So Long, Not Goodnight

Chapter Forty

The elevator dinged and opened it's doors to the first floor lobby, all the walls separating the inside of the hospital to the outside drive were entirely glass. The sun was bright and harsh leaving yellow puddles shimmering over the plain white linoleum of the floor. The automatic doors whooshed open and the cool morning breeze brushed through Gerard's hair as nurse Mike wheeled him out to the sidewalk and Frank followed close behind. Two beeps greeted them as Ray waved out at them through the driver's side window. Mikey got out from the front seat as they got closer and opened the back passenger door for his brother as Frank and nurse Mike helped Gerard out of his seat and transferred him to the back bench of the car. Once he was buckled in, Frank thanked nurse Mike, as did Gerard, and made his way to the other side of the back seat behind Ray. They all waved goodbye and Ray beeped again as he slowly made his way through the circled drive and onto the highway. 

The drive back to the Way house was absent of words, but the whirr of passing cars and air bounced inside the cabin. Frank noticed how tired Gerard looked reclining against the headrest, his eyes shut and then bounced open just to close again. Reaching his right arm over to his boyfriend, Frank guided Gerard's head to his lap, laying him down and feeling him cuddle into the denim on his legs. Frank smiled down at Gerard, pushing his hand under his shirt and gently massaging his back. Ray glanced at them in the rearview mirror and then nudged an elbow at Mikey, gesturing with his forehead towards the backseat. Mikey stole a quick glance over his shoulder and a bit of his iciness at Frank melted with the sentiment. He cares Ray mouthed once Mikey looked back at him. After thinking for a few seconds, Mikey nodded his head and reached over to put his hand on Ray's knee. Ray steered with one hand and overlaid his other atop of Mikey's. The silence between the two pairs of boyfriends comforting in the small shared space. 

The rumbling of the highway outside the windows died down as they made their way into the suburbs. The speed of the car slowed and slowed until it finally stopped outside the familiar house. "Gee, baby," Frank patted Gerard's back. "You're home, baby."

"We're home," Gerard yawned, rubbing at his eyes. 

"Do you need any help?" Mikey leaned over his armrest as Gerard sat up and Frank quickly exited his door and ran over to open Gerard's. 

"I think I've got it from here," Frank took Gerard's hands, helping him out and up, cradling an arm around his hip tightly. "Thanks so much guys."

"Anytime," Ray smiled, palming Mikey's headrest. "We love that sweet baby."

"Hey," Gerard sputtered, pointing to Mikey. "He's the baby, not me."

"Will you ever not call me a baby?" Mikey playfully sneered at his brother.

"Boys!" Ray laughed, eyeing the two. 

Frank went to shut the door when Mikey leaned over his seat, resting a hand over Frank's. "You'll take care of him? Because I can stay..."

Looking into Mikey's eyes, Frank saw some forgiveness from his previously voiced regrets. "I won't leave his side. I promised you that he's safe with me and I mean it," Frank caught the hitch in his throat before it cracked. 

Mikey took a deep breath and removed his hand, letting Frank go. Once the door clicked closed, Frank guided Gerard towards the front door. "Hey!" Mikey shouted out his window. "I love you, brother."

"And I love you," Gerard folded his fingers into a heart over his head and Mikey reciprocated. 

"We'll be sure to check in later, okay?" Ray leaned over Mikey.

"See you guys soon," Frank waved back.

The car slowly drifted off as they made their way inside the house. Frank sat Gerard down in the foyer, removing his shoes and placing them near the door as he hung up their jackets. "Shit, Frankie, I'm not handicapped." Gerard rolled his eyes as Frank helped him to the kitchen to sit down again at the table.