Chapter 10
Weeks flew by and everything was great, it was all going perfect. Ellison had been shocked when she told him she needed to have a stricter schedule because she had decided to foster a little girl, but he let her do it. Sophie had even come into the office a few times when she couldn’t go into daycare and didn’t have a play date. Sophie was happy, all her bruises were gone and she was starting to break through her shy personality into a feisty little firecracker.
But Sophie’s favorite days by far were Fridays and Saturdays, those were the days Frank came by. A few times he would drop by on other days during the week and those days were a treat but the start of the weekend were the days he promised to hang out.
It was becoming a routine now, Frank would come by and cook them dinner, he would make Karen ‘watch and learn’ incase she ever needed to make the dish again, and Sophie would be his assistant. Then they would watch a movie, first it had been the little mermaid, then the princess and the frog, the week after that was Ratatouille, the next Friday was tangled again.
Ever since she watched Ratatouille she insisted on being called his sous chef whenever he made dinner, then it was time for bed. Sometimes he would stay over, sleep on the couch- or other times he left in the middle of the night to continue his crusade and be back by morning to make them breakfast.
Karen tried to keep Sophie in her own bed for most of the week, unless she had nightmares- but Friday’s were special. So Sophie would insist on staying in Karen’s bed on those days, and Karen didn’t really mind.
She had never really pictured herself having kids, but now Karen could say with absolute certainty she loved Sophie. With all her heart.
Another person she had inadvertently adopted was Frank’s dog. The first Friday he showed up they had bought a few toys for him, then the next week a bed, after that a new pink and yellow leash to replace the threadbare green one Frank used, then after that special dog bowls with ducks on the inside. Duck didn’t want to leave, and frank couldn’t really blame him- Sophie and Karen spoiled him with affection. Frank was convinced his dog was getting fat, and any time frank tried to bring him back to his own place Duck would drag his feet and try to hide behind both of the blondes. After a while Karen had offered to let Duck stay a few days, ‘only if frank is okay with it’. Three sets of puppy eyes looked up at him, begging to let the dog stay, so as usual he gave in.
That’s why it was so strange when Friday rolled around, dinner coming and going, bath done, the credits for the movie were finished and still no sign of Frank.
“Why isn’t Frank here?” Sophie was obviously anxious, worried that he hadn’t come because he didn’t want to hang out with her anymore.
“I don’t know sweetie, maybe he had work. I’m sure he’ll be here tomorrow for breakfast.” Despite what she was saying, Karen was worried. This wasn’t like Frank- he’d have let them know.
Sophie thought the same, “He didn’t text you?”
Karen plastered on a hopefully convincing smile, “Nope! But no time to worry, it’s time for bed. Let’s go brush our teeth!!”
They had been lying in bed, Sophie curled up on Karen’s side, Duck at her feet, and Karen was dozing in and out- still worried about Frank.
Then Duck started barking and ran out into the living room, Karen’s heart was beating fast as she shot up from bed to grab her gun.
Her movement woke Sophie, whose eyes were wide with fright, “What’s happening?”
“Stay here, I’ll be back.” God she wished Frank were here! No one would dare try to break into her place if Frank were here.
Then the barking stopped, Karen tiptoed around the corner and was ready to shoot someone’s face off, when she saw a body slumped next to the window and Duck licking his face.
Oh God it was Frank. He was hurt, and bleeding a lot. Karen put her gun on the kitchen counter and rushed over to him.
“Frank? Are you okay?”
“Shit Karen, I’m sorry…… I-” he stopped talking and started coughing. The kind of cough Karen knew couldn’t be good.
“Shit, Frank! What do I do?”
“Bathroom. Tub. My phone.”
“Okay, I can do that. Can you walk?”
He laughed and she put his arm over her shoulder and started slowly bringing him closer and closer to the bathroom. They had just made it past the threshold of the bathroom and she was about to help him into the tub, when she heard her.
“Kare?”
She looked over her shoulder that was covered in Franks blood, looking back at the scared little girl.
“Is that Soph?” Frank asked.
“Yeah, I got to to get her in her room.”
“Shit….”
Shit indeed, Karen walked back over to the little girl after she got Frank in the tub and closed the door.
“Is that Frank?” Her chin was wobbling, and her eyes were filling with tears.
