When He Came Around, chapter 6
Tre finished setting the kids up with their toys when Claudia walked in with the clean laundry. She noticed Tre smile sadly at her and tilted her head in confusion. "Tre, can I talk to you for a sec?"
Tre nodded and walked into the kitchen, following Claudia as she placed the laundry basket down. "Do you find it hard, us living together?" Claudia asked.
Tre looked up. "Not at all. I love living with you. I'd miss you too much if you left."
"Really?" she asked again.
Tre sighed. This was the woman he had loved for years. "Claudia, I love you. I always have, and the thing I've come to realize is that I'm always going to love you and need you. That's just something that I've come to terms with recently."
"You... you still love me?"
Tre watched as the glint of hope flashed through her eyes. "I do."
"Tre... you really want to make this work?" Claudia asked.
Tre thought long and hard. This was Claudia... she was living with him, helping him raise Frankito and even stay around with him for their son. But at the same time, he's learned what he did wrong the first time with Claudia. He knew her better than he knew himself. He always comes home to her, happy and relaxed. This was Claudia.
"Yes I do."
Claudia felt herself lighten up considerably as she ran over and pulled Tre into an embrace. Tre held her, remembering the familiar feeling of her body next to his. Cupping her face, he pressed his lips against his own, old memories flooding back. Claudia smiled into the kiss, which was mimicked easily by Tre. This was Claudia. Smiling as he buried his face into her neck, he heard a creak and looked up at the doorway. He had left the door open and the kids weren't far from where they were.
A pair of saddened green eyes watched him in pain. Tre locked eyes only for a moment with Mercedes. She looked tired and even sick. Frowning and looking at the ground, Mercedes stepped back and Tre watched as she scooped a half-asleep Liam into her arms. Joey quickly rose and took Mercedes' other hand and Mercedes bent down and kissed Frankito goodbye on the cheek. Frankito smiled and then wrapped his little arms around Mercedes leg. Biting her lip, Tre heard her whisper, "I'll see you later squirt," Mercedes then ruffled Frankito's hair and with her two boys, made her way out the door.
Unable to stand there any longer, Tre excused himself from Claudia and ran out, passing Frankito as he reached the front door.
Tre felt his heart deflate as he watched Mercedes' walk out of his home, the two boys in tow. Never once had she turned and looked back, and with good reason. Mercedes promised, after her father died, that she would never let anyone see her cry.
* * *
Mercedes finished the last bit of her coffee and set the mug down on the table. Removing her glasses, she rubbed her tired eyes and sighed. Thinking of Tre was too painful, so she tried to push him out of her mind. Problem was, he was the only thing that she thought about.
The television continued to play as the boys drifted to sleep on the couch. Mercedes finished some work at the table and went over to the living room to bring her little bundles of joy to their bedrooms. Just as she finished putting what little bits of toys they had taken out, the television presented a new topic...
"And Green Day continue to work hard on their new album, still untitled. Front man Billie Joe Armstrong offered a statement for the record, quote; "This is definitely the most personal album we've ever done. Mike's been writing a lot more lately and I've kind of taken over writing the music part of it. We've really experimented and just put our seventeen inspired moments on tape." Armstrong continues to say that the album is based on a new muse, one that each of the band members seem to share; a collective and ongoing inspiration that results in, as Armstrong finished, "resulting in the best things we've ever done musically." We'll keep you updated on this untitled, yet 'inspirational' collection of punk rock tunes. In other news... "
Mercedes stood in her living room, still watching where images of Green Day had flashed across the screen. If she had enough strength... she would laugh at herself. Laugh at the fact that these men had come into her life and changed everything. This was Green Day... successful, intelligent, older men who already had their lives done and set. Where was she? She was just some woman who offered macaroni and cheese to the 'front man' of Green Day. And now look at her. A broken heart and hopelessness. Not to mention that now with her and Tre completely lost, they would finish the album on their own and then leave back to their lives in California, leaving her like dirt on the bottom of a shoe. And who's not to say that they could just buy a new shoe?
