| |
“Don’t be nervous, Frank,” Gina said, noticing the subtle signs of anxiety, recognizable only to her, that he tried to hide.
“But they’re friends of yours, and I want to make a good impression.”
“Then all you have to do is be your wonderful self.” But Gina was nervous too. She wasn’t sure how her friends would react to their big news.
“Hey, Gina!” a woman called out to her upon entering the bar.
Gina spun around to face her. “Sofia! Wendy!”
Frank immediately recognized these women as the friends he had seen Gina with several months ago. He wondered if they would also remember him and how drunk he had been that night.
“Hey, you’re the guy from the bar. This bar, in fact,” Wendy observed.
Gina made quick introductions. “Wendy and Sofia, this is Frank from work. Frank, these are my two best friends from high school.”
“Yes, I remember. I’m afraid they may already have seen me at my worst, and I apologize for that.” Frank was a bit discouraged knowing he was starting off with at least one strike against him.
“Oh, Gina, we were so sorry to hear about Carlos,” Sofia began, hugging her for a moment before Wendy did the same. “We’ve been worried about you.”
“Sorry it took me so long to call you. I know I’ve been out of touch lately.”
“You pretty much dropped off the face of the earth,” Wendy added. “You were a little short on details when we finally spoke on the phone. What happened, Gina?”
“It’s a long story, and I’m still not sure I can talk about it without getting too upset.” Gina hid her face from her friends and turned to Frank. “I don’t think I’m ready for this.”
Frank placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright, Gina. Things like this are hard to talk about. Maybe we could all use a drink first. Can I get you ladies something?” he offered.
“Margaritas would be great,” Sofia requested. Once Frank left, she turned to Wendy. “It seems like Frank knows more than we do.”
“He was there with me the night Carlos died,” Gina explained.
“So, is Frank the new man in your life?” Wendy cut in, her eyes scrutinizing him from a distance. “Is he the reason we barely hear from you?”
“Well, we do work together,” Gina replied, gauging her friends’ receptiveness to Frank before continuing.
“So, he’s just a friend from work then? I’m curious why he’s here. I thought it would be just the three of us tonight.”
“Why do I get the impression I’m being interrogated? That’s my job, not yours,” Gina responded defensively.
“Oh, they’re more than friends,” Sofia said to Wendy. “Did you notice how they act around each other, especially the way they look at each other?”
“Like lovers,” said Wendy, “and I saw her hand on his when we walked in.”
Sofia nodded in agreement when she noticed her friend blushing. “Oh, Gina, you’re not sleeping with him, are you?”
Their disapproval of Frank was unmistakable. They didn’t even know him, but it was clear they had already rejected him. Before Gina could answer, Frank returned with the drinks. All eyes were on him, including hers. Once he set down the pitcher and glasses, Gina put her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss. Somewhat surprised, he returned her embrace and held on to her for a moment before letting go. “That should clear things up,” she replied to her friends, who could only stare in disbelief.
“Did I miss something?” Frank asked, confused, but his question went unanswered, and the women resumed their conversation.
“I stopped by your apartment the other day, Gina,” Sofia said. “The woman who answered had never heard of you.”
“That’s because I moved out. There were too many bad memories there. I’m staying with Frank now.”
“Oh, so you’re living together? That is serious,” Wendy chimed in.
Gina took a breath before revealing her secret. “Actually, Frank and I are engaged. At least try to pretend you’re happy for us.”
“Congratulations?” the women responded awkwardly.
“Excuse me, ladies,” Frank interrupted before answering his phone. “I have to take this. It’s the captain.” The women were dead silent while Frank took the call. After hanging up, he said to Gina, “Sweetheart, I have to go. There’s a situation at work.”
“Now?”
“Yes. I know this is really bad timing, and I don’t know how long I’ll be. Do you want me to drop you off at home first?”
“No, I’ll take a cab when I’m done here.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just go. Be safe,” she said, giving him a quick kiss.
“I will.”
“I love you,” she whispered in his ear.
