DONāT YOU GO UPSET PREGNANT WOMAN!! Donāt you do it!
Barking up the Wrong Tree ā Part Nine
Series Summary/Description ā Frankie is your neighbor and crush, but heās not dating. It still doesnāt break his heart while he watches you go through some awful dates of your own and struggle with your ex-husband. Why wonāt you see that you deserve more?Ā
Triggers/Warnings ā 18 and over please ā Light Abusive relationship, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, single parenting, mentions of recovering drug abuse, angst, sexual content, possible sexual content to come, will add warnings to chapters as needed.Ā Itās important to include anything thatās remotely triggering.
Chapter Nine note - I know itās a slow burn, but I really want to show how much theyāre growing and it takes times. But girl is getting there, she really is. Thank you to those who are sticking around. I love these two because I really do think sheās showing the growth.
Word Count ā 6,400
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Tag list - @pimosworld @southernbe @casa-boiardi @lola8888673 @anoverwhelmingdinĀ @missladym1981@harriedandharassed
The urgent need to pee wakes you a couple hours later and youāre feeling a bit better. Frankie is sleeping but your trip to the bathroom wakes him, and you find him sitting up and staring at the bathroom door when you open it to the bedroom, his eyes are sleepy. āHow are you feeling?ā. The vision of a scantily clad Frankie Fucking Morales, drowsy in your bed is endearing but remembering the reason why he is here cuts through the haze of warm and fuzzy feelings at the mere sigh of him.
You crawl back into bed and turn to look at him, wincing at the movement it takes to get comfortable and see the way he looks at you, āIām doing better. Peed so much I thought I might flood my bathroom.ā Itās still dark out but your internal clock tells you it wonāt be light for another hour or two.Ā
Frankie jerks his head towards the container at the side of the bed, āYou should drink more while youāre awake. Iām gonna to head back over to my place, I think youāre out of the woods.Ā Ā I can check in later and make breakfast for you and George when she wakes up. If thatās okay?āĀ
Sitting up you grab the gigantic water bottle and sip, āSure, I know George wouldnāt say no to Frankie pancakes.ā After drinking a huge amount of the pedilyte you set the jug down and reach out to Frankie and touch his arm, something compels you to want to physically connect and just feel him there, āThank you for staying, I really donāt know what Iād do without you.āĀ
The silence youāve both shared before returns, itās that moment youāre familiar with that sits between you when uncertainty wraps itself around your intentions. But now it hollers in your ears, an almost perceptible wince can be seen on Frankieās face as he leaves your bed and looks around your room as if heās suddenly realized how intimate the moment has become, āJust give me a call when sheās up and Iāll be over. I donāt want her to wake up with me in the house, just adds to the confusion. Do you need anything before I go?ā
Frankie touches where your hand was and hopes you ask him to stay even though he knows he canāt, he knows he shouldnāt. He hadnāt slept that well in a year, the soft sound of your breathing a lullaby, then waking to your face in the dimly lit room and seeing you sleeping soundly had made him feel so needed. It wasnāt wanted, but needed, he had felt like he belonged somewhere other than as a father or a friend. A partner who could help and heal. He felt useful to someone he wanted to be there for in a way he hadnāt wanted for such a long time. He felt like walking out that door meant walking away from being needed.Ā
The sadness in Frankieās voice tugs at you, it needles at your skin, more than the burn along your back, something tells you heās torn and youāre guilty for being glad heās torn. His eyes are filled with more than sleep, but you know you canāt ask him to stay, itās that question that lingers in the air. You both hold it, āNo, Iām good Frankie. I will see you in the morning.ā
Frankie tries to smile, āOkay, see you in the morning.Ā Ā Sleep tight.āĀ
It doesnāt take you long to fall back to sleep as you stare at the empty doorway. The stinging of your back is there, but dull, itās nothing compared to the pain you feel in your chest now that Frankie isnāt occupying the empty spot next you.
