Escaping the Inevitable

Gee piled us in the car nearly 20 minutes later. We all were a bit quiet; Bandit up front, and us in the back. Dani hummed along to the radio, while Woflie and I paid no attention to anything in particular.

After dropping Dani and Wolfie off, it was Bandit and me next. Gee pulled up at the back of the school, letting Bandit go first, "I'll be here." He told her. 

She rolled her eyes, "I know."

He shook his head, "I love you, too."

She waved to him, then me. I swallowed thickly, "Hey, Gee, I can walk from here."

He shook his head, "It's cool, I gotta turn around and I'll just drop you off up front."

I jumped up into the passenger seat, pulled my backpack onto my lap, and looked out the window at the kids passing. Gee successfully made a u-turn and looked over at me at a stop, "You know your parents love each other, don't you?" He asked me.

I looked back at him and nodded, "Yeah, I know."

"Things are just tough right now, Joey. Did your mom tell you anything?" He asked cautiously.

I knew there was something deeper in those words. I'm not a complete fool.

"Just that she and my dad had some disagreements." I said softly, "Why? What else is there?"

He looked at me, then at the road, going a short distance before stopping behind a car trying to drop off their kid; "I don't think I'm the one to say it."

I frowned, "You brought it up, though, how come you won't say?"

He sighed, "Because I've known your dad for 20 some-odd years and I can't just tell his business."

"But I'm his son." I stressed.

"Yeah, and you're 13 years old." 

"I promise I won't tell, Uncle Gee. Just..." I stressed this because I really wanted to help, "I don't want my parents to break up, I want to help them."

Gee smiled at me, "You're a good kid, but this is heavier than you can handle."

I scratched my head, "Is it bad?"

He sighed again, "It depends on how you look at it." He pulled up in front of the school, "I'll be here after school, meet with Bandit in the back."

I frowned, "This is gonna bother me all day, Uncle Gee, you know that."

"I'm sorry, Joey. This just something you're too young to even know about."

"Where did they go today?" I asked quickly.

"To see a therapist." He told me earnestly, "They want to mend whatever is broken between them."

I opened the door, giving him a wave as I got out. He waved back, I closed the door and jogged up the walk way to school. I met with my friends Troy and Greg; "Dude, is that your weird uncle?" Troy asked.

I chuckled, "My Uncle Gee, yeah."

"You got a weird family, man." Greg piped in as we jogged up towards the hall.

"He isn't my real uncle, but I've known him all my life." I muttered.

"Your mom is pretty cute though." Troy snorted.

I rolled my eyes; a lot of guys like my mom. They say she hot, pretty, or cute. I don't see it the way they do, I guess cause she is my mom. Even then, I don't see how my dad couldn't think the same of her. Total strangers see it; my mom is beautiful.

"Don't talk about my mom like that, I might barf." I grumbled.

They just chuckled, "We're just messing around." Troy excused, "What'd you do this weekend? Your mom said you were gone."

I shrugged, thinking about what happened on Friday, and Saturday. My stomach tensed with the fight that had ensued, and the thought of my parents splitting up. I exhaled, "Uh, my dad made me go see my grandma."

Troy and Greg chuckled, "Does she kiss your boo-boos, Iero?"

I rolled my eyes, "You guys are so goddamn hilarious, really. Please, do standup." I muttered sarcastically.


School had gone by so slowly. But, most of my last periods I was out at the baseball field getting practice for the new season. My PE teacher let me get excused, so my mind was preoccupied with positions and bases and bats. I was pitcher last, I had struck out a few guys before the bell rang. I exhaled, the kid at bat looked relieved, and dropped the bat, "Thank God!" He said loudly.

The coach took my shoulder as I dropped my arm from the position, "Great job today, Iero."

"Thanks." I said softly, tossing the ball to the bat boy.

"Are you trying out next week?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

The coach let my shoulder go, "We'd love to have you on the team."

I gave him a small nod, "Thanks." I replied again.

My mind weighed once I was in the locker room and changing my clothes. I thought about my parents again, and the fact that their fight from Friday night was in my head more so than it was the previous days. I think I had more hope today and the negativity was making its way through.

Once I finished changing, I grabbed my stuff and walked out the locker room. I said bye to a couple of people I knew and headed towards the back of the school where the older kids were. I saw Bandit almost immediately, do I walked over to her.

"Hey," she said softly, greeting me, "Where were you? I went by your last class, but you weren't there. I almost called my dad."

"Baseball field." I told her.

She smiled, "You still do that? Cool."

"Yeah, I like it, takes my mind off things." I replied.

Her smiled faded a bit, "Yeah, my dad was telling me your parents were having some problems."

I shrugged, trying not to hide my true feelings, "Eh, it's whatever."

"You know, my parents split up, it wasn't so bad... The arguing stopped."

That's when unwanted feelings came up. I wanted to snap at her, but I didn't, I was saved by Gerard pulling up. I gave a short sigh of relieve as we climbed in without a word.

I sat beside Dani, "Hi Joe!" She greeted me comically.

I smiled at her, "Hey, Dani."

"You smell, did you play baseball?" She scrunched up her nose.

Rolling my eyes, I lifted my arm, "Yep, check the pits."

She grimaced, "Ew! Gross!" She shrieked.

Everybody laughed, then we returned to a comfortable silence. The drive home was quick, surprisingly, I was looking forward to seeing my parents. But, only a familiar was car in the driveway. Dani shrieked again, "Uncle Butcher is here!"

Gerard pulled up and the three of us kids raced out of the backseat and ran towards the driveway. My uncle Butcher was leaning against his car, smiling and spread his arms so he could hug us. I was more than happy to see him; it had been 5 months since I had, over Christmas break.

"Hey!" Was his reply to our greetings.

"What're you doing here?" Wolfie asked first.

"To visit. Your mama ain't tell you?" He asked funnily.

We collectively shook our heads. "Well, I'm here for a bit, I got a showing up in Newark."

"Sweet!" Wolfie said excitedly, "Did you bring us anything?"

I nudged him, "Dude, don't be rude."

Dani was next to bat her lashes, "Did you bring us something, Uncle Butcher?"

He nodded with a chuckle, "Yeah, I did, but it's a surprise until your mama gets home."

Dani and Wolfie whined, but didn't argue. They led the way up to the house, where Gee and Bandit were waiting. Butcher hung behind with me, he had nudge my arm, "What's going on with you?"

I looked at him, "Nothing, why?"

He gave me this look... The knowingly my mom gives me when she knows I'm lying. "C'mon, man! I practically raised you, too. What's going on?"

I sighed, stopping near the threshold, "I have to ask you something in private, Uncle B."

Butcher read my face, "Is your mom okay? You know how she likes to keep things from me too."

I shrugged, "I... It's a lot. I'll tell you after I've showered."

He patted my back, "Alright, dude. I'll be down here messing with your brother and sister."

I gave him a silent thanks and jogged upstairs and to my room. I tossed my backpack in my bed, grabbed some towels and went to the bathroom.