Devil's Work

Even though things go back to normal soon enough, Frank is still terrified.

He never goes out to concerts at night anymore. Kaitlynn is always in his arms or in her crib or somewhere that he can reach in less than two seconds. Gerard is by his side all the time. He can’t be alone anymore, or else it gives him panic attacks.

It’s been a month since either of the men last saw any suspicious men or cars. But time has not healed anything in Frank’s mind.

One day he suggests boarding up the windows of the house. Gerard just sighs, “Frank, baby, we can’t keep living like this. We can’t shut ourselves in the house. Maybe it’s all done, now. Maybe they’ve forgotten about her.”

Frank claims ‘fatherly instinct’ and tells Gerard all his theories about who the men are and why they want their daughter. Gerard just puts up with it. Frank has phases like these and they always pass after a while.

Theories that Frank comes up with include Kaitlynn’s birth parents who want her back, the crazy man down the street who hates that a gay couple lives near him, spies who try to catch Frank and Gerard doing some bad parenting, and just about anything else. They all seem plausible, but then again, they all seem like long shots as well.

Frank just wants his family to be safe. And he will do something radical like boarding up the windows to keep it safe.

“I think we are safe now,” Gerard protests. He and Frank are in bed and beside them in her crib, Kaitlynn is sleeping, cooing in her slumber. Through the dark Frank tries to give Gerard his best doubtful look. He knows that Gerard is just upset that they’ve kept Kaitlynn’s crib in their room for so long, and it’s harder for them to make love. But Frank shrugs that off. As soon as he knows everything is safe, like one hundred percent safe, then everything will go back to its own place. Including Kaitlynn’s crib.

“Not yet,” Frank whispers back, and he watches as Gerard’s eyes close in frustration.