Frankie's Story

I thought he had it all, maybe in his pursuit of the social climb it was habit to look over your shoulder to see what everyone else has. As for me, I simply got on with enjoying life. Finding something that challenged me and loved doing, and of course sat down next to the woman I was set to marry because the chemistry was there. She was the Ying to my Yang on every level. Shannon had said once that all through my life I had followed the kiss rule, when I asked her to explain she said 'keep it simple stupid.'

"You're going to prune over Uncle Jack."

Frankie held a towel up while I got out of the hot tub. She had already changed back into tee shirt and shorts. As I wrapped the towel around me I caught her looking up at the setting sun, sadness seemed to pass over her for a moment and I truly felt for her. Following Frankie back into the cabin and leaving her making drinks for us both while I changed and then joined her once again in the kitchen.

That cute habit still came to her, both hands clasped the cup and she seemed to be staring at the contents even when I sat down and waited.

"All through the pregnancy I was as happy for Aunt Shannon as she was. We talked a great deal on the phone while you were still on business trips. I kept our agreement to never come around while you were away, it never stopped us talking just as much on the phone though. It was during one of our conversations she made me promise something, we were due to meet again a few days after that at Mom's birthday party and she cornered me again and made me reaffirm my promise. I did on both occasions."

Frankie looked up, tears once again overwhelmed her. Rising from her seat and again pacing the room her arms tightly folded across her chest. Even with a days respite this was hurting her so much.

"It was Aunt Shannon's wish that I never spoke to you about me finding out about both your lifestyles, just as it was still her wish that I go out into the world and find my life's partner. I agreed to both over the phone and also a few days later whilst we hugged and the both of us were in tears, she was my mentor and I loved her so much."

The pause as Frankie desperately tried to hold back the tears simply allowed me to watch her as she paced the kitchen. I knew where she was in her story now and keeping quiet while she collected her thoughts was the only gift I could think to give her.

"Dad phoned me and asked me what I was doing. He normally left such details to Mom, I suppose I picked up on something then and I told him I was driving to Cassandra's for the evening. He simply told me to return home and put the phone down. They were both waiting for me when I got there, when Dad told me Aunt Shannon had been rushed to hospital and had died in childbirth I broke down."

Frankie simply stopped pacing the room and stood looking directly at me, the beautiful face of my niece, a face that never needed make up to enhance its beauty was a mess, her tears once again run like rail tracks down her cheeks, her eyes were red and puffy. I'm sure if she could hug herself any tighter she would have.

"My Aunt, the woman who taught me more about life in the space of eighteen months, who helped me with so many of my own issues, who showed me what I could be if only I gave myself that chance and took that risk. The woman I truly loved more than I did my own mother was dead and I became a basket case. Mom ended up calling the doctor and he had to sedate me."

*******

In a way my one question had started to be answered. Marci gave her apologies for Frankie's absence at the funeral but never gave a reason. Even admitting that at that time my own grief was close to overwhelming I did find it odd yet still pushed it to the back of my mind. That day was to be about my wife and daughter no one else. Thinking back on it now, even something as emotional as a funeral and with the attachment that Shannon and Frankie had, her own daughter had shown a sign of weakness.

To friends of Marci's that could well be at the funeral and from her own social circle, that was simply unforgivable, keeping her away from the funeral was their answer and I also suspect the beginning of the end of their relationship with their own daughter.

"By the time the doctor gave me the all clear and took me off of medication so I could once again think for myself without the aid of a nurse sitting next to me, the funeral had been a week ago."

My niece's eyes burned with pure hatred as she thought of that day when Marci told her what they had done, supposedly in the interest of her own good.

"I came to see you a week later and by then you had your tattoo done. Once I saw it I knew what I was going to do. I'm sorry Uncle Jack but this was me being selfish, like you the tattoo was a reminder of who she was and what you had lost, I felt exactly the same and went to see the artist the day after I left you."

Just nodding my head in understanding didn't seem to be enough in all honesty. I had just about all the answers now. Well, except one.

"Why did your relationship with Randy fall apart?" I asked.

Frankie visibly flinched at his name.

"I gave him a gift I mistakenly thought he was worthy of, it turned out he didn't have a clue what to do with it other than to feed his own ego. Sadly, the more he used my gift, the more it also fed on his own insecurities."

As confusing as her last statement was something rang a bell way off in the back of my head. I should have listened, so help me I should have listened. Instead silence prevailed and I'm sure Frankie took that as a sign to press home what she had planned all along. My own niece uncrossed her arms her right hand slipped into the pocket of her shorts for only a second before her hand once again came out, hiding within her palm what she had placed in there.

Frankie then removed her tee shirt and dropped it on the floor by her feet, her shorts followed and ended up next to her discarded shirt. Both her hands came together and she placed something around her neck, quickly fastening it at the back before she knelt on the floor in front of me totally naked. The recognition of the collar she wore was instant. I once gave it to Shannon as our relationship intensified. That was the only lie Shannon had told me when she said she had lost it, I had punished her for losing it and she took that punishment knowing that she herself had given her collar to Frankie.

The words inscribed on the front of the collar read... SLAVE