Purple Hearts

Franky was having difficulty sleeping, remembering her evening with Billie. It had been a strange evening, just the two of them, and they reminisced for ages but every time Franky brought up Billie’s new songs he seemed to clam up for some reason and she couldn’t work out why. Then there was the phone call. While he was in the bathroom his mobile phone rang. Franky hesitated and wasn’t sure whether to answer it or not but she checked the caller ID and it read GD3. She hesitated for a moment then it stopped ringing and as soon as Billie came into the room he took the phone and went out into the hallway. She couldn’t help but hear what he was saying to this ‘GD3’ and she thought it was weird. He said “I’ve got some ready, I think you’ll be pleased with them.” Who the fuck was he talking to? Then she remembered her Dad getting calls from a GD1 and a GD2. She couldn’t work it out.

As she drifted off to sleep though, Billie’s words, the ones he’d spoken to her while they were clearing up the dinner things kept going round and round in her mind.

“I can’t come to your wedding. My feelings haven’t changed.”

Over and over they went.

“My feelings haven’t changed.”

She fell asleep realising that Billie still loved her but it just made everything so much more difficult.

**

Ramona looked over at Emily who was just waking up.

“Hey, morning,” said Ramona. Emily was great, she was such fun and she’d really grown to like her.

“Morning Ramona. What time is it?” She said. “It feels like it’s late.” She rolled over and checked the small clock on the table beside her. “Oh my god! Its almost mid-day.”

“Yeah, well it is the school holidays, that’s what they’re for, doing hardly anything, resting and enjoying ourselves.” She said.

”I suppose,” said Emily. “I cannot believe that we are not going to be here for Franky’s wedding. Mum has pissed me off saying that she has to get back to work. Surely she could leave it for another couple of days.”

“I can’t believe it either, I don’t want you to go back, I’ve had such a great time and…I also can’t believe that Franky is definitely going to marry Gerard. He….he”

“He’s not right for her.” Said Emily. “I don’t think they’re suited. He’s good looking and all that and he’s a nice guy but…”

“You’re right. I think she’s only marrying him because she’s having a baby. She’s being an idiot. I wish she would just see it but she keeps on saying she loves him, she’s always saying it, like as if…I don’t know…as if…”

“As if by saying it all the time makes her almost believe its true.” Said Emily.

”Yeah.” Said Ramona who sighed then. “You know I wish your Mom and my Dad would have got it together. I’m sure they like each other.” She said.

”Me too. I’m sure they like each other but then may be they don’t. Wouldn’t that have been great though Ramona, we could have been almost sisters.”

“Yeah.” Ramona said then sighed again. “Everything’s going to be weird when you go back…you’ll be gone, Franky will be living away from here with Gerard and I shall probably have to go back with Mom.”

“Yeah and I really don’t want to go back to England. Surely there’s something we can do,” said Emily. She loved it here, here in this house with Tre, Ramona and Franky. They had such fun together and she wanted to always be a part of it. Why did her mother have to go and spoil it?

“There must be something we can do, there has to be,” said Ramona loving Emily’s enthusiasm.

They were so alike.

**

“Charlie?” said Billie. He was sure it was Charlie up ahead of him as he walked along the street.

”Hey Billie, how are you?” Said Charlie. He hadn’t spoken to Billie since he’d got with Adrienne, he felt weird about the whole situation and now here he was, Billie Joe Armstrong standing in front of him.

“I’m good and I hear you and Adrienne are together,” said Billie going up to Charlie who loomed over him, he was so much taller.

”Yes, yes we are.” Said Charlie but not knowing what to say next.

“I’m so pleased for you,” said Billie and he put his hand out to Charlie to shake it. “And I hear that my Joey has been doing some photography with you too. I’m glad; he always wanted to get into that. Thanks dude.” Said Billie.

“Its no problem, they’re great kids and I love being around them,” said Charlie.

“I have to ask Billie…how…how’s Gerard getting on?” He said as they walked side by side.

“He’s doing good,” said Billie. Yeah he was progressing well and Billie was pleased with the guy. “As long as he stays away from that little shit James, I’m sure he’ll get through it. I just hope Franky doesn’t ever find out.” He said.

**

James woke up once more on Gerard’s sofa and alongside him was some girl. Some girl that he could barely remember but he had vague recollections of being out at a bar with Gerard and them bringing a couple of girls back here. For sex.

As he turned over the girl stirred and he glanced at her. She did look a little like Franky and that was what had attracted him to her in the first place but of course she wasn’t Franky, no one was Franky.

