Our Hearts Are Kept in Wicker Baskets and Porcelain Jars, chapter 2
(Billie's thoughts are in italics while Adrienne's thoughts are in bold
RECAP
"Uhm... Adie... what does he mean 'tell my sister that I wanted to meet her and I love her'?" Billie asked. He was a bit stronger than Adie, having experienced death numerous times, but although he didn't show it, he was crushed on the inside.
"Oh, uh... About that... I was actually going to tell you today... I-I'm pregnant."
To Billie, it felt like his heart had stopped. When it started beating again, it seemed loud and unnaturally slow.
"A-Adie... I... " Billie said wearily, "H-How far along?"
Adrienne looked down at her feet. Many thoughts were racing around in her head. 'He's not going to like this' 'I should have told him sooner'. "Billie..." Adrienne sighed, "F-four months..."
Billie's mouth dropped open. He couldn't believe it. His own wife went four months without telling him of her condition? "What!?" Was all Billie could say, or think of saying at that point.
"I'm sorry Billie.. I just, I... I couldn't tell you... I just wasn't ready... "
"But... But you told the kids... " Billie was heartbroken. He was having another child, but Adrienne couldn't tell him?
"I didn't tell Jake.." Adrienne was overwhelmed with guilt. She should have told him sooner, "But, you know, Bill... I don't know if I even want this baby anymore.. Now that Joey... isn't around. I mean, it would just feel like we were replacing him."
"Adie... no, don't say that... don't fucking say that." And with those words, Billie pulled his wife in for a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head. He then realized that Adrienne was crying again. "Baby, its okay... Its gonna be okay."
Adrienne lifted her head and stared into her husband's eyes. She gave him a lopsided smile. "Oh -Okay Billie." She pulled out of the hug.
"So, Adie.. What are we going to do.. About... Joey?" Billie asked.
"I-I don't know. I've never had this happen before... " Adrienne replied, her body still shaking from the events in the last half hour.
"Do we call the hospital?" Billie asked.
"I suppose so. Maybe the police too?"
"Ok."
After about 3 hours of numerous phone calls to different places, Joey's body was taken to a morgue, and an autopsy was to be performed within the next few days.
"Adie.. One question... " Billie said as the pair was sitting at their kitchen table around lunch time.
"Mmm..?"
"Why was Joey even alone... by himself... when he was supposed to be at school?"
"He was 'sick'. At least that's what he told me."
Billie nodded and returned to drinking his coffee. He was thinking about that morning's incident. How did we not see this coming?
The phone began to ring, and Adrienne slowly got up out of the seat to answer it. She had to go into the dining room, as that was where the nearest phone was located. Billie could hear talking, but he wasn't hearing what was being said, just the buzz of Adrienne's voice.
"Bill! It's Tre." Adrienne rolled her eyes as her husband took the phone from her hand.
"Hello Tre." Billie said unenthusiastically.
"Of course. Hey, look, Tre, could you call Mike, and then you guys come over? I have some important shit to tell you."
"Ok, later." Billie hung up the phone, and went into the kitchen to where his wife was making tea. He snaked his arms around her back, and she tilted her head back to look at him. He softly kissed her on the lips. They both smiled for the first time since they found out about Joey's death. for some reason, this doesn't feel right to me. I mean, my son has just fucking killed himself, and here I am, happy.
Billie let go of Adrienne, and went upstairs to fix himself up. He had been crying for periods of time throughout the morning, and his was face tearstained and his hair a mess.
"Babe! Mike and Tre are here!" Billie heard Adrienne call up the stairs.
"Ok." Billie replied and left the bathroom. He headed down the stairs and saw Mike and Tre.
"C'mere guys." Billie waved at his friends to follow. He headed down the stairs into the basement.
"So? Dude, what is it?" Tre asked when they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Hang on just a second, would you?" Billie snapped as he sat down. The others followed.
Mike gave Tre a look, and they both looked up at Billie expectantly.
"You guys... you know I love you right? So, don't take any of this personally... We have some issues at home, and I'm just doing what's best for my family."
