FicWad

“You’re doing Great, Frankie!” Boomed Gerard’s encouraging voice.
Gerard had been waiting for this for so long, all those hours of chatting to what seemed like himself, while Frank lay immobile on his hospital bed, all those sleepless nights when the image of his still body replayed itself in Gerard’s mind, all those concert dates they had cancelled. Just hearing Frank’s voice again would make everything worthwhile.
So far, Frank’s imitations of a gold fish were very accurate, but he was still unable to speak any words from the English language, yet he had recited the alphabet once after a long, tiring struggle.
“So, Frank.” The Speech Therapist Said, “Dr. Workman has told me you’ve been practicing speech a lot lately, Would you like to show – or tell even, Gerard and I What you’ve learned so far?”
Frank nodded and cleared his throat, as if he were making an important speech.
“My…. N-Name…. is….” He Grunted, his face tightly screwed up in concentration, “F-Fuh-rank… Eye-Ear-Ohh..”
At this point he gazed up at Gerard, a look of pure Triumph on his face, his eyes gleaming. Gerard stared back into those chocolaty eyes and gave his friend a broad grin.
“That’s awesome! Well, done Frank!!” He Exclaimed, and bent down to his friends wheelchair and gave him a warm hug.
The young, beaming speech therapist looked on at the two men in their celebratory embrace for a moment, and unwillingly interrupted them.
“Uhhm, Mr Way.. Would it be ok if we took Frank back to his bed now?” She asked, as Gerard pulled away quickly, almost embarrassedly and nodded in reply.
“Of Course, yeah.” He said hurriedly, and began to wheel Frank’s chair out of the therapy office and down the white corridor to his hospital room. Gerard opened the door and pushed Frankie into the ever familiar hospital room. Frank’s bedside table was littered with Gifts and Cards from his friends, each containing encouraging messages to their beloved friend. The amount of cards written from fans was phenomenal. Poems, drawings, and websites had been made in reply to Frank’s sudden illness. Inside Gerard’s card he had written a poem for Frank, it wasn’t really a well written one, but Gerard had often seen Frank pull the card out from its safely kept place under his pillow, and re-read Gerard’s untidy scrawl across the page when he thought Gerard was soundly sleeping next to his bed.
Gerard placed a firm grip under Frank’s arms and hoisted him gently up onto his bed.
He’s always so gentle.. Frank thought, as Gerard smoothed his bed sheets and checked that Frank was comfortable.
Those few hours that Frank was alone, he would often ponder as to why Gerard was so dedicated to him. Yes- the rest of the band visited quite often, but Gerard never failed to be at his bedside, he turned up to all of his therapy appointments, rain or shine, he even stayed some nights, just watching over Frank.
“Is this Yours??” Gerard enquired, interrupting Frank’s thoughts. Frank turned his neck to look at Gerard, he had gained the use of his neck and his arms after many grueling sessions of Physio. Gerard held a sheet of paper with many squiggles on it, which were barely illegible, but all bore the same word – “Frank”.
Frank nodded slowly, he had spent many nights just scribbling down that same word. He had used Gerard’s card as something to copy from. Progressively the random lines began to look slightly like words.
“Wow…” Gerard Continued, “This is Awesome, babe!”
Babe?!! Gerard gave himself a mental slap, but to his relief Frank didn’t seem to have noticed, or if he had, he had brushed it off, as he usually would with his laid back attitude.
Frank muttered a barely audible “Thanks” and glanced sideways to where sat his cup of water, Straw poised, ready for Frank to sip. Gerard was quick to notice where his friends gaze was directed.
“Want some water??”
Frank nodded as Gerard picked up the cup and placed the straw gingerly onto Frank’s lips. Frank had always been independent, Gerard knew it must be awful to be reduced to being incapable to even voice his own thoughts to other people. As Frank sipped slowly, Gerard could sense the sadness and hopelessness in Frank’s eyes. Frank’s lips parted as an indication and Gerard extracted the straw from his mouth, Frank nodded in thanks, and nestled his head into his pillow lightly, his eyelids growing increasingly heavy by the second.
“I’m gonna go now Frank, Okay?? But I’ll be back tomorrow, I Promise.” Were the last words spoken from Gerard’s lips before the click of the door shutting could be heard towards the end of his room, but Frank couldn’t rest until he had done one thing. Quickly but surreptitiously, he pulled out a card from under his pillow, he read through it, for what would have been at least the 100th time, but to Frank it was as if the words imprinted on the paper had never been read by him before. As his eyes rapidly scaled the paper before him, his lips curved into a smile. He then replaced the card under his plump, white pillow and allowed himself to have a peaceful, undisturbed sleep.


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I Missed an English Essay and a TON of maths homework for this chapter.... Hopefully it was worth it.