My Neighbour, The Painter

5. A Visit Unexpected

The next few days were great, even for Gerard. Gerard had Frank come with him and Mikey for his chemo and radiation. Mikey and Frank waited for Gerard in the waiting room together. The two became closer in relationship whilst waiting.

On the way home, Mikey left Frank to help Gerard. Frank had Gerard's arm over his shoulder. Gerard was a little nauseous and woozy. Frank had an arm around his waist, helping him stand.

As they reached the second floor of the apartment, Frank almost died. His mother, Linda Iero was standing by his apartment door. Frank paused, questioning what she was doing there.

"Frankie!" Linda chirped as she looked over. Frank glanced at Gerard who was very curious.

"Here, ma. Let yourself in." Frank said tossing his mom the apartment keys. "I'll be right in." He told her. Linda nodded and Frank opened Gerard's door.

"That's your mom?" Gerard asked quietly. Frank helped Gerard into his apartment.

"Yea." Frank answered. Gerard sat down on his chair that he was sat at days ago. "I don't know why she's here." Frank said. He went to the kitchen cubicle and got a large glass of water for Gerard.

"Can you close my paints?" Gerard asked as he shakily took the water. Frank nodded. "A mother will always check on her children, expected or not." Gerard said. Frank looked up at him.

"I'll introduce you to her one day, but you need to rest now." Frank told him. Gerard smiled. "As my boyfriend." Frank added, he finished closing up the paint. He kissed Gerard's forehead. "Holler if you need me." Frank whispered against Gerard's forehead. Gerard stroked the back of Frank's hand. Frank then left and walked to his flat.

Linda was inside, waiting on his couch, a glass of orange juice in her hands. Frank gave her a small smile and closed the door behind him.

"Mom." Frank said, he sat down at the other end of the couch and faced her. "What are you doing here?" He asked in a curious tone.

"I felt like coming to visit, wanted to see what your new home was like." Linda answered. Frank nodded slightly. He loved his mom, but she could be very judgmental. "Who was that man?" Linda asked.

"A person who is very important to me." Frank answered. He could hear Gerard moving in the other side of the wall, coughing every few breaths.

"Is he alright?" Linda asked.

"He's sick." Frank answered quietly. "Very, very sick." He added. He heard Gerard stumble to the bedroom of his flat.

"What does he have?" Linda asked. "Strep throat?" She joked as Gerard coughed heavily.

"He has cancer." Frank said flatly. Linda put a hand over her mouth in shock.

"I'm sorry, Frank. I didn't know." Linda said.

"He's my boyfriend, mom." Frank said seriously. Linda opened her mouth slightly and nodded.

"I didn't know you were into men." Linda said, Frank nodded slightly. "Thankyou for telling me, Frankie."

"I thought you didn't accept anything like that." Frank said.

"I only acted like that because of your father." Linda told him. Frank Senior and Linda split up a year ago.

"Would you like to meet him?" Frank asked. Linda smiled and nodded. Frank knocked on the wall.

"Yes?" Gerard asked hoarsely. Frank figured that Gerard was back in his art corner.

"Can I bring mom over?" Frank asked.

"Yes, the door's unlocked." Gerard answered. Frank stood up and walked over to Gerard's flat with Linda close behind him. As they walked inside, Gerard sat at his art corner, his legs crossed, a sketchbook propped on his knees.

"Hey, Gee." Frank said. Gerard smiled up at him. His skin seemed paler. "This is my mom, Linda." Frank said glancing at his mom. Linda smiled at Gerard and he smirked lightly.

"Hello, I'm Gerard." He replied, he held out a hand and Linda shook it. "Its nice to meet you." Gerard told her. she smiled even more. Frank and Linda sat down at the other chairs.

"You're an artist?" Linda asked. She looked at a canvas, there was a beautiful scenery, two silhouettes of men drinking coffee or tea together.

"Yes, I have been since I was young." Gerard answered with a nod.

"Do you only paint?" Linda asked.

"Nah, I draw, sculpt, and I do photography." Gerard answered. He handed Linda his sketchbook. She began fingering through it.

"Wow, these are so beautiful. Unique too." Linda said with delight. Frank looked at kinds and then at Gerard.

"I sell them every weekend when I can. I also do commissions." Gerard told her.

"I'm definitely going to look into that." Linda said. "I've never met an artist before!" She squealed.

"There's a first for everything." Gerard said with a full tooth smile. Frank loved Gerard's smile, his tiny teeth and thin lips meshed perfectly with his face.

"Yes, there is." Linda said. A short silence passed, it wasn't awkward. It was nice up until Linda grew more serious. "Frank told me...that you're ill." Linda said. Frank shot a silent glare at her, but Gerard gave him a warning look.

"Yes," Gerard replied. "But that's what I get for smoking cancer sticks." He said with a bit of humor in his tone.

"Do you still smoke, Frankie?" Linda asked.

"I'm on my last pack, then I'm done." Frank answered. Gerard chuckled.

"Awe, Sugar, don't quit for me." Gerard said smirking. "I haven't even quit yet." He added.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Linda asked.

"Yes, but you got to feed the addictions, you know?" Gerard said. "I only smoke once a week though, no harm done." Gerard added.

"He's really accepting toward death, ma. You should know not to question him now." Frank said. Linda was about to say something, but Gerard beat her to it.

"Gotta live dangerously." Gerard said he had a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You want my number in case you want to ask for a commission?" Gerard asked. Linda nodded, he ripped out a corner of a sketch page and wrote down his number.

"Thankyou so much, Gerard." Linda said with a smile. "I should be going I'm going to visit your aunt." Linda told Frank.

Frank got up and hugged and kissed his mother goodbye. She gave Gerard a quick hug and peck on the cheek. The two boys said bye and Linda left.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Gerard asked with a raised eyebrow. Frank stuck his tongue out at Gerard.

"It wasn't." Frank agreed. "I just wasn't expecting it." He added. Gerard reached out and took his hand.

"Just be happy she didn't see the hole in the wall." Gerard teased. He kissed the back of Frank's hand and Frank giggled. The two spent the rest of the day together. Then they went to bed in Gerard's bed since it fit two.