Frank's Last Words
Why?
Caroline rolled over to face the naked man lying alongside her, the man who, try as she might she couldn’t forget over the years since she’d left him, the man who had swept her off her feet at the airport, who’d taken her hand and led her off to the car and had brought her here to his beautiful home that was even larger and more elaborate than her own. He’d cooked a wonderful meal and then had made passionate love to her on the huge rug in this living room where they were still lying.
She turned to him, just to check that he was still there.
She’d called Lily up when she’d arrived and Lily had told her that she’d fallen and broken her ankle but that she was staying at her house for the time being without Zach but she wasn’t to worry because Frank was with her.
“I really feel that I should go to her. I think there’s more to this.” Caroline said. “In fact I know there is. Why wouldn’t she want to be with her husband? I don’t get it. He’d definitely want to be with her, he’s obsessed with her.”
“Obsessed?” Said Tre, frowning, “obsessed is not a good word Carrie, don’t you mean ‘adore’,” he said drawing circles with his forefinger on her stomach causing Caroline to giggle like a young girl.
“No Frank, I definitely mean obsessed.”
Tre laughed then and his forefinger began outlining her tummy button as he spoke. “You know, you, my mother, my bank manager and my doctor are the only ones that call me Frank. Everyone else calls me Tre.”
“But you introduced yourself to me as Frank,” she said looking into his eyes, now with their added creases at the side making him even more attractive she thought enjoying the treatment she was getting from his finger.
“Seriously though,” he said, nuzzling into her neck causing her to gasp so very slightly she didn’t think it could be heard. “I think Lily will be fine for a couple of weeks, she’s at the other of the phone whenever you need her or she needs you.”
“I know, you’re right,” Caroline said, her stomach dancing at his touch, “she has Frank with her after all.”
“So, whose this Frank guy? He must be a good friend of hers.” Tre said, his finger working its way lower down her body causing her to arch her back against him.
“He’s in the band that sang the theme tune to Bloodsuckers, My Chemical something or other,” she said unable to remember the full name of Lily’s friend’s band.
“I know them, and Frank is a great guy, in fact, they all are.” Tre said watching Caroline’s face change as he finally touched her, there.
**
“Thanks Gerard,” said Lily at the door of her house, “but you’d better get off to your father’s party, the taxi is still waiting.” She was struggling with the crutches that the hospital had given her.
“Hey…you need to go and sit down, I’ll come by tomorrow, OK?” Gerard said. “See you man.” He looked at Frank who’d hardly spoken on the journey home. Gerard hoped everything would be OK and this would be a good opportunity for those two to talk, they needed to clear the air he thought.
“Yeah, bye Gerard,” said Frank watching is friend head off down the driveway to the waiting taxi.
“He’s great, so kind,” Lily said trying to turn around on her crutches to go back in the house.
”Hey…whoah,” Frank said, taking hold of one of her arms as she wavered. “Gerard’s right, you need to sit down and then, then I think you should really call up Zach. He’ll want to know where his wife is.”
They headed off down the huge hallway to a room on the right, a Living Room, massive and beautifully decorated, expensive paintings and ornaments adorning the room.
“I know. I should do it now,” said Lily as she settled down onto the sofa.
“Let me get you a drink or something and you really could do with eating.” Frank said, being kind to her.
“I’m not that hungry but, may be a sandwich in a while.” Lily said laying her head back onto the chair dreading the fact that she had to call up Zach. Frank handed her the phone.
“Here, get it over and done with, then you can relax,” he said.
She took the phone from him, her hand brushing against his Halloween fingers.
“And I’ll go fix us some drinks.”
**
She looked pale faced when he returned. “Are you OK?” He asked, hating seeing her like this, upset and in pain, that’s why he’d offered to stay with her. She had nobody else to turn to, her mother having gone away, Carly not being around and a husband that beat her. She needed someone and he decided it would have to be him.
