Devil's Work

Gerard pulls Kaitlynn out of the stroller as Frank and Alicia go to the kitchen to make some more coffee. Mikey follows him into the guest bedroom, knowing already that something is wrong.

There are no words exchanged as Gerard watches his younger brother pull out a twin mattress from the closet for Kaitlynn to sleep on. There isn’t tension so much as anxiety.

Finally Mikey asks timidly, “What’s up?” And it sounds like before, when the two were teenagers. When something was wrong they would only have to ask those two words, and that was a gateway to some of the most difficult confessions ever spilled.

“Ah, uh.” Gerard shrugs, unable to find the right words. He starts unpacking Kaitlynn’s pajamas instead. “There’s something going on back home.”

“Like what?” Mikey questions, and Gerard feels the hands of his younger brother trying to help him with the suitcase. Gerard realizes that he’s just fiddling with the zipper, his own hands shaking.

Gerard sucks in a deep breath. “Something weird. We’re being threatened, Mikey, and it’s really suspicious. The police won’t help us. They want Kaitlynn but we don’t know why. It’s making Frank crazy.”

“You sure you’re fine too?” Mikey inquires.

“No. No, not if they want Kaitlynn.” Gerard finally pulls out Kaitlynn’s clothes, but he clutches them and hangs his head. Tears fill his eyes. “I don’t even fucking know why. We were so happy, and then...”

“Woah, woah, Gerard. Okay, the police won’t help you? That’s bullshit. Come on, Gee. Are you sure this isn’t a joke?”

“I’m sure. I don’t think they’d go this far.”

Gerard doesn’t want to cry. He doesn’t want to know that he’s afraid. He’s supposed to protect his family, and he’s letting this terrorize them. It makes him feel like a failure as a dad.

He feels Mikey hesitate. “You know, you can always stay—”

“No, I can’t do that to you. What if something happens to you too? Coming here was dangerous as it is. They could’ve followed us.”

“You sound paranoid.”

“They want my baby for no goddamn reason. I think I have a right.”

The next morning, Gerard and Frank leave quietly with Kaitlynn as Mikey and Alicia wave to them from their front porch. Gerard doesn’t want to endanger Mikey and his wife and the rest of his family, so he doesn’t think that he’ll be calling them for a while.