NO FUN CLUB

7

'Frankie,' he heard someone call, waking him up.

A woman's voice, which was strange.

'You need to go home and sleep,' she said. Where was he? He opened his eyes slowly, and remember he wasn't home. It was the second day in a row he'd fallen asleep while taking care of his grandfather at the hospital. He saw his aunt sitting by his bed. 'C'mon, I'll take it from here.'

'It's fine. I can stay.'

'You need to rest.' And Frank wanted to tell her that he was okay, that he didn't mind staying all night, taking care of him just like his grandfather took care of him when he was a kid. That he'd stay there and make sure he was okay. But nothing came out.

A knot formed on his throat and he knew that if he tried to talk, he'd lose it and then the tears would come. 'How's Nana?' he asked instead.

'She's okay,' Aunt Jo said. 'She asked about you. Maybe you can visit her, keep her company while he's here.'

Frank nodded.

He got up, kissed his grandfather's hand, and started to go, before his aunt called him. 'You know your uncle wants to close the pharmacy, right?'

Frank nodded. He was more than aware. And he wasn't ready to lose it.

He felt his life was crumbling down. Between his breakup with Bob, his grandfather being sick and now the pharmacy.

He felt like crying, like punching something.

There were so many emotions inside, and he didn't know how to let them out anymore.

It was a while since he played in a band or wrote poetry. He didn't remember when or why he stopped. Probably as a way to ignore his feelings. He thought that feelings only made him vulnerable.

The thing was the more he ignored them, the more feelings he got bottled up, and now he was about to explode.

He felt he had nothing else to hang on to.

'We'll close down for a couple days until he gets better, okay?' Aunt Jo continued, noticing his reaction. 'You need time off too.'

'I'm okay,' he said, as if that would make it true.

'I'm sure my dad is more than proud of you for continuing the legacy, but it's time for you to find your own path.'

'This is my path,' he said, already crying. He had worked so hard to finish his career, to follow his grandpa's steps. He couldn't imagine his life after it. What was the point of him becoming a pharmacist if there was no Iero Pharmacy?

He left, wiping off his tears.

At least until he got to the car. He wouldn't let anyone see how much it hurt.

***

At home, he cried more and drank himself to sleep.

When he woke up, past noon, he called Victor because he didn't know how else to deal with what was going on.

So Victor showed up at Frank's door, and they didn't say a word and went straight to making out in the couch. The soccer player fucked Frank right there, and then made sandwiches for them. 'Thanks for coming,' Frank said, because he didn't know what else to say.

'Thanks for inviting me. I thought you forgot about me.'

'I just – had family stuff.'

'You wanna talk?'

'Not really,' Frank answered, caressing the inside of his thigh. 'That's why I called you. If I wanted to talk, I'd have called my therapist.'

'So that's what I am to you?'