Feeling tears fall down her face, she turned the television off and scooped up Joey first, carrying him to bed. Tucking him in, she kissed his cheek and went back to do the same with Liam. Once they were both tucked in and cozy, she leaned against the doorway. This was her family. This was her life. Nothing would change that.
* * *
"Come on... pick up the phone... " Tre whispered to himself. He knew Mercedes had to be home, however, he wasn't sure or not whether it would be the right thing to do to maybe drive over to her apartment for now. He needed to talk to her, that much was certain, but whether he would know what to say was another one.
"Hi... you've reached the Delisles. We're sorry we're not in now, so leave a message and we'll call you back. Thanks."
"Mercedes... its Tre. Look... if you're there, please pick up the phone. I really need to talk to you... "
"Alright."
Tre stopped pacing and stood dumbfounded in the room. "Mercedes?"
"Yeah... you said you have something to tell me?"
Her voice screamed echoes of disappointment, but also sadness. "Yeah... look, about earlier... "
"She's your wife Tre... the mother of your child... and she's a lot older. No doubt you'd want to get back together with her."
Tre frowned and looked at his socks. "I just... it's hard having Claudia live with me and not be able to be the husband that I promised her when we got married... I know we divorced, but I've never actually... you know, fully gotten over her. I love her... but I also really like you."
"You could of at least had enough respect for me to tell me that in the beginning."
Her voice was dead cold. "Well it's not like I planned this! Things sometimes just happen that weren't supposed to or at the wrong time. When I saw you, there was this side of me that was completely open to everything and all I wanted to do was to spend time with you and be around you. You were this... release for me... "
"And that's all I'll ever be, right?"
Tre sighed. "Mercedes... look... it was fun and I still really like you. I know this changes things, but I still want to know you better than I do. I still want to be able to take you out to concerts and shit like that... we had fun, didn't we?"
Mercedes was sitting down, looking at her two boys that had quickly fallen asleep. For a second there, she almost accepted his words. Letting some tears finally fall, she repeated, "Yeah... we had fun."
* * *
After about an hour of dabbling around, they were ready for work on the next track. Opening with Tre's drum beats, they were halfway through the song when they decided to play it back and tune anything. Sitting in the room with great music at their fingertips, Billie Joe smiled, knowing that Mercedes would love this next song. At that thought, Billie Joe leaned back.
"Does anyone know when Mercedes is coming in?" Billie Joe asked.
Tre cleared his throat. "She left me a message... she's not coming in again today."
"Is she alright?" Mike asked, genuinely concerned.
Tre sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. He knew it wasn't really fair to keep his friends in the dark, especially now that their relationship with Mercedes had become incredibly personal and now professional. "She'll be fine."
"Meaning?" Mike asked.
"I don't think she really wants to see me," Tre added sheepishly.
Mike and Billie Joe exchanged glances. "Meaning?"
"We broke up... whatever we had anyway," Tre confirmed.
The first thought to run through both Mike Dirnt's and Billie Joe Armstrong's minds were, 'was she okay?'
"When did this happen?" Billie added, a little calmer than he imagined.
"Sunday... after Mercedes was over, she had stopped by to pick up Joey and Liam, and Claudia and I were... more than friendly."
"You're... you're back with Claudia?" Billie Joe said in complete disbelief.
Tre sat there, with his two band members. He figured he should tell them before they found out from Mercedes, which they were... considering Billie Joe had made a personal goal to call her the most times any human had and now with Mike catching up behind him.
Tre never once looked at him or Mike in the eye. "Yeah... "
"What the fuck Tre?" Mike asked, in a tone that screamed confusing anger.
Tre finally looked up at his two companions. "You make it sound like it's wrong! She's the mother of my child... I love her and was married to her. Is it my fault that I worked things out with her? I still live with her for Christ's sake! Do you have any idea how hard that is?"
"No, but it's your fault for leaving Mercedes out in the cold!" Mike yelled back.
"Oh this is great... coming from you Mike!" Tre retorted.
Mike sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground for a moment. "Fine... look relax. The point is you owe it to her to at least treat her with enough respect and talk to her. She has done nothing wrong to anyone here, yet she's the one who's crying in her apartment. All she knows is you and Claudia are back together, while you and her had something going. Something, might I add, that made her quite happy."