“I love you too. Don’t drink too much tonight. There’s a chance you and Sean could get called in, so be ready. I’ll call you when I can.” He turned to face Sofia and Wendy for a moment. “It was a pleasure meeting you ladies. Goodnight.” Feeling guilty about abandoning Gina, but glad to be leaving, he promptly headed for the exit.
Gina was now left alone and outnumbered. She knew her friends would gang up on her the second Frank was gone, and her feelings had already been hurt. She reminded herself it didn’t matter what her friends thought, since it wouldn’t change her opinion. Gina trusted her heart above all else, and if her heart told her Frank was the one, he was the one. She was determined to defend her choice, as Frank had always protected and defended her.
“So, you’re really marrying him?” Wendy asked Gina. “What were you thinking when you said yes?”
“Look, Frank’s gone now. If you don’t like him, you should just say so! It’s obvious you think I’m making a terrible mistake.”
“Gina,” Sofia chimed in, “couldn’t you find someone more your own age? There’s no shortage of men out there, and you’re still young and beautiful. You’ve got options. I know you two work together, but...”
“Hey, I wasn’t looking for him, and he wasn’t looking for me, but we felt a connection. We were just friends for a while, but then it became so much more.”
“Gina, honey, did Frank get you pregnant?” Sofia asked, never afraid to express exactly what was on her mind. “We’re your friends. You can tell us if he did. We’ll help you.”
“No. Why? Is that the only reason you think I would possibly marry him?”
“We had to ask.”
“I love him! That man would walk through fire for me! No one’s ever loved me like that! I know you’re thinking he’s only interested in my body, but he genuinely cares about what’s in my heart and on my mind – my hopes and dreams, my fears and my feelings. Frank understands me and what I need, and he treats me like I’m someone special. In fact, he treats me better than any man I’ve ever known. He’s sweet and kind, romantic, and such a gentleman, yet fiercely protective of me. But you’ll never see any of that because you’ve already judged him, and you’re judging me right along with him!”
“We’re only looking out for you, Gina. He just doesn’t seem like your type,” replied Wendy.
“You’ve only known each other for a short time, right? What’s the hurry?” Sofia asked.
“We’re in love,” Gina answered. “Sure, we’ve only known each other half a year, but we’ve been living together for the past two months. You can learn a lot about someone in a short time when you live with them.”
“You dated Carlos for years and never actually lived with him!” Sofia reminded her. “Frank is rushing you because he knows what a good deal he’s getting. He wants to take you off the market before you’ve had a chance to think this through.”
“I know you both thought Carlos was quite the catch. I was taken in by him too, and it could have cost me my life. There’s an awful lot you don’t know about Carlos. If you care, I’ll fill you in sometime. You don’t know half of what I’ve been through...what I’m still going through! Frank spends every day trying to make it better. He sees the best in me and makes me feel good about myself. You’re just jealous because neither of you have someone in your life like that.”
“We all thought we’d be engaged by now, Gina,” said Wendy. “That doesn’t mean we’re willing to settle for the first man who comes along.”
With that, the conversation came to a halt. The women sat in awkward silence, sipping their drinks. Sofia and Wendy made occasional small talk amongst themselves, but Gina remained quiet and dejected.
After what seemed like hours to Gina, but in reality was much less, Frank returned to the table. “Crisis averted,” he announced. “It’s nothing that can’t wait until morning. Tim’s got it covered for now.”
“Good,” Gina replied. “I’m tired, and I want to go home.”
“Alright,” Frank responded, studying the situation for a moment. It was clear to him the evening had not gone well, and he knew their announcement must be to blame. When they got to his car, Frank asked what went wrong. “What happened in there, Gina? Let me guess, your friends don’t exactly share our enthusiasm.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“They hate me, don’t they?”
“Yes. They made me feel bad, and it really ticks me off.”
“Gina, if I were them, I’d be questioning this whole thing too. Until now, your friends didn’t even know I was a part of your life, outside of work. I don’t think they’re being unreasonable, and I’m sorry I wasn’t around longer tonight so they could get to know me better.”
