High And Dry

My Iron Lung

lets see how far we've come *angry matchbox 20 blaring in the distance* only six chapters left guys, but never fear, there will be a sequel. it's only going to be posted as a whole different book because the concept is a bit different, and it will be posted probably a few days after this one ends, so maybe in like a week and a half?

           “Ian?” Josh frowned, “Ian, buddy, are you okay?”

            Ian shook his head, feeling light headed, “Second drawer to the left….”

            Joshua got up and rushed over to it, “What?”

            “Inhaler.”

            “Inhaler?”

            “Get it.” He coughed, trying to breathe.

            Josh grabbed it and handed it to Ian, “Jesus Christ, Ian. What was that all about?”

            Ian couldn’t answer. He was breathing through the inhaler heavily, and it wasn’t very effective.

            Joshua picked his phone up and started calling someone. They didn’t answer, because he threw his phone down in anger.

            “Ian.” He frowned, “Look at me.”

            Ian couldn’t look at him. He couldn’t tear his eyes off Joshua’s phone. He couldn’t stop staring at the call he had just made.

            He didn’t answer. David didn’t answer.

            “He told me the story a while back….” Joshua picked up his phone again, typing something in before setting it down.

            Upon hearing his favorite song, Ian began to calm down a bit. He had been trained to, like Pavel’s dog experiment. The invisible hand around his throat seemed to loosen its grip and he could breathe again. He felt a little better, and when he started to mumble the words into the inhaler, he felt much better.

            “She lives with a broken man, a cracked polystyrene man, who just crumbles and burns.” Joshua halfheartedly sang along, as if he was straining to remember the words.

            There was silence from the two of them for the next line as Ian took a deep breath.

            He used to do surgery for girls in the eighties but gravity always wins.

            “It wears him out. It wears him out. It wears him out. It wears him out.” He muttered against the plastic.

Ian calmed down completely and put the inhaler down.

            “If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly happened there?” Josh blinked.

            “An emotion triggered asthma attack.” Ian began breathing normally, “Essentially my good ole lungs gave up on me.”

            “That’s possible?”

            Ian nodded, “Yeah.”

            Joshua rubbed his face with his hands, “Fuck. I’m sorry. I’m not used to this.”

            “You were fine.” Ian smiled weakly, “You got the job done.”

            “I did fine?”

            He nodded, “Thank you. I’m glad you remembered the song.”

            Well, David mentioned that you went on a rant about how beautiful it was, but he couldn’t pay attention because all he wanted to do was lean over and kiss you.”

            Ian felt himself turn red, “Well I’m sure where ever he is, he doesn’t want that anymore.”

            Josh frowned, “Don’t say that.”

            “Why not?” Ian sighed, “If he cared, he’d be back.”

            “Anthony called him his father. Do you know how intense that is? Not only is Anthony growing up in a single parent environment, but now he has two dads? I’m sure David is just feeling a lot of pressure over it. I would take this time to explain to Anthony that a man and a man sometimes fall in love. If he learns it while he’s young, he’ll be better off later.”

            “He just left me high and dry, Josh. He hung me out to dry and he’s stepped away.”

            “Ian, I explained his reasoning. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”

            “I’m telling Anthony tonight.”

            “Do you want me to be here?”

            “No. Wait. Yes. Tell Matt to come over and we can all have dinner.”

            Joshua nodded and Matt arrived about ten minutes later with Anthony.

            Anthony came running in the door, “Dad!”

            “I picked him up from the neighbor’s house.” Matt said.

            “Daddy?”

            “Yes, buddy?”

            “Where’s Newbie? I lost him.”

            Ian frowned, “You lost him?”

            “I had him one minutes, and then I turned back and now I can’t find him.”

            “Oh.” Ian nodded, slightly relieved to hear that Anthony was talking about the toy.

            Ian stood up and grabbed it off the top shelf.

            “You put him up here while you were gone so no one stepped on him.”

            “No no no.” Anthony shook his head, taking the monkey, “Where’s Newbie? Where’s David?”