"I have enough guilt man, I don't need more," Tre said sadly.
Mike sighed. "Look, the point is, I care a lot about Mercedes... hell, more than anyone knows. However, you're my friend and always were. I know it's not easy for you, I'm just a little angry that you did it this way. I mean, getting back together with Claudia wasn't just some event that happened in one night. You should have at least confronted Mercedes about everything before it came to this point."
Tre held his head in his hands and closed his eyes. He never meant to hurt Mercedes... hell, it was never his intention to hurt anyone. But he loved Claudia and she had been with him for so long and never once really swayed from his mind. Claudia was always there and he couldn't help it. Leaning back, he opened his eyes and looked at Mike. "I'm sorry man, okay. But my decision is made. I'm staying with Claudia."
Mike shook his head and frowned. "It's not me you should be apologizing to."
Tre nodded and a sudden thought came to his head. "Where's Billie Joe?"
* * *
"Mercedes?" he yelled as he pounded on the door. "Mercedes!"
The door creaked open and two pairs of eyes appeared. "Joey... Liam... where's your mommy?"
Joey and Liam looked at each other and then opened the door wide enough for Billie Joe to walk in. He threw off his coat and kissed each of the boys on the forehead before looking around the apartment. He had remembered the last time he was here and couldn't help but smile. "Mercedes?" he asked, a little softer.
Joey and Liam followed Billie Joe like a shadow and as Billie peered into Mercedes' room, he saw her sleeping form on the bed. He quietly stepped in and shut the door behind him, much to Liam's and Joey's discontent.
Billie Joe approached the bed, not too sure whether or not she was sleeping, or just lying awake. Removing his shoes, he crawled onto the bed and lay down beside her. "Mercedes," he asked again.
"You didn't have to come all the way here," she said back. Her voice was scratchy and tired. Billie Joe made a face and turned on his side, pulling Mercedes' body closer to him and wrapping his arms around her. As he held her with her back pressed against his chest, he closed his eyes, taking in the scent of vanilla and the closeness of her body.
"Hey," Billie Joe asked. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she muttered as she ran a shaking hand through her golden tresses.
Billie Joe, knowing that she was lying, wasn't too sure what he should say next, and it wasn't often that he was lost for words. He turned her over towards him and made her look at him in the eye. Her tear-stricken green eyes were a sight that he wished he never would see again, and he felt as if someone punched him in the stomach. Not knowing what he was doing, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. She sighed and moved closer into him.
Billie wondered how tight he could hold her before she would say something. He felt as if he was squeezing her to him with all of his might, but that she gently laid there, protected and safe, just as he had always wanted to make her feel. Billie Joe had always felt the need to be there for Mercedes, to keep her out of harms way and right now, she was standing in the middle of a busy road.
"I thought we had something," she finally spoke, snapping Billie out of his thoughts. "I thought there was something there."
"There was. There was something great... he just threw it away though. I mean I love Tre, he's the godfather of my children, but I never said he was great with relationships."
"Ever since Joey and Liam came into my life... I've been unable to maintain... let alone start a decent relationship that could potentially go somewhere. No one wants to date someone like me."
"What's wrong with you?" Billie Joe asked honestly.
"I'm a young twenty-whatever year old with two toddlers and all the while trying to maintain a career that came really fast for me. I've never drank, never partied and never done anything that constitutes for "acting young". Either I was being responsible and conservative to save up money before school or trying to take care of my family, or now trying to take care of a studio. I've never had something I wanted for me in such a long time. I really wanted Tre for me."
"You wanted Tre or just someone to be there? Cause Lord knows there's difficulty in distinguishing which one we want."
Mercedes didn't have the courage to look up at Billie Joe's concerned pools of green. "Someone there. Anyone really." She sighed and Billie Joe raised his hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Why can't he be more like you," she stated.
For reasons unknown, that statement seemed to have changed Billie Joe forever. He had come to love Mercedes with every little of bit him and would do anything for just a smile. And in that moment, she had solidified that. Billie Joe cupped her chin in one of his hands and locked eyes with her. "Fine."