He needed to pee so he got up off the sofa and as he passed Gerard’s bedroom door he looked in and there was Gerard with the other girl lying next to him.

He smiled to himself. All he needed now was for Franky to come over and to catch Gerard like this then she could see what Gerard was like and hopefully, hopefully he could pick up the pieces for her and prove that he loved her after all.

**

As Franky entered Gerard’s apartment block she bumped into a couple of girls as they left, they were giggling and hardly noticed her. They were obviously dressed in their previous night’s clothes and she smiled to herself. They’d obviously been having fun.

Once again she’d had to ring three times before Gerard came to the door. She’d have to get a key from him she decided. They were getting married after all.

**

James was fuming. The girls had woken just after him and had quickly got dressed and left the apartment. Gerard had cleaned up, had taken a shower and when Franky arrived he’d gone to the door as if nothing had happened. They were in Gerard’s room together; he could here Franky giggling and laughing and Gerard joining in as if nothing had happened.

Well it had and he wanted Franky to find out about it but then worried that she wouldn’t believe him. She loved Gerard so may be he’d have to move on and accept it. He glanced at his wrist at the tattoo he’d had done that nobody but him knew about. Franky’s name with the purple heart next to it.

He wished now that he hadn’t had it done.

There was only one way to get rid of it he thought as he left the building.

**

It was three days before the wedding and all the preparations were ready. The only sad thing was that Julia was leaving the next day but Tre had booked them a meal at the chopstick bowl, kind of a goodbye meal.

Franky was doing some last minute shopping, she’d bought some gifts for Emily and Julia to take back with them, she would miss them so much but had already made plans to visit them in a few months time.

She’d just turned left onto a quiet road when her car broke down again.

“Damn,” she said slamming her hand on the steering wheel. She knew she should have got the car repaired; she’d been so stupid.

Glancing up into the rear view mirror she saw a familiar person approaching. It was James, she was sure of it. Thank god, she thought, he could help her. May be he knew something about cars.

“You broken down?” asked James as he approached. He knew it was Franky up ahead, everyone recognised that car.

“Yes, it’s done it before, it just cuts out and won’t start. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t,” she said. “I should really have got it fixed by now, it’s a bit dangerous to be driving, especially in this condition,” she said. She knew she was rambling but James was looking at her in a weird way.

“Let me take a look at the engine,” said James heading off to lift up the bonnet.

As they were peering in, James spoke.

“Not long until the wedding.”

“No, a couple of more days. Everything is arranged. Dad’s pretty excited.”

“Are you?” He asked, then turned to her.

”Of course,” said Franky. “Well, not excited, that’s probably the wrong word. I can’t explain it, just…looking forward to it.”

“Are you sure you’re doing the right thing,” said James.

”Of course I am! What do you take me for? You keep on about this James, of course I’m doing the right thing by marrying Gerard.”

“You’re being a fool,” said James. “You can’t see what’s been happening right under your nose.” He said, his eyes boring into hers, eyes that were glazed over slightly as if…as if he was in another world.

“What are you talking about James?” Said Franky.

“You’ve been blind to see that Gerard…he…oh nothing,” he said.

“What do you mean nothing, you can’t start talking like this and then not say anything. What are you talking about?” said Franky.

James walked away from the front of the car.

“I can’t believe you haven’t seen it,” he said.

”Seen what?” said Franky going to stand beside him.

”Gerard’s been…he’s been using drugs again and drinking.” Suddenly he couldn’t look at Franky because he knew that all this was his fault.

Franky felt sick and put her hand out onto the car to steady herself.

”You’re lying,” she whispered.

“Franky. Open your eyes. Gerard is taking drugs and is drinking again. Nearly everyone knows it, Charlie, Billie, they all know it. Why can’t you see it?”

“Billie?” said Franky. What was this? Billie knew Gerard was taking drugs.

“Yeah, your precious Billie and your oldest friend Charlie know all about it. You’re so stupid Franky, I thought you were a bit cleverer than this. What the fuck are you marrying that jerk for when…you can have me, we’d be good together, so good and you know it” then James lunged forward, grabbing Franky around her waist and pulling her towards him. He pressed his mouth against hers, it was hurting and his breath smelt of stale booze. He was hurting her, really hurting her, pinching at her skin and scratching her as he dragged her into some bushes where nobody could see them, just so that he could have some privacy with his Franky just so that he could…he put his hand across her mouth, pushed her down to the ground, pinning his weight onto her as he ripped open her shirt, the buttons popping.

Franky could hardly breathe, let alone cry out for help.

Please…someone…please rescue me. Someone, anyone, she thought as a tear escaped each eye.

Billie. I need you.