Arrangements

I use to smoke when I was in college. I smoked Newports, because the girl who I shared a dorm with, for a year, smoked them and I just joined in the habit. I kicked it when I got with Toby, and he told me that a woman smoking turned him off. I actually was pretty well with quitting, I never really craved a cigarette unless I was painting. I went to the liquor store, the smell of Newports hit my nostrils and I suddenly had a surge of inspiration and a nicotine itch.

Plus, is that what art school is about? Smoking and listening to your favorite music?

I had went to my house, set everything away, gave Sylvester some food, grabbed a coke and my cigarettes and started to paint. I painted in a tank top and my jeans, in the spare bedroom, bare foot with the heat on low. My hair was in a messy bun, my dog was lying on the old bean bag I saved for him, and my hands went wild. I didn't even really think or stop until my cell phone began to ring and I snapped from my trance. I noticed I had smoked four cigarettes, gotten some paint on my fingers and I had the need to pee.

"Hello?" I answered my phone blindly.

"Stormy, long time no speak. How have you been?" It was Dave.

"Shit. Hey. I've been...busy." I excused awkwardly.

"I heard that both of your parents died, is that true?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "my mother passed last week...car wreck"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dave's voice was apologetic, "I feel like such a dick for calling you now...this is sort of a business call."

"Hit me with it. I need something to busy my brain."

He exhaled heavy, "Oh good! I was afraid I was being too rude."

"No way. So, what's up?"

"Jaques called me, and he was floored with the stuff you did in Paris, he wants you to help design an exclusive t-shirt, and a painting for his new store."

"That sounds cool. What kind of store is it?"

"Very sexy. Burlesque, vintage Paris. Moulin Rougue." 

I chuckled, "I see."

"He wanted to talk to you personally, but I heard about your personal...tragedies, and I didn't know..."

"It's okay, you can give him my number." I left the room to go turn the heat up and start some lunch for myself.
 
"Are you sure?"

I grabbed a bag of popcorn and stuffed it in the microwave, "Very."

"Okay. And, there is another person who wanted to speak and meet with you."

"Who?" I pressed the buttons and leaned against the counter.

"Alex Greenwald. He's a music producer, in a band called Phantom Planet, and he his in love with your style."

I snorted, "Wow."

"He was asking so much about you, and I had to pump his breaks."

I frowned to myself, "Yeah, I forget, sometimes, that I'm married."

He laughed, "Your man is a hot commodity too."

I rolled my eyes, "Tell me about it."

"He is a superstar, in some ways. Everyone loves that Helena song."

"Can we not talk about my husband, please? I'm not in the mood." My microwave beeped

"Sorry." Dave laughed again, "So, it's cool if I give Jaques and Alex Greenwald your number?"

"It's cool." grabbed my popcorn, "I'll talk to you later, Dave."

"See ya."

I hung up my phone, stuffed it in my pocket and opened my bag of popcorn.


I went back to the Way's after I finished some painting. I had one cigarette left, and I smoked it outside, on their porch, as the rain began to come down. I sat on the porch swing, smoking freely, wanting it to last as long as possible. 

I was nearly finished when the door opened and Frank stepped out. He looked at me as I blew out a cloud of smoke, "Hey..." he said with a smirk.

"Hey." I waved my fingers at him.

"I didn't know you smoke." Frank flashed me a crooked grin.

"I use to, then I gave it up for a few years...I'm at it again, but it's only for my art." I waved it off.

"For your art?" He came over and sat beside me.

"It helps me clear my head."

"You aren't dependent like myself," he laughed softly, "I'm trying to cut down for Astrid."

"That's why I'm not going to smoke unless I have a paint brush in my other hand." 

"So, um, Gee told me about you guys..." he flipped the conversation completely.

"What?" I questioned, "What did he tell you?"

"That you want a baby and that you think that you guys should be away from each other for a while."

I sighed, "Don't take it bad, Frank."

"I'm not. He told me that he cheated on you yesterday."

I frowned, "The prick."

"You gotta give him some time, Storm, these emotions are new to him."

"That's why I need to get away from him for a while. When the tour starts, that'll be enough."

"What do you think you'll gain from this?" Frank seemed curious.

"Gerard will gain some knowledge that I won't always be there for him." I coursed my hair, "Believe me, I don't want to distance myself from him, I love him, but we need some time apart."

"I hope it works out for you."

"Me too, Frankie."

After saying goodnight to Frankie, I went into the house. I could smell Mrs. Way cooking, and she called out to me. I went into the kitchen, where she was cooking, just as I expected.

"Hey, honey, did you get some work done?" 

I smiled at her, "Yes, I got a few things done."

"Good. Dinner should be done soon, and Gerard is in the basement." She gave me that encouraging smile.

"Thanks," I didn't really mean it.