Frankie and George are sitting and eating pancakes when you come downstairs. Theyāre both giggling as George frantically tells Frankie a story about when she was spending time with her father over the summer. Her animated expressions are heartwarming, and the way Frankie reacts to her as if sheās the most interesting person in the world has you realizing youāre holding your breath.
The sight of you standing at the bottom of the stairs catches Frankieās eyes and he smiles. āGeorge, your mother is alive! I told you she was doing okay.ā Heās happy to see you up and relieved to see youāre looking better. āIāll make you some pancakes.ā Frankie brings you some water and ibuprofen thatās been sitting on the counter, waiting for you to wake up.Ā
Thereās a place setting for you, a coffee cup and Frankie begins to make you fresh pancakes. The fact that he doesnāt even ask before he starts sets a bloom of warmth in your chest. āAfter breakfast we should look at your back and see how itās doing. Itās going to need to be cleaned and dressed. How does it feel?ā He looks back at you from where heās standing at the stove, the spatula in his hand and a smile on his face.Ā
George is finishing up her pancakes and you can see the look of contentment on her face from the presence of Frankie but then thereās a knock on the door and it all kind of shatters. You know who it is, itās gotta be Nick. He has the worst timing and is persistent if anything else. Before you even open the door, you go to check your phone, it has fifteen unanswered calls from him and dozens of text messages, none of this can be a good sign.
āFuck.ā You slam your phone down and start to walk to the door when Frankie walks over and stops you. He places his hand on your shoulder, heās turned on the protective Frankie and shakes his head. Heās not going to even allow this to happen, he doesnāt want you to have to deal with this guy if you donāt have to. Heās got zero patience this morning having spent the night with you in pain, vomiting on him, watching over you and worried and this fuckhead sleeping soundly.
āIām getting it, you shouldnāt have to deal with him.ā Of course, George is looking at you and then Frankie with confusion. She has no idea that you dumped Nick, she just thinks this is a Sunday morning with Frankieās pancakes without Olivia. Sheād given up hope of Frankie being more than your friend and was just happy heās around at all.
You push him aside, āFrankie, I have to do this myself, I canāt let you solve my problems. You understand that right?ā His brow furrows as Nick knocks on the door more urgently and he knows youāre right. He hates it, but he knows.
Rather than deal with Nick in front of George, you open the door and slip outside. āGeorge, you stay here with Frankie, whatever happens, you stay inside.ā Nick doesnāt even get the courtesy of entrance into your home. Heās not invited anymore, and you want to make it clean heās not welcome. Frankie tries to play it cool so George doesnāt wind up more concerned than she should be by returning to making your pancakes and starts to talk about going back to school, which is in just a week.Ā
āAre you excited George?ā This of course elicits the biggest groan out of her, the last thing in the world any eleven-year-old would call the end of summer break would be āexcitingā.Ā
āFrankie, I donāt want to go back to school. I hate school, everyone is mean to me.ā Frankie raises a brow and looks at her with concern.
āWhat? Who would be mean to you George, youāre the sweetest girl I know.ā But as soon as it comes out of his mouth, he knows he would probably be mean to George because he was a douchebag in school and kids are cruel and as he looks at her, she slumps in her chair. He realizes how painfully ill equipped he is to deal with the child whoās being bullied. It breaks his heart in pieces knowing one of his precious girls is being treated so poorly.
So far, itās been fairly quiet outside, which gives Frankie hope, but as he makes your last pancake, heās also worried itās been so long since youāve gone to speak to Nick. Nick starts to yell, āWhy are you being such a fucking cunt?āĀ Ā Then a loud crash accompanies his shouting and without hesitation Frankie is on the porch.
The scene he enters makes his blood boil. One of the planters from your porch railings is now broken in front of you, your bare feet covered in porcelain and dirt. Nickās face is red, veins bulging in his neck, heās obviously angry and youāre standing strong, but Frankie can sense the absolute terror hiding behind your faƧade, itās all bravado. Youāre obviously on the brink of tears, your hands in fists, tiny tremors causing them to shake just imperceptibly, he can see it.
