Red String – C8: Moving Past This
Frankie Morales x Female Reader
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Word Count: 8.6k
Warnings: 18+ (minors DNI) mentions/descriptions of drugs and drug use, mentions of addiction, domestic arguing, some angst and heartbreak (but I decided to go easy on y’all lol), domestic and fluffy Frankie, mentions of separation/divorce.
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Summary: Frankie pays the price for reigniting his previous addiction. He finally gains the courage to stand up for both his daughter and himself. You make a final decision on your relationship.
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A/N: Okay y’all, so this is the first time I’ve ever posted a chapter teaser and then released a chapter with a different plot. So for those of y’all that read the teaser, I’m sorry, lol. I took it in a different direction but it is stillllll relatively the same lol
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You feel like you don’t even know him anymore, like the fun loving, positive man you’d met at the bar that night might’ve only been a façade. Is this why Frankie never let you meet his daughter? Never truly let you into his life? Because he’d know you’d find out about the parts of him that were not fun loving and good, the parts of him that needed more than just a little work. But you’d spent so much time with Frankie in these past few months, spent days at his home, was with him during his most vulnerable and intimate moments. You thought you knew him, but you don’t know him at all.
The moment you caught him in the bathroom, confusion ran through your head, confusion and shock. You’d never known that Frankie did drugs, let alone cocaine. Had he been doing this the whole time? The entire time you’d been together? During the party and throughout the night? You had so many questions, but one thing was for sure, you wanted to leave. Whether Frankie stayed or left, at the moment, you didn’t really care. You just wanted to leave.
“Um, it’ll be here in about twenty,” he glances at his phone. “Twenty minutes.”
“Okay,” you reply, nodding after your response.
You’re standing in the upstairs hallway, the area still dark and empty besides the two of you. It was shocking, what you’d found him doing, and you still weren’t sure how to react.
“Frankie,” you said, voice stern and low. “What is that?”
You’re not a fool, you knew what it was. You just couldn’t believe what you were seeing. What this some strange, awful joke? Was that really your Frankie?
He’d rubbed his nose quickly, swiping at his mustache as his eyes went wide. Frankie stuttered out your name, still trying to keep quiet.
“I, I um, you –”
Your jaw had dropped, quickly stepping away before he’d said anything remotely coherent. Stumbling out after you, Frankie’s breaths escaped. He reached out to place a hand on your shoulder, prompting you to turn around.
“Hey, hey,” he breathed out, both hands coming to rest on your biceps once you faced him.
“I want to go home.” you suddenly blurted out, hands coming up to fold over one another, resting on your outer arms.
Your eyes found the floor, your body slightly curling in on itself. All he did was nod, the life seemingly draining from his face, but your eyes still did not meet his.
“I, uh… I can’t drive.” He responded with a gentle whisper, looking down, too.
“Yeah, I gathered that.” you breathed out, raising your brows with a sarcastic scoff. “Can you just call an Uber, Frankie?”
After a moment, he responded with, “Yeah,” pulling out his phone and downloading the app.
“I’m, I’m sorry,” he now says, daring a glance up at your face.
Eyes filled with tears of anger and uncertainty meet his, breaking his heart inside.
“I’m going to wait outside.” You quickly rush out, turning and making your way down the stairs.
You leave through the back door, making sure to not draw attention. Making your way around the house, you get to the front porch and sit on a chair as you wait. Inside, Frankie stays upstairs, eyes burning with hot tears.
“Fuck,” he quietly sobs, face in both hands as he sits down on the toilet seat.
She’s going to leave me; she won’t stay around after this. Fuck. Why couldn’t I just wait? A few more hours and we would’ve been home, laying in bed together. We might’ve even had sex, and that alone would’ve helped these stupid fucking worries go away. Fuck.
And now, instead of ushering his anxieties away, he only invited more in. He wonders what’s going through your head right now…
“What? Why? It’s not even midnight yet!”
“Yeah, I know.” Frankie grunts out, shifting his weight. Then he looks up, faking a quick smile with a small shrug. “She’s uh, she’s not feeling too well.”
“Oh,” Sani frowns. “That’s too bad, man. Well, get home safe. You need a ride?”
“No, no, that’s okay.” Frankie waves him off, thanking him for the invite to his party and bidding him goodnight.
Doing his best to put on a brave face, Frankie quickly says goodbye to his other friends, regretting that he did not have the opportunity to introduce you to them all. Nevertheless, he continues on, following your path outside only doing so from the front this time.
He finds you in the car, the Uber he’d called parked on the side of the street in front of Santi’s house. He sees you already inside, the passenger door open as you wait for him to come inside. He sighs, hoping you’d still let him open the door for you, but climbs in beside you, nonetheless. He leaves the middle seat between the two of you open.
“The app refreshed,” the driver suddenly says, looking at Frankie in his rearview mirror. “Can you tell me the address again?”
Frankie looks at you, and you look at the ground. He swallows, eyes dropping before rising again. He’d put in your address because you said you wanted to go home, but maybe you’d consider talking to him.
“Do you, um…” he quietly starts, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “Do you want to go to your apartment? Or, or maybe we could talk at my house?”
