Starring:
Date: March 9, 2010
Summary:
Micah watches the video intended for his Dad…
"Need You Now"
Gabriel and Micah's Apartment — NYC
It’s been a couple of days since Micah braved the video his mom made for him. Managing to find a random piece of quiet time, he’s alone in the room he sleeps, back resting against the wall. With a heavy sigh, he puts the DVD with his Dad’s name on it into the laptop. He hesitates a moment; he probably was never intended to see this, it was made for D.L. But he wants to see his mom again, even though he really has no business doing this. He glances up at the ceiling and utters an apology, “Look guys. I know this isn’t meant for me, but… I didn’t get to say goodbye. There’s wasn’t a funeral… I need…” He frowns. “I need to. I’m sorry Mom. Sorry Dad…” Finally after a few moments of silence he manages to click play.
"Hey. Okay…. um." Niki is more subdued in this video; quieter. The volume may need to be turned up. Sitting on the same couch, in the basement, with red behind her, arms drawn around herself, she trails a nervous hand down one arm. "So I guess it happened, then."
He frowns. It happened. Like last time, his fingertips graze the screen over his mom’s image. How is she holding this together so well? How can she not be completely sobbing? She knew this was coming. Micah blinks back tears again. “Mom. Why didn’t you tell me? If I’d known… now you’re both gone…” He frowns again.
"This is— this is just— so strange… to say to a camera…" By now, Niki is a little more worn thin by the making of the videos, it would seem, as she looks visibly distraught on-screen. Vulnerable. "But screw it, I have to say it because, you know— I haven't said it enough. I'm sorry, for… all the times I didn't trust you, and… there were too many times and… everything I did… it wasn't fair to you, 'cause you've been… great. A freakin' rock," she says sincerely with a smile; it's almost too much for her to bear, and she looks down, prompting her to have to push her hair back when she looks into the webcam again.
"I love you so much, baby. Every now 'n' then, I think back on all that stuff Linderman had in his office… and, you know what, good for that old bastard if he did set up our whole lives. Because I wouldn’t change a thing." Pause. "Okay, I'd change a ton of things but me 'n' you… never." She smiles, reflective — thinking on words long past that D.L. said. "We couldn't be more real."
That’s something Micah promises himself never to forget. His parents genuinely loved each other; they cared, even when things sucked. He frowns involuntarily; he’d forgotten. How could he? Have seen such love and still forget? The one thing he’d learned: even through everything LOVE can and does conquer all. He fights the tears again and rests his head against the wall.
Niki then sobers even further. "I know I don't have to say this, but … take… care of Micah and Cam. Micah… he's getting older now and I think he's more right than we are about a lot of things, but he still needs to be put in his place sometimes… more than ever, actually. I have no doubt you're gonna have your hands full with both of them — sucks to be you." She laughs, kidding. The laugh hedges on crying, but she keeps it together. "We've all been through, like… World War Three— maybe Four, by now… you can get through this too, without me."
“I’m not trouble,” Micah pouts at the screen. “Mom — I’m a hero! A hero!!” He inhales a deep breath as the hiccups tears begin again. He cries as quietly as he can manage so as not to attract any attention. With another sniffle, he uses his sleeve to dry his eyes only for the waterworks to continue again. “Now… we have no one to take care of us anymore…” He frowns deeply. “I just don’t even know where we belong…”
"… Okay." Niki takes a breath and shuts the video off.
“Why did you leave me?” Micah’s voice is a whisper. “Why, Mom? Why, Dad? I need you. I need you now. I need you both…” He snaps the laptop shut and places it beside him before drawing his legs into his chest and burying his face into his hands. His sobs are quiet enough not to garner attention, but far from silent…