Chapter 29 #2
“Yeah. I think that’s it. Have you read it?” I have a vague memory from when I was a kid of her bedside table stacked with books where the covers all had women in flowy dresses and men in cravats, or whatever they’re called.
“And Frankie is going to be in it?” She clasps her hands and bounces, kind of like Junie this morning before I broke her heart by telling her Frankie left.
“It’s not a sure thing yet, but probably, yeah.”
Mom lets out a breath. “Oh, that’s very exciting. That’s a movie I’d like to see. Is Frankie playing Frederica? Do you think she could get us tickets to the premiere?”
I shake my head. “I think you’re missing the point here. The movie is the reason she’s gone back to Hollywood and back to being famous.”
Mom blinks rapidly, like she can’t believe what I’ve said, then schools her emotions. “And you don’t want to be part of that life? I understand.”
The oatmeal bubbles. I turn down the heat and cover it, happy not to look at the angry beige mush. “It’s not just that I don’t want to be part of her fame, I don’t want Junie to be part of that life.”
“What life is that son?”
“You know.” I wave my hands like I’m trying to conjure a picture for her. “Hollywood. Glamour. Glitter.”
She blinks, then bursts into a laugh. “You sound a thousand years old.”
“Thanks, Ma.” I set down the spoon and turn to leave.
“I’m sorry, Cal. I didn’t mean to laugh.
” She grabs my elbow, nudging me to face her again.
“I never thought of Frankie as someone who’s impressed with her own fame.
I look at her and see someone who adores your daughter enough to have tea parties with her, to jump on the trampoline with her for an hour when it’s ninety degrees outside, to braid her hair and not panic when Junie has a meltdown. ”
If she’d stopped there, I would have felt guilty enough, but then she delivers a final blow.
“I see someone who’s absolutely in love with you.” She ends on a smile that threatens to unravel my certainty that I did the right thing.
“I’ve gotta take a shower.” This time she doesn’t stop me when I leave.
I don’t really need another shower. All I’ve done is sleep restlessly since my last one, but maybe I can wash away all the doubts Mom’s stirred up.
Sadly, not even a very long shower can work that kind of miracle.
But no new doubts pop up while I’m standing under the cold water.
After I put on clothes, I avoid Mom for the rest of the morning, so she doesn’t cause any more trouble.
Junie, however, doesn’t make it any easier for me to forget Frankie.
I can’t dodge the truth with her either, but she’s too young to understand why I need to protect her.
Although, I guess Mom didn’t understand my reasons any better than Junie would.
I know who will though, so after I drop off Junie at school, I head to Flamingo’s, where I’m sure nobody will question my decision to let Frankie go back to Hollywood.
But when I sit down next to Gerry, his first question is, “You didn’t bring Frankie with you?”
There’s zero anger in his voice. Only disappointment.
“No.” I scan his face, looking for some sign of anger. “She had to head back to L.A.”
“When is she coming back? I’d like to thank her in person. Apologize, too.” He says this like he wasn’t cursing her name twenty-four hours ago.
“For what?”
“Got an email this morning from someone at Sanctuary. Ownership has changed hands. It’s now part of BIG.” Gerry tilts his head. “That’s Frankie, right? The BIG group?”
I nod.
“They want my endive. And they’re going to pay me for the crops I lost when Wild Coast backed out of the contract.”
“Really?”
“Compensation’s good too.” He slurps his coffee, calm as can be. “More than my lawyer thought we should ask for, and now I don’t have to pay her to negotiate it for me.”
“That’s great, Ger, but you’ll probably need to send Frankie a card. She’s not planning on coming back to Serenity.” I rip the Band-Aid off fast. I came here for a normal breakfast, not another serving of regret with a side order of questioning whether I’ve made the worst decision of my life.
“Who’s not planning on coming back?” Barry leans past Gerry to ask.
“Frankie,” Gerry answers for me.
“Frankie’s not coming back?” Larry pipes in from my left side. “Why? I thought you two were a thing.”
“Well, we’re not anymore!” I snap, then take a breath. “She’s got a part in a movie and had to go back to LA.”
“Did you hear that?” Pearl asks Flo through the order window. “Frankie’s got a big part in a movie and broke up with Cal.”
Before I can set any records straight, Flo ducks down to look at me through the window. “She didn’t want to do long distance?”
“No! I mean yes!” I scrub my hands across my face. “I’m the one who broke up…we weren’t even dating, so it’s not a breakup! We’re just not seeing each other anymore!”
