Frank's Last Words

One Week Later

“Hi Caroline,” said Frank as Caroline opened the front door to him.

“Come on in Frank.” She said watching this guy that she thought her daughter had loved come into the house.

She’d hardly seen Lily since she’d gone back to Zach, she’d gone over there to see her, concerned because she’d called up the house while she was with Tre in California and had spoken to Frank who said that Zach had been there and taken Lily home. She’d tried calling up their home but there was no answer and Lily was also not answering her cell phone. So her and Tre had packed up and got a flight back, wondering what the fuck was happening.

That was when she’d found Frank here, looking dreadful and lying in the dark in her guest room, a crumpled letter sitting on his chest. He’d gone on to explain that Zach had beaten Lily, that was why she hadn’t gone back to him after she’d broken her ankle, Frank had even told her that Lily had admitted she still loved him and had then tearfully showed her the letter, still unable to believe that Lily had gone back to him. How could she do it?

“Have you heard any more from her?” Frank said, hands in his hoody pocket. She noticed he’d lost a little weight in the few days since she’d last seen him.

“I spoke to her last night. She seemed…OK.” Caroline said ushering Frank into the kitchen. “But I don’t think she’s happy. Coffee?”

“Please.” Said Frank sitting down on the kitchen stool. “I don’t get it, if she’s not happy why did she go back to him?”

“I don’t know Frank, I really don’t know, I’ve tried to come up with some answers but don’t know. I just told her that I was here if she ever needed me. I don’t know what else to do.”

“I love her and I let her down,” Frank said. “Why did I believe Zach back then? This is all my fault and I’m a fool.”

“Don’t blame yourself Frank, come on. Lily’s a grown woman, she can make up her own mind.” She said handing Frank a steaming mug of coffee.

“I know,” said Frank, “that’s what makes it all seem worse. She was scared of him Caroline I know she was and now she’s gone back to him. I really don’t get it.” He said. She watched his face, feeling sorry for him. “She told me she loved me, it was the last thing she said to me. I’ve let her down.”

“Come on what can we do? Drag her back here?” She said putting her arm across his shoulders.

“Yeah, I’d do that but…if she wants to be with me then she wouldn’t have gone with him again.” He said regretfully.

“I think that’s how she felt when you two split up. She always felt that if you wanted her, you’d be with her and I don’t think she really understood why.”

Frank ignored this comment now realising how Lily must have felt when he’d ended it. “We’re touring from tomorrow and I was hoping to see her before I go but it doesn’t look as if I’m going to.” He said as he drank some coffee down and stood up.

“May be its best if you don’t see her, go and do your tour Frank, how long will you be gone?”

”A couple of months, not too long.” He said as he walked out of the kitchen. “Thanks for the coffee Caroline. Make sure she’s OK will ya?” He said and left.

Caroline didn’t tell him that she’d only be round to see Lily that morning. Zach seemed to have some hold over her, he hadn’t let her out of his sight and she was concerned wondering why on earth her daughter had gone back to him after what he’d done.

Two Months Later

“You’ve done well Lily, I think you can return to work,” said the doctor who had been examining her ankle.

Thank god for that, somewhere I can go to be on my own without him around. May be I can call up Frank to explain without Zach watching my every move.

“Thanks doctor,” said Lily as they left the room.

“I think you should give up the dancing, you don’t need it Lily, I can afford to keep us and…if we’re going to start a family soon, may be you should…”

“Zach if you have any feeling for me at all you’ll know how much I do need my dancing. Madame Zola is getting old, she calls me daily, you know that. She needs me to take over now.”

“Very well but…if you think about contactinghim at all, you’ll know what will happen.”

“Yeah. I know, you tell me often enough.” Said Lily then she cringed as Zach’s clammy hand held tightly onto hers.

**

“Lily, Lily it is so good to have you back, I have missed you. But…you have lost weight, are you eating properly?”

No. How can I eat, I sleep with a man that has bribed me. I love someone else and can’t stop thinking about him. It’s killing me. He’s killing me and I don’t know what to do.

“I have lost my appetite since it happened Madame but…I’m sure I’ll get it back soon, I’m eager to start work again.”

“Good, good, what do you think about my idea. Everyone has been working on it, you just need to practice your dances Lily and I know it won’t be long before you pick them up.”

“I think its wonderful,” said Lily but she was a little apprehensive, the idea of this new performance. It was to be a ballet version of Snow White and she was to be the lead character, the younger dancers playing dwarves and other creatures of the forest. Yes, she was apprehensive because it was what Frank had always called her, just something else that would remind her of him.

Two Weeks Later

There he was.

He was standing outside the gates again.

He was there daily, waiting and watching, hoping for her to come out. It broke her heart watching him and knowing why he was always there but there was nothing she could do. If Zach saw them together, well…god, she didn’t want to think about the consequences.

