Timeline: 4x03

Remedy (Part One)

Franky sat on the rickety couch in her bedsit, shell-shocked. Staring, unfocused, at the wall in front of her.

Bridget was seated beside her. Still.

"A sister, huh?"

Franky nodded.

"Wow."

Franky nodded again. It still felt unreal… felt odd.

"This is big," the psychologist said, still trying to wrap her brain around it.

"I know."

Bridget studied Franky. "What did Alan say?"

Franky snapped out of her daze. "Nothing really. It was just sort of - here's your sister!"

Bridget reached out and grasped Franky's hand. "Do you want a relationship with Tess?"

Instinctively Franky nodded.

"So maybe we should ask them over for lunch? You could cook one of your delicious recipes that will instantly win them over and we can open negotiations," Bridget suggested.

Franky beamed. "You'd be willing to do that?"

Bridget's eyes filled with warmth. "Of course."

Franky squeezed her hand. Then her eyes momentarily clouded. "I want to get to know Tess but - "

"It means your father will be back in your life?" Bridget guessed.

Franky nodded uncertainly. "I swore I'd never let that bastard back in…" she trailed off. Trying to repress the emotion.

"When you cut him out of your life you didn't foresee these circumstances. It's okay to change your mind. It's okay to want a relationship with your sister - things are different now."

Franky dipped her head, indecisive. "I just… I don't know Tess's mum or what she knows about me. I'm sure she'll be thrilled I'm an ex-crim dyke."

Bridget smiled. "You're more than that." She stroked her thumb across Franky's chin. "Maybe Alan told her. Maybe it was her idea to reach out? You don't know their situation yet, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Franky shrugged. "I guess." She held Bridget's gaze as she added. "I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to hide you. Things are good now." She grinned at Gidge. "Things are the best they've ever been."

"So call him," Bridget encouraged. "Invite them over."

"To this shithole?!" Franky exclaimed, glancing around her place. The furniture was shabby, the air was stale because the window wouldn't open and the paint was flaking. It was depressing and she so wanted to make a good impression.

"Invite them to mine then. I've got this weekend off and I'd like to meet Tess," Bridget offered.

Franky beamed. She leaned forward and cupped Bridget's face, rubbed their noses together, then stole a kiss, so delicate and tender Bridget sighed as their lips parted.

"I've got a photo," Doyle said as she pulled out her mobile and flipped to a picture of Tess sitting on Franky's lap as they went down a slide, grins on their faces.

Bridget's smile broadened as she absorbed the image. "She's adorable."

Franky rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "You're not getting broody on me, are you Gidge?"

Bridget handed Franky her phone and then clobbered her. "No." She paused. "Well - maybe one day."

Franky's chest lightened and for the first time she consider the possibility of children in her future. As long as they took after Gidge she'd be happy with a whole footie team.

Franky waited until the next day, then rang Alan.

"Hello."

"Hi Franky," he greeted, sounding pleased.

Franky felt awkward. She'd spent so much time resenting her father - now she didn't know what to feel about him.

"I just… uh, thought, um… maybe you would like – you and the family – to come over to us for lunch on Sunday," Franky fumbled. "I'll cook. You can meet Bridget. She'd love to meet Tess."

There was a long silence.

For a moment Franky thought they'd been cut off and she glanced at her mobile, but no - they were still connected.

"That sounds great but - " Alan began apologetically.

Franky's heart sunk. "If you don't want to - that's… fine, I just thought - "

"No, I want to – we want to - it's just… this Sunday is difficult."

"Oh," Franky mumbled.

Another tense silence.

"Jules has her yoga class that day but if you could come to us instead? I'll cook lunch."

Franky froze, not sure if she was more shocked that her Dad was going to cook, that he'd summoned her to their home or that he'd failed to include Gidge in the invitation.

"Both of you," Alan quickly amended. "You and your… um, girlfriend?"

An amused smile crept onto Franky's face. He had to be trying really hard not to choke on that word. "Sure," she said. "Me and my girlfriend would love to come."

He gave her the address and they fixed a time. It was all very civil and awkward. When they hung-up Franky was relieved. Her heart was pounding; he made her anxious… she didn't trust him but she had no choice if she wanted to see Tess again. If she wanted any kind of relationship with her.

Doyle stepped out onto the backyard where Bridget was lying on a sunbed, book in hand, soaking-up the sun. Franky sat on the lounger beside her. Bridget put her bookmark in and set her book aside.

"How'd it go?"

"It was weird." Franky replied. She reached out and stroked a loose strand of hair behind the blonde's ear. "Change of plan. We're going to theirs instead."

Bridget raised her eyebrows. So much for neutral ground. Now they were going into alien territory blind. She sensed Franky's apprehension and offered a reassuring smile. "It'll be fine," she said surely. "You'll see."

"I wish I had your confidence," Franky admitted.

