Status: Complete: Possible re-write/re-post
Two Roads Split Off From Here
Getting To The Bottom Of It.
Frank and I got back to my apartment. We sat for a while, then the buzzer rang. I heard Frank answer it.
“Yes?”
“It’s Sonny.”
“Let him up,” I said.
“Are you alone?” Frank asked.
“Frank!?”
“Yeah, I’m alone.”
Frank buzzed, then came back to the kitchen table. I handed him a cup of coffee, then there was a knock. I let Sonny in.
“Hey, Sonny,” I said. “Come sit, have some coffee.”
He nodded and took a seat, grabbing the cup I offered him. I sat next to Frank, who seemed bothered. I nudged him, and gave him a look to tell him that Sonny was my friend, it was okay.
“About Matt,” I said. “What’s the real deal with him?”
“Why?”
“He came to me today, and he wants to be friends. He’s not trying to like, use me for anything is he?”
“Not that I know of. He hasn’t mentioned anything.”
“Just as long as he doesn’t try anything to hurt any of us,” Frank said, almost sounding harsh.
“Frank? I’m sorry to act like this, but could you maybe let Sonny and I talk alone? Please?” I asked as nicely as I could.
Frank nodded and got up, walking away.
“Sorry, Sonny. He’s just skeptical that Matt said that to me. It’s been bothering him. Nothing against you.”
“No worries. Matt’s just been too normal lately. He seems to be working harder, and my take is that he wanted to start fresh, meaning not have anything negative be around him.”
I nodded, but I was still bothered. Something just seemed off, but I shook the feeling. I decided to change the subject, and go find Frank. He was doing something on the computer, so I dragged him back out to the living room. We started playing a video game, and then Sonny had to leave to go to work. He still had his part-time job to make money for the band. They all did, except for Matt.
Over the next couple of days, things went by as they normally would. I hd even talked to Matt a couple times, almost like old times. Then I got some words I really didn’t
want to hear. Frank and I were taking a lunch break together, staying in the lounge room together. That’s when he told me.
“I have to go away for a couple of days,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“It’s my grandpa, I think there’s something wrong with him, but my mom wouldn’t tell me anything. She just told me to come there ASAP.”
“Alone?”
He nodded. “I asked her if you could come, but she said that he doesn’t really know, and he doesn’t want to upset anyone if something is seriously wrong. I really don’t know how to explain it. I’m sorry, Lisa.”
“Frank? I understand. Family. You go and take care of your grandpa, take as much time as you need.”
“I leave tomorrow.”
That hit me a little hard, but I understood. I told him not to worry, and we started to talk about something else.
The next morning, we held each other at the airport. He gave me one last kiss before he headed away. I stood there for a moment, trying to hold back the tears. It was only going to be for a couple of days. I picked up my bag and started to head back for the exit to my car.
“Lisa!?” someone shouted behind me.
I turned to look, and unloading off one of the incoming flights were Steph and Gerard. I ran up to them and hugged Steph, nearly taking her down to the floor.
“Holy shit! I thought you guys weren’t coming back for another week!” I said excitedly.
“So did we. Something about a monsoon, or a bad storm, so we just decided to take an early flight back,” Steph said.
“Why are you even here?” Gerard asked.
“I was just seeing Frank onto a plane. Something’s wrong with his grandfather, so his mom wanted him to go back for a couple of days.”
“Oh my,” Steph said, suddenly sounding upset.
“I know. Well, you guys need a ride I assume?” I asked.
They followed me to my car and we headed away from the airport. They talked about their honeymoon, which was most of the ride. I dropped them off at their place and went back to my own. First day alone. I walked into my apartment, and it just felt odd. Lonely. I curled up on the couch with Tiger in my lap and the TV on. I was dozing off until I heard the buzzer.
“Yes?”
“It’s Sonny.”
“Let him up,” I said.
“Are you alone?” Frank asked.
“Frank!?”
“Yeah, I’m alone.”
Frank buzzed, then came back to the kitchen table. I handed him a cup of coffee, then there was a knock. I let Sonny in.
“Hey, Sonny,” I said. “Come sit, have some coffee.”
He nodded and took a seat, grabbing the cup I offered him. I sat next to Frank, who seemed bothered. I nudged him, and gave him a look to tell him that Sonny was my friend, it was okay.
“About Matt,” I said. “What’s the real deal with him?”
“Why?”
“He came to me today, and he wants to be friends. He’s not trying to like, use me for anything is he?”
“Not that I know of. He hasn’t mentioned anything.”
“Just as long as he doesn’t try anything to hurt any of us,” Frank said, almost sounding harsh.
“Frank? I’m sorry to act like this, but could you maybe let Sonny and I talk alone? Please?” I asked as nicely as I could.
Frank nodded and got up, walking away.
“Sorry, Sonny. He’s just skeptical that Matt said that to me. It’s been bothering him. Nothing against you.”
“No worries. Matt’s just been too normal lately. He seems to be working harder, and my take is that he wanted to start fresh, meaning not have anything negative be around him.”
I nodded, but I was still bothered. Something just seemed off, but I shook the feeling. I decided to change the subject, and go find Frank. He was doing something on the computer, so I dragged him back out to the living room. We started playing a video game, and then Sonny had to leave to go to work. He still had his part-time job to make money for the band. They all did, except for Matt.
Over the next couple of days, things went by as they normally would. I hd even talked to Matt a couple times, almost like old times. Then I got some words I really didn’t
want to hear. Frank and I were taking a lunch break together, staying in the lounge room together. That’s when he told me.
“I have to go away for a couple of days,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“It’s my grandpa, I think there’s something wrong with him, but my mom wouldn’t tell me anything. She just told me to come there ASAP.”
“Alone?”
He nodded. “I asked her if you could come, but she said that he doesn’t really know, and he doesn’t want to upset anyone if something is seriously wrong. I really don’t know how to explain it. I’m sorry, Lisa.”
“Frank? I understand. Family. You go and take care of your grandpa, take as much time as you need.”
“I leave tomorrow.”
That hit me a little hard, but I understood. I told him not to worry, and we started to talk about something else.
The next morning, we held each other at the airport. He gave me one last kiss before he headed away. I stood there for a moment, trying to hold back the tears. It was only going to be for a couple of days. I picked up my bag and started to head back for the exit to my car.
“Lisa!?” someone shouted behind me.
I turned to look, and unloading off one of the incoming flights were Steph and Gerard. I ran up to them and hugged Steph, nearly taking her down to the floor.
“Holy shit! I thought you guys weren’t coming back for another week!” I said excitedly.
“So did we. Something about a monsoon, or a bad storm, so we just decided to take an early flight back,” Steph said.
“Why are you even here?” Gerard asked.
“I was just seeing Frank onto a plane. Something’s wrong with his grandfather, so his mom wanted him to go back for a couple of days.”
“Oh my,” Steph said, suddenly sounding upset.
“I know. Well, you guys need a ride I assume?” I asked.
They followed me to my car and we headed away from the airport. They talked about their honeymoon, which was most of the ride. I dropped them off at their place and went back to my own. First day alone. I walked into my apartment, and it just felt odd. Lonely. I curled up on the couch with Tiger in my lap and the TV on. I was dozing off until I heard the buzzer.