My Father, My Brother

“It does suck that you weren’t a bridesmaid. Would being known about really be that bad? I mean, you could be famous and not have to do anything! Like Kerry Katona.”

“Always the optimist Kayleigh. Imagine if I was taken out of school forever though cause people found out my dads are famous and nobody would leave me alone. All these people fighting for my attention and you getting pushed to the side.”

“Yeah I suppose that would suck. Especially the whole ‘people liking you more’ thing. We both know I’m the cool one.” I nudged her lightly into the lockers with a smile.

“Well I’m the pretty one.”

“You’re the annoying scene kid.”

“You’re the emo.” She looked at me mock offended.

“Your dads fight daily to kill that label and you’re using it against me? Me, of all people. You should be ashamed Ellie May!” We laughed together as we walked into homeroom, chattering mindlessly. Lindsey greeted me with a bright smile which I returned while I headed to my seat.

“Good morning girls! Did you have a good night at your grandparents Ellie?” She asked, coming over to greet us and hand out the weekly Monday morning school news letter.

“Yeah it wasn’t bad, mostly just talked with Donna and drank hot chocolate with Donald. How was the reception?”

“It was a good laugh. A lot of drunken dancing, photos, Gerard being the designated driver.”

“Poor Gerard, was he the only sober one?”

“No, there were only a few drunk people but most other people did have a drink or two.”

“Well I’m glad everyone had fun.” She smiled and continued handing out letters to the rest of the class. Kayleigh looked at me with a sympathetic look on her face.

“That sounded like she was rubbing it in to me.”

“Nah, I’m glad they all genuinely had fun. I did ask.” She gave me another look before scribbling on the corner of her letter, while I actually read mine.

“Let’s join the swim team.” I said, a smile spreading across my face.

“Oh sure, why not join the cheer squad and let them tell us how inferior we are as well.” I rolled my eyes at her sarcasm and kept my hope alive. I intended to drag her to the pools after classes tonight anyway.

*Time Elapse*

“But Ellie! I don’t wanna join the swim team! It’s full of sporty girls who hate us and we’ll get abused and they’ll probably try drowning us and I hate people and more importantly I hate girls cause they’re bitchy and why am I still letting you drag me!?” Kayleigh complained all the way to the pool, but never put up much of a fight.

When we reached the pools, there were a few people already in the water, the coach was standing beside the pool talking to one of her swimmers. She looked up and noticed us as we just stood awkwardly.

"What can I do for you girls?" She asked as she approached, the shiny whistle around her neck catching the light and glittering.

"Well, I, I mean, we, noticed in the news letter this morning that the swim team needed more girls, so we came to see if we qualify." I smiled my brightest smile, trying to win her over. Kayleigh stood silently beside me, not looking impressed. The coach looked us up and down for a moment, seemingly sussing us out. It was quiet and the only sounds were the soft splashes of the people who were swimming for about three whole minutes, before the coach spoke.

"Okay, bring your swimsuits tomorrow for tryouts. Three thirty till four. If you're late, you don't make the team. Got it?" I nodded enthusiastically.

"Got it coach. Thank you!" She excused us and Kayleigh practically dragged me out of there.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. I don't like water, I don't like the coach, and the whole place smells of chlorine. You better love me for this!" She whined as we walked out of the main school doors and down the front steps into the parking lot.

"You owe me."

"Okay how about I host our next girly night in? I'll get Gerard to make us his famous chickpea curry, and you can have a claim on Puzzle for the night. I'll even throw in my bed, and I'll take the sleeping bag on the floor."

"Deal! I love that furry little douchebag. What a cute little baby face. Is your dad's curry really famous?"

"Famous among the household. It's delicious."

"Okay you're on. When shall we do this?"

"How about Friday night? I'm sure Gerard wont mind, though I'll ask when I get home."

"Will Miss Ballato be there?" I had forgotten about Lindsey.

"I don't know, maybe, probably, most deffinately. She usually is nowadays. Don't worry though, she wont make us get on with homework or anything. I hope."

"Man that'll be weird. But whatever, maybe we can braid each others hair or something." I laughed out loud at her.

"Yeah good luck with that. Anyway, I bid you farewell for the night. See you tomorrow!" I called as we both walked in opposite directions.

"Yeah, don't forget to ask your dad. Bye!" She called back. We had reached the point we went our seperate ways and I continued the last twenty minutes alone. I smiled when I got there, seeing Gerard's car in the driveway, happy he was home.

