I woke up from my nap to Jamia shaking me and I smiled.

"What?" I asked with a laugh.

We've been married for just over a month now. I've become close friends with her, she was actually a really cool person.

"So, I had a feeling and my boobs were kind of sore," she said. "I'm pregnant!"

"No shit, seriously?" I asked.

She nodded, giving me a hug.

"Oh, I'm so happy!" She exclaimed. "Oh, Frankie, this is everything I've ever dreamed."

I smiled and she gave me a kiss.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"It's six, you napped for about an hour," she said. "I'm gonna go call my mom."

I smiled and went downstairs, finding my parents talking. I smiled, sitting at the table with them.

"Jamia's pregnant," I said.

"And it's yours?" My dad asked.

"Yes, dad, it's mine," I said.

"Good," he said.

"Oh, baby, I'm so happy for you," my mom said.

She gave me a hug as my dad patted me on the back.

"Glad to see you're finally over that boyfriend of yours," he said.

My smile dropped as I looked down.

"Cheech," my mom scolded.

I wasn't completely over him but it hurt less now. I had a new friend. I was gonna have a child. My life wasn't necessarily looking up, per se, but I was feeling a lot better than I had on my wedding day.

"I have a job for you, I think now that you have a child on the way you can start taking more responsibilities," my dad said. "I have some papers I need you to pick up from the businesses. Grab them for me."

I nodded, going upstairs. I put my gun into the waistband of my pants and Jamia looked over from where she was on the couch talking with her mom on the phone.

"Where you going, Baby?" she asked.

"I've just got business stuff to do," I said.

I went over, giving her a kiss before getting the info from my dad and leaving. I was getting used to kissing her now, it didn't make me as sad as it used to. I went to the casino and went into his office, looking through his file drawer. I found the paperwork about profits the business made over the past month.

I went to the strip club next, getting the same paperwork for this business, putting it in the car. I was about to get in and drive away when I looked at the neon open sign. I walked back in to the ladies section where the male dancers were. I looked around, going to the bar.

"Who do I ask for a private room?" I asked.

The man pointed to one of the workers and I went over.

"I would like a private room," I said.

"Any dancer in request?" He asked.

"Is Gee working?" I asked.

"He is, who should I say the room is for?" He asked.

"I would rather it be anonymous," I said.

I paid him and went to the private room. I waited five minutes before Gerard came in wearing his little underwear.

"Hey, baby--" he stopped when he realized it was me. "Frank, what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk," I said.

He turned to walk out but I got up, grabbing his wrist.

"Please," I begged, my voice wavering.

Gerard turned and sighed. We sat on the sofa as my eyes filled with tears.

"I know that it's my fault and I don't even deserve a goodbye but I just wanted to say goodbye," I said. "You clearly don't want any part of me or the business and that is perfectly okay."

"Frank, your family is all criminals," he whispered, almost as though he were afraid I would get caught if he said it too loudly. "I can't get tied up in all of that. I don't want to be tied up in that."

"I hate it," I said. "I don't want the business but it's mine as soon as I am of age. I don't like power and control and leadership, you know that."

"Then why don't you leave?" He asked.

"I can't, Gerard, it doesn't work like that," I said. "I'm an only child, the oldest male. The business is mine to have."

Gerard sighed, looking away.

"I just wanted to come here and to be able to apologize to you for that night," I said. "You were ambushed and hurt and you must've been terrified. I am so, so sorry."

"I-I just wasn't expecting you to be a mafia don," he said.

I nodded, looking down.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry and goodbye," I said.

I got up and started walking out when he grabbed me and pushed me down onto the couch. Gerard straddled my hips, wrapping a hand around my throat. My breath spiked as my stomach turned. His hand on my throat moved to gently caress my cheek.

"I have missed you, Bunny," he admitted.

"I'm married," I said and he froze. "My wife, she's pregnant with my child."

"You've been married this whole time we were together?" He asked.

"No!" I exclaimed. "We've only been married for a month, I just found out she was pregnant today."

