Union

Tre woke up to someone tapping his shoulder. It was dark, and he wasn't sure who it was. "Hey..." a voice whispered.

"What the fuck do you want?" Tre asked defensively.

"Calm down man, it's Clive. Top bunk's mine," he said.

Tre tutted, "Fine." He jumped down, and found himself spot on the bottom bunk, and reclosed his eyes.

Clive jumped up on the top bunk and the room was with silence for a very long time. Neither Tre nor Clive were sleeping, they each had their own problems on their minds.

"Hey Tre," Clive spoke suddenly.

"What?" Tre asked.

"What was with you and that asshole earlier?" Clive asked.

"Fuck, you don't want to know. I want to know how the fuck I got trapped in here with him," Tre said, shaking his head.

"No seriously, what was that all about? You know him?"

"No. I don't know him. He's just someone who broke into my house last year," Tre answered. Memories of how happy Rose and he were before that day came flowing back to him. It changed everything for them.

"Why did he say he raped your wife?" Clive questioned.

Tre was silent for a few moments, trying to conjure up the ability to speak. "Because, he did..." Tre answered.

"Fuck, fucking prick Snake. He told everyone he and his partner were in for theft," Clive said.

"His name's Snake?" Tre asked.

"Yeah," Clive confirmed.

"The police had never caught the guy who attacked my Rose. I guess they have and just haven't even realized it," Tre said quietly, as he felt himself starting to cry again.

"I'm sorry man," Clive said, he could tell Tre was crying.

"Thanks," Tre said quietly. "What are you in here for?"

"Me? Uhh...well...I raped a girl actually," Clive answered nervously. "I feel really bad I did it too. I was just drunk."

"Shit, that's a heavy burden," Tre said, scratching his forearm.

"Yeah."

"Sorry," Tre whispered.

"It's okay."

There was more silence that filled the room. Tre looked at the top bunk that caved in towards him, under Clive's heavy weight. He sighed, figuring if he were going to be in here for the next nine years, he might as well make a friend of this Clive character. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to share another aspect of his life. "My wife's having our baby right now."

"Really?" Clive asked.

"Yeah. She went into labor, right there in the courtroom. Fuck, it was awful. She had to watch me being arrested and taken away in handcuffs when she really needed me," Tre said, a tear running down the side of his face, onto his pillow.

"That's really shitty. I bet it was the stress that triggered her," Clive suggested empathetically..

"Yeah, I bet too..." Tre sighed, and he reclosed his eyes.

***

Billie Joe returned to the hospital's delivery room, after having left in a dramatic charade. He saw Rose laying in her hospital bed crying still. Adrienne had remained sitting beside the bed trying to comfort her.

"Where the hell have you been?" Adrienne questioned Billie Joe with narrowed eyes.

"I just needed a breather," Billie replied.

"A six hour breather?"

"Ah fuck Adrienne, get off my back!" Billie Joe snapped.

Adrienne glared at Billie Joe and then looked back at Rose, "How are you feeling?"

"I need someone to...uhh! Help me turn over! Uhh! It will feel better..." Rose said, as she began to try and turn herself on her side. Adrienne stood up and helped her.

Billie Joe was quick to help as well. "Can I get you anything Rose?" he asked with much concern.

"Drugs! Uhh! Please give me drugs!" Rose screamed as the doctor came back into the room.

"Soon darling," the doctor said.

"God! How long has it been?!" Rose screamed.

"Just a little over eight hours," the doctor replied.

"Oh God....fuck...Billie...get Mike," Rose said, biting through her bottom lip, trying to endure the pain she was feeling.

"You want Mike here?" Billie asked.

"Ye...uhh! Yes..." Rose answered. "If Frank can't be here...ahh! I want Mike. He was with me last time..."

"Ah, okay. I can give him a call I guess," Billie said, and he got up and left the room. Out in the hallway he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Mr. Mike Dirnt's phone number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mike, it's Bill again."

"No man, I said give it a rest. Forget about Sarah for..."

"No...no. That's not what I'm calling about," Billie Joe said.

"Oh, what than?"

"Umm, Rose asked if you could come down to the hospital. She said she wants you to be here, because you were with her last time," Billie Joe said, in a quiet voice.

"Umm, she wants me there?" Mike asked.

"Ah yeah. She specifically asked for you, " Billie answered Mike, scratching his neck nervously.

"Umm okay," Mike said, with a secret smile on his face.

"Okay, see you in awhile?"

"Yeah, I'll be there as quick as possible," Mike grinned, feeling very flattered Rose had asked for him to be there.