"Gee Gee!?" I called as I stepped over the threshold. I could hear running water and could smell our lemon washing up liquid.

"Wow you haven't called me that in years." He leaned around the kitchen door, and I went in to him. He gave me a hug then went back to washing the dishes. Probably from breakfast. Lazy tramp. I noticed there were two dishes. So Lindsey had spent the night again.

"Did you have a good night at my mom and dad's? Did you behave? How was school?" I don't even think he took a breath between each question.

"No dad I hated it, I trashed their house and I was expelled from school. Of course everything was okay. I love going to grandma and grandpa's house, I'm always good and school was fine, as it usually is. Lindsey was telling me you all had a good night." His smiling face dropped slightly, his smile faltering.

"Yeah it was okay, Frank was happy, there was good music and everyone had a laugh. Just wish you were there. We missed you kiddo."

"I missed you guys too, but I had a nice quiet night with Donna and Donald. I have tryouts to join the swim team tomorrow with Kayleigh by the way." I hopped up onto the counter as he glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

"You're joining the swim team? What brought that on?"

"To get out of the house more mainly. Plus I need the exercise. The most I get right now is making trips upstairs to the bathroom between levels on my games. I'm too young for sitting around, that's for old people like you and Frank." Gerard smirked to himself as he dried his hands on a tea towel.

"You seem to be forgetting, sweetheart, that Frankie and I are only fifteen and sixteen years older than you, and very soon you'll be our age." Frankie. Still using his old nick name. Aww.

"But with less wrinkles. I'm the cute one in this family!" I squeeled as he lifted me onto his shoulder and tickled me relentlessly. I was pretty sure my death was imminent as I pictured myself falling over his shoulder head first onto the dark grey tiled kitchen floor. Either that or I would suffocate as I was laughing so hard. Just when I though the end had come, he lowered me back to my feet, both of our faces flushed from effort and laughter. We were both grinning as we sat at the kitchen table. He pulled out a cigarette and took a long drag, letting the smoke out slowly.

"Hey dad, since I missed out last night, you kind of owe me, right?" I grinned cheekily, knowing full well I was manipulating him slightly. He raised his eyebrows at me, the cigarette hanging loosely on his lips.

"I owe you do I? Why, what do you want now?" A small side smile played faintly on his lips, he leant on elbow with his head in his hand and looked at me expectantly.

"I was just wondering if maybe Kayleigh could stay Friday night." I saw relief flash across his face.

"Oh sure, that's fine. I thought you were gonna start begging me for a dog again. Before you ask, no, we can't get one." I sighed and just accepted my fate of being dogless while I was with Gerard.

"Thanks dad! Could you maybe make us your oh so famous, and delicious, chickpea curry for dinner that night?" He smiled at me and took another drag, nodding slowly as he let the smoke out.

"Sure, Lindsey is staying on friday, so I'll cook for us all then we can all watch a movie or something together in the lounge if you'd like?" I nodded gratefully, glad he was willing to let me, and cook for us.

"Sounds great Gee, thank you."

"No problem Sugar. Are you still staying at Frank's on saturday?" Oh, I'd forgotten about that.

"As far as I'm aware. Should I text him?"

"You better do. Make sure he hasn't forgotten as well." I took my backpack off of my shoulders and pulled my phone out of the side pocket, opened up messages and found Frank's number.

"Hey dad! It's your favourite pound puppy. What's happening saturday night?"

"Actually, I think Peppers is probably my favourite pound puppy, she has the big eyes and everything.. ;) Well on saturday night my weird kid is coming to stay. Had you forgotten?"

"So you on with him then?" Gerard asked, putting his cigarette out in the ask tray. I nodded.

"Yes, actually I had. My new favourite dad just reminded me."

"=O That hurts Ell. I'm deeply saddened that not only am I not the favourite, you forgot about spending time with me. How could anyone forget this face? It was carved by the gods!"

"Yeah as a joke. So I'm seeing you saturday?"

"You're grounded! Yes you are dear, and Jamia wants to ask a favour of you."

"What favour?"

"She wants you to be our model for the smaller Skeleton Crew clothes."

"Oh sure!"

"Thanks smelly. I'll see you saturday!"

"You're my new favourite dad." I said to Gerard, getting up and making us both a coffee.

"When was I anything else?"

