We Love Like Vampires.
Hello disease.
Frank gawked at me and my stomach sank when he didn’t say it back immediately. I groaned, slugging him over my shoulder and brought him into the emergency room and began to fill out the papers while Frank hid his face in a AARP magazine. I handed back the documents to the clerk and waited nervously and impatiently to be called. A doctor came out finally, calling Frank’s name and lead us both to a hospital room.
“What doesn’t feel good, Frank?” He asked as I shifted in the chair next to Frank’s hospital bed. I was unnerved seeing Frank being hooked up to an iv and a heart monitor. His heart beat used to be so comforting, but seeing it blinking on a screen frightened me. I swallowed, staring down at my feet. “I have a headache and a sore throat,” he mumbled softly, itching at his upper arm that was covered by his t-shirt. The doctor asked a small, “may I?” before rolling up his sleeve to reveal a growing rash.
“I think we’ll run some blood tests,” he said and disappeared out of the room. I scooted my chair closer to Frank and offered him my hand, which he firmly squeezed. I swallowed, getting out of my chair and curling up next him and felt his head bury itself into my shoulder. I may have been wrong, but he might have been crying. I hugged him tight, watching as the doctor came back into the room. I gave him a kiss on the top of his little faux hawked head and went back into my chair.
I took one look at the needle and reached for Frank’s hand, squeezing my eyes shut. I hated needles. I hated them with a bloody fucking passion. “They’re done, Gee,” I heard Frank whisper and I opened my eyes seeing the doctor offer me a weak smile and take the vials of blood out of the room to be tested. I looked at him, “Do you want some coffee, or something? Orange juice? Uh, anything?” Frank nodded wearily, telling me get him some food, coffee and orange juice. Before I left, I gave him a small kiss and walked into the hallway. “Where’s the cafeteria?” I asked and went in the direction.
I returned with what Frank had ordered, plus an extra cup of coffee. Even in the afterlife I still loved coffee. When I came back in, the doctor was meeting with Frank. They seemed to be waiting for me. I set the tray full of coffee, orange juice and macaroni and cheese next to Frank. “What’s going on?” I asked nervously, setting down my coffee next to me because my hands were shaking. The doctor fidgeted with the test results in his hand.
“I have some bad news.” My breath hitched in my throat and clenched my fists, preparing myself to hear the worst. “Frank, it says here that you have a weak immune system. These tests results have come in positive for HIV and AIDS, I’ll give you both some time,” he said before ducking out of the room. Once he was gone I instantly got into bed next to Frank and pulled him into my chest, letting him cry. This was all my fault.
“What doesn’t feel good, Frank?” He asked as I shifted in the chair next to Frank’s hospital bed. I was unnerved seeing Frank being hooked up to an iv and a heart monitor. His heart beat used to be so comforting, but seeing it blinking on a screen frightened me. I swallowed, staring down at my feet. “I have a headache and a sore throat,” he mumbled softly, itching at his upper arm that was covered by his t-shirt. The doctor asked a small, “may I?” before rolling up his sleeve to reveal a growing rash.
“I think we’ll run some blood tests,” he said and disappeared out of the room. I scooted my chair closer to Frank and offered him my hand, which he firmly squeezed. I swallowed, getting out of my chair and curling up next him and felt his head bury itself into my shoulder. I may have been wrong, but he might have been crying. I hugged him tight, watching as the doctor came back into the room. I gave him a kiss on the top of his little faux hawked head and went back into my chair.
I took one look at the needle and reached for Frank’s hand, squeezing my eyes shut. I hated needles. I hated them with a bloody fucking passion. “They’re done, Gee,” I heard Frank whisper and I opened my eyes seeing the doctor offer me a weak smile and take the vials of blood out of the room to be tested. I looked at him, “Do you want some coffee, or something? Orange juice? Uh, anything?” Frank nodded wearily, telling me get him some food, coffee and orange juice. Before I left, I gave him a small kiss and walked into the hallway. “Where’s the cafeteria?” I asked and went in the direction.
I returned with what Frank had ordered, plus an extra cup of coffee. Even in the afterlife I still loved coffee. When I came back in, the doctor was meeting with Frank. They seemed to be waiting for me. I set the tray full of coffee, orange juice and macaroni and cheese next to Frank. “What’s going on?” I asked nervously, setting down my coffee next to me because my hands were shaking. The doctor fidgeted with the test results in his hand.
“I have some bad news.” My breath hitched in my throat and clenched my fists, preparing myself to hear the worst. “Frank, it says here that you have a weak immune system. These tests results have come in positive for HIV and AIDS, I’ll give you both some time,” he said before ducking out of the room. Once he was gone I instantly got into bed next to Frank and pulled him into my chest, letting him cry. This was all my fault.
♠ ♠ ♠
xo