It Began With A Gunshot
Adrienne
*Adrienne's POV*
Tears stung my eyes and I felt my face grow hot. What was he doing here? Even though I'd only met him a few days ago, and then only briefly at the supermarket, it embarassed me to hav someone I know see me like this.
"H..hi, Billie." I attemped a smile, but my cheeks were bruised and sore. "What are you doing here? You can't be here for the food."
He smiled at my pathetic joke. "No, I'm here because of the attention you get when you're ill, and, of course, the wonderful company." He smiled right at me and I felt myself blushing again.
"Come on, you and I both know that that's not why you're here. So?"
Billie sighed. "OK, OK. Two days ago, I was sitting outside the hospital, and President Wright pulled up in his limo. Then, this guy behind me pulled out a gun, so I pushed the President out of the way and... I was shot instead."
I was about to laugh, but the look on his face was deadly serious. I gasped. "Holy shit."
Billie smiled. "Yeah, that's kind of what I thought when I woke up and realised what I had done."
Again, I tried to smile, but my face was too sore. There was a short silence between us. I knew exactly what Billie Joe was thinking.
"So...um, I've told you mine. Will you tell me yours?" He smiled nervously at me. I took a deep breath.
"Well done, Mr Armstrong! I'm glad you two are getting along," Sister Jane was standing by my bed. "Now, Mrs Johnston, we really need to talk to you about your injuries and how you got them..."
She broke off as a cop came in. He whispered something in her ear and she went pale. He handed her a piece of paper. She read it as he walked out. "Oh my..." She turned to me and handed me a separate piece of paper. "Dear, read this."
I took it and read it.
Dear Adrienne,
You went to the hospital, did you? You went and told on me. You know what, fuck you, stupid whore! Jessica is at your Mom's house.
I'm going for good. The pills were in your bathroom cabinet, were you thinking of using them? If you had, maybe things wouldn't be like this, Jessica and I coould be happy. Jessica and I could be dancing on your grave. Everyone would be a lot better off if you had taken the overdose, or if I'd beat the shit out of you so much it killed you.
Burn in Hell, worthless piece of shit,
Andrew Johnston
Tears streamed down my face and I started sobbing. I saw hazy shapes before me, who I guessed were Billie Joe and Sister Jane. I felt an arm around my shoulder and I responded. I hugged the person, whoever it was, and I tried to figure out what was going on.
*Mike's POV*
I walked through the hospital. One of the television programmes caught my eye.
"We must give thanks, to the Lord, Our Father, for sparing President Wright from an untimely death. Let us all be grateful for Billie Joe Armstrong, who, as far as I'm concerned, should be made a saint!" I smiled. Pope Paul Bono was standing, at a podium in the Vatican, in full ceremonial clothing, praising Billie.
'Billie should get a kick out of this,' I thought as I began walking towards his ward.
"Um, Sir?" I turned. A woman was standing behind me. She looked oddly familiar.
"May I help you?"
"I'm looking for Billie Joe Armstrong. I'm his mother."
"Oh, Mrs Armstrong! A pleaseure to meet you, Ma'am," I smiled and shook her hand. "If you'll follow me, please?"
She nodded and I led the way down the maze of corridoors whilst explaining Billie Joe's condition.
I opened the doors for her. She ran in and hugged Billie Joe tightly. I walked out and closed the door behind me.
*Frank's POV*
I hugged my daughter, Lily and sang to her. Her beautiful blue eyes closed softly and her breathing slowed and steadied. I smiled as I placed her in her crib.
I heard a commotion outside, hysterical laughter, banging and shouting. I sighed as the doors were flung open.
"Sssh! I just got Lily to sleep!"
"What 'bout me, eh? Frank, ever shince Lily wash born, you've shpent all your free time with her! I never shee you anymore!" Eleanor screamed at me, arms flailing and shaking all over the place. She fell over and I went to help her up.
"You never see me anymore because since Lily was born, you've stayed out drinking all night, every night."
She stared at me, eyes smouldering and yanked her arm free of my grip.
"Fuck you, Frank! I'm leaving." She stormed out of the room and down the hall, slamming the doors as she went. I heard Lily wailing and ran to the crib. I rocked her back and forth as I spoke to her.
"Ssh, don't worry Lily, Daddy's here. You're OK, come on," I smiled down at her as her wailing faded. She reached out to me with her little hand and I held her in my arms.