You consider it, eyes shifting slightly before you nod.
“We can talk.” You agree, offering Frankie some sense of relief. Maybe he can fix this.
He looks forward and gives the driver his address. When he leans back in his seat, he doesn’t dare look at you; he’s thinking too hard. He wants to make sure he says the right things when you get home because suddenly, he’s hyper aware of just how close he is to losing you.
It’s quiet when you walk in, an awkward air filling the room. The comfortableness you once found in Frankie’s home is seemingly gone. Usually, you’d find a place on the couch, but you can’t yourself to now. Frankie sees your awkwardness, simply standing beside the living room. He closes the door, taking off his boots before he walks beside you.
“Do you, uh…” he sighs, gesturing toward the couch and its surrounding space. “Do you wanna sit down?”
You nod again, moving to sit on the opposite end of the L-shaped upholstery. It makes him sad, seeing the distance you’re putting between you and him. But after your continued silence, he sighs, glancing down at his hands.
“I’m… sorry you had to see me like that.” he mutters, hesitantly looking to meet your eyes.
“It was… surprising.” You respond, still not looking his way.
“H – how do you feel?” he asks with a thick swallow, a look of worry on his face.
He’s not sure what to say or ask; he doesn’t know how to do this.
“Honestly,” you sigh out, speaking much louder this time and raising your brows. “I’m shocked, Frankie. I never suspected you of doing anything like that.”
You pause, and Frankie can hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He desperately waits for you to continue, wondering what’s going on inside your mind.
“I feel… I feel lied to.”
His forehead creases. “What, why –”
“I feel like I don’t know you, Frankie.” You interrupt, finally turning your head to stare at him. And the words feel cold.
Frankie’s fragile heart sinks in his chest, timidly clearing his throat as it begins to burn. His lips go dry, nerves creeping over his skin and leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.
“How long have you been doing this?” you then ask, heartrate incredibly quick as you wait for his answer, fearing the worst.
Again, he sighs. He knows that he should be honest with you, you at least deserve that.
“For um, a few months now.” he can’t bring himself to hold your gaze.
“A few months…” you repeat aloud. “So, you weren’t doing it when we met?”
“No.” he shakes his head, his response immediate.
“Why did you start? Because of me?”
“No!” his head shoots up, eyes going wide. “I wouldn’t, I – no. That’s not why I do it, you’re not the reason I do it.”
“Then why do you do it?”
All at once, your uncertainty about the situation begins to unfold into a feeling of anger. You’ve decided how you feel.
“I, I just, I get stressed, okay?” he says, defending himself while keeping his hushed tone.
“Stressed about what, Frankie? What could possibly make you stressed enough to start doing cocaine?!”
He covers his face with those broad palms, doing his best to stay strong. But he’s crumbling. He’s embarrassed and ashamed and so fucking worried that you’re going to walk away.
“I just, I feel like I can’t deal with this stuff anymore,” he shakes his head in his hands. “I feel like every time I talk to Jules I get buried deeper into my grave.”
“What do you mean?”
“It sucks the life out of me, okay? Every single time we talk. She’s always so mad, always tells me what I’m doing wrong. I just, I feel like I can’t take it anymore.”
He then lifts his head from his palms, glancing up at you with tearful eyes.
“It feels like so much.”
Your expression softens a bit; it’s not easy to see him this way. Those puppy dog eyes full of tears and it’s because of you.
“Why didn’t you come to me, Frankie?” you whisper, your own eyes beginning to wet. “I could’ve helped you; you didn’t need to resort to this.”
“You don’t understand,” he mutters. “I’ve, I’ve dealt with this before.”
“You have?”
Frankie nods, slightly rolling his eyes. Why did he have to bring that up? But then again, he’s reminded by himself that you deserve the truth.
“I’ve been sober for a few years.” He explains, his voice gravely and full of grief. “Was sober when Vale was born. When Julianna and I separated, I relapsed.”
His hands run over his face, an exasperated breath coming out of his mouth.
“It’s been about a year since I used. I thought I’d last longer than that.”
The emotions swirling inside you make you feel cold and unsteady, doing your best to take in this information. The fact that Frankie is an addict makes the situation somewhat different. If it was a one-time thing, you might’ve been able to move past it. But he’s been sober on and off for a few years, and knowing that now, you’re not sure when he’ll stop. And you don’t want a relationship where you have to deal with that.
“Please tell me what you’re thinking.” Frankie begs, voice cracking as it hits the air.
“It scares me, Frankie.” You explain, deciding to be fully honest with him. “I don’t know if I’d be able to help you; I don’t know if this relationship would be healthy.”
He doesn’t know what to say. He understands where you’re coming from, but he doesn’t want you to go. It would be too strange to live a life without you at this point. He loves you; Frankie loves you.
And you love him, but you don’t want to say it, and neither does he. You know it’ll only make things harder if you do, and he knows you’ll feel compelled to stay if he says it, too. So, for now, neither of you say it. You’re not sure you’ll ever get the chance to say it.
“I feel like,” you’re looking at the ground again, fingers quivering slightly. “I feel like a need a break; some time to think about this.”
