They Say True Love Would Never Leave...

When I got home after work on Monday, I found the house to be unusually silent. I walked up to my room and set my stuff on the floor next to my door. I went downstairs and went into the dining room. I was surprised to see Gerard there, reading a magazine.

“Where is everyone?” I asked. Gerard looked up at me.

“They went to a movie a little bit ago,” he said. He looked back at his magazine. “They said they’d be back later.”

“Oh,” I said. “Why didn’t you go?”

“I didn’t feel like it,” he said. I didn’t say anything. I left the dining room and went back up to my room. I took a bunch of papers out of my bag and grabbed a pen. This was a good time to grade papers. I left my room again and returned to the dining room. I sat across from Gerard at the table. I started grading papers and I felt Gerard looking at me not much later.

“So, you’re a teacher now?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said. I found it a bit surprising that Gerard wanted to talk to me. I thought he was going to try and avoid me as much as possible. I guess I was wrong.

“How’s that working out?” asked Gerard.

“Ok, I guess,” I replied. I saw Gerard nod out of the corner of my eye. “How have you been?”

“I could be better,” he said. I looked up at him and our eyes locked.

“Yeah,” I said. “Mikey said you were going through some things right now.”

“Did he tell you what they were?” asked Gerard.

“No,” I said. “He told me that if I wanted to know I’d have to hear it from you.”

“Oh,” said Gerard. “Do you want to know?”

“Only if you want me too,” I replied. Gerard looked down for a second before looking back at me.

“Well, my wife wants a divorce,” he said.

“What?” I asked. “Why?”

“I’m really not sure why,” he said. “I thought things had been going great, but I guess not.”

“Oh,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” said Gerard.

“Sorry,” I said. I laughed a little and Gerard cracked a smile. God, he had an amazing smile.

“Well,” said Gerard. “I’ll leave you to grade papers. I’m going to go take a nap.”

“Ok,” I said. I watched Gerard leave the dining room before returning to the papers I had been grading.