A Brother's Choice
18 year - old Frank Hardy woke to the sound of his alarm blaring and quickly shut it off. He walked through the door to the bathroom he shared with his one-year younger brother Joe.
Quietly he knelt by the curled up form of his younger brother, and shook his shoulder to wake him. "Come on baby brother time to wake up." Joe just groaned in response and Frank let out a sigh.
The Hardy boys' parents were out of town together for a week, leaving the boys on their own at home. The boys knew their parents relied on them to take care of each other.
Frank also knew it was because of his overly protective instinct in him as a big brother, ever since Joe was born. He had always doted on his younger brother, who meant the world to him.
Again Frank shook his shoulder and said softly, "Come on Joe you have to get up little brother." It was then that his instinct kicked in, as a frown of concern came over his face.
Gently he smoothed the strands of blond hair out of his brother's face and laid his hand on his forehead. Then he realized his brother felt feverish, and rubbed Joe's shoulder and said "Hang on." He ran to the bathroom and pulled out a thermometer.
Running back to Joe's side he shook his shoulder softly and whispered, "Come on Joey open up buddy." Joe reluctantly groaned and weakly opened his eyes as Frank placed the thermometer in his mouth.
After a minute Frank heard it beep and gently removed it and cursed quietly as he read the temperature. He turned and glanced worriedly at his brother, and noticed he was looking back at him. Speaking softly he said, "Well baby brother you've got a bit of a temperature, it's at 102 try and get some rest I'll stay with you."
Frank watched as his brother weakly nodded in response, but said nothing as Joe's eyes began to flutter closed. Letting out a deep sigh of concern, he gently brushed a few strands of hair from his baby brother's eyes.
While keeping an eye on his little brother, he pulled out a book for his history class and started doing his homework. A couple of hours later he heard a weak groan and turned to his brother. Joe coughed and Frank crouched by his side and said, "Hey Joey feeling any better buddy?" Joe weakly nodded and said, "Y-yeah a l-little."
Frank nodded and gently helped him sit up and said, "Let's get you some breakfast ha buddy?" Joe's eyes lit up a bit and he laughed and said, "I'll be right back bro."
Down in the kitchen Frank debated about first calling his girlfriend Callie. He had observed the hostile interaction between his brother and his girlfriend, and was worried. Grabbing the phone he dialed Callie's number, pacing, recalling her jealousy over his time with Joe.
"Hello?" A soft warm welcoming voice that Frank knew all too well came over the line. He smiled and said tiredly, "Hey Cal." His girlfriend replied, "Hey honey. You okay? You sound tired." Frank nodded and sighed and answered, "I'm okay just been a long morning."
Callie began to worry and said, "Is everything okay? Do you want me to come over?" Frank shook his head and sighed, "No everything's fine just Joe is sick and I'm worried."
He heard his girlfriend let out an exasperated sigh, and forced himself to ignore it. Callie replied with a twinge of annoyance, "Joe is capable of taking care of himself Frank, why don't we go out somewhere for a bit get your mind off worrying."
Frank shook his head again and said, "I'm sorry Callie. Our parents are away, I don't feel comfortable leaving him home by himself." She let out a sigh and said, "Fine Frank, whatever, just call me later when you're not worrying over your brother so much."
With that she hung up, and Frank just put the phone down, got his brother's breakfast together and headed upstairs to check on Joe.
As Frank walked into Joe's room he quietly stepped around to Joe's side.
He heard a weak groan and smiled. "Hey baby brother, feeling any better?" Frank asked softly. Joe nodded and murmured, "Yeah."
His brother said, "Good now I brought you some food you must be hungry huh buddy?"
Joe immediately replied weakly, "Starving." Frank shook his head and laughed, and said, "Oh little brother, you never change do you?"
Joe just smiled innocently in spite of being ill and said, "Who? Me?" Frank laughed in response tousling his hair affectionately, and said, "Yeah well eat up kiddo."
Finally Joe looked at Frank, making Frank cringe slightly, at the sight of how sick his little brother was.
Joe asked quietly, "So I suppose Callie wasn't too thrilled with you staying home with me again?"
