I'm Not Retarded, Just Unique

Frank had gone in and visited Anna every day of the week. The doctor had hoped to resolve Frank's problems but Frank acted as if nothing was wrong. After Marie had saw what Frank wrote on his therapists notebook, she was sick to her stomach. The two were beyond concerned at this point in time. They worried for Frank's emotion health and his future.

Frank however was fighting his own battles. He began to feel this unwanted presence take over his body. His once happy and perky self, was gone. The brightness was being carotid by this black feeling. It was dark and evil and it scared Frank. He tried to ignore it, act as if it wasn't there, but it wouldn't go away. Every time Anna asked a question about his past, the blackness grew. This bitter feeling of self loath filled Frank. Thoughts of his own death would keep him up at night. He didn't know who to turn to, who to talk to. He was afraid to talk to Marie or Anna. Frank even hesitated to talk to Gerard and Mikey.

That one small trip Frank's mother had made had affected Frank in a way that no one could have imagined.

“Frank?” Anna asked as she stared at Frank. His eyes were unfocused and dull. His one cheeky grin was gone and replaced with a frown. Everything about this boy was flat and dead.

“Huh?” Frank asked his eyes refocusing and staring at Anna.

“Frank, were you listening to anything I was saying?” Frank did not answer his question. “Frank, I was talking about your father.”

“I don't like...this......s-t-topic.”

“I know you don't Frank, but I can't cure your of your depression if you don't inform me on what happened in your past. It is unhealthy to let it sit inside of you Frank. You need to express yourself.”

“I do...ex-express...myself.” Frank mumbled looking down at the carpet.

“Frank, you are not expression yourself. I see no smile, no tears, no nothing. You are expressionless right now.” Frank knits his eyebrows together and looks up at Anna with hurt in his eyes.

“I am no robo!” Frank argued. “I cry. I laugh. I smile. I feel. You-You are being a bully!” Frank kicked Anna's desk and the doctor felt a spark ignite and she knew she had to keep it going before it vanished.

“How Frank? How am I being a bully?” The pressed watching a fuming Frank fidget in his chair.

“You lie! You say-you say I an stone. I feel! I cry at night. I no laugh because I'm sad. You don't smile when you cry! I can't smile! I o-only cry. You lie! You are-pi-picking, on me. I don't like it. You make me...” Fran trailed off as he tried to find the correct word to use. “Mad, you make me mad!”

There is was. The seventeen years of built up anger, hate, rage...they finally had come out.

Doctor Anna allowed Frank to fume a bit longer until he finally relax. She then stood up and walked in front of Frank, kneeling in front of him.

“You know what you just felt Frank? The feeling you had when you shouted those words?” Frank didn't respond but his therapist could tell he wanted to know. “You felt anger Frank. You were angry at me.” Doctor stated but Frank shook his head.

“I...I do not like...mad-being mad. I do not, want to be, angry.” Frank admitted, to his therapist and she nodded.

“Then vent Frank, tell me why you are angry. Tell me why your family makes you feel numb. If you tell me, then I can help you. We will get over this.” Frank stared down at the floor and did not answer Anna at first. He pondered over what would happen, what had happened.

The past was blurry for Frank. Of course there were some vivid parts, but Frank did not want to relive them. He felt embarrassed about his past. He knew it was wrong for his parents to do things like that. Frank feared humiliation. He was afraid the his angel of a therapists would laugh at him when he told her that his father made Frank eat bugs. He feared that she would call him sick and kick him out.

The rest of the session continued in silence. Frank was out of it and tired. Anna tried everything in her training yet Frank seemed to just ignore it. Anna knew she would have to think outside of the box with Frank. Perhaps find another outlet for him. Find someone who Frank can relate to.

When Marie came, Frank sat down in the waiting room until the two were finished talking. The meeting was brief and as uneventful as the past five days had been. Anna suggested new depressants, new friends, simply letting Frank work this out all by himself, but none seemed to be taking affect. With Marie being turned off of anti-depressants forever, it risked Frank's emotional health but Anna could do nothing to change her clients guardian's mind.

“Frankie?” Marie asked, brushing loose strands of hair out of Frank's eyes.

“Huh?” Frank asked looking up at Marie and she gave him a worried smile.

