The Fault in our Franks

Frank?

I flip open my phone.

1 New Message, it reads. I tap on it and enlarge the message.

Frank: Hey, look, [Insert Your Name Here] I have something I need to tell you. It's urgent. Call me?

I suddenly feel uneasy. What's wrong with senpai, I think. Oh no.

Ring-a-ding-ding.

"F-Frank?" I ask, my heart thumping from nerves. "Is something wrong, Daddy?"

"Babe, I love it when you call me that," he purred.

"Daddy likes?"

"Daddy likes."

There is a period of silence, and I feel my worry begin to melt away. Everything's okay. Everything has to be okay.

Frank?

Frank.

But I felt the need to seriously ask him this time - he did say it was urgent, after all.

"Frank, for real, is something wrong?"

"Baby..."

I wait, the only sound my nails nervously rapping against my desk.

"Daddy has cancer."

"DADDY, NO!" I wail. I can feel my heart breaking. "DADDY..."

"Shhhhh. Shh."

"F-Frank?" I whisper softly. "Frank?"

I can hear his slow, heavy breathing through the phone.

"Frank."

I suddenly am at ease. "We'll get through this," I say. There is silence on the other line.

"Baby..."

"Daddy?"

"Baby, Daddy's going to die. I'm sorry, but there's no other way I can put it. Daddy... Daddy is going to die in the next few days. I'm so sorry Baby."

"DADDY NO!" I cry.

"Shhhhhhh. Shhhh. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

"Frank?" My voice is small and pitiful. I hear him breathe a laugh before sighing.

"Baby-"

"FRANK?"

....

"Frank."