Frank eyed his brother with concern and said worriedly, "Joe, hey Joey look at me kiddo."
When he refused to meet his eyes, he let out a sigh, and gently reached out tilting his brother's chin forcing his eyes up.
Frank spoke firmly with gentle affection, "Joey listen to me and listen well. You are the most important person in my life, regardless of having Callie around. You come first always. I am trying to get her to understand, and respect that. Joe you are my little brother I can always find a new girlfriend but I only have one brother. I love you kiddo don't expect that to ever change you hear me?"
Joe looked at him stunned for a moment nodded, and whispered, "I love you too Frank."
His older brother warmly smiled at him and sighed. "She wanted to come over, but it was more to spend time with me to get me to stop worrying. I told her no because I wanted to just be alone with you. I think it had the alternate effect on her though. But as I said, you are my brother my first concern is you. Besides mom and dad are away, making me responsible for you until they come home. I don't mind at all though Joe, I would rather be home with you."
Joe smiled in response, and suddenly tried to get up to move closer to Frank.
His brother glanced up at him, and immediately moved to him. Gently he restrained him from leaving the bed.
"Joe easy take it easy little brother lay back down I've got you I'm right here." Joe heard his brother whisper soothing words to him, comforted by the feel of Frank's arms wrapped protectively around him.
Frank felt his little brother collapse in his arms, weary blue eyes glancing up at him. He smiled and gently brushed a strand of hair again from his face.
Then carefully, he lay back in Joe's bed with his brother tightly cradled in his arms.
He gently placed a soft kiss on his baby brother's forehead, while rubbing soothing circles into his back watching as sleep overtook his brother as his eyes fluttered closed again.
A few hours later, Frank slowly opened his eyes and glanced down at the form of his sleeping brother.
He watched with gentle affection as Joe burrowed himself further into his chest.
The older Hardy chuckled lightly and smoothed his sweat soaked blond hair and whispered, "Hey baby brother sleep well?"
Joe nodded into his brother's chest and Frank gently said, "Good. You feel up to going downstairs for a while? Or do you want to stay here?" Joe murmured, "Go downstairs."
Frank nodded and replied, "Okay then can you try and sit up for me just a bit? Easy I gotcha." Frank gently steadied the shaking form, and lifted him up slowly.
Once Frank had helped Joe get changed, they headed downstairs. After a while Frank decided he needed to have a chat with Callie.
What he had not expected was for Joe to overhear their conversation, although Frank defended his little brother.
Again Frank found himself by the phone and picked it up. Calling over his shoulder to Joe, "Be right back little brother just need to take care of something try and eat."
"Hey Cal it's me." Frank spoke softly.
"Hey Frank how are you doing?" Callie smoothly replied.
"I'm okay I finally got Joe to eat something. I'm still very worried though, he looks really pale."
Callie replied sharply without thinking cautiously, "Frank he's old enough to be on his own for a while. Even when he is sick, he can't expect you to stay by him all the time. Come out with me for a while get your mind away from Joe."
For Frank that was the last straw. He returned the sharp tone as he spoke icily, "Callie, he's my little brother it's my job to protect him, to look out for him. My parents are of town, I have to be here."
Callie replied coolly, "Well Frank you've been spending an awful lot amount of time with your brother. You can't even make time to see me. I get he's your brother but doesn't mean you have to be with him all the time."
Frank felt his anger boil and he said tightly, "Callie, my brother is more than my brother. He's my partner my best friend. I am the only stable thing in his life with dad gone so often. It's my job as his big brother, to be here for him, to take care of him."
Slowly he tried to calm himself down and spoke more relaxed, "I need you as my girlfriend, to respect the relationship I have with my brother. In order for this to work, I need you to be okay with him.
If not well Callie I told Joe, I only have one brother. He means the world to me just as much as you. But I can't just cut him out of the picture. You want us to continue being together you need to talk to Joe. Otherwise you need to start thinking about going on without me. You know where my priorities lie."
Frank hung up the phone with frustration, and headed back into the kitchen.
He smiled at Joe and ruffled his hair playfully.
Joe asked, "Is everything okay? I mean with you and Callie?"