“Time to go home honey.” Frank nodded and rose to his feet. He was led out of the building and into his own car. Marie helped buckle Frank up before returning to her side and getting situated. She started up the car and drove out of the almost empty parking lot. It was six o'clock on a Saturday. Anna would be unavailable tomorrow so that left Marie with the task of cheering up Frank.

“Hey Frankie, you want Mikey to come over today?” Frank perked up at bit the mention of Mikey's name.

“Mikey come over? Okay,” Frank said with a small smile.

“Okay then, get my phone out of my purse and call Gerard for me, honey.” Frank nodded and grabbed his grandmothers purse (more of a ugly brown sack) and began searching for her phone. He found the electronic at the bottom of the purse and he flipped it open and began scrolling through the contacts. Once he found Gerard, he pressed the green telephone button and placed it next to his ear.

“Hello?” A voice asked and Frank smiled a bit.

“Yes, yes, Gerard? It is me, me Frank.”

“Frank? Hi, is everything alright?”

“Yes, fine fine, Mikey, can he come over?”

“Oh uh...sorry Frank, but Mikey is at our mothers house right now.”

“Oh...” Frank frowned.

“I can call her though, and ask if you can spend the night there. I'm sure Mikey would love it.” Gerard tried to rebuttal.

“Er-...uh..yea, I talk to Marie about...that. Erm-I-I have to go. I talk to you later, Gerard.” Frank mumbled into the phone.

“Okay Frank, goodbye.” Frank quickly ended the call and dropped the phone back into his grandmothers sack of a purse.

“Is he coming over?” Marie asked but Frank shook his head.

“Mikey is with his mom. Gerard asked if I sleep over but...I don't...I don't know.” Frank tugged at the fringe coming off his jeans at the small hole in his knee.

“Sleep over at Gerard's?”

“Their mom's...” Frank mumbled and Marie pursed her lips together. She understood Frank's hesitation completely. His experience with motherly figures has not been on of the best. The elderly woman had her own worries as well about Frank seeing another motherly figure. It wasn't a feeling of jealousy or rivalry, but more of a feeling of fear for Frank. Disregarding that fact that Marie had already stated that Frank's parents were evil and Frank should be upset with them. She still did not want Frank to take actions into his own hands or to even have a panic attack over it. Would knowing that good mothers existed make Frank feel isolated because he lacked that in his childhood?

As much as Marie hated the idea, she knew it was good for Frank. Frank needs the friendship he has right now with Mikey and Gerard. It keeps his stable and happy. More so than the grandmother had ever seen. He didn't want that to be over just because of her. It wasn't fair to Mikey and it wasn't fair to Frank.

“You can go if you want, Frank.” Marie said once she had parked the car and gotten them both inside of the house. “I know it might scare you to go see Mrs. Way, but she isn't like your mom.” Marie looking down at Frank who still looked gloomy and upset.

“Mikey said, that she was, nice...but...I don't know.” Frank covered his face with his hands and let out a big sigh.

“Want me to come with you? I can stay and if you want to leave then I'll take you home. How does that sound?” Marie smiled a bit and Frank gnawed on his lip.

“'M'kay..”

“Okay, how about you go get your sleep over bag ready, just in case, huh?” Marie poked Frank's sides causing the smaller male to let out a small shriek of a laugh. He quickly pulled away from his grandmother and ran up the stairs, still giggling.

It took Frank no more than ten minuets to get his necessary materials. Frank wouldn't be lying if he said that he did want to sleep over with Mikey, but the mother seemed to scare him more than the bogey man.

Marie called Gerard and got the address to Mother Way's home. In less than an hour, Frank was standing in front of a brown door and his fingers and palms began to sweat. Gerard had called Donna and told her that Frank and Marie were coming over and it was only a matter of time before Mikey flung open the door in search of Frank.

Slowly, Frank extended his arm and uncurled his finger. He gently pressed the small button and a dull bell sounded throughout the house. Frank stepped back and hid behind Marie as the shuffling grew closer to the door. A few locks were readjusted before the door swung open. A tall, slightly skinny, blonde hair woman stood in the doorway. Her blonde hair was puffed out so much with hairspray it looked as if it was cotton candy. Her face had a few age lines on it and a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and leather jacket hugged her body. Not enough to make it seem sexual, but just enough to make it look casual.

“Hi!” She greeted with a grin. Her voice was a bit horse, showing of her years of smoking.

