Chemical Romance (The Joker and Harley Quinn)

Chapter 17

Joker

He sat in a purple arm chair staring down at his girl on the matching bed. It had been a day since the accident, and Harley still hadn't woken. She lay there with scratches and bruises on her perfect face, her eye make up smudged beneath her eyes. 

He shouldn't of snapped at her. He shouldn't have pushed her away. He should have told her the truth. Told her what he refused to let himself think about. About what made him this way. About her.

***

"Well? How did it go?" Jeannie asked, sitting at the small kitchen table.

"Did they like your act?" She asked her husband, as he hung up his wet trench coat.

"Well they said... Uh.. They said they might call me.." Jack explained, walking over to the mantel.

"I dunno. I, I got nervous and messed up a punchline."  He admitted to his pregnant wife.

"Oh." she said resting her head on her hand.

"What do you mean "Oh"?" he said turning around and slamming his hand on the table. 

"I... I didn't mean anything..." she defended looking up at him. 

"Yes you did. The way you said it "oh". Like that." he argued.

"Jesus, all I said was..." Jeannie reasoned.

"You said "Oh" as in "Oh, so you didn't get the job?" As in "Oh, so how are we going to feed the baby?" he said now standing in front of her.

"You think I'm not worried about that?" Jack yelled.

"You think, you think I don't care, that it's all a big joke to me or something.."

"No, honey-" she interjected.

"Jeez, I have to go, I have to go and stand up there, and nobody laughs, and you think, you think I.." 

"Oh god." He said falling on his knees in front of her.

"Oh god. I'm sorry." Jack plead wrapping his arms around her waist. 

"Oh, baby.." Jeannie whispered, brushing a hand though his black hair.

"I don't mean to take it out on you. You're suh- suffering enough being married to a loser."

"Honey that's not-" she started.

"It's true I can't support you. Oh, Jeannie what are we going to do?" he asked leaning his head against her belly.

"It'll be okay."

"Junior won't be here for another three months, and I think Mrs. Burkiss will let the rent go a little longer. She feels sorry for me." she explained as Jack got up.

"She hates me." he said.

"She comes out into the hallway to scowl at me every time I go upstairs. This house stinks of cat litter and old people." he said bracing his hands on the window sill. 

"I've got to get you outta here before the baby comes." He said watching the heavy rain hit the window.

"I just want enough money to get set up in a decent neighborhood. There are girls on the street who earn that in a weekend without having to tell a single joke." Jack explained, scowling out the dark window.