asked as he stood up to leave. He turned to face me, confusion on his face.
“What’s that then?”
“Why were Frank and Mikey throwing skittles onto my letter?” I asked.
Just the week before, Gerard had written to me claiming it was more personal. On the letter were coloured stains and Gerard had hastily explained that ‘my brother and best friend just attacked it with skittles’. He hadn’t named Mikey and Frank, but it wasn’t hard to guess.
Gerard grinned at me and opened the front door.
“I don’t actually know. It was just a random thing they decided to do.” He explained and stepped out onto the path.
“I’ll give them a slap from you if you want?” He suggested and I picked up on the hopefulness in his voice. I grinned.
“Nah thanks, it’s alright.” I answered and waved him goodbye. I watched him climb into the Porsche and drive away.
I closed the front door and leant against it, sighing loudly. I felt like I was floating, seriously I did. Everything felt so surreal. After all these years I finally knew my father. Yet, at the same time, I knew my idol.
I fucking knew Gerard Way.