āWho the fuck do you think you are asshole?ā Frankieās hand flies to the collar of Nickās shirt and pushes him up against the railing, his face just an inch from Nickās, āIf you want to threaten someone, why not threaten someone who can fight back? Or do you just like to pick fights with women fuckface?āĀ
Nickās face gets pale and heās obviously considering his options as Frankie holds him back, āI had no intention of hurting her. I just got angry. Sheās being unreasonable.ā Nick has the nerve to nod at you as you stand quietly unable to move since youāre too worried about stepping on one of the pieces of pottery.
Frankie tightenās his grip on Nickās shirt, āExcuse me? Did you just blame her for your inability to control your own temper? The same person who you allowed to get fucking second degree sunburn as well as sun poisoning and then you neglected to get medical attention for.Ā Ā Arenāt you the same motherfucker who was irresponsible with her child? Youāre blaming her for your pisspoor judgement, shitty time management skills and utter lack of empathy? Youāve got some fucking nerve cocksucker.āĀ
Nick is looking at you then back to Frankie, heās starting to panic a bit now that Frankie hasnāt lessened his grip on his shirt and seems to be tightening even more. The look of utter rage in Frankieās eyes is starting to scare you regardless if every point heās made is absolutely true. āI donāt know what sheās told you, she should have set her alarm. Sheās an adultā¦ā Before Nick can even finish his sentence Frankie pulls his fist back to punch Nick when you scream Frankieās name.
Frankie hesitates, he knows youāre right and he lets go of Nickās collar, pushing him to the side. Frankieās not going to solve anything hitting this guy and he knows heās not going to endure assault charges for this asshole, heās not worth it.
āNick, just leave. Iām not telling you again, but itās over. You fucked up and the fact that you refuse to even admit that you fucked up is the problem here. You refuse to apologize or take responsibility for your behavior. I donāt want to see you anymore.ā Nick continues to stare at you and then back to Frankie, the color in his face returns.
āI get it, you wouldnāt put out because you were fucking this guy all along. George was home, you needed time, there was always an excuse. It wasnāt me; it was this lunkhead.ā Nick walks down the steps and looks back, āYou deserve this dumbass, Iām too good for you. Who walks around with sharpie on their face anyway. And you have a fat ass, bitch.āĀ
The urge to throw something at him wins and you pick up Georgeās soccer ball, it lands square at the back of his head. Both you and Frankie burst out laughing and Nick cusses as he walks away. āI like my sharpie spot and my fat ass.āĀ Ā You pout and touch the spot on your face and rub your ass, which is the only area on your backside that isnāt burnt to a crisp.Ā
Itās then that you realize youāre still standing in dirt and broken pottery. And youāre hit by the realization that youāve yet again been stuck in that mode of flight or fight, and you burst into tears. Youāre so fucking exhausted and Frankie is here again to witness how fucked up you are, to see you at your worst.Ā
āOh Spot, stay where you are, okay. Iām going to get a broom.ā Frankie runs across the street to his house and fetches a broom and his trashcan, heās anxious and doesnāt want you to move and all he can think about is hugging you and wrapping you in his arms. Heās so proud of you he can barely hold it all in, heās about to burst with just how fucking proud he is.
When he gets back to you, youāre standing in the same place, still crying and holding your arms close to your body. George is still inside but Frankie is sure sheās probably worried. āIām gonna check on George real quick and make sure sheās okay, can you hold on a bit longer?ā His eyes are soft and questioning as he sets the broom against the side of the house and opens the door as you nod.