“Believe me, Frank, it wouldn’t have helped. Their minds were already made up the moment they saw you. What disgusts me is that I used to be like them. Appearances were everything, and I never spent much time looking beneath the surface. Ever since I got promoted to detective, I started seeing things differently. When I worked in Narcotics, I got to know drug dealers who had probably crossed paths with my own brother. I hated those guys, but they had kids to feed and no other way to do it. Instead of condemning them, I actually started feeling sorry for them. Right now I feel sorry for my friends because they can’t see what I see in you.”
“Gina, I have a feeling our relationship could cost you some friendships. Maybe you need to ask yourself if you’re ready for that.”
“I’ve known them forever.”
“Then they probably know you better than I do.”
“They know who I used to be, Frank. You know better than anyone who I am now. I’m not sure my friends are thrilled with who I’m becoming. I guess we just don’t have that much in common anymore.”
“I’m sorry, Gina, but you never know. They might come around once they’ve had a chance to get used to the idea.”
Gina wanted to believe that, but her friends’ words stuck with her, and the more she thought about it, the more her self-doubt started to take over. “Frank, are we rushing things a little?”
“Maybe from your perspective. I haven’t had a serious relationship in ten years, but I was married for three. If it appears I’m rushing, it’s because I know what I want, and I’ve waited a very long time for it to come around.” Frank took her hand in his and looked down at the ring he’d put on her finger. He could not imagine his future without her, and he feared he might never recover if she changed her mind, but he knew what he needed to say. “Gina, I love you, but I don’t want to rush you. Take all the time you need. I don’t want you to have any regrets.”
Gina squeezed his hand tight. “I don’t need more time, but you offering it to me means everything. Besides, I’m not sure how much I trust my friends’ advice. I had my doubts about Carlos a long time ago, and they were the ones who encouraged me to stay with him. You saw how well that turned out.”
A couple nights later, while Frank and Gina were cuddled up together on the sofa, the topic came up again. After Gina reassured Frank she still wanted to be his wife, he asked her, “So, what kind of wedding do you dream of, sweetheart? You know you can convince me to give you whatever your heart desires.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Really? Doesn’t every woman fantasize about what that special day will be like? You mean you don’t have your heart set on a fairytale wedding?”
“I said I’m not sure,” she snapped.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No, Frank. It’s just that weddings are complicated, with friends and relatives and all. I wish we could just run away together and get married on a deserted island somewhere.”
“Planning your wedding is supposed to be fun, right? You seem less than excited about it.”
“I’m excited about marrying you. I’m not so excited about the wedding, particularly the part where my dad is supposed to give me away.” Gina paused before adding, “He gave me away years ago to anyone who would have me, which is how I ended up with Carlos and a bunch of other lowlifes I turned to for comfort because he wasn’t there. I just wanted to be loved. Of course, my relationships back then had little to do with love and more to do with not wanting to be alone.”
“In spite of the past, is there any chance at all you might want him to walk you down the aisle, or at least come to the wedding?”
“Why? Do you think I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if he’s not there?”
“Maybe.”
“I haven’t seen the man since I was 8. This is the same guy who taught me how to use a handgun when I was 6.”
“Clearly, he doesn’t have the best judgment.”
“I have no idea where he is now, or if he’s even still alive.”
“What if I tried to locate him? I could give you his contact information. What you do with it would be entirely up to you. I just think you should have that option, don’t you?”
“I guess so.”
“What about your mom? Is she still in the area?”
“No. She went to live with her sister in Phoenix. My mom and I aren’t really that close anymore. She’s got her life, and I’ve got mine, and neither of us has ever approved of the way the other is living their life. If you want to meet her, I suggest we wait until after we’re married. Then she can’t have any objections, not that I value her opinion. She’s not exactly a great role model when it comes to relationships. Mom’s been married and divorced three times, once to my dad and twice to another loser.”
“You had a stepfather?”