She’d found out all about Frank and the guys from the computer in the office at lunchtime. She ate her sandwich searching for him, seeing how he’d got on with the tour, watching his videos, especially the Helena one. She watched it with regret wondering what it would have been like if she had been the dancer. It was a success for them and the dancer had been amazing. She was so pleased for them but missed them all.

She knew Frank would be hurt by the note she had left that night but there was nothing she could do, after what Zach had said, she’d had no option but to go back to him.

It was the first showing of Snow White this evening and she was excited. Her mother would be there with Tre. He’d been staying with her mother ever since they flew back over here, they were happy, they were in love and they were due to marry soon. She was so excited for her mother, it was amazing seeing her happy again. Tre was good for her.

She wasn’t going home so therefore Zach wouldn’t be waiting outside for her at the usual time but he’d be here later on to watch her perform, to watch her every move, like always.

She hated him so much it was untrue, he didn’t beat her anymore. But the beatings were nothing to the way he treated her, making her wear certain items of clothing, she wasn’t to wear any make up, she had to do all the housework and he made her have sex with him and it made her shudder thinking about his clammy hands roaming her body.

She hated him so much she wanted to kill him. Oh yes, she’d thought about it, thought about poisoning his food, stabbing him to death with the kitchen knife, thought about fixing the brakes on his car, all sorts of ways. She’d thought about them all but couldn’t quite bring herself to do it.

“Lily, are you OK?” Said Madame Zola coming into the room.

“Yes, just looking out Madame, it’s a beautiful day.”

“Are you looking out at Frank? He comes by every day doesn’t he in the hope to get to talk to you.”

Lily glanced at the old lady. So she knew, she knew Frank waited outside for her.

“Yes, he’s out there now.”

“He’s so very handsome Lily, why on earth did you go back to your husband, after what he did to you, I…”

“I had to, that’s all I’m going to say Madame, I had to.”

“Very well,” said Madame Zola, seeing how much of her spark that this girl had lost.

“Lily, you still love Frank don’t you?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yes Lily it is. You know, I was in love once but…it…it all went wrong. I fell in love with a Russian prince who had come to watch me dance. We had an affair, I know it was wrong, he knew it was wrong but it was what was meant to be, we should have been together but he was due to marry some other princess, an arranged marriage. He didn’t love her but he married her anyway, hoping that he would have me too but I wouldn’t settle for second best so I left the country and came here and concentrated on my dancing.”

“Oh Madame Zola,” Said Lily, open-mouthed at this old lady’s confession.

“His wife died ten years ago and he contacted me to go to him but I said if he wanted me he should come to me. I was stubborn. I gave up so much for him I felt that it was his turn to do something for me. So he did, he got ready to come over to me, we were going to start a new life together but…he tragically died on his way here in an aircraft accident. It was all over the news. My mistake was I should not have been so stubborn, if I hadn’t of been I should have just gone to him, gone back to my homeland. He wouldn’t have died and we’d be together now.”

“I think…I think I remember that incident Madame Zola, he was a very handsome prince.”

“He was. Listen, I just want to say this Lily, don’t live with someone you don’t love, you deserve to be happy, please don’t let him have a hold on you; it’ll destroy you in the end. I think you need to be with Frank and I’m not going to say anymore about it because its time to get ready for the performance.”

Turning back to the window Lily noticed that Frank had gone.

**

It had been a success, she was proud of her performance, she’d worked hard on the new dance routines and had pulled it off she thought as the curtains closed on her final dance listening to the loud applause and cheering.

There were to be drinks and food in one of the dance studios but she just wanted to get out of her costume and get the heavy make up and wig off and relax for a moment.

“Well done Lily, well done.” Said Zach following her along the backstage corridor. “I’d forgotten how well you dance.” He said. “Listen, I shall meet you in the studio, I need a drink so don’t be long and don’t wear that ghastly black dress.” He said brushing past Caroline.

“Lily sweetheart that was amazing, you were made for that role. Well done honey.” She said pecking her daughter on the cheek.

“Thanks mom, hey where’s Tre?” She asked searching for her mother’s boyfriend.

“He’s in the studio talking to Madame Zola, he said he’ll talk to you there. I’m going to meet him there now, so see you in a moment, OK?”

“Yeah, I’ll be about half an hour.” Said Lily turning to her dressing room door.

“Ok sweetheart.”

Lily turned and walked into her dressing room, her heart stopping as she saw him standing there with a small bouquet of peach coloured roses, the same as the ones he’d given her on her first performance.

His smile lit up his face and it immediately lit up her heart.

“Frank! Oh my god, what are you doing in here?” She said feeling the smile spread across her face at the sight of him.

“I had to come Lily, I stood at the back and watched your performance, I just wanted to see it.” He said coming towards her and taking off her wig with one hand and handing her the roses with the other.

