Hardy Boys - More Than Just The Fun Uncle

I'll Be Okay Now

Frank gasped and opened his eyes. "Joe!"

He looked up to find his brother lying on the hospital bed looking pale and dead. Dead. Joe was dead. But...

beep...beep...beep

Frank glanced up at the heart monitor. It beeped ever so steadily as little waves bounced across the screen.

Thank You, God.

Frank heaved a shaky sigh of relief and raked his fingers through his disheveled brown locks. Everything was okay. It was only a nightmare.

"Are you alright there, Son?"

For the first time the young detective took notice of his dad's presence in the room. Fenton now stood only a few paces away from Frank's chair, but quickly closed that space when he saw his son's distraught appearance.

"I'm good, Dad."

"Bad dream?"

Frank nodded. "I thought we might have lost him." Saying it out loud made him sick to his stomach. They very well could have lost Joe. "I just... keep having these horrible thoughts. What if Joe really dies? What if we have to figure out life without him?" Frank shook his head. "He still has so much life to live. He's got to finish having those five kids he always wanted."

He smiled as he remembered his brother talking about that very subject. Five kids was the amount perfect for Joe. No more, no less. Plenty enough to love, but not enough to bleed him dry, he'd said. People respect and congratulate a man with five kids, but any more than that and you start to look like a crazy person.

Frank had always liked to tease Joe and say that he'd end up with five daughters. That's why it made for an even bigger laugh when his first two kids turned out to be girls. But Joe loved his girls. After Andrea's birth he'd practically forgotten about his desire for a boy. He had fallen absolutely in love and he didn't want anybody to catch him.

Frank still remembered the day that Andrea had been brought home. He'd sat and talked with Joe for a while about his entrance to fatherhood. Frank couldn't recall all that had been said, but he did remember one thing: "I think I'll take those five daughters, Frank. I always did like to be surrounded by beautiful women. What could it hurt to raise some of my own?"

"He's got to see them grow up." Frank said. His throat tightened as he thought of those girls without their daddy. "He's got to walk them down the isle one day. I'm willing to do just about anything for Joe, but I'd drag him right out of heaven myself if he were to force me to take his place for that."

A hand rested itself on Frank's shoulder. "I know what you mean, Frank. And I'll be right behind you." Fenton chuckled. "Though I don't think we'll have to worry about that for a while yet."

Frank's dark eyes met those of his father's matching ones. "What do you mean?"

"Doctor Bates came in while you were asleep." The old detective smiled. "He's hopeful about Joe's recovery. Joe hasn't had any more issues since his episode last night. They've been able to replace most of his missing blood and, if he's still doing well by tonight, they plan to move him out of intensive care."

The younger Hardy felt his heart flutter with hope. This was the best news that could be received so early on. Maybe by tonight Andrea and Elyse could visit their dad!