This story is coming very fast, so I guess I better just keep up with the flow. This chapter is a little short, but it seemed like a natural place to stop. Please forgive me for being a little lazy here.

Going to the Chapel

Chapter Three

"We just can't get away from here, can we?" Frank said as he leaned over and kissed the top of Karen's head. They were in Karen's studio apartment sitting in front of the notorious day bed, going over guest lists their mothers had submitted.

"We could, but then, my mother doesn't have a key to this place."

"Shot to the very center of my being," Frank grasped his shirt and fell over onto Karen's lap.

"Get offa me, you big lummox," she giggled as she pushed at Frank's shoulders.

"Only if you have a definition of a lummox," he whispered and then pulled her down and into a long, slow kiss. Karen's hands started to glide over Frank's shoulders and wrap around them to pull closer to her man. As they began to shift and fumble the lists were forgotten as their passion rose.

"We are supposed to be" kiss "at" kiss "my parents" kiss "in an hour."

"I'm not hungry… for your parents."

Button popped, straps and zippers were undone until Karen came to the braces. "Show me how to take these off."

"You've seen me take them off before."

"You've done it, now it's my turn." Her hands slid down to the buckles and Velcro that held the metal and fiber glass to his legs. "How do you feel about that?"

"Uhm," Frank never had any of his other women do this before. It was strange and wonderful.

"Do you feel me if I do this," Karen's hand slid down to Frank's knees.

"Some, not all the way down," his whisper was tinged with embarrassment.

Karen smiled and ran her fingers back up to where the sensation was full and real. "Now I know where you feel, but I gotta tell you that I tingle all the way down to my toes." With that she eased the braces off Frank's legs.

"I'll call later and say we had car trouble," Frank said as he stretched his hand down to Karen's knees and pulled them up to he could easily tickle her toes. "I think I've got a motor running here and I don't want it to stop."

"Frank, don't stop."

"Jimmy, stop that!" Christie shot him a venomous look as another piece of popcorn sailed her way to land silently on the floor.

Jim, who had headphones on as if he were listening to a talking book, pretended he didn't hear her and sent another piece sailing her way. Christie got up, snatched the bowl of pop corn out of his hands and stomped to the bathroom to flush the contents down the toilet.

"Hey, I was eating that," he whined.

"No you weren't, you were playing with your food. I can hear you mother applauding me all the way from the farm for taking it away from you." Christie stomped past Jim and into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Jim followed quickly and pushed noisily through the door. "Talk to me."

"I'm tired," her voice came from the bed.

"I'm not asking you to run a marathon, I am asking you to talk to me. Damn it, you're the one who says we need to communicate" Jim climbed into the bed and reached for Christie, capturing her wrist and pulling her stiff body to him. "Christie, I lost something too. I always wanted kids, I always thought they would just come; you know, like sunrise everyday."

Christie went very still… she knew her husband. Jim would run over a scenario in his head every which way and chew his lip raw before he opened his mouth and let his thoughts out for public inspection. It made him a good cop. Equated children with the sun made her realize just how much this loss was affecting him. She relaxed and finally, after six weeks of holding them in check, let her tears fall. Soon violent sobs wracked her body as Jim gently held her, rocking her as if she was the child they had lost.

"I understand," Jimmy murmured over and over. Oh yes, he understood loss and, maybe, he was beginning to understand his wife.

Eunice was sitting at the kitchen table in Frank's dark apartment when she heard his car pull up. She was so angry she could just spit! When Frank came into the kitchen she couldn't stop herself so she snapped on the lights and rushed her son.

"Where were you? You were supposed to be here with your fiancé tonight. I had your Aunt Beryl and Uncle Francis here and you didn't even have the decency to think up a good excuse for not being here." Eunice slammed her hands down on the counter top. "Get that smug smile off your face because you haven't done anything any other randy little bastard hasn't done to their parents." She started pacing back and forth in front of Frank, her arms waving in counter point to the rising volume of her voice. "You think I don't know what you do when you go slumming with that little spic cop. Canarsie! You go running to Canarsie to avoid family responsibilities. Mark my words, Francis Xavier Daniels, you'll get tired of playing with her and wish to god you never left home."

"Eunice," Brian Daniels voice stopped the flow of invective spewing from his wife's mouth. He was standing in the connecting doorway watching as his wife cringed under his icy stare. "Get upstairs, I'll be there shortly."

"Brian," she whispered. She had never intended to get caught speaking her mind and now Eunice Daniels carefully hidden bigotry was laid out for her husband to see.

"We'll talk later," the Judge held open the door for his wife. She salvaged as much dignity as she could and walked past him and up to the main floors.

"You know I can't stay here anymore." Frank's voice pulled his father's face down to his. "I can't even stay here one more night."

Brian Daniels looked at his son, his surprise baby who had kept him feeling young long after his other children were gone. The child he wanted to protect and coddle after a stupid drinking party broke his back and crippled his beautiful boy. The child he wanted to keep close for as long as possible.

"I know, I'll help you pack."

"Thanks, Dad." He rolled his chair toward the bedroom when the Judge put his hand on Frank's shoulder. He tipped his head so his cheek touched the back of that hand for just a moment and then headed for his closet. Together, silently, they filled Frank's suitcases and put them in the old car. As Frank pulled away Brian Daniels wanted nothing more than to join his boy as he went off into the night.

tbc