“I’m – I’m so sorry,” his apology is said with a few tears finally running down his face, fingers quickly brushing through his hair.
“I don’t want it to end like this,” he admits, face in his hands again. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Frankie…” you sigh, the breath ending with a small whimper before you too cry.
Are you going to far with this? Are you making this a bigger deal than it really is? Maybe you could help him, help heal the parts of him that seem to be broken. But that’s when you realize, people aren’t broken, they don’t need to be fixed. That’s just the way they are.
“Please,” he looks up at you. “Please don’t go. We can talk about this.”
He feels pathetic for begging, but he doesn’t care at this point. He’s never felt a love like this before. When you first met, instead of an introduction, it was as if you were returning to the other. Like you’d known each other your whole lives, like you were a part of each other. You made Frankie feel whole.
“I’m sorry,” he continues, looking up at you with pleading eyes. “I didn’t mean for it to hurt you; you have to know that.”
“I know that.” you return, nodding your head. “I just, I don’t know what to do.”
It’s quiet then, nothing from either of you. You’d known from the start that Frankie would be someone important in your life, you had too strong a connection for him to not be. It’d be hard to be without him… but was it the right choice? You’ve seen others go down this same road, your brother, in fact. It was hard to watch, knowing you couldn’t do much else to stop him. He’d started when he was sixteen and your entire family went through hell and back. He’d dealt with multiple overdoses, had gone to rehab a few times, but after he turned eighteen, he just… left. You’re scared to find out where he’s at, to find out the type of person he is. Is Frankie like that? No. No, Frankie can’t be like that.
“I think I should leave.” You whisper, fidgeting with your hands.
Frankie breathes out your name, hanging his head low before running a hand over his face.
“Frankie, I can’t be worried about your well-being. I’m not going to parent you.”
It sounds harsh, but it’s true. Frankie is a grown adult, and you can’t worry about him like this. It’s not realistic for you to be concerned about Frankie’s habits and health.
“I understand that.” he’s starting to sound frustrated, but it’s not with you. It’s with himself. “I’ll stop; I won’t do it again.”
“So, what? You’re gonna stop, just like that? Cold turkey? After using it for months?”
“I want to be better about it. I shouldn’t have to use it.” he sighs again, a deeper one this time that fills up his lungs and chest.
“Yeah, you shouldn’t.” you agree, swallowing before you speak again. “Look, Frankie, I’ve dealt with this before. My brother was an addict, and… it was hard to see.”
Frankie’s head snaps up to look at you, eyes narrowing for a moment before returning to their natural state.
“I’m sorry but… I don’t believe you when you say you’ll stop. Not if you’ve been using for years. I know how this goes.”
“I can go back to NA,” he explains. “I went the first time, years ago now, but I haven’t been back since. I can go again, be more consistent with it this time.”
An exasperated breath leaves your mouth, becoming frustrated with the situation. It’s New Year’s Eve, and this is how you’re spending your night.
“We can talk about this another time.” You decide, moving to stand. “I need time to think about this.”
“You don’t want to stay?” his voice is quiet when he asks, as if he already knows the answer.
“Not tonight, Frankie.”
Tears of frustration stream down Frankie’s cheeks into the early morning. He hadn’t gotten a lick of sleep since you left the previous night, sitting alone by himself when midnight finally came. He felt so fucking stupid; he was embarrassed beyond belief and fucking hated himself. His head throbbed from the strong emotions inside his head along with his lack of sleep. And while Frankie was begging for sleep, you were consumed by it. Grief made you sad, crying made your body ache. Although the troubles swimming through your head did make you wake early, your face feeling dry and nose still running slightly. You’d curled into yourself beneath your blankets last night, Lucky burrowing in near your legs.
Your eyes squint with dryness, the sun shining through on either side of your curtains doing nothing to help. Regardless of the dead weight you feel in your stomach, you get up, trying to carry on with your normal day. It’s a Sunday, a day you usually choose to clean up the house and prepare yourself for the week. And you try to stay true to that schedule, doing your best to treat it as a normal day so your spirits don’t go too low. You can think about Frankie after everything’s done. And after busying yourself with wiping the counters down, watering your plants, doing some light vacuuming and throwing a load of clothes into your washer, you do just that.
You’re honestly surprised you were able to keep your mind off of Frankie for so long; Frankie was always on your mind. But thoughts of him are usually accompanied with positive emotions, and this time they’re not.
It’s not permanent, your… I guess you could call it a break? Just some time apart for you to think, but, what if you end up choosing to leave? To end it all?
You walk over to your balcony, your dainty finger curling around the edge and pulling back slightly. It’s not hard to see Frankie’s house from here, it never has been. He’s not outside but his truck is in the driveway. And even though there’s no sight of him, tears still prick at your eyes. Was this too much for you to handle?
While Mondays are usually a day others may groan over, to Frankie, it’s his favorite day of the week. It’s the day his little girl gets dropped off. He’d spent his Sunday feeling pretty down, but still managed to get the house ready for Valentina. He’d meal-prepped her favorite snacks, washed and folded all of her clothes, and made sure to go out and get her favorite lemonade, too.
