Chapter 14. The next Four years.
Lewis left the state many times during the next four years, building and organizing Robinsons Inc.
Franny helped him with what she could, and Bud and Lucille were always supportive.
When Lewis was home and not out of state, he'd spend his time with Franny.
On Lewis's 21st birthday, Lucille and Bud took him to one of the fanciest resturaunts in town.
He took Franny with him.
When they all were seated, Franny whispered:
"This place is so...clean. I feel scared to do anything."
Lewis laughed. "Don't be scared, Fran."
Hearing Lewis call her Fran gave Franny shivers down her spine, a sensation she had never felt before. She smiled at Lewis and suddenly felt better.
"So, Cornelius." Bud said. "You going to get some wine tonight? It IS your 21st birthday."
Lewis shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'd rather not drink at all in my life."
Franny and Lucille smiled. "Thats a good boy." Lucille said, patting Lewis's hand.
Lewis's 21st birthday was the second best birthday in his life, the first was when Franny gave him his work bench and tools.
On Franny's 17th birthday, she was out of state. Her family decided to take her to see the other members of her family. The only person in Frannys family that stayed was Gaston, only because he was working on some time of cannon and believe he needed to give his full attention to it.
Because he was staying, and also because other parts of her family haden't seen it, she took Frankie the frog along with her.
While she was gone Lewis felt a pain in his stomach and heart that he had only felt once when he was 14. Loneliness, and heartsickness he remembered. When Franny had once spent her 10th birthday away from home.
He sat in his work place, writing down letters and plans for Robinsons Inc. Carl, who he had finished not to long ago, walked around helping him with different things when help was needed.
The ache went through him even in his happiest moments.
The pain was only healed when he got a phone call from a familer number the next week.
"Hello?"
"Cornelius, guess who?"
"Franny!" Lewis said with relief. "How are you?"
"Fantastic, I had a great birthday over here. Art got his first job, he's a pizza delivery guy. He'll be working over with my uncle for awhile. How're you, Cornelius?" Franny asked.
"I'm fine." Now. "I missed you."
"I missed you too."
"I..I.."
"Yes, Cornelius?" Franny asked, her heart fluttering.
"I...Do you want to come over here tomorrow?" Cornelius mumbled.
"Oh. Sure." Franny replied.
When she came over, she was surprised to see Carl doing better then he was when she had left.
"Cornelius, he's perfect." Franny mused, looking at every part of Carl.
"Thank you!" Carl told her.
She jumped a bit. "Oh my goodness. You're..you're welcome!"
Lewis laughed.
A year went past and finally Robinsons Inc. was being built. Lewis, 22, was always at the contruction site.
One night a horrible storm came and tore down half the building, taking down a months worth of work.
The next day Franny, 18, came to the site to see Lewis smiling, not a bit upset.
"Cornelius, half the buildings gone, and you're smiling!" Franny said. "Have you gone mad?"
"Perhaps." Lewis replied. "But you know what? I can't let it bother me. Got to keep moving forward."
Franny opened her mouth the respond, but couldn't find anything to say. She watched Lewis help some of the workers, smiling to herself. "I couldn't have found a better man." She said to herself.
From 18 to the age of 19 Franny went to ten different fairs, six concerts, and fifteen other contests and concerts.
With her she took Frankie the frog and the rest of the singing frogs, they all could play over 20 intruments and Frankie could sing fifty songs. She won 17 awards and trophies for her singing frogs, and was praised by friends and family.
Lewis went with Franny to the contests and cheered her and her frogs on.
When Franny won her first award they were both shocked and happy beyond happiness.
"Cornleius!" Franny screamed, running to him. "I won!" She hugged him and jumped up and down.
Lewis held her and held her, telling her things like "I am so happy for you." and "congradulations", this went on until she turned and hugged Frankie and the rest of the frogs until they almost burst, and then she accepted her award.
It had taken 4 years, but Robinsons Inc. was now built.
Lewis, 24, took pride in it, and enjoyed just walking through the building. Employes were hired, and work began within the month.
Franny, 20, visited every week, excited to be in such a large and beautiful building.
The front lobby, when you first walk in, had a huge painted sign on the tall entrance.
It read:
"Keep Moving Forward."
And on the wall above the secretarys desk was a plauqe that read:
"Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things...And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.
- WD"
Everytime Franny came in, she smiled to herself reading those two notes, and her heart lifted to the highest of the ceiling and wouldn't come down until she left the building.