September Skies

Gerard's face froze like stone, suddenly he was the perfect statue of guilt, the statue of confusion.

"Where did you learn that?" He asked, not wanting to give me eyecontact or anything at all for that matter.

The heat boiled up and pricked my skin. "Is it real?!" I shreiked.

Dad touched my face with both hands, his eyes swam in regret. "It's okay, okay? Don't be worried."

I touched his wrists and clutched them with heavy grip." Worried? Dad, I'm more than worried. Why didn't you tell me earlier?" I sobbed.

"Why didn't you tell anyone for that matter? Mom only knows. . .dad." I continued. I wanted to explode. My heart felt like it wanted to explode too into little tiny pieces. My body wanted to collapse. The pain was unbearable.

"Kaehl, I --I wanted to tell you. I didn't want you to worry." Dad said. Gerard started to cry, he was teary eyed, he looked like he regreted everything. Next thing, the tears streamed silently.

Frank looked at Gerard eye-to-eye. "You didn't tell me either. . ." He mumbled softly. Frank's eyes were red and his head, hung.

"Frank." Gerard whispered. "I didn't want to let you worry either."

"How could you Gerard!? I thought i was your bestfriend! I thought you could tell me anything!" Frank stormed.

"That is exactly why I couldn't tell you! You'd try to help me!" Dad said, glaring at Frank. Gerard's eyes were coated with sorrow. My heart wanted to defend him, defend him badly, but all that was blocked by pain.

"And what if i wanted to? Why wouldn't I , even!?" Frank yelled.

Gerard sighed and looked down. "No one can save me right now, I know my death is near."

It was my turn, I rose from my corner. "But you said not to worry! Now you're telling us that you're death is near?! Dadd." I shouted, the tears spilled.

"You don't need to worry. I'll be okay for now, please Kaehl." Dad had nothing else to say, the sobs were more evident.

"Dad, I can't worry. Now, that I know my time with you is limited." I whispered softly.

He couldn't speak, he looked at me and breathed unevenly. "I would risk my life to be with you Kaehl, you know that." Then he wiped away my tears with his thumb.

And through my pale sorrowed skin. . .I smiled. I actually did.

"It will be alright okay? Everything's fine. . .I'm not dead yet. Everything's okay." the soothing words slipped. Those were the words I wanted to hear, the ones that made me feel better.

But it's sad. . .i could hear the doubt. Doubt was powerful.

"Gee. . .don't die." Frank whispered.

"I won't . . .not yet. You know I can't leave you Frankie."

Then suddenly, i wrapped dad in a hug as Frank did. He hugged us back, Frank looked at me, I looked back at him and both are faces expressed the same feeling.

doubt, confusion, calm, anger, misery, sadness, deep depression, . . .was there a small percentage of relief?

In one unexpected fall, Gerard collapsed.

dad collapsed. . .

Right on our very arms, Gerard fainted.

"DADDD!" I screamed and shook him as his head hit the floor with a thud.

"Geee!" Frank yelled after me. Gerard's body fell right on my bedroom floor, cold. . .pale. . silent. . .

I shook him and when he didn't budge, when he didn't open his beautiful eyes, the ones I've known my whole life, my hatred for life tingled around my spine. . .

"Dad!. . .DAD!!" I yelled. I was about to get a pail of water when Frank stopped me. . .

"Kaehl, let's bring him to the hospital. Gerard fainted. . ."