"Billie, This Is So Wrong, but I Love You."
Chapter Ten.
** Adrienne **
I was sitting at home, rubbing my bloated stomach. My son would be here any day now and I couldn't wait. Neither could Billie. I loved him so much and he loved me too. And Joseph, how we loved Joseph.
Billie was at Mike's house for the night with some friends so it was just me, Joseph and the baby. Joseph was playing with some toys in front of me, making nosies and sound effects to add to his little game.
"Honey? It's time for your bath." I said, standing up and taking his hand.
He stood up too and together we walked to the bathroom. As he undressed himself, I ran the bath, dipping my fingers in to see the temperature.
"Okay, mister! In you go!" I coaxed, lifting him up and placing him in the bath tub. "Would you like me to read you a story while you bathe?" I asked him.
"Yes, mommy! Please!"
I walked out of the bathroom and went to get a book. The phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Um... Is this Billie Joe's house?" A young girl asked from the other line. She sounded stressed.
"Yes. I'm his wife, Adrienne. Who's this?"
"My name's Clara Chambers. I was Billie's old pupil. He was my only friend. He comforted me and took me in when my Aunt died. Then I was put in a hospital and I was wondering..."
"Ahh. That's you the one who he put pictures of in the collages on his roof? What do you want?" I asked snidely. I hated when Billie talked about her. I could see something glint in his eyes.
"You see I get out of hospital tonight. And I know no one else. I was wondering if I could... maybe stay with you and your family? Not for too long. I'm just desperate. I have no one else."
"Call Billie's cell." I said dismissively.
"I don't have his number."
I gave her the number and hung up feeling unsettled. I didn't want her here, but I wasn't about to say that to Billie. He'd brush it off. I decided I wouldn't read to Joey tonight. He complained about it as I helped him wash, and I hit him in protest. He wouldn't speak to me so I got angrier and hit hit again, yelling at him to say something. He didn't.
"Joey, honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get angry." I said, as I saw him crying.
"Okay Mommy. Good night." He climbed into bed and I kissed his tear sodden cheek.
"I love you. I will never hurt you."
"Okay Mommy." He just wanted me to leave. And I took the hint.
When I went to call Billie's cell later that night it was engaged, and I was wondering if he was talking to Clara. I called Mike's house phone and Tré answered drunkly.
"Adieeeeeeeeeeee! How are youuuuuuuuu sugarrr? He slurred.
"Is Billie there?" I asked sternly.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooooope. He's with his girllllllfriendd!"
"Excuse me?" I asked, my cheeks flaming and my anger rising.
"Claaaaaaarrraaaaaaaa!"
I hung up. Dickheads. I ran into Joey's room. I didn't know what I was doing. I starting to hit his little body, screaming at him, hating him. He looked so much like Billie.
"Mommy! Mommy! What did I do?" He cried, and I continued to hit him.
Eventually I stopped, yelled at him to not tell a soul, and left the room. Billie arrived later. I was about to scream at him, but I realised he wasn't alone.
****
I was sitting at home, rubbing my bloated stomach. My son would be here any day now and I couldn't wait. Neither could Billie. I loved him so much and he loved me too. And Joseph, how we loved Joseph.
Billie was at Mike's house for the night with some friends so it was just me, Joseph and the baby. Joseph was playing with some toys in front of me, making nosies and sound effects to add to his little game.
"Honey? It's time for your bath." I said, standing up and taking his hand.
He stood up too and together we walked to the bathroom. As he undressed himself, I ran the bath, dipping my fingers in to see the temperature.
"Okay, mister! In you go!" I coaxed, lifting him up and placing him in the bath tub. "Would you like me to read you a story while you bathe?" I asked him.
"Yes, mommy! Please!"
I walked out of the bathroom and went to get a book. The phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Um... Is this Billie Joe's house?" A young girl asked from the other line. She sounded stressed.
"Yes. I'm his wife, Adrienne. Who's this?"
"My name's Clara Chambers. I was Billie's old pupil. He was my only friend. He comforted me and took me in when my Aunt died. Then I was put in a hospital and I was wondering..."
"Ahh. That's you the one who he put pictures of in the collages on his roof? What do you want?" I asked snidely. I hated when Billie talked about her. I could see something glint in his eyes.
"You see I get out of hospital tonight. And I know no one else. I was wondering if I could... maybe stay with you and your family? Not for too long. I'm just desperate. I have no one else."
"Call Billie's cell." I said dismissively.
"I don't have his number."
I gave her the number and hung up feeling unsettled. I didn't want her here, but I wasn't about to say that to Billie. He'd brush it off. I decided I wouldn't read to Joey tonight. He complained about it as I helped him wash, and I hit him in protest. He wouldn't speak to me so I got angrier and hit hit again, yelling at him to say something. He didn't.
"Joey, honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get angry." I said, as I saw him crying.
"Okay Mommy. Good night." He climbed into bed and I kissed his tear sodden cheek.
"I love you. I will never hurt you."
"Okay Mommy." He just wanted me to leave. And I took the hint.
When I went to call Billie's cell later that night it was engaged, and I was wondering if he was talking to Clara. I called Mike's house phone and Tré answered drunkly.
"Adieeeeeeeeeeee! How are youuuuuuuuu sugarrr? He slurred.
"Is Billie there?" I asked sternly.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooooope. He's with his girllllllfriendd!"
"Excuse me?" I asked, my cheeks flaming and my anger rising.
"Claaaaaaarrraaaaaaaa!"
I hung up. Dickheads. I ran into Joey's room. I didn't know what I was doing. I starting to hit his little body, screaming at him, hating him. He looked so much like Billie.
"Mommy! Mommy! What did I do?" He cried, and I continued to hit him.
Eventually I stopped, yelled at him to not tell a soul, and left the room. Billie arrived later. I was about to scream at him, but I realised he wasn't alone.
****