“Daddy!”
“Hi, baby!” Frankie beams, leaning down with his arms spread.
Valentina dashes across the yard, her bag on her back and a piece of paper in her hand. She gives a little jump, Frankie catching her and holding her tight. He closes his eyes as he feels her tiny arms deliver their strongest hug, his smile so big it hurts his cheeks. And then he hears a door slam, his eyes snapping open to see his daughter’s mother. She stands with a scowl on her face, arms crossed, and eyebrow raised. Lucky for him, Vale requests his attention, first.
“Daddy look, I made this for you!” she says, finishing their hug.
He looks down at her with pride, holding out his hand as she holds out her own. The piece of paper she’d clung so tightly to as she ran is grabbed delicately by Frankie’s fingers, his other hand rising to pinch the other side and hold the gift out before him. It’s a drawing of two stick figures, one larger than the other. There are no truly identifying factors to either character, aside from Vale’s recognizable curls and Frankie’s permanent accessory resting on top of his head.
“It’s me and you.” she says, twirling slightly. “I missed you, daddy.”
“Baby,” Frankie sighs, a calm happiness blossoming inside his chest. “I love it, Vale.”
He puts her drawing down, looking into her deep, brown eyes. Ones just like his own.
“And I love you, honey. I missed you, too.”
“Valentina.” Julianna barks, “Please go inside. Take your dog.”
Diablo had been waiting patiently by the car while Vale greeted her father. And as if Julianna had no anger in her voice at all, their daughter happily responds with okay, turning and skipping inside with Diablo on her tail. Frankie then rises, hands sliding into his front pockets and giving his ex a nod.
“Jules,” he says, watching her approach him. “How’re you doing?”
He shifts his weight nervously, heartrate picking up and palms beginning to sweat.
“Not so good, Frankie.” She frowns, crossing her arms again when she’s in front of him. “You want to tell me why I’m not in that picture?”
“What?”
“The picture our daughter drew!”
“Oh, uh… I don’t know.” he shrugs, genuinely confused.
“Really? It’s not because you’ve been planting little seeds in her mind?”
“What’re you getting at?”
“Look, Frankie, just because I like to go out and have a life doesn’t mean I’m a bad mom!”
Frankie chuckles slightly, looking down as he shakes his head.
“I don’t tell her anything about you. I don’t talk to her about you at all.” He answers candidly, his head rising to meet her eyeline. “Any opinion she has of you, she formed on her own.”
She narrows her eyes at him, now tapping her foot.
“Do you need anything?” he then asks, tilting his head and then pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. “Because I’d like to go spend time with my daughter.”
“Fine.” She eventually spits back after a moment of silence. “But I’ll be back for her.”
“Oh yeah? When?” Frankie decides to rebut. “When it’s actually your weekend? Yeah, I doubt it. And you know what?”
He takes a step forward, his irritation suddenly rising to new heights. Frankie’s brows narrow, a look coming over his features that rarely crosses his face.
“You wanna know why you’re not in Vale’s drawing? Because you don’t spend any time with her. You give her up on the days you’re supposed to keep her, she’s rarely at your house. She doesn’t see it as a home, and she doesn’t see you as a prominent figure in her life. That’s why you’re not in that perfect girl’s picture!”
“How fucking dare you, Frankie.” She seethes, stepping forward into his space. “I do everything for her.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Frankie asks, raising his brows. “Who taught her how to brush her hair? Brush her teeth? Who taught her how to use the toilet and learn the alphabet? Who signed her up for school and dance? Who holds her when she’s too scared to sleep by herself at night? Who takes care of her when she’s sick?”
It’s like Frankie can’t catch his breath, and for once, Julianna is speechless. She can count on one hand how many times Frankie has raised his voice to her like this. He usually keeps these emotions down, keeps them hidden until he can work them away, however he may do so. But that method clearly only makes things worse. He needs to start letting his emotions out for a change.
“Who tells her she’s beautiful and smart and worthy of everything good in this world? Because she is, Julianna, she deserves everything good in this world. And that includes a mother. And if you can’t be that for her, you might as well not be here at all.”
The two of them had chosen to not yet involve a lawyer in their situation, but maybe they should. Frankie thinks about it briefly before guilt sinks into his gut. He could be found out if that were to happen right now. He feels so hurt, hurt that he has to fight for his daughter’s happiness and hurt that he has to do it alone. It’s overwhelming, feeling all of these emotions at once. His hands suddenly start to tremble before him, pulse running a mile a minute.
Julianna can’t bring herself to say anything because she knows he’s right. And for some reason, she finally feels like she can admit it. She doesn’t want to be a mother.
“You…” she says, inhaling a deep breath. “You keep her.”
Frankie is absolutely shocked to hear those words. He expected her to continue fighting with him, to continue making his life a living hell simply out of spite. And for Vale’s sake, he’d hoped she still wanted to be her mother. But with that, Julianna turns, walking back to her car and ultimately leaving. Frankie’s just not sure how long she’ll be gone.
He can’t catch a fucking break. Between you and Julianna, there’s conflict everywhere he turns. Although he knows the issues he currently has with you are his fault and his fault alone. But when he steps inside, those worries seem to melt away.
