Kissing You Goodbye.

Frank

I was getting impatient. Where was Gerard? Why wasn’t he at school? Something about his condition, I presumed. But what was this mysterious condition? I decided I couldn’t wait anymore, and I called his house phone for the first time. It rang three times before a woman answered.

“Hello?”

“Umm, hi, is Gerard there? I really need to talk to him,” I said, feeling awkwardly embarrassed for no apparent reason. I heard Mikey ask who it was in the background.

“May I ask who this is?” the woman, who I guessed was Gerard’s mom, asked. I told her and she relayed the information to Mikey.

“I’m sorry, Frank. Gerard’s not feeling very well from his chemotherapy, and he’s sleeping. Can I have him call you back?” she asked. I was so stunned words wouldn’t come to me. What chemotherapy?!

“Umm, can I just speak to M-Mikey?” I stuttered. The woman said yes, handing the phone to Mikey.

“Hey, Frank. Whatsup?” he asked with none of his usual happiness. It was all seriousness. I took a breath to calm down a little, and then proceeded to talk.

“Mikey, can I ask you something? What’s the c-chemotherapy for?” I asked, my mouth tripping over its words. Mikey sighed.

"So you caught that, huh? I knew Gerard couldn’t hide it from you for long. Frank, Gerard has heart disease and a cancerous tumor in his brain. The doctors gave him one to three months to live at the longest,” Mikey said, so serious about it.

He must’ve built up an emotional barrier or something, because I wasn’t taking it very well, and I wasn’t Gerard’s brother. I started to cry, not able to help it. Gerard was so nice. He was so perfect. Why did he have to be cursed with this?

“Frank, are you alright? Do you want to get off the phone, or will you be okay?” Mikey said, completely understanding. In the little less than a week his brother was absent from school, Mikey and I had become close.

“Why him, Mikey? Why does he have it? What did he do to deserve this?!” I cried. Mikey shh-ed me, cooing calming things into his side of the receiver.

“Frank, it’s out of any of our control. He’s had it since he was my age. He’s lucky to have lived this long,” Mikey said, somewhat trailing off at the end.

“But he shouldn’t have to leave it to luck! He shouldn’t have it at all!” I cried. Mikey sighed sadly.

“I know, Frank. But it’s out of our control. My dad had it too. It was passed through his genes to him and Gerard. It skipped me. I would do anything I could if I could only switch Gerard and my lives.”

*******

I went to bed thinking of Mikey and my conversation. It was so sad. But it seemed to have become a routine thing at the Way household. They were used to cancer, and all you had to do to treat it, and how to take care of anyone who’d gotten chemo.

*******

When I woke up, there was another note on the fridge from my mom. I took it off the fridge, smiling broadly as I read it.

Frank, Mikey called. He said Gerard will drive you to school and home. Also, feed Peppers. I didn’t have a chance to this morning. -Mom.

I got the dog food out, pouring it into a small bowl. I heard the little click-clack of Peppers’ toenails as she ran into the kitchen, and I picked the cute little blonde chihuahua up. She licked my cheeks and I smiled. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all.

I left Peppers to her food, going to get ready. I slipped a Misfits shirt over my head, pulled a pair of holey jeans up, and put on my Converse. Then I rushed downstairs just as Gerard pulled into my driveway. I half ran to the car, slipping into the backseat.

“Hi, Frank. In a hurry?” Gerard asked, but his voice wasn’t right. It was slightly scratchy, tired, and worn. I felt really bad for him.

“No, I’m just excited to see you. People at school missed you,” I said, hinting at myself. I saw Gerard smile in the rear view mirror.

“How did you possibly carry on without me, Frank?” Gerard asked dramatically. I grinned widely and tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Ooh, Gerard, you made Frank blush! He looks like a cherry!” Mikey laughed, making me even redder. Gerard smiled.

“I’d say more like a strawberry. Or an apple,” Gerard said. Mikey laughed. “Or maybe even a pomegranate.”

“Could you two please stop thinking of red fruits to compare to my complexion?!” I groaned. They just giggled. At least Gerard was happy and not thinking of the pain Mikey told me he’d been through. And he wasn’t throwing up.

We pulled into the school parking lot, got out of the car and began to walk side by side until Mikey told Gerard he needed to talk to him alone, leaving me completely by myself. I found Ray and Bob, and talked to them while I waited.