“Yeah, sweetie. He got hurt, now I need to help him. And I have to focus, but I can’t if I have to worry about you. Can you be a big girl and go to your room while I help Frank?”
“I don’t know….”
“You can brink Duck, he’ll make you strong. Remember he’s just as worried about Frank as you are. You both need to be strong together, okay?”
The little girl nodded and turned towards her room, “Duck, go with Sophie.” The pit bull slowly followed Sophie into her room and Karen saw the dog get onto the bed with the little girl. Sophie put her little arms around Duck, “It’s gonna be okay Duckie, I’ll be strong for you.”
Karen’s heart broke as she shut the door, she wanted to cry. But she couldn’t- now she had to be strong for Frank, she wouldn’t be any use to anyone if she was a blubbering mess.
Walking into the bathroom felt like she was in the middle of one of those scary chainsaw movies, there was blood everywhere.
Frank’s phone sat on the sink and she assumed he had left it there before climbing in the tub.
“Is she okay?”
“I don’t know Frank, who do I call?”
“David, maybe?”
Ugh she was mad at him, she couldn’t really blame him he was woozy from blood loss, but she needed his help. And all this blood was not helping her, so she left the room and decided to make the call in the kitchen where she could think without seeing that awful red splattered everywhere.
She opened his ancient phone and looked at his recent call list, looking for the name David.
There’s a number with the name K, she assumed that was her number.
There was another with a C, she want sure who that was. But the number that was most called was a M/D. M/D? Was that supposed to be David? God, she didn’t know. But Karen decided to take a chance there was a D in the contact info and Frank seemed to call this number a lot, so he can’t be bad, right? Besides she wouldn’t be the first to talk she would make sure whoever answered went first.
Oh my god. She was dialing the number. Here we go. A few rings.
A groggy voice answered, sounding like he had just been woken up, “God, what time is it? What do you want, Frank?”
So this person knew who Frank was. What should she say?
“Frank?”
“Umm, David?”
“Who is this? How did you get this phone?”
“He’s hurt, it's so bad. He's bleeding everywhere. Frank just showed up at my place, he said to call someone named David.”
“Frank’s hurt?
“Yeah, I don’t know what to do.”
“Okay, okay i'm coming. I’ll be there in ten.”
“Should i give you my address?”
“This is Karen, right?”
“Uhhh yeah…”
“Then no need. I know where you are. I’ll be there.” That was kinda creepy. How did he know where she lived? Maybe Frank told him? If he trusted this David guy, then she should too, right?
Karen walked back into the bathroom and took a nearly unconscious Franks hand. She held it like her life depended on it, when really his life was on the line. How would she explain this to Sophie if frank died in her bathroom.
It felt like hours before she heard the buzzing of someone looking to be let up. When really it had only been about fifteen minutes, it was three in the morning now- and she wasn’t tired in the least bit. She would surely feel it later but for now adrenaline pumped through her veins.
Then his phone started ringing, “Hello?”
“Hey it’s me, can you buzz me up?” It was this David guy, thank god.
“Sure..” Karen waited by her unlocked door and once she began to hear footsteps she yanked it open- and saw two guys?
Two? She only called one guy.
“Karen?”
“Yeah that’s me.”
“My names David, this is Frank’s friend Curtis- he was a field medic in the army with Frank. Where is he?” Karen didn’t even answer just started walking to the bathroom and felt the two men following behind her. She opened the bathroom door and the one called David stepped aside to let Curtis go by.
“It’d be better if I do this alone, I’ll call if I need any help, okay?” He closed the door on her before she could say ‘no, I want to stay with him’.
The one with the crazy hair stood silent for a moment before taking her by the arm and leading her towards the couch.
“You okay?”
She laughed, a hysterical crazy laugh- “I almost shot him, I thought someone was breaking in. And you know what I was thinking?”
He didn’t answer, but David kind of thought this wasn’t an answer she wanted him to respond too, so he just stayed silent.
“I thought, ‘god I wish Frank was here!’ Speak of the devil and he shall appear kind of shit, I’ve seen him bloodied and bruised before. But never like this, this is different….” Her voice trailed off and she rubbed her hand across her face before turning the lamp beside her on. Illuminating the whole room, and she got her first real look at the man called David.
