Departed Romance
An Apology
“Gerard,” I whispered down the phone, even I could tell my voice sounded weak. “Can you come over please?”
“Sure. Not that I don’t want to be around you but why? What’s happened?”
“I just need you.”
The phone went dead and I could only presume he was on his way. I settled down with a book in the chair opposite Scarlet. She hadn’t spoken since we had got back. Less than fifteen minutes later, he arrived. Scarlet turned to glare at me after spotting him through the window before running to her room. Opening the door to him, Gerard saw my expression and engulfed me in a hug.
“She hates me.”
“No.” He said, obviously guessing who I meant, as he rubbed my back. “No she doesn’t.” I couldn’t reply so I just held him closer to me. “Now how about you go freshen yourself up?” He spoke calmly. “And I’ll go have a talk with Scarlet. Kay?”
I nodded and took him upstairs. After pointing out Scarlet’s room, I disappeared into the bathroom beside it.
“Scarlet?” I listened to him knock on the door. “Scar, open up. It’s me, Gerard. I’ve got Mikey’s Star Wars tape.” He teased and I heard to the door creak and a short outburst from Scarlet.
“Okay so I haven’t got it. He won’t let me touch it. He thinks I’ll burn it.” She giggled and I could hear no more.
Hurriedly, I washed my face. Scarlet’s door was open but I still knocked before walking in.
“Hey,” I greeted them weakly. Gerard raised him eyebrows at Scarlet as a hint.
“I’m sorry Cali. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. And I don’t really want Gee to hurt you. I want you two to stay together forever.”
“Don’t rush yourself Scar.”
“I’m sorry for leaving you again Scarlet. It won’t happen-”
“Hey kids, I’m home!” Bobby’s voice rang out throughout the house.
Taking Gerard’s hand, we walked downstairs, Scarlet a few steps behind.
“Hi Bobby.” I said at the same time as Gerard said, “Hello Mrs Clarke.”
“Oh you must be Gerard.” She greeted him, smiling at me. “Call me Bobby. Can I get either of you anything?”
“I was just leaving actually.”
“Oh but you must stay for dinner.” She gushed, clearly charmed.
“I sort of promised my mum I’d cook dinner tonight so I need too get going.” I’d looked up, startled by this new information about him. I didn’t know he cooked. Noticing the look on my face, he whispered in my ear, “Still being punished for all those months of doing nothing.” I nodded in understanding.
“Surely your brother can cook it just this once.” Bobby didn’t know about Mikey’s lack of ability in the cooking area.
“Now I really need to get going.”
“His brother’s not safe in a kitchen.” I explained.
“Bye Cali.” He kissed my cheek, causing me to blush. “Bye Scar.” He high-fived her. Then, as he reached the door, he turned back to me. “Cali, I’m driving Mikey to school tomorrow; want a lift?” I nodded. “See you tomorrow then.”
“Sure. Not that I don’t want to be around you but why? What’s happened?”
“I just need you.”
The phone went dead and I could only presume he was on his way. I settled down with a book in the chair opposite Scarlet. She hadn’t spoken since we had got back. Less than fifteen minutes later, he arrived. Scarlet turned to glare at me after spotting him through the window before running to her room. Opening the door to him, Gerard saw my expression and engulfed me in a hug.
“She hates me.”
“No.” He said, obviously guessing who I meant, as he rubbed my back. “No she doesn’t.” I couldn’t reply so I just held him closer to me. “Now how about you go freshen yourself up?” He spoke calmly. “And I’ll go have a talk with Scarlet. Kay?”
I nodded and took him upstairs. After pointing out Scarlet’s room, I disappeared into the bathroom beside it.
“Scarlet?” I listened to him knock on the door. “Scar, open up. It’s me, Gerard. I’ve got Mikey’s Star Wars tape.” He teased and I heard to the door creak and a short outburst from Scarlet.
“Okay so I haven’t got it. He won’t let me touch it. He thinks I’ll burn it.” She giggled and I could hear no more.
Hurriedly, I washed my face. Scarlet’s door was open but I still knocked before walking in.
“Hey,” I greeted them weakly. Gerard raised him eyebrows at Scarlet as a hint.
“I’m sorry Cali. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. And I don’t really want Gee to hurt you. I want you two to stay together forever.”
“Don’t rush yourself Scar.”
“I’m sorry for leaving you again Scarlet. It won’t happen-”
“Hey kids, I’m home!” Bobby’s voice rang out throughout the house.
Taking Gerard’s hand, we walked downstairs, Scarlet a few steps behind.
“Hi Bobby.” I said at the same time as Gerard said, “Hello Mrs Clarke.”
“Oh you must be Gerard.” She greeted him, smiling at me. “Call me Bobby. Can I get either of you anything?”
“I was just leaving actually.”
“Oh but you must stay for dinner.” She gushed, clearly charmed.
“I sort of promised my mum I’d cook dinner tonight so I need too get going.” I’d looked up, startled by this new information about him. I didn’t know he cooked. Noticing the look on my face, he whispered in my ear, “Still being punished for all those months of doing nothing.” I nodded in understanding.
“Surely your brother can cook it just this once.” Bobby didn’t know about Mikey’s lack of ability in the cooking area.
“Now I really need to get going.”
“His brother’s not safe in a kitchen.” I explained.
“Bye Cali.” He kissed my cheek, causing me to blush. “Bye Scar.” He high-fived her. Then, as he reached the door, he turned back to me. “Cali, I’m driving Mikey to school tomorrow; want a lift?” I nodded. “See you tomorrow then.”