Everyone goes silent. Or maybe that happened when I was yelling. Either way the diner is too still, and I still haven’t eaten breakfast.
“Can I get some eggs please, Flo?”
She answers by raising her eyebrows before cracking two eggs onto the grill and not scrambling them.
Pearl fills my coffee cup, but only halfway.
“I’m sure you have your reasons for letting someone like Frankie get away.” Larry pats my back. Except it’s more a slap and leaves a stinging between my shoulder blades that’s almost as painful as the stinging my ego is currently suffering.
Everyone goes quiet again, and I sip my coffee, which has tasted burnt ever since Frankie left. Pearl sets a plate of fried eggs—gross—in front of me with a side order of what may have been toast before it was set on fire and charred black. I dip the black toast into the egg yolk and take a bite.
“So, you didn’t want to date a famous movie star? Is that it?” Barry asks before I even have a chance to chew my punishment.
I force the food down my throat, then cross my arms and lean on the counter. “I didn’t want the exposure that comes with dating a movie star, especially for Junie.”
He nods with his whole body, but his face pinches with confusion.
Gerry slurps his coffee, then runs a napkin over his mouth. “She’s sure good with her, though. Frankie, I mean.”
“Yeeep.” Larry joins Barry’s rocking back and forth. Even Pearl joins in by nodding so hard her head might pop off.
My phone buzzes, giving me an excuse not to respond while I read the message from my dad in my family’s group chat.
Sanctuary contract back on. Doubled avocado order for an Avocado Fest they want to put on next month. All hands on deck this weekend for picking.
Then a dozen more messages come in, one after the other that all circle back to gratitude for Frankie making it happen, followed quickly by plans to celebrate with her tonight, then disappointment when Mom says she’s gone.
Specifically, she says
Cal’s afraid Frankie’s Hollywood lifestyle wouldn’t be good for Junie.
Which is followed by a private text to me from Cassidy.
Hollywood lifestyle? Are you ninety?
Mom’s words. Not mine.
I love you, bro. But huge mistake.
I nearly fall out of my seat. If anyone in my family was going to be on my side, it was Cassidy.
Before I can answer her. Texts from my brothers appear one after the other.
Wes
Lots of stars don’t live in Hollywood.
Ben
Dude. LA is not that far.
Hayes
Mind if I ask Frankie out?
And that’s when I silence my phone.
But there’s no way to silence the Oatmeal Mafia.
“A movie star, Cal,” Larry mutters, shaking his head with disbelief. “Don’t get many chances like that in your life.”
“Don’t get many chances in life with a nice lady like Frankie,” Gerry adds with a sigh.
“Seems like you could’ve made it work.” Barry says slowly, then starts rocking his whole body again. Larry and Gerry join in. I sigh, then realize I’m nodding, too.
“Wasn’t that hard to keep her hidden here for a couple years,” Barry adds.
I crane my neck and stare at him.
And then I feel sick. Because Barry’s right. People here respected Frankie’s privacy and kept her secrets. They protected her when she didn’t want to be discovered.
They would have done it again for us.
I could have at least tried.
Even if it meant spending some time in LA.
I push my plate away and drop my head on the counter. “I’ve made a huge mistake.”
“Yeeeep.” Larry, Barry, and Gerry say simultaneously.
I moan.
“Mistakes can be fixed, you know,” Pearl barks.
I lift my head and meet her steely glare. “You’re right. I have to call her. I’ve gotta fix this.” I push away from the counter, ready to dart to the door.
“DON’T YOU DARE!” Flo yells from the back, then disappears from the order window.
I look to the Mafia to interpret what just happened, but they just shrug. Thirty seconds later, Flo marches out of the kitchen holding a file. She slaps it on the counter in front of me, then opens to a page inside.
“Frankie’s emergency contact.” She points aggressively to a phone number next to the name Archibald Forsythe. “Call him, find out where Frankie is. Don’t call her, and for the love of all that’s pink and holy, DO NOT TEXT HER! You go to her, Cal.”
Suddenly, she grabs me by my collar and yanks me close enough I can see where she’s penciled in her lips. “Go. To. Her.”
After emphasizing each word, she lets me go, then smooths the wrinkles she’s created in my shirt, smiles, and pats my chest. Hardly a breath passes before her brow furrows. “What are you waiting for? Get out of here!”
The Mafia echoes her orders, and I grab the sheet with Archie’s name, pause long enough to kiss Flo on the cheek, then run after Frankie.