I don't own the Jersey Boys. Only, the OBC recording, and I've seen it three times. Don't hate me for this.
I Cant Give You Anything But Love
It started at that moment. Tommy had just called Frankie up to sing. Frankie was whispering nervous objections, inches away from Tommy's ear. That was when Frankie realized he was in love.
" I can't give you anything but love, baby…"
Frankie's voice echoed in Tommy's head. His soft, sweet, nervous whispers repeated over and over again. For a second, Tommy couldn't focus. He had played a few bad chords before he snapped back into reality. Still, he couldn't help but think that he wanted to feel Frankie's soft breath on his ear again.
Neither really understood this. They weren't usually gay. In fact they found women more attractive than almost all men. Only, with each other, it was different.
Tommy introduced Frankie to Mary Delgado. She was beautiful, and after a hot night Frankie was sure he was in love. He even forgot about some of his feelings for Tommy. But, he couldn't forget entirely. Tommy was there long before Mary, and Tommy was almost always with him. Even at Frankie and Mary's wedding, Tommy was best man.
Once they hit the road, Mary began to fade. Even if he loved her, Frankie was consumed by other thoughts. He had many nights with other women, and as always, Tommy was somewhere in the back of his mind.
Tommy wasn't sure what to make of his relationship with Frankie. Frankie was married, and with many women, but whenever Frankie touched him. When their hands would brush against the other, Tommy felt an electricity he was sure Frankie had to feel too,
But things began to change. With Bob Gaudio, the new addition to the band, Tommy and Frankie saw less of each other. Tommy couldn't help but feel a little jealous of the attention Frankie gave to Bob. Bob almost took Frankie away from him. That thought was scary in many ways. If he lost Frankie, he would lose any future as a musician. That's why it was so important to keep Frankie; at least, that's what he told himself, and everyone else. But more importantly, if he lost Frankie, he would lose love.
The Four Seasons found success with "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," and "Walk Like A Man." Frankie spent almost all of his time with Bob. This was bad. The more success they found, the more Tommy heard Frankie's voice. His voice was like an angel's, both when he spoke, and when he sang. Tommy began to isolate himself, began to spend money he didn't have, and began to anger everybody.
Frankie and Mary got their divorce. His mind kept wandering back to Tommy. Something was wrong. He was bitter and more short-tempered than usual. Nothing Frankie did could please him.
"You sound like a cat in heat. My ears are bleeding."
As much as those kinds of remarks hurt him, Frankie still wanted to ask Tommy what was wrong. He wanted to run to him, wrap his arms around Tommy's waist and beg him to tell him why he was angry.
Bob began to feel lonely too. Not that he was in love with Frankie, but with Frankie's problems, he began to pull away. To combat his loneliness, he had ordered sea monkeys.
Nick felt ignored. Frankie and Bob roomed with each other, and Tommy was a pain. He spoke with his kids, who thought he was their uncle, over the phone, and he started to feel like he should be at home.
The Four Seasons went to a restaurant for dinner. They ordered and were enjoying drinks. Tommy reached for a roll in a basket across the table. As he did, he touched Frankie's hand. They both pulled back, staring into each other's eyes.
"I need to go to the bathroom." Tommy stood up. Frankie half stood up, although he did non know why.
Under his breath, so only Tommy could hear, Nick said, "Don't piss in the sink."
Shooting him a dirty look, he muttered back, "I'll take Frankie along to verify." He grabbed Frankie's wrist and pulled him from the table.
Once out of earshot, Frankie protested, "What are we doing? We're in public!"
Right outside the bathroom, Tommy changed his grip on Frankie's wrist and pulled him into a kiss. Frankie melted and allowed Tommy to drag him into the bathroom. Tommy locked the door behind him.
Breathing deeply, Frankie leaned against a wall. It was clear, the purpose of their being in the bathroom. "We're in a restaurant. Oh my God. This is crazy. I…"
Tommy grabbed his shoulders and said, "Relax. It'll be fine."
"We can't do this in public."
Tommy leaned against, his right arm supporting him. It was positioned on a diagonal from Frankie's head to his shoulder. With his left hand he began to run his fingers along Frankie's face. "Don't worry. No one will find out."
Frankie closed his eyes, concentrating on Tommy's fingers. He felt the calluses from the guitar strings. "But here?"
Tommy ran his left hand through Frankie's hair to the back of his head, and moved his right to just under Frankie's ear. He started to pull Frankie into another kiss, when he thought. He jerked his hands away as if he had been burned.
"You don't want this do you?" Tommy asked.
"What do you mean?" Frankie was confused. He wanted Tommy's hands around his face again.
"Me. Us. Any of this. Oh, God. Bye." He began to leave.
"Tommy!" Before he could stop himself, Frankie threw his arms around Tommy's neck, and pulled him into a kiss.