It doesnāt take long for Frankie to hop back outside and get to work on the pottery and dirt, he speaks to you softly as he sweeps, āHey, Iām gonna get this cleaned up, you just need to sit tight a bit longer, okay? We donāt need you getting cut on top of your already baked backside young lady. Got it?ā He makes sure youāre looking at him when he talks and is gentle and slow with his movements. This is the Frankie that makes your heart flutter and skip beats, the one who soothes all your panic and anxiety rather than being the source.Ā
āThank you, Frankie. Once again, swooping in to save the day.ā The words are spoken through your sniffles as you try to compose yourself, itās a struggle since you just want to crawl back into bed. The pain from your sunburn is still aching and your head is hurting from the crying. Frankie has finished sweeping and he wipes his hands on his khakis and looks at you with a satisfied smile.
āWhy donāt you go back in and finish your pancakes. And I didnāt save the day, I didnāt do anything a friend wouldnāt do. You were the one who saved the day, you kept me from beating the shit out of that asshole. He deserved it but it would have caused me a lot more trouble in the long run, so thank you for being levelheaded. Iām going to finish up out here.ā He grabs the broom and starts to bring the trash can back to his place, his cap titled on his head in the most endearing way.Ā
George is sitting on the couch watching TV when you go back in. āGeorge, how do you feel about spending some time with your grandmother for the rest of the week? I think I need some time sweetie. My back is killing me, and I feel horrible.āĀ Ā You sit next to her and wrap your arm around her, planting a kiss on the top of her head. The last thing you want to do is spend less time with her, but you also know that youāre going to have to find a new job and taking care of yourself is the best thing when it comes to taking care of George. As you sit next to her, youāre still shaking and attempting to keep yourself composed as to not worry George.
George looks disappointed, she scrunches up her face and then plops down on the couch dramatically, emphasizing her dismay with your decision. āMom, I promise not to be any trouble!āĀ
āOh sweetie, youāre never any trouble, please donāt think youāre a bother to me.ā Just then Frankie walks back in, heās got a couple of board games under his arm and some more pedialyte, which he sets down on the kitchen table. āGeorge, I just donāt want you to have to spend the last week of your summer vacation sitting around the house because your mother has to convalesce like an old lady and look for a new job. Thatās not fair to you because sheās a dummy. Does that make sense?ā
Frankie feels like maybe he shouldnāt be there, but he is and heās debating if he should say something because he has Olivia all week and heās taking the time off to spend time with her before she goes back to school. He knows Olivia would lose her shit if she could spend the week with George and it would make his life easier, so really heās being a selfish fuck, but it would be an excuse to see you more. Double selfish fuck.
George groans because she knows it makes sense and she loves her mother so much, she knows how hard her mom works, and how much sheās been through. āIt does, Iām sorry Nick turned out to be such a dick.ā
āGeorge! Seriously young lady.ā And Frankie bursts out laughing then covers his mouth, heās trying so hard to stifle his giggling because he knows he shouldnāt and you glare at him, āYOU are not helping.ā
Frankie straightens up and shrugs his shoulders, āI mean, sheās not wrong though. Weāve been calling him, āNick the dickā for a couple of weeks now. Sorry George, Iām a bad influence. Donāt get mad at George, get mad at me.ā George folds her arms and pouts.
Frankie fucking Morales, but you really want to laugh because itās funny and true. āI mean youāre both not wrong, but still Frankie!āĀ Ā Getting up, you go to get your phone, āI know your grandmother will be excited to have you over George.ā
Frankie stops you by grabbing your arm gently, āHey, I can watch George, I have Olivia next week and I brought over board games to play today so you could get some rest. It would help me out since I know having the two of them will make it easier, they can wear each other out. I was planning on taking Olivia on a helicopter ride, whale watching, Sea World and a really cool petting zoo. We had a whole week planned. Iām sure George would love it and Olivia would too.ā The pleading look in his eyes makes it feel like youāre the one doing him the favor and not the other way around.Ā
George jumps up and hugs you from behind making you screech in pain, āOh George, be careful.ā Tears spring to your eyes and George leaps back.
