Chapter fourteen

"Hi Tess," Richie said. It was mid afternoon in Seacouver. It was later than his usual time for phoning home but it was Tessa as always that answered the phone.

"Are you ok Richie?" Tessa asked.

"Yeah, I'm ok," Richie said.

"Then why don't I believe you?" Tessa asked in her most motherly voice.

"It's nothing really Tess," Richie said. He was wandering aimlessly around his flat, feeling generally sorry for himself.

"Why don't you tell me what the nothing is and I'll decide for myself?"

"You'll just think I'm being stupid."

"Just spit it out," Tessa suggested.

Richie sighed. "I've met this girl," he began.

"That was quick," Tessa said. "What's she like?"

"She's great. Funny, intelligent, sweet. That's kinda the problem."

"How is that a problem?"

"I really like her. I mean, really like her."

"And what does she think of you?"

"I guess I don't really know," Richie admitted.

"Well, have you considered asking her?"

"I don't think she's talking to me at the moment."

"Why? What happened?" Tessa asked.

Richie sighed again. "I kissed her yesterday. I don't know what happened Tess. One minute we were just dancing together and the next we were kissing."

"Did she pull away first?" Tessa asked.

"No, I did," Richie said, unsure what Tessa's point was.

"Was she upset?"

"I'm not really sure," Richie said. "We were out with some friends of hers and they came back just after I pulled back."

"So how do you know that she didn't want to kiss you?" Tessa asked.

Richie went quiet for a minute. "Because she isn't speaking to me today," he said finally.

"Have you been to see her?" Tessa asked.

"Well, no. I phoned her though and she wasn't herself."

"In what way?"

"She was distant."

"Perhaps she was tired."

"She's not tired," Richie said dismissively. "She's not talking to me."

"How much do you like this girl Richie?"

"A lot," Richie said.

"Then, don't phone her. Go to her house and speak with her. If she is angry or upset apologise to her. Don't just give up."

"Maybe you're right," Richie had been thinking of doing that anyway, but face to face rejection was somehow harder than over the phone rejection.

"So you're going to go and talk to her?" Tessa asked.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good. Apart from girl trouble how are you?" Tessa asked in a softer voice.

"I'm alright, you don't have to worry about me," Richie said sitting down in an armchair.

"I do. It's in my nature Richie."

"Really, I am fine. Connor made sure before he left."

"I know," Tessa said. "He's staying with us at the moment. But knowing it and seeing it are two different things. We miss you."

"I miss you too Tessa." Richie sighed.

"When are you coming home?"

"I don't know," Richie admitted. "I'm not ready yet."

Tessa went quiet for a minute. "OK, Just keep calling till you are ready to come back to us. Promise me."

"I promise Tessa," Richie said.

"Then go and speak to that girl." Tessa said brightly. "She would be lucky to have you."

…

Richie arrived at Frankie's house a little after eight. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. It was Liz that opened the door.

"Richie," she greeted smiling brightly. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Richie said.

"Are you here to see Frankie?"

"Yeah," Richie said, stepping into the house.

"She's in her room," Liz said, shutting the door behind her. "Do you know where it is?"

"Yeah, thanks," Richie said.

"Ok then, go right up."

Richie went up the stairs to Frankie's room. Her door was closed and she had some music playing at a low volume. Taking a deep breath Richie knocked on the door.

"What?" he heard Frankie call.

Richie pushed open her bedroom door. "I wanted to talk to you," Richie said.

Frankie who had been lying on her bed when Richie opened the door sat up when she saw him. "Hi. You called earlier. We spoke then."

"Yeah, we did. But you didn't sound like you," Richie said.

"Who did I sound like?" Frankie asked.

"You know what I mean," Richie said.

"I'm just a bit tired today." Frankie said. "Late night last night and all that."

"Are you sure that's all?"

"Yeah, What else could it be?" Frankie said crossing her arms.

"That's what I was wondering," Richie said, now absolutely certain there was something wrong.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Frankie asked.

"It means you're acting weird. You were snappy on the phone this morning and you're not being you."

Frankie raised an eyebrow. "Not being me," she repeated.

"No you're not. I just want to know if it was something I did."

"Why? Have you done something to upset me?"

"I don't know," Richie said starting to get frustrated. "All I know is everything was fine and now it isn't. If I did something tell me, if I didn't then why are you being so off with me?"

"I'm not being off with you."

"I'm not imagining this Frankie. Is it because I kissed you last night? Cos I'm sorry if I overstepped the friendship boundary or something, but we can't go back now."

Frankie stood up. "You didn't kiss me. We kissed each other. And I know we can't go back."

"So you aren't angry about that?" Richie asked getting more and more confused the longer he spent talking to Frankie.

"No."

"So what are you angry about?"

