We're Just Two Men As God Had Made Us
Chapter Forty Five
Gerard's POV
I was back. But I wasn't happy. I faced my Mikey, curled up on the couch. He looked so... haunted. He looked at me, then shut his eyes and started to cry silently, tears just flowing down his face. What was wrong? Did he not love me anymore? I expected him to welcome me back. Looks like I was wrong. My heart tugged, and I turned to leave before it broke. It broke too many times already, and it would never stop. But then Ray caught hold of my arm and I looked at him.
"Wait. Give him a second. He's been seeing "you" everyday, hallucinations of course." He added upon seeing my shocked face. He looked at Ray, who nodded and moved towards Mikey. He touched him arm and Mikey flinched visibly.
"Don't touch me," he whispered.
"Mikey, Gerard's here," Ray spoke gently, as if speaking in anything louder than a whisper would cause Mikey to shatter, as if he was made of spun glass. And he looked so fragile now, I longed to take him into my arms. To hold him, as I had been prevented from doing for so long. But I couldn't, and now I could only watch helplessly and Ray tried to convince him I was back. Were things so destroyed in him that he needed convincing that I was standing right in front of him? Oh my poor Mikey, I let out an involutary sob at the state my beautiful Mikey was in. I noticed Mikey's eyes flick up towards me and flicker shut again.
"It's not him. He's not real," he opened his eyes and glared at Frank. "That's what you've all been telling me, ever since he got taken away. You're all liars, all of you!"
Ray backed away slowly, as if scalded by Mikey's words. He whispered to me, "That has been the most he'd said since you left. I hope he hasn't not believing you would return. You're finally here, but the irony is that he may not ever believe it again." I suddenly stepped back unconciously, and my eyes widened. Then, all the energy went out of my body, the previous elation earlier disappeared and it was like I would never feel happy or hopeful again. I had almost lost Mikey, and for a while I believed I had truly lost him, but now I was home, and I still might have.
I was back. But I wasn't happy. I faced my Mikey, curled up on the couch. He looked so... haunted. He looked at me, then shut his eyes and started to cry silently, tears just flowing down his face. What was wrong? Did he not love me anymore? I expected him to welcome me back. Looks like I was wrong. My heart tugged, and I turned to leave before it broke. It broke too many times already, and it would never stop. But then Ray caught hold of my arm and I looked at him.
"Wait. Give him a second. He's been seeing "you" everyday, hallucinations of course." He added upon seeing my shocked face. He looked at Ray, who nodded and moved towards Mikey. He touched him arm and Mikey flinched visibly.
"Don't touch me," he whispered.
"Mikey, Gerard's here," Ray spoke gently, as if speaking in anything louder than a whisper would cause Mikey to shatter, as if he was made of spun glass. And he looked so fragile now, I longed to take him into my arms. To hold him, as I had been prevented from doing for so long. But I couldn't, and now I could only watch helplessly and Ray tried to convince him I was back. Were things so destroyed in him that he needed convincing that I was standing right in front of him? Oh my poor Mikey, I let out an involutary sob at the state my beautiful Mikey was in. I noticed Mikey's eyes flick up towards me and flicker shut again.
"It's not him. He's not real," he opened his eyes and glared at Frank. "That's what you've all been telling me, ever since he got taken away. You're all liars, all of you!"
Ray backed away slowly, as if scalded by Mikey's words. He whispered to me, "That has been the most he'd said since you left. I hope he hasn't not believing you would return. You're finally here, but the irony is that he may not ever believe it again." I suddenly stepped back unconciously, and my eyes widened. Then, all the energy went out of my body, the previous elation earlier disappeared and it was like I would never feel happy or hopeful again. I had almost lost Mikey, and for a while I believed I had truly lost him, but now I was home, and I still might have.