Mercedes tilted her head. "What did you say?"
Billie smiled. "Fine. You're an amazing woman and you deserve to be treated as one. I love you. I could tell that I loved you from the moment I saw you were wearing an Operation Ivy t-shirt. I knew I was going to love you the moment you asked if I needed help. It didn't take me long to realize that you are everything I could have ever asked for in a human being; intelligent, active, honest, caring, loyal, sweet, real hot... I could go on forever, but with recording tomorrow, I'm not too sure I want to strain my voice," he joked.
Mercedes smiled and felt her heart swell up. No one had any idea how much that meant to her. "Billie... "
"I'm not done yet. I want you around me as much as possible. I love having you there. It's such a comfort for me to know that there's someone else who understands me and respects me. I really do love you Mercedes."
And before she could reply, her lips were occupied by the punk-rocker who had crept into her bed and disrupted her pity-party. The smoothness of his lips against her was something that she only believed to be in fairy tales. Billie Joe deepened the kiss, yet was always gentle, soft and loving. Mercedes felt a quick pang of envy towards Adrienne who had this for more than a decade. Mercedes pulled away first, looking quite shocked at the punk singer. Smiling, Billie Joe licked his lips. "Come on... you and me... this was bound to happen. We're just so... alike I guess. You know I love Adrienne with all my heart, and I would never leave her, but since you came along, there's been a new part of my heart that I discovered. A part that otherwise would have been lost if I hadn't met you, but thankfully, I did. There will always be a me and Adrienne, but there's always going to be a me and Mercedes. No matter what happens Mercedes, just know that you always got me, just as I know... or like to think, I always got you."
Mercedes nodded and Billie kissed her hand as he rose from the bed. "I'm going to assume that you and the boys haven't eaten yet?"
When Mercedes nodded, Billie Joe rolled up his sleeves and made for the doorway. "You can either stay in bed, or join me and the boys in the living room and I will be making dinner."
"You cooking... that's entertainment I won't miss," Mercedes teased.
Billie mock pouted. "I'll have you know I am a great chef."
He walked back towards the bed and held out his hand for Mercedes to pull herself out of bed with. She was truly amazed at how quickly she was feeling a little bit better about the whole situation. Granted she would see Tre tomorrow at the recording studio, but then again, she would have Billie Joe at her side, so nothing else could bring her down.
Mercedes and the boys decided to put on a movie and set up a little picnic in the living room. Billie was in the kitchen, chopping away and Mercedes wasn't sure what he was making, but it smelt good. Some time later and many jokes later, Billie Joe entered the living room, serving Kool-aid, some veggies, and fresh, homemade pizza. "It's an old Armstrong recipe."
And there, on the floor of the apartment, Mercedes, Joey, Liam, and Billie Joe sat, laughed and ate the best pizza that any of them had had in a long while.
* * *
It was only eight in the morning when the alarm went off. Mercedes opened her eyes and quickly hit the button to stop the annoying buzz of the alarm. "I can see what Tre meant when he said that it was the most irritating sound that had ever graced his ears," Billie Joe muttered.
Mercedes rubbed her eyes and looked at Billie Joe. He was sleeping in his boxers, beside her, joined with Liam and Joey. After dinner and desert, to which Billie Joe had made pudding, they all cleaned up and decided to go to bed, all together. The kids wanted to build a fort, but fell asleep rather quickly, leaving Billie Joe and Mercedes to talk the night away about... anything and everything. However, the comment about Tre the first thing in the morning seemed to sting. Billie Joe opened his eyes and looked over. "Hey," he said, placing a hand on her cheek. "Don't worry about today. If you get through today, you'll get through anything."
Nodding, Mercedes was the first out of bed and went to the kitchen, making some coffee. The morning passed by in a blur and it wasn't long before the kids were dropped off at the neighbors and Mercedes and Billie Joe climbed into the car and primarily, just sat there. Billie looked over and saw Mercedes, slightly paler than usual. "The key goes here," he said mockingly as he moved her hand along, 're-teaching' her how to drive.
Mercedes shook herself out of the trance she was in and nodded. "I'll be fine. Let's go."
