Frankie sat on a stool behind the glass countertop. She was leaning with her back against the wall, her Chuck Taylors propped on the smaller chair in front of her. Her hands tapped feverishly against her thigh as she kept rhythm to the music streaming from her iPod. She smirked at her store clerk, Pete, as he flirted shamelessly with a little blond girl in the Pop section. He was twitchy from nerves and constantly fussed with his Buddy Holly-like frames on his face. He tries to damn hard. It's obvious that girl likes him. Hell, she has come in here twice a week for a month. She always manages to hunt down Ol' Petey and ask for some obscure import. I could so give that boy some pointers, but then what the hell would I make fun of to pass the time? Frankie chuckled to herself and continued thumbing through the magazine in her hands.
Pete walked back behind the counter and gave Frankie a thumbs-up signal. He rang up the girl's purchase and thanked her in his mild-mannered way. The girl left with a wave over her shoulder and Pete whipped around so fast he almost knocked Frankie off of her perch. "Easy there, Pete!" Frankie growled. Pete recoiled and then relaxed when he saw that Frankie's look had softened. "Sorry." Pete squeaked out as he adjusted his glasses again. Frankie returned to her magazine and Pete began to organize a countertop display. The silence was broken by the alert tone of Frankie's phone.
Frankie reached in her pocket, retrieved her cellphone and her face was almost instantly plastered with a grin. Bianca, she thought. She scrolled through the screens until she found the text message. It was, in fact, from Bianca. Frankie's smile grew wider as she moved to respond. Pete noticed the change and observed his boss curiously.
Bianca: Hi! What are you up too? You still at work?
Frankie: Yep. Off at 10pm…so, 2 more hours. What are you doing?
Bianca: Oh, I am sorry to hear that. I would have loved to talk to you.
Frankie: Well, we are talking now. It is one of the perks of being the boss. Tonight is kinda slow anyway.
Bianca: Lol. I am sure you must be tired. You've worked late almost every night this week and rumor has it you were out running around last weekend with some girl. You have got to be exhausted.
Frankie: It's no rumor, I was most definitely running around with the hottest girl. =) I'm not tired though. I can handle her. =)
Bianca: Oh yeah? We will see about that. Lol I kind of miss you, Stone.
Frankie: You sure it is me? Not just the Banh Mi?
Frankie: Miss ya too.
Pete had stopped his work and was now staring straight at Frankie. He was confused at the sight before him. He mentally tried to recall a time he had ever seen the blond girl "giddy". He could not. Frankie continued texting, unaware of her audience.
Bianca: Ooo…maybe it was the tacos? Lol I have to go, can I call later?
Frankie: Sure. Bye!
Bianca: Bye! Be nice to Pete and tell him I said 'Hi"
When Frankie finished reading the last text, she looked up at Pete. Her smile dropped and Pete turned immediately back to his work. "What are ya looking at Pete?" Frankie asked.
"Oh nothing, Boss." Pete stammered. "I had a question, but I forgot."
"Uh-huh." Frankie replied. "You almost done with that display? I want to get out of here on time."
"Yes, Ma'am. I am almost done. Then I will take out the crates and sweep up the back." Pete paused without looking at the blond. "How is Bianca?"
"She is fine." Frankie said nonchalantly. "She said to tell you 'Hi'." Pete smiled and thought Ha! Ha! I knew it.
Frankie sat up and exited the booth to go to her office. Once she closed the door, she sat behind her desk and started up her computer. As the machine whirred and buzzed to life, Frankie leaned back and closed her eyes. She travelled back to the previous weekend when she had first met Bianca.
o*o*00*o*o
The sound of an alarm buzzed from the cell phone on the side table. Frankie blindly felt for the offensive thing and silenced it. She rubbed her eyes as her head dropped back to the pillow. She felt the warm body next to her and sighed. Frankie smiled when she thought about the last two days. It almost felt like a dream and yet here she was, lying next to the most amazing woman she had met in years. They had been talking, eating and, of course, having sex non-stop. Frankie felt like she had been awake more than asleep, yet wasn't near as tired as she should have been. It was ending today, though. In a couple of hours, Bianca would be meeting her cousin to leave for home. Frankie's smile faded and she rolled over to wrap Bianca in her arms.