*Time Elapse*

"My stomach is aching. My legs are aching. My arms are aching. Your face will be aching if we have this pain every week." Kayleigh moaned as we tiredly dragged our swim bags behind us that friday night, having made the team on Tuesday.

"It'll be worth it Kayleigh, just wait till we're fit as fiddles and looking mighty fine." She laughed at me, then pressed her hand to her stomach.

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts so much."

Gerard picked us up at the school gates, Lindsey was in the passenger seat beside him. They were chatting animatedly.

"I'll never get used to that." Kayeigh muttered beside me. I nodded in agreement as we made our way to the car. They both turned to look at us as we climbed in the back after dropping our bags in the trunk.

"Hey girls, how was swim practise?" Lindsey asked, her raven hair up in two low pigtails today and hanging loosely over her shoulders.

"Painful, never before have I felt so unfit." Kayleigh whined, yet again. Gerard laughed as he glanced in the rearview mirror as we pulled away.

"Well I enjoyed myself. Every muscle hurts but I feel better for it. Try to stay positive Kay!" I encouraged. Lindsey grinned at me.

"That's the way to see it Ellie. Do you get extra credit for it?"

"Only if we enter, and win, competitions. We're not ready for that yet though. A few more weeks of intensive training and we will be though." Kayleigh groaned loudly beside me, making us all laugh at her.

"The things I do for you Ellie May Iero Way! If I'm not in super model shape after our first competition, this trip is over!"

"What trip?"

"Exactly!" I rolled my eyes at her ramblings. I frowned a little to myself when Gerard took hold of, and held Lindsey's hand in her lap while he was still driving.

That evening, after a rather amazing meal of Gerard's chickpea curry, washed down with a cold glass of lemonade, Kayleigh and I were in my room changing into our pyjamas.

"I have to admit it El, sitting at the table casually eating dinner with two rockstars, one of them being our teacher, isn't exactly how I planned my life would turn out. Albeit, it is an awesome turn out.

"Careful Kayleigh, your fan girl is showing."

"I'm not a fan girl. Your dad is hot, Miss Ballato is pretty, they make a pretty, if not slightly disturbing couple, and their both famous, one does get a little starstruck."

"Gerard is not hot!"

"He is, accept it. I wonder why nobodies cottoned onto the fact she's famous in school yet."

"Yeah I've been thinking about that as well. Clearly nobody in our school listens to Mindless Self Indulgence."

"Including us."

"Yes including us. Although I have heard them play on tour, and they are rather good, if not a little... agressive and vulgar." Once changed, I took the boys out of their cage and slipped their harnesses and leashes on, handing Puzzle over to Kayleigh, as promised, and she cooed over him. Luka climbed instantly onto my shoulder and held on as we made our way back downstairs and into the lounge, where Gerard and Lindsey were sitting on the couch, his arm around her shoulders.

"Hey girls, why don't you both pick a movie to watch?" So we did, kneeling down and staring at the DVD shelf that was kept beside our TV. We settled on Snow White. Neither of us had seen it in years, and we both loved it.

"Snow White? How old are you both again?" Gerard joked, but allowed us to play it. I let Kayleigh curl up to watch it in the arm chair with Puzzle curled up and asleep on her lap, while I sat in front of Gerard and Lindsey on the floor and leant against the bit of couch that was between them. Luka wriggled his way down my shirt and curled up against my bare stomach. Lindsey curled up to lean against Gerard, she played absently with my hair, but by now I was used to these little acts of affection from her so I didn't even flinch. I heard Gerard and Lindsey kiss a couple of times behind me, but just rolled my eyes and kept watching the movie. When the dwarves were singing, we all joined in quietly, and I smiled at how childish we all really were at heart. By the time it was finished, it was after eleven and we were already half asleep.

"Come on then you two. I know it's not really late but you're both tired, so upto bed." Gerard yawned. Kayleigh scooped Puzzle up and carried him upstairs, while I nudged Luka awake and he grumpily wriggled out from under my shirt. I apologized to him for waking him up and stood up, my backside completely numb from sitting on the ground for so long. Gerard and Lindsey stood up too, also getting ready to go to bed.

"Goodnight Ellie darling. Sleep tight." Lindsey smiled and hugged me. She'd never hugged me before, but I hugged back with one arm, the other cradling a sleepy Luka. Gerard smiled and followed me upstairs. He pulled the sleeping bag down from the top of his wardrobe and handed it to me, along with two spare pillows, then he kissed my forehead before giving me a tight hug, being careful to avoid the rat.

