Salvation
Chapter 7
It had been exactly one week, two days, five hours and seventeen minutes since Frank Iero had kissed me. Not that it had been playing on my mind or anything.
“Gerard? Gerard, hello? Anyone in there?” Abbi’s hand waving in front of my face pulled me reluctantly out of my reverie.
“Hmm?” I looked at her, biting my lip, wondering exactly what she had been taking about when I had zoned out, thinking back exactly one week, two days, five hours and now eighteen minutes ago.
“What has been up with you this last week or so? You barely said two words at the last two social planning meetings and that’s so unlike you! Something’s clearly on your mind, you should talk to me about it, maybe I can help.” I smiled vacantly at her thinking it was unlikely.
“I’m fine Abbi, it’s just been a strange month.” Her eyes narrowed very slightly.
“Does this have anything to do with that man you were having lunch with last week?”
“What? No! Okay, well maybe…okay, yes.”
“I’m worried about you Gerard, you aren’t thinking about giving into any type of temptation are you?”
“No! Not at all!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, why?”
“I’ve seen that Frank character around town before Gerard, you know he’s a homosexual, right?”
“I know Abbi, that’s why I’m putting p with him an his games. I can slowly bring him to God’s light, where he belongs, but with someone like Frank, it takes time and patience. Trust me Abigail, it is God’s will.”
“I do trust you Gerard, and I trust God, I’m just worried. You know that Lucifer is always out on the prowl for souls he can taint.”
“I know you’re worried Abigail, and I’m grateful, but you need not be. I’m also grateful for your help tonight. I’m not too bad with the domestic stuff usually but I was a bit out of my depth here.” I laughed, gesturing to my white shirt that she had cleaned the large red wine stain out of and which was now spinning in the washing machine.
“It’s fine! You need to get yourself a wife Gerard. I can’t believe you’ve never had a red wine stain before.”
“I don’t drink all too often, I just needed a glass tonight to de-stress, you know?”
“Gerard, I know exactly what you mean,” she laughed. “Well, I’ll leave you in peace for your Saturday evening. Call me any-time if you need anything.”
“I will, thanks again Abbi.” I stood in my doorway as she walked down the garden path and climbed into her car, waiting until I could no longer see her before I closed the door. Then I collapsed onto my sofa and was reaching out for my Bible for some evening reading when a loud and desperate knock sounded on my door.
I set the Holy Book carefully down on my coffee table again, sighing and stretching as I stood up.
I straightened out my fresh, clean shirt before I pulled open the door.
“Gerard.” Frank instantly said my name. I gasped slightly; his eyes were slightly red and puffy as if he’d been crying and he was shaking slightly.
“Frank?” I was instantly worried, I could never have even imagined him looking so weak.
“Gerard, I – Gerard, I have cancer.”
“Gerard? Gerard, hello? Anyone in there?” Abbi’s hand waving in front of my face pulled me reluctantly out of my reverie.
“Hmm?” I looked at her, biting my lip, wondering exactly what she had been taking about when I had zoned out, thinking back exactly one week, two days, five hours and now eighteen minutes ago.
“What has been up with you this last week or so? You barely said two words at the last two social planning meetings and that’s so unlike you! Something’s clearly on your mind, you should talk to me about it, maybe I can help.” I smiled vacantly at her thinking it was unlikely.
“I’m fine Abbi, it’s just been a strange month.” Her eyes narrowed very slightly.
“Does this have anything to do with that man you were having lunch with last week?”
“What? No! Okay, well maybe…okay, yes.”
“I’m worried about you Gerard, you aren’t thinking about giving into any type of temptation are you?”
“No! Not at all!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, why?”
“I’ve seen that Frank character around town before Gerard, you know he’s a homosexual, right?”
“I know Abbi, that’s why I’m putting p with him an his games. I can slowly bring him to God’s light, where he belongs, but with someone like Frank, it takes time and patience. Trust me Abigail, it is God’s will.”
“I do trust you Gerard, and I trust God, I’m just worried. You know that Lucifer is always out on the prowl for souls he can taint.”
“I know you’re worried Abigail, and I’m grateful, but you need not be. I’m also grateful for your help tonight. I’m not too bad with the domestic stuff usually but I was a bit out of my depth here.” I laughed, gesturing to my white shirt that she had cleaned the large red wine stain out of and which was now spinning in the washing machine.
“It’s fine! You need to get yourself a wife Gerard. I can’t believe you’ve never had a red wine stain before.”
“I don’t drink all too often, I just needed a glass tonight to de-stress, you know?”
“Gerard, I know exactly what you mean,” she laughed. “Well, I’ll leave you in peace for your Saturday evening. Call me any-time if you need anything.”
“I will, thanks again Abbi.” I stood in my doorway as she walked down the garden path and climbed into her car, waiting until I could no longer see her before I closed the door. Then I collapsed onto my sofa and was reaching out for my Bible for some evening reading when a loud and desperate knock sounded on my door.
I set the Holy Book carefully down on my coffee table again, sighing and stretching as I stood up.
I straightened out my fresh, clean shirt before I pulled open the door.
“Gerard.” Frank instantly said my name. I gasped slightly; his eyes were slightly red and puffy as if he’d been crying and he was shaking slightly.
“Frank?” I was instantly worried, I could never have even imagined him looking so weak.
“Gerard, I – Gerard, I have cancer.”