Chapter 16 Speaking the Truth
Two weeks later Mandy comes home from the hospital and I help her get set up in Debbie's room. The tiny redheaded girl is puttering around making sure everything is perfect for Mandy. I give Ian a desperate look and he drags Debbie out to give me and Mandy some privacy. Mandy still isn't ready to talk about what happened, I can tell by the way she pulls her knees up to her chin and wraps her arms around her legs and pulls then close to her chest, like she's protecting her heart.
"Hey." I tell her "I'm not going to push, but I'm here."
"I know Mick." Said Mandy "So how are things with Ian?"
I smile "They're amazing."
"What were you so fucking scared of?" Mandy asks me seriously
"Myself." I tell her honestly "When Ian and I started this thing it was just a casual fuck every now and then. But then he came to me when he was upset and then I got shot and sent to juvie. After I got out we started back up again. He got me the job at the store and we started talking about shit. Then Frank caught us, I wanted to kill him, was even fucking poised and ready, but then all I saw was Ian's face and heard Ian's voice begging me not to do it. I was so freaked out that Frank would say something and Terry would find out I decided that juvie was a safer place. We started up again, he joins the Army, I end up in lock up again, this time I let him know I care somewhat. I told him he better come home." I take a deep breath before starting again. I notice that Mandy wrapped her arms around me while I was talking. "When I heard that he was hurt, everything I feared about caring about him faded. I just wanted him to be okay."
"It's okay to actually say the words Mick." Mandy tells me "You aren't going to burn in hell for being honest about how you feel. You'll probably burn in hell for all the other shit you've done, but being gay, no one gives a shit except Terry. To the rest of the South Side you're still Mickey Milkovich: Resident Jackass."
Over the next two weeks I think about what Mandy tells me. I start working at the store again, as well as still pulling shifts on the construction crew. Now it's been like two or three months since Ian was injured. I couldn't believe I was agreeing that Mandy was right. As Ian and I are stocking cans on the shelves, I find myself looking at Ian, not in an 'I need you now' kind of a way, but just in a 'Wow he's even more beautiful than before' kind of a way. Ian sees me staring. He walks over to me and smiles as he pulls me into a kiss.
Ian starts to speak. "I've been home now for about three months. Throughout all of it, you have never left my side. What I'm about to say might freak you out, but I have to tell you, I have to get mushy."
"Just spit it out Gallagher." I tell him a sparkle in my eye.
"Thank you for healing my wounds." Ian tells me as he kisses me "I love you Mickey Milkovich."
I smile and pull him into a kiss. "You're the one who healed my wounds. I love you Ian Gallagher."
We kiss passionately and manage to lock the door and flip the Closed sign before making our way to the freezer, just for old time's sakes. After all healing wounds for the person you love is a never ending task.