Chapter 20 #2
Even as a little girl, Frankie had always been very in tune with what Estelle wanted and needed, and it had made her feel important to oblige.
It hadn’t been a hardship—in fact, it had fostered a sense of importance and maturity that she was someone her mom could rely on, and some of her fondest memories were of bringing Estelle an icepack when a headache had come on or cups of her special, throat-soothing tea before a performance.
“I’d be lost without you, my darling,” she’d always say, and little Frankie would grow several inches from the praise.
But this trip was different. The need stemmed from Frankie this time, and that was new.
Her phone buzzed in her purse, and she pulled it out.
“It’s Kayla,” she said. Frankie had texted her before heading out that morning about covering those of Frankie’s lessons she was able to and rescheduling the rest. Kayla was a decent piano player, so at least with the younger students it shouldn’t be a problem.
Frankie accepted the call.
“That was a very vague message,” Kayla said in greeting. “You’re ‘following a lead about Estelle’? What lead? Did you find out more about the song?”
“No, not yet. I’m…” Trying to find my lost sibling. No, she couldn’t make herself say that. “I’m looking into her past. To see if there are clues.”
“But there’s so much to do here.”
“I know, but this is important,” Frankie said. “I’ll explain more when we get back, but for now, please do me this favor.”
“Fine. But it’s just today, right?”
Frankie traced the outline of the window as she scrunched up her nose. “Actually, it’s tomorrow too,” she said. “It’s a long drive, so… I was kind of hoping you could cover for me then as well?”
Kayla was silent a long while. Then she sighed.
“Look, I know that you have a lot on your mind and that you need answers. I get that. But is now the time? All this stuff with Estelle—can’t it wait a few more weeks until the auction is over?
Even if she lied about what inspired the song, she still wrote it. Isn’t that enough?”
Frankie bristled at her friend’s tone. “You mean we pretend nothing is wrong?”
“It’s a song,” Kayla said.
“It’s my life,” Frankie countered.
“Which you’ll blow up if you lose the school.”
Frankie leaned her forehead to the cool glass. As if she didn’t already know that.
“Frankie…” Kayla’s tone softened. “We’re worried you’re letting yourself get distracted. We’re worried about you.”
“We?” Had she talked to the other teachers? Were they all discussing her behind her back?
“Matt and me. He agrees that your focus right now should be on saving the school and nothing else. Charlie just told us there’s a mouse situation in the music building that needs to be addressed, there’s an email from the moms asking your approval for the kids’ performance order at the auction, and we’re still short a teacher.
Not to mention it’s hard to explain to the parents that you’re gone.
It just feels like you’re making this more difficult than it needs to be. ”
What if it was your mom? Frankie wanted to ask Kayla.
Your life? But maybe that wasn’t fair. Kayla didn’t have all the information, didn’t know about the cancer, the name change, or the other child, and her concerns stemmed from care.
She also wasn’t completely wrong; Frankie being here meant she was putting off things back home.
Important things. It was just that she had no choice.
Focusing on the school meant focusing on this because the two were connected.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she said. “I promise.”
“It’s not like I have much choice,” Kayla said, resigned. “But hurry, okay?”
“I will,” Frankie promised. “And thank you.”
They hung up.
“Trouble?” Owen asked.
Frankie tucked her phone away, ignoring a funny meme from Matt that she normally would have hearted, and responded with a non-committal noise.
What Kayla didn’t understand was that Frankie had to do this in order to pull off the auction.
Like it or not, she’d soon be sitting down with Orla to talk about Estelle to bring visibility to this event that was designed to honor her achievements, and that meant she had to hold all the cards firmly in her hands.
She couldn’t risk being blindsided by a past that someone else might have gained access to, and there were undoubtedly many things Estelle had kept to herself all these years.
Orla might be older, but she was still sharp.
Now, whether the reporter had been on to something regarding the card being related to Estelle’s death or if it was connected to any of the other questions Frankie had run into remained to be seen.
The sender could be from Ferrisville. If Frankie was to believe Estelle had deserved that note, then it was as likely a place as any where the grudge may have been incited.
Would she find someone there who knew Estelle before the lies?
Someone who knew her family? Someone with answers?
Frankie was going to peel back each layer of this until she knew everything. Only then would she be able to go up on that stage and assure the Starview community that nothing had changed and that she’d carry Estelle’s legacy into the future.