Frankly in Love

Joy drives Frank to the hospital and sits with him in the waiting room, guiding his head to rest on her shoulder. When Frank receives texts from Q and Brit, Joy responds to them for him, updating Q on the situation, but not revealing anything to Brit. Finally, Frank and Joy are admitted to the hospital room where Frank’s father is connected to an oxygen mask. Frank’s mother fills them in on what happened: At The Store, an unknown white man entered and asked for the price of lottery tickets, and then started shooting. One bullet punctured Frank’s father’s lung. As Frank sits in the hospital room, seeing his father content and smiling after a close encounter with death, he begins to suffer from a panic attack. Joy guides him outside and helps him breathe. Q arrives, and he and Joy comfort Frank. Frank texts Hanna to update her on what happened. For the first time, the siblings exchange “I love you,” and Frank feels more certain of its veracity than the romantic one he exchanged with Brit.

After his father is discharged, Frank feels elated, until he gets a text from Brit reminding him that it’s a Monday and the SAT test will be administered again tomorrow.