"He's where?" Cody gasped and stared at Shay. She was going through the files on her desk, closing out the completed files, and reassigning the open ones to Cody. "And you're going where?"
"Frank's been staying at the Ritz for the past week, getting to know Frank Jr.," She lifted her head to see everyone [Cody, Alex, Jake and Frankie] in the nest was staring at her as if she had gone mad. "Look...we both thought him getting to know Frank jr. was a good idea, but Daphne wouldn't allow unsupervised visits and I could not bear that woman setting foot in my home."
Frankie nodded and switched Jessie to her other hip. "I don't blame you...especially after that incident in the park. The woman has no clue how to treat a child." She glanced across the room where LJ kept Ariel occupied with a hand puppet. He looked a tad too big for her portable playpen, but they looked as if they were enjoying themselves.
--
Frank sighed inwardly as he glanced sideways at Daphne. She sat stiffly in the passenger seat of his Blazer, while 'Frank jr.' was buckled safely in the back. He would never get used to the boy being 'Frank jr.' and he felt like the biggest hypocrite going on these family outings with him and his viperous mother. Even after spending the last week getting to know the boy, Frank felt no real familial bond forming between them. He seemed like a good kid and Frank was developing a fondness for him, but only a fondness he felt for most children.
He eased the Blazer off the road and into the Nest's parking lot. He had run by Thomas' after trying Shay at home and had been informed she had gone into work to straighten up her things and clear out her desk. Just as she had informed him the previous night when they spoke on the phone, she was going through with her plans and he was less than happy about it.
"Do me one favor, Daphne. Keep your mouth shut," he ordered quietly before Frank jr. had gotten out of the vehicle. "Shay will be livid to see you as it is...don't make things harder for her."
Daphne shrugged uncaringly, but did not voice her opinion. She could give a fig how Shay Renquist Donovan responded to her or her presence, but thought better of raising Frank's anger. He had gone out of his way this last week, taking Frank jr. to the park, a soccer game after he found out how much the boy loved soccer and even drove them out to the suburbs to go horseback riding. He had even stayed at the same hotel she and Frank jr. were staying in order to spend as much time as possible getting to know the boy. She knew he had left his home because his selfish wife could not deal with her or Frank jr. near her children. Never once had he brought up the subject of whether the boy was really his or not during the time he spent with them. He simply said that until the DNA results were in, which would be any day, he would not broach the subject. She had also agreed to keep quiet about it.
"Hey, Boss," Cody greeted with enthusiasm until he saw the remainder of Frank's party. "Oh, hello."
Frank was not surprised at the cold looks tossed his way for bringing Daphne into their midst once again. "Good morning. Shay, I need to talk to you," he said, moving toward her desk.
"Talk. I'm listening," she responded shortly without looking up at him.
"I'd like to take LJ and Ariel out with us to the park today, if you don't mind."
"I do mind, actually. I have to take them for passports and a checkup at the doctors before we leave tomorrow," she stated calmly, still refusing to look at him.
"Leave? Where?" Frankie asked suddenly.
Shay looked up to see Frankie's disturbed look. "Let's just say...I'll be out of town."
"Shay..." Frank stopped when he noticed the e-tickets lying on her desk. "Air France..."
Shay nodded. "Dual citizenship, babe...you know that."
"I won't let you take the kids..."
She quietly placed her palms on the desktop and rose from her chair with concerted effort to face him. "It's just for a couple weeks, Frank. I'm having a lot of trouble dealing with this situation. I need a little peace in my life right now and I've always found comfort and strength at the Chateau."
Frank huffed softly and took her by the arm. "We agreed that I needed time to get to know Frank Jr. Don't leave, Shay...we'll work this out," he insisted.
Shay sighed and looked deep into chocolate eyes that were clouded with emotional pain. Closing the distance between them, she touched his cheek tenderly and whispered, "I'm not leaving you...I just need a break from this stress. Two weeks...give me two weeks. I promise you, we'll be back and nothing will keep us apart."
Frank nodded and touched his forehead to hers. "Positive?"
"Positive. Married or not, I'm yours...forever."