The drummer and the bass player nodded slowly, confused, and unsure of what was about to come through the guitarist's mouth.
"I'm quitting the band."
RECAP
"Uhm... Adie... what does he mean 'tell my sister that I wanted to meet her and I love her'?" Billie asked. He was a bit stronger than Adie, having experienced death numerous times, but although he didn't show it, he was crushed on the inside.
"Oh, uh... About that... I was actually going to tell you today... I-I'm pregnant."
To Billie, it felt like his heart had stopped. When it started beating again, it seemed loud and unnaturally slow.
"A-Adie... I... " Billie said wearily, "H-How far along?"
Adrienne looked down at her feet. Many thoughts were racing around in her head. 'He's not going to like this' 'I should have told him sooner'. "Billie..." Adrienne sighed, "F-four months..."
Billie's mouth dropped open. He couldn't believe it. His own wife went four months without telling him of her condition? "What!?" Was all Billie could say, or think of saying at that point.
"I'm sorry Billie.. I just, I... I couldn't tell you... I just wasn't ready... "
"But... But you told the kids... " Billie was heartbroken. He was having another child, but Adrienne couldn't tell him?
"I didn't tell Jake.." Adrienne was overwhelmed with guilt. She should have told him sooner, "But, you know, Bill... I don't know if I even want this baby anymore.. Now that Joey... isn't around. I mean, it would just feel like we were replacing him."
"Adie... no, don't say that... don't fucking say that." And with those words, Billie pulled his wife in for a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head. He then realized that Adrienne was crying again. "Baby, its okay... Its gonna be okay."
Adrienne lifted her head and stared into her husband's eyes. She gave him a lopsided smile. "Oh -Okay Billie." She pulled out of the hug.
"So, Adie.. What are we going to do.. About... Joey?" Billie asked.
"I-I don't know. I've never had this happen before... " Adrienne replied, her body still shaking from the events in the last half hour.
"Do we call the hospital?" Billie asked.
"I suppose so. Maybe the police too?"
"Ok."
After about 3 hours of numerous phone calls to different places, Joey's body was taken to a morgue, and an autopsy was to be performed within the next few days.
"Adie.. One question... " Billie said as the pair was sitting at their kitchen table around lunch time.
"Mmm..?"
"Why was Joey even alone... by himself... when he was supposed to be at school?"
"He was 'sick'. At least that's what he told me."
Billie nodded and returned to drinking his coffee. He was thinking about that morning's incident. How did we not see this coming?
The phone began to ring, and Adrienne slowly got up out of the seat to answer it. She had to go into the dining room, as that was where the nearest phone was located. Billie could hear talking, but he wasn't hearing what was being said, just the buzz of Adrienne's voice.
"Bill! It's Tre." Adrienne rolled her eyes as her husband took the phone from her hand.
"Hello Tre." Billie said unenthusiastically.
"Of course. Hey, look, Tre, could you call Mike, and then you guys come over? I have some important shit to tell you."
"Ok, later." Billie hung up the phone, and went into the kitchen to where his wife was making tea. He snaked his arms around her back, and she tilted her head back to look at him. He softly kissed her on the lips. They both smiled for the first time since they found out about Joey's death. for some reason, this doesn't feel right to me. I mean, my son has just fucking killed himself, and here I am, happy.
Billie let go of Adrienne, and went upstairs to fix himself up. He had been crying for periods of time throughout the morning, and his was face tearstained and his hair a mess.
"Babe! Mike and Tre are here!" Billie heard Adrienne call up the stairs.
"Ok." Billie replied and left the bathroom. He headed down the stairs and saw Mike and Tre.
"C'mere guys." Billie waved at his friends to follow. He headed down the stairs into the basement.
"So? Dude, what is it?" Tre asked when they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Hang on just a second, would you?" Billie snapped as he sat down. The others followed.
Mike gave Tre a look, and they both looked up at Billie expectantly.
"You guys... you know I love you right? So, don't take any of this personally... We have some issues at home, and I'm just doing what's best for my family."
The drummer and the bass player nodded slowly, confused, and unsure of what was about to come through the guitarist's mouth.
"I'm quitting the band."
