Frank awoke in confusion. He didn't remember where he was or what he was doing there. He looked around the room he was laying in. After a few seconds, he remembered it was Nancy's room. He looked over his shoulder at the other half of the bed- empty. Then he remembered where Nancy was. Frank looked over at the clock to his left. The time read 8:00 pm- much too late to go see Nancy again.
He shifted out of bed and onto his feet with a yawn and a stretch. There was no noise from downstairs, meaning Carson still wasn't home from his office. Frank looked at his phone. Two new text messages were waiting to be read. The first was from Joe, asking him to call when he got a chance. The next was from Bess, saying that Nancy was going to be okay after the whole Ned mess. Frank dialed Joe's number and waited. "Hey Joe. What did you need?"
"Hey Frank! I was calling to see how Nancy was. Is she okay?" All the normal Joe humor was gone from his voice.
"Yeah, she's been better, but she's going to be alright. She's a tough cookie."
"She must be to put up with you for all this time." And there was Joe's humor again.
"Don't forget, she's had to put up with you too. When are you coming down here?"
"Well I was hoping to be down there by today, but it seems that Ryan is refusing to admit he stole the purse. You know how the Bayport police are with us- they refuse to search his car or home, the lazy-bones.
"You just focus on Nancy. I'll hopefully be down in the next two or three days- that is if I can find this dumb purse."
"Hang in there, Joe. I'll talk to you later."
"Catch ya later." Frank hung up and looked around Nancy's room again. He'd promised her another book and more pictures. He stepped out into the hallway where the books were kept. Choosing another book he knew Nancy liked, he pulled it from the shelf and set it aside. Then he stepped back into Nancy's room to find some photos.
The first photo he chose was one of Bess, George, and Nancy all out at Shadow Ranch. Her hair looked beautiful in the photo compared to the white of the cowgirl hat she had on. Her plaid shirt fit her nicely as she smiled aboard her horse, Bob. Frank smiled as his thumb brushed over the picture.
No words could ever fathom how much he loved Nancy. She was the world to him. Beautiful, bright, and kindhearted, Nancy was Frank's dream girl. He only hoped that someday he could be her dream guy.
Nancy lay tucked in all of the blankets in her hospital room. She was currently reading the second book Frank had brought her. She was pretty sure she already knew who the culprit was, but her detective intuition told her to finish the book anyway. Her thoughts began to veer to Frank Hardy. She had remembered his good looks well in her mind. Her gut told her he was going to be a very great friend during all of this. But a little part of her wanted more than that.
Nancy knew this wasn't the time or place for that. Her mind knew that getting herself reacquainted with her life was priority number one. Frank seemed to view the situation the same way. She picked up her scrapbook and flipped to the case about Hawaii. She read up on her assignment again and looked at the picture of Frank and the man she assumed to be Joe. Her thumb brushed over the picture of Frank. Oh how she longed to know more about him. Her curiosity would be the death of her.
As Frank scoured the drawers of her desk for more photos, he thought about what an opportunity he'd been presented. This was his chance to snoop on Nancy with no one to catch him and an alibi if he was caught. His guilty conscience overtook his curiosity though. He shouldn't take advantage of her.
As he pulled open the next drawer, Frank heard a loud sliding noise, but the drawer only had small objects in it. He closed the drawer and opened it again, hearing the same sliding noise. He knocked on the bottom of the drawer- a hollow noise. Frank felt the drawer and noticed there was a small string near the front of the drawer. He pulled on the string and the bottom of the drawer lifted to reveal a book. This book had no title or pictures on the front. Rather, it was a green leather book with a string tied around it. Frank picked it up curiously. Upon examination, he found it was in fact a journal, not a book. Well if it was stored in Nancy's desk, it must be important. He undid the string, despite his brain telling him to stop.
As he started to flip through the pages, he recognized Nancy's handwriting on the pages. Each entry was dated and told of a different story from Nancy's life. It was Nancy's diary.
Frank decided he would bring it to Nancy tomorrow. What better way to have Nancy remember herself by reading her own words? As Frank was about to close the journal and put the string back on, he caught his name on one of the pages. He thought for a minute. He could be the nice guy and put the journal away. After all, these were Nancy's private thoughts. But his curiosity was going to eat him alive. He sat down in the desk chair and slowly flipped through the pages. The first entry was dated ten years ago, almost to the day:
Dear Diary,
Today I met a boy named Frank. We are staying with him and his family because our flight is canceled. Frank is very nice. He is a detective too. I like him a lot. Frank said he liked my dress. He has a brother named Joe, who is also very nice. I like him too. I hope we get to see them again soon.
Nancy
Frank chuckled. There was nothing cuter than nine-year-old Nancy in that little yellow sundress. He continued to flip through pages of her diary. He wanted to know Nancy better than she knew herself.
Dear Diary,
Mom passed away tonight. She is gone. The words feel foreign to me. This all feels like a bad dream. Maybe I'll wake up in the morning to the smell of her making pancakes and the sound of her saying good morning to my father. But I know it won't be true.