Billie smiled and kept his hand against her headrest. "Yeah... we're fine," he murmured to himself.
Tre nodded and walked into the kitchen, following Claudia as she placed the laundry basket down. "Do you find it hard, us living together?" Claudia asked.
Tre looked up. "Not at all. I love living with you. I'd miss you too much if you left."
"Really?" she asked again.
Tre sighed. This was the woman he had loved for years. "Claudia, I love you. I always have, and the thing I've come to realize is that I'm always going to love you and need you. That's just something that I've come to terms with recently."
"You... you still love me?"
Tre watched as the glint of hope flashed through her eyes. "I do."
"Tre... you really want to make this work?" Claudia asked.
Tre thought long and hard. This was Claudia... she was living with him, helping him raise Frankito and even stay around with him for their son. But at the same time, he's learned what he did wrong the first time with Claudia. He knew her better than he knew himself. He always comes home to her, happy and relaxed. This was Claudia.
"Yes I do."
Claudia felt herself lighten up considerably as she ran over and pulled Tre into an embrace. Tre held her, remembering the familiar feeling of her body next to his. Cupping her face, he pressed his lips against his own, old memories flooding back. Claudia smiled into the kiss, which was mimicked easily by Tre. This was Claudia. Smiling as he buried his face into her neck, he heard a creak and looked up at the doorway. He had left the door open and the kids weren't far from where they were.
A pair of saddened green eyes watched him in pain. Tre locked eyes only for a moment with Mercedes. She looked tired and even sick. Frowning and looking at the ground, Mercedes stepped back and Tre watched as she scooped a half-asleep Liam into her arms. Joey quickly rose and took Mercedes' other hand and Mercedes bent down and kissed Frankito goodbye on the cheek. Frankito smiled and then wrapped his little arms around Mercedes leg. Biting her lip, Tre heard her whisper, "I'll see you later squirt," Mercedes then ruffled Frankito's hair and with her two boys, made her way out the door.
Unable to stand there any longer, Tre excused himself from Claudia and ran out, passing Frankito as he reached the front door.
Tre felt his heart deflate as he watched Mercedes' walk out of his home, the two boys in tow. Never once had she turned and looked back, and with good reason. Mercedes promised, after her father died, that she would never let anyone see her cry.
* * *
Mercedes finished the last bit of her coffee and set the mug down on the table. Removing her glasses, she rubbed her tired eyes and sighed. Thinking of Tre was too painful, so she tried to push him out of her mind. Problem was, he was the only thing that she thought about.
The television continued to play as the boys drifted to sleep on the couch. Mercedes finished some work at the table and went over to the living room to bring her little bundles of joy to their bedrooms. Just as she finished putting what little bits of toys they had taken out, the television presented a new topic...
"And Green Day continue to work hard on their new album, still untitled. Front man Billie Joe Armstrong offered a statement for the record, quote; "This is definitely the most personal album we've ever done. Mike's been writing a lot more lately and I've kind of taken over writing the music part of it. We've really experimented and just put our seventeen inspired moments on tape." Armstrong continues to say that the album is based on a new muse, one that each of the band members seem to share; a collective and ongoing inspiration that results in, as Armstrong finished, "resulting in the best things we've ever done musically." We'll keep you updated on this untitled, yet 'inspirational' collection of punk rock tunes. In other news... "
Mercedes stood in her living room, still watching where images of Green Day had flashed across the screen. If she had enough strength... she would laugh at herself. Laugh at the fact that these men had come into her life and changed everything. This was Green Day... successful, intelligent, older men who already had their lives done and set. Where was she? She was just some woman who offered macaroni and cheese to the 'front man' of Green Day. And now look at her. A broken heart and hopelessness. Not to mention that now with her and Tre completely lost, they would finish the album on their own and then leave back to their lives in California, leaving her like dirt on the bottom of a shoe. And who's not to say that they could just buy a new shoe?
Feeling tears fall down her face, she turned the television off and scooped up Joey first, carrying him to bed. Tucking him in, she kissed his cheek and went back to do the same with Liam. Once they were both tucked in and cozy, she leaned against the doorway. This was her family. This was her life. Nothing would change that.
