FicWad

rank pulled on one of his only clean shirts before drowning himself in purple Joop. He was nervous, he was afraid of what was going to come up in conversation. He never could explain why he did that to her, if he couldn’t answer himself how could he answer her?

Ray wolf whistled. “Aw would you look at our little Frankie, all grown up and sexy.” He commented Frank as he walked down the narrow path in the centre of the bus.

“Fuck off Toro.” He growled, as he found a mirror to fix his hair in. “How do I look? Am I okay or do I need to look more erm, less me?”

“You look absolutely, positively sexy my love.” Gerard came up behind him and squeezed his butt.

“For fuck sake stop fucking feeling up Frank. It’s annoying to look at.” Bob shot at Gerard.

Just to annoying him Gerard kept his hand on Frank. “You’re just fucking jealous I aint touching your ass all the time.” He spat back, letting go to retreat to the back. Bob did the opposite and stormed out the bus, leaving the other two totally confused.

“Wonder what’s up their asses?”

“Probably each others dicks.” Frank said under his breath. “Fuck ‘em, how do I look? Seriously I need to look less me and more like good looking.” He fiddled with the belt on his jeans.

“You look and smell good man. Don’t worry about it.” He spoke truthfully. “Are you going on a date or something?” last time he saw Frank like this was when he proposed to Jamia.

“No.” was the sharp reply he got back. “Have you got any cigarettes on you?”

“The answer is yes, the other is no. You quit man just keep it that way.” Telling him seriously. He was getting sensible like Mikey and not smoking, unlike the rest of them.

“Fine I’m going now.” He grabbed his jacket taking a quick glance at the clock. “Shit, I’m late. Tell Brian I’m seeing an old friend if he’s looking for me. Same goes for everyone else.”

{x.x}

Hannah looked at her watch again. Fifteen minutes she’d been waiting her for him and he still hadn’t showed up. She was about to ask the waiter for the bill when he ran through the restaurant doors.

“Sorry I’m late. Talking to Toro, then traffic was mad. Really sorry.” He panted taking a seat opposite her. As he picked up the menu he could feel her eyes on her. “What?”

“You haven’t changed one bit. Whenever you were late for our dates you would blame it on traffic, when really you were just getting changed.” She giggled to herself.

He gave her a warm smile. “Jeeze thanks for reminding me Hannah.” He giggled. “So what are you getting?”

They ordered their meals and talked about anything and everything that happened in the past seven years, except the most important people in their lives. They laughed so hard over stories of Frank’s touring days and all the things Hannah used to tell the guys of Pencey Prep to do to Hambone. They were half way through desert when a baby’s cry interrupted them.

Hannah bent down as Frank looked around the restaurant wondering were the child’s cries where coming from. He looked back to her and found his answer. “You have a kid?” he couldn’t stop the words form coming out.

“Eh, yes I do.” She said confused. “Frank she’s been here with us asleep all the time and she was with me in Starbucks as well. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.” She rolled her eyes and played with the little girl to keep her quite.

“No I didn’t notice her.” He felt a pang on jealously. She has someone. he wasn’t going to let his jealous side show, so he just looked at the little baby and reached around the table to hold her little hand. “What’s her name?”

“Adriana. Mio bell’amoure.” She spoke softly in Italian.

“She’s your what?” Frank asked, knowing she spoke Italian but he hadn’t a clue what she said.

“My beautiful sweetheart.” She told him.

He looked from her to Adriana quickly. “She has your eyes.” He loved her eyes, deep brown, just like her hair. “How old is she?” Adriana was happy and content sitting on her mother’s knee playing with a spoon and babbling to herself.

“She just turned a year old three weeks ago.” Hannah told him. “Could you hold her for a second, I really need to use the bathroom.”

Before Frank could give her an answer Adriana was in his arms. He never once looked away because he thought his arms might let her drop while he wasn’t looking. “You’re a pretty little angel.” He cooed to her. “Just like your sexy momma.” She giggled to him, which made Frank’s heart melt. “I wish you were mio bell’amoure.” He whispered.

“Chatting up my daughter Iero?” Hannah smiled just watching him play with Adriana. “She’s a bit to young for you.”

“Pff I’m not chatting her up. I was telling her how cute she was.” Frank stopped as she laughed at him. “Okay yeah all right that made it worse.” He joined her laughing.

His cell started to go off. “Aren’t you going to get that?” Hannah asked finishing off her ice cream.

“Nah it’s just one of the guys.” He looked at the caller ID before switching the phone on silent. Jamia, it read and still he ignored her call. “So who’s her dad?” he couldn’t help but ask her.

“Dante Lombardi. He was from Italy, his parents moved to Newark when he was a toddler.” She said sadly. “That’s why my angelo has an Italian name, and that’s why I speak Italian to her.”

Frank looked into her eyes. They were filled full of sadness as she spoke about Dante. “What happened?” He asked her softly.

“Five months ago, we were going to visit his parents in Newark. I went up to the house with Adriana but Dante when back to the car to get her baby bag, because she was going to have her feed at her nonni house.” She paused and looked to her hands. “Four bullets to the head and chest. I watched him die so did the rest of his family.”

He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have brought it up…” he was lost for words he hated to see the women he loved heart broken. Then why did I break it before?

“It’s okay.” She whipped her tears away and looked at him. “Honestly it is. I just miss him sometimes at night.” Just like you.

“Okay well if you ever need anything just ask. Whether it be a friend, babysitter or money you need, I’ll be there for you. You got that?” he told her.

She nodded. “I have to get going. I have a, um, meeting to go to.” She took Adriana from Frank and put her in her car seat. “It was nice catching up with you. It’s been far to long.” She stood up and pulled out a fifty out of her bag.

“C’mon this is my treat for ruining you magazine and top yesterday.” He made sure the money back into her bag. “You wanna meet up again sometime soon? I dunno when though ‘cause Brian says we have more tour dates coming up.”

“Yeah I’d love too. I’ll keep in contact with you.” She hugged him. Her stomach was full of butterflies when he touched her. “Thanks for dinner Frank, it was lovely.”

Little did she know Frank’s stomach was doing the same thing for the same reason. “It’s no problem what so ever. You take care of yourself and little Adriana. Remember if you need anything just ask.”

“I won’t.” she smiled. “Say bye Adriana.” The baby waved at Frank.

Wonder what our babies would look like?