"You know if you all are staying here you will have to tell Quinnie sooner rather than later while standing on our stoop. Right Santana?" After a muffled affirmation that sounded a lot like "I know" she said "You have the address regardless right? " A short "yeah" filled her ear and then the line was dead.
Frannie hung up the phone and looked over at her husband Cal. He was currently dozing under the sports page and was sawing logs in lumberjack fashion. As she leaned over him, her thoughts flashed back to Lima, and Russell.
She had long since quit calling him Daddy. Daddy died when she was 8 and Lucy was 4. Daddy took them to the fair and for ice cream. Russell was the man who lived in Daddy's skin and hit, drank and screamed. She remembered the day well, when Lucy came home from the preschool talking 90 to nothing about her new friend Rachey. Rachey had a dolly named Patti. Rachey liked to sing. Rachey's daddy was a doctor. Rachey's daddy was a number guy.
Russell's head turned to Lucy and said "Hey Luce, which is it? Is Rachey's father a doctor or a banker?"
Little Lucy stood there confused. This was all very clear to her. Poor silly Daddy. "Yes Daddy. Rachey has two daddies!"
Russell's eyes narrowed to pin points as he grabbed Lucy's chubby upper arm and shook her. "Lucy! You stay away from her! Her "FATHER'S" are an abomination! Do you remember Father Pat talking about hellfire?" Lucy nodded her head solemnly yes. "Well….they are ALL going there. You stay away from that girl! You hear me?!" Lucy was crying as he shook her violently and as Francine ran to her younger sister she was backhanded away.
Russell turned his red, bulging, angry eyes on his oldest daughter as he yelled "YOU! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING HER!" Frannie rubbed her jaw quickly, gathered up Lucy and ran for the stairs to their room. Sitting Lucy on the bed she bent down crying saying "One day Luce, you and me will be gone from here. One day."
Lucy sniffled pitifully and said "I can't talk to Rachey anymore can I?"
"No Luce, you can't. It's better this way. I promise."
8 years later, Francine was gone.
Cal came out of his nap and saw his partner looking as if she had seen a ghost. "Fran? Frannie? Pumpkin are you all right?"
"Cal. We have to tell her. She thinks…she thinks she is all alone…"
Cal sat up and wrapped Francine in his arms and held her close. "Fran, if that is what you want to do, you know I am behind it….all the way."
Fran shrank back into Cal's arms. He held her for minutes and said "Are they still coming tonight love?"
Fran nodded mutely. "Ok then" Cal said "Let me start getting things ready for them then. Want me to make banana bread for later?"
Fran nodded again and Cal walked into the guest room to make the bed. Then on to the kitchen. Banana bread was always a winner.
