Kissed All the Boys | Frerard + COMPLETE ! |

➵ SIXTY ONE

sam

A woman of about forty years of age stumbled out, a cigarette in one hand and her handbag in the other. Her scuffed up stilettos clanked against the concrete floor in an uneven beat, the sleeve of the dress she wore hanging low off her shoulder. Bags darkened the creases of her eyes, which were dilated and distant.

As she turned around to shut the door, she caught sight of Donna, making her freeze and squint to get a clear look at her. "Who are you?"

Donna stood up straight and brushed herself off, gaining composure and reminding herself of what she was there for. "Um, hi, are you Frank's mother?"

She furrowed her brows, the sound of his name making her uneasy. "I gave birth to him, yes. Why? Hey, you didn't answer my question, lady. Who the hell are you?"

Donna eyed her up and down, taking in the obvious signs. Dilation, dark circles, crooked gait, bruises. This woman was nothing but trouble and then some. As she put the pieces together, Donna thought back to Frank falling asleep on her couch, the quiet hum of his breaths encapsulating. And the lie Gerard told her...to protect him. It didn't matter what kind of love Gerard did it out of, all Donna cared about was that she raised her child to look out for others. She planned on doing the same.

"Nobody, sorry for bothering you," Donna said, giving a polite nod and going downstairs, where she quietly unlocked her door and went inside. A short peek at Frank told her that he hadn't woken up, which relieved her.

On the way to her room, she grabbed her cup of tea and carried it to her bedside table, slipping her shoes off and lying down, her eyes already closing.

I'll get to the bottom of this tomorrow.