The world around Frankie moved sluggishly.
“It’s Travis, he’s been in an accident.” The words bounced around in Frankie’s head like a tennis ball that had been whacked against the wall at full force.
‘Breathe Frankie, breathe.’ Frankie could hear his boyfriend say to him.
“Frankie you still there?” Travis’s brother Mario said into the phone.
Frankie was flung back into reality.
“Yeah, I’m here. Is he okay?” Frankie asked.
Mario inhaled through his teeth and the sound was like a blade being dragged across Frankie’s heart.
“He’s gonna be fine, just meet us at the hospital. I’m sending the address now.” Mario said.
Hospital! Only dying people go to the hospital!
Every time that Frankie went into a hospital, he always came out with one less loved one. His mother, his father, and both of his brothers, they’d all gone to the hospital and ended up in the morgue.
“Deep breaths Frankie. Deep breaths.” He said to himself.
“Let me talk to him.” Frankie heard Travis say.
There was a shuffle, the sound of whaling sirens making Frankie feel as though the lunch he’d had merely an hour ago was about to make a reappearance.
“Babe, I’m fine. Well not completely peachy but nothing life threatening.” Said Travis.
“What hospital are you headed to? I’m coming.” Frankie said as he rushed to the door to grab his keys and put on his shoes.
“It’s not that bad babe. I’ll probably get a couple of stitches and a cast and be on my way. You really don’t need to come, babe. ” Travis said.
Travis knew all about his boyfriend’s hospital anxiety, and the two had been working on helping Frankie overcome it, but Travis knew this would be too much. He wasn’t completely fine, but not completely bent out of shape either. But with his cuts and scrapes combined with the fact that he was headed to the very same hospital Frankie’s parents had died in, Travis feared it would be a little too much for his boyfriend.
Frankie sighed, knowing that Travis was thinking of him, and his PTSD but Frankie wanted to be there, supporting the man he loved more than anything.
“Here, how about once I get to the ER, I’ll call you back and you can listen to everything.” Travis suggested.
Frankie practically melted; here Travis was, injured and probably in a lot of pain yet he was still thinking of Frankie and his comfort.
“I love you.” Frankie sighed into the phone.
“I love you too. I’ll call you back when I see the doc or whatever.” Travis said.
After hanging up the phone, Frankie decided to put some of those breathing exercises his therapist had taught him to use.
Then, as Frankie felt a wave of calmness wash over him, his phone began to ring again.
Unlike in the ambulance, this call was a regular phone call and not a FaceTime call, which Frankie was thankful for.
Thankfully all Travis had were a couple of bruised ribs and a broken leg.
The doctor prescribed some painkillers, which Travis and Frankie later agreed Travis wouldn’t be taking, and after putting on his cast, the doctor sent Travis on his way.
Since Travis had wrecked his car, Frankie drove up to the hospital and picked up Travis and Mario, and after getting ice cream and dropping Mario off at home, the boyfriends headed back to their house where Frankie proceeded to wait on Travis hand and foot until he was better again.