***********
Nudging Frankie gently with her elbow, Shay whispered, "Look."
Frankie looked in the direction Shay indicated to see Frank and Jake talking to Cody not far from where the two of them sat at the picnic table. They were talking softly, but it was easy to tell they were urging Cody to make a move on Katie. Their eyes wandered in Katie's direction several times while they patted Cody on the back in some manner of reassurance.
Shay jerked her head, motioning for Frankie to come with her. As they neared they heard Jake say, "Go on Cody...just walk right up and lay one down."
Frank nodded. "What have you got to lose, Cody?"
"More than you can imagine, Franklin Paul Donovan," Shay replied before Cody had a chance to answer. Shay shook her head and gave Frank a soft push before draping an arm around Cody's shoulder. "Let me let you in on a secret on how to treat a woman right," she said softly.
Frankie grinned. "Ah...the gospel according to Shania." She stood to Cody's other side and also put an arm around his shoulder. "If you're lookin' for a place in her heart, it ain't gonna happen overnight."
Shay moved her arm away to stand in front of him and lightly tapped his chest with her forefinger. "First, you gotta learn how to listen, to understand her deepest thoughts." Frank slid in behind her and pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her, grinning like a fool.
Frankie nodded. "She needs to know you can be friends, before she'll give you all she's got." She winked at Jake as he slid an arm around her waist.
Cody's face reflected his mistrust of the two women who had been known to give him more grief in one hour than most people gave him in a lifetime. "Come on, guys. Give me a break."
Shay placed her hands over Frank's, turned her head to kiss his cheek and said, "A little physical attraction...romantic, old-fashioned charm..."
"And a lot of love and tenderness," Frankie added, tracing the line of Jake's jaw with her finger tip, "is gonna get you into her arms."
"If you wanna get to know her," Shay said, placing her hand on Cody's shoulder.
"Really get inside her mind," Frankie came back.
"If you wanna move in closer..." Shay tapped his chin.
"Take it slow...yeah...take your time..." Frankie said as she ruffled his hair.
Shay smiled. "You must start from the heart and then...If you wanna touch her..."
Frankie nodded. "Really wanna touch her..."
The two women looked at each other, then back at Cody. "If you wanna touch her, ask!"
************
Frank gave Katie the go-ahead to proceed with the kayak lessons without Jake and Frankie. Since they were using tandem kayaks and Frankie would not be participating, Jake would also have to sit out. However, Jake wasn't comfortable with the sudden pull out of Frankie. She'd chattered incessantly since she'd first gotten the itinerary about kayaking. It was something she'd never done before and she had been looking forward to it for weeks now.
The group listened intently as she explained the use of the wet-suits, life jackets, helmets, etc. they would be wearing while they were traversing the white water of the Gunnison River. Because the practice would be held in the quiet waters of the lake, she asked only that they wear the life jackets.
Cody sat nervously behind Katie as she demonstrated the proper way to paddle the kayak. When she thought everyone was comfortable with the activity, she suggested they paddle out to the buoy that was tethered about a half mile out and then return.
Frankie and Jake made their way to the lakeshore as they group headed toward the buoy. Jake mentioned in passing that each of the women sat at the front of the kayak and wondered if there was a reason. Frankie had to hide a smile from him for fear she would give away Katie's plan.
"Are you ever going to tell me what that little pow-wow was with Frank and Shay this morning?"
"Nope."
"Frankie, I know something's up. You've been looking forward to the kayaking for weeks now."
"I just felt it might be better if I don't put anymore strain on my chest."
"So your health is affecting you?" Jake took hold of her arm and turned her gently to look at him. "What's going on Francesca?"
"Nothing Jake, just leave it alone!" She pulled her arm from his grasp and turned around as Katie and Cody rounded the buoy and waited until each of the other kayaks had made their way around and headed back to shore before she put two fingers to her mouth and let loose with a shrill whistle.
Upon hearing the whistle, each woman sans Katie, dropped their paddle to their laps, grabbed the sides of their kayaks and rocked them violently sending Frank, Christian and Tyler into the cold lake water.
As the men sputtered to the surface, they could hear the women laughing and Shay yelling out, "Payback's a bitch, Tiger!"
Frankie could not help but laugh as the men cursed up a blue streak and started their half-mile swim back to the lakeshore. Jake was laughing so hard, he did not notice as Frankie spin around next to him and gave him a shove. He landed with a loud "sploosh" in the cold water. "What the hell?" he yelled when he surfaced.
"Did you really think you would get away with that little skinny-dipping prank?" She yelled back through her laughter.
The women beached their kayaks and made a mad dash back to the campground.
***********
When Jake got back from the lake with the other guys, he'd found Frankie looking rather pale and green near the porta-potties. Shay pushed him back to change clothing and turned back to Frankie. This, in addition to everything else that had happened during their vacation, just set off alarm bells in his mind. It was about time that he got the bloody truth out of her. Of course, when he marched up and brushed Shay aside, Frankie's temper got the better of her. When Jake rather unceremoniously asked her what the hell was going on with her health, it was another declaration of war. Ty, Christian, Monica, Alex, Cody, Katie, Frank and Shay all gathered together out of the way but well within hearing of the couple.
"I'm not going to ask you again Francesca Marie Shaw. Just WHAT did the doctor have to tell you. I know something is up and you're hiding something."