“Yeah, I think so. I told Zach what had happened, that the ankle is broken and…that they found bruises and they know it was his doing. He started crying Frank, I hadn’t expected that, but I told him I couldn’t stay married to him, he begged me that it wouldn’t happen again but I said I didn’t want to take the risk and that I didn’t love him anyway. I told him I was here with my mother, I didn’t tell him you were here…I thought it best that I didn’t get you involved. He said he was going to his parents.”
“It’s going to be OK Lily, just take it a day at a time. It’ll be fine, you have to be strong.” Frank said sitting alongside her. She felt his arm go across her shoulders and she wanted him to hold her tight, just like they used to but he wasn’t hers anymore.
“I know you’re right,” she said glancing away from him.
“Now, how about you come into the kitchen with me and I’ll make one of my special sandwiches?” He said trying to get her to lighten up a bit.
“That sounds good,” Lily said turning back to him.
I love you.
“Come on, let’s get you up and you can practice on those crutches, you’ll soon be racing round the garden.”
She smiled at him as he helped her up and led her to the kitchen, following close behind in case she faltered on the crutches, her body fully aware of him behind her and feeling so glad that he was with her at this moment, she wouldn’t have wanted anyone else, it seemed so right and maybe, just maybe while he was here she’d get some answers.
**
Why? She thought as she watched him busying himself in her mother’s kitchen. She was sat at the table as he buttered some bread.
“This house is huge Lily, it’s amazing and the architecture is beautiful.” He said as he went to the fridge to fetch some salad.
“I have to say, I’ve never really looked at the architecture myself, I don’t much like this house,” she said smiling at the way he described her house. She hated it.
Why did you do it? Why did you end what we had?
“But why not?” Said Frank turning to her, surprised at her reaction.
You dumped me, yet you said you loved me just days before. I need to know why before I can properly move on.
“Its too big, its impersonal and there are far too many rooms. Its lonely, it’s a lonely house.” Said Lily and it was, she’d never felt as lonely as she’d been here sometimes.
I still love you, can’t you tell?
“I suppose, yeah, it is big.” Said Frank coming over with a huge plateful of sandwiches.
I don’t think you realise how much.
They sat together for an hour, laughing and talking like they used to, Frank telling her things about what Bob and Ray had got up to and how excited they all were about the video shoot for ‘Helena’ the following week.
“I’d have loved to have done it,” Lily said trying to get up from the table and reaching for the dirty plates.
“You were perfect for it, we all thought of you for it. Hey, you stay there, I’ll clear up. You need to rest a little.”
“I feel so lazy, I’m usually so active.” Lily said wondering how she was going to cope.
“Well you’ll have to see it through Lily, before you know it, you’ll be better again,” Frank said.
Lily yawned. “I think…I might try and go and get cleaned up and get into bed, those drugs they’ve given me have made me so tired.”
“Here, let me help,” said Frank coming over as he saw her struggle.
So she let him, she let him help her up the stairs and into her room, she saw him look around at all she had but she couldn’t read his face, she just felt so tired as he helped her sit on the bed.
“Will you be OK? Just call me if you want me.” He said turning to go out the room. “I’ll finish clearing up.”
“I think I’ll be fine. There’s a guest room next door, it’s usually made up.” She said feeling weak all of a sudden.
“I’ll find it. Remember, just shout.” Said Frank as he left her bedroom door ajar and headed off down the stairs.
**
She’d heard the doorbell go and wondered who it could be. Her heart was pounding in her chest, fearful that it could be Zach come calling but it wasn’t. She heard what sounded like Frank’s father talking to his son and then silence as if he’d left. She wondered what he wanted.
She’d managed to get undressed, it was a struggle but she knew she had to do it. She’d washed herself down, brushed her teeth and was running a comb through her hair, a bath towel loosely wrapped around her when she felt slightly dizzy, may be knowing she’d overdone it.
Turning to reach for her crutches to head back into her bedroom she slipped on the tiled bathroom floor.
She was stuck.
