The coffee shop wasn't as busy as usual when he arrived. He ordered his usual drink and took a seat by the window, watching the world go by as he considered life. He picked the morning paper up that had been left on the table and read the front page, the date seeming to jump out at him. Exactly six months since Mel had left them, taken from them without so much as a goodbye. He still thought he saw her face, heard her laugh, imagined what she would say about the team now, or more likely the lack of team now. The irony was it was exactly a month after Mel's death that Frankie left, a letter of resignation on his desk without so much as a goodbye from her either.
He had been expecting things to go pear-shaped with Frankie, neither prepared to face the consequences of their actions like adults, instead of pretending what happened hadn't happened and then things just spiralled for there. He had really liked Frankie, a hell of a lot more than he should have. They had always got along, even when they rubbed each other up the wrong way they still got on. As the time passed he found himself wanting to spend time with her, hear her laughing, see her smiling. They somehow slipped into a routine, a casual drink with the rest of the team, harmless flirting when it was just the two of them, neither stepping over the boundary in case they broke the magic. Everything was going so well, so smoothly, until that fateful day of course.
Then Mel was gone, and everyone was devastated. Grace seemed to be the one holding everyone together, even though she was grieving too. Frankie had got the raw end, having to process the scene, do the autopsy, wash and dress Mel ready to hand over. She had held it together so well or looked like she had until the police memorial service. She had crumbled and he had caught her. When he left her naked and sleeping in her bed he knew what had happened was wrong, they had crossing a line they were never meant to cross, at least while they worked together anyway. If things had been different, if they hadn't worked together, maybe the spark between them would have been allowed to grow and flourish. They hadn't spoken about that night, or the following morning, just swept it aside and became strangers.
Picking up his coffee he released he had been staring at the paper so lost in thought he hadn't even taken any of the headlines in. He folded the paper back up and put it on the table, taking another drink of his coffee. Looking out the coffee shop window he become absorbed in the world around him, in the people passing by, the cars, buses, bikes and motorcycles driving past him as he sat and contemplated what a mess his life was in. He had focused zoned out the noise in the coffee shop, his own thoughts and feeling noisy enough to keep him occupied. He was just about to take another drink of his coffee when he heard something, or more precisely someone. He hadn't heard that voice in five months, not physically anyway. He knew that voice anywhere could pick it out in a crowded room. He had last heard that voice the night before he got her letter of resignation. He turned his head, coffee cup still in hand as he scanned the coffee shop, seeing if he could spot the jeans, hoodie and dark brown hair that were so familiar to him. He couldn't find her, the number of people by the till and counter-blocking some of his view. Just then a phone rang and he heard her voice clear as day,
"Doctors Frankie Wharton." Her usual greeting when she answered the phone.
Just then the throng of people seemed to shift and there she was, stood not more than ten meters away. Several things happened all at once and he wasn't sure in what order they actually happened in. He looked Frankie up and down, from head to toe. Everything from her brown hair, open overcoat, jeans and trainers to the very rounded baby bump that was hard not to miss. At about the same time his brain seems to process seeing Frankie his coffee cup slipped out his hand, his trousers got soaking and there was an almighty crash. Frankie looked directly at him as their eyes locked, just as he stood up quickly to shake off the hot coffee. Two people swore, both saying Shit in unison, one he knew was Frankie, it turned out he was the other person. Frankie turned to walk away but stopped when she heard her name, a mix of confusion, hurt, and a little desperation in his voice.
"Frankie, wait, please." Words leaving his mouth before his brain could catch up.
Frankie stopped still, turning slowly back around to face him as a barista brought over napkins, a fresh coffee and a dustpan and brush. Frankie had a coffee cup in one hand, her other hand placed protectively on her baby bump. He gave up patting his trousers dry as he took a step closer to her, smiling a little at the fact she didn't run away. They walked slowly towards each other, meeting beside an empty table. Neither spoke, neither actually moved, both just stood eyes locked with the other a mix of emotions swirling in both their eyes.
"Frankie." His hand coming up to touch her but stopping mid-air.
"Boyd." Her voice a little shaky as she looked down at his hand only a few inches away from her.
"It's really good to see you again." Letting his hand fall back to his side as he studied Frankie's face.
He had thought at his age he was past the awkward interaction with women stage, but he so obviously wasn't. He had missed her, more than he thought possible until she was stood right in front of him. She looked beautiful, and he wondered if she had always looked like this and he just hadn't noticed. Then he thought back and he knew she had always looked this amazing, he just never really let himself fall that deep into the feelings.
"Your coffee is getting cold and we both know you hate cold coffee." Frankie's attempting humour as she tried to break the awkward silence between them.
"Come and join me, please." Stepping aside so she could get past him to the table he had been sitting at.
He could see the internal battle Frankie was having with herself, the debate to stay or run away.
"Okay, I have time before my meeting." Giving him a small smile as she stepped past and made her way to the table he had been sitting at.