"Why?" He asked. "You're not even into women."

"I was kind of pressured into it by my dad and the business," I said.

Gerard climbed off my lap, running a hand down his face.

"Fuck, Frank," he muttered.

"I didn't think you wanted anything to do with me anymore," I said.

"You know what, maybe this is a good thing," he said. "We shouldn't be together. I can't be with you, not with the business and especially not now that you're married. Your wife doesn't deserve this."

"My birthday is on Saturday, I'm having a party," I said. "Please come by."

"I don't know, Frank," he mumbled.

"I don't want to lose you completely, can't we at least be friends still?" I asked.

"We tried that before, you and I can't be just friends," Gerard said.

I nodded, my eyes watering.

"Oh, Bunny, don't cry," he said, kneeling in front of me.

"I love you," I whispered.

Gerard rested his forehead against mine and sighed.

"Bunny, you're married and a mafia don," he said. "It would never work out. I can't side with the mafia. It's just...it's criminal work."

I nodded, tears still running down my cheeks.

"It's okay, I understand," I whimpered. "Not everyone was born and raised into it like I was."

"Your wife is okay with it?" He asked.

"She is the daughter of another family," I said. "They wanted us to marry for purely business reasons."

Gerard pulled his head back, looking me in the eye. He used his thumbs to gently wipe the tears off my cheeks.

"I love you too, Bunny," he said.

I sobbed, looking at him.

"Let me get my coat and I'll walk you to the car," he said.

Gerard left for a minute before coming back with a trench coat. He walked me out of the club to the car, opening the door for me.

"Goodbye, Frank," he said.

"G-goodbye," I whimpered.

I gave him a hug, never wanting to let go. But eventually I had to and I got into the car and drove back home. I went up to the room, which was empty. I sat on the bed and pulled out the gun. My lip quivered as I held it to my head.

Gerard was gone, finally and officially gone. We said our goodbyes, that was it. I gave Jamia her child, something she has always dreamed of. My mom might be losing me but in nine months she'll gain my child, her grandchild. They'll move on, they'll be okay.

"Frank?" Jamia squeaked when she opened the door.

I looked over as I cried.

"Frankie, put the gun down," she said softly.

I shook my head and she came over, kneeling down in front of me.

"Give me the gun, Baby," she said.

"I can't do this," I sobbed. "I-I can't do this anymore."

"Just talk to me, Frank," Jamia said. "Just talk, okay?"

I hesitated before handing her the gun. She nodded, putting it out of my reach under the bed. She sat next to me and I laid my head in her lap as I sobbed. She hummed gently to try and calm me down, running her fingers through the hair that my dad thankfully didn't make me shave off.

"Talk to me," she said.

"My whole life is a fucking sham," I sobbed. "I've been lying to you and I'm so sorry because you're really, really amazing and sweet but I really only like you as a friend. I'm gay, Jamia."

"You are?" She asked.

I nodded as I sat up.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked. "Wh-why'd you marry me?"

"I'm kind of closested and was recently forced to come out to my parents with this big situation that happened," I said. "And my dad says he's okay with it but I'm pretty sure he's not completely. I wanted his approval, he wanted me to be a man and take charge, do what's best for the business. I wanted to make him proud. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just use you like that--"

"You didn't use me," she denied. "You were pressured into it. Frankie, it's okay that you're gay, I understand. You're still my friend. And you gave me the greatest gift I could ever ask for, a child to call my own."

I wiped my eyes as I looked at her. "Y-you don't hate me?"

"You were in the closet and pressured to marry," she said. "I'm disappointed, yeah, but I understand."

My lip quivered as I put my head on her shoulder.

"I love him," I whispered.

"Who?" Jamia asked.

"Gerard, I haven't seen him in two months and I finally saw him today and we said our goodbyes and I...I don't wanna say goodbye."

I broke down crying again and she rubbed my back.

"Just lay down, get some rest," she said softly.

I nodded, laying down on the bed and she tucked me in. She ran her fingers through my hair as I cried myself to sleep.