Frankie's nose, nuzzling in Bianca's neck, caused Bianca to stir. "Morning." Frankie spoke. Bianca smiled, stretched and let out a little yawn. Through the hand covering her mouth she mumbled "Good morning, Beautiful." Frankie stroked and soothed her hand over Bianca's warm flesh. She touched the material of Bianca's shirt. "You know you have ruined my Packers jersey? I can say with authority that it will never look this good…now I can never wear it, again." Frankie hung her head in mock disapproval.
Bianca playfully slapped at Frankie, yawned again and said "Oh stop it! You never quit with the compliments, do you? You are going to spoil me."
"I just speak the truth…and you could never be spoiled." Frankie said earnestly. "I hate to say it, but I am afraid it is time to get up. I have mere hours left with you, and I want to make them count."
Bianca's smile faltered a bit at the realization of the day and the hour. "Yes, Ma'am, but it is still dark out. What are we going to do this early that requires getting out of bed?"
"Ha ha, you'll see." Frankie said with a wink. "Your clothes are washed and folded in the bathroom. I have clean towels in the cabinet to the left of the sink. You shower first."
Bianca turned to kiss Frankie. "You really aren't going to tell me? I have ways of making you talk, Stone." With that, Bianca leaned in for a deeper kiss. Upon pulling away, Frankie's face was left in a pucker…eyes closed.
She opened her eyes and smiled. "We are getting breakfast and then going to the park. That's all you'll get outta me." Then with a pinch to Bianca's backside, she jumped and scooted out of bed. Frankie said "Get going." Then she laughed at the sight of the beautiful brunette walking away with an exaggerated pout and rubbing her butt.
o*o*00*o*o
Frankie opened her eyes and rubbed them. "Focus, Stone." She grumbled. She pulled up her chair and opened a ledger, then accessed some files on the computer and started working. She had been at it for an hour, or so, and then her phone beeped again. It was Bianca. Hmm…picture message? I don't know if I want to open this. With a sigh, Frankie hit the button to open the pic. She almost fell out of her chair. The image reflected her bathroom…the mirror to be exact. There stood Bianca clad only in Frankie's Packers jersey. The garment clung loosely to the girl's delicate, curvaceous frame. It left little to the imagination and Frankie loved that. Breathe, Stone. Frankie reminded herself. She read the text below the pic.
Green is my color, don't you think? Miss you! - Bianca
Frankie closed her eyes again. What in the world is happening to me? I can't get this girl out of my head. I don't really want to. It seems maybe that she doesn't either. Frankie sighed and tried to shake it off. She went back to the computer and finished typing in the data. When she was done she shut the computer down and finished filling out the ledger. With a sigh she closed the book and shelved it again, then leaned back in her chair.
After Frankie noted the time on the clock, she surveyed the camera monitors and saw Pete sweeping through the store. She closed her eyes, kicked her feet on the desk and tried to clear her head. It was fruitless. Images of that last Sunday came flooding back.
o*o*00*o*o
"Where are we going, again?" Bianca asked as she took in the sights around her. They had passed through the city and were heading into the rolling hillsides of the outskirts. "I said a park…and that is all you are getting." Frankie teased. Bianca rolled her eyes, playfully, and turned back to the view. She watched the greenery and the shoreline of a lake roll by. With a turn she felt the car begin the curvy ascent of a very large hill. Frankie turned the music up and increased her speed just a touch. She saw Bianca shift a little at the change.
Frankie loved speed and this was her favorite place to drive. She felt empowered, in control and the rush was intoxicating. She had been driving out here once a week since she moved. She got lost one day while apartment hunting and decided to keep driving as an adventure. When she found this road leading to the park, she was sold on it. This was her refuge from chaos and uncertainty. She never shared this place with anyone, but today, she would share it with Bianca.