The Hardy family is coming to stay with us this weekend to help Dad out. I can't even find it in my heart to get excited to see Frank and Joe again.
Nancy
Frank remembered how horrible Nancy had looked that weekend. Poor thing. She was going to have to relive all of that again once she found out about Scotland.
Dear Diary,
I went to the River Heights homecoming dance tonight with Ned Nickerson. He asked me out last week to the dance. He's a little plain, but nice altogether. I think I'd like to see him again. It's only my first year of high school, and he's two years ahead of me, but I think I really like him. I'm excited to see where this goes.
Nancy
The bitter taste returned to Frank's mouth. Ned was indeed plain. He flipped through more pages.
Dear Diary,
It's been five years since I've seen Frank. While we talk on the phone or video chat sometimes, it's just not the same. I miss him a lot. I think I miss him too much. I very much like Ned, but when I think of Frank a whole new feeling takes over. I get nervous on the phone with him sometimes. Frank told me he got braces last week. I think they would look nice on him. Maybe I'll get to see them on him sometime.
Nancy
Frank groaned as Nancy mentioned his sophomore year of high school. He'd hated those braces. And he'd hated it even more when he had to show them off to Nancy that Christmas. Speaking of that Christmas, the next page he found was about that very night:
Dear Diary,
Only three days until Christmas. I get to spend the holiday with Frank and his family this year. Ned is a little disappointed that he won't get to see me on Christmas, but I told him I'd save a New Year's Kiss for him. While I do miss him, Christmas here in New York is beautiful. Frank showed off his braces to me finally. I think they suit him well. He's going to take me out to the shops tomorrow to see all of the decorations and maybe do a little last minute shopping while Joe is going out with his new girlfriend, Vanessa. I'm very excited to go tomorrow. Any time spent with Frank is always a good memory. I'll have to tell you all about it tomorrow.
Nancy
Frank felt his face heat up. He had been so nervous to go out with Nancy that day. His parents drove them out to his favorite shopping area and dropped them. They'd had the whole afternoon to themselves. He had even considered it a date.
Dear Diary,
Frank told me about his new girlfriend, Callie Shaw. While she seems very nice, something about her makes me slightly upset. I'm not sure what. She makes me uncomfortable. While I'm not Frank's girlfriend or anything near that, I can't help but feel replaced.
Nancy
"Oh, Nan…" Frank mused aloud. Frank had tried so hard to move past Nancy when he met Callie. He had truly loved Callie when they had been together. But what he found next was really what he was looking for.
Dear Diary,
I just got off the phone with Frank. It had been a while since we'd talked. He offered me an assignment in Egypt- as his wife. Of course I can handle the case, but being Frank's wife? I want to see him again, so I took the assignment. I just hope I don't get too distracted.
Nancy
Frank flipped ahead to the next page.
Dear Diary,
I have so much to say and such little room on the page. First, I just returned from Egypt- we caught the bomber! It was a most magical trip. I wasn't ready to come home. I wasn't ready to stop being Frank's wife. All of the handholding and smiles and the way he cared for me… and the kiss! Frank kissed me! It was so incredibly perfect, I didn't want it to end. But after the kiss, we both remembered our significant others back home- Ned here, and Callie in Bayport. We both know we can't do that to them. While I'm in love with Frank, I love Ned. I'm happy with him. Frank and I will just have to lie low for a while.
Nancy
The next entry was dated only a few weeks after that.
Dear Diary,
Frank just called me. He broke up with Callie. I guess things just weren't going to work out? Frank said she needed more stability than he could offer. It's hard to consider having a wife and kids when your job is to chase down mad bombers and serial killers. Frank is pretty broken up over it. I hope I made him feel a little better. Still, there's a funny feeling in my heart that I can't quite place.
Nancy
Frank flipped ahead. He found an entry dated six months prior to Nancy's accident.
Dear Diary,
Ned and I broke up. It was a mutual split; we both knew the distance would be too much too soon and my habit of picking everything up and heading out for another country on a case was getting to be too much. We both decided that while we were a great team, our lifestyles just weren't going to work together. Of course I feel sorrow, but I feel content as well.
I don't know how I'm going to tell Frank. I want to see Frank as more than a friend, and I do, but I don't want to rebound off of Frank. If I get to be with Frank I want it to last. I want things to mean something. I think I'll hold off telling him until I'm ready to get back into a serious relationship.
Nancy
The entries passed that contained stories of cases past and Nancy's day-to-day life. Frank snapped the journal shut and gave out a long sigh. He rubbed his nose and set the journal on the top of the desk. Nancy cared for him. She cared a lot about him. Frank knew that Nancy harbored feelings for him, but their significant others had always stopped them. Now they were both single and interested in one another.
No. That absolutely couldn't happen right now. Nancy needed to get well again before Frank even began to consider the possibility of them being together.
Frank found himself exhausted as he stood from Nancy's desk and walked down the hall to his room. After getting ready for bed, he collapsed onto the mattress and instantly fell into sleep.