Like Buttons On A Shirt

Chapter 35

The next few things happened way faster than they should have.

I went back to my mothers room where I kind of interrupted Gerard and her talking. Again I noticed how well they seemed to get along. I didn't know what they were talking about but it seemed to be very serious. Gerard had pushed his chair closer to the bed and my mother was holding one of his hands in hers. But what gave away that the topic wasnt a very happy one, was the look on Gerards face. It almost looked like he had tears in his eyes.
I immediately wanted to rush over to him to comfort him but I decided not to. My mother was in the room after all.

I went further into the room but before I could say anything I heard fast footsteps coming towards us.
Ome of the female nurses come running over, her face red from the little sprint and slight panic on her face.

"Uhm...", she said, trying to catch her breath, "there... there has been a national emergency alert. What's coming isn't just a storm, it's supposed to be a tornado and... shit."
She started coughing.
"Sorry. Uhm what I was about to say is... we have the instruction to bring all visitors to the spare bedrooms in the basement."

For a moment I just stood there in shock. I didn't even turn around to see Gerards and moms reactions.
"But... we could go home if we hurry up. I dont live that far from here.", I said.
I was confused. We she trying to say that Gerard and I would have to stay the night at the hospital?

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I cant let you two go outside anymore until we get instructed otherwise. Uhm... I'm really sorry but that's just what were told to do. So... please follow me downstairs"

"Wait... right now? But... what?"
I was completely lost.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Gerard standing behind me.
"I think we should do what the lady says.", he said and pushed me a little forward, "I will try to call Mikey to tell him i wont be coming home tonight."
More thunder could be heard, way closer and louder this time, making me jump. My heart was racing slightly and I figured that my panic was the reason for my hesitation.

"But what about my mother? Is she coming with us?", I asked and looked back at her.

"No Sir, we cannot move her in her state of health. We will have one of the other nurses staying by her side the whole time though to make sure everything is okay."

"No that's not okay!", I argued, "I wont go anywhere without my mother. What if anything happens and the tornado hits this building or something. Absolutely not!"

"Sir, we have the instruction to-..."

"Frank!", my mother said.
I instantly turned my attention to her and even the nurse stopped mid sentence.
"Don't be so rude and do as this nice woman says. I will be okay"

"But-...", I tried to say but my mother silenced me with a single, stern look.
"No 'but's, Frank Iero! Do as she says or I will get mad"

And that is exactly how I ended up in a tiny hospital room with Gerard pressed up against me in one of the 'slightly bigger than normal" hospital beds.
Fortunately there weren't many other visitors in the hospital. Most people had heard about the upcoming storm and decided to stay at home and now I wished that I bad taken Pete's words a little more serious.

Even though they didnt have a lot of people to stay over night, they put Gerard and me in one room. They probably thought we were brothers.

Or lovers.

At first we both stayed in separate beds. We didnt get undressed or anything before climbing under the covers. I guess we both didnt know how to handle this situation just now.
For a few minutes we laid in the dark and listened to the rain that had worsened. But the louder the noises got the more scared I became and after a while I could feel myself shaking like mad.
I didnt even realize that Gerard had been calling my name in the dark for a few minutes now, trying to get my attention.

I guess that's the thing with panic. Once you let it take over you you dont even stand a chance.
And I am not even a person that's easily taken over by anxiety. I'm not scared of many things but thunderstorms just... they just get me.
I could feel myself slip deeper into this weird state of panic, having trouble breathing and an unexplainable urge to cry.
I was so focused on myself and on this fucking storm that I didn't even hear Gerard get out of bed and walk up to me.
Only when he stood right next to my bed and touched my shoulder I noticed him.
I jumped when I felt his fingers.

"Hey, Frank, is everything okay?", he asked.
I nodded before i realized that he probably couldnt see me in the dark. There weren't any windows in here and i couldn't decide whether this made the whole situation better or worse.

"Y-Yes I'm fine", I lied.
But of course Gerard knew that. Everybody who wasn't completely stupid could have seen right through that lie.

"If you're worried about your mother... she's not alone. She has a professional with her so she's probably even safer than we are down here."

I kind of felt bad that I hadn't thought about my mother ever since we got down here.
"No that's not it", I admitted, "I-Im just deadly afraid of thunderstorms"

There was a moment of silence and I halfway expected Gerard to laugh at me. But he didn't.
Instead I could feel the mattress tilt to the side as Gerard first sat, and then laid down by my side.
My body stiffened.
What was he doing?
But as I felt one of his arms wrap around me and his warm body on my back, I relaxed again.

"Is this okay?", he asked.

"Yeah", I answered, "sure"
And again I wanted to hit myself for being so awkward.
But I couldn't even think about that anymore because loud thunder made me flinch again.
But feeling the warmth of Gerards body next to mine made it easier to calm down.

And as we laid there, I decided not to worry about us for a night.
Just one night I wouldn't question Gerards intentions and my feelings.
I would just let it happen.

I would just enjoy his company.