We walked back to our motel room, Frank limping.
“I’m sorry, baby.”
He shook his head and stayed quiet. I bit my lip and opened the door. Frank limped in and collapsed on the bed. I watched him curl up in the foetus position and frowned. He’d been doing that a lot recently. I looked him up and down and then stared at his stomach. He had a prominent bump. I gritted my teeth. Why did Frank look pregnant? Fear hit me and I sat on the bed. Was my lover pregnant? Would he know? He didn’t seem to know. Thoughts rushed through my head and I gently placed my hand on his stomach. He flinched and hissed lightly. I removed my hand quickly. He settled back down.
“Oh, Frankie, are we gonna be parents?”
“Yes.”
I stared at him.
“You’re awake? More importantly, y-you’re pregnant?”
He nodded and sat up, rubbing his stomach.
“I only just found out myself, baby.”
“We’re gonna have a baby?”
Frank nodded.
“Yes, we are, Gee-Bear.”
I laughed and hugged him, pushing our lips together. He kissed me back, playing with his hair. I nuzzled his neck, smiling.
“We need names, Frankie.”
He chuckled and lay back down.
“Eager much, Gee?”
I pulled a face and he laughed.
“I wanna name our baby!”
He smiled.
“What do you think for a boy then?”
I stared out the window into the darkness beyond and racked my brains.
“Mikey Ray.”
Frank smiled.
“I like that.”
I nodded.
“If it’s a boy we’ll name it Michael Ray.”
“And if it’s a girl?”
I stared out the window again.
“Bandit Michelle.”
I heard Frank laughed and I looked at him.
“It’s perfect.”
I lay next to my lover and cuddled up to him. Frank lay his head on my chest and I reached my hand over to gently stroke his stomach.
“I can’t wait for our little baby, Frankie.”
“Neither can I, Gee-Bear.”
I kissed him and then pulled the covers over us, both of us falling asleep.
I woke in the morning to find Frank packing clothes. I frowned.
“Frankie? What are you doing?”
“We need to leave here, Gerard.”
I frowned at his use of my full name.
“Why?”
“Because we do.”
“I don’t understand.”
“JUST COME ON!”
I jumped before getting up and dressing. Tears welled up. I loved him so why was he doing this? Did he love me? All my old insecurities came rushing back as I packed my things. I listened to Frank mumbling.
“Break through on the Chris Cerulli murder case. Bullshit. Is it? Do they know anything new?”
Why was he getting worked up over the death of someone we went to school with? I frowned. Frank had been running through the woods when I found him. I froze. Had Frank hurt Chris? I stared at him. He grabbed his stomach and groaned. I rushed over.
“Baby?”
“It’s moving about and it hurts.”
I frowned and hugged him tightly. He hugged back and I smiled.
“Let’s get going, Gee, or we’re gonna get caught or something.”
I nodded and grabbed our bags. Frank opened the door and we walked out together.