I left her and went towards the basement. I could hear him singing and it made me smile. I listened to him sing lyrics to a song I never heard before, and I found myself wanting to hear more. I cautiously walked down the stairs, seeing him with large headphones on and hunched over his desk. I felt like I was invading him, and I stood by the stairs watching him.

Finally, he stopped singing and looked over at me. He looked surprised and took his headphones off, "Hey."

"Hey." I started to walk over, "What song were you singing?"

He showed me his small iPod, "Demos Ray mixed."

"You guys?" He nodded, "Oh."

"You wanna listen?"

I shook my head, "I just...came down here to see you."

He didn't say anything, he looked away, back at his doodle. "Did you paint?"

"Yeah." 

"I can tell. Your hair is up."

I smiled, very reluctantly "I got some stuff done and I got two more clients. I've only talked to one though..." I trailed softly, seeing him look at me, "You didn't call me."

He shrugged, "I didn't think you'd want to talk to me."

"Why? Because I'm upset that you don't want kids? And that you cheated on me?" I spoke quickly and unfiltered.

"Yeah." He stood up, easily looking down at me.

"I'm not mad."

"I know."

"And you think it's because I want us to take a break for a while?"

He nodded, "Why do we need a break?"

"Do you want to hear the truth?" I asked him cautiously.

His demeanor changed, he was tense, "Of fucking course I do!"

"I think that you need to see what I am to you. I think you need to see how you feel without me for a while."

"Stormy, that's all bullshit and you know it!"

"You cheated on me, and I still don't know why!" I stepped back, "And...and after my mother's funeral. You had the audacity to do that, and here I am...turning the other cheek, when my husband has a hickey on his neck acting like I've done something wrong!"

I could see I hit his ego. I did do something wrong, right in that moment. I could feel the wave of anger coursing through his body.

"I can't help it if you get all emotional on me! I needed a drink, I needed to clear my thoughts!"

"I didn't know you needed to whip your dick out to do so!"

"Yeah, I do! That's what I do! I am an asshole, I am unfaithful and I won't stop myself if I feel the need to fuck some stranger."

I lifted my hand and slapped him. I was so angry. I was so over him treating me like shit when I was such a fucking angel to him. I was perfect in the ways I treated him. I was his goddamn doormat.

Gerard's head hung, then he looked up, "That it?"

I slapped him again, but he grabbed my hand before I could drop it at my side. He squeezed my wrist, quickly pinning me to the nearest wall. His eyes met mine, it was like hazel fire, honestly, it scared me. I started to tear up, he squeezed my wrist above my head, while the other was at his, trying to free myself.

"Why did you do it?" I finally snapped, "Why did you cheat on me, when all I am is good to you?"

Gerard's grip loosen, but didn't release, his kept his jaw tightened. I waited for an answer, he didn't want to give me one.

"Tell me! Am I not good enough for you?!" I wiggled, but his grip was firm, "Do I have to dress up like Silk Spectre again?!"

"Of course not!" He barked back at me.

"Then?! What is it?"

Gerard just stated at me, then he released my arm. He stepped away from me and turned his back to me. I rang my wrist and hissed softly. Gerard stepped towards his desk, opening the drawer and turned back to me.

He was still pissed, he handed me some folded papers, "These are annulment papers. Sign them and then we can move on."

I stared at him, "You want an annulment?"

"Yes."

I didn't know what to say or do. This all hit me so fast, and it made me sick. I looked at them, and saw that he had already signed his name in the proper areas. I felt my stomach drop and anger rose.

"I'm not signing this." I told him with hot, angry tears.

"Sign them." He told me through clenched teeth.

I shook my head, "You want it do bad, forge my goddamn name because I am not going to sign them."

He and I had a stare down.

Gerard was angry with me for no damn reason. He was selfish. He didn't care about anyone but himself. I was tired of giving in so easily. I wanted him to see what he was doing to me.

Gerard grabbed the papers from me, turning away. I waited for him to say something, but he didn't. I needed to just get it all out.

"You really want me gone, Gee?" I asked heavily, "I'll go, but I'm going to annul our marriage just because of this small break we obviously need. And, what you need to do is grow up, see what you've been doing to me and get it correct. If you still feel the need to permanently get rid of me, let me fuckin' know." I turned towards the stairs, jogged up them and went to the kitchen.

Mrs. Way saw me and frowned, "Stormy--"

I stopped her, "I'm going home, Mrs. Way, I apologize. I have to get away from Gerard right now." Fresh tears were streaming down my cheeks.

"What did he do?"

"I rather not talk about it, I'm very, very sorry." I turned to leave, but Mrs. Way stopped me.

"Honey, calm down, you don't have to leave." She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, letting me rest my face against her shoulder.

I shook my head, "I have to go." I looked up, "I have to go." I let go of Mrs. Way and stepped back, "Thank you, but I have to go." I quickly jetted out of the kitchen, grabbing my coat and out the door.