After dinner, Franklin got up and chugged the last of his third beer. "That was real nice, Amanda. Thanks fo' havin' me over."
"Oh, it was my pleasure, Franklin! Would you like to stay and watch a little TV?" Amanda smiled.
"Man, I'd like that, but I gotta get home and feed Chop." Franklin and Amanda then shared a quick hug before Franklin hugged Michael. "Ay, man, good lookin', Mike."
"Same to you, bro." Michael responded.
"Ay, dawg, I'll catch you 'round, homeboy." Franklin said to Jimmy as he gave him a bro-hug.
"Yeah, be cool, homie." Jimmy replied.
"Ay, I'll see you, Tracey." Franklin said politely as he went to Tracey, who then calmly put her hands around his neck and hugged him, so he gradually hugged her back, around her slim waist. After a brief embrace, Franklin pulled back.
"See ya 'round, Franklin." Tracey said coyly as she looked in his eyes, prompting Michael to give her a stern look, which Tracey quickly noticed.
"A'ight, catch y'all later." Franklin waved as he walked to the front door and left.
Jimmy gestured his hand towards the door as he gave an expecting grin to Amanda with an eyebrow raised. "Huh? Huh? Well, Mom?"
Amanda gave Jimmy, and then Michael, a surprised look. "Well, that was actually very enjoyable. I knew he was your friend, but I was expecting just some idiot - or worse, a total nutjob like Trevor. But he was sweet. And, surprisingly, well-spoken." Amanda essencially gave her verdict on Franklin, as if it was scripted.
Jimmy gave a hard pat onto Michael's shoulder. "See, Dad? That's what I'm talkin' about! That's my BOY Franklin!"
"Oof!" Michael grunted as Jimmy patted him. "See, Mand? He ain't so bad."
"Yeah, he was... okay." Tracey added.
"Oooo, sounds like you LIKE him! Figures!" Jimmy teased.
"What- I do NOT! Daaad!"
"Man, that food was good." Franklin thought to himself as he rode his bike out of Rockford Hills. "And DAMN, Mikey's wife and daughter are really somethin'. I can't even decide who's got more goin' on!" Several minutes later, Franklin was back home, and he walked down the stairs to his back yard.
"Ay, Chop! You want some food, man?" Chop's ears perked up and he barked playfully at his best friend. "Haha, course you do, man! Lemme get you some steak!"
Several minutes later, Franklin got undressed and had an early night. A few minutes after getting into bed, he got a text from Michael. 'Hey man, good to see ya today, the family really likes you, man. We should hang out soon. - M'
Franklin felt the need to reply. 'Thanks man, I'll holla at you and the kid soon. - F'
The young man went to sleep a few minutes later, with a great deal of satisfaction, and a sense of moving forward.
At midnight, Tracey had sneaked out of bed and down to the kitchen. She was usually tired by this time, but she couldn't get to sleep after dinner that evening. She opened the fridge to find the carton of orange juice, and after finding a block of cannabis on one of the shelves, she rolled her eyes and grimaced.
"If you're gonna do drugs, fatso, at least do proper ones." Tracey thought to herself. As she leaned over the central kitchen counter and took a swig of OJ, Tracey heard a raspy, yet soft voice greet her.
"Hey, kid." Michael said casually, causing Tracey to spit her drink out in shock. "Couldn't sleep, huh?" He asked with a smile. Tracey covered her dripping mouth as she laughed, before shaking her head at her father's question. "Me neither."
After Tracey had run a cloth under the sink and cleaned the OJ off her chin and the counter, she saw Michael get a bottle of whiskey out of the cabinet.
"Dad, what're you doing?" Tracey asked in a somewhat pleading tone. Michael sighed.
"Just... tryin' to relax. I usually can't sleep without it." Michael answered as he poured a shot into the glass. "Don't worry, it's just the occasional one of two shots a night. Nothin' crazy." Michael then downed the liquid. "What're you doin' up?"
"Just... couldn't sleep." Tracey answered vaguely.
"Yeah, I see that. I meant why?" Michael clarified.
"Well... I dunno. Feel kinda weird." Tracey looked down as she shook her head in confusion. "I mean, I've had crushes before, but..." Tracey's eyes widened before she said anything further, and she quickly put the OJ back in the fridge. "I, uh, nothing." Tracey then paced towards the stairs. "Night, Daddy."
"Wait, Trace-" Michael whispered after her to no avail, before looking down and sighing to himself.
The next morning at around 10:30, Franklin was shaving his stubble when he got a text from Michael. 'Mornin man, lemme know when you wanna go for those drinks! - M'
Franklin then finished his shaving and gave Michael a call. "Hey, Frank!" Michael greeted warmly.
"Ay, man, you wanna go out for some drinks later today?" Franklin offered.
"Hell yeah I do, pick me up at about two o'clock." Michael responded.
"A'ight, catch ya later, man." Franklin hung up the call, before changing into his trunks and jumping into his pool.
As Michael hung up the phone, sitting on the side of his bed, a naked Amanda came up from behind and hugged him. "That your little friend, hun?" She teased.
"Hehe, yeah. Gonna just have a drink or two later on."
"Good. Now get the fuck back over here." Amanda practically demanded as she pulled Michael back onto the bed.
Tracey was in her room after having a shower, in her bathrobe. She was sitting on her bed talking on the phone to her friend Lauren. "He's, like, SO gorgeous, but... he's just... he's not practically draping all over me like all the other guys I've known; he's really nice! To me and to my family. Oh- I gotta go, we'll talk later."
Tracey hung up her phone before removing her bathrobe and the towel on her head. She thought for a moment, and then curiously walked in front of her mirror. As she looked her naked body up and down, she contemplated it. "Hm. My boobs aren't too big, are they? No... Nah, they're fine; never had any complaints." Tracey then turned around and looked back over her shoulder. "God, I hope my ass is too small, or too flabby... Hm, do I have too many tattoos... or should I get another tattoo...? Ah crap, I dunno!"