“Briefly, but they quickly divorced and stayed that way until after my brother and I left the house and Mom got lonely. I got in a big fight with my mom over her taking him back, but she didn’t listen to me. Of course, I later took Carlos back too, and she didn’t like that, so I’m not much better. In fact, I was beginning to think I’d inherited my mom’s bad taste in men, until I met you, of course. She’s always had a weakness for bad boys, and I saw where it got her. Somehow, it was easier to see the mistakes she was making than my own.”
“It’s funny how that works.”
“We haven’t talked for a long time. I still resent her for giving up on Ricky. If I wasn’t here, he’d have no one. She’s too busy going from one man to the next to worry about him.” Gina thought for a moment then redirected the conversation. “So, what about your parents? I feel bad your mother can’t be here and that I’ll never get to meet her, but what about your father? Is he still living?”
“Yeah, he’s back in New Jersey living in a long-term care facility. He just turned 70 and has a lot of health problems. I visit him every chance I get.”
“I’m sorry to hear he’s not well. Do you think he’d be able to travel?”
“I don’t think so, Gina, but I’m sure he’d think you’re wonderful. I should take you to meet him sometime.”
“What about brothers or sisters?”
“I’m an only child. What about Ricky? He won’t be able to come, will he?”
“No. I don’t think they’ll allow it.”
“Of course, it’s probably Ricky’s worst nightmare for you to marry me! Now he’ll have two cops on his case.”
“You’re probably right about that.”
“Gina, this might still be an uncomfortable topic for you, but do you think your friends will want to come to the wedding?”
“I wouldn’t count on it. I haven’t heard a word from them since that night at the bar.”
Frank sighed. “And that’s just the beginning. Be prepared, Gina, for people to look at us funny and wonder why we’re together. They might think you’re a gold digger or say I’m a cradle robber. Don’t be shocked when someone asks if you’re my daughter instead of my wife. People make assumptions, you know.”
“Then let them. We know it’s not true. It’s not like we’re doing anything wrong.”
“You can’t tell me this doesn’t bother you. I saw the effect your friends had on you.”
“I’ll get used to it. Maybe it’s time for some new friends,” she said. “What about your friends?”
“If it makes you feel better, I don’t really have any friends outside of work. I don’t have time for friends, and any I did have, I lost with the divorce.”
“Work friends count.”
“Then I better invite my old partner, Sal, if I know what’s good for me,” Frank joked. “I’ve known him such a long time. Sal is like a father to me, and he was so generous with his time, helping me investigate Carlos and keeping you safe. I owe him big time. Of course, Sean is a good friend too. Before he was your partner, he was mine for five years, until I got stuck training Tim.”
“Do you think we should invite Tim?”
“Only out of obligation,” Frank sighed. “Oh, I’m just kidding. He’s alright, I guess.”
“You know, it sounds like this might be a pretty small wedding,” Gina commented.
“It looks that way. Is that alright?”
“Really, as long as you’re there, that’s all that matters to me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t miss it,” Frank replied.
The next day at work, Tim decided to involve himself in the wedding plans. “So, where’s the honeymoon?” he asked Frank.
“Actually, we haven’t discussed it yet.”
Tim was shocked. “You haven’t?”
“We’ve been more focused on the wedding itself. Even if I did know where we were going, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Why? You think I’d show up?”
“Anything’s possible, and I’m not taking any chances.”
“Have I told you how much I envy you?”
“Don’t worry, Tim. Someday you might actually find a woman who can tolerate you,” Frank teased and then walked off to go find Gina.
“How’s my lovely fiancée?” Frank greeted her.
“You’re up to something, aren’t you?” she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
Frank handed her a folder. “I got that contact information for you.”
“He’s alive?”
“Yep. He’s alive and well in St. Louis.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Maybe you’d find satisfaction in facing him, so you can move on with your life.”
“I’ll confront my demons if you confront yours,” Gina bargained.
“What do you mean?”
“Whatever happened to the man who killed your mother?”
“He’s rotting away in prison where he belongs.”
“Did you ever get the chance to say all the things you wanted to say to him?”
“Never.”
“Just like you told me, it might help you to let go of the anger and move on.”
“On a lighter note,” Frank abruptly changed the subject, “start dreaming about where you want to go on our honeymoon.”
