A month had passed and everything seemed to fade back to normal. Tonio and Patricia were locked away for good and Charlotte was happy. However, good things don't last for very long.
Ben, Margaret, and Charlotte were playing outside at Laura and Fenton's when Fenton suddenly collapsed at the top of the stairs and fell. The children ran inside and saw their grandfather on the floor. Laura took notice of them.
"What's wrong with grandpa?" Margaret cried.
" It's okay, Margaret. Why don't you all go upstairs?"
The children reluctantly went up to Frank and Joe's old room. Frank was downstairs working when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Frank, it's your father." Laura said.
He immediately sped over to his parent's house. The ambulance sped away when he pulled in the driveway. On the front porch stood Laura.
"It's his heart, isn't it?" he asked.
Joe was inside comforting Margaret and Ben. Frank walked in and took notice of Joe pointing upstairs. Walking into his old room, he saw Charlotte looking out the window.
"What happened to grandpa?" she asked not breaking her gaze out the window.
"He has heart problems. Remember his scar?"
"I remember it. When will he come home?"
"I don't know," he said.
Whenever Fenton came home from the hospital, all the kids engulfed him in a hug. The brothers took notice of their mother's face and followed her to the kitchen.
"He's getting sicker, boys. I don't know how much longer he has." she said.
" Surely there is something they can do." Joe said.
"He's on a medication right now," she said.
Frank didn't want his father to get sicker, but he knew one day it would happen. A part of him wished bad things didn't happen to them, but the bad things happen to even the best of people.
Callie came home from work and noticed Frank alone at the table. She kissed his cheek and gave him some coffee.
"It's late," she said.
"Can't sleep," he muttered back.
"If he stays on the medication, he should be just fine."
"I know, I'm just nervous for him."
That night, he had a horrible dream. Sitting in front of a window was Fenton. He was holding a glass when he suddenly dropped it. His head fell a little. Frank went to touch him, but there was no pulse.
"He's gone, Frank."
He awoke to sobs. However, they weren't his own, thy were muffled. Opening the door to Charlotte's room, he found her sitting upright crying. He sat by her side.
"I just want him to get better," she sniffled.
"I know, me too. He is strong, he'll be okay."
It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't a lie. No one knew if he would last the year. The heart transplant nearly twelve years ago was said to not last him long. If he did go, they all wanted him to go peacefully.
" Does the scar hurt him too?"
"It does, but not as much as his heart."
"Oh," she said.
She soon fell back asleep. Frank went back to his room and tried to sleep. His father was always strong, but something as serious as this couldn't keep him strong. That's why he collapsed.
At five in the morning, Frank gave up on getting any sleep. He went downstairs and called Joe.
"Hello?" Joe asked.
"Hi, did I wake you?"
" No, I wasn't tired. What's up? "
" Have you heard anymore about dad?"
" He wasn't doing much better,"
Frank sighed at the news. This wasn't fair.
"Oh, I was just calling about him."
"Frank, there's more. Tell me."
" I could've lost my daughter. I can tell she isn't all th way better. She still wakes up at night and she coughs a lot more than usual. Now, I have to wait as my father slowly dies in front of me."
"I'm sorry. We don't know for sure that he's dying. As for Charlotte, does Callie know about it?"
" Yes, she's been giving her medicine for it. However, we both notice there's still some coughing and wheezing.
" Oh, well let me know if there's anything we can do for her."
"I will, thank you."
"Alright, bye."
"Bye," Frank said.
Callie came down and sat with Frank.
"She's coughing a little. Give her some medicine. I have to go to work. I love you."
"I love you, too." he said kissing her goodbye.
A little while later, Charlotte walked down the stairs and lied down on the couch. She coughed a little and Frank gave her the medicine.
The day progressed slowly and Frank later went up the attic. He pushed boxes around and one fell from a shelf. A picture book fell on the floor.
He flipped it open and the first page was of him when he was born being held by Fenton.
The next was him as a toddler with his dad. He soon realized each picture was with him and his dad. The last picture was of baby Charlotte being held by Fenton. A note was taped to the book that read:
Frank,
If I get sick again and die, let Charlotte see the book. Tell her how much I love her. I couldn't be any prouder of the man you've become. I love you, son.
He took the book downstairs and put it in his closet. Then, the phone rang and he prepped for the worst.