Daphne rolled her eyes and grimaced at the couple. She was unused to seeing the controlled Frank Donovan so loving in the arms of a woman. They would choose to live together in sin before they would give up their life together. It was fairly evident that with or without the results of the DNA test, Daphne Charles would not be able to split Frank Donovan from his family.
Frank jr. stood off to the side with his mother watching the scene unfold before him. In the past week, he had learned what a father could be...what a semi-normal home life could be, and he truly liked this Frank Donovan. He really had no idea why his mother was playing these games and hurting these people. He looked over to where his "father's" two children played happily together; blissfully unaware of what was happening in the room.
Shay felt the soft touch of a gentle hand on hers and looked down to see Daphne's son. "Frank jr," she said softly.
"My..." he began hesitantly. "My real name is Richard, ma'am. I...Mother...she..."
Frank knelt to the boy's level. "What are you trying to say? It's okay...you can tell us."
'Richard' looked carefully toward his mother and saw the look of sheer horror on her face as she realized her son was about to spill the beans. "No!"
"I have to, Mother," he said sadly. "It's not fair...what you're doing to him and his family." He turned back to Frank and Shay. "I know...I mean, I've seen pictures of my father, but I don't actually know him. I...don't know why Mother wanted me to say you were my father..." he trailed off and hung his head as the tears surfaced.
Shay glared hatefully across the room at Daphne for what she had done. Not only had she caused pain and heartache in the lives of the Donovans, but also the torment her own son was going through had to be astronomical. She watched Frank embrace the young boy and tell him he had done the right thing. She placed a comforting hand on both Frank and Richard's shoulders. "Thank you for being honest, Richard. Nothing can make up for what you're going through, but thank you...for my children's sake."
Richard looked up and gave Shay a small, weak smile. "I'll be okay..." he assured quietly, pulling away from Frank. "I want to go home now."
Frank nodded. "Go on out to the car and I'll take you home in a minute."
After Richard had left, Frank turned to Daphne. "There are too many witnesses here, Daphne, for you to deny what just took place."
Daphne raised her chin. "Fine...you win. Have a new set of annulment papers drawn up and I'll sign them."
Frank turned to Shay, who smiled wickedly and reached into her desk drawer. When her hand emerged, she held a set of legal documents. "There ya go, Tiger."
Frank tossed them on the table in front of Daphne and handed her a pen. "No time like the present. Sign. Now."
Frankie, Jake, Alex, and Cody looked from Shay to Frank and then back again. "You had this planned all along...you were never leaving."
With a growl, Daphne snatched the pen from Donovan and bent down to scrawl her name on the appointed line. When she stood, she looked into the darkest set of eyes she had ever seen.
Shay smiled easily at her friends. "No, I wasn't. I know it was a cruel thing, but we thought if given time, the boy would form a bond with Frank and we could only hope he would find it in his heart to tell the truth if he saw the pain the situation was putting Frank and his family through."
"Don't try anything again," he whispered to Daphne threateningly while his wife explained what had taken place between them and Richard. "If you show your face to me or my wife ever again in our lifetimes...I'll make you disappear."
Daphne blinked and backed away. Somehow, she knew he meant every word. She turned to leave the room, but was stopped by his wife.
"There's just one more thing," Shay said sweetly. "Take care of that boy...he deserves MUCH better than you." She stepped aside to let Daphne pass, but then grabbed her arm and turned her back around to face her. "Oh...I forgot this..." In a flash, Shay balled up her fist, reached back, and slammed it into Daphne's face. She smiled satisfyingly when she saw Daphne hit the floor and heard the collective gasps from the group.
Frank heard the crunch and saw the blood spatter over Daphne's cheeks and mouth. Shay had effectively broken the women's nose and ruined her perfect face. He looked comically at his wife who merely shrugged at the woman who now lay whimpering on the floor of the nest. "Just something to remember me by," Shay said with a smile as she slid into her husband's arms. "Hey...I could have killed her."
He hugged her tightly and whispered, "And I would have..."
~finis....for now. A new adventure is not far off in the wings...