"Who says I'm angry?" Frankie asked her voice rising.

"I do," Richie said, his voice rising to match Frankie's.

"Well I'm not!"

"Then why are you shouting?!"

"Because!" Frankie said heading toward the door that led up to the roof.

"Frankie!" Richie followed her to the stairs.

"I wanna be left alone," Frankie shouted down.

"Sure. Soon as you tell me what I did!" Richie said continuing to follow.

"You did nothing," Frankie said.

"I don't believe you."

"Why are you so persistent?" Frankie asked turning to face him when he climbed onto the roof.

"Guess I learnt from the best," Richie said, thinking of all the times that Mac or Tessa had hounded him until he told them what the problem was.

"Can't you unlearn it?" She asked, hands on hips.

"Not really," Richie said.

Frankie sighed. "I'm really not angry with you." She dropped her hands to the side and sat down on the edge of the roof, dangling her feet over the side.

"So what's wrong?" Richie asked sitting next to her.

"I was upset," she said looking out over the city.

"What about?"

"The kiss," Frankie admitted.

"I really am sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Don't you get it?" Frankie asked, finally making eye contact with Richie. "That's why I'm upset! You pulled away from me after about a second and apologised to me! Didn't it ever occur to you that I wanted it as much as you?"

Richie was actually at a loss for words, for possibly the first time in his life. "But…" he stuttered out.

"But what?" Frankie asked, looking away again.

"Are you serious?"

"No, I'm making it up," Frankie said sarcastically. "What do you think? We've spent the last two weeks together and it turns out I really like you, more than I thought I would."

"Really?" Richie said staring at Frankie's profile.

"You have to stop saying stuff like that," Frankie said glancing back at him.

"Sorry, I'm just confused. I thought you were angry because I'd kissed you, not because I pulled away after kissing you."

"Yeah well," Frankie shrugged. "I'm sorry for being off with you. It wasn't your fault."

"As long as we're ok Frankie. I don't want to lose your friendship."

"You won't lose my friendship, Richie. I'm a permanent fixture now," Frankie said with a small smile.

Richie continued to stare at Frankie for a long time, trying to decide what to do. He had never had a girl say anything even remotely like that to him before, especially not a girl he liked.

"Frankie?" Richie said softly.

"Mmm?" Frankie replied, not taking her eyes off the city lights.

"Did you mean that stuff you just said?"

"What stuff?" Frankie asked.

"About really liking me?"

"I'm sat here embarrassing myself aren't I?" Frankie asked.

"So if I did this," Richie put a hand to Frankie's face and gently made her turn to look at him. He leant in, keeping his eyes locked on hers and kissed her lightly. "What would you say?" Richie finished.

Frankie stared for a moment, the lent in closely to Richie. "I'd say, kiss me again," she said smiling brightly.

…

Richie was tired. It was his first night at work and while he was enjoying it immensely, he was also amazingly tired. Frankie, Liam, Nicole, Tami and her usually absent boyfriend Josh had all been propping up the bar most of the night.

"How are you doing?" Frankie asked when he came over to pour her a drink just before last orders.

"Tired, but ok," Richie said smiling.

"You seem to be handling it alright," Frankie said approvingly.

"Thanks. So what can I get you?"

"Cider and black. You going to meet us after you finish?" Frankie asked while Richie poured her drink.

"Are you still going to be around here at 12?" Richie asked.

"Yeah. We'll go to subway and get the guys a sandwich or something and hang round till you finish."

"You don't have to you know," Richie said passing her her pint and accepting her money.

"I want to," Frankie said taking a sip.

"K then," Richie grinned, handing over her change. He liked this whole having a girlfriend thing, especially one like Frankie.

…

Two weeks later Richie had got the hang of fitting in his work with spending lots of quality time with Frankie.

"So it's your day off tomorrow?" Frankie asked as they walked hand in hand towards Victoria Square.

"Yep," Richie said.

"So I can have you all to myself for the whole day?" Frankie asked.

Richie grinned. "You can have me all to yourself anyday."

Frankie grinned back. "Careful, I may hold you to that."

"So did you have anything in mind for tomorrow?"

Frankie shook her head. "Nah. I just thought we could chill together for the day."

"Sounds good to me," Richie said, looking forward to spending an entire day relaxing with just Frankie.

…

The next morning they spent a few hours wandering through the museum and art gallery.

"Do you like art?" Richie asked noticing that Frankie was frowning at some of the paintings.

"Well, kinda," Frankie said turning her head onto its side slightly.

"Kinda," Richie asked.

"Yeah. I like Tami's art cos she's my friend and she explains to me, in great detail, whether I want to hear it or not, what it means. I have absolutely no idea what most of this stuff is supposed to represent."