"It's the first step. You'll get to see Tess, suss them out and take it from there." Bridget leaned forward and kissed Franky's lips lightly. "Don't over-think it, I know you."

Franky grinned. She stood-up, stripped to her underwear and dived into the pool. As she swam past Bridget she playfully splashed the blonde, who let out a throaty laugh.

Franky swam as many lengths as she could until she felt exhausted; the last thing she needed was to lie awake all night ruminating, so she dived beneath the water and began another length.

By the time Sunday rolled around Franky was bursting with conflicting emotions – excitement, anger, fear and nervousness.

They stood on the doorstep, a bottle of wine in hand. Franky kept fidgeting and Gidget kept giving her bolstering smiles. Franky rang the doorbell and sucked in a deep breath.

Alan opened the door and smiled timidly but there was genuine joy in his eyes. He stood aside and indicated for them to enter.

Franky nodded at him uncomfortably. Alan stepped forward as if to kiss her cheek but Franky took a step back, so they ended-up doing an awkward handshake.

Bridget kept a smile fixed firmly on her face as Alan turned to her and looked taken back… like he was expecting her to be some biker chick covered in tats.

"Hi," Bridget said warmly. "I'm Bridget, it's nice to meet you."

She offered her hand and Alan took it, grateful after the awkward greeting with Franky.

They moved into the front room and Bridget handed over the wine she was carrying.

Franky glanced around the house – it was expensively decorated and unhomely. Feels like a showroom. She let out a low whistle. "Nice digs," she said.

Alan smiled. "Thanks, Jules decorated it."

"My Stepmum, huh?" Franky asked.

He nodded.

Bridget noticed the tension creep back into Franky's body and stepped forward. "Smells delicious, what are we having?"

"Uh… I made, uh, lamb roast. Hope you like it. You used to."

Franky frowned. "I'm vegetarian."

Alan's face dropped and he scrambled. "I didn't even think – I should have checked… I can, uh throw together some – um, maybe an omelette or - "

Bridget shot Franky a warning look and Franky broke into a grin. "Relax, I'm just pulling your leg."

Alan released a sigh of relief.

Just then Tess came hurtling into the room. "Franky!" she called and rushed towards her big sister.

Franky crouched down and swept the kid up in her arms, hugging her fiercely. "Hey munchkin," she chuckled.

She set Tess back down again. The girl glanced curiously at Bridget and smiled shyly. She hid behind Franky, causing her to laugh. "I'd like you to meet my friend. This is Bridget but she lets
people she likes call her Gidge."

Bridget shot Franky an amused look, then bent down so she was level with Tess and smiled. "Hi Tess, I've heard so much about you."

Tess stepped out from behind Franky. "You're pretty," she mumbled.

"Thank you," Bridget replied. "So are you. I like your dress."

Tess blushed. She stepped forward and touched Bridget's hair.

"She likes you," Alan said, pleased things were going so well.

"Got good taste, just like her big sister," Franky joked.

Franky suddenly swooped down and lifted Tess up, swinging her round and blowing raspberries against her neck. The girl squealed with laughter and delight.

Bridget moved beside Alan and gave a buoyant smile. "Thanks for inviting us over, it means a lot to Franky to be able to see Tess."

"I'd like for them to get along, I know I did a lot of… I wasn't a good Dad to Franky. I know that. I won't make that mistake with Tess. I don't want her to miss out on knowing her big sister because of my mistakes."

Bridget nodded, her expression sympathetic. "It'll take time, just – don't rush her."

He nodded. "She's here today, that's enough."

Bridget smiled.

Alan regarded her carefully for a moment, as if coming to a decision. "You're good for her, I can tell." He said softly, gladly, then raised the bottle of wine she'd handed him on arrival. "I'll put this in the fridge to chill."

As Alan set about playing host and fetching drinks, Franky and Tess chatted merrily away and Bridget sat down in a nearby chair, watching it all, hoping things would go as smoothly with Jules when she finally arrived.

So far so good.

Tess had shown them her room, introduced them to all her toys (they were now officially on a first name basis with Mrs. Feathers - a prestigious honour, according to Alan), she'd told them which was her favourite bedtime story, discussed the pet gerbil she wanted for Christmas and let Franky help her colour-in a picture from Alice in Wonderland.

Now they were seated at the patio table. Tess was sat on Franky's lap, still colouring-in, while the adults were deep in conversation, when they heard the sound of the front door slamming shut.

"That'll be Jules," Alan declared.

Bridget and Franky exchanged an apprehensive look.

A moment later the patio doors opened and Jules entered.

Tess jumped from Franky's lap and ran towards her mother, who scooped her daughter up. She glanced cautiously at Franky but when her eyes landed on Bridget they immediately widened with surprise. "Bridget Westfall?" she exclaimed.

"Julia Selkirk?" Bridget muttered.

Franky and Alan looked startled.

"You know each other?" Alan asked.

"Oh yes, we know each other," Bridget replied stiffly.