This Could All Be Yours

27

We rushed to the hospital.

"What happened?" I asked the doctor.

"We were going to call you that it was time for treatment to start but then the nurse noticed that his heart rate dropped severely."

"He's not well, Dr Daniel." A nurse came rushing out of his room. "We need you in here."

"Excuse me." He left.

There was a lot of doctors and nurses rushing in and out of his room. All of them saying they've "never seen anything like this before". Bob and I just sat on the bench in the hall watching all of them scramble.

We sat there for at least an hour or so before anyone came to speak to us about what was happening.

"Is he alright?" We stood up as I asked the nurse.

"He's stable for now, but we did have to put him in a medically induced coma. The medication that he's been taking isn't working at keeping him calm. It made things worse by increasing his heart rate which made his brain think he's going into an anxiety attack which then made the tumor go into overdrive all night. He was supposed to be going in for treatment this morning but Dr Daniel is calling for an emergency surgery to take it out. We do of course need your permission, sir."

"Do what you need to do. That's the love of my life!"

Frank was then rushed across the hospital for an emergency surgery. Bob and I stayed in the waiting room but not the one at the entrance of the hospital, a more secluded one. One for the family of a surgery patient. Just so we don't scare the patients and loved ones who aren't dying.

***

It had been another two hours, no update. Bob and I were getting anxious. We tried to keep any conversation we had light, any thought in our head about the situation we kept to ourselves. We just didn't want to scare each other by what we were thinking. We were on edge enough.

Just then my phone started ringing. It was Mr Houghton. I stepped away.

"Gerard, is everything alright?" He spoke, he sounded worried.

"Frank's in the hospital undergoing an emergency surgery." I then started to cry, all my emotions surfaced and I couldn't keep it together.

"I'll be right there." He hung up.

I just stood there and stared at my phone. I never seen Mr Houghton outside of his building before, we'll other than a fancy dinner. I know he's a family friend and I've known him my whole life but I just didn't expect him to show up and when he did, he brought a care basket for Frank filled with things he enjoyed and some food for Bob and I.

"Any updates?" He asked.

Bob and I both shook our heads in disappointment.

He sat down next to me. He didn't ask many questions, probably because he knew neither one of us wanted to talk about it.

"Gerard, I'm going to head home and shower. I'll be back up later this afternoon." Bob said his goodbyes then added, "Call me once he's out of surgery." Then left.

This waiting was getting unbearable. Mr Houghton noticed my anticipation as well.

"He's sweet, your boy." He said.

I nodded.

"He came to visit me when you were out on your last meeting."

I looked over at him. "At your building?" I asked, which he then nodded.

It didn't excite me Frank went there. Mr Houghton's building wasn't a place for him. Those business men would do anything to get him. But I'm assuming nothing actually happened to him while he was there because this is the first I'm hearing about it.

"He's very curious about you. And don't worry, he didn't show up alone."

"That's a relief." But a part of me knew Frank didn't go alone. Frank never did anywhere he went.

"He loves you."

That made me smile.

Just then Dr Daniel came into the waiting room.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Mr Way."

"How is he?"

"He's just fine. Surgery went smooth. Tumor is out. We are going to keep him a few more days to make sure that he recovers well from it."

I nodded in understanding. "Is he awake?"

"Not yet. We're getting him back to his room right now, so you can see him."

"Thank you."

I sent a quick text to Bob, letting him know Frank was out of surgery, then went to his room. I sighed in relief when I got there. His heart rate was normal, his readings were normal. It made me happy.

I sat next to the bed, just watching his chest move with his breathing which put me in tears. All day I thought I was going to lose him. I thought I'd have to be alone for the rest of my life. I grabbed Frank's hand and pulled to my lips, kissing it.

Mr Houghton stood behind me, "It's alright now. Everything is alright."

***

Later on the evening, after Mr Houghton had left, Bob came back to pick me up. I didn't want to leave Frank, though. I was laying my head down next to him on the bed, still holding his hand.

"Gerard, you're tired. You need to go home and get some rest."

"I can't leave him." I whispered out.

"You know they're going to make you leave."

"I can't leave him." I was nearly falling asleep.

"Come on," Bob grabbed my arm which made me wake up a little. "We'll come back in the morning."

I looked down at Frank who was still sleeping. "Goodnight, Frank." I kissed his forehead, then his cheek, then pulled his hand in and kissed it as well, "I love you."

I let myself be dragged away from him, I couldn't keep my eyes off of him until he was no longer in sight.

We got home and I went straight to bed. I was so emotionally drained, I was so tired. And when I was finally able to fall asleep, I dreamt about him again. I dreamt about him waking up, his eyes meeting mine, him smiling at me. I couldn't wait to see him.