B.F.F. (frerard)

Chapter 13

I'm not dead

~~

I finished giving Bandit a bath and got her dressed up into her cute little pajamas. They were little pink footie pajamas with bears on the feet and paw prints on the bottom of the feet.

"Let's go say goodnight to Frankie," I cooed.

Frank loved saying goodnight to Bandit. Although before he didn't really care that much, he loved Bandit now. He was always talking and singing to her, wanting to feed her and bathe her. He even wakes up to take care of her at night so I can get some sleep.

"That sounds really cool," I heard Frank say.

I frowned in confusion. Nobody else was home.

When I walked into the living I saw Jamia and Frank sitting on the couch while they flipped through a magazine.

"Oh, hey," Frank said. "Jamia might get to write a column for an actual magazine, how cool is that?"

"Pretty rad," Jamia said with a giggle.

Bandit reacted to her voice and let out a soft cry, wanting Jamia instead of me.

"Y-you can't be around Bandit," I said.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Bandit started crying and looking in her direction. I took Bandit away downstairs as I tried to calm her down. But I found myself crying as I rocked her when Frank walked into the nursery.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"She doesn't love me," I whimpered. "She only wants Jamia. Jamia is her real mom and bandit knows that and Bandit doesn't love me like she loves her. I'm not her real dad. Jamia is her mom and--"

"Okay, stop that," he interrupted. "Bandit loves you, she's just reacting to Jamia because they were together for nine months and she recognizes her voice is all. It isn't love, just recognition."

"Why is she even here?" I asked. "The terms of the contract were clear, she doesn't have contact with Bandit but we'll send her photos every now and then and when Bandit is eighteen then she can be allowed to find her if Bandit chooses to."

"You know her home life isn't the best," Frank said. "She just needs someone to talk to. She doesn't have a support system at home and when she was pregnant she always got that support from us. She needs someone."

"She's become attached to you," I stated. "She likes you, Frank, she's still got that little crush on you."

Frank sighed and looked at Bandit crying.

"Okay, just give her to me," he said.

I bit my lip before handing her off.

"Close your eyes, have no fear, the monster's gone, he's on the run and Daddy's here," he sang. "beautiful , beautiful, beautiful, beautiful girl. Before you go to sleep, say a little prayer, every day in every way, it's getting better and better. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful girl."

Bandit calmed down to the song and Frank put her into the crib. She fussed for a moment before falling asleep.

"I still don't know how you do that," I mumbled. "She loves that song so much."

Frank smiled as he watched her.

"It's gonna be okay, Gerard," he said softly. "She loves you, you're her real father and she loves you so much."

"Thank you," I mumbled.

Frank smiled and gave me a hug that lingered for a small moment.

"Jamia came over because her parents were fighting," he said. "She doesn't have a lot of friends, she just needs someone. And if I can be that someone and help her then I will."