Frankie tried to get a feel for Bianca's reaction to taking on the winding terrain at increased speeds. She was trying to be a little cautious and not upset the girl. When Frankie noticed Bianca shift again, she released the gas just a touch. Bianca gripped the door with one hand, leaned her head back and bit her lip. She brought her left hand to Frankie's thigh and stroked it. With a smile, she applied a little pressure, causing Frankie to pick up speed again. Frankie smiled and went even faster thinking - Man, I like this girl!
The car came to a stop and the two girls got out. Bianca looked around at an empty dirt lot. "I was pretty sure you said we were going to 'a' park, Stone…not going 'to' park." She looked at Frankie suspiciously.
"And we are. The park is up there." Frankie said while pointing in an upward and diagonal direction. While they had reached the top of the hill, or at least as far as the road went, they had ended at a steep cliff side. Bianca followed the direction of Frankie's fingertip and saw a rough set of steps cut into the stone of the cliff. She looked at Frankie perplexed. "Huh?"
"There is a park…up there…at the very top of the hill…at the summit of those 109 stone steps. Last one there is a rotten egg, or something like that." Frankie smirked, and with a wink, she began jogging towards the base of the steps.
Breathless, Bianca made it to the top of the steps and pointed a finger at Frankie. "That was a little messed up." Then she looked passed the smirking blond and saw the view beyond. Whatever breath Bianca had left was now gone. Just beyond the picnic table that Frankie was perched on was a fence. On the other side of that fence was the steep drop off of the hill they had driven up into, plunging down into the lake below.
"Come here." Frankie said as she gestured to the spot on the table beside her. Bianca took a seat and Frankie opened up the bag of tacos they had purchased earlier. "Here you go. How do you like the view?" Bianca was still quite speechless, so she swallowed thickly. "This is just amazing, Franks. Thank you."
"For the view? Or the tacos?" Frankie asked inquisitively.
Bianca leaned in and nuzzled her nose against Frankie's, then gave her a tender kiss. "For everything."
The girls sat and enjoyed their tacos. They laughed while re-living their weekend together. The sun began to rise and illuminated the lake, trees, houses and the city skyline in the distance. Frankie looked over at Bianca and would have sworn she saw tears welling in her eyes. Frankie just put her arm around her and they watched the sun fill the sky together.
o*o*00*o*o
There was a knock on the door and Frankie came back to reality. "Come in, Pete." Frankie said. Pete entered the office timidly and smiled. "Thirty minutes left, Boss. Just enough time for me to get the crates and sweep up." Frankie nodded, stood up and motioned for Pete to exit the office. They walked back up to the booth and Frankie patted Pete on the back. "Good job today. You really stayed on top of everything." She walked around the counter and began the process of shutting down.
Pete stood dead in his tracks. He still could not quite believe if Frankie had actually just praised him, or if maybe he had hit his head and was dreaming somewhere in the back. Frankie's gruff voice broke through his fog. "Come on, Pete! What are you falling asleep already? Get that back room cleaned up." Pete sighed. That is so much more like it. Wow! She told me good job. Jeez, Bianca must be some kind of Frankie Whisperer. He chuckled internally at the image that invoked and went about his business.
Thirty minutes later, the pair was locking up the store and heading to their cars. "Night, Boss. Enjoy your days off." Pete said with a wave.
"I will, I assure you." Frankie said.
"You have something special planned?" Pete asked nervously and then mentally kicked himself for asking such a personal question. He gripped the hem of his coat, waiting for the biting remark that was sure to come. Nothing came. Frankie just winked at him as she got into her car and drove away. "Frankie Whisperer, indeed." Pete said as he departed as well.
Frankie drove. She drove through the marquees and shining lights of downtown. She drove past the bars with the music and hoards of co-eds. Each mile took her past a memory of the weekend before. Thoughts of Bianca filled her mind. She drove on. She drove past her apartment and past the taco shop. She just couldn't stop. About three miles outside of town, she pulled into a gas station. After using the restroom, filling up and buying a coffee, Frankie got back into her car. She reached in the compartment and removed her GPS. After typing in her destination, she cranked up the radio and drove into the night.