āOh mom, Iām so sorry, I got so excited.ā
āItās okay baby, Iām fine. Just a little delicate.ā You turn to Frankie, āIt looks like George is on board, but are you sure? I mean, thatās a lot Frankie and I already feel like youāve done so much.āĀ
āIām sure, Iām absolutely sure.ā Frankie takes the pedialyte and refills your drink container then puts the remaining ones in the fridge.Ā Ā He hands you your giant drink, āDrink. Just let me take care of you, it really does make me happy to get to take care of people. I donāt get the chance very often and it seems like you donāt get to have anyone do it for you very often either.āĀ
Frankie is right of course, you donāt, thatās why youāre exhausted and have been for the last year, the year of adjusting to being a single parent. You are fucking exhausted. You also know that arguing with Frankie is futile and you need to accept help. His presence makes the world feel right, he makes your world feel right. Rather than resist, you drink from the cup heās given you and nod in acceptance, which elicits a big shit eating grin from him.
āGeorge, do you mind watching some TV, Iām going to check your momās back, I just want to make sure itās doing okay. Her burn is really bad. AND she didnāt finish her breakfast. Between you two and Olivia, Iām gonna have my hands full.ā He takes you and leads you upstairs, which makes you feel a bit excited, itās like heās leading you to bed for other reasons, but you know heās not.
āFrankie, Iām not that hungry, I seem to have lost my appetite. But thank you for making breakfast.ā You both enter your bedroom, which feels intimate even in the harsh morning light. It occurs to you heās going to have to look at your back. Which of course heās going to have to do, but do you undress? Fuck, now you start to panic for other reasons.
Frankie is trying to figure out how to do this without making you feel uncomfortable, he doesnāt want to be creepy, but he knows he needs to look at your back. You should have it cleaned and probably have some kind of antibacterial ointment applied to keep it moist. He did some reading when he woke up and got some supplies.Ā Ā Theyāre stashed in your bathroom so he could have what he needs to take care of your burns.Ā
āSo Spot, Iām going to have you take off your shirt and lie on your stomach, is that okay? I need to have access to your back without anything in the way. Iām going to clean your skin with some soap and water and then apply some ointment I picked up at the drugstore this morning.ā Frankie points to some tubes that you didnāt notice next to your bed on the side he was sleeping on. Of course, Frankie went to the drugstore in the morning, because heās Frankie fucking Morales. He seems to think of everything, and your competency kink is in high gear. Why does he have to be so hot. You do everything you can to keep a whimper from escaping your lips.
āUh, sure. Turn around you perv.ā Frankie laughs and turns so you can slip off your giant t-shirt. You put on some sleep pants so you could come downstairs for breakfast. As soon as youāre comfortably lying down on your stomach you tell him itās okay to turn around.
Frankie turns and winces at the sight of your poor back, he hates to see you so obviously hurting. āI didnāt ask how youāre feeling.ā He had sensed that had started feeling worse again after the altercation with dickhead but didnāt want to bring it up in front of George, but now seeing you lying in front of him so vulnerable, he could feel it.
āNot great to be honest, my headache is back and the pain is pretty awful. Iām sure this isnāt going to feel great either.ā The resignation in your voice saddens him even more, the fact that youāre half naked, something heās dreamed about, really isnāt as exciting as he had hoped.Ā
Frankie kneels next to you on the bed where your head is turned, and your eyes meet. āHey, Iām a dummy, I donāt know how Iām gonna wash your back like this, the blisters have burst, which is not good. We need to clean them. How do you want to do this? I understand if Iām not the person to help you. Maybe George can? I just want you to be comfortable, hermosa.ā Thereās that word, it slips out so naturally for him and he curses himself when it happens. But you are beautiful, and he canāt help it because itās all he can think about looking into your eyes.Ā
Frankie is so aware of how he may be crowding you, his eagerness to care is probably compounding your overstimulated nervous system, the panic and anxiety of pushing through the confrontation with Nick has set your whole system on high alert. Hyper vigilance comes with repeated trauma, Frankie could look like more hurt rather than the source of safety he so desperately wants to be. What he doesnāt know is you want that too. You just donāt know how to accept it.