Frankie looked at Jake. She just stared at him hard for a moment. She knew deep down that he was concerned for her, worried over her health. But damn it, she got the OK from her doctor the morning they all left. Even Dr. Williamette said that everything was fine for her to go to Colorado on the weeklong hike - as long as she listened to her own body and stayed away from activities that might jar her body.
Jake looked back at Frankie. Why wasn't she telling him what the doctor had said? He knew she'd been, she herself had insisted on visiting the doctor to run the trip by him. And she was here, so apparently the doc had said OK. But there was the paleness, the shortness of breath. Shay said it was the thinner air and higher altitude. Frankie said the same thing. Frank said the same thing. But why didn't Frankie tell him exactly what the doctor had said? Instead she was keeping it quiet, brushing his concern off.
"Well?" he pressed.
"It's a deep hole in the ground you get water from." Frankie snapped back in front of every one in the group. "It's also been known to house a few dead bodies - which is what might happen to you if you don't stop pushing me about the fucking doctor's visit!!" she hissed. She turned on her heel and stalked off into the trees.
Jake blinked, his mouth falling open. What'd he do this time?
"Real smooth Jake." Shay said as she and Frank glided up next to him. "Why don't you go after her, apologize for pushing her. You know Frankie..."
"Yeah, I do. She's keeping something from me." Jake's voice was dejected. The last time Frankie and he got into a fight like that down in Florida. That fight ended when she got shot in the back the next day.
Frank and Shay exchanged meaningful, knowing glances. She hadn't told him yet... "Jake."
"Yeah, Frank?"
"You know her about as well as I do, probably more. But if she says that the doctor told her everything was OK and told her to listen to her body and go from there on these activities, then that's what he said... right?"
"Right. But, she wouldn't let me go with her. For every other visit, she let me go with her. This time she kept it a secret and met me at the airport. There's something wrong, I know it."
"Shay's right. Go after her and find her, talk to her. Apologize for pushing and let her know that you're here to listen when she's ready to tell you whatever her secret is."
Jake looked at Frank and Shay, then nodded and turned to follow his wife.
About 30 yards ahead, Frankie had stopped to catch her breath again and leaned up against a tree. She leaned forward, her hands braced on her knees as she gasped for a few breaths. "Real cute Francesca Marie." she muttered, scolding herself. "Not the way a mother should act, eh?" She sighed and straightened up, putting her hands on her lower belly just below the navel ring. "I still can't believe it y'know? Me... a mother. And your Daddy doesn't even know yet. It's a surprise for later..."
Jake slowed down and stopped, hiding behind a tree when he heard Frankie's voice ahead of him. Who was she talking to? Who was getting a surprise later... Despite his common sense, he eavesdropped for a little while just in earshot of his wife.
She chuckled softly. "There's so much in the world you're going to see... so much we can teach you. Your daddy's a good man, stubborn as all hell, but then so am I. I can see a lot of head butting and war of wills in the future. So what's it going to be? Little man or little lady? What would your daddy want the most? Hmmm... good question..."
Jake's breath caught in his throat. Daddy? Little man or little lady? 'Oh my God!' he thought. 'I... we... she...' As the random thoughts stuttered through his brain, it all dawned on him and he leaned against the tree.
"Of course... I know he'll be happy either way. But he's so good with his godson, you and LJ are gonna get along OK, I know it. And Aunt Shay and Uncle Frank... they're going to spoil you rotten, I can tell already. Not to mention Aunt Alex too."
Jake pushed off of the tree and silently made his way around to just behind Frankie.
She let out a little sigh as her breath caught. "You'll never know your grandmother I'm afraid. She's too stubborn to admit that she's wrong. She doesn't like me very much anymore. And your Uncle Eric... he would have loved you almost as much as your daddy and I will. I'm so sorry you won't get to know him."
"Baby..." Jake whispered.
Frankie jumped off of the tree and whirled around, her hands coming up to wipe the few tears off of her cheeks. "What now, Jake? Come to harass me some more?"
"No baby, I came to apologize for pushing you." He smiled tenderly and reached out for her.
Frankie melted into his arms and hugged him tight. "I ... I'm sorry Jake. I just -"
"I know Frankie." He pulled Frankie back and smiled up at her. "I know."
The look on his face, the soft tender smile... Frankie blinked. He knew. "I..."
"Was waiting for the right time to tell me?"
"Yeah... something like that." She half smiled. "I called Father Michael on the way to the airport and talked to him. He said to tell you congratulations and he fully expects to see the both of us in about 10 months for a baptism and christening." At Jake's boggled expression, Frankie laughed.
Once Jake caught on, he pulled his wife into his arms again. "I love you Francesca Marie Shaw. And I don't care if it's a boy or a girl."
"Liar." she whispered as Jake slowly lowered them both to the ground. He put his back up against the tree and cuddled her close to his chest.
"So maybe I am." he grinned, stroking her hair as her head came to rest on his shoulder. "I want you to be happy and healthy and I want our child to be happy and healthy. But, if I had a choice..."
Behind the same tree that Jake had been hiding, Frank and Shay winked at each other before sneaking back to camp to let everyone know that everything was OK again between Frankie and Jake and that they'd be a while before making it back to camp.
***********
The Shaws confess and Cody goes bump in the night....stay tuned!!!