A Little's Enough

Gerard’s POV

I couldn’t believe what I’d done the night before, but I knew that there was no way I was breaking my promise. I hadn’t even made the promise to her, yet I still felt compelled to keep it, and call her each day, to make sure she was alright, to hear her voice.

It was to the point that halfway through the afternoon, I was so worked up and nervous about calling her back that I felt almost as if I was going to be sick. I knew I had probably completely thrown her off the night before and left her completely confused but I knew she’d forgive me. I had to believe that she would.

Teigann’s POV

It was around 9’oclock when I heard the phone ringing. I was in the basement finishing up some laundry and in the middle of folding a pair of jeans, I dropped them and darted up the stairs wanting to catch the caller before the machine did.

“Teigh,”

“Yea mom?” I answered, not so pleased that she was calling. This meant that any second now she’d be explaining to me how she was spending yet another night at the boyfriends house and how there was another list of shit she wanted me to do before she got home the next day.

“Have you finished all your laundry?”

“Yes mom, thanks for showing concern. Oh, and all the other chores are done too. Anything else you need me to do?”

“Cut the attitude.. Look, I know I’ve been gone a lot lately Teigann, but please don’t be pissed off at me.”

“Of course not. Mom, I’m not mad at you, I’m just mad at the fact that I don’t ever see my mother anymore because she’s too busy with her boyfriend all the time. I got so used to it just being the two of us after Maci left. But now I have to get used to it just being me all the time.”

“Look hunn, I’m still at work. I have to get going. We’ll finish this tomorrow when I get home from Brian’s okay?”

“Yea, whatever.” I breathed through clenched teeth. With that, I hung up the phone, and turned to go back downstairs. I had grabbed the portable phone off the kitchen table and by the time I got to the bottom of the stairs, it was ringing in my hand. I was a whole ball of nerves after talking to my mom, that I struggled through blurry eyes to read the call display. I didn’t recognize the number, so I knew that it wasn’t my mother calling back to bitch at me. I was a little hesitant to answer it, but when I did, I was a bit relieved.

“Hey Teigh.” he managed.

“Hey Gerard. Everything okay?” I asked, noticing he sounded a bit off.

“Mhmm. I’m okay. You see, I just wanted to apologize for acting all weird last night..” he trailed off at the end.

“It’s okay, nothing to be sorry about hunn.” I knew this was something we’d have to talk about more in person. “How’s everything going so far?”

He still sounded upset. He sounded uncomfortable.

“Yea, we went to visit my grandma today. Apparently I’m supposed to bring you to meet her. My brother had to go on and on about how much of a miracle it was that I have a female friend who isn’t a loser. Gran’s used to hearing about the idiot guys…even though she loves them…”he trailed off again, this time sounding more confused about his grandmother’s logic. “Anyway, just to get Mikey to shut up, I told Gran that he had a lady in his life too. All the attention was turned to him, so he’s supposed to bring his “girlfriend” to meet her too. I thought it was great, but he didn’t find it so funny.”

I laughed. “I’ll have to tell October that her and Mikey are moving up in the world real fast. You may want to warn your Gran though, that I’m not very good at impressing grandparents.”

“Yeah right Teigh. What could you possibly do that wouldn’t make her like you?”

I took a little more of a serious tone. “Ask mine, they seem to hate me…”

“Aww.. sugar.. don’t say that..”

“It’s true though.. Oh well, their loss I guess. That’s what I get though for not being more like my cousins.” I let out an uncomfortable laugh. “I can’t say I make a bad impression though. Just on my own. I’m sure if I met your Gran, I’d love her.”

“She’d love you for sure. And you’d seriously consider meeting her?” he seemed a bit surprised.

“Sure, I mean, if you wanted me to, I would. Not sure how I’d afford to get out her way, but I would if I figured that part out.”

“So what were you up to when I rudely interrupted you?” he asked a moment later.

“I was heading to the dungeon to do the heaping pile of laundry my mother is making me do while she is gone.”

“Gone?”

“She’s been at Brian’s, she won’t be home for a few days..”

“Is October at least coming to keep you company? Or Gregory?” he became a bit panicked.

“Not so far. I think I may call Tia or Toby to come stay though. I need some time away from October. And Gregory is probably with Frank right now. Those two have been inseparable. Either way, I’ll be fine.” I tried to sound reassuring.

“Alright. I don’t like that she does that to you though. She’s acting like you’re the parent and she’s the teenager.”

“It’s okay hunn. Don’t worry about me, okay? I can take care of myself. I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to be. But fine, before I say something dumb, I’m shutting my mouth.”

“Dumb?”

“Yeah.”

“What could you possibly say that’s dumb?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it..”

“Fine, I won’t. You’re gonna waste all your minutes, if you stay on the phone all night with me.”

“So?”

"So, there are more important things to be doing than talking to me. I'm not worth wasting all your minutes." I nearly sighed at the end.

“Don’t say shit like that.” he sounded just as crushed as I did.

“I’m sorry, I just, I’m fed up with her right now. I shouldn’t take it out on you.”

“It’s fine, I just wish you wouldn’t say things like that. You’re worth plenty Teigann, you deserve better treatment that that. Why don’t you leave the laundry for tomorrow? Take tonight to spoil yourself. I had a feeling you’d need a night like this. There’s a special kit just for you in the living room closet, okay? Go look.”

“Okay..” He had me near tears. I couldn’t believe how amazing he made me feel. I walked back to the living room, and opened the closet door slowly. You’d think I was half expecting to find a psychopath in there the way I was acting. But what I found was much more breathtaking, and in a non fatal way.

“Have you found it yet lovely?” came his voice from the silence that had come out of nowhere.

“Yes. Gerard, you shouldn’t have..” I was still at a loss for words. I reached down and picked up the basket that sat patiently waiting for me on the bottom of the closet.

Everything was cream colored and vanilla scented. My favorite.

“Do you like it?” he asked after I still remained quiet.

“You put a lot of work into this.. I love it..”

“Well I asked mom to help, she noticed you’ve been stressed and said you deserved a home spa day. I couldn’t have agreed more.”

“Why is there an envelope with money in it though?” I was completely shocked.

“That was my doing. Screw doing the dishes, order in. Or rent a movie. Whatever you like.”

“I couldn’t possibly spend your money.” I answered without a second thought.

“Oh, but you will. Because I’m demanding that you spend my money.” he said in a completely serious tone.

I giggled a little, feeling my mood lift a bit. “You’re demanding?”

“Okay, well.. I’m asking you, or begging you, or whatever I have to do, to make you buy yourself dinner or something.”

I took a deep breath, sighing in defeat. "Yes sir."

We talked for a little longer, mostly about what he'd been up to aside from visiting his grandmother. It made me feel a lot better just talking to him, hearing his voice. I had almost completely forgotten the argument with my mother. I seriously hoped the next few weeks would pass quicker so that I could just see him again.