Closing your eyes, you think, utter terror is pushing through your arteries and veins, itās everywhere. George canāt do this. She would probably freak out at the sight of your back, and you canāt do it yourself. The thought of Frankie seeing you naked it exciting and terrifying all at once. Every time he touches you itās like heās somewhere familiar but altogether brand new. So confusing and so many feelings at once it clouds everything in your brain.
Your silence makes Frankie think you donāt even want him there and he gets up, āIām sorry, maybe Iāve completely crossed the line. Iām trying to help and probably making you feel uncomfortable.Ā Ā I can be such an idiot.ā The defeat in his voice is so sorrowful and empty, the world has beaten this man down so many times, heās just set for another blow, another rejection. Itās his default expectation.Ā
Well now you have to let him help, heās done nothing but be calm, steady and true. Heās done everything possible to earn your trust and prove his intentions, youād be a fucking idiot to not let him be there for you. āFrankie, Iād be grateful if youād help me, Iām just overwhelmed with your kindness and generosity. When youāre not used to someone being so unselfishly giving, it feels foreign, it feels like a mistake.ā You speak this into your pillow, your face down, almost as if you canāt say it out loud and Frankie goes back to kneeling next to you on the bed.
āOkay, well, Iā not going anywhere if you need time.ā He goes to touch your hair and hesitates, fuck he wants so much to just touch you, to reassure you heās there. But then he realizes he doesnāt care and gently runs his fingers through your hair which makes you turn your head and settle it so you can look at him. āThere she is. How about you wear shorts, or your bathing suit bottoms in the tub and and I can do a quick wash. From what I read, this is the best thing to do and then I can apply some of the ointment I got.āĀ Ā He smiles and leans in and kisses your forehead, propriety be damned. If heās going to take care of you, heās gonna do it the Frankie Morales way.
Frankieās hand in your hair, then the kiss on your forehead is enough to make the pain on your back disappear for a moment, time stops, and you feel blissed out. So this is what safety feels like, building trust and true boundaries. This is what it feels like when someone takes care of you and means it. āThat sounds good Frankie, why donāt you just get me a towel and I can wear the underwear I have on now in the tub. Do you need special soap?ā
Frankie grins, āI have that too. You donāt want anything too irritating or with fragrance. I got something just for this. Itās in the bathroom already. Let me get a couple of towels and I saw wash clothes in the linen closet too. Get to it.ā Frankie smacks you on the ass as he gets up and you let out a yelp.
āFrankie! That hurt!āĀ
Frankie laughs, āI know for a fact your ass isnāt sunburnt hermosa, stop your whininā, you know you liked it.ā He gives you an evil grin before he leaves the room.Ā
Frankie fucking Morales is getting a little too handsy and you donāt know if you like it.Ā Ā Who are you kidding, you love it. Dammit, ugh, youāre thinking about that kiss, his soft lips on your skin, his hand in your hair, now the slight sting on your butt. Youāre so overwhelmed with everything, and youāve forgotten about how upset you were just fifteen minutes ago.
Frankie returns and youāre no longer on the bed, he looks around confused and goes into the bathroom to find you in the tub with your back to the door. āAh, I guess I didnāt need to get a towel.ā
āFrankie, we still need towels. Are you okay?ā Youāre talking to the wall of your shower and the smile on your face is so huge youāre relieved Frankie canāt see you. Heās flustered, Frankie fucking Morales is actually flustered.
