‹ Prequel: Purple Hearts

Hope

Dream Come True

Franky knocked on the door of the house she’d loved visiting when she first moved here from England, the house that Billie and Adrienne had shared together for so long.

She’d hardly slept for thinking about this moment, Julia was looking after Hope again and then after her talk with Adrienne she was going over to the cottage with Billie.

Billie opened the door, hugged her tight. “I’ll see you over at the cottage later,” he said kissing her lingeringly on the lips. “Adrienne’s through there,” he whispered against her cheek then quietly closed the door behind him.

She finally, after all this time, was ready to see her.

But she wasn’t ready to see the sight of poor Adrienne. Her long dark once wavy hair was lank and greasy, her beautiful cheekbones were sticking out in her pale face making her huge dark eyes look sunken and lifeless and she looked awkward in her wheelchair and Franky felt so sorry for her.

What would happen to her now?

“I’m going out,” said Joey who appeared in the doorway, but Jake’s upstairs if you need anything,” he said to his mother then was gone, slightly glad to be out of the house, away from his mother’s sad and devastated face Franky thought.

“You look good,” said Adrienne reaching to take the bouquet of red roses that Franky had bought round.

She kind of wished she hadn’t bothered, she thought looking around the room at the many flowers that obviously other people had given Adrienne. Other well wishers, other friends and relatives that had been here helping out while she’d stayed away.

“Oh thanks Franky,” she said sniffing the bouquet. “They’re beautiful. Your mother’s favourites.” She looked at Franky. “Thanks for coming, I…I’ve missed you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t come earlier, I…”

“It’s OK Franky, don’t worry, it’s been a difficult time for everyone.”

“I’ll be honest, I…didn’t know what to say to you Adrienne. I still don’t know what to say. Sorry seems so pointless.”

“I don’t think anyone knows what to say. Don’t say anything and please don’t pity me. I’ve got a long way to go, I’ll need help, that’s all I’d like, a little help now and again but…please, not pity. I couldn’t bear that. Come and see me as often as you’d…like, tell me about Charlie, tell me anything you remember about him, stories of when you were younger. I don’t want to forget him. I…”

“Miss him.” They both said then Franky bent and hugged Adrienne tightly, they cried together, holding each other, both knowing how the other was feeling.

Franky pulled away and touched Adrienne’s hair. “Hey, how about we go to the bathroom and give your hair a little lift. What would Charlie say if he saw you like this? Then I’ll tell you about that time he took his pet rat to school and accidentally on purpose let it out of his bag in the canteen causing everyone to scream and run about the place leaving us free to take extra chocolate cake from the counter.”

**

“Are you OK Ramona?” Said Joey. They were sitting at the table of Rudy’s café, eating Ramona’s favourite burger but she’d only taken two bites and had put it down.

“Um…not that hungry,” she said in a quiet voice.

“You must be ill,” Joey replied as he took a huge bite from his burger, letting the ketchup drip down his chin. She couldn’t help but smile at him. He always managed to make her laugh, they shared the same sense of humour, they always had and often laughed at things that others didn’t.

“I’m not ill I’m just…not hungry,” she said, shrugging. She was also anxious at being out with Joey and it was all because of Ellie. She was a weirdo, her family were weird, her older brother James having caused so much trouble with Franky and Gerard. Such a weird family she thought.

“Try and eat something, you look like you could do with building up. Have you lost weight?” He said.

“A little,” said Ramona. “How…how’s Ellie?” She asked, not really wanting to utter her name but feeling she had to find out how she was. Did she know that they were meeting up?

“She’s gone to visit her sister Hannah in New York.” Said Joey. “I’m going to end it with her when she comes back I…she does my head in and, anyway, there’s someone else I have my eye on.” He said.

“Oh, right,” said Ramona. She felt her cheeks grow warm wondering if it was her that he was thinking about.

“Yeah, there’s this girl at school, she’s about six months older than me but she’s in this band and she plays bass guitar. She’s hot Ramona and…I think she likes me too.” He said taking another huge bite from his burger.

This time Ramona didn’t laugh at him.

**

“Emily! Hey!” Said Mike. “You on your own tonight?” He said letting Emily into the house. She was such a great girl, an old head on young shoulders he often thought and he was glad that Estelle and her had become friends.

“Yes, Ramona is out with Joey. Is Estelle here?” She asked as she followed Mike into the kitchen. Mike Dirnt, her once upon a time idol but now she saw him differently. Now he was real to her, he was such a kind, good man who always involved her in conversations but he was also going through some shit with his wife and she loved coming over here with Ramona to help Estelle look after little baby Sam.

“She’s at her mothers this evening, was she expecting you?” He said.

“No, no, I was just at a loose end so thought I’d come see if she wanted to hang out somewhere.”

“She’ll be sorry she’s missed you, she’s been bored all day but thought you’d be doing something with Ramona. You want a milkshake?” He said.

”Um, yeah, why not? Thanks Mike.” She said.

“Chocolate’s your favourite isn’t it?” Said Mike remembering, because he’d made dozens of chocolate milkshakes for the girls while they were caring for Sam.

