You Can Run Away With Me Anytime You Want

My mind scrambled while my heart broke.

“I-A- Come in” I stammered, shocked at the sight in front of me.

Frank stepped in shyly and stood nervously in the kitchen.

“Come here” I frowned, furious at whoever had done this.

Frank flew into my arms and hugged me as tight as he could with the pillow still attached to him. He wept in heaving, heavy sobs that crushed against me. I had no idea anyone could cry so much and so profoundly, so desperately.

“Frank, what’s wrong?” I asked, urgently needing to know what was upsetting my fiancée.

“I-I-My M-” Frank tried, but the crushing sobs came to the surface again and took his breath.

I led Frank into the living room where Mikey’s face dropped then changed to deep concern.

“What’s up?” He asked only me.

“Dunno” I mouthed back.

I sat in the solo chair and sat him across my lap. His little arms wrapped around my neck and wept into my chest.

“Frank, baby, calm down. I’m here” I whispered in his ear, just loud enough so only he would hear. “Breathe”

Frank took a deep breath and only a few sobs escaped. “My mom kicked me out. I came home and she was stood at the door with my stuff in a bin liner. She said she couldn’t live with a sinner, that I was ruining her relationship with God. I said that I wasn’t going to apologise for being who I was, I can’t help being gay, and all I wanted was for her to accept me. She said she couldn’t as long as I was gay. I told her that there’s no way I can change my sexuality. She said, in that case, I wasn’t her son anymore and I needed to leave. I said I loved her and that I didn’t want to leave. I-S-She just looked at me and said as long as I loved a man she didn’t want me, that she never would again. I got really angry and I started shouting at her, telling her I couldn’t give a fuck and that I love you, and that because I have you, I don’t need anyone else. She just looked at me and handed me this fucking pillow, none of my stuff. She said she’d burn it because it was touched by a fag, and I couldn’t have my duvet because fags and been together on it” Frank shook.

“Oh baby” I pulled him to me and cradled him. It killed me to see him like this, for me to have to comfort him.

“I’m so sorry. Look, if you wanna end this, I-” It broke my heart to even think it, let alone say it.

“Fuck off. I’m not gonna call off our wedding-Wait, does Mikey know?” Frank fretted.

He cared about the little stuff like that even when we’d been through all that.

“Yeah, baby” I kissed him gently and he took hold of my face with his warm, big hands, deepening our kiss.

“I love you so much” He whispered against my lips.

“I love you”

Frank rested on my shoulder again, his arms around my neck and my opposite shoulder. I wrapped my arms around his hips and rested my head on his hair.

Battlestar Galactica was still playing, and we watched it for ten minutes until the Chinese came.

Mikey went to go get it, and as soon as he was out the door, Frank pulled my face down to his and kissed me passionately, his tongue swirling softly in my mouth.

“Thank you. I’m so grateful for you and without you I wouldn’t have had the courage to even walk over here, I’d have-Well, I’d have ended it. Everything…Me” Frank confided in me, right to my face.

“Don’t ever say that. Or do it. I’m so glad I was here to stop you” I was full with fear at just the thought of him doing that.

“Me too” He kissed me again and I was so grateful for him, too.

“You want something to eat?” I asked him.

“What is it?”

“Well, we ordered beef and mushroom, so there’s only gonna be rice. I didn’t think, I’m so sorry, baby”

“How were you to know that I’d come crying over here? You have it, I’ll be fine”

“Shut up, I’m not letting you not eat. I’ll make you something”

“You know vegan recipes?” Frank raised an eyebrow, and I was ecstatic to see another emotion on his face than fear and hurt.

“No, but I’ll…Improvise” I shrugged, scanning my mind for anything that was un-meat orientated.

Frank took my lips again and kissed me beautifully.

“You kinda make my heart burst”

“It makes my brain and heart explode when you say things like that, that I make you feel like that”

“Marry me”

“I think we’ve already addressed that”

“I just needed to say it again”

“I liked hearing it again”

We kissed and my heart exploded, just like I knew it would, just like it always did when I kissed him.