Frank stared at him and sighed, "I don't know Joe, but she needs to know you come first, and learn to respect that. I love you little brother."
The brothers smiled warmly at each other.
Later that day Joe declared he felt much better, so they made plans to go out with their respective girlfriends Callie and Vanessa.
However things at dinner began to heat up quickly between Callie and Joe again.
Frank sensed the tension but kept his eye on Joe.
At dinner that night Callie was attempting to grab something from her bag, but accidentally knocked over a glass, and the contents spilled on her outfit.
Somehow she wound up pointing the finger at Joe, which made Frank beyond furious.
Callie exclaimed, "Joe my dress is ruined. Couldn't you learn to be a little more careful next time?"
Joe suddenly looked at Frank nervously wondering which one Frank believed. Frank he knew had seen what happened with his own eyes.
But Frank was eyeing Callie with anger and frustration.
Joe stammered, "I-I didn't w-what are you talking about?"
Frank put a reassuring hand on Joe's shoulder to calm the stiffness he felt in his brother's shoulders. He let out a sigh and thought, 'Joe isn't up for this he's not well."
Callie yelled, "Yes you did I was sitting right there I saw you!"
Frank stepped protectively in front of his brother, and said calmly, "Callie, Joe did nothing wrong. You accidentally knocked it over, and now you're putting the blame on his shoulders. And you are trying to cover for yourself, and get us on your side. I can't believe you."
Callie looked shocked and stammered, "I-I'm sorry."
Frank glared and said, "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. I'm going after him."
Callie ran after him and exclaimed, "Wait! Let me come with you to find him."
Frank retorted, "Why? You think you can win my heart again by softening up now? I don't think so. You have no idea how hard I tried to make you two just learn to get along. I thought you could change obviously I was wrong. I won't let you hurt him again. It's over Callie we're done." With that Frank ran off on foot to find Joe.
As minutes passed Frank kept searching and the more time he searched the more worried he became.
Frank ran yelling frantically, "Joe! Where are you?"
He suddenly recalled days where Joe enjoyed sitting by the bay watching the sunset.
Frank prayed he would find him there.
As he neared the beach he came to a dead stop. There was Joe sitting on the beach with his legs drawn up against his chest looking as though he had been crying.
Quietly Frank walked up behind him and carefully sat down next to his brother. He waited for his brother to speak and sighed.
He just sat, and listened to the sound of his brother crying softly, that tore his heart apart. The older boy wanted nothing more than to just hold him, and comfort him.
Frank frowned sighing, "Oh little brother." Joe continued to let the tears fall, so he wrapped an arm cautiously around his brother's shoulder, pulling Joe against him.
Then he held his brother in a tight embrace rocking him, reassuring him, that in no way was Joe at fault for this. Joe just exclaimed between tears, "I don't mean to mess things up. I want you to be happy and I tried to be nice. I….."
Frank interrupted him continuing murmuring soothing words, "Ssssshhhh. It's okay it's not your fault. Hush now baby brother."
It felt like forever when he felt Joe start to relax in his arms. He smiled down at the small form of his baby brother, placing his chin on top of the boy's head.
The boys sat back for a moment, reflecting without speaking, as they watched the sun come down.
Frank finally broke the peaceful silence. He glanced down and caught Joe's eye and said, "I broke it off with Callie. I should have done it sooner. After the way she treated you she isn't worth it. But you are."
Joe was stunned and exclaimed rambling, "W-what! But I-I'm not the reason right? I mean Frank I want you to be happy and she makes you happy. I don't want to be the reason you broke it off with her."
Frank hushed him softly saying, "No I had a strange feeling for a while now that it wouldn't work out. You're not to blame this is NOT your fault. As for making me happy well just seeing the smile on your face makes me happy enough. We're going to be okay. I promise."
With that Frank felt his little brother snuggle deeper into his protective arms, and heard him sigh contently.
The older Hardy boy smiled affectionately, and again leaned his chin on Joe's head.
Together, it was as though they made up one complete person. The brothers held a bond that maybe tested, bent, but never broken.
As they laid in the comfort of each other's embrace, watching as the sun began to set to begin a new day, they also knew this was a fresh start for them as a family.