FicWad

“I think I might start looking for a job.” I said randomly as I stirred my ramen noodles. I looked up to see Frank opposite me with a shocked expression.

“You’ve only just got home...” he said. His eyes wide with shock. I nodded and scrunched up my nose, before looking down at the noodles. I could see the steam coming from it. I wasn’t very hungry, but the delicious smell was very welcoming.

“I know. But I get bored in the day; cause there’s nothing to do. I’m not used to it.” I said, lifting my eyes to see Frank putting a fork full of noodles into his mouth. His face instantly contorted with horror, and he opened his mouth gasping, whilst trying to fan his mouth. I burst out laughing before pushing my drink towards him. He took a drink, before looking at me gratefully.

“Thank you.” he said rather shyly. I smiled, still amused that he burnt his mouth on hot noodles. Sadistic much? We sat there in silence, just stirring our noodles. I took a glance at frank. His face, concentrated on stirring his noodles. He had a sort of childish innocent glow to him. I smiled, before looking down at my noodles.

“So Mikey and Alba eh?” I asked, trying to make conversation. I smiled and lifted my eyes slowly to meet his. He brought a fork full of noodles towards his face wearily. He blew on them, before prodding them with his finger. This action caused me to laugh, and his bright hazel eyes landed on mine, as he shoved the noodles into his mouth.

“They’ve been friends since 7th grade. She likes him. It’s obvious, but he’s too dumb to realize.” Frank said with a smile. His eyes fixated on mine.

“Hmm.” I said pursing my lips together in thought.

“What are you thinking?” he asked curiously. I smiled at him, and gave him a look, letting him know that I wasn’t going to tell him. “You suck.” he said childishly, narrowing his eyes at me. I fake gasped, and held a hand over my heart.

“How did you know?” I asked with fake shock.

Frank smirked, and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Mans intuition.” he said shoving another fork full of noodles into his mouth. I laughed, before doing the same.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

We were sat on the sofa with a tub of ice-cream, watching cartoons when there was a knock at the door. Me and Frank both looked at each other simultaneously.

“You get it.” we both said at the same time. I looked at him with a smile, before grabbing the tub of ice-cream and putting it on my lap, and putting my feet on the coffee table. I made myself completely comfy, and looked at him with an expression obviously telling him I wasn’t going to move. He glared at me, and I brought a spoonful of ice-cream towards my mouth, with an innocent grin. However, before I could eat the ice-cream, he knocked my arm, causing the ice-cream to fall down my chest. My jaw dropped, and I stared at Frank with disbelief. He looked around the room with shifty eyes, before flashing me a quick toothy grin, and running to answer the door. I sighed and got up from the sofa and made my way into the kitchen. I grabbed some kitchen paper, and tried to remove the ice cream from my shirt. I frowned at the new stain on my brand new shirt, before I heard mumbling in the other room. I huffed and put the kitchen paper in the bin, before making my way to put a clean shirt on.

I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of an older woman stood in the living room. Her happy hazel eyes landed on me, and a warm smile stretched across her naturally pale pink lips.

“Linda.” she said holding her hand out to me. I smiled politely, and put my hand in her warm grasp.

“Maxine.” I said with a polite smile, before releasing my hand from hers.

“So are you the friend Frank’s been telling me about?” she asked, with a cheeky smile. I narrowed my eyes briefly in confusion.

“Mom…” Frank whined from behind her. She made a ‘tutting’ noise, and turned to him sharply.

“Oh shush.” she joked, before turning her attention to me again.

I felt a little uncomfortable, as she looked me up and down briefly, as if inspecting me. I saw Frank’s head emerge from behind his mom and I shot him a look asking for help. He gave me a helpless look, and mouthed ‘sorry’, before his eyes wandered to my chest. His apologetic expression turned to amusement as he saw the stain he had created on my brand new shirt. I glared at him, and he bit his lip, before turning his attention away from me.


“So frank tells me you’re his new housemate.” Linda said sweetly, causing me to focus on her again, instead of trying to burn holes in Frank for ruining my new top.

“Yeah.” I said with a shy smile, as I looked into her happy hazel eyes much like Franks. She brushed a chestnut curl from her eyes, and smiled down at me.

“And I also hear you’re a soldier.” she said. I put on a fake smile, despite feeling uncomfortable with this whole interrogation. “Wow. You’re so brave. Your parents must be so proud of you.” she said with a warm, maternal smile. My stomach sunk, and my chest grew tighter.

“Not quite.” I said quietly. She shot me a confused look, but I ignored it.

“I’m gonna go change my shirt.” I said quickly, before smiling politely, and making my way out of the door. Great! Another bad first impression to add to the list. I had fucking ice-cream down my shirt. As I mounted the stairs, I could hear Linda and Frank talking.

“She’s sweet. Real pretty too. Don’t fuck this one up Frank.” she scolded him.

“Mom!” he whined. I narrowed my eyes, before shutting my bedroom door.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“So, do you have a special guy in your life?” Linda asked, with a small wink of her left eye. Her voice so sweet, with a permanent maternal tone.

