Frank's Last Words

“I can’t believe you came, how did you manage to get a seat? I thought it was all sold out tonight.” I said astonished that Frank was standing right in front of me.

“The guy at the door just happens to be a friend of mine so…I stood next to him all evening. Hey, there’s a Starbucks just down the street, wanna meet me there?” He said.

“Yeah, I’d love to but…my mother’s here, she’ll be expecting me to meet her out front. I’ll have to tell her where I’m going,” I said.

“Of course. Hopefully I’ll see you there,” he said then stepped backwards, started to walk away then turned once more.

Then I remembered something. “Thanks for the roses, they’re gorgeous!” I shouted after him.

“Glad you like ‘em!” He shouted back as he turned quickly and smiled then disappeared behind the stage door.

**

I could see her sitting in the car as I approached, it looked as if she was just finishing a conversation on her phone. She didn’t look very happy so I hoped she wouldn’t mind me going off with Frank for a coffee.

“Hey Mom,” I said opening the door.

“Hey sweetheart, that was such a good performance,” she said and I noticed her eyes were damp. I hoped she was OK.

“Thanks Mom, listen, Frank’s here, he saw the performance and he…he gave me these after the show,” I said placing the bouquet of roses onto the passenger seat.

“They’re beautiful,” she said reaching for the flowers and taking a sniff of them, like I had.

“He wants me to join him for a coffee…just over at Starbucks so I won’t be needing a lift home just yet.” I said. I watched her place the roses back down onto the seat. “You don’t mind?” I said.

“Sweetheart of course I don’t mind, just as long as you can get home OK. If you need me to come out later and get you, call me, yeah,” she said.

“Thanks Mom, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“Have a good time honey…oh…and…that was your Dad on the phone just now.”

“He’s due back this weekend isn’t he?” I asked, it would be good to see him again but it had been a long time this time.

“Actually no, I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, now…you go and enjoy your time with Frank.”

“See you Mom,” I said but noticed she didn’t look very happy, I hoped Dad was coming back soon, I knew how much she missed him when he was away. I hated seeing her like that, it was a good job she had her writing.

**

Caroline sat in the car for a few moments before she started the engine of her car. She watched her daughter as she went to meet Frank. Frank. The memories of her Frank of years ago were pretty strong at the moment and Lily mentioning Starbucks reminded her of when she used to go there with him…

…Looking back, Caroline couldn’t work out how she’d met Frank in a library. She was researching a book that she had started writing. She’d just had her 16th birthday, a quiet affair and had been given loads of writing equipment, which was what she ‘d asked for. She loved writing and had all these ideas for stories going through her mind. She’d started one, her first story, a horror story about trees that came to life.

So she spent many of her afternoons in the library, just pouring over books, making notes and looking up random things, she loved it here, it was peaceful and calm and it got her away from her family.

This one particular day as she was researching she suddenly heard a voice behind her.

“I now know why I came to the library.” It was an American voice, extremely loud and caused a few other people in the library to say “shush.” She glanced across at their faces as if someone had committed a mortal sin then she turned and saw the guy that had spoken was staring at her, just staring and it took her aback. Why would he be looking at her?

He had a stocky build, a bad dress sense she thought but a great face, it was smiley and he had good teeth.

“Hi,” he said. “I’m Frank and I’m pretty new in the area, so thought I’d just walk on in here and see if anything exciting was happening.” He said looking around him.

Caroline glanced around her too then burst out laughing at the absurdness of it all. As if something exciting was going to happen in the library. They laughed together and their laughter grew louder causing yet more people to “hush” them and whispers of “this is a library don’t you know,” rang out through the deathly silent building.

“Wanna go to Starbucks?” Said this Frank guy.

“Why not?” Caroline had shrugged as she stood up and packed her books together. Yeah, why not indeed, he looked friendly enough and he said he was new in the area. He looked interesting and she wanted to find out a little more about him. Her life was boring and this guy in front of her was like a light going on.

