Frank's Last Words

Lily couldn’t speak, her mouth had dried up and her voice had strangely disappeared. What the fuck was he doing here? He’d tricked his way in because Frank hadn’t recognised him and now Frank had gone. All this was going through her mind as she lay awkwardly on the bed, the plaster cast weighing heavy on her leg. She also wondered if Zach could tell that she’d not long ago had sex with Frank.

Could he smell that they’d just had sex in this room?

Her stomach sank. What the fuck did he want?

“Hello Lily,” Zach said, calmly. He was still standing in the doorway; his eyes were bright but slightly glazed over as if he was on something. His hair was a mess, it looked like he hadn’t shaved and this surprised her because he’d always shaved. He hated the unshaven look. He smelt too, she could smell him from here; as his unwashed body odour swept over her and made her feel nauseous.

“What…what do you want Zach?” She asked, feeling so very scared but trying not to show it in front of him.

“I’m your husband Lily, we’re still married and I came to see how you were. I came to apologise to you for my behaviour. I’m seeing someone about my…problem,” he said coming over to sit on the bed.

Her heart pounded a little faster.

“But why…why did you pretend you were the physio guy?” Lily asked, looking at this guy that she’d known for years. This was Carly’s brother, the guy who had always looked out for her and her friend. He was always there, always around, worrying about them and always concerned. May be he was a little obsessed. May be, for all those years he had been obsessed with her and she tried to think back to times when they were younger and realised that may be Zach had slightly unhealthy feelings for her. Had Carly noticed this?

“Because…because I knew you wouldn’t want to talk to me,” he said.

“Zach, you beat me.” Lily responded. Her voice sounded strangely unlike her own.

“I’m ashamed of that Lily, you have to forgive me, and we have to make our marriage work. I want to be with you, grow old together, have children with you.” He said shuffling himself nearer to her.

“Children!” She shrieked. “Zach, there is no way that I can have children with you now. Its over Zach, you know it is, don’t make this hard for everyone.” She said.

“I’m your husband,” said Zach. “I love you Lily, I’ve always loved you, you must have realised for all those years.”

“If you loved me you wouldn’t have beaten me Zach. You can’t love me.” Lily said. She hated his guy sitting in front of her, hated him for having beat her and making her feel scared right now.

“I do love you Lily, I do. I want to show you how much I love you, I’ve missed you Lily, last night, I didn’t sleep at all for thinking about you and what I’d done. I’m ashamed.” He said shuffling forward even closer, his body odour making her gag slightly.

He reached out and touched her face and she flicked her head away in disgust.

“Please don’t touch me Zach.” She said, her heart pounding behind her ribcage.

“But I’m your husband Lily, your husband and I’m just touching you gently. I want to see how you are Lily.”

“I’m…OK. I have a broken ankle but…Frank is here looking after me, he’ll be back soon. Please, don’t.” She said as he touched her again, his clammy fingers stroking her throat, then dragging his fingers back and forth making her cringe.

But he didn’t get off, he didn’t stop touching her and then he brought his other hand up and she saw a glint, a glint of metal and realised that he had now replaced his clammy fingers with the blade of a knife.

“Frank won’t be back just yet,” Zach said, his evil eyes boring into hers, his stale breath on her face. “I think it will take him at least half an hour for him to do what he needs to do, plenty of time for me to do what I want to do.”

“What, what do you want to do?” Said Lily, scared, feeling light headed and unable to move because Zach had her pinned down onto the bed.

“I want to talk Lily, just talk and explain.”

“Explain?”

”Yes my love, explain. Explain how I feel about you, how I’ve always felt about you and to tell you that we’re meant to be together.”

Lily felt as though she was going to pass out as she felt the cold blade on her throat but held herself together.

“I don’t love you Zach. You must know that, you tricked me.”

“Oh my beautiful Lily I didn’t trick you, I just explained how I felt about you and you came to me, came to me after Frank left you. You needed me.”

“I needed you as a friend, you were there to help me and you did but you took advantage of me and you lied. You told Frank lies about me to try and get me for yourself. I’m not stupid Zach, I’m right aren’t I?”

Suddenly Zach pulled away from her and stood up, tucking the knife away in his pocket. He looked ashamed.

“Yes you’re right,” he whispered then sighed and once again and just like their earlier conversation he started crying.

“I’ve always loved you Lily, right back when you were younger, you remember?” He said turning to her. She hadn’t moved from the bed, she was still rooted to the spot, her heart slowing slightly.

Please come back soon Frank, please.

“When we were young?” She said frowning at him.

“We used to talk about everything and anything, you were the only one I could tell certain things to. I loved being with you.”

“You were great fun Zach, you were easy to talk to but I didn’t realise you liked me back then in that way.” Said Lily noticing how regretful he seemed.

“It was going fine, I was about to ask you out properly and then…he turned up on the scene. Frank.”

Lily watched his face change slightly and frowned. “But you’ve known Frank for years, you were good friends.”

“I saw the way you watched him that night after your first gig and then…he took you away.”

“Took me away?” Responded Lily, trying to remember.

“You must remember, he took you away from me Lily,” Said Zach resuming his place right next to her on the bed. “You walked home with him and well, that was that. I hardly saw you after that so…I had to so something, you weren’t right with him.”

“So you set out to split us up Zach? Was that the answer for you? Did it make you happy?” She shrieked at him.

“Yes it did, I saw more of you after that, remember? Carly went away to New York and that was when you came to me, willingly came to me.” He said his face getting closer to her again. “You’ve had sex with him haven’t you?”

But she couldn’t answer him.

”Answer me Lily! You’ve had sex with him haven’t you?” He grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks together. “Haven’t you?”

She nodded slowly, tears brimming in her eyes from fear.

“Did he make you come?” He spat at her, the feeling of his spittle splashing her face. “Tell me!”

Scared, she nodded again as he let go of her and pulled away but reached up and touched her face gently.

“You have to come back with me Lily, you have to. We’re married, you said you’d stay with me, for richer, for poorer, remember?” He said standing up. “You have to come back with me, you have to give me one more chance Lily and I have a very good reason why you should.”

**

Just before Frank had left the house he turned to watch the physio guy going up the stairs. He was very weird looking but Frank was sure he recognised him. He shrugged it off though, not realising how he knew him, just thinking that may be he’d seen him at the hospital yesterday. Grabbing the house keys he opened the front door and smiled knowing that Lily wouldn’t be able to hobble down the stairs to let him in.

He’d try to not be too long but may be he’d just pop in on Gerard and the guys for a while to see how they were getting on with the plans for the Helena shoot.

**

He had been gone for over an hour and a half by the time he put his key in the front door.

“I’m back, sorry Lily I took a little longer, just popped in at Gerards!” Shouted out Frank as he closed the front door but there was no answer.

The house was silent.

“Lily!” He shouted again.

She must be asleep he thought, the physio guy must have worn her out. He crept up the stairs and into the guest room where he thought he’d find her asleep but instead of Lily being there he saw an envelope on the pillow with his name on it.

In Lily’s writing.

What’s she up to, playing a little game with me, just like she used to probably he thought as he tore open the letter.

But what he read caused him to slump down onto the bed in disbelief.

Dear Frank

Zach came by and we talked for ages. He wants to give it another try and I’ve agreed. Well, we are married after all and I can’t just walk away from him that easily.

You thought he was the physio guy, he came in disguise because he was frightened you wouldn’t let him in and he needed to talk to me urgently.

Thank you for looking after me and don’t worry about me. I’m going to be fine.

Lily.