Three Cheers

"October, are you waking up?" I heard Gerard's voice.

My body was warm, my head swirled a little. I squinted my eyes open, looking for him; I felt his hand on mine. "My head feels weird." I mumbled.

Gerard kissed my forehead, "It's okay, it's just the medication wearing off." 

"How long was it?" I finally opened my eyes fully; Gerard was sitting to my left, rubbing my hand gently.

"40 minutes, you were a sleep a while." He explained.

"I wanna go home." I told him tiredly, "I want to see Busy."

Gerard nodded, he got up, "I'm gonna get the nurse."

"Thanks."

He kissed my hand, then went out of the room. I rubbed my forehead, my head was feeling weird. The only thing I really wanted to do was go home and see my baby.

"Are you feeling alright, October?" The nurse arrived, following after Gerard.

I nodded, "Yeah."

"Okay, I'll take your IV out, you can get dressed, then you can sign the release papers."

The IV was out, then Gerard helped me get dressed. I was feeling a little woozy, but I was alright. Then, I held onto Gerard as I signed my name on the release papers, and held onto his hand as we left. He wrapped his hand tightly around mine, kissing my temple gently.

"Are you hungry?" he asked once we got in the car.

I nodded, "Yeah, but I really wanna see Busy." I told him.

"We can go get Busy and go out somewhere?" He suggested.

"That sounds good." I replied, "I really miss her."

Gerard gave a short nod, he started the car and began to head out the parking lot. I sat back in my seat, lifting my shirt to see my bandage. My incision wasn't any bigger than a paper cut, but it was bandaged up, to keep water from seeping in. I placed my hand on it, I swallowed thickly hoping that it wasn't anything to be worried about. I hoped it was just a cyst.


As soon as we entered the house, we didn't even have to say a word, Busy came running to me. She stopped a foot from me and tilted her head, "Mama, you pick me up?"

I nodded, "Yep, I can pick you up."

"You not hurtin'?" She asked as I did so.

I shook my head, "No, I feel okay."

I placed her on my hip, kissing her cheek, "Hi daddy." She said to Gerard, "You was gone so long!"

"Sorry, baby, we couldn't wait to come back, though." He told her.

I carried Busy to the living room where Fran was waiting. She smiled, "How was it?"

"It was okay." I told her with a shrug, "We won't know anything until Monday."

"Phone me," She said, "I leave tomorrow night, and I want to know everything."

I nodded, giving her a hug with Busy still on my hip, "I will. Thanks again."

She hugged Busy and I tightly, "No problem." She have Busy a kiss on her head, "I love you."

"I love you, too." Busy said.

Fran waved to us, "I'll be back, y'know, soon."

I smiled, "Yeah, I know."

"I'll see you." She patted my shoulder and walked pass Gerard, "I'll kick your ass if you hurt them."

Gerard put his palms up defensively, "I won't hurt them."

"You better not. I will not hesitate to kill you."

Gerard shook his head as she left, "Your friend is crazy."

"I know, but I love her." I set Busy down, "Go get your shoes, B, we're gonna go eat."

Busy nodded, "'Kay. Where we goin'?"

Gerard and I shrugged, "We haven't decided."

"I want cookies!" She exclaimed, she took off towards her room, chanting, "Cookies, cookies, cookies!"

"Cookies?" Gerard laughed.

"We'll Chinese food, she can get the fortune cookies after." I suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

Busy came back, tugging my arm so I could put her shoes on. I sat her down on the couch, Gerard began to explain we were gonna get Chinese food. She huffed, "I want cookies!"

"You'll get cookies after, Biz." I told her, "Promise."

She frowned, "But I want cookies now!"

"Busy, be a good girl for me, please? I promise you can have as many cookies as you want after."

She sighed dramatically, "Fine."

I smiled and placed a kiss on her cheek, "Thank you, baby."

She hummed softly, letting me put her shoes on.


At the restaurant, Busy was really good; she ate her food, even the vegetables. Gerard and I had bet who could get her to eat them, and I won. I didn't bribe her, I just told her they were really good and that I liked them. She took one bite of broccoli and proclaimed it her favorite food.

"Good! Yummy!" She said to Gerard, "Eat, daddy!"

Gerard made a face, "No, yuck."

"I do airplane!" She told him, "Mama does airplane for me." She picked up a piece of broccoli, then made funny airplane noises, "Open, open!" She made a kissy noise then, "Please?"

I smiled, giggling at her attempt to make Gerard eat the vegetable. Gerard had to laugh too, he opened his mouth for her and let her put the broccoli in. He still grimaced, "Yuck."

"It really yummy, daddy!" She told him, "I likes it."

"You're a good girl," He told her, "I'm glad you like it, B."

Busy hummed, eating the noddles next. She had sat in Gerard's lap, waiting for the cookies. She promised to eat most of her food before we got the cookies. 

"Mama, lookie! It Jon." Busy pointed over my shoulder.

I turned my head and saw Jon approaching. I smiled as he came over, "Hey." I greeted him.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in a while." He said, "Hey Busy, hey Gerard."

Busy grinned, "Hi!"

Gerard waved, he didn't seem all that pleased to see Jon, "Hey."

"Frank told me you weren't feelin' too well. Are you alright?" Jon turned back to me.

I nodded, "I'm okay." I replied, offering no knowledge of what had been going on, "Nothing to be worried about."

"I hope you feel better," He patted my shoulder, "I gotta go, my date is probably thinking I stood her up."

"It was nice seeing you." I told him.

"Same here," He waved to Busy, "See ya, B."

"Bye-bye." Busy waved her fingers at him.

"See ya, Gerard."

Gerard wave his hand effortlessly, "Bye, man."

I looked at Gerard, "What's wrong?" I asked him as soon as Jon was out of earshot.

He put his hand up and waved it off. I frowned, "Gerard, don't--"

He cut me off, "Drop it."

His tone was something I hadn't heard in a long time. He sounded angry at me. What the hell did I do?

Busy looked at him, "Daddy, you mad?" Bush pressed her head to his cheek.

He smiled softly, "No, Biz, I'm okay."

She hugged his neck, "No be mad, 'kay? Please? I be good."

Gerard sighed, "I'm not mad, Busy. You're good, baby." He kissed her cheek.

Her lips were turned down when she looked at me, "You lie."

"I'm not lying, baby." He told her, "I promise, I'm not mad."

She looked at him, "Uh huh. You look mad."

I coursed my hair, "Busy, it's okay. Let daddy be mad."

"Why?" She asked, her head turned toward me, "I no like him mad, mama."

"Busy, it's alright, I'm not mad. I'm just fine," He smiled at her.

Busy didn't believe him, I could see the look in her eyes. I wondered how well she knew he was mad. And I wonder what got him so mad in the first place.