She couldn’t pull herself up and she couldn’t reach for her crutches. Frustrated, she sat there for a moment wondering how she could get up on her own without calling for Frank but she knew she couldn’t. Her towel had fallen open at the back and she tried to wrap it around her but she couldn’t, she felt weak, exposed and alone.
It was time to call him.
“Frank!” She called out. “Frank, I need some help here.” She said.
“Its OK, I’m here,” she heard, then his steps coming up the stairs and his voice in her bedroom. “Where are you Lily?”
“I’m in here, in the bathroom. I slipped over,” she said as she saw his face appear at the door.
I’m so glad you’re here. Can’t you just…stay forever?
“I’m so sorry, I fell and now…I can’t get up,” she said clutching the bath towel around her but then she burst out laughing at the situation, laughing but feeling foolish at the same time.
“Here, let me help you,” said Frank coming over.
As he helped her up she glanced in the mirror and she saw him looking, looking at her back, looking at the sides, looking at the bruises and she felt ashamed.
“Lily.” He said. In the mirror she saw his eyes fill up with tears then she felt his fingers on her, his Halloween fingers, reaching out to touch the bruises on her ribs.
“Ow,” she winced as she felt his gentle fingers on her bruised skin.
“I’m sorry, oh my god Lily, I didn’t realise. What has that bastard done to you?” He said, standing still, staring. She saw a tear escape his eye and he brushed it away, shocked at his reaction.
“Frank, could you help me with my towel, I can’t wrap it round me properly.” She said, embarrassed and exposed.
“Sure, sure,” said Frank tucking the towel around her and helping her out of the bathroom. He noticed a robe hanging on the back of the bedroom door and helped her into it.
“I like your tattoo.” He said suddenly, changing the subject, knowing she’d felt embarrassed about him having seen her bruises. “When did you get it done?” He asked helping onto the bed then sitting down alongside her.
“The next day. The day after…the day after we finished.” She said.
“It’s the same isn’t it?” He said.
“Yeah, I went back to Steve and he did it for me. I liked your scorpion so much I just wanted to get one done too. When…when I got it done I thought, stupidly thought that maybe we’d get back together.”
She saw him glance down at his hands and she had to ask him
Now was her chance and she felt it was time.
”Why Frank? Why did you end it?”
She turned to him, just to check that he was still there.
She’d called Lily up when she’d arrived and Lily had told her that she’d fallen and broken her ankle but that she was staying at her house for the time being without Zach but she wasn’t to worry because Frank was with her.
“I really feel that I should go to her. I think there’s more to this.” Caroline said. “In fact I know there is. Why wouldn’t she want to be with her husband? I don’t get it. He’d definitely want to be with her, he’s obsessed with her.”
“Obsessed?” Said Tre, frowning, “obsessed is not a good word Carrie, don’t you mean ‘adore’,” he said drawing circles with his forefinger on her stomach causing Caroline to giggle like a young girl.
“No Frank, I definitely mean obsessed.”
Tre laughed then and his forefinger began outlining her tummy button as he spoke. “You know, you, my mother, my bank manager and my doctor are the only ones that call me Frank. Everyone else calls me Tre.”
“But you introduced yourself to me as Frank,” she said looking into his eyes, now with their added creases at the side making him even more attractive she thought enjoying the treatment she was getting from his finger.
“Seriously though,” he said, nuzzling into her neck causing her to gasp so very slightly she didn’t think it could be heard. “I think Lily will be fine for a couple of weeks, she’s at the other of the phone whenever you need her or she needs you.”
“I know, you’re right,” Caroline said, her stomach dancing at his touch, “she has Frank with her after all.”
“So, whose this Frank guy? He must be a good friend of hers.” Tre said, his finger working its way lower down her body causing her to arch her back against him.
“He’s in the band that sang the theme tune to Bloodsuckers, My Chemical something or other,” she said unable to remember the full name of Lily’s friend’s band.
“I know them, and Frank is a great guy, in fact, they all are.” Tre said watching Caroline’s face change as he finally touched her, there.
