The Hardest Part Is Letting Go Of Your Dreams

My phone keeps buzzing for a while before it finally stops and I close my eyes, begging sleep to take me away for a while so I can escape the pain that's now spread throughout my whole body. I'm almost asleep after more than an hour of laying in the dark when my cell buzzes again, startling me in the silence and causing me to jump. I pick it up, ready to throw it out the window when I see that the person calling isn't Frank, but Matt. "Matt, what's wrong?" I answer, immediately feeling terrified. "Gee, calm down. I need you to meet me at the hospital. Ruby fell down the stairs but she's gonna be ok." I feel my eyes prick with tears again as I hang up, launching myself off the bed and pulling my shoes back on. I run down the hallway to the elevator, bouncing around inside before the doors reopen and I race out, running out onto the street and hailing a cab.

I get to the hospital as quick as I can, running to the front desk and asking for Ruby. Once the nurse knows who I am she takes me straight to the children's ward, telling me that Ruby is in surgery right now, her broken arm needing resetting and I let out a choked off sob, realising just how bad it really is. I am taken into what will be her room when she comes out and I find Matt and Frank already there. "Nice to see you finally answer your phone and show up" Frank spits out at me and I snap, marching across the room and punching him in the face as hard as I can, knocking him off his chair before launching myself ontop of him on the floor and hitting him repeatedly until Matt comes over and pulls me off, dragging me across the room. "Calm down" he whispers in my ear and I let out another sob, falling to my knees and crying so hard I can't breathe. After a few seconds I feel warm arms wrap around me tight, cuddling me into a strong chest and I go, burying my face into the warm neck infront of me, letting myself fall apart completely as my whole body shakes. Once my tears start to slow I suddenly register that the person holding me close is Frank, not Matt but I don't have the energy to move away, slumping further into his chest, letting out a small whimper. Franks hand comes up and starts gently stroking my hair until my breathing returns to normal and I pull away, looking at him properly for the first time since I got here. "Is she ok?" I ask and he nods. "She's in pain but the doctor can give her something for that. Her arm is broken and her face is pretty banged up but other than that she's alright. She kept asking for you." I feel my eyes fill with tears again at the thought that this happened and I ignored the call. Franks hands come up to cup my face and he says "Hey it's alright, she'll be ok. She should be out any minute now." I nod before leaning forward again and burying my face in his neck, needing comfort. His arms wrap around me again and gently stroke my back and we stay this way until the door opens and they wheel Ruby into the room, her arm in a cast and her face scraped up, still unconscious. Before the doctor leaves he says "She should be awake within the next thirty minutes. A nurse will be in around then to check on her." I nod, unable to form words before standing up and making my way over to her bed. I spend the next twenty minutes watching over her, standing by her bedside with Frank standing behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist, his chest pressed to my back as he watches her over my shoulder. When she starts to stir she lets out a small noise before her eyes flicker open and she looks around, spotting me and whimpering "Daddy." I reach out and grab her non broken hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm right here baby girl" I whisper to her and she says "Owie daddy." "I know baby but I'll get the doctor to get you something ok? We'll make the owie go away." Matt stands from his chair in the corner and says "I'll get someone for you" before leaving the room. A minute later he comes back, followed by a nurse who gives Ruby something for the pain before leaving again. After she's gone Matt tells us he should get going and Frank walks him out, me not leaving Ruby's side for anything. I climb up onto the bed with her, pulling her into my side, careful of her face as I start to gently sing to her, stroking her hair while I hold her close and before long she drifts off to sleep again. I gently climb off the bed and take a seat in the chair closest to the bed. Frank comes back a few minutes later and takes my hand, pulling me up and leading me over to the small couch in the corner of the room, pulling me to sit down with him. "Babe" he starts and I turn my head to fully look at him, wondering what he could possibly have to say. "I love you." I let out the breath I was holding, taking another before saying "That's just words. Anyone can say them and not mean them." "But I do mean them." "Actions are far more impacting than words Frank. And your actions suggest you don't give a fuck about me." Frank sits there silent, unsure of what to say before he sighs and says "Then give me a chance to show you." I think it over for a second before saying "Fine, you have one week, then I'm apartment hunting again and once I'm gone, I'm gone for good. There's no more second chances Frank, this is it." He nods, smiling slightly before sliding his arm around my waist and pulling me into his side. I rest my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes, feeling exhausted and after a few minutes he shifts, his shoulder disappearing and when I open my eyes his face is right there and he leans in and kisses me. I kiss back and we sit on the couch sharing soft sweet kisses with no tongue as Franks hand comes up to cup my cheek. When we finally pull apart again Frank slides to the very end of the couch and pulls me to lay down, my head in his lap and I close my eyes, drifting off to sleep as his fingers run through my hair, soothing me.

Notes

I know I said I wouldn't hurt Ruby but it just kinda happened : (