He flung the wig on the floor and pulled her close to him. Pressing his mouth against the top of her head.

“You see, I always knew you were Snow White. My Snow White.”

Lily was enjoying this so much, feeling him close to her, just him being here but then she jumped back.

“Frank, you can’t stay here. Zach, he…”

“I don’t give a damn about him. I just wanted to see you, I need to talk to you Lily, I just want you to make me understand.” He said looking into her eyes.

“Oh Frank, we don’t have much time,” she said glancing at the door, scared.

“What are you worried about him for? If you want to be with him Lily then there is nothing I can do about it. We’re having a talk, a friendly talk. There’ll be nothing in it unless you want there to be.”

Sighing Lily went and sat on the small sofa, she was still holding on to the bouquet but she lifted the bouquet to her nose, sniffed at them and smiled. “I love these, funny, I never thought I’d love peach roses but since you bought me that first bouquet they are my favourites.”

“I know, they were my grandmother’s favourites too, she suggested I buy you them that first night.” He said coming to sit alongside her.

”How are they, your family?”

“They’re well and they asked after you too, they miss seeing you.”

“I miss them too, I miss everyone Frank. You guys are doing well, and the video went well. I liked it.”

He reached out and touched her hair and she pushed her head against the feeling of his hand and closed her eyes.

“Oh Frank, what if he comes? We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Will you stop talking about fucking Zach for just one minute.” Slight annoyance evident in his voice.

“But…I’m scared of him.” She said fingering the rose petals.

“I know you are and I’m scared for you, so why’d you go back to him?” He said. She couldn’t look at him but could feel his eyes on her, waiting for an answer.

“I can’t tell you.” She replied, her fingers slightly shaking now.

“And why not?”

She shrugged then looked up at him.

“You broke my heart you know when you finished it. You broke my heart and…Zach was there to pick up the pieces. I should never have married him because all I wanted was you but I knew I couldn’t have you because you didn’t want me. So I got with Zach and I’ve regretted every minute of it. He held a grudge about you all this time, treated me appallingly and held it against me all this time. When he’s had a drink he…gets angry. He took it out on me for a while and when it came out in the open, when I broke my ankle and I left him I thought that would be the end of it but he came back, that day…he came back and,”

“and what Lily?”

But the door burst open then and then he was in the room with them, Zach, looking like a wild beast. He was drunk and Lily was scared.

They both stood up to face him.

“You fucking little bitch, you cheating cow, I knew it, I knew you’d find a way of seeing him you fucking little whore,” He shouted and spat at them.

“Hey!” Said frank going towards him but unexpectedly, Zach pulled out a gun from his jacket pocket and aimed it at Frank, just as Caroline and Tre also entered the room having watched Zach earlier storm out of the studio. They’d decided to follow him.

“Put the gun down man,” said Frank putting his hands up in front of him.

Lily gasped. “Please Zach, nothing has been going on, I swear it. Please, lets talk about this.”

“Talk?” Said Zach turning and now aiming the gun at her. “There’s no point in talking to you is there? I’ve tried talking to you; I can’t get through to you.”

“Please Zach, put the gun down, Madame Zola has already called the police. Put the gun down and it can all end peacefully.” Said Caroline.

“I love you Lily,” said Zach looking pathetically at her. “ I always have and you could never ever return it could you? I could have given you anything. Why? Why did you ever go with him that first night?” He said waving the gun around. “You know what Lily, I know I can’t have you anymore can I? You don’t want me do you? So, if I can’t have you, sure as hell anyone else is, especially not him,” he said cocking the gun at Frank but looking at Lily.

Lily pleaded with him, “No! No Zach you can’t do this. Please don’t.”

“Put the fucking gun down man, and we can sort this,” said the voice of Tre.

But Tre’s voice had surprised Zach causing him to turn and trip.

“Get him!” Frank shouted and him and Tre both rushed at Zach but as they went forward the gun went off, a loud, sickening sound and reverberated around the room and both men slumped to the floor.

Lily was confused, who had been hit? Both the Franks were on the floor, they’d both dived at Zach at the same time.

“Oh my god,” she said as another gunshot rang out and then she turned and glanced quickly at Zach, lying there motionless, eyes staring with a hole in the head. He’d shot himself and she felt nothing.

Suddenly everything became confusing, paramedics and police came rushing into the room, both her mother and her were sobbing as they were ushered out of the room, it had all happened in a haze, so quickly.

Madame Zola was there, waiting outside, her face scared and concerned, crowds of dancers standing behind her.

“Who is it Lily? Who has been shot? Caroline who is it?” She asked the ashen-faced women, talking to both of them, hoping for some sort of explanation.

“Its Frank,” one of them sobbed, “and I think I’ve lost him.”