Valentina had made herself at home, because after all, this is her home. It’s where she should always be, it’s where she feels safe and loved. She’s already bounding down the hall when Frankie steps inside, with Diablo hot in her tail. She plops down on the couch, her figure so small her little feet don’t even reach the floor.
“Puedo ver tele?” she asks, the remote already in her hands. (Can I watch TV?)
Frankie smiles, sighing out a contended breath.
“Por supuesto, bebé.” (Of course, baby)
He figures now is as good a time as any to make her dinner, so after he helps her find a channel to watch, he heads into the kitchen.
When he steps inside, he’s suddenly hit with the memory of you, specially the one of you helping him cook the cazuela dish a few weeks back. He remembers holding you in front of him, showing you what vegetables to cut and exactly how to cut them. He wanted you to become familiar with these types of dishes because Frankie wanted to keep you around. He still does.
He can get past this, he can. He’ll go to NA again, and finally cut his dealer out of his life. They’d been kind before, maybe they’ll be kind again. He knows that spending time with you makes him feel better, makes the bad feelings go away and even when they do come back, he feels like he can sort through them better when you’re by his side. Vale also helps, but he can’t just rely on her. He can’t let her see him like that, ever.
Frankie thinks about reaching for the phone, just to text or call to check in and see how you’re doing. It feels weird not having you around, not talking to you nearly every second of every day. But he decides he’ll wait; he doesn’t want to overwhelm you. Maybe he’ll check in on another day.
For some reason, you thought this would be easier than it is. You thought you’d be able to get past this, and when you did, you’d visit him. Tell him that what you have is ended and that you wish him all the best. But every time you even think about it, your heart breaks all over again. You were so close to saying you loved him, so close to letting go and allowing yourself to fall deeper into his comforting hold.
“Baby,” he grumbled, rising back to his feet. “Can you please let me do that again? When we have more time?”
He begged into your ear, his voice raspy and full of lust. You let go, you let him in, let him do whatever he wanted with you. It felt amazing, trusting him that much.
“Fuck yes, Frankie.” You instantly replied, and your head became dizzy at the mere thought of feeling that all over again.
His chest pressed against your back, his muscles flexing firmly behind you. You’d stared into the mirror, watching Frankie tilt down to watch himself move.
Something you always loved to feel was Frankie’s stubble along your skin, his face shoving itself into the crook of your neck and rubbing into you. It made you feel cared for, made the moment intimate no matter how feral he seemed to get. His breathy moans made you feel desired, made you feel sexy, constantly reminding you of how good you made him feel.
Your right hand reached back to grab at the curls flowing down behind his neck as he moved inside you, cradling him slightly as he kissed your skin. You remember looking into the mirror and gasping when you saw his already watching eyes. They were darker than normal, deeper, and more focused. He’s captivated by you; he always has been. Seeing him like that, so devoted and mesmerized by you, almost made you say it. It almost made you confess your love to him. You’re surprised you didn’t, but you’re not sure if you’re thankful you didn’t.
One of the reasons you’re taking this situation to heart is because you’ve dealt with addiction before. Not personally but alongside your family as you watched your brother fall victim to the exact same drug. You don’t even know where he is now, and you find yourself wondering where Frankie is right now. You also wonder how Frankie started using, but you won’t ever ask him that, of course. If you never caught him in the act, would he have told you? Would he ever stop? Could this situation be different than your brother’s? Maybe Frankie would listen to you and accept your help, maybe things would be different with him. You’d been pressuring yourself to end things with him to save yourself the possible heartache, fearing that he'll never get better. But you don’t know that; you don’t know what the future holds. And if you end things before even trying, you’re not sure you’d be able to forgive yourself.
And right now, Frankie is thinking about the exact same things. He’d held it together long enough to watch a movie with Vale before putting her to sleep. Once in the privacy of his own room, Frankie broke down.
It’s dark in his bedroom, completely black while he lays beneath the covers. Some days, Frankie just felt like being an adult was too much. Feeling his emotions and sorting through them appropriately was tiresome and took so much work and some days, he just wanted to let it all out. With Jules, he always had to act tough and put on a brave face, but with you, he was allowed to feel his emotions. You’d seen him cry and laugh and everything in between and you loved him all the same. If anything, it made you love him more. But he doesn’t know that he’s unaware of your reciprocation. He’d never seen anyone like you before, never felt anyone touch his heart as tenderly as you did, and knowing he’s likely lost you makes him feel lonelier than he ever has.
He thinks it’s the casual intimacy of your relationship that he misses the most, just being individuals together. The two of you on the couch, him sitting up and you laying down with your head in his lap, each of you reading your own book. He’d kiss your forehead when you spent the night and if you didn’t, he’d kiss it when you said goodbye. He’d drop off your favorite lunch while you were at work and sneak a kiss in the backroom before eventually leaving the bar. You’d wear his hoodies around the house without even asking, the comfortability you showed in his home warming his heart. When you traced his palm or his back, even sometimes his chest, he easily relaxed. You brought out a calmness within him that he hasn’t felt in years, the last time he can remember the sensation being before he joined the military. You could be your own people while together, giving each other everything the other craved without a single word spoken.
