Come One, Come All to This Tragic Affair

Having Frank home makes me realize just how much I missed him. I loved waking up and being able to hear him breathing next to me.
This was another one of those times when I woke up a lot earlier than Frank and then couldn’t fall back asleep. It was also another one of those times when I lay there and watched him sleep like a creepy stalker.
Someone knocked on the door, three short raps and one long one. I slid out of the bed quietly and opened the door to find Dana and Patrick.
My sister- and brother-in-law.
Danny’s siblings.
“Hey Jaden.” Dana gave me a smile that was half affection, half pity. I hugged her and then Patrick, trying to contain my panic. Frank would probably sleep for a while longer and if I closed my bedroom door they wouldn’t see him.
“So how’ve you been Jadey?” Patrick asked, making himself comfortable on my couch.
“Good. I’ve been doing well.” I was nodding like a bobble-head and I had to force myself to stop.
“You look great.” Dana piped up.
“Look, don’t take this the wrong way but why did you come over?” I decided to be blunt. “I mean, I’m happy to see you guys but you usually call before you come visit.”
“Our mom’s been asking about you. She’s worried about you.” Dana said slowly. “After we lost Danny it was like you didn’t want to have anything to do with us.”
“It hurt too much to be around you guys.” I didn’t feel the need to elaborate any more than that.
“We understand that, but it’s been almost two years Jaden. You were a part of our family for a long time and now you don’t even want to see us.” Patrick always did annoy me the most.
I was spared from having to answer that by Frank appearing, wearing only sweatpants and bleary eyed, from my bedroom.
“Jaden?” He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes like a little kid. “Oh, shit.” He’d spotted them.
I could see Dana and Patrick taking in his abundance of tattoos and his piercings, on top of his undressed state and the fact that he’d emerged from my bedroom.
“Uh, hi.” Frank waved half-heartedly. “Jadey, can I talk to you for a sec?” I practically bolted into my bedroom, dragging him in behind me. “Who are they?”
“Danny’s siblings. They came to visit me because apparently they want me to still be part of their family.” I explained quickly.
“And I just totally blew your cover.” He sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want to hide you. I love you, we’re having a baby, and the whole world can know and I wouldn’t care. Now come on, I’m gonna introduce you guys.”
“Can I put a shirt on first?” I waited while he tugged a black t-shirt over his head.
“Dana, Patrick, this is my boyfriend Frank. Frank, these are Danny’s siblings, Dana and Patrick.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Frank flashed his usual little-boy smile.
“You too.” Dana had a very open face and I could tell she wasn’t lying. Patrick on the other hand looked a little upset.
“He’s the reason I’m still breathing, Patrick.” I said quietly. “He’s the reason I survived losing Danny.” Frank put his arm around my waist comfortingly.
“I understand that. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, but I understand it.” Patrick shrugged. “Can we tell Mom?”
“Your mom will probably take the news better than mine did.” I winced at the memory.
“Oh that’s right, your mom was big on the whole “widowed for life” thing.” Dana made a face.
“Yeah, she wasn’t thrilled. But if she ever wants to see her grandkids, she’ll get used to it.” I shrugged.
“Grandkids? You’re pregnant?” Dana jumped right on that.
“Couple months along.” I let her do the requisite belly rub that Charlie did every fucking time she saw me.
“It was good seeing you Jadey. You and Frank should have dinner with us sometime.” Dana said, kissing my cheek.
Yeah that won’t be awkward at all. My mother-in-law, her kids, and my baby daddy.
“Sure.” I said, a bright smile on my face. Hell no. I hugged Patrick goodbye and slumped against the door after it had closed behind them.
“You’re a shitty liar.” Frank chuckled, putting his hands on either side of my head.
“That’s just because you know me well.”
“Inside and out.” He grinned. I pushed against his chest gently and went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea for myself and some coffee for Frank.
“Frankie?”
“Yeah babe?”
“You fucking suck because you can have coffee.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“You can have decaf.” He scanned the list of foods that were off-limits for me that was stuck to the fridge with a cow magnet.
“I’ll have to remember to buy some later.” I wrote it on the grocery list. He started coughing, a wet hacking cough that sounded painful. “And I guess I’ll get some cough meds for you while I’m out.”
“I probably have some in my apartment.” He grabbed a napkin and spit into it.
“Mikey and Gee weren’t kidding about you getting sick a lot.”
“Just because they have good immune systems.”
“You have the immune system of a blueberry muffin apparently.”
“I have to get them to stop talking to you. They’re ruining my rep.” I pushed his long hair off his face so I could kiss him.
“No one could ruin you for me.” I winked and headed into my bedroom, cup of tea in hand. The gallery was closed today so I spent it cuddling in bed with Frank.
Great way to spend the day if you ask me.