Early Sunsets Over Belleville

"Please be careful. The last thing we need is for you to get bit and leave me with Bandit." I said to Frank. he was going out again to try and find the backpack that held so many essentials.

"Yeah, God knows Bandit would be doomed." he said, smiling.

"Hey! I've been doing better with her. I'm not giving her Pepsi anymore." i said, giggling.

"True. I'll be okay, Bear, I always am." He pecked my lips. I smiled and he started walking out the door when I grabbed his arm, balancing Bandit on my hip.

"Wait." I said, making him turn. "Promise me that…if you get bit, you'll come back. No matter what." He nodded slowly.

"I promise. I'll be back Gerard, I swear. I love you." he said, making me smile.

"I love you too."

"Me too! Me too!" Bandit squealed and he laughed, walking out the door. I giggled, his laugh ringing in my ears, and looked at Bandit.

"Let's go play." She squealed and giggled, clapping. "Yeah, you wanna go paint? Let's go." I said and walked to my old art studio, getting some paper and sat down on the floor with her.

We'd fallen asleep on the floor when I woke up maybe an hour later to an all too familiar scream. I gasped and shook my head. That wasn't his scream, it couldn't be. He's okay. I kept telling myself that and waited quietly for him to walk through the door, not wanting to wake Bandit.

With every passing minute, I lost more hope that he'd come home, started thinking negatively, and just let my tears flow freely.

"Daddy, why are you crying?" Bandit would ask me repeatedly in her small voice. I couldn't answer her. If I was right, she didn't need to know. "You should stop before he comes home. He'll be sad." she said. If only she was right that he would. I lost all my hope for it.

To my complete and utter surprise, the door opened what seemed like so many hours later, but was maybe only one. I looked up at the door to see Frank walk through. I jumped into his arms and cried hard, holding him tightly.

"Gerard? What happened, what's wrong?" he asked frantically. I only shook my head, not being able to talk and he'd him closer, sliding down the wall with him as he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

It took me a while to finally calm down. He looked at me and wiped my cheeks, worry clear on his face.

"Are you okay?" I said quickly, it being almost incoherent.

"Of course. Yes. Are you? You were the one crying." he said. I just nodded and hugged him tightly, afraid that if I let go, he wouldn't be there. For the rest of the night, we stayed there, cuddling Bandit with us as we fell asleep. One thing still haunted my thoughts.