Tommy wrapped his arms around Frankie's waist, pressing the smaller man against him. Once the kiss loosened, Frankie pulled at Tommy's jacket, while Tommy wasted no time in loosening Frankie's belt and pants.
Once undressed, Tommy pulled Frankie to the floor; he ran his hand along Frankie's side and back. Frankie stole kisses on Tommy's neck, shoulder, and ear as he pulled Tommy on top of him.
Back at the table, Bob and Nick started a conversation. "So, Nick, how are your kids?"
"They're fine." After a moment's pause he said, "So how are your…uh…um…sea monkeys?"
"Awful. They aren't monkey-like at all, and they don't live in the sea. I am sorely disappointed."
Realizing the strangeness of the conversation, neither said anything else to each other the rest of the meal.
Fifteen minutes later in the bathroom, Frankie found himself running his hand down Tommy's chest and stomach. He turned onto his back and blinked several times, as his eyes adjusted to the fluorescent light above him. The floor was slightly warm from the heat of their bodies. Frankie smiled as he realized that. Sitting up, he began to get dressed.
After Tommy dressed himself, he handed Frankie his jacket. Frankie pulled on the jacket and splashed cold water on his face. "I've never been on the receiving end of sex before, "he said while staring into the mirror.
Tommy laughed and turned Frankie around to pull him into a kiss. Although it was intended innocently enough, Frankie's hands somehow found their way up Tommy's still untucked shirt, and Tommy began trailing kisses down Frankie's neck.
After a minute of two more, Frankie gently pushed Tommy away, but whispered a soft "I love you," that echoed in Tommy's ears.
Things were going badly. Nick decided to quit the group, Tommy owed a lot of money, and Bob's pet rock, which he got to replace the sea monkeys, ran away. But worst of all, Tommy and Frankie were having problems.
Tommy had hit on Frankie's girlfriend, Lorraine. As much as Frankie loved Tommy, when one grew where he had, you just didn't flirt with another man's girl. Plus, after the night in the restaurant, Tommy hadn't mentioned anything to Frankie about their relationship. Frankie couldn't help but have a few doubts about how Tommy felt about him.
The Four Seasons met with Norman Waxman and Gyp Decarlo in effort to work things out, the money at least. The discussion kept becoming more heated until Tommy burst in rage that he tried to deal with everything, and the group would be lost without him.
"You don't give a shit about the group." Frankie spoke, though it killed him to say such things, "Ten years and not one Christmas present, not one Christmas card, not one time do we go out to eat and you pick up the check," his voice grew until he was almost screaming, "Not once do you ask me how my kids are doing, and not once have you ever said that you love…" he stopped, as Tommy looked at him, "the group." He finished.
He had wanted to say, "that you love me, "but realized he shouldn't. However, Tommy knew. He looked at Frankie with more hurt in his eyes than anyone had ever seen. As hard as he tried, Frankie couldn't lose Tommy's gaze. It was as if he were saying, "You couldn't tell?"
Waxman grabbed Tommy and dragged him out. Frankie got one last glance into Tommy's eyes, and he saw how badly he had hurt him. That killed him.
Later, Lorraine and Frankie were breaking up. She realized he would always have other priorities.
As an act of desperation, Frankie said, "What if we got married?"
She knew it wouldn't work and replied, "You and Tommy? I don't think that's legal in Nevada."
He froze. The rest of the conversation was blurry, and she left. All he could think was how much he wished he could be with Tommy.
A few years down the line, Frankie faced the worst moments of his life. His daughter Francine died of a heroin overdose. As he went to the hospital, after he had identified her and claimed her things, he knew he wanted to run, run to some safe place. Though he wracked his mind for possibilities, he only wanted to run and be encircled in Tommy's strong arms.
Tommy, Frankie, Bob, and Nick all met again on the stage for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The performance went well of course.
After the show Tommy ran into Frankie backstage. "Hey." Looking into each other's eyes, they saw the spark was still there.
"Look." Frankie said, "I'm married again, and I'm going to get it right this time. We probably won't be able to…you know."
"Yeah."
They agreed verbally, but seconds later Frankie pulled Tommy to a secluded corner. Pressing him against the wall, Frankie kissed Tommy while feeling for the corners of his shirt. Tommy slid to the floor. He shifted so he was on top of Frankie, his hand pressed firmly to his chest. Frankie ran his hands gently along Tommy's face and neck. They both took kisses whenever and wherever possible.
As he was about to unbutton Tommy's shirt, Frankie stopped. They looked and knew it couldn't keep going. Frankie let his hand drift down Tommy's front once more before they stood up.
"Take care, Tommy." Frankie said.
Tommy pulled Frankie closer, and whispered, "I love you," into his ear.
With the memories of each other and the feeling each other's bodies and whispers, they went their separate ways.