Never Coming Home

Marie woke up to the front door slamming. She jumped a little, but closed her eyes again. The sun shined through her bedroom window, making it almost impossible to fall back asleep.

"Lily?" she asked, groggily. She didn't get a response, so she sat up, seeing the her sister was no longer in the room.

She scratched her head, hearing a commotion from downstairs.

"Really? This early?" she mumbled, getting out of bed. She gasped at how cold the floor was. She quickly got over it and crept out of her room and downstairs.

Lily was the first she saw. She gave her sister a questioning look, but Lily simply shook her head. She moved a little faster to the kitchen, where she heard the sobs of three woman.

"Oh, shit," she whispered to herself, quietly. She pushed the door open to the kitchen. No one looked up, they knew it was her. This made them cry harder. "What's wrong?" she asked, in a rushed tone. What she had really asked was, "Who died?"

No one said anything, simply cried harder. She soon found tears in her eyes. "Who...who died?" she whispered, voice cracking.

"Marie, you should sit...sit down, honey," her mother said, trying to stop crying. "Please."

Marie shook her head. "Who died?"

"My baby!" Donna cried, before bawling twice as much. Linda moved over to comfort her.

Marie felt her world start to break. She was breathing heavily. "Gerard or Mikey?"

"Honey, we're so sorry–"

"Mother," Marie said, in an angry voice, "Gerard or Mikey?"

Her mother looked away, with a tear slipping out of the corner of her eye. "It was Mikey, sweetheart."



She knew that today was the day of the funeral. She knew that today she would have to come to terms that her love is gone, dead, no longer to be there. She laid in her bed, with the comforter covering her head, trying to hide from the world. She didn't want to see anyone or do anything. She just wanted to cry, remembering her Mikey.

"Marie, you need to get up," Lily said, from the doorway. Her voice was gentle. "The funeral is today..."

"Get away. I'm not moving."

"But, Marie. Gerard is here to see you..."

"Tell him to leave. I don't want to see him, either."

"Marie, I heard that! I'm coming in whether you like it or not, alright?" Gerard said, from outside her door. She heard his shoes hit off of her floor and she felt the side of her bed sink in.

"Gee, I love you, but go away."

"But, I have a letter from Frank to you. He was really pissed that they wouldn't let him come home for the funeral."

Marie rolled over to face him. He looked about as much of a wreck as she did. "Frankie's still okay?" Gerard nodded.

"I have a message for you," he said, he dug through the pocket of his pants and pulled out a small silver ring. She almost started crying when she saw it. "He says he loves you. He told me to tell you before we got off of the boat." He took the letter from hit pocket and laid them next to her.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome. The funeral is in three hours. I know you don't want to get up, but..."

She nodded, and he smiled at her. "I love you, Marie. I don't want to watch you drown in self-misery, alright? Mikey wouldn't have wanted that..." And, on that note, he left the room.



Marie,

Hi, lovely. I miss you so much. I wish I could be there for you, I know you could use someone to use as a tissue right now. I know you love him. I've known, for a while, since before I overheard you guys. It was really obvious by the way that you guys looked at each other.

A normal person would say that it was cute, but you know me. I'm not normal. I'm Frank. But, even I'll say it's cute.

I want you to stay strong for me. Please, I beg you. I'm sure you're in the fettle position in your bed right now, reading this. Please, get up. Be strong. He would want it. I know I want it. Please, please.

Hold on, I'm going to start crying.

Okay, I'm done. Kind of. Anyways, give my regards to Donna, please. Tell her and my mom and your mom that I love them so much.

Don't forget, I love you so much, too. I think about you every day, hoping, praying that you'll be okay when I come home. I want an amazing hug when I come home, too. Alright?

Marie, I love you. I've already said that, but I want you to know it. Stay strong. I'm not telling you to move on, but I want you to be okay. Don't drown in sorrow. Wake up and enjoy life as much as you can. Remember that Mikey's looking down at you, right now, as we speak. Er, as you read.

And never forget you weren't the only one that lost someone, alright?

Hang in there, trooper. Love ya.

-Frankie.



She smiled, as the tears strolled down her face. She picked up Mikey's ring and slid it on her thumb. It was a little loose, but it would stay there.

She realized that she had a great friend. Friends. She pulled the comforter down off of her body and sat up.

She looked outside the window and whispered to herself, "I love you, Mikey."