“That’s assuming we get enough time off work to have one, right?”
“I know. It’s been crazy around here. Actually, I’m on my way out the door right now.”
“Me too. With Sean, I mean.”
After going their separate ways, Gina opened the file and debated if she dared to know more. What if her own father didn’t recognize her? What if he wanted nothing to do with her? But could she live with herself if she didn’t at least find out?
That night after work, Frank found Gina planning a flight to St. Louis.
“Don’t think you’ve got me all figured out,” she warned. “This doesn’t mean I want him at the wedding. It means I’m ready to confront him. I’ve made up my mind to leave Sunday morning.”
“Then I’m coming with you,” Frank offered.
“Are you sure you want to come?”
“You shouldn’t have to do this alone. Are you sure you’re ready to face him?”
“No, but it’s been what...twenty-one years? It’s time.”
It took all the courage she had, but somehow Gina got on a plane to Missouri with Frank. They sat quietly while she rehearsed what she planned to say, and it wasn’t long before they arrived at her father’s apartment. Gina could tell by the look of the place that he hadn’t moved up in the world since he left. Her heart was pounding, and she held her breath as she knocked on the door.
“Can I help you?” her father asked when he opened it.
Gina tried to get the words out, but they would not come. All she could do was stare at him. He looked very different from the man she remembered, yet there was something so familiar.
“It’s alright. Tell him what you came here to say,” Frank encouraged.
“You don’t recognize me, do you?” she said in a voice slightly above a whisper.
“Should I?”
“Maybe you’ll remember this.” Gina took off the necklace she was wearing and handed it to him. “I was eight years old when you gave it to me.”
“Gina? Is that really you?”
“Yes, Dad. It’s me.”
“I see my little girl grew up into a beautiful woman.”
“Maybe if you had told me that as a teenager, I wouldn’t have made some of the mistakes I’ve made. I needed you, and you weren’t there.”
“I’m sorry, Gina. What else can I say?”
“Ricky needed you too. He turned to drugs just like you, Dad. He had a rough time when you left, and that hasn’t changed, even now. He needs you more than I do. We’re still living in Chicago, Dad, if you care to drop by. I put myself through college and majored in criminal justice. I’m a homicide detective now, but that’s not all. I met a man who loves me and takes care of me in all the ways you never could, and he’s standing right here next to me.”
“Really? This man? Looking at him, I’d say he’s not much younger than I am.”
“That may be true, Mr. Walker,” Frank interrupted, “but it also means I’m old enough not to be intimidated by you. Now let Gina finish.”
“Frank is the reason I’m here today, and I’m not looking for your approval. With or without your blessing, we’re getting married, and I thought you should know, but not because you deserve to be at the wedding. You don’t! You’ve missed the last twenty-one years of my life! I just needed to tell you face-to-face that in spite of every rotten thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’ve had more than my share, I survived. I’m stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. At least I have the courage to stand here and face you, which is more than you could do. You could have at least once picked up the phone after you left, but instead, you completely abandoned us. You made up your mind to move on and never looked back.”
“I was no good for you anyway. You were better off without me. The fighting between me and your mom and all the drugs...”
“True, you were a lousy role model, but that didn’t mean I didn’t need you to be there for me in whatever way you could. You could have stayed and fought your addiction. You could have fought to be a better man and save your family instead of discarding us like we were trash. What you did made Ricky and me feel worthless, and we blamed ourselves for the divorce. Don’t even get me started on the way you treated Mom. It was shameful!”
“I see how deeply I’ve hurt you...all of you, but I can’t take it back now. I was 19 when you were born. I wasn’t ready to be a father or a husband.”
“Well, maybe you should have thought of that!”
“But if I had, you wouldn’t exist, now would you?”
“So, I guess I should be grateful then!”
“Well, what do you want from me?” he asked her.
“Tell me you love me, even if you don’t mean it. I just need to hear you say it, and that’s getting off easy.”
“I love you, Gina,” he said awkwardly, but he made no attempt to close the gap between them.
