My Real Birthday Surprise

“Gerard?!” I screamed as I walked through the front door.

No answer, though I knew he was home because his old red station wagon was parked in the driveway. I walked into the kitchen and got myself a snack of chocolate chip cookies and vanilla soy milk.

I heard the front door close loudly while I sat and ate my food. Gerard walked into the kitchen looking quite dishelved. His hair was standing up at all angles and his cheeks were a shade of red you only got from physical activity or sex. I looked at him with a quizzical face.

“Oh, hi sis…” He said and his cheeks grew even redder.

“Hey… Where’ve you been?”

“No where! Uhm, I have lots of homework, see you later.” He left the room and I heard his feet pound quickly up the stairs.

That was weird. Since when did Gerard have “lots of homework”? Oh well. I had plans this afternoon anyway.

I picked up my cell phone and dialed my bestfriend’s number.

“Tay-Tay!” Came an excited voice after just a few rings.

“Frankie! When are you coming to get me?”

“I’m almost to your house!”

“YAY! I’m gunna go get dressed! I’ll see you in a minute!”

I ran the stairs and banged on Gerard’s door.

He opened it, “Wha?”

“I’m leaving soon with Frank, just wanted to let you know.”

“Oh…really, uh, okay. Just tell me when you leave.”

“Okay, sure thing,” I smiled at him.

He smile back and shut the door.

I changed from my icky school uniform into a black skirt and batman t-shirt. I was looking for my bright purple suspenders when I heard the front door open bellow me. It must be Frank, he never knocked anymore; he was much too close to my family to bother with such inconsequential actions. I found the suspenders I was looking for and hooked them to the front of my skirt. Frank walked in as I was struggling to fasten them in the back.

“Help me please?!” I asked as soon as he was in the room.

He giggled and took the straps from my hands and clipped them easily to my skirt.

“Why thank you!” I said as I pulled him into a hug.

When I let go of him, I noticed that his hair was messy and all over the place, a very uncommon thing for my bestfriend.

“Uh, Frank, what happened to your hair?” I asked.

“Hu?” He turned around to face my full length mirror, “Oh, I… uh, had the windows down in the car, yeah that’s it!” He took a comb out of his pocket and ran it through his hair until it lay right on his head.

I could tell the window thing was an excuse, he had never been good at lying, but I didn’t care right now.

“We should go,” I told him as I looked at the clock. It was almost four thirty.

“Shit, you’re right! We gotta be there by five if we want to be close!”

Frank was taking me to see The Used, my favorite band and all time inspiration, tonight as a 16th birthday present. My birthday was tomorrow, Saturday, but I got to celebrate early with him.

“THAT CONCERT WAS AMAZING.” I shouted at the top of my excited lungs as we walked back out to the lobby area after the show.

“Mhm!” Frank said. He looked like he was hiding something.

“I will never forget this night!” I said.

Frank didn’t answer and walked over to the stage door on the far right side of the room. He knocked his fist on the door.

“Frank, what are you doing?” I asked as I caught up to his side.

A big man opened the door and Frank held two cards out to him. The man stepped aside and Frank grabbed my hand as he walked through the door.

My heart was beating fast as I realized what was happening. I could feel tears coming to my eyes.

“Frankie! Frankie! Oh my FUCK Frankie?!”

“Shh! You’ll scare the rockstars!” He smiled at me, laughing when he saw my face. I didn’t really know what he saw there, but I bet it was a mix between excitement, shock, and teary inspiration.

We walked into a room where the band was sitting around a table full of junk food. The floor was cluttered and it had the sticky sweet smell of weed. The man that must have been the tour manager motioned to the guys that we had entered.

“DUDES!” Bert McCracken yelled from across the small room, “Our only Arizona VIP’s!”

I couldn’t even speak and I could feel the tears running down my cheeks.

Frank poked my side.

“Hi, I’m Frank and this is Taylor,” Frank said.

“What’s wrong with her?” Jepha asked, walking up and waving a hand in front of my face.

“I’m fine!” I said suddenly finding my voice.

“Can we get some pictures?” Frank asked.

“Dudes! Yes!” Bert said loudly. I had a feeling he was high, but that didn’t matter right now.

Frank handed the camera to the manager and showed him how to work it.

We took many pictures; most of them retarded and messed up because of all the excitement going on. We talked with the band for a while, but then we had to go because they needed to get on the road to the next town. I got at least one hug from everyone and when Frank and I got home I was absolutely swimming in delight and disbelief at what I’d just experienced.

“Oh my god. Frank. Thank you so much.” I said when we were back at my house, sitting on my bedroom floor.

“Happy birthday,” He said and kissed my cheek.