“This kinda thing happened to me once, some pretty scary stuff.” He wasn’t really sure what to say, how to comfort her.
“Yeah, and then Sophie saw…”
“The little girl?”
“Yup, how do you know about her?”
“Well Frank talks about her, and you. But I- uhh.. also Frank asked for some computer help from me for her.”
“Ohh the buddy who’s good with tech?”
“That would be me.”
“How do you know him?”
David took a second to answer, not really sure what to say, “Well I kinda like blackmaile- no not really, I left him a disk. A mix, nineties greatest hits- that kinda thing.”
Realization dawned on her, “Oh so you must be Micro. Now I know what the M/D stands for. Micro/David.”
“Yeah I wasn’t really sure if I’d hear from Frank until Sunday, or Saturday afternoon. After he hangs out with you guys. He went on one of his ‘missions’ on Thursday, I didn’t think I’d hear from him, I should have been more careful. I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”
She stared at him for a minute before getting up to get a beer, “Wanna beer?” She didn’t really look for an answer just brought one anyway. “Dragged into this? That doesn’t sound right, more like walked into the inevitable- willingly.”
David laughed and picked up the beer, “Well either way, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah well I-” She was about to continue when Curtis walked out the bathroom door. Karen could tell he was like Frank, ex-military from the way he walked, the way he carried himself.
“I think he’s gonna be fine, I got him as good as he’s gonna get. He’s gonna need a lot of rest, so I’ll get him cleaned up then into your bed, if your cool with it?” He looked at Karen for permission and she nodded her head.
“Yeah so I’ll get him washed up, and then you guys can help him get into bed. Do either of you have any extra clothes for him?” She got up and left the beer on the coffee table before walking past Curtis to the bathroom.
“I have clothes for him, but you don’t have to do that, Karen. I can clean him up.” He was about to stop her from going in, but she wouldn’t let him.
“Don’t be ridiculous- I’m going to do it. Then you can help me move him, got it? Help yourself to anything in the kitchen.” She said it with a note of finality, like she wasn’t to be argued with. Luckily Curtis didn’t argue- or he didn’t have the time to since she just opened and closed the door before he could respond.
Frank was pretty much asleep in the tub when she got in there, he was all cut up only in his boxer briefs.
“Oh Frank..” She decided to turn the water on and give him a bath, leaving his briefs on- not wanting to have him wake up being washed and naked without knowing how he got undressed.
It was strange to think how a few hours ago she was doing the same to Sophie in the same tub- but a completely different situation. A bigger body, blood, an unconscious Frank.
Karen turned off the water and decided she would tackle his head and face first. She grabbed Sophie’s kiddie shampoo, incase she got any in his eyes it was a no sting version. She was massaging the shampoo into his head and heard him groan, “Hmmmmm….” And she smiled knowing she couldn’t be hurting him.
Karen finished washing up and started to drain the tub when she went out to grab the boys, so they could change him and get him into bed.
Grabbing a glass from the shelf, she filled it for when he woke in the morning, knowing he would be in pain- and need something to swallow the pills Curtis was providing.
They were walking out of the bedroom towards the front door when Curtis turned around, “Karen, I’ll be back in a few days to come check on him. Make sure he doesn’t do anything too strenuous, these are some pain pills. He can only take two in a twelve hour period, you need to be in charge of the pills. He’s gonna say it’s fine to give him a few more but don’t. It was real nice to meet you, Karen.”
He walked through the door and David was about to follow when he ambushed her with a hug, “Take care of him, Karen. When he’s better make him bring you over to my place- my wife and the kids would love to meet you.”
For some unknown reason it brought tears to her eyes before she nodded and closed the door. Karen went to the bathroom and started cleaning all the blood before Sophie woke up in the morning to find all this.
It was closing in on four thirty by the time she slipped into bed beside him, that’s when she finally allowed herself to start crying. Silent- painful tears.
“Kare? Can I come into bed?” The timid voice at her door jolted her up and she tried to wipe her face before Soph saw.
“Of course hon, come on up.”
Sophie climbed into the bed and under the covers- not saying a word. She curved her back into Karen’s chest and slipped her hands around Frank’s massive arm. She clutched onto him and Karen felt the sobs coming from Sophie’s body before they both fell asleep- both clutching onto Frank’s broken body.