Francine pulled up in front of her Georgetown apartment building after making the drive from Lee's nearby apartment in record time. The rush hour traffic was beginning to build and Francine's neighbors were starting to leave for work. This wasn't the first time that she had arrived home as her neighbors with more conventional careers were starting their days but she still felt uncomfortable as she dashed past them and into the lobby of her building.
There had been many mornings when Francine had arrived home dressed in what she thought of as her couture cat burglar outfit after an all night mission. She'd also come home in designer evening wear after spending the night with an affluent eligible bachelor, but this morning wasn't like those either. Francine wearily let herself into her apartment, walked past the blinking light on her answering machine, and headed straight for the bathroom. She flipped two switches simultaneously and the room was flooded with light from overhead and from smaller lights surrounding the large vanity mirror over the sink. Francine squinted and then shook her head disapprovingly at her reflection in the mirror.
I look absolutely awful. She pulled her rumpled cashmere sweater over her head and tossed it in the hamper, followed by her wool slacks. Standing, dressed only in a lacy bra and panties, she studied her blood shot eyes and her face with most of the makeup worn off. I can't remember the last time I looked so bad on a morning after. She reached into the shower to adjust the spray of the showerhead and then removed her lingerie. I shouldn't be surprised that I look so bad…I just spent the night in the apartments of two different men. Francine stepped into the shower and allowed the steaming hot water to wash over her as she began to reflect on the events of the previous evening.
Francine and Michael lay side by side after their lovemaking. He'd quickly fallen asleep, but she couldn't sleep despite being drowsy due to their activity and all that she'd had to drink earlier in the evening. She watched him as he quietly snored and couldn't help marveling at the fact that he hadn't pulled away from her before going to sleep. 'Every man I've ever been with has pulled away afterwards…even Jonathan…maybe that should have told me something? Being here with Michael…having him love me and believe in me feels so good, but-. Don't go looking for problems, hmpff, I don't have to look…disappointment always finds me.' She shivered slightly and pulled the blanket up higher as she continued to watch Michael sleeping peacefully beside her. 'He's already thinking of us as a couple; a couple with a future together. I can imagine it too, Francine Desmond - Tanner, am I getting carried away? Michael is facing so many problems with his ex and their daughter. He expects me to help him through an emotional minefield…how can I help him when I don't know how to deal with my own emotions?' She felt a lone tear run down her cheek; she wiped it away briskly and quietly slipped from the bed.
Francine was brought back to the present as the water washing over her grew cold. She adjusted the faucet to add more hot water and then began to lather up and hastily completed her shower. She quickly wrapped a towel around herself and once again studied herself in the mirror. After quickly towel drying her blond locks, she reached for her comb and let out a long sigh. I guess an occasional bad hair day is inevitable. She grabbed her dryer and began to use it, and a styling brush to blow her hair out straight. How do all the women who 'have it all' manage to get to work on time, looking so good, and still take care of their families? Once her hair was mostly dry she expertly wove it into a French braid. She quickly applied her makeup, heavy on the concealer and dashed over to her walk in closet. Amanda didn't look thrown together this morning…she wasn't wearing the clothes she arrived in. I've spent so much time looking down on her that I didn't realize that she's the one of us that's really living a full life. If I can help Michael get through the next few days I think I need to have a very long talk with Amanda. Francine quickly selected an elegant cobalt blue dress and the appropriate accessories to complete her transformation from frazzled exhaustion to fashion plate. She wasn't sure what the day ahead would bring but she'd look as though she could handle anything that was thrown her way.