* * *
"Come on... pick up the phone... " Tre whispered to himself. He knew Mercedes had to be home, however, he wasn't sure or not whether it would be the right thing to do to maybe drive over to her apartment for now. He needed to talk to her, that much was certain, but whether he would know what to say was another one.
"Hi... you've reached the Delisles. We're sorry we're not in now, so leave a message and we'll call you back. Thanks."
"Mercedes... its Tre. Look... if you're there, please pick up the phone. I really need to talk to you... "
"Alright."
Tre stopped pacing and stood dumbfounded in the room. "Mercedes?"
"Yeah... you said you have something to tell me?"
Her voice screamed echoes of disappointment, but also sadness. "Yeah... look, about earlier... "
"She's your wife Tre... the mother of your child... and she's a lot older. No doubt you'd want to get back together with her."
Tre frowned and looked at his socks. "I just... it's hard having Claudia live with me and not be able to be the husband that I promised her when we got married... I know we divorced, but I've never actually... you know, fully gotten over her. I love her... but I also really like you."
"You could of at least had enough respect for me to tell me that in the beginning."
Her voice was dead cold. "Well it's not like I planned this! Things sometimes just happen that weren't supposed to or at the wrong time. When I saw you, there was this side of me that was completely open to everything and all I wanted to do was to spend time with you and be around you. You were this... release for me... "
"And that's all I'll ever be, right?"
Tre sighed. "Mercedes... look... it was fun and I still really like you. I know this changes things, but I still want to know you better than I do. I still want to be able to take you out to concerts and shit like that... we had fun, didn't we?"
Mercedes was sitting down, looking at her two boys that had quickly fallen asleep. For a second there, she almost accepted his words. Letting some tears finally fall, she repeated, "Yeah... we had fun."
* * *
After about an hour of dabbling around, they were ready for work on the next track. Opening with Tre's drum beats, they were halfway through the song when they decided to play it back and tune anything. Sitting in the room with great music at their fingertips, Billie Joe smiled, knowing that Mercedes would love this next song. At that thought, Billie Joe leaned back.
"Does anyone know when Mercedes is coming in?" Billie Joe asked.
Tre cleared his throat. "She left me a message... she's not coming in again today."
"Is she alright?" Mike asked, genuinely concerned.
Tre sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. He knew it wasn't really fair to keep his friends in the dark, especially now that their relationship with Mercedes had become incredibly personal and now professional. "She'll be fine."
"Meaning?" Mike asked.
"I don't think she really wants to see me," Tre added sheepishly.
Mike and Billie Joe exchanged glances. "Meaning?"
"We broke up... whatever we had anyway," Tre confirmed.
The first thought to run through both Mike Dirnt's and Billie Joe Armstrong's minds were, 'was she okay?'
"When did this happen?" Billie added, a little calmer than he imagined.
"Sunday... after Mercedes was over, she had stopped by to pick up Joey and Liam, and Claudia and I were... more than friendly."
"You're... you're back with Claudia?" Billie Joe said in complete disbelief.
Tre sat there, with his two band members. He figured he should tell them before they found out from Mercedes, which they were... considering Billie Joe had made a personal goal to call her the most times any human had and now with Mike catching up behind him.
Tre never once looked at him or Mike in the eye. "Yeah... "
"What the fuck Tre?" Mike asked, in a tone that screamed confusing anger.
Tre finally looked up at his two companions. "You make it sound like it's wrong! She's the mother of my child... I love her and was married to her. Is it my fault that I worked things out with her? I still live with her for Christ's sake! Do you have any idea how hard that is?"
"No, but it's your fault for leaving Mercedes out in the cold!" Mike yelled back.
"Oh this is great... coming from you Mike!" Tre retorted.
Mike sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground for a moment. "Fine... look relax. The point is you owe it to her to at least treat her with enough respect and talk to her. She has done nothing wrong to anyone here, yet she's the one who's crying in her apartment. All she knows is you and Claudia are back together, while you and her had something going. Something, might I add, that made her quite happy."
"I have enough guilt man, I don't need more," Tre said sadly.