“Hello,” Marie greeted with an equally warming smile. “I'm Marie, and this is Frank.” She attempted to move Frank but her was glued to the spot.

“I'm Donna, it's nice to meet you both.” She gleamed, inviting the two in. “Mikey is upstairs if you want to see him Frank.” Donna told him as he took off his shoes. He chewed his lip and nodded, letting go of Marie so he could flee the scene in a hurry.

“It's a pleasure finally gettin' to meet the both of 'ya. Gerard and Mikey told me a lot about you guys.” Donna stated, her proud Jersey tone was prominent in every word she spoke.

“The same for me as well. I'm glad I finally get to meet you.”

“Wish I could have gotten a look at Frank. He's shy, huh?” Donna asked.

“Not really no. He just has a small issue with parental figures.” Marie admitted and Donna just nodded, not wanting to be rude and press further on the subject.

“Okay, okay. Would you like some coffee?” Mother Way asked and Marie smiled and nodded her head.

Upstairs Mikey and Frank were running around Mikey's large bedroom and firing pretend lasers at each other from the small space ship in both of the teenagers hands.

“Pew pew!!! Oh no! The left wing has been, shot! Pew pew! Quickly fire a missal!” Mikey picked at a Nerf gun bullet and launched it at Frank. The bullet fell between them but Frank knew that he had been hit.

“Oh no! Heat, seeking, missals! Captain, we are-have been hit! Pew pew! The ship can't hold, much longer!” Frank's spun around and crashed his space ship into a pillow making a loud explosion noise. Mikey's ship landed on the ground and followed with another explosion that left both boys giggling.

“We play again, yes?” Frank asked picking up his shape ship.

“No, I'm tired of this game. We play hide and seek!”

“Hide and seek...” Frank mumbled unsure of the game.

“Yes, you hide first and I seek you. No going outside, that's cheating.” Frank just nodded and Mikey smiled and turned around. He covered his eyes and Frank looked around the room for a hiding spot.

“Five, six, seven,” Mikey counted and Frank ran out of the room. He quietly made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen. He could hear Marie and Donna chatting in the living room, but he was too focused on finding a hiding spot.

“Ready or not here a come!” Mikey shouted as Frank opened up a rather empty cabinet and climbed into it. Frank curled up in a tight ball. He had a nervous and excited feeling in his belly that made him want to vomit and giggle at the same time. Frank listened for any sound of life but it was hard to hear through the wooden cabinet.

“Do you prefer black or with some cream or sugar?” Frank head Donna ask Marie,

“Cream and sugar,” Frank's grandmother replied and Donna began shuffling around, looking in different cabinets for the needed materials for her coffee. She opened a bottom cabinet and reached in blindly.

Frank watched as Donna's hand headed straight at him and his eyes got wide. He pictured the hand belonging to his own mother. Her fake and yellow nails latching out to grab Frank and drag him out of the cabinet. Lost in forgotten memories, Frank let out a scream causing Donna to scream. Mikey tripped into the room and Marie ran into the room as fast as her old bones would allow.

The room was silent and all eyes were one Donna and Frank. Frank was breathing rather heavily and Donna was holding her coffee with a death grip. Finally, the tense air lifted and mother Way rested a hand over her heart.

“Frankie honey, you scared me.” She said but Frank's tense body did not ease up. His blunt nails dug into the wood and Marie walked over to Frank and gave him a small smile. She helped Frank out of the cabinet and onto his feet.

“You okay?” She said and Frank nodded, shifting his gaze from the floor to Donna. The yellow nails were replaced with flaming red ones and he realized Donna was not a threat.

“Why'd Frank scream?” Mikey asked as he got up from the ground.

“We just spooked each other Mikey. Were you two-uh, played a game?”

“Hide and seek,” Mikey stated.

“Mikey, I do not want to, play the game anymore.” Frank said rubbing his arm

“Okay Frank, we play different game. “ Mikey smiled and Frank nodded a bit shyly. They scurried out of the room leaving a confused Donna and embarrassed Marie behind.

“Sorry,” Marie said first. “He must be...upset about something.”

“Oh no, it's fine. Mikey will do that same thing in public.” Donna waved her hands. Casually dismissing the awkward feeling that filled the room. Donna would never want Marie to feeling embarrassed by Frank's behavior. It would be rather hypocritical of her to make fun of Marie for her sons outburst when her own did the same thing.

“So, still want that coffee?”