A Finished Puzzle (Sequel to 'My Missing Piece')

The Prank

Lindsay burst out laughing, but it quickly turned into a cough. "Wait... She didn't tell you over the phone, did she?" Lindsay said when she regained herself. I shook my head. Cathleen slipped out of the room after pushing us further in. "The doctor told us I'm having twins! I hope you two can handle that," Lindsay chuckled. Gavin's chin just about dropped to the floor. I let go of his hand and stared at Lindsay. She started laughing again, but didn't cough this time, "You guys are so gullible!" "Don't tell me you were bloody joking!" Gavin half shouted. She nodded, "I was, oh god. You should've seen your faces." "You had me drive three fucking hours for a prank?!" I crossed my arms. "No, god no! I'm not that mean! When I got sick we thought something was wrong so we called you two, but by the time you got here, they told me I just had the flu," Lindsay tossed her arms up innocently. Her mother walked back in with two coffees in her hand. She handed them to Gavin and I, "Sorry about the drive. You two can go home if you like." "Yeah, go home. I'll text you with updates," Lindsay smiled softly at us. Gavin tugged at my shirt and we said our goodbyes.

We took the coffees with us to the car and started our long drive back home. Gavin fell back onto the couch when we stepped into the house. It was a little after six in the morning now and we were both tired as hell. I went to lay down next to Gavin when my phone rang again. I groaned and answered it as Gavin pouted at me. "Hello," I said, my voice coming out more groggy than I expected. "May I speak with Michael Jones please?" The voice on the other end belonged to a younger lady, which sounded oddly familiar. "You're speaking to him. May I ask who I'm speaking to?" I said, stepping into the kitchen. "This is Doctor Marie Holder. You're old therapist. I've been informed of some recent incidents lately, Michael, and I'm not too excited about them," she said, her voice sounding completely monotoned. "Um, alright," I said, not completely sure of how to answer her. I heard some papers being flipped through on her end as she spoke, "Did I ever mention what were to happen if you weren't coping like we discussed?"

I ended the call after her explanation and sat my phone down on the kitchen counter. I didn't know how to really describe how the conversation went, but it made my mind go numb. "What's up? Who was on the phone?" Gavin asked me, sitting up on the couch and turning to face me. "That was Doctor Holder," I said. Gavin's face turned confused, "Your old therapist? What did she want?" I leaned against the wall, "I have to go to a mental institute for a month starting tomorrow." Gavin's expressed went from confused to something I couldn't quite read. "Gavin?" I eyed him, "Did you call her?" Gavin gulped and nodded. "You knew therapy didn't do shit for me," I stepped towards him. "It's not therapy, Micoo," Gavin squeaked out. I glared at him, "Don't 'Micoo' me. You know how miserable I get and how it makes me think of my fucking father, Gavin!" Gavin pushed himself over the back of the couch and stood in front of me, "You need help that I can't give and I want our child to see the wonderful person that I do and not just pictures." "I try my best to not get it out of hand! I'm getting better. I'm fucking getting better!" I shouted at him, tears pricking my eyes. Gavin's expression fell as I fell into him. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, "I know you're getting better, but dammit, look at your arms, Michael! They're scarred more than I thought possible. You've almost ruined your Gears tattoo."

"I'm... I'm getting better. I don't... don't need someone telling me how to live," I tried to get out, but was now sobbing. Gavin rubbed my back, "I know baby, I know. It's going to be okay. A month will go by fast, I promise." Gavin pulled me to the couch and sat me in his lap. I sat facing him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He planted a kiss on my cheek, "I'll visit you everyday. Geoff will drive me. Everything is going to be fine." I started to get a rush of memories to when my mom got sent off to a mental institution due to my father when I was five. She had only been there for two weeks, but wasn't herself again for three years. I didn't want that. I didn't want Gavin to have to deal with an emotionless husband and a child. "There's no way out of it, is there?" I asked, pushing myself away from Gavin. He kept his arms around me and shook his head. I sighed and leaned back into him, "I fucking hate you for this. I hope you know that." "I know you don't hate me," Gavin muttered and kissed the top of my head. I hissed at him and shut my eyes for a moment. "How about we eat some breakfast and spend the day together?" Gavin suggested. I groaned, "You're making the food." Gavin nodded and carefully pushed me off of him. I waited impatiently on the couch while Gavin whipped up something for us to eat. 

[A/N: Bet y'all thought the sad stuff was over. Haha. No, but in all honesty, I hate mental institutions. They're terrifying and they make you feel so small. Or at least that's how I felt. Anyways, I'll be back soon with another rip-your-heart-out chapter. Sorry this one was sucky.]