A/N Thanks to the reviewers for their kind words .

Chapter 4

Later that day.

"Hello?"

"Yes, hello, is this Mrs. Morrison speaking?"

"That's right."

"This is Miss Mackenzie, Frankie's teacher."

"Hello, Miss Mackenzie, is everything alright?"

"Ya see, Mrs. Morrison, if ya have a minute, I'd like to talk with ya about Frankie."

"Alright. What seems ta be the trouble?"

"I was wondering if everything was okay at home, ya see, Frankie's work has been suffering. He's been doing poorly on his tests past few weeks. I know Frankie is a wee smart boy. I notice sometimes he's just been staring off into space. Today I couldn't get his attention at all."

"I see, Miss Mackenzie. You've caught me quite by surprise. I didn't see any of this. Ya see, just a couple of weeks ago, Frankie's father passed away and…"

"I see, Mrs. Morrison. Say no more. I didn't mean to pry. I like Frankie very much…and well, I was just concerned."

"I understand, Miss Mackenzie. Thank you fer yer call. I'll talk to Frankie straightaway."

"Yer welcome, and if you have any questions, please feel free to call."

"Thank you, Miss Mackenzie. Bye."

Lizzie hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She didn't see this coming. But how could his father's passing not affect him? It had certainly affected her although mostly with relief, she thought, feeling a little guilty about it. She had a long talk with Frankie after reading his letter and explained the truth to him. Although she did suspect that would not be the last talk they would have about it.

Lizzie paced around her kitchen. She glanced at the clock noticing that Frankie would be home any minute.

Nell casually walked in. "Who was that on the phone?" She sat at the table and lit up a cigarette.

"It was Frankie's teacher, Ma," she replied worriedly, her hands knotted and her feet still pacing about the floor.

"What's got ya all wound up, Lizzie?" Nell asked her daughter, exhaling a puff of smoke.

"Frankie's teacher says he's not doing so well at school lately."

Nell raised an eyebrow. "Really? What else did she say?" She wondered if now was the time.

"She also says that he's been staring off into space." Lizzie's voice started to shake.

"I see," she simply replied, taking another drag of her cigarette.

"Yah see? Ma, how can ya be so calm about it?" Lizzie started to unravel pacing behind her mother now and gesturing wildly at her.

"Just calm down, Lizzie." She put out her cigarette and took Lizzie's hand. "I think there's something I have to show ya."

Lizzie's eyes widened. She wondered about Davey's picture. "Well, what is it then?"

"Two days ago, when I was emptyin out the trash in Frankie's room, I found this." Nell took a crumpled piece of paper that she had hid away carefully in her purse and handed it to Lizzie.

"What is this?" Lizzie looked puzzled at the sheet of paper and read:

Dear Friend,

I hope you are well. I keep wanting to write letters because it is a habit of mine. I know you'll never get this because Ma said we'll probably not see you again. I've been having a hard time at school lately. I keep thinking about my da. Ma told me what he did. My best friend, Catriona says she would hate her da if he did that. I told her I couldn't hate him. I didn't even know him. Now he's gone. I know he cared about me though. I had lots of fun with you those two days and am hoping that soon you will come back and spend more time with us. You want to know something? I think Ma kind of fancies you too. Write back if you like.

Your Friend,

Frankie

Tears ran down Lizzie's eyes. Lizzie didn't really know how this was all affecting him. The only way he felt he could reach out was to write the man a letter- a letter the stranger would never receive. Lizzie folded the crumpled letter and stowed it away in her pocket when she heard the door open. It was Frankie. Quickly she wiped the tears from her face and smiled brightly as Frankie walked into the kitchen.

"Hello Frankie, how was school?"

"Aye, Frankie, how was school today?" Nell and Lizzie were both smiling at Frankie in a way he found very odd.

Frankie signed 'fine' and opened up the refrigerator to get some juice.

