Take Me By The Hand

Chapter FortySeven

“I’m not wearing that.” I fold my arms across my chest defiantly, glowering at the outfit Josh has lying across the bed for me. I turn to Mikey for some help, gesturing with one hand to the clothing. “Please tell Josh I’m not wearing that.”

Mikey grimaces and looks over at Josh, shrugging uselessly.

Huffing out a sigh, my frown deepens. “Where the hell did you even get a dress?”

“I bought it when I got your other maternity stuff.” Josh explains. He looks down at the dress, studying the floral fabric. “Look, who is going to recognize you if you wear a dress?”

I look over to Mikey again, hoping for some support here because there is NO WAY IN HELL I’M WEARING A FLOWERED DRESS. But Mikey is watching me already, and his expression is not reassuring. “Josh is right,” He admits. “No one will recognize you.” But before I can yell at him, he shifts his gaze to Josh. “But Frank is right, too. This is bound to call attention. Isn’t there something less obvious he can wear?”

Josh looks dejected when he sighs in defeat. “Fine. But it’s a pretty fucking dress and if you’re not going to wear it, I am.” He grabs the dress off the bed and holds it up in front of himself. Against his pale skin and blue hair, it somehow looks like it could fit. Still, Josh’s attire is not my concern right now.

“Thank you.” I run one hand through my hair and place the other on my stomach. It’s growling right now, demanding food, but Bob had reminded me a few times now that I couldn’t eat until after the CTscan. Ray promised he would get me Taco Bell as soon as it was over. “Now what am I supposed to wear?”

Mikey goes to the dresser on the far wall of the bedroom, now overflowing with various maternity shirts and jeans of different sizes. He rifles through a few pairs until he finds a pair that looks about my size, tossing them to me and pulling free a sweatshirt. Simple black. Nothing to draw attention to make me look different from any other man at the hospital. On the outside, at least. On the inside was a completely different story.

The hospital is lively, even at six o’clock in the morning. The parking lot is fuller than I thought it would be, though I can’t tell the difference between employees cars and visitors. The sun is only barely beginning to show over the distant horizon, the entire building looking gray under the dull orange light. Ray and Bob climb out of the car first, both looking determined and sure in their movements. I envy them, their ability to act like this is completely normal. My heart is pounding against my chest as soon as I slide out of the backseat. Gerard is on one side of me, Mikey on my other. When I glance up, they’re looking at each other, seeming to have one of their silent conversations again. This time, it annoys me that I can’t understand.

“What?” I demand. I look between the two of them. Mikey quirks an eyebrow at Gerard and his eyes flash to me for a split second. Gerard returns this with a frown and sighs softly before his gaze shifts to me.

“Bob told us that no one is allowed to go in with you,” He blurts out. It takes me a second to comprehend his words and then I look over to Mikey to see him frowning down at me. I can’t do this alone. I’m already freaking out and we’re still in the parking lot. How am I supposed to do this alone?!

“Don’t worry, Frankie,” Mikey says, trying his best to sound calm. There’s an edge of discontent in his voice and I can tell he’s not happy about leaving me alone either. “We’re going to be on the other side of the wall, okay? Literally just through the glass. We’ll be able to see you the whole time and Bob said there’s an intercom inside the machine. You’ll be able to hear us.”

Somehow, this doesn’t ease my nerves. I feel Gerard’s hand slip into mine, squeezing once. I try to focus on the way his fingers feel between mine, his strong and sure while mine shake slightly. I swallow hard, forcing a nod. “Okay.”