FicWad

“Okay, I’m gonna head off” Bob said setting his coffee cup back down on the table. We had just spent the last four hours swapping stories about our children. Reminiscing hurt. Much more for Bob but he was healing. We had each other now though so the pain was dulled.
As Bob stood the doorbell rang.

“Oh shit, that’s Frank” I hissed breaking out in a cold sweat. “I’m going to tell him about Lizzy”

“You want me to stay?” he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. I could only nod. He let go of me and went to the door and let Frank in.

Frank glared at Bob as he pushed past him.

“How are we supposed to talk with him here” he snapped dropping into one of the kitchen chairs.

“I need him here Frank. Myself and Bob know each other from High school. We’re good friends. Hes staying.” I replied crossing my arms as Frank huffed and slumped down in the chair. Bob leaned against the counter next to me. I saw anger flash through Franks eyes at Bobs closeness to me, his face was rigid and impassive. I waited for him to speak first.

“Where did you go?” he finally muttered, his face crumpling. “Why did you leave me?” My anger flared, I felt my face grow hot.

“Why did I leave YOU? I never left you; you were the one that left ME FOR THAT SLUT YOU’VE BEEN FUCKING AROUND WITH FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I NEVER LEFT YOU! I WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTH-” Bob grabbed me by the shoulders as I started forward towards Frank.

“Sar, calm down love” he soothed rubbing a hand down my arm. “Now’s not the time for it. Just explain you story.” He whispered pulling me back against the counter, closer to him. He kept his arm around me.

“Frank, I couldn’t stay in Jersey. I moved to Chicago.”

“But why?”

“After my mom and then you leaving me when I needed someone most, I had to leave. I… I had to leave after I… I left after I found out I was…” Bob squeezed me close to him.

“You were what? What happened to you?” I reached behind Bob and grabbed the stack of photos of Lizzy. I threw them down on the table in front of Frank and they scattered everywhere. A table cloth of smiling faces. Well a smiling face. Confusion clouded Franks face.

“Is it you as a child? You had to go to Chicago because you found out you were what? Adopte-” His hand bushed over the photos until that photo became uncovered. The photo that revealed my secret. I heard his breath catch in this throat as he focused on her face. All my features except for one. Her eyes. Franks eyes. Perfectly replicated. His breath released in a sharp gust as he shoved back from the table and stood up so fast the chair toppled backwards with a clatter. The photo gripped in his hands vibrated as his hands started to shake uncontrollably. He dropped it suddenly as if it burned him. He gripped at his hair and face as if he was trying to pull off his skin. He finally looked up at me, he the look in his eyes of a burning man.

“Who is she?” he finally croaked.

“Her name is Elizabeth Franchesca Alex Klassen. And shes my daughter. Shes… our daughter” That last part was too much for Frank, he darted for the door. But Bob was faster. He caught him round the middle and slammed him down into one of the other chairs.

“You are NOT running away from her this time Iero.” He growled gripping his shoulders. Frank slumped back in the chair. “How the hell did you think SHE felt when she found out she was pregnant at 16 Frank?! She couldn’t run away from it, she was too far gone. You were an asshole then and she could hardly rely on you to support her if she told you. How DARE you try and run away now. You have a DAUGHTER Frank. Its time to grow up and be a man and a father. My daughter DIED Frank, I’d kill to be a father again but I can’t get her back. But I’ll be damned if I leave Lizzy without a father figure in her life. We obviously can’t rely on you if you are STILL trying to run away from your responsibilities. You can leave now.” Bob released his grip on Frank. Tears were pouring down my face as Frank turned his gaze to me.

“Why?” he whispered.

“You left me. You left me before you even knew about her and you tried to leave me again when you found out about her.”

“I… It’s a big shock…”

“Yeah, I know more than anyone about big shocks Frank”

“I just need some time Sarah” he pleaded “I need to get my head around this… I’m a…Father.”

“Frank, your just a father, you need to be ready to be a Dad to her.”

“I… I… don’t know if I can be that right now…”

“That’s fine Frank, I’ll be her Dad. You can leave now.” Bob grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the door.

“Sarah I’m sorry” Frank shouted back to me. I turned my back on him for the first time. I had finally left him, metaphorically speaking. I no longer owed him anything. I told him about Lizzy and he didn’t want to know. I heard the door slam and then I felt Bobs warm arm wrap around me and turn me around so my head was on his chest. He kissed my forehead lightly and rested his cheek on my head as he shushed me and hugged me tightly to him.

“Its okay, Sarah. It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay” he breathed. I looked up at him and smiled as he smiled down at me. His face was so close I could feel his warm breath fan across my face. He moved towards to me so slowly and then our lips met. So light it was like butterfly wings. Once, twice, three times. Then he pulled back and pressed my head back to his chest. His heart was beating so fast. I pulled back and took his hand in mine and pressed it to my chest over my own heart. It beat as fast as his. He entwined his fingers with mine and kissed me again. Firmer this time, more sure of himself. He cupped my cheek with his free hand as he slipped his tongue between my lips tentatively. The kiss was so gentle, so precious that I never wanted to let go. I gripped myself to him as we broke apart. Our hearts beating as one.

I never wanted to let him go.