After he sends the text he just stares at his phone, hoping you’ll respond. He doesn’t even care what you say, you could tell him to fuck off and he’d be happy knowing you at least received his love.
Your response makes him smile, an emotional joy filling his chest. And your next text makes him feel even better.
It's unexpected, him showing up in the middle of your workday. It’s nearly lunchtime, about thirty more minutes before you get your well-deserved and desperately needed break. You’d been working non-stop this week, on top of studying for your finals. It happens when you walk out of the back room, dusting off your apron and approaching the register in order to enter in the time of your break.
“Frankie,” you say, looking up at him as he stands on the other side of your counter.
“Hey,” he responds quietly, giving you a timid smile.
His hands raise, showing you a bag of food in one and a drink in the other. The food is from Dunkin’ Donuts, one of your favorite places to snack. After your eyes flicker from the bag to the drink, they return to his.
“I uh, I’ve missed you.” he then says, repeating his words from last night. “Could we maybe eat and talk on your break?”
Your expression is shocked yet soft, your insides melting from the warmth of his love. It makes you sigh with a small smile, not responding with anything but a simple nod of your head.
Frankie knows where you eat on your break, the back patio where a few metal chairs and tables sit. Sometimes patrons sit out here on the weekends, mostly at night. But right now, the space is empty.
“Hey,” he smiles, rounding the side of the building and greeting you at the same table he’s always seen you at.
“Hey,” you return, standing to give him a hug.
Frankie melts into your embrace; he’s so incredibly grateful for it. He hasn’t known how you’ve been feeling these past couple days, hasn’t been aware of a single thought in your head. And your hug, along with your text from last night, makes him think that maybe not all hope is lost.
“Thank you for bringing me food, Frankie.” You say, releasing him from your hold as the two of you move to sit down.
“Of course,” he responds, voice remaining unsteady yet low.
He sets your treats on the table, and you give him another smile. The next few moments are silent, Frankie sitting still as you open the bag and pop the straw into your drink.
“You didn’t get anything for yourself?”
“Oh,” he expresses, eyebrows lifting and lowering quickly as he settles in his chair. “I guess I, I didn’t think about that.”
Of course he didn’t; it’s just like Frankie to think about others before himself. That’s how he’s always been. After taking a sip of your favorite drink, you continue, slightly clearing your throat.
“I’m sorry I’ve been quiet the past few days.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, amor.” (love)
The word comes out before he can stop it, a red flush suddenly growing on his face and neck. He’s nervous to see your response, and swallows quickly.
“Is – is that okay? Can I still call you that?” he stumbles out. “Amor?” (Love)
It feels as though your heart’s been wrapped in a blanket of warmth, the hollow feeling that had filled your body yesterday now becoming whole once again.
“Of course, you can.”
He’s overjoyed to hear you say that, but he doesn’t let it get to his head. He doesn’t want to get ahead of himself and mistake this for something it’s not. In his mind, you could still end things right here.
“I care for you, Frankie.” You wholeheartedly express, your loving eyes not leaving his. “I think I always will.”
Dear god, he wants to say it. He wants to say he loves you so bad.
“I’m so, so sorry about what I did the other night. I never intended for you to see me like that. I, I never thought I’d go that far.”
“Frankie?” you ask, no longer paying any attention to your food. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to see me like that.” it’s an honest admission and the memory of that night makes his head spin all over again. “I never wanted that.”
“Frankie, there’s a lot I want to say right now.”
Your words intrigue him, making him look up at you again. His eyes are wide, hopeful, yet scared.
“But I don’t have the time to do it right now.”
A small nod and sigh leave him, eyes returning to the ground as he clears his throat.
“I’m sorry, I just, I just wanted to see you.”
“No, Frankie, baby,” you lean forward, reaching for his hand.
Both the word and your gesture make a jolt of electricity shoot across his skin. He takes your hand and squeezes, not wanting to let you go.
“I love that you came here, it made my day. Would we maybe be able to talk later?” you offer, adding in, “I get off at one-thirty today.”
“Okay,” he nods, “Do you want to come by after work? I still have some of your clothes at my house and I, I’ve washed them, too. If you… want to come by right after.”
He washed them? Frankie really took the time to wash and dry your clothes?
“I’d love that, Frankie.”
He only has an hour, so when he gets home, the first thing he does is clean. With Vale in school, and the entire house to himself, the task is easy and goes by quick. He puts each of his daughter’s toys back into her room, with just a few regular ones remaining. Even though she’d only been home one night, she managed to make quite the mess. Vale is fairly passionate about her art, so her easel stays in the corner of the kitchen, along with a few of her brushes and paints. She also has a rather large dollhouse sitting against the far side of the living room that Frankie keeps out, a few Barbies scattering the floor around it. He’d proudly hung up her drawing from when she came home, and he hopes you see it. He’d love to talk to you about her. He thinks it’s time the two of you met, if you do intend on sticking around.
