All for Helena

On Sunday morning, Helena woke me up by jumping on my bed.

“Mommy Mommy! There’s people in the apartment,” she said happily. I shot up in bed.

“How’d they get in Helena?” I asked, trying to stay clam. I saw drawings on her arms. “And what are those?” I asked, touching one.

“I let them,” she mentioned. “And I want to be just like Frank,” she added. She looked proud of herself. I got out of bed. She grabbed my hand and started to pull me into the kitchen.

“Helena, didn’t I tell you not to open the door for strangers?” I asked. She nodded. That when I saw it was Frank, Gerard, Mikey, Ray and Bob. I sighed.

“You guys! I got Mommy up!” Helena exclaimed proudly. Frankie nodded and dropped to his knees.

“Good job Helena. Why don’t you, Gerard, Mikey, Ray and Bob go watch cartoons while I talk to your mom?” Frank offered. She nodded and grabbed Gerard’s hand. She grabbed Ray’s and pulled them both into the living room. Bob and Mikey followed them, laughing. Frank stood up.

“Hey Ryan,” he said. He smiled at me and sat down at the kitchen table. I sat down next to him.

“So, you wanted to talk?” I asked, smiling back at him. He shook his head.

“Not really, I just want Helena to get to know the rest of the band. I know if I’m there, that won’t happen,” Frank said, smiling. I laughed.

“I take it you’ve dealt with children before?” I asked, smirking at him. He laughed.

“Was it that obvious?” he asked. I nodded. Helena ran into the room.

“Frankie! Frankie! Mikey said that you play guitar,” Helena said, climbing into his lap. Frank nodded.

“Will you play now? Please?” Helena begged. Frank looked at me and smiled.

“I would, but I don’t have a guitar,” Frank frowned. He thinks he got out of it. Helena climbed out of his lap.

“Mommy has a guitar. I’ll go get it!” Helena said, running into my room.

“Frank, how’d you get Helena to open the door for you?” I asked. He held up his phone.

“She stole your phone and called me last night and I just went into call history,” he shrugged. I sighed.

“She’s in big trouble,” I said under my breath. Frank looked alarmed.

“Why?” he asked hurriedly.

“She’s not supposed to touch my phone,” I sighed. Frank sighed too.

“Mommy, where’s your guitar?” Helena asked, coming out of my room empty handed. I stood up.

“I’ll go get it,” I sighed. I walked into my room and opened my closet. Up on the top shelve, was my guitar. I reached for it, but couldn’t get it down. “Damn it,” I mumbled.

“I got it,” someone behind me said. I turned around to see Mikey. He reached above me and pulled down my guitar with ease.

“I’m jealous,” I laughed. Mikey laughed too. He put the case on my bed and opened it.

“It’s blue,” Mikey mentioned.

“I know,” I said shortly. He looked at me.

“Hey Ryan,” he said, closing the door.

“Yea?” I said, pulling my guitar out.

“When are you going to tell Frank that Helena is his daughter?” Mikey asked, leaning against the wall. I looked at him with wide eyes.

“Wh-what are you talking about Mikey?” I asked in shock. He rolled his eyes.

“Please, don’t play dumb with me. I can see. Everyone can. She has the same eyes. She looks like him. So, when are you going to tell him?” Mikey asked again. I sighed.

“When the times right. You have to promise me that you aren’t going to tell him. I have to be the one to tell him,” I said, my knuckles turning white around my guitar. He nodded and opened the door. I walked out.

“There you are,” Frank smiled. He looked at me guitar and smiled. “It’s blue,” he said. I laughed and handed it to him.

“It’s probably out of tune,” I told him. He strummed a couple of times.

“Seems fine to me,” he shrugged. Everyone watched as he started to play. After a while, my mind decided that I’d tell Frank the next moment I got him alone. When I told Mikey, he got everyone but Frank and I to go back to watching cartoons. Frank and I watched them from the doorway.

“Hey Frank?” I said.

“Yea?” he asked.

“I’m in contact with Helena father, but I’m afraid to tell him,” I said. He looked at me and touched my shoulder.

“Don’t be, just. Tell him,” he said. I nodded slowly and took a deep breath.

“Hey Frank?” I said again.

“What Ryan?” he asked, smiling

“Remember your graduation night?” I asked. He nodded.

“I...did stuff with that girl I told you about,” he mumbled. I nodded and took another deep breath.

“Yea. That girl...was me. And Helena, is your daughter,” I said.