Mike sighed. "Look, the point is, I care a lot about Mercedes... hell, more than anyone knows. However, you're my friend and always were. I know it's not easy for you, I'm just a little angry that you did it this way. I mean, getting back together with Claudia wasn't just some event that happened in one night. You should have at least confronted Mercedes about everything before it came to this point."
Tre held his head in his hands and closed his eyes. He never meant to hurt Mercedes... hell, it was never his intention to hurt anyone. But he loved Claudia and she had been with him for so long and never once really swayed from his mind. Claudia was always there and he couldn't help it. Leaning back, he opened his eyes and looked at Mike. "I'm sorry man, okay. But my decision is made. I'm staying with Claudia."
Mike shook his head and frowned. "It's not me you should be apologizing to."
Tre nodded and a sudden thought came to his head. "Where's Billie Joe?"
* * *
"Mercedes?" he yelled as he pounded on the door. "Mercedes!"
The door creaked open and two pairs of eyes appeared. "Joey... Liam... where's your mommy?"
Joey and Liam looked at each other and then opened the door wide enough for Billie Joe to walk in. He threw off his coat and kissed each of the boys on the forehead before looking around the apartment. He had remembered the last time he was here and couldn't help but smile. "Mercedes?" he asked, a little softer.
Joey and Liam followed Billie Joe like a shadow and as Billie peered into Mercedes' room, he saw her sleeping form on the bed. He quietly stepped in and shut the door behind him, much to Liam's and Joey's discontent.
Billie Joe approached the bed, not too sure whether or not she was sleeping, or just lying awake. Removing his shoes, he crawled onto the bed and lay down beside her. "Mercedes," he asked again.
"You didn't have to come all the way here," she said back. Her voice was scratchy and tired. Billie Joe made a face and turned on his side, pulling Mercedes' body closer to him and wrapping his arms around her. As he held her with her back pressed against his chest, he closed his eyes, taking in the scent of vanilla and the closeness of her body.
"Hey," Billie Joe asked. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she muttered as she ran a shaking hand through her golden tresses.
Billie Joe, knowing that she was lying, wasn't too sure what he should say next, and it wasn't often that he was lost for words. He turned her over towards him and made her look at him in the eye. Her tear-stricken green eyes were a sight that he wished he never would see again, and he felt as if someone punched him in the stomach. Not knowing what he was doing, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. She sighed and moved closer into him.
Billie wondered how tight he could hold her before she would say something. He felt as if he was squeezing her to him with all of his might, but that she gently laid there, protected and safe, just as he had always wanted to make her feel. Billie Joe had always felt the need to be there for Mercedes, to keep her out of harms way and right now, she was standing in the middle of a busy road.
"I thought we had something," she finally spoke, snapping Billie out of his thoughts. "I thought there was something there."
"There was. There was something great... he just threw it away though. I mean I love Tre, he's the godfather of my children, but I never said he was great with relationships."
"Ever since Joey and Liam came into my life... I've been unable to maintain... let alone start a decent relationship that could potentially go somewhere. No one wants to date someone like me."
"What's wrong with you?" Billie Joe asked honestly.
"I'm a young twenty-whatever year old with two toddlers and all the while trying to maintain a career that came really fast for me. I've never drank, never partied and never done anything that constitutes for "acting young". Either I was being responsible and conservative to save up money before school or trying to take care of my family, or now trying to take care of a studio. I've never had something I wanted for me in such a long time. I really wanted Tre for me."
"You wanted Tre or just someone to be there? Cause Lord knows there's difficulty in distinguishing which one we want."
Mercedes didn't have the courage to look up at Billie Joe's concerned pools of green. "Someone there. Anyone really." She sighed and Billie Joe raised his hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Why can't he be more like you," she stated.
For reasons unknown, that statement seemed to have changed Billie Joe forever. He had come to love Mercedes with every little of bit him and would do anything for just a smile. And in that moment, she had solidified that. Billie Joe cupped her chin in one of his hands and locked eyes with her. "Fine."
Mercedes tilted her head. "What did you say?"