Frankie is a bit flustered. He didnāt want to admit it, you were mostly naked like you were last night, but not in as much pain it seemed and not as distressed. The kiss on your forehead, running his fingers through your hair, he shouldnāt have now looking back, it had all just made him want to touch you more. It was the beginning of his unraveling and by giving into his impulses, heād opened the door to a yearning heād been pushing down for the last two months.
Then there you are, your back is blistered, and it makes his heartache, but the curve of your hips makes him ache in other ways. Your neck is bare now that youāve put your hair up, it makes him wish he could run his lips up to your jaw, peppering it in kisses.
āHey, are you there? You got really quiet.ā Youāre starting to get cold now, āIām getting cold here Frankie, can get this over with. My head is killing me?ā You twist and turn the water on, āIām gonna freeze to death, and then what?ā
Frankie snaps out of it, āYeah, Iām coming.ā He grabs the soap and kneels behind you in the bathtub.Ā Checking the water to make sure itās warm, he starts to splash it on your back, āIām going to be real quick, youāre already shivering, Iām so sorry.ā Heās so gentle āI really just need a quick wash then the ointment. We should cover this with nonstick bandages. Oh my, your poor thing, youāre breaking my heart here. Iām rethinking my decision not to punch that shithead in the face.āĀ
Once Frankie finishes and turns off the water, he grabs the towel and wraps you up gently, very carefully avoiding rubbing your back. You turn and step out, holding on to Frankieās arm. āOkay, we survived that bit, now what?ā You look exhausted and ready to just go back to bed.Ā
āBack to the bed with you, now I need to apply the ointment and some bandages. Then you have to eat and drink. My goodness, youāre as bad as Olivia.ā When Frankie says this, you jerk back to face him, youāre obvious not happy about him taking care of you and heās now comparing you to his five-year-old daughter. āOkay, not cool. I offered to help. Sorry.āĀ
Frankie turns around so you can get situated but catches a glimpse of you in your vanity mirror and blushes when he can see the curve of one of your breasts. A soft āfuck meā escapes his lips and he has to avert his eyes. You are too busy being awkwardly in pain and wanting to just curl up and sleep. Pain is annoyingly exhausting and even though being in the presence of Frankie has become more and more distracting to you, you really can only focus on your struggling nervous system, your fading energy and the pain in your head and back.
Due to being continually distracted by you lying there in front of him, the thought of touching you, holding you, comforting you and the following thoughts that descend into pure filth from there, he hurries through the process in awkward silence.Ā Ā It doesnāt escape you, but you also keep quiet trying to focus on your breathing, the stinging is bearable but completely unpleasant. āSpot, you still there, youāre awfully quiet.ā
āYeah, itās uncomfortable but Iām managing. Iām just so tired Frankie. This sucks.ā You sign heavily and the last two words sound so entirely defeated. Now you sound like a moody teenager.Ā
āI know, Iām done. Iāve got a clean t-shirt for you. Is there anything that sounds good to eat, I can bring it up.āĀ
Immediately you think staying upstairs alone is the last thing you want, āIām going to go downstairs and lie on the couch if thatās okay? Iāll come downstairs. Can you take one of my pillows?ā Frankie grabs a pillow and gives you a quick, āSureā before he leaves you to get dressed.
Getting up to put on the new shirt you examine yourself in the mirror. You suspect Frankie had seen you, the āfuck meā that you barely heard escape him in a breathy whisper was surely because heād caught a glimpse of you. You were hoping that was the case because it had sounded so hot when he said it. It dripped with desire, it had sounded like a man who wanted something, someone and it had made you shiver. It had made you absolutely a tingling mess of lustful need. All you could imagine if he had actually aimed that directly at you, all that want?
Did Frankie fucking Morales really want you? You had thought he was being a kind neighbor, the āgood guyā. How could he want you, the mess? How could this beautiful man want the woman who was obviously incapable of keeping her life together? But here he was, sticking? He was sticking and it was such a feeling that was so utterly foreign and frightening.
