I Fought Them All Off Just To Hold You Close And Tight

"Here we are," Brian announced after almost four and a half hours in the car. Thank God! My legs were completely feeling less and my back was as stiff as a 2 by 4. It said St. Bernadette's Hospital in big red letters on the roof of the building. A hospital? Why had Frank been coming here?

We walked up the white stone steps and into a long, white hallway, which led into a large, and rather ugly, waiting room. The carpeting was a sickly brownish-green, and the walls were a putrid yellow. The receptionist matched the room perfectly, from her puke green suit to the mole on her upper lip. She looked up at us and asked in a voice that resembled that of a garbage truck, "Can I help you?"

Frank approached the counter and replied, "We're here to see Frank Iero."

"And you are?"

"Frank Iero." The sour receptionist looked at his angrily. "The third," he added.

"Uhh huh," she mumbled, flipping through one of her books. "He's on the fifth floor, room 513. Please sign that guest book." She pointed to a sign in book with her pen, which was also a green color that reminded me of the flu. We all signed in and The ugly receptionist gave us a pass. We headed for the elevators.

"Frankie," I whispered once we were heading upward, "what's going on?" He didn't answer. He just gave me a look and turned to face forward.

Room 513 was two doors down on the right from the elevator. We showed our pass to the desk clerk on that floor before entering. Frank went first. Brian decided to wait outside, so I was the last one in.

Frank's grandpa was sitting up in a big hospital bed. He had lost a lot of weight and hair since the last time I'd seen him. He looked exceedingly tired.

"Heyy Gramps," Frankie grinned, leaning in and hugging the old man.

"Hiya sport. And who do we have here?" He grinned at each one of us while sayign our names. "Mikey, Bob, Ray, and Gerard. It's nice to see you boys." I almost started crying right then and there. Why hadn't Frank told me that his grandfather was sick? Was I not as trust worthy as the others? I kept pondering this as we sat down in the chairs lined up beside the bed.

"So what happened this time?" Frank asked, settling down in his seat.

"Ah, shucks Sport. I don't even know anymore. This time they said the seizure was a reaction to some new pill they put me on. But who knows?"

The conversation dragged on like this for a while, just Frankie and Mr. Iero. It turned a bit lighter thopugh, and the rest of us soon joined in. We played cards and told corny jokes. Ray flipped the channles while Frank's grandpa told us about the pretty nurses. He was like all of our grandfather too, just as mine and Mikey's grandmother had been like everyone elses as well. We were all one big family in this weird sort of way. I liked it like that.

Eventually, after, like, four or five hours, Frank's Dad and uncle came to visit. We all hugged Frank's grandpa good-bye and left. I wish now that it had been more of a heart felt good-bye.

The car ride sucked. About two hours in, Frank suddenly got up and walked to the middle of the cramped car, and then plopped down on my lap. "You," he announced, "are my car seat."

I didn't agrue. I didn't want to. Frankie probably neede some kind of comforting right now, and this gave us all a bit more room for our legs.

We got home pretty late, like around 11pm. But instead of going to bed, we said thanks to Brian, got onto our own bus, and popped in Ths Strangers. None of us, espescially Frank, would have been able to sleep anyway.

Bob and Mikey were on one couch, Ray sat at Mikey's feet, and Frankie and I took the other couch. It was dark except for the light from the TV, so Frank and I snuggled close together, me wrapping my arms around him, which I secret;y knew he appreciated. Maybe tonight would be the end of all the drama ... or not.