“Of course.” Said Emily going over to the pin board and checking out some new pictures of Sam. Sam and Mike, Sam and Estelle and even one of her, Sam and Ramona but she noticed that there were none of Jen and Sam. “Hey these are great, he’s growing fast.” She said.

“Yeah, he is.” Said Mike looking proudly at his son in the photographs.

Just then, they could hear Sam crying upstairs but the crying grew louder.

“He needs his feed. Jen’s still not up to it,” said Mike, Emily noting a slight bitterness to his voice.

“Shall I go? I love seeing him when he first wakes.” Said Emily putting her milkshake down on the table.

“Yes, I think he’s starting to get to know you.” Said Mike.

**

Tre’s heart was beating fast.

Where were they?

He’d gone round the house, the house was empty and Julia and little Hope weren’t here. Most of her things were here though but her coat was missing so he gathered that she’d taken her out somewhere.

But where?

Julia’s car was still here and so was Hope’s pram. Hope’s car seat was here too.

He’d called her up now for over an hour but all he was getting was Julia’s voicemail.

He’d give it another half an hour, he was sure there was some simple explanation.

**

Opening the door to Franky Billie was grinning all over his face and he looked like an excited child.

“I hope you like it,” he said pushing the door wide and letting her in.

“Oh my god, you’ve…finished it. I don’t believe it,” said Franky entering the hallway, the slight smell of fresh paint filling her nostrils.

“Stay here, I won’t be a minute,” said Billie as he headed off upstairs, “there’s something I have to do,” he shouted but Franky could hardly hear him as she was wandering around the rooms downstairs, checking them out.

They were perfect, it was how she wanted it to be. They shared the same taste in furnishings, there were pictures on the walls, and there was a room that Billie had made into a studio with her drums and some of his guitars.

She loved it and she loved him for doing the rest of it for her as a surprise.

“Where are you Billie? I love it,” she said starting to climb the stairs and looking around at the pictures on the walls as she climbed, they were all family photographs, one of her mother and her, one of her mother and Tre, some of Joey and little Jake, the one of her and Charlie at Milton Keynes but at the very top, just before she turned she saw one of herself and Billie. She’d never seen it before but she knew who took it. Charlie had. It was a picture of her and Billie, on her 18th birthday. They were sitting on a bench in her father’s garden and talking. They were looking directly each other, so obvious that they loved each other. It was an amazing picture, he’d captured them perfectly and she knew Charlie saw then that they loved each other. It was as though he had some secret eye or something.

Everyone must have known how we felt and we thought we hid it. Not well enough, she thought.

“Billie, I love everything, it’s so perfect. Where the hell are you?” She said.

“In here.” She heard his voice and went to the master bedroom and opened the door.

He’d placed little candles everywhere, the candlelight dancing on the walls and there was a strong aroma of roses as she glanced around and saw little white rose petals scattered on the plush cream carpet.

He was smiling widely at her, grinning the grin she adored. Every time she saw him, her heart skipped a beat and she had butterflies. Would it always be like this or did things change over the years? Well they hadn’t changed for her. She’d felt like this from the moment she’d met him. Before she’d met him even. From when she had his poster on her wall, from when she watched videos of him. She’d had it then, a little tight knot in her stomach caused by him.

“Billie, this is amazing. You’ve been so busy, I…I love it.” She said, stunned because of all he’d done here.

“We can move in. I spoke to Julia and she said she’d have Hope for the rest of the day, you weren’t to worry and she’d bring her over tonight.”

Then she started crying, crying because it all seemed so perfect. After so long, everything was perfect. She was with the man she loved, finally, here in their home and her daughter was coming over later to make a life together.

She was overwhelmed and he sensed this so went to her. He took her hands in his and lifted them to his lips, his breath warm and hot on them. He kissed the knuckles of her hands so gently it was like a tickle and she giggled.

“I love you.” She said to him as she released one of her hands from his and touched his face, bringing him closer to her, smelling him, breathing him in, the familiarity of him astounding her. She never wanted to let him go.

“And I love you. You make me so happy Franky, I don’t think you realise.” He said looking deep into her, his green eyes bright with their huge black pupils.

”Show me then,” she said, naughtily as she pushed herself onto him, lifting her face and pressing her lips to his, needing him so much.

They couldn’t wait

Their clothes were ripped off in seconds and, naked, they once more pressed their bodies together, his skin warm and firm against hers, his tattoos dancing before her eyes as she reached and touched her favourite soccer ball tattoo, her fingers circling over and over it as he gently moaned his lips against hers.

He placed his hand over her hand gripping it firmly and led her to the bed, kissing all the while, pushing against her as she lay down, the crisp sheets on the bed so welcoming and inviting as she pulled him towards her. She just couldn’t wait and neither could he it seemed.

“I…need you now Billie,” Franky spoke, breathing heavily against his lips but he already knew because that same second he’d entered her, she cried out, loud but not caring how loud at the feel of him that she’d forgotten from before and had wanted for so long.

He was there.

Finally.

Thrusting, touching her body with his fingers, expertly bringing her close to the release she so needed and as she came, a tear escaped her eye and as Billie came he gently brushed it aside with his thumb, kissed her lips and told her he loved her and always would.

Was she dreaming? It felt like it.

A dream that had come true.

She was with her man; nothing was going to get in their way.

Nothing and nobody.