**
“Thanks Gerard,” said Lily at the door of her house, “but you’d better get off to your father’s party, the taxi is still waiting.” She was struggling with the crutches that the hospital had given her.
“Hey…you need to go and sit down, I’ll come by tomorrow, OK?” Gerard said. “See you man.” He looked at Frank who’d hardly spoken on the journey home. Gerard hoped everything would be OK and this would be a good opportunity for those two to talk, they needed to clear the air he thought.
“Yeah, bye Gerard,” said Frank watching is friend head off down the driveway to the waiting taxi.
“He’s great, so kind,” Lily said trying to turn around on her crutches to go back in the house.
”Hey…whoah,” Frank said, taking hold of one of her arms as she wavered. “Gerard’s right, you need to sit down and then, then I think you should really call up Zach. He’ll want to know where his wife is.”
They headed off down the huge hallway to a room on the right, a Living Room, massive and beautifully decorated, expensive paintings and ornaments adorning the room.
“I know. I should do it now,” said Lily as she settled down onto the sofa.
“Let me get you a drink or something and you really could do with eating.” Frank said, being kind to her.
“I’m not that hungry but, may be a sandwich in a while.” Lily said laying her head back onto the chair dreading the fact that she had to call up Zach. Frank handed her the phone.
“Here, get it over and done with, then you can relax,” he said.
She took the phone from him, her hand brushing against his Halloween fingers.
“And I’ll go fix us some drinks.”
**
She looked pale faced when he returned. “Are you OK?” He asked, hating seeing her like this, upset and in pain, that’s why he’d offered to stay with her. She had nobody else to turn to, her mother having gone away, Carly not being around and a husband that beat her. She needed someone and he decided it would have to be him.
“Yeah, I think so. I told Zach what had happened, that the ankle is broken and…that they found bruises and they know it was his doing. He started crying Frank, I hadn’t expected that, but I told him I couldn’t stay married to him, he begged me that it wouldn’t happen again but I said I didn’t want to take the risk and that I didn’t love him anyway. I told him I was here with my mother, I didn’t tell him you were here…I thought it best that I didn’t get you involved. He said he was going to his parents.”
“It’s going to be OK Lily, just take it a day at a time. It’ll be fine, you have to be strong.” Frank said sitting alongside her. She felt his arm go across her shoulders and she wanted him to hold her tight, just like they used to but he wasn’t hers anymore.
“I know you’re right,” she said glancing away from him.
“Now, how about you come into the kitchen with me and I’ll make one of my special sandwiches?” He said trying to get her to lighten up a bit.
“That sounds good,” Lily said turning back to him.
I love you.
“Come on, let’s get you up and you can practice on those crutches, you’ll soon be racing round the garden.”
She smiled at him as he helped her up and led her to the kitchen, following close behind in case she faltered on the crutches, her body fully aware of him behind her and feeling so glad that he was with her at this moment, she wouldn’t have wanted anyone else, it seemed so right and maybe, just maybe while he was here she’d get some answers.
**
Why? She thought as she watched him busying himself in her mother’s kitchen. She was sat at the table as he buttered some bread.
“This house is huge Lily, it’s amazing and the architecture is beautiful.” He said as he went to the fridge to fetch some salad.
“I have to say, I’ve never really looked at the architecture myself, I don’t much like this house,” she said smiling at the way he described her house. She hated it.
Why did you do it? Why did you end what we had?
“But why not?” Said Frank turning to her, surprised at her reaction.
You dumped me, yet you said you loved me just days before. I need to know why before I can properly move on.
“Its too big, its impersonal and there are far too many rooms. Its lonely, it’s a lonely house.” Said Lily and it was, she’d never felt as lonely as she’d been here sometimes.
I still love you, can’t you tell?
“I suppose, yeah, it is big.” Said Frank coming over with a huge plateful of sandwiches.
I don’t think you realise how much.
They sat together for an hour, laughing and talking like they used to, Frank telling her things about what Bob and Ray had got up to and how excited they all were about the video shoot for ‘Helena’ the following week.