“Would it kill you to hug your daughter?” Frank interrupted, giving the man a look of disgust. “She’s come a long way to be here, and I’m not talking about the miles. You’re lucky you get the chance to see her at all.”
“Just because you’re marrying my daughter doesn’t give you the right to judge me.” Gina’s father stepped forward and gave her a reluctant hug. It lacked any feeling on his part, but for Gina, it meant the world. It allowed her to close a chapter in her life that had remained unfinished business for so long.
“Thank you,” she replied. “I’ll let you get back to your life.”
“Gina, I swear I’m trying to do better these days.”
“Glad to hear it, although it doesn’t do me much good now.”
“Wait! Your necklace!”
“Keep it. I don’t need it anymore. I realize we’re nothing more than strangers.” She paused before adding, “If you ever do want to get to know me and have a real relationship with me and my future husband, then the next move will have to be yours.” Before he could respond, she turned and walked to the car and the comfort of Frank’s arms.
“You’ve got guts, Gina. I’m proud of you.”
“That’s another thing I never heard him say. I swear he was ashamed of us.”
“It’s time to move on and allow yourself some happiness. You’ve got me now, and I’m not going anywhere,” Frank reminded her. He was glad Gina had put her past behind her, but he knew he would soon have to fulfill his end of the deal. Even before their plane touched down in Chicago, Gina was already pressuring him to confront his mother’s killer in prison.
“You need to do this, Frank. It’ll make you feel better.”
“Really? I’m not so sure. Besides, what’s the rush after all these years have gone by?”
“Listen, I don’t want us starting our lives together with any of our old bruises and baggage. I’m sure marriage is challenging enough when everything starts out right. We don’t need all our old issues mucking it up.”
“Makes sense, I guess, but I still think it would be best to leave well enough alone concerning this.”
“Maybe you couldn’t stand up to him then, Frank, but you can face him now. It’s obvious it still bothers you after all these years. Pain like that doesn’t just disappear! You have to do something about it. Give him hell! He needs to understand what he did to you and your dad. I know it won’t bring your mom back, but you need to be heard. I know I did, and even though I didn’t get the response I wanted, I feel like I can put it behind me now. I’ll go with you if you want.”
“I do still think about my mother a lot. That was actually the reason you found me drunk at the bar that night. The case I was working on reminded me of her, and something inside me snapped. Sometimes I wonder if things would have turned out differently if I had been at the store with her. Could I have stopped it from happening? What if my dad had been there? Would he have been able to stop it, or would I have lost him too? I’m not sure I would have survived without him. I was at that age where it could have gone either way for me. I gave him a hard time, but he helped keep me on the right path. It made the difference between me choosing law enforcement and becoming an angry young man looking for trouble.”
“So, how did they catch her killer?”
“Luckily, there was a witness trapped inside the store with her that helped ID the guy and put him away for a long time. The problem is his sentence will be up in a few years, and then what?”
“You can make sure you leave an impression on him. I know you wouldn’t want anybody else to go through what you did.”
“No. I don’t wish that on anyone.” Frank stopped for a moment to mull it over. “Fine. I’ll arrange a meeting with him on my next day off.”
“He’s back in New Jersey, right?”
“Yeah. Are you sure you want to come along for this?”
“There’s no place I’d rather be than right by your side supporting you.”
“You know, as long as we’re headed out that way, maybe we should go see my dad.”
“That sounds nice, Frank. I’d like to meet him. I’m sure he’s a great man.”
“Don’t get your hopes up, Gina. He’s had a stroke and suffers from dementia. He selectively remembers things from long ago like they were yesterday but then can’t remember what he had for lunch. I swear I can’t help but wonder if the dementia came about because he just wanted to forget that one horrible night.”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry,” Gina said, touching his shoulder.
“You know how I got my name? My mom used to love Frank Sinatra’s music. It made her happy, so she played it all the time and would dance around the apartment to it. Sometimes I would join her. I’ll always remember that.”
“Then do this for her, Frank, but mostly, do it for yourself.”
A few days later, Frank and Gina were on their way to New Jersey for a brief visit, first to see Frank’s dad, then on to the state prison, and back home again the same day.