“We going to bed soon?” Frank asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

“I wanna be closer to you. I like sleeping with you, I sleep best like that” Frank snuggled into me.

“Aw, that’s so sweet. And ditto, baby. Lets eat first, though. I’m fucking starving” I moaned, my stomach rumbling appropriately.

Frank stood up and helped me get my balance. He held my hand tightly and looked at me intently. “Baby, I’m really not hungry, and I don’t wanna crash your night with Mikey. I’ll just crash here”

“What are you talking about, you’re not crashing my night! But if you wanna stay in here, that’s OK”
“OK. I don’t wanna intrude, and I just need some time to, you know…Take it in” Frank sighed, a weak smile on his face.

“Of course you do. I’m in the kitchen if you need me” I said, tugging on his hand.

“OK. Love you”

“Love you more”

I walked into the kitchen to see Mikey scoffing everything but the table, and I was sure he’d have a chunk of that too if it was covered in mushroom sauce.

“So how’s he doing?” Mikey spoke around the food stuffed in his mouth.

“Shhh!” I warned. Frank would get self-conscious about us talking about him.

“Sorry. So?” He whispered.

I grabbed my food and peeled the lids off, sliding into the chair beside Mikey.

“He’s really torn up, man. His mom just won’t accept him and he’s obviously crushed. He’s really depressed, he just can’t stop dwelling on it, of course. It’s really hit him hard, though” I said, becoming more worried about him.

“Do you think his mom’ll let him back home?”

“I doubt it. The thing is, dude I-” I leaned in closer so there was no danger Frank would hear, “I have no idea how to handle this. This is way above my ability, man. What am I gonna do? I need to help him, and I want to. I just don’t know how. I feel so fucking inadequate. If I get this wrong… We break up. And that-” My voice quivered and my stomach lurched at just the thought of Frank not being mine.

“Hey, you being here is enough for him. All he needs is to know is you want to be here for him, that means more than anything. You don’t need to try harder, you’ve pulled him through everything else. All he needs is you. I think you’re more than capable of that” Mikey comforted me, showing me just how mature he was.

I sighed, shuffling my food around the plate, knowing Mikey was right.

“Did any of what I just said make sense?” Mikey asked, a confused look on his face.

“Yeah. Every bit” I said.

“Cool”

I eventually ate, and finished every single rice grain. I rushed back into the lounge and Frank was watching TV, curled into a ball on the single chair.

“You OK?” I asked, stood over him.

“Hm-Mm. Enjoy your Chinese?” He asked politely and quietly. He got up, letting me sit down, and sat on my lap, taking his former position as if we hadn’t moved.

“Yeah. I just feel bad for not feeding you! I promise I’ll make you something awesome tomorrow. How about… Organic pizza!”

“That sounds awesome! I can’t wait. But, I mean, I don’t wanna be fussy, but you’re gonna need to get non-dairy cheese. And tomato puree. And bread. And flour.” Frank cringed, like he was embarrassed.

“Cool. Looks like I’m going hiking tomorrow” I smiled.

“You don’t have to I-”

“Shut up, I want to”

“Thanks” He smiled lightly, kissing my cheek. “You’re the best”

“I try”

He smiled and I was happier. He kissed me passionately, so passionately that I was pushed against the sofa with the force of him. Frank’s eye’s were clamped shut, he seemed happier than he’d been all night.

“You taste like beef” Frank licked his lips seductively.

“Is that a good thing?”

“For a starving vegan, yes”

He kissed me again powerfully, and I let myself relax into the rhythm of my fiancée’s lips.

“Do you realise this is what our life will be like when we’re married?” Frank said.

“I was just thinking that!”

“Serious? Whoa.”

“Is it OK if I have, like… a nap. I’m really tired. Whole things just sorta knocked me out” He shuffled.

“Yeah, of course. You wanna go upstairs?” I asked.

“Nah, you’re comfier”

Frank snuggled into my chest and fell asleep quietly purring every now and again. He murmured my name sometimes which made me giggle with warmth.