"Goodnight Sugar. Sleep well, and don't be up all night talking." He smiled, patting my shoulder affectionately.

"We wont, by the sound of it, Kayleigh is already asleep." We both listened to the very soft snoring coming from my room for a few seconds before Lindsey came upstairs. I took that as my que to go to bed. I bid them both goodnight a final time before going to my room and quietly closing my door. Kayleigh was laid in my bed, on her back. One arm across her stomach and the other above her head and bent at the elbow. Asleep. I rolled my eyes and look Luka's harness off, putting him in the cage to join Puzzle. They both cuddled up together in their hammock and went back to sleep. I pulled the sleeping bag out of the case and laid it out as quietly as I could, then I wriggled inside it, beat my pillows to make them comfy, and fell asleep within five minutes.

The following morning I was woken by the smell of bacon. When I opened my eyes, I saw Kayleigh sitting up, already awake but her eyes were closed. She was sniffing.

"Ellie... I smell bacon. Food. Let's go eat some." I laughed and kicked off the sleeping bag before following her downstairs. Lindsey was at the cooker, singing to herself. Gerard was sitting at the table with a bacon sammich and a cup of coffee.

"Good morning girls! Hope you're hungry, I'm making bacon sandwiches." She greeted us cheerfully. We both nodded and she motioned for us to sit at the table with Gerard, which we did. She brought us the food and we tucked in hungrily. After we'd opened them up and covered them with ketchup of course.

"Did you both sleep alright?" Gerard asked between bites of his breakfast. We both nodded again, silently trying to fit as much food into our mouths as we possibly could.

"Good. Don't forget again Ellie, you're at Frank's tonight. I'll drop Kayleigh home on the way there once you're both ready." We nodded again as we finished up and took a mouthful of our orange juices, which Lindsey had kindly poured for us. Once we were completely done, we went upstairs to get ready. I dressed in black skinny jeans, a tight black batman shirt and my checked vans, then went and brushed my teeth and brush my hair in the bathroom while Kayleigh dressed in pale blue jeans and a red shirt in my room. The only reason Gerard was dropping me off, instead of Frank coming to pick me up was because he was going out with Lindsey, but I didn't complain, cause it meant we could drop Kayleigh off home. Which we did.

Jamia answered the door when I arrived at Frank's house. I waved goodbye to Gerard and Lindsey and realised taking my eyes away from the door was a terrible idea when I was suddenly knocked to the ground. A very excited Texas was on top of me, barking and wagging his tail, his whole body wagging with him. I laughed and ruffled the fur on either side of his neck up.

"Well hello there beautiful. I've missed my boy! Yes I have!" I cooed at him, allowing him to lick my face all over. Jamia laughed and pulled him off of me by his collar, allowing me to get to my feet. She took my bag off me and slung it over her own shoulder. I thanked her and followed her inside.

"There's my girl!" Frank grinned when I walked into the lounge, Texas hot on my heels. Mama and Peppers jumped down off the couch and ran to greet me, yapping and jumping up at my shins. I gave Frank a massive hug before crouching down to give the dogs some attention. Even Sweet Pea came over timidly to see me.

"How've you been beautiful?" I reeled off my week in a nutshell to Frank. Telling him about joining the swim team, right down to Lindsey cooking breakfast this morning. Frank's smile faltered a little at that bit, but I didn't say anything.

"Sounds like you've had a busy week. You must tell us when your first swim competition is and we'll be right there cheering you on." Jamia said supportively. I thanked her shyly and accepted her offer of a glass of lemonade.

"I can't believe you're married now." I said quietly to Frank once Jamia left the room.

"Great isn't it?" He grinned. I smiled at him, glad that he seemed happy. I jumped as a bulldog suddenly padded towards me out of nowhere. I blinked at it a few times, unsure of where it came from.

"Oh Ellie, meet Professor Buckley."

"Um... Hi, Professor Buckley." I said a little confused.

"Frank your dog collection is growing somewhat quickly." I laughed, leaning down to pet the newest Iero.

"I know, while there are more dogs to love, there will be more dogs in the family. How are your boys?"

"They're good, I'm trying to teach them to swim in the bathtub. Puzzle loves it but Luka's not too sure just yet."

"They'll get there." Just then Jamia came back with my drink, and an armful of material. I suddenly remembered my promise.

"Ready to get started when you are." She grinned. I smiled back and followed her into the kitchen.