Suffering Alone In Silence

Frank's POV

“My baby was stolen from my husband and I and we are facing charges of child abuse and neglect. These are all lies, and I just want my precious child back,” The woman cried.

“Mom...” I whispered, and then took off upstairs, into my room and into the closet.

There was a tap at the closet door, and I screamed, fear overtaking my mind and body.

“NO...LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE...please, I beg of you...” I cry out.

“Frankie? Honey are you okay?” a woman’s voice called.

“YOU CAN’T BE HERE, THIS IS MY NEW HOME, DON’T TAKE ME AWAY...MIKEY, MIKEY, PLEASE HELP ME MIKEY!” I scream out.

“Frankie, let me in, it’s Mikey...”I hear Mikey calmly ask me.

He opens the door a fraction and he slides in, I am cowering in the corner of the room until Mikey is at my level.

“Mikey, how did my mom get in? How did she get in, she can’t take me back, I can’t go back, Mikey, she will force me back, and punish me, oh god, I’m gonna die, Mikey I’m gonna die...” I ramble, panic rushing through me.

“Frankie, Frankie, calm down, it was my mom, Frankie, it was Donna, and she was worried. Your mom doesn’t know where we live, its okay,” He calmly tells me, wrapping his arms around me.

He pulls back sharply and looks at me with great worry.

“Frankie, your all bone, you need to eat,” He states firmly.

“Please don’t be mad Mikey, please don’t be mad...” I mumble over and over until Mikey cuts in.

“Frankie, I’m not mad, I’m worried and scared. I’m afraid that you will starve yourself to death. Please Frankie I’m worried, you need to eat,” He says, still calm.

“Okay,” I say solemnly.

Mikey and I slowly make our way back downstairs. It’s quiet as we walk into the living room, the TV is off. Gerard is sitting there with a blank look on his face. I nudge Mikey and we stop walking. I walk over to the lounge and rest my hand on Gerard’s head. He looks up at me and smiles gently.

“I’m sorry, so sorry,” I mumble to him, kissing the top of his head.

“It’s okay, you’re sae here,” He mumbles back.

“We’re going to find something to eat,” Mikey cuts in quietly.

“You go on, I’m just gonna sit here for a bit longer, I’ll join you in a minute,” Gerard replies.

I wrap my arms around Gerard’s neck quickly, before heading off with Mikey into the kitchen.
Donna is in there cleaning and pottering about, when she sees us enter. Donna smiles a warm, comforting smile, that is somehow understanding and kind, she’s not mad, but she understands perfectly well what happened. Mikey takes a seat at the kitchen table and observes my behaviour.
I walk over to Donna and wrap my arms around her. I hear her give out a surprised giggle and return the hug. We stand like that for a little longer than necessary and I mumble an apology to her, over and over.

“It’s okay, baby, I get it. You were scared, hush now child,” She soothes my quiet little sobs, while rubbing my back gently.

We pull away moments later, when I am calm again.

“Would you like something to eat, child?” She asks.

“Y-yes please,” I say, looking at my feet.

Donna lifts my head and steers me towards the kitchen table. I take a seat and Donna walks to the cupboard and pulls out ingredients and utensils.