Nancy and Frank went to his room. Joe had asked to be dropped at
Vanessa's. Given everything that had happened that made sense. Frank
wanted to give Joe and Nancy some space from each other.
Several things raced through his mind. First Joe and Callie were
actually talking. They weren't best friends, but they seemed to have
reached a truce of sorts. Second Callie and Nancy got along fine.
Vanessa and Joe's worries were totally unfounded. They got along just
fine, despite Nancy dragging up memories better left dead. Third
the thing that annoyed him the most. He wanted to thank her for
figuring it out. He also wanted to throttle her for meddling. More
than that he was really mad at himself. He had missed it, and it was
so glaringly obvious to him now. The fact that Nancy who had never met
Callie had figured it out so easily just annoyed him.
He sat on his bed deep in thought. Nancy watched him knowing he was
angry with her. That was reasonable. However the sullen silence
bothered her more. Frank was more than simply angry with her. She
wondered what he was thinking.
"So are you mad at me for meddling or being right?" Nancy asked hoping
he'd answer.
Frank ran a hand through his hair and sighed." I don't know." He stated.
Frank had a faraway look like he was thinking or remembering
something. Nancy decided maybe talking about her might help. Maybe
not, but it was past time Iola's name and memory became something they
could recall without breaking.
"What was she like?" Nan asked.
Frank's head came up surprised. Not the question he had expected, but
this one he could handle right now. He got up and opened his desk
bottom drawer and pulled out what looked like old slightly crumpled
pictures. He handed them to Nancy. It was Frank, Joe, Callie, and
Iola. She was pert and cute. She looked like she liked causing mischief.
Joe had tried to throw away every picture of her. Frank had rescued
them from the trash and saved them. He figured eventually Joe might
regret not having a photo of her.
"Joe didn't want the memory, so I threw them in the back of my desk
years ago. I saved most from the trash, so they are beat up." Frank
explained.
"He'll be glad you did. She looks full of it." Nancy stated.
Frank laughed softly. It felt good to remember something good about
Iola for once." She definitely gave Joe a run for his money. She kept
him in line that's for sure. I think she and Van were the only ones
who could."
Nancy laughed." A lot like Vanessa then?"
"Yeah, but more mischievous maybe. We were younger though, so who
knows." Frank said wistfully.
Nancy sat on the bed next to him." Sorry I don't mean to open old
wounds anymore than I already did." She hugged him.
Frank placed an arm around her and chuckled softly." You didn't. Just
the opposite really. It's good to remember there were good times.
Everything around her is so loaded, that we just pretend she never was
here. That's not fair really. She deserves better than to pretend she
never existed."
Frank sighed and continued." I'm more angry with myself. I should have
seen it." He sighed and laid against the pillow.
Frank hugged her to him. He needed the contact and comfort Nancy
provided him right now.
Nancy went with him and hugged him hard. She raised her mouth and
kissed him gently. The kiss was comforting not passionate like
previous kisses had been.
Frank shook his head. " I wish I knew. Maybe I could have helped her.
I knew she was hurting, but I didn't follow up with her. I barely had
energy to keep Joe from doing something stupid. I didn't have the time
or the energy to help her. She was so mad at Joe, and I didn't care
why. She tried to tell me. I didn't care why at the
time. I couldn't handle both at the same time." Frank said regretfully,
sighed and closed his eyes.
" Don't blame yourself. Joe doesn't and I don't think Callie does
either." Nancy stated as she gently ran her hand through his hair.
" I wouldn't blame her..."
Nancy shook her head and rose up to look him straight in the eye."
Don't Frank. You had all you could handle and did the best you could .
Joe is here in one piece. Callie came out alright too."
"I just wish..."
Nancy interrupted." It's done time to let go. What if is something we
can never know. You did your best don't add guilt too."
He sighed." It's more regret than guilt , not that it matters. You're
right I can't go back and fix it."
She very softly kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed
her a bit desperately. He wanted to take the comfort she was offering.
He needed to forget for a little while. Nancy sensed the shift in him.
She deepened the kiss and allowed her hands to touch him in comfort
and arousal. Frank was lost before he even realized they had begun.
Nancy kissed and touched Frank. Frank followed her lead oblivious to everything else. He didn't want to remember
anymore. He just wanted to get lost in her for a while.
Nancy touched him as his reaction climbed. Frank moaned at the sensations
as pleasure coursed through him. He was running on
pure instinct. She drove him until he was completely mindless.
Frank was gone. Nancy smiled he needed the oblivion this brought. Frank's world shattered into a million pieces as he went flying.
Frank felt pleasantly drunk from the aftereffects. He felt slow and sluggish.
He opened dazed eyes." That felt good." He muttered sounding slightly
drunk. His eyes closed and a soft snore came from him.
Nancy laughed and gently kissed him. She pulled a blanket over them
and laid down to join him in a nap.
Nancy watched him with a smile. He was amazing. He was gorgeous. She loved seeing him so lost in passion. Frank didn't let go easily she knew.