“Do you want to spend the night?” I asked him.

“Sure! That would be awesome!” He said.

“YAY! I don’t even know if I’ll be able to sleep!” I told him.

He giggled at me and stood up to get a pair of my pj pants. He put on a pair of pink ones with a big flower on the hip. They were baggy and much too long for his small body.

“Hahaha! You look funny!” I laughed at him.

“Hey! Be nice! I just gave you the bestestest birthday present EVER!” He scolded sarcastically.

I woke up in the middle of the night not remembering going to sleep in the first place. So much for not sleeping. I started walking to the bathroom and then realized that Frank was no longer on my floor where he had been sleeping next to me. Weird. Maybe he was in the bathroom.

I walked into the hallway to see that the bathroom was empty and dark. I went pee and then went downstairs to see if Frank was there. He wasn’t in the kitchen or living room. Back upstairs, my parents were sleeping soundly in their bed and I heard the sound of snores from Gerard’s room. I walked over to his door which was open a crack and looked inside.

There in Gerard’s bed was not only Gerard, but Frank cuddled up next to him. Gerard’s arm was hugging Frank to him. I saw the pants Frank had been wearing on the floor along with his underwear and a pile of clothes that had to be Gerard’s.

I shoved my fist in my mouth to keep from screaming in shock. I closed the door and sat right down on the cold hallway floor.

“Fuck!” I hissed under my breath multiple times. Once I realized that sitting here freezing to death wasn’t going to explain anything, I got up and went back into my room. I got in my bed this time, curling up under my comforter. I fell asleep after a while of pondering and thankfully I was too exhausted to have any dreams.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Tay-Tay!” Frank’s voice and the weight of his body laying on mine awoke me in the morning.

I shoved my hand sleepily into his face and rolled over so he fell onto the bed next to me.

“Good morning, birthday girl!” He said.

“Mhmm,” I groaned. My mind was struggling to recall something, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Did you sleep well?”

Sleep! That was it! Frank. Gerard. Sleep. IN GERARD’S BED!

My eyes shot open and I glared at Frank with eyes of cold steel.

He didn’t seem to understand my sudden anger.

“Uh… bad dream?” He asked.

I shook my head, “Why didn’t you tell me?!” My voice was hard and cold.

His face was puzzled.

“Tell you what?”

“YOU KNOW WHAT!” I startled myself by roaring at him.

His face went pale with understanding.

“You got up last night didn’t you?” He asked, rolling onto his back to look at the ceiling.

I propped myself onto my elbow so I could look at him better.

His eyes darted sideways when I didn’t answer.

He sighed.

“Frank! What the hell?!”

He thought for a moment, “We just hadn’t gotten around to it..” He said.

“Thank you Captain Obvious! How long?! How long has this been going on behind my back?! Long enough for you two to be in bed together?! NAKED?! What the fuck Frank?!”

He sat up, “I’m sorry! We didn’t know how to tell or whether to tell you! I wanted to tell you, but Gerard thought you would freak out on us!” He said, “I guess he was right! I wish you hadn’t found out.” He started to get up from the bed and I saw little tears starting to well in his eyes.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him back onto the bed.

“I am only freaking out because you didn’t tell me! I tell you everything! Everything! And you decided to keep something this monumental from me?! And Gerard! I am going to shoot him! I tell him almost as much as I tell you! He’s my brother! AND he can’t keep a secret to save his life! How has he been keeping one from his whole family?!”

Frank gave me a look.

“No. I am NOT the only one who didn’t know am I?! You told my parents, but not me?!” Now the tears were in my eyes as I realized how much this hurt. That the two people I had counted on my whole life for everything and anything had kept something like this from me for so long.

“It’s only been two months. We were going to tell you soon despite Gerard’s negative feelings about your reaction.”

I didn’t know what to say. I got up and walked to the bathroom. Frank tried to fallow, but I slammed the door in his puppy-dog face.

Four Years Later

“We have come together today to witness the creation of an everlasting union between two beautiful people.” The Preacher started the ceremony.

Standing there looking at the two most important people in my life, I was truly happy. My brother and my bestfriend. They had been waiting so long for this and their dreams were finally coming true. I had finally found a church willing to take part in the marriage of two men. They had been so thrilled.

Now, I was standing as their bridesmaid. Yes, both of theirs. No best man. Just me.

Frank had had the most beautiful dress made for me to match their tuxedoes. It was dusty purple thick strap with a tutu type skirt with glitter and sparkles.

I listened to them perform their home written vows and slid rings onto each other’s fingers and clapped the hardest when they kissed.

I would never regret the night I found them together.

It was obviously meant to be.