My stomach flipped, my chest tightened, and I swear that if I wasn’t sitting on this chair, I would have fallen over with dizziness. I shook my head. This conversation was too much. Her motherly vibe I could only wish to have encountered with my mum. The strong bond she held with frank. Another thing I would have given anything to have. And now the subject, which brings back so many unhappy memories.

“How come? You’re beautiful. You must have guys queuing up for you. Right Frank?” she said, turning her gaze to frank. I turned my gaze to him also. His eyes bore into mine as he nodded. A smile placed on his lips.

“See? Even Frank agrees. So how come you don’t have a guy?” Linda asked, turning her gaze to me again. I looked into her warm eyes. My heart rapidly increasing, as I wished for the conversation subject to quickly change. I felt Frank’s gaze on me intensify as he waited with curiosity for my answer.

“Um...” I said, tearing my gaze to look at the cup of coffee on the kitchen table in front of me. My stomach preparing to empty its contents. There was a knock on the door, and I jerked my head up, and looked in the direction of the door as though I could see through the walls. “I’ll get it.” I said quickly, getting out of my seat before they could stop me.


I inhaled a deep breath, before exhaling with relief. I opened the door, to be bombarded by a small frame, who charged at me with a hug. I laughed and picked him up, causing him to wrap his arms around my neck.

“I missed you Maxi.” Ben said, as he squeezed my neck tightly.

“It’s only been like what? A few days?” I asked with a small chuckle, before looking up at Dylan, who had a proud smile etched onto his face.

“Hey.” I said, looking into his happy blue eyes.

“Hey. Could you look after him for the night? Were going to Billy’s parents. She wants to tell them the news.” he said. I smiled and nodded.

“Of course I can. Besides, you just saved my life. Frank’s moms here and wants to know why ‘someone so beautiful doesn’t have a special guy’.” I said, before sighing. Dylan looked at me with a frown.

“Tell her you’re a lesbian.” he said seriously. I shot him a look, before he burst out laughing.

“What’s a lesbian?” Ben asked, causing both my and Dylan to burst out laughing.

“Nothing.” we both said at the same time. Feeling that the 5 year old was too young to understand about homosexuality.

“I got to go. I’ll call you later little man.” Dylan said, looking at his son, who was still perched in my arms. Ben nodded, and leaned forward, so Dylan could kiss his forehead. Dylan then kissed mine.

“Thanks so much.” he said, before hurrying down the drive.

“Want ice cream?” I asked Ben, as I turned to look at him. His eyes went wide, and he nodded with enthusiasm. I smiled, and carried him into the kitchen. I let him down, and took off his backpack aware of two people watching us.

“Go put this on my bed.” I told him, handing him his backpack. He nodded, and ran off. I straightened up, and turned to look at 4 hazel eyes. I smiled, before sitting down in my original seat.

“Awe. You’re a mother.” Linda said, with a proud motherly smile. My chest constricted, and my heart rate went off the scales.

“No.” I choked out. “He’s my nephew.” I said, a little calmer, managing to decrease my heart rate slightly, as I looked away from her gaze.

“Oh. I thought it was odd. No mother would leave their child for years to go fight a war. I’m sorry I assumed.” she said, apologetically. I gave a faint smile, before making an excuse about needing the toilet.

I put the toilet lid down, and sat on it, before burying my head in my hands. My thoughts wandered to my parents, and wondering what they would be doing right now. To how lucky Frank is, to have that relationship with his mom, and then to how much I regretted joining the army.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I put the bath on for Ben, and made my way downstairs. It’s been 2 hours since Linda left. As I walked through the living room, I saw Ben and Mikey wrestling, and I smiled, when Ben pushed Mikey on the floor, stood on the sofa, and yelled “body slam!” As I entered the kitchen, I smiled at Frank, who was stood watching Mikey and Ben, with a cup of coffee in his hands.

“You ok?” he asked, as I put the kettle on. I sighed and turned to look at him.

“You could’ve told me your mom was coming.” I said quietly, and glancing at him. I was in a bit of a bad mood, and didn’t want to look into his happy eyes.

“I didn’t know she was coming.” he protested. I sighed, and turned around, to look at the kettle. “Are you ok?” Frank asked, as he leant over my shoulder, and put his cup next to my hand.

“You’re so fucking lucky.” I sighed. I heard him sigh, and he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

“Whys that?” he asked, resting his head on my shoulder. I closed my eyes, enjoying the moment. I hadn’t felt this close to anyone in years.

“Your mom thinks the world of you…” I said, as Frank started to rock us side to side. He sighed, and I knew that words had failed him.

“I wish mine would.” I said quietly.

“Well your moms a dumb cunt then.” he said finally, causing me to laugh a little.

“Give me a hug.” he said quietly into my hair. I turned around and wrapped my arms around him, as his grip tightened on me, bringing me closer. His warmth soothed me, but I pulled away, as guilt consumed me. I flashed him a quick smile, before turning around to make myself a coffee, mentally kicking myself for allowing myself to get close to someone again.