Billie smiled. "Fine. You're an amazing woman and you deserve to be treated as one. I love you. I could tell that I loved you from the moment I saw you were wearing an Operation Ivy t-shirt. I knew I was going to love you the moment you asked if I needed help. It didn't take me long to realize that you are everything I could have ever asked for in a human being; intelligent, active, honest, caring, loyal, sweet, real hot... I could go on forever, but with recording tomorrow, I'm not too sure I want to strain my voice," he joked.
Mercedes smiled and felt her heart swell up. No one had any idea how much that meant to her. "Billie... "
"I'm not done yet. I want you around me as much as possible. I love having you there. It's such a comfort for me to know that there's someone else who understands me and respects me. I really do love you Mercedes."
And before she could reply, her lips were occupied by the punk-rocker who had crept into her bed and disrupted her pity-party. The smoothness of his lips against her was something that she only believed to be in fairy tales. Billie Joe deepened the kiss, yet was always gentle, soft and loving. Mercedes felt a quick pang of envy towards Adrienne who had this for more than a decade. Mercedes pulled away first, looking quite shocked at the punk singer. Smiling, Billie Joe licked his lips. "Come on... you and me... this was bound to happen. We're just so... alike I guess. You know I love Adrienne with all my heart, and I would never leave her, but since you came along, there's been a new part of my heart that I discovered. A part that otherwise would have been lost if I hadn't met you, but thankfully, I did. There will always be a me and Adrienne, but there's always going to be a me and Mercedes. No matter what happens Mercedes, just know that you always got me, just as I know... or like to think, I always got you."
Mercedes nodded and Billie kissed her hand as he rose from the bed. "I'm going to assume that you and the boys haven't eaten yet?"
When Mercedes nodded, Billie Joe rolled up his sleeves and made for the doorway. "You can either stay in bed, or join me and the boys in the living room and I will be making dinner."
"You cooking... that's entertainment I won't miss," Mercedes teased.
Billie mock pouted. "I'll have you know I am a great chef."
He walked back towards the bed and held out his hand for Mercedes to pull herself out of bed with. She was truly amazed at how quickly she was feeling a little bit better about the whole situation. Granted she would see Tre tomorrow at the recording studio, but then again, she would have Billie Joe at her side, so nothing else could bring her down.
Mercedes and the boys decided to put on a movie and set up a little picnic in the living room. Billie was in the kitchen, chopping away and Mercedes wasn't sure what he was making, but it smelt good. Some time later and many jokes later, Billie Joe entered the living room, serving Kool-aid, some veggies, and fresh, homemade pizza. "It's an old Armstrong recipe."
And there, on the floor of the apartment, Mercedes, Joey, Liam, and Billie Joe sat, laughed and ate the best pizza that any of them had had in a long while.
* * *
It was only eight in the morning when the alarm went off. Mercedes opened her eyes and quickly hit the button to stop the annoying buzz of the alarm. "I can see what Tre meant when he said that it was the most irritating sound that had ever graced his ears," Billie Joe muttered.
Mercedes rubbed her eyes and looked at Billie Joe. He was sleeping in his boxers, beside her, joined with Liam and Joey. After dinner and desert, to which Billie Joe had made pudding, they all cleaned up and decided to go to bed, all together. The kids wanted to build a fort, but fell asleep rather quickly, leaving Billie Joe and Mercedes to talk the night away about... anything and everything. However, the comment about Tre the first thing in the morning seemed to sting. Billie Joe opened his eyes and looked over. "Hey," he said, placing a hand on her cheek. "Don't worry about today. If you get through today, you'll get through anything."
Nodding, Mercedes was the first out of bed and went to the kitchen, making some coffee. The morning passed by in a blur and it wasn't long before the kids were dropped off at the neighbors and Mercedes and Billie Joe climbed into the car and primarily, just sat there. Billie looked over and saw Mercedes, slightly paler than usual. "The key goes here," he said mockingly as he moved her hand along, 're-teaching' her how to drive.
Mercedes shook herself out of the trance she was in and nodded. "I'll be fine. Let's go."
Billie smiled and kept his hand against her headrest. "Yeah... we're fine," he murmured to himself.
