Thursday, July 3, 2008

Chapter Sixty Three

She stood looking at the window, her normally vibrant face pinched and tight. Instead of last minute wedding preparations she was dealing with a funeral. God life just wasn't fair. She turned a moment and saw Jon enter the living room, his normally pleasing looks as pinched and drawn as hers. Hell he even managed to make all black look good. her blue eyes lifted as she fought back the tears.

He looked at her and his heard twisted. She looked like a lost little girl instead of the lively adult he'd grown to know. "It'll be ok baby girl, really. I know it doesn't seem so, but it will."

Frankie twisted her ring as the tears threatened again. "Yeah, so you and Richie keep telling me." She shivered as her gaze turned back to the sunny day outside. "Shouldn't be so fucking cheerful looking should it?"

He walked to stand beside her, his blue eyes taking in the day. "Well the heavens are rejoicing baby girl. They have a new angel today."

"And the Good lord wont know why he waited so long to have her there" Richie chimed in as he walked all clad in black with a black Stetson on his head, he stood between them both and wrapped an arm around both of them. "This is a day to celebrate, not mourn, your mother was a beautiful human being and we need to honor that, not by crying, she would hate it, you know she would. We've got so much good to look forward to, and its all because of her" Richie said as they all stood watching the day.

Frankie managed a smile. "You always do know what to say Prince." She looked up at the Stetson and shivered. "Shit you both do black way too well."

Richie laughed "Yeah but I look better don’t I darlin?' he teased

Frankie laughed, "Naturally, but then I’m biased."

Jon rolled his eyes and turned, "Come on you two. Let’s get this party started."

The afternoon passed, as friends came together to say goodbye to a woman all agreed had been an angel on earth. Frankie, constantly flanked by Jon and Richie managed to hold up til the very end, her tears seemingly misplaced during the entire procession.

As things came to and end and each person walked forward to place their rose on the coffin she smiled at them all and agreed it had been a lovely service, but in a quiet moment, when the eddy of people surrounded Richie and Jon she slipped away. There was something she had to do, something her mom had whispered to her had taken root. She had to take care of Jon.

She quickly moved to the cars and slipped into an awaiting cab. Giving the address she was gone before anyone noticed her leaving.

Jon glanced up as the first group of family members moved down the line, his eyes squinting in the afternoon sun. "Dean."

"Yeah Frank" he said as he watched on.

"Where’s Frankie?"

Richie looked around and he was right, she wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
"Maybe she just wanted some time out, its been a big day, she promised me she wouldn’t hide from me today so she just must be talking to someone" Richie was a little confused though.

~~~~~

The cab stopped at the gates of the estate on the Navesink River she shivered. This was not going to be easy, but it had to be done. Rolling down her window she pushed the button on the call box.

Dorothea had just finished her afternoon training session when the gate buzzer went. "Hello?" she asked

"Hello, This is... Joanna Benson, I need to speak to Dorethea Bongiovi. Is she in?"

"This is she, Joanna? Jon's daughter?" she asked

"Yes, I.. well I need to speak with you. Is it possible?" Frankie closed her eyes and prayed the woman would be accommodating.

"Sure come in" she said politely as she buzzed the gates to open. She walked outside to meet her, what could she possibly want? Jon and hers contact had been strictly related to the kids in the past month, she hadn’t been ready to hear him out about this.

She watched as the young woman dressed in a black dress, the spitting image of her husband walked up the driveway.

Frankie stopped and stared into the eyes of Jon's wife, and tried to smile. "I guess I don't need to introduce myself, but, I'm Joanna Frances Benson."

"Pleased to meet you Joanna, I am Dot, is everything ok?" she asked noticing the girls pale expression and tired eyes.

"Not really, not yet. I gotta fix something, and well, only you can fix it I think."

Dot led her to the patio and showed her to a chair. "Fix what exactly?"

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