Tears stung my eyes and I felt my face grow hot. What was he doing here? Even though I'd only met him a few days ago, and then only briefly at the supermarket, it embarassed me to hav someone I know see me like this.
"H..hi, Billie." I attemped a smile, but my cheeks were bruised and sore. "What are you doing here? You can't be here for the food."
He smiled at my pathetic joke. "No, I'm here because of the attention you get when you're ill, and, of course, the wonderful company." He smiled right at me and I felt myself blushing again.
"Come on, you and I both know that that's not why you're here. So?"
Billie sighed. "OK, OK. Two days ago, I was sitting outside the hospital, and President Wright pulled up in his limo. Then, this guy behind me pulled out a gun, so I pushed the President out of the way and... I was shot instead."
I was about to laugh, but the look on his face was deadly serious. I gasped. "Holy shit."
Billie smiled. "Yeah, that's kind of what I thought when I woke up and realised what I had done."
Again, I tried to smile, but my face was too sore. There was a short silence between us. I knew exactly what Billie Joe was thinking.
"So...um, I've told you mine. Will you tell me yours?" He smiled nervously at me. I took a deep breath.
"Well done, Mr Armstrong! I'm glad you two are getting along," Sister Jane was standing by my bed. "Now, Mrs Johnston, we really need to talk to you about your injuries and how you got them..."
She broke off as a cop came in. He whispered something in her ear and she went pale. He handed her a piece of paper. She read it as he walked out. "Oh my..." She turned to me and handed me a separate piece of paper. "Dear, read this."
I took it and read it.
Dear Adrienne,
You went to the hospital, did you? You went and told on me. You know what, fuck you, stupid whore! Jessica is at your Mom's house.
I'm going for good. The pills were in your bathroom cabinet, were you thinking of using them? If you had, maybe things wouldn't be like this, Jessica and I coould be happy. Jessica and I could be dancing on your grave. Everyone would be a lot better off if you had taken the overdose, or if I'd beat the shit out of you so much it killed you.
Burn in Hell, worthless piece of shit,
Andrew Johnston
Tears streamed down my face and I started sobbing. I saw hazy shapes before me, who I guessed were Billie Joe and Sister Jane. I felt an arm around my shoulder and I responded. I hugged the person, whoever it was, and I tried to figure out what was going on.
*Mike's POV*
I walked through the hospital. One of the television programmes caught my eye.
"We must give thanks, to the Lord, Our Father, for sparing President Wright from an untimely death. Let us all be grateful for Billie Joe Armstrong, who, as far as I'm concerned, should be made a saint!" I smiled. Pope Paul Bono was standing, at a podium in the Vatican, in full ceremonial clothing, praising Billie.
'Billie should get a kick out of this,' I thought as I began walking towards his ward.
"Um, Sir?" I turned. A woman was standing behind me. She looked oddly familiar.
"May I help you?"
"I'm looking for Billie Joe Armstrong. I'm his mother."
"Oh, Mrs Armstrong! A pleaseure to meet you, Ma'am," I smiled and shook her hand. "If you'll follow me, please?"
She nodded and I led the way down the maze of corridoors whilst explaining Billie Joe's condition.
I opened the doors for her. She ran in and hugged Billie Joe tightly. I walked out and closed the door behind me.
*Frank's POV*
I hugged my daughter, Lily and sang to her. Her beautiful blue eyes closed softly and her breathing slowed and steadied. I smiled as I placed her in her crib.
I heard a commotion outside, hysterical laughter, banging and shouting. I sighed as the doors were flung open.
"Sssh! I just got Lily to sleep!"
"What 'bout me, eh? Frank, ever shince Lily wash born, you've shpent all your free time with her! I never shee you anymore!" Eleanor screamed at me, arms flailing and shaking all over the place. She fell over and I went to help her up.
"You never see me anymore because since Lily was born, you've stayed out drinking all night, every night."
She stared at me, eyes smouldering and yanked her arm free of my grip.
"Fuck you, Frank! I'm leaving." She stormed out of the room and down the hall, slamming the doors as she went. I heard Lily wailing and ran to the crib. I rocked her back and forth as I spoke to her.
"Ssh, don't worry Lily, Daddy's here. You're OK, come on," I smiled down at her as her wailing faded. She reached out to me with her little hand and I held her in my arms.