As you were getting dressed the doorbell rings and a sudden bolt of terror strikes through you. No, it canāt be Nick, he wouldnāt dare. You rush downstairs to get the door but George beats you to it.Ā Ā Anne is there with Frankie exchanging pleasantries, āAnne, didnāt expect you to be here.āĀ
Anne has George wrapped in her arms and smiles at Frankie, as if she knows something you donāt. āGeorge called and said she wanted to spend a couple of nights with me.Ā Ā She said youād gotten a very bad sunburn and should have some time for yourself. Frankie here has been kind of enough to keep an eye on you.Ā Ā So lovely of you Frankie.Ā Ā I canāt tell you how happy I was to see you today.ā She then winks at him. Anne had liked Frankie the minute she met him.Ā
āI hope itās okay Mom if I stay with Grandma for a couple of days. I know youād said you needed some time. Iām going to get my stuff.ā Before you can even respond George is running up the stairs. It looks like itās already been decided.Ā Ā
āThank you, Anne.Ā Ā Looks like George has taken care of everything. Thank goodness. I had suggested she spend some time with you, and she was adamantly opposed, I wonder what changed?ā You sit on the couch, genuinely perplexed but Anne just smiles at you with the same knowing look sheās had since she arrived.Ā
As you all wait for George to get her things, Anne and Frankie exchange pleasantries as you begin to get yourself something to drink, Frankie realizes what youāre doing and insists you go sit down. āGo sit, I will get it for you. So stubborn. Is she always this stubborn Anne, itās annoying.ā He sighs and shoos you out of the kitchen and gets you some water. āYou still need to eat. Did you decide what you want? If you donāt, Iām just going to decide for you, and you might not like it. But you wonāt have any choice.ā Frankieās scolding you with a mixture of annoyance and playfulness.
āIām glad youāre here Frankie. She is always this stubborn. You obviously must have some kind of magic touch because she never lets anyone take care of her. Whatās your secret?āĀ Ā Before Frankie can answer, George comes charging down stairs with her bag. Sheās ready to leave and obviously got something up her sleeve.
āOkay, ready Grandma!āĀ Ā George is tugging at her grandmother, and anxious to leave. The urgency to leave is comical, but you donāt care, you just canāt wait to lie down and rest. Itās been a nonstop morning and way too much activity.Ā
āWell, I guess thatās our signal to leave.Ā Ā George, say goodbye to your mother at least.ā
George waves, āI donāt want to hurt you, so Iāll wave.Ā Ā But Iām going to hug Frankie, because he made me pancakes and heās been taking care of you.ā George runs at Frankie and gives him a big hug, almost knocking the wind out of him.Ā
āCareful kiddo, you donāt want to take out the person whoās keeping an eye on your mom. Geez Louise, youāre as bad as Olivia. Be good to your grandmother.āĀ Ā
Everyone finishes with their goodbyes and as soon as itās all quiet you drape yourself over the couch, stomach down with your head propped up on a pillow, facing the tv. This is where you live now. You know as soon as you turn on the tv and find something even remotely interesting to watch youāll be out cold, but you donāt care.Ā
āHey, food dork, remember? Iām talking to you Spot.ā Frankie comes over to you on the couch and sits down near your head on the pillow. āI know youāre tired, but you really should eat. Nothing sounds good?ā
As you lie there, head hurting and back aching, you think. āFruit sounds good. Fresh berries and cheese, you know snack foods. Maybe some nuts? Oh, Bagels? Grilled cheese? I donāt know. Is that enough?ā Frankie thinks for a second and pats your head.
Getting up, he grabs his keys and wallet, āIāll be back, Iām gonna hit the grocery store. Do you need anything else?ā He thinks for a second then goes and looks through your refrigerator. Frowning, he rummages through a few of your kitchen drawers until he finds a pad of paper and a pen making a list of things he needs to pick up. āIām going to get a few things, speak now.ā
But youāve already fallen asleep, and you canāt hear a word Frankie is saying.
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