“I’d have loved to have done it,” Lily said trying to get up from the table and reaching for the dirty plates.
“You were perfect for it, we all thought of you for it. Hey, you stay there, I’ll clear up. You need to rest a little.”
“I feel so lazy, I’m usually so active.” Lily said wondering how she was going to cope.
“Well you’ll have to see it through Lily, before you know it, you’ll be better again,” Frank said.
Lily yawned. “I think…I might try and go and get cleaned up and get into bed, those drugs they’ve given me have made me so tired.”
“Here, let me help,” said Frank coming over as he saw her struggle.
So she let him, she let him help her up the stairs and into her room, she saw him look around at all she had but she couldn’t read his face, she just felt so tired as he helped her sit on the bed.
“Will you be OK? Just call me if you want me.” He said turning to go out the room. “I’ll finish clearing up.”
“I think I’ll be fine. There’s a guest room next door, it’s usually made up.” She said feeling weak all of a sudden.
“I’ll find it. Remember, just shout.” Said Frank as he left her bedroom door ajar and headed off down the stairs.
**
She’d heard the doorbell go and wondered who it could be. Her heart was pounding in her chest, fearful that it could be Zach come calling but it wasn’t. She heard what sounded like Frank’s father talking to his son and then silence as if he’d left. She wondered what he wanted.
She’d managed to get undressed, it was a struggle but she knew she had to do it. She’d washed herself down, brushed her teeth and was running a comb through her hair, a bath towel loosely wrapped around her when she felt slightly dizzy, may be knowing she’d overdone it.
Turning to reach for her crutches to head back into her bedroom she slipped on the tiled bathroom floor.
She was stuck.
She couldn’t pull herself up and she couldn’t reach for her crutches. Frustrated, she sat there for a moment wondering how she could get up on her own without calling for Frank but she knew she couldn’t. Her towel had fallen open at the back and she tried to wrap it around her but she couldn’t, she felt weak, exposed and alone.
It was time to call him.
“Frank!” She called out. “Frank, I need some help here.” She said.
“Its OK, I’m here,” she heard, then his steps coming up the stairs and his voice in her bedroom. “Where are you Lily?”
“I’m in here, in the bathroom. I slipped over,” she said as she saw his face appear at the door.
I’m so glad you’re here. Can’t you just…stay forever?
“I’m so sorry, I fell and now…I can’t get up,” she said clutching the bath towel around her but then she burst out laughing at the situation, laughing but feeling foolish at the same time.
“Here, let me help you,” said Frank coming over.
As he helped her up she glanced in the mirror and she saw him looking, looking at her back, looking at the sides, looking at the bruises and she felt ashamed.
“Lily.” He said. In the mirror she saw his eyes fill up with tears then she felt his fingers on her, his Halloween fingers, reaching out to touch the bruises on her ribs.
“Ow,” she winced as she felt his gentle fingers on her bruised skin.
“I’m sorry, oh my god Lily, I didn’t realise. What has that bastard done to you?” He said, standing still, staring. She saw a tear escape his eye and he brushed it away, shocked at his reaction.
“Frank, could you help me with my towel, I can’t wrap it round me properly.” She said, embarrassed and exposed.
“Sure, sure,” said Frank tucking the towel around her and helping her out of the bathroom. He noticed a robe hanging on the back of the bedroom door and helped her into it.
“I like your tattoo.” He said suddenly, changing the subject, knowing she’d felt embarrassed about him having seen her bruises. “When did you get it done?” He asked helping onto the bed then sitting down alongside her.
“The next day. The day after…the day after we finished.” She said.
“It’s the same isn’t it?” He said.
“Yeah, I went back to Steve and he did it for me. I liked your scorpion so much I just wanted to get one done too. When…when I got it done I thought, stupidly thought that maybe we’d get back together.”
She saw him glance down at his hands and she had to ask him
Now was her chance and she felt it was time.
”Why Frank? Why did you end it?”