You're Beautiful To Me

The day after Frank and Anna come to visit I wake up with my
stomach churning and I feel like I'm on fire. I race out of bed and into the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before I vomit violently until there's nothing left in my stomach. I slowly lower myself to sit on the floor, slumping back against the cool tile wall and I breathe out a sigh of relief at the soothing cold against my over heated skin. I sit on the floor panting for breath until I've calmed down again before slowly dragging myself up and stumbling back out of my room and down the hall to the front desk where I know I will find a nurse, not caring that I'm still in my pyjamas. By the time I make it there I am almost doubled over in pain, my stomach clenching painfully and once a nurse spots me she rushes around and helps me into a nearby chair. "Mr Iero, what's going on?" She asks as I clutch at my bump and whine softly in discomfort. "Vomiting and I feel really hot and it hurts, a lot." Her face crumples in concern and she says "I'll call an ambulance, you need to get to the hospital" before rushing off to make the call. I start to cry, feeling terrified that I'm going to lose the baby when a warm soft hand touches my arm and someone kneels infront of me. "Gerard?" Lindsey's soft voice sounds and I look up at her very concerned face. "What's going on?" I open my mouth to speak but my stomach clenches again painfully and I get up, shoving past her as I go for the garbage bin sitting nearby, knowing I won't make it any further and I hunch over and vomit again, feeling my head spin violently and I drop to my knees, feeling weak and out of breath and the next thing I know my vision goes blurry around the edges and I pass out.

When I wake up I am in hospital yet again, an iv in my hand keeping me hydrated and Lindsey is sitting on one side of my bed while Frank is sitting on my other with Anna asleep in his lap. "Hey gorgeous" he greets me softly as he shifts Anna to one side so he can reach out with his free hand and
gently stroke my hair back from my face. "What happened?" "The doctor thinks you have food poisoning, eight other people from the facility have the same symptoms." I nod, my hands coming down to rest on my bump before something occurs to me. "What about the baby? Is it ok?" Franks hand comes down to gently rest over mine. "Yeah baby he'll be just fine, promise." I sigh in relief and Lindsey clears her throat. "Well if you'll excuse me I have to get back, feel better soon Gerard, I'll see you in a day or two when you come back." I nod and she leaves the room, closing the door behind her. Once she's gone I hold my arms out and Frank gently lays Anna on my chest, her little head resting on my shoulder and I cuddle her close, breathing in her sweet scent and smiling at being able to hold her again. Frank sits on the edge of the bed and smiles down at me as he says "You really need to stop scaring me so much baby." "I'm sorry babe." Frank smiles wider and says "I guess I can forgive you if you give me a kiss." I lean up as he leans down and when our lips meet I close my eyes and never want it to end. When Frank finally pulls away I sigh before saying "Can you put Anna back in her pram? I need to talk to you about something." Frank looks worried as he says "Sure baby" and takes her back, laying her in her pram and covering her with her blanket before coming back and helping me sit up a bit more, taking his seat on the edge of the bed again. "So Lindsey and I have been talking about my past a lot and.....she thinks I should tell you what happened when I was fourteen." Frank looks shocked for a second before saying "Baby you don't have to...." "I think I do. Ever since it came back up it's been rattling around in my brain and I feel like I need to get it out to you but I'm scared about what this will mean for us." "Oh, well baby just know that nothing you could possibly say will push me away." I nod, taking a deep breath before starting my story. By the end Frank is staring at me, a horrified expression on his face as tears stream down his cheeks. "Oh god, baby" he chokes out as he leans in and pulls me into his arms. I managed to get through the whole thing without crying but as soon as my face is pressed against his shoulder I break, letting out loud wailing sobs into his shirt and he holds me close, gently rubbing my back while I cry.

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