"The one you're looking at right now," Richie said." Is a self-portrait. It represents the painter."

Frankie shot him a dirty look. "You really think you're funny don't you? I get that, what I don't get is why anyone would want to spend so long painting themselves."

"So there'd be a record of them left after they'd gone." Richie said.

"Isn't their art supposed to represent them?"

Richie shrugged. "Maybe some people want a record of themselves after they die, for friends and family."

"I guess. I mean when someone we love dies we want to look at photos and stuff. But I'm just not an art lover."

"Me either," Richie admitted. "Tessa keeps trying to get me into it, but it's just not my thing."

"Tessa likes art?" Frankie asked, taking his hand and leading him away from the paintings.

"She's an artist. She makes sculptures and stuff. She's really good."

"I'd like to see some of her stuff."

"You won't be able to miss it when you come to Seacouver."

"So you do plan on taking me home to meet your family?" Frankie asked.

"Of course I do," Richie said. "You're a permanent in my life too."

Frankie smiled. "Cool. I've never been to America."

"Never?"

"Nope. I've been to a lot of places in Europe and to Australia, South Africa, but ever America."

"How come?"

"Cos my parents were always paying so they always got to chose where we went on holiday. They always chose Europe, Australia and Africa."

"What did you think of Australia? I've always wanted to go there."

"Too hot and too many spiders. Apart from that it was absolutely gorgeous."

"So maybe we could go together one day?" Richie suggested.

"Yeah, I'd like that," Frankie said.

…

They arrived back at Frankie's just before dark.

"You coming in for a bit?" Frankie asked unlocking the front door.

Richie nodded. "Sure," he said following her in.

"I wanted to ask you something," Frankie said, leading the way up to her room. "You haven't got to answer, but I wanted to ask."

"Ok," Richie said, closing he door behind them. "Ask away."

"It's really personal," Frankie warned.

"Just ask me Frankie."

"Ok. Why did you come to England. I know it was something to do with Kate or you wouldn't have come and asked Liz. But the people you live with… You talk about them like they mean a lot to you, but apart from that guy Connor no one knows you're here."

"It's complicated," Richie said crossing his arms.

"If you don't want to tell me you haven't got to."

"No it's ok," Richie said sitting down. "I don't know if it'll make sense to you though."

"Try me," Frankie said sitting next to him.

"They didn't trust Kate. Mac especially from the moment they met her. They looked into her. It was a friend of Mac's that phoned here and spoke to Liz. He spent a week looking into her story and checking her out."

"So they found out she was lying?" Frankie asked.

Richie nodded. "Mac got proof, he showed it to me. I confronted Kate. She lied to me. I needed to come and find out why. I needed to get away for a while."

"I understand that you wanted answers, but why don't you want them to know where you are?"

"Because I need to deal with everything. They spent a week looking into her story. A week. That was a week that I spent with her not knowing what was going on. They should have told me before that."

"Yeah probably. But maybe they didn't want to say anything in case they were wrong."

"Mac knew he wasn't wrong. He just didn't think I'd believe him. That's why he wanted proof first."

"Ok, so why wouldn't you believe him?"

"Because me and Kate used to be really close. He thought I'd take her side, believe what she said."

"Would you have?"

"Maybe," Richie allowed. "But only at first. I know Mac wouldn't lie to me about something like that. But he did keep stuff from me that I needed to know. We had a deal. We weren't supposed to keep stuff from each other."

"A deal huh?" Frankie asked.

Richie nodded. "And he didn't stick to it."

"Ok. So the guy slipped once. He's allowed to make a mistake isn't he?"

"Yeah. But he made me promise to always be straight with him and then he isn't with me."

"I get that. But if he didn't care he wouldn't have checked her out."

"I know he cares. But I just wanted some time on my own. I wanted to get away."

"And why haven't you told anyone where you are?"

"You don't know Mac. If he knew where I was he'd come looking for me. He can't leave anything unresolved for long."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Frankie asked raising an eyebrow. "Things shouldn't be allowed to fester."

"I know you're right. I know I should let them know where I am. But I don't want to go home yet and deal with the real world. I want to stay here with you."

Frankie broke out into a grin. "Yeah, the real world can wait, " she said planting a kiss on his lips.

…

5 days later the sound of the phone ringing woke Richie. Groaning he rolled over in bed and looked at the clock.

"2.30…" he muttered. He'd only been in bed an hour. This had better be good…

"Yeah?" he asked picking up the phone.

"Richie?"

"Mac? What's the matter?" Richie asked sitting up and rubbing his eyes, forgetting for a moment that Mac wasn't supposed to know where he was.

"You don't have to come home or anything," Mac said in a strained voice. "But I just thought you should know."

"Know what?" Richie asked feeling wide-awake now.

"It's Darius Richie. He's dead."