He followed behind her, watching her as she took off her coat and placed it on top of his on the spare chair. Watching her place her cup on the table then slowly lower herself into the seat was a sight to behold. Frankie was never graceful, she put her feet on the table, turned chairs the wrong way to sit down, even sat on tables and desk when it suited her. But this Frankie, this Frankie had an elegance about her, about the way she sat, straight back, legs slightly spread to accommodate her growing bump.
"Are you going to stand there with your mouth open catching fly or actually sit down?" Frankie's voice snapping out him out of his staring and making him sit down.
"Sorry, it's just, I can't, I never imagined, I didn't know, Wow." His words a jumbled mess as he licked his suddenly dry lips.
"The great Peter Boyd speechless never thought I would see this day." Her hand coming up to absently stroke her bump as she watched him.
She went to reach for her cup but he beat her to it, taking the lid off and looking at the contents of the cup frowning.
"What in god's name is that? I didn't know you were channelling Grace now, it stinks." Passing her the cup as she sat forward to take it.
"A lots changed since we worked together, Boyd, my choice of hot beverages being just one of them." Taking a sip of her drink as Boyd picked his own coffee up and had a drink.
"You can say that again, your taste in hot drinks being the least of them." His eyes drifting down to her bump.
She followed his gaze, then looked back up at his face, seeing his eyes still fixed on her bump.
"Boyd, why don't you just ask what you want to ask, or you want me to fill in the gaps?" Boyd looking up from her bump to see her staring at him with that slight steel in her eyes that he had missed.
"I take it this is why you left?" Asking the most obvious question first when he had so many more important ones to ask.
"Really, that's your first question? Not how far along am I, who the father is, am I still in a relationship with the father, is he even on the scene. I know you're not good at talking about stuff but you can do better than this." Taking another drink of her tea before looking at her watch. "I have to go, my meetings in half an hour. How about you come over to mine and we can finish this conversation then." Reaching for her bag that she had dropped on the floor as she went to sit down.
Boyd put his cup down and picked up her bag, passing it to Frankie as she mumbled her thanks. She pulled out a small notebook and pen, scribbling something on it then ripping the paper out and passing it to Boyd. Boyd took the paper and looked at it, then up at Frankie.
"My new address, as I said, a lot has changed since we last saw each other. I'm in weeknights from about six, seven at the latest. I get weekends off so a weekend is also good." Putting the pen and paper away as she saw Boyd looking at her new address.
Boyd went to open his mouth and say something but Frankie knew what he was going to say so cut him off.
"I know you're busy, I know the hours you put in, I haven't forgotten. As I said, any night after seven or a weekend." Managing to hold her bag as she used the arms of the chair to push herself to stand.
Boyd stood at the same time, watching as Frankie put her bag on the chair and reached for her coat. Boyd stepped forward and took her coat from her, holding it up so she could put it on.
"Ever the gentleman." Smirking as Boyd again looked at her bump.
"See you around then, Boyd." Picking her bag up and putting it on her shoulder.
"Yeah, I'll call around when I get the chance. Can I tell Grace and Spencer I've seen you?" His hands fidgeting at his sides as he talked.
"Of course. I expected you to talk to Grace, more so about this." Her hand again protectively resting on her bump.
"Yeah, that's definitely news. I'll see you soon, Frankie." Finally Giving in to temptation and reaching out for Frankie.
Frankie was more than a little surprised to find herself enveloped in a hug from Boyd. The man didn't hug unless it was after sex but her mind wasn't going back there. She rested her face against his chest and breathed in, his aftershave, his soap, and the musky smell that was uniquely him filling her senses. She couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes, memories and emotions overwhelming her. She blamed the fact she was so emotionally on the fact the baby chose just that moment to stretch out, limbs pushing against the taut skin of her abdomen causing Boyd to stiffen. He had felt the movements as well, their bodies being so closely pressed together. She expected him to let go quickly, pull away at the feeling but he didn't, if anything he held her just that little bit tighter.
"I have to go or I'll be late." Frankie breaking the moment as she quickly pulled back and swiped at her eyes.
Boyd didn't miss her wiping her eyes, a feeling deep inside him roaring to the surface as he caught a glimpse of vulnerable Frankie. That was how they had ended up at this point, him taking care of vulnerable Frankie.
"Take care, Frankie." Watching her make her way through the now crowded coffee shop and out the door.
He just stood there, hands in his pockets not even sure what he was supposed to be doing. His phone ringing made him look at the time as he flipped open the small device and see Spencer's name on the screen.
"Yeah, Spencer." Turning back to the table and reaching for his coat. "I'm on way, I got sidetracked in the coffee shop. Is Grace in yet?" Draping his coat over his arm as he walked towards the door he had just watched Frankie leave though. "Good, tell her I need to speak to her when I get in, Okay." Pushing the door open with his shoulder as he stepped out onto the noisy street. Okay, thank, Bye Spence." Closing the phone over and matching off down the street, his long legs and policeman stride making people move out his way instead of being barrelled into.