He was reaching for a cup while Lizzie and Nell just shrugged at each other, neither knowing what to say next.

Frankie sat at the table drinking his juice when Lizzie asked, "How did you do on yer test today?"

Frankie shrugged his shoulders and then looked away. Lizzie tapped him on the shoulder.

"Look Frankie, I think we need ta talk." Lizzie brought some cookies back to the table and sat down.

"All right then, I need ta do some laundry," Nell announced and then hurriedly left the kitchen.

"Miss Mackenzie called me today. She was very concerned about ya."

Frankie tried to interrupt but stopped.

"She says you've not been doing well on yer tests." Frankie looked down and folded his arms. Lizzie tapped on Frankie and said, "Frankie, I'm not mad at you."

She watched her son curiously as he unfolded his arms. "I just want ta know what's going on in that head of yers," she told him pointing to his head.

Frankie's body slumped as he looked at his mother. She loved him he knew, but how could he explain what he was feeling?

Frankie signed to her. 'I've been thinking about Da. I've been thinking about lots of things."

"Okay, Frankie, go on. Let's talk about it. What have ye been thinking?"

"I've been wondering how much like my dad I am…or will be."

Lizzie gave him a frightened look. She had never thought of Frankie as anything but gentle and caring. She did not care for the idea of her son inheriting Davey's unfavorable traits. Lizzie's face softened. "Well, let's see. Ya have yer da's smarts. Ya have his sense of humor. Definitely his coloring...just ya wait here fer a minute." Lizzie ran quickly to her room to retrieve Davey's photo. She knew exactly what Frankie was leading up to and wanted to steer their talk in the right direction. She quickly resumed her seat beside him.

"Here's his photo right here, see? You have his mouth and his ears."

Frankie took the picture from her and looked closely at it. "Why did you wait until now to show this to me?" Frankie was close to tears. He had been trying to imagine for years what he looked like and here it was…finally. He couldn't take his eyes away from the image.

"Aw Frankie, well, it's complicated." Lizzie reached for his hand and searched for the right words. "It's mostly because I didn't you want you to find out about him and what he's done."

Frankie let out a sigh. A moment of silence passed between mother and son. Frankie nodded to her comfortingly and smiled, his brown eyes telling her that everything was alright.

Lizzie silently thanked God for giving her such a wonderful child. She hugged him and felt the tears coming.

Frankie hugged her back and leaned away from her. "Ma, who was the man who pretended to be my da?" Frankie signed to her.

Lizzie wiped her eyes. "Ah told ya, Frankie. He was a man I made a deal with."

"No, Ma. Who was he?" Frankie signed stressing the who.

Lizzie had debated telling him this many times but now couldn't see the harm in it. "He was Marie's brother."

Frankie gaped at her. "What else, Ma?" Frankie signed to her.

"Nothing else, son."

Frankie cocked his head to the side and looked at her disbelievingly.

"Ah don't know anything else about him. That's what we agreed." Lizzie felt herself becoming very nervous discussing this.

"Why?"

"Why? Well, because I didn't know what the future holds and what would become of yer real da." Lizzie let out a sigh of relief after she said it. She hadn't really known in truth why. She felt that those weren't real reasons. She had been afraid of what she was beginning to feel for the stranger.

"I liked him."

Lizzie looked at her son and smiled. It was easy to see why. "I liked him too," she signed back at him.

"Do you think he really cared about us, or that he was pretending?" Frankie looked uncomfortable.

Lizzie smiled and nudged her son. "Of course he cared about us. How could he not?" Lizzie winked at him.

Frankie's face brightened. "Can you find him? Ask Marie how to find him and have him come back again?" he signed very quickly.

"Wo, wo, wo, son, it's not as easy as all that," Lizzie replied with both hands up.

"But what's stopping you?" Frankie wanted to know.

Lizzie had a gleam in her eye and the beginning of a smile. "Ya know what, Frankie? Absolutely nothing."