They couldn’t stop laughing as they left the library and went to Starbucks and had these huge hot chocolates with mini marshmallows, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. He’d insisted that she try one because he always had them at home in California.

So…as Caroline started the car as she left the theatre she watched her daughter disappear into Starbucks to meet her Frank while she realised she’d never ever found out why her Frank had been in the library that day, even after spending a week with him and following him to America. She’d never got to ask him why he’d been in the library because it wasn’t for borrowing a book and doing research.

Caroline wondered what he was doing now and she longed to apologise to him for the awful thing she’d done all those years ago.

Yeah, she’d just like to see him once, to apologise and see how he was.

But she knew that wasn’t going to happen.

**

“Wow, I wished I’d ordered one of those now,” said Frank eyeing up Lily’s hot chocolate.

“Its something my Mom and I always have when we come here, hot chocolate with whipped cream, mini marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles, here, try some,” she said pushing it towards Frank who took a sip, the whipped cream sticking to his upper lip. She reached for a napkin and wiped it off for him, laughing at his cheeky face.

“Thanks Lily. Yeah that does taste good. Next time, that’s what I’m having,” he said looking at her.

“Halloween. That’s what it says now I can read them properly. Halloween. I like them,” said Lily looking at Frank’s hands and realising what the letters on his fingers spelt out.

“Halloween’s my birthday and ever since I was young I wanted that written across my fingers.”

“They’re great. Have you other tattoos?” Lily asked.

“A few.” He said, it can get quite addictive. Have you any?”

“No, I don’t know if I ever will, I don’t think they’d look that good with a leotard,” She said watching Frank smile. “I would like one though.”

“I’m getting another one tomorrow. Right here, on the side of my neck.” Said Frank.

“Cool.” She replied thinking how good it would look on him.

“Yeah, my Dad’ll hate it, he’ll think I’ll never get a proper job if I have something like that but little does he know that’s the idea.”

“What are you getting?” Lily asked as she drank her chocolate.

“A scorpion.” He said. I have this little picture here in my back pocket and he reached in and showed the crumpled piece of paper to Lily.

“Cool,” said Lily. “You know, I’d like a little scorpion like that it’s just…finding the right place to put it.”

“Come with me tomorrow and get it done,” said Frank looking at her hopefully.

”I’ll come with you but I’m not sure if I’ll get one done just yet,” she said definitely wanting to have a tattoo but having to think about it a little bit more.

“I know this guy who does great tattoos, he doesn’t hurt,” he said.

Then his phone rang and he picked up, after apologising. How sweet.

“Hey Gerard, yeah, OK man. I’m awake still, yeah. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He said.

“That was Gerard, they’re up working on a few songs for our first gig tomorrow. They need me over there.”

“Oh…I’ll call up my mother, she’ll come and get me.” I said reaching for my phone but he put his hand out onto mine.

“Its OK Lily. There’s no hurry, I’ll walk you home again.” He said drinking his coffee down.

And he did. He walked me home but before we got to our huge wrought iron gates that led to our mansion he pulled me into his arms and kissed me, ever so gently, his lips soft and warm and tasting of chocolate and cigarettes.

“See you soon, yeah,” he said, touching her face gently then walked off, reached into his back pocket for his cigarettes and lit up.

Of course he turned round once to wave, to wave and smile and suddenly Lily didn’t want to go home, she just wanted to be with him and she wondered when they'd be together next and whether they were going anywhere.

**

It was exciting deciding what to wear to the movie premiere. Of course I’d have to buy something special, it had been a year since I’d seen him, and I had to look my best but then looking out onto the sofa at my sleeping husband I wondered whether if I should just forget the whole thing.

I wasn’t sure if I could face him, after all, Frank had dumped me and he’d dumped me for a reason. He was probably with someone else by now, like I was.

But I still wanted to see him, just to see him once more would make me so happy.