To Be Careless Is to Be Reckless

Frank

Belleville... beautiful Belleville. I'd forgotten how much I missed this place. People everywhere, the stores, the smells... it was so good being home. It was also scary knowing what the town held for me and what it meant. I didn't dare think about it.

I was sitting in a little coffee shop I used to frequent, with Gerard and his wife, Hailey, who happened to be her best friend and business partner, just chatting over coffee. Gee and Hails had gone on vacation, and I had been... just gone. I'd decided that it was time to come home.

"So how've you been, Frankie? It's been a while," Gee smiled.

I grinned.

"Good, I suppose. I've been sober for eight years, and I feel amazing."

"That's wonderful, Frank," Hailey saId.

I wished other people thought so. I guess some things just weren't meant to be.

We talked for a while, catching up on our lives and talking of old times. After a bit, I decided I should head over to my house.

"You guys should come over for dinner sometime," I offered.

Gee and Hailey agreed, and I walked out of the coffee shop. I was looking at my phone, not watching where I was going, and of course, ran straight into someone, knocking them down.

"Oh, damn! I'm so sorry, miss. Let me help you up."

I gave her my hand and pulled her up. She brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes, looked at me, and smiled. She looked vaguely familiar.

"Thanks, uhm... What is your name?"

"I'm Frank. And you are?"

"Frank? My father's name is Frank. How odd. Anyway, I'm Destiny. Destiny Lopez."

The breath slammed out of my lungs, my heart stopped beating, and my blood ran cold.

"Is... Is your mother's name Lexi? Alexandra Lopez?"

Destiny laughed.

"Yeah, it is,actually. You know her?"

"Yeah... you could say that."

I was staring at my 16 year old daughter that I hadn't seen in 10 years. My God, she was gorgeous, just like her mother.

I had no clue what to say to her........

What the fuck do I do?