This was so hard for me to write, that I'm going to post the last two chapters at one time. Please don't flame me or point out things that shouldn't be pointed out in your review. If you have any kind of specific comment (hopefully a constructive one) email me. Thank you. Review if you'd like to.
A couple of months passed, with Frenkie's health steadily declining. He had been started on the medication, but the side effects seemed to be worse than the disease itself. Jim and Maria took excellent care of him during that time, providing him with buckets for when he felt the urge to throw up, which was quite often, and cleaning him an additional amount, since he could no longer reach his feet or scrub his back with a brush when he took his shower. The fragile purplish wounds prevented him from cleaning himself with anything but a rag or the bar of soap itself, for they'd burst open and bleed, and he'd have to sit in the shower until the bleeding ceased, watching his infected blood flow down the drain, knowing no one could help him.
Frenkie lost more and more weight, becoming skeletonized and dreadfully pale. His hair was now dry and dull, beginning to fall out in clumps from his head and chest. He attempted to cover the emaciation of his jawline by neglecting to shave. Even so, the slow loss of his hair kept his facial hair from growing very quickly. Frenkie's body was breaking down, ceasing to fight, and Jim and Maria watched it all in horror.
It was a cold night in late fall when Frenkie gave up.
"I can't do this anymore, Jim. I can't live like this, taking thirty-some medicines a day to keep me alive. I've decided to quit taking the drugs." He said to Jim, as he lay in his bed.
His partner looked at him with fear in his eyes. "Frenkie, please think about what you're saying. Quitting the drugs will only hasten fate." He held Frenkie's cold, bony hand in his own.
"Fate is inevitable, Jim," Frenkie answered feebly. "I have brought this upon myself, and I have decided to end it as well."
Maria entered the room shortly afterwards, as the water in Jim's eyes began to slide down his cheeks. Frenkie spoke up, pulling himself into a seated position.
"Jim, could you excuse Maria and me for a second? Please?"
"Alright," he replied, making his way into the hallway and shutting the door behind him. What could that possibly be about? Since he had met the man, he had been his devoted slave. Maria seemed to have a long history with Frenkie, for she had been working for him since they broke up as girlfriend and boyfriend, he had discovered. The house usually held the trio now, for Janita and Maygent had taken a holiday, as the divorce was being finalized. Oh, Maygent's wife was devastated, but he had apparently pissed her off enough in his explanation why he wanted a divorce, that she signed the papers anyway. Jiff Daff came around more often than the pair, but was obviously very disturbed to know a dying man lie in the house.
In the room the former couple was alone.
"Maria, I have decided to stop taking the drugs. This is no way to live. I can't do this anymore—"
"But, why, Frenkie? You have plenty of money to afford them. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. You don't have to do this—"
"I do, Maria. I deeply and sincerely regret that I did not stay with you; and it's not just because I am dying and would have avoided if I had remained with you. Sometimes I find it hard to breathe when I think about all the terrible decisions I made throughout my life, and leaving you was one of the worst ones."
"You didn't leave me, Frenkie," she said, half laughing, as she stroked the top of his hand. "I'm living in your house!"
"Well, you know what I mean," he said in a serious tone. "It's not about the money or the loneliness, why I'm quitting the drugs. I just can't stand being sick every day of my life, knowing that somewhere in the near future is my death, and that I'll slowly fade into it. Soon I'll lose the ability to step into the shower, and then I'll lose the ability to get up to use the restroom. I just can't see myself prolonging that, since it's obviously going to happen to me at some point."
She squatted down next to his bed. "I can understand your reasoning, but Frenkie, maybe they'll find a cure before too long…."
"I highly doubt it. They know nothing about this virus, nothing! It just occurred less than a decade ago. It's killing people everywhere, people with no money to afford the fancy treatments I get. What makes me more important, that I should be able to prolong the inevitable, while they die within weeks of their full-blown condition?"
He watched Maria as she began to cry. "Oh, Frenkie, why didn't you tell me how you felt when you were in better shape? I just wish there was something I could do, some way I could reverse what is happening to you. You're so strong, Frenkie, for being able to deal with this in such a graceful way. I'm so proud of you; I want you to know that. I have always been proud of you, even though I may not always show it."
"Thank you so much, Maria. I had to tell you before I carried out my decision. You are the most important person in my life, no matter what impression you've gotten otherwise. I am so sorry that I was not able to be a husband for you, and—"
She put her fingers on his dry, cracked lips. "Save your strength, Frenkie; that's what you must do now."
He wrapped his hand around hers. "One more thing: I must tell you my final wish. Before I die, may I have a farewell concert? You know, with me, Jiff Daff, Maygent, Rodge, and the fans? Just one more, to tell them all goodbye."
"I'm sure they'll agree to that." Maria fought back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. "I—will try my hardest to make your wish come true, Frenkie, because no one deserves it more than you."
Before she could burst forth in sobs, Maria patted Frenkie's hand and left the room. Jim was standing by the door, and was surprised to see a crying Maria exit the room. Slowly he reentered Frenkie's bedroom, watching Frenkie toss the medicine jars and boxes into a nearby trash can.
"So, you've decided to give up, Frenkie," he said, sighing. "Will you tell Dr. Scott about it?"
"Yes, I suppose so," he responded weakly. "Come closer, Jim."
Jim knelt at the bedside, looking into Frenkie's bloodshot eyes. Frenkie took Jim's hand in his own and began to sing him a song, full of love and emotion.
"When I'm gone,
You mustn't wonder if I was in love with you
The sun still shines
The moon still glows
For you and me, and time is just a fantasy
When I'm gone
Remember me as when you'd come to care for me
Night turns to dawn
But dreams live on
When you are fast asleep, then you can be with me
When I'm gone"
By the end of the song, Jim was weeping openly, and Frenkie was beginning to feel the pangs of guilt for leaving Jim so soon after meeting the devoted man.
Read the final chapter.