A few days ago, when you and Frankie had parted ways for a mere few hours to gather some things for the party, he’d taken the liberty to grab a few things for you, too. He stopped by the travel aisle at the nearest CVS and grabbed you some shampoo and conditioner, body wash, deodorant, face and makeup wipes, an extra toothbrush and toothpaste, and even a hairbrush and hair ties, too. He’d put it together in a stay-over bag for you later that day and wanted to give it to you as a surprise. But obviously, the night didn’t end the way he’d wanted it to. Regardless, he folds your clean clothes over the bag and places it on his bed, intent on showing you the gift now.
With about twenty minutes left before you make your way over, he’s not sure what else he can do. Everything is picked up; his bed is made, and your gift is out. He wonders if he should make you something to eat but realizes he doesn’t have time for that. So, he waits, deciding to sit down on the couch and catch his breath. But then, you call.
“Hey,” he says into the phone, a bright yet timid smile on his face.
“Hey Frankie,” you reply in your soft, sweet voice. “Are you sure you’re okay with me coming over right after work? I mean, I’m a little stinky.”
You let out a little laugh when you finish your sentence, something Frankie’s missed. It’s only been two days, but it feels like you’ve been apart for months all over again.
“Yeah, I don’t mind.” he chuckles, thumb and fingers twiddling with the side of the couch. “I actually, I’ve got some things here for you, too.”
“Oh, really? Like what?”
“You’ll see when you get here.”
“Hey,” he says again, opening the door with a grin.
“Hey, baby.” You smile in return, stepping inside.
The word makes his heart flutter with joy, immediately wrapping you in his arms. You chuckle, embracing him and murmuring something about smelling bad but Frankie says I don’t care.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” he murmurs into your hair, holding you tight.
He brought you into his chest so quickly that he hadn’t even bothered to close the door. This feels so normal, and you know you’re ready to try with him. You’re ready to start moving past this.
“Me too,” you mutter in response, looking up at him when he releases you.
Frankie searches your eyes, one large hand coming up to cradle your face before he moves in for a kiss. Your own hand holds onto his forearm, smiling as you welcome the soft press of his lips on yours.
“Come here,” he then says, resting his forehead against yours. “I wanna show you something.”
This time, Frankie closes the door, now taking your hand in his and leading you to his bedroom. You wonder if he intends to have sex but then again, you know Frankie’s not one of those guys. That’s not all he wants or needs. And when you step into his bedroom, you find out you’re right.
“Here are your clothes,” he tells you, letting go of your hand and stepping further inside. “And I also made you this.”
He takes your small pile of clothing and sets it further up on his bed, revealing to you a small bag.
“I made it for you the other night, so you’d have it all when we came back from Santi’s party.” He explains, quickly side-stepping the topic and unzipping the bag. “It’s an overnight bag, I just didn’t want you to ever forget anything and, you know, you can keep some of your stuff here. If you want.”
Frankie’s warm eyes glance up at you, scanning your face and figure for your reaction. You’re smiling, your lips slightly parted as you step forward to look into the bag.
“Frankie…”
You cannot believe how incredibly sweet this man is. He does so much for you, he’s always so considerate of you. When you pull open the bag, you find multiple accessories and hygienic products inside. You really can’t believe he went out of his way to do this for you.
“Baby, thank you so much. This is, this is so sweet.”
“You really like it?” he asks, palm rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t want it to seem like too much…”
“Frankie,” you turn, placing your hands on his chest. “It is absolutely amazing. I missed you so much, baby, I…”
Your eyes fall on his lips, rising to meet his irises once again.
“Could I, would it be alright if I took a quick shower?” you ask him, wondering how long he intends for you to stay. “I don’t know how long you want me to hangout but –”
“I want you here for as long as you’ll let me keep you here.” He returns with a grin, that beautiful smile aimed at you.
“Deal.”
He lets you shower, further exploring your bag and cleaning yourself up. You’d left a pair of sweatpants, a pair of panties, and a bralette, which is more than comfortable enough for you change into. And if you get cold, you know you can just grab one of his hoodies.
“Hey, are you cold?” Frankie asks, his words coming out a bit stuttered.
Your shower was much quicker than he thought it’d be, and when you walk out in your sweats and bralette, his thoughts come to a full stop.
“No,” you giggle, acknowledging his stare. “I’m okay, babe.”
You walk over to where he’s sitting on the couch, taking the space beside him. He turns, looking at you lovingly and releasing a contended breath.
“So…” your fingers trace an unrecognizable pattern on his thigh, your eyes darting down to where you draw the imaginary shapes. “Can we talk?”
“Yeah, babe.” Frankie nods, turning to face. “Of course.”
“So, I… I want this to work. I don’t want to leave.”
“Me too,” he says, then quickly shaking his head. “I mean, me… either.”
You laugh at his semi-flustered state. Instead of tracing your finger on his thigh, you move to rub soothing circles over his leg.
“I want to help you work through this.” You tell him, offering a kind smile. “But you have to try.”
“I know, and I will. I promise I will. I don’t want to lose you, or Vale. You shouldn’t have to take care of me.”
“I want to take care of you, Frankie. What I don’t want, is to constantly worry about you.”
He nods, showing you that he understands. And your clarification does help him feel better, too.