“Hey, Dad,” Frank greeted his father when he found him in the common area of his complex.
“Frank? Is that you?”
“Yeah, Dad. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.”
“You’re looking good, Frankie,” he said with a wide grin. “I’m happy to see you.”
Gina watched while Frank and his father exchanged a warm hug. She couldn’t help feeling envious of their close bond.
“What have you been up to lately?” Frank’s father asked.
“You know, working hard as usual.”
“What did you say you do?”
“I’m a homicide detective, Dad.”
“I wish your mother could be around to see you now. My, how proud she’d be! I’m proud of you too, Frankie. I can see you’ve done well for yourself, better than I could ever do.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“And who is this lovely young lady?” he asked, shifting his attention to Gina.
“Dad, I’d like you to meet Gina. I work with her and...”
“Wait a minute,” his father interrupted. “That’s your mother’s ring. Why is she wearing your mother’s ring, unless...”
“You’re getting ahead of me, Dad. The reason we’re here today is that Gina and I are engaged, and I wanted you to meet her.”
“I thought you were already married.”
“No. I mean, I was, but I’ve been divorced for ten years now.”
“I’m sorry. My memory isn’t what it used to be, but never mind that. Congratulations, and welcome to the family, Gina! I can tell you two will make each other very happy. I wish I could come to the wedding, but I don’t think they’ll let me leave. Where did you say you live now?”
“We live in Chicago, Mr. Turino,” Gina spoke up. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Chicago. Hey, do you remember that trip we took to the racetrack, Frankie?”
“I sure do, Dad. That was a great day.”
Their conversation continued for the next hour. Frank and his father shared stories about old times, which proved to be quite entertaining for Gina, who was hearing them for the first time. The minutes passed quickly, and before long, they said their goodbyes. They would have liked to stay and visit longer, but that wasn’t the reason they had come.
Frank took a deep breath to calm himself before sitting across from the man who had haunted him for so many years. He was beginning to think the whole thing was a bad idea, but they had come all this way, and he wasn’t about to leave now. Many times, Frank had returned to put flowers on his mother’s grave, but today was the day he would finally look her killer in the eyes. This was his chance to stare the man down and unleash the rage that quietly bubbled deep beneath the surface since the day she was taken from him.
“Who are you, and what do you want?” the inmate asked. “Should I know you?”
“You probably don’t remember me, but I remember you. You may be a lot older since the last time I saw you, but I still remember the emptiness behind your eyes and the lack of remorse in them. You’re the worthless piece of crap who killed my mother over a couple hundred dollars! Was it worth it? I’m guessing it didn’t quite turn out the way you planned. How’s prison treating you?”
“So, you’re here to harass me after all these years?”
“I have every right to! You killed my mother! You took her life without a moment’s thought. And for what? To get into a gang? You didn’t care about her or the people who loved her. You may have taken her life, but you didn’t take mine. What you did could have changed me and turned me into some kind of monster, but then I’d be just like you, wouldn’t I? No, instead that teenage boy who lost his mother grew up to be a homicide detective. I’ve devoted my entire adult life to putting scum like you behind bars where you belong. So, I’m here to warn you right now that if your name ever comes across my desk, I will hunt you down like the animal you are and make damn sure you spend the rest of your life rotting away in this dump!”
Frank got up and left abruptly, giving the man no time to respond. He was satisfied just to be heard, issue his warning, and get some closure. “Come on. Let’s get out of here,” he said, grabbing Gina’s arm.
They returned to the car in silence. Gina began to feel uncomfortable. “I hope this hasn’t made things worse. Where are we going anyway? This isn’t the way back to the airport.”
“I need to make one quick stop first.” Frank asked the cab driver to pull over by a boarded-up building on a street corner in a rough neighborhood. “You’re looking at the reason I came to Chicago – so I wouldn’t have to pass by this place every day.”
“Well, if you hadn’t come to Chicago, you and I wouldn’t be together,” Gina said softly, taking his hand in hers.
“You’re right. It’s time to let go of the past and start looking forward to our future.”