“So, do you know who to reach out to? Where to begin with NA and getting a support group?”
“Yeah, I still have the number, and I know the center they have is still open. I’ll call them tomorrow, if that’s okay?”
“That’s fine, baby. Just as long as you do it. And, Frankie?”
“Yeah?”
“Could you, ya know… could you keep me in the loop? I know it’s a very personal part of your life but, I feel like we’re getting closer and –”
“I want you to know everything about my life.” He interjects, “I don’t think I’ll ever feel any closer to you than I already do.”
Your face twists in slight confusion, and Frankie grins. He reaches out, easily pulling you onto his lap.
“Baby,” he coos, hand returning to your face. His thumb lightly strokes your cheek, looking deeply into your eyes. Into the soul he feels he already knows. “I love you.”
Without a second thought, you tell him, “I love you too, Frankie.”
You inhale a quick breath, trying to control your emotions. You’re so glad you’ve finally said it, so glad he’s finally said it. With one quick movement, both hands loop around the back of his neck, bringing him in for a soothing kiss.
Frankie’s hands immediately go to your back, pulling you even further again him. You can feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest, can feel his breaths pick up. You’re holding each other tight, like you’re afraid to let go. The passion you feel for one another is absent in every other aspect of your lives. Nothing compares to this. This is what it feels like to be home.
“Baby,” he barely whimpers, breaking the kiss and nuzzling himself into your neck.
And you hold him there, caressing his head and combing through his curls. Water dares to drip from your lids, an unwavering smile on your face as you hold him against you. He’s warm and sturdy, his presence a sensation you’ll never tire of.
“I want,” he starts, pulling himself from your neck to look you in your eyes. “I want you to meet her. Want you to meet Vale.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” he nods, a bright smile once again appearing on his face. “I actually um, I have to pick her up soon. It’s my week and she’s at kindergarten right now.”
“Oh, really?” you say again, nerves creeping up your spine. You’re excited to meet her, but you’ll definitely have to change.
“Yeah,” he nods, swallowing quickly. “Would that be okay? Would you want to meet her today?”
“Sure, um, could I change first, though?” you ask with a giggle, watching him eye your attire again.
“If you have to,” he grins, giving your cheek a kiss. “You wanna wear one of my hoodies?”
“Shouldn’t I dress a little nicer to meet her?” you ask, tilting your head with a worrisome frown. But Frankie just laughs.
“I promise you; she won’t care. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll change into some sweats, too.”
Your grin rises quick, Frankie’s love for you ever prominent. After a quick nibble on your cheek and a moment of thought, you nod, sliding off of him and watching as he returns to him room to change.
“Here, hun.” He says, tossing you a hoodie. “I know you like the blue one.”
“Frankie,” you giggle, standing up as he nears the couch. “You’re so cute.”
He tilts his head down, his pointer finger and thumb pinching your chin lightly to bring you in for a kiss.
“I missed you, baby.” He mutters, both hands rising to your jaw as he moves to deepen your intimate touch. “My girl.”
After slipping on your hoodie, you watch Frankie get ready to leave. He asks if you’d like to come with him, but you both end up agreeing that it’d be better if you met her here. Nothing could make the situation more abrupt or off-putting than some random woman showing up in your dad’s car when he comes to pick you up. So, you stay here. Frankie reassures you that Valentina’s school is only ten minutes away. He’ll be gone a half hour tops. You know it won’t be long, but maybe you’ll have enough time to make a little snack.
Once Frankie leaves, you go into the kitchen and grab a cutting board and knife. You’d remembered a while back him mentioning something about Vale liking bananas, so you grab a couple of those and begin chopping them up. You then place your phone near the sink, playing some soft music to set the mood. You’re so happy you sorted things out with Frankie, and you’re beyond thrilled that it led to your loving confessions. And you're so excited to finally meet his daughter. You think Frankie could really be the one for you.
“That’s weird,” you furrow your brows, tapping your phone to check the time.
It’s only been fifteen minutes, but the doorbell just rang. Frankie said her school was ten minutes away, there’s no way he’d be back so quick. It’s also strange that he’d ring his own doorbell instead of just coming in. Without giving it another thought, you step into the living room and grab the handle to the front door. With a quick twist, you open it, eyes slightly going wide. On the other side of the door stands a woman with short, dark hair. A woman you’ve never met before.
Detailed Chapter Summary
Immediately, you confront Frankie about this, asking him to call an Uber shortly after. He rides back to his house with you. There, the two of you talk, and he confesses to his addiction. This is where you reveal that your brother is also an addict, that you've seen this before and don't want to go through it again. You tell Frankie you need to think about your relationship, and spend some time apart.
Frankie gives you space, but can't help occasionally text you. And after a few days, you tell him you miss him, too. He comes to see you on your lunchbreak, where the two of you talk some more, agreeing to continue your relationship.
This is when you each say I love you for the first time, and then, Frankie invites you to meet his daughter. She does half days, so he goes to pick her up after you shower and get dressed. While you wait for them to return, someone knocks on the door. And when you answer it, you don't recognize who it is. It's Vale's mom.
Chapter Nine: Hidden from the World
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