Thursday (Timeless Series #4) (5 page)

“Both of my parents are dead and she’s all I have left. And then he had to fuck with her.” He rested his fingers against his lips, his knuckles turning white.

“I don’t know what happened, but I really don’t think Hawke would purposely hurt her. I was there, Axel. I saw what they had. Whatever it was, it was real.”

He shook his head slightly. “She and I are finally in a good place in our lives. Our parents left and we bonded close together. That tragedy is finally in the past and then this shit happens. Now we have to start all over.”

“You’ll get through it. And I’ll be there too.”

He looked out the window, his mind elsewhere. “My mom would be so disappointed in me.”

My eyes watered.

“You want to know the last thing she said to me?” His eyes were glued to the window, watching the light fade from the sky. He was reliving a distant memory, thinking of something that happened long ago.

I stared at him in silence.

“She was sitting in hospice, looking too small in a normal size bed. Her skin was falling off and her head was bald. My dad was in the cafeteria getting something to eat. Francesca was asleep in one of the chairs, sleep deprived from being there night and day. My mom was struggling to breathe as the darkness took her. Her body was shutting down, giving her just a few minutes before the end.” He interlocked his fingers and squeezed them tightly, like the memory was too much for him to bear. “She asked me to look after Francesca. She didn’t mention my father and I never wondered why until he shot himself. I think she knew what he would do the second she was gone. I told her I would always be there for Frankie, being whatever she needed. And then she said Francesca would be there for me too. As long as we had each other we would be okay.”

My eyes welled with tears that could hardly be contained.

“And now I’ve let her down. Frankie is in the worst shape of her life. I could have prevented it, done more to keep Hawke away from her. But I didn’t. I stepped aside and let it be.”

“That doesn’t mean you let her down, Hawke. Every woman goes through heartbreak.”

“This isn’t heartbreak.” He lowered his hands to the table, his eyes still trained on the window. “Whatever this is…it’s something else. Francesca wouldn’t get worked up over a break up. I don’t know what it is…but it’s something neither one of us could ever understand.”

Begin Again

Marie

When Francesca didn’t wake up at her usual time the next morning I knocked on her bedroom door. “Hey, Frankie. It’s time to get up.” She had class in an hour. She wasn’t in any shape to go to school and actually learn but she couldn’t stay here and do nothing.  Getting back into a routine was the best thing for her.

“Muh.”

“I’m coming in.” I opened the door and walked inside.

Frankie was lying in bed, her hair a tangled mess on the pillow. She washed her hair the night before then immediately went to bed without drying it. Now it was a mess of seaweed.

“You should get in the shower or you’ll be late for class.”

She turned over and faced the opposite wall.

“Frankie, come on. It’s the last semester. You can’t quit now.”

She didn’t move.

I sat at the edge of the bed then rested my hand on her shoulder. “Frankie, it’ll be a good distraction. You can’t just shut down because something bad happened.”

“I have my history class today. And I’ve never cared for history.”

“You should still go.”

“Its just lecture. And I won’t pay attention anyway.”

I rubbed her back gently. “You might miss something important.”

“I couldn’t care less.”

Frankie was never passionate about school but she didn’t hate it either. It was unlike her to drop everything and lay around and do nothing. “I know you’re going through a hard time but laying here isn’t going to change anything. Are you really going to let a guy run you down like this?” Appealing to her fiery side might work. When it came to stuff like this she was always feisty.

But it didn’t work. “I guess so.”

I wanted to stay here all day with her but I couldn’t abandon my classes. “I have to go to class today. I’m sorry.”

“You should go. Don’t stay here just because of me.”

“I’ll be back in two hours. Do you need anything?”

“No.”

“I’ll leave some pancakes on the table for you.”

She pulled the blanket over her head.

I had absolutely no affect on her and I felt useless. I never suffered from a broken heart before so I couldn’t relate. “Love you.” I didn’t expect her to say it back but I wanted her to know how I felt.

“Love you too.”

***

I just pulled into the driveway when Axel called me. “Hey.”

“Hey.” His tone was exactly the same as it was the other day. “How is she?”

“No improvement.”

He breathed a quiet sigh into the phone. “Did she go to school?”

I wish I had a different answer. “No.”

“I tried tracking down Hawke but had no success. His phone is still off.”

“I say you forget about him. Even if you talked to him you won’t accomplish anything.”

“We’ll see about that.” The threat was palpable.

“I just went to the store. Maybe if she sees a bunch of baking supplies she’ll start working in the kitchen.”

“Maybe. It’s worth a shot.”

I leaned back into the chair and stared at the house. There didn’t seem to be any life inside. It was completely dead. “I should go.”

“I’m coming over. I got a few bored games she might like.”

“Okay. I’ll make dinner.”

He was quiet for nearly a minute. “I want her to get better but I don’t think talking about it is making any difference. I think we should try to cheer her up, make her laugh, stuff like that.”

“I agree.”

“Glad we’re on the same page.”

***

I was cooking on the stove when Axel knocked on the door. “Come in.”

He walked inside with board games stuffed under his arm. He set them on the table before he removed his black jacket. Underneath was a gray t-shirt that highlighted his ripped arms. They were cut, showing the distinction of every muscle. His veins popped when he moved. “Smells good.”

“Chicken and Rice-A-Roni.”

“Perfect.” He walked to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. “Do you need help?”

“No. I’m done.” I turned off the stove and the oven.

He glanced in the living room and looked disappointed when he didn’t see Francesca sitting on the couch. “Where is she?”

“In bed.”

“Has she left the bed?”

“No.” I grabbed three plates and served the food.

He set the beer on the table and glanced in the hallway. “No shower?”

“No.”

“Well…I’ll make her eat with us.”

“Good luck with that.”

He disappeared down the hallway.

I set the table and lit a few candles to change the atmosphere. I left
The Jimmy Fallon Show
on in the background, hoping it might make her laugh or even chuckle. I sat there quietly and waited for Francesca to appear.

Axel pulled her by the arm and guided her into the chair. “Sit.”

She plopped down, looking lifeless and bored.

He sat beside her, acting as a parent to a disobedient child.

Her messy hair was pulled into a bun, and her skin was pale like milk. She stared at the food in front of her. “I’m not hungry.”

“Too damn bad.” Axel grabbed a fork and handed it over.

Francesca eyed it before she took it.

I looked down at my food and ate quietly.

Francesca picked at her dinner and only took a few bites.

Axel glanced at her every few minutes, making sure she was complying with his demands. “How was your day, Marie?”

I tried not to flinch at the question. It felt like Axel and I were married with a crazy teenage daughter. “Good. Just had school.”

“What classes?” Axel ate everything like he was starving.

“Journalism and photography.” My major was literature and journalism. My dream was to be a writer for a publication—any publication. I didn’t care if it was sports, music, or bird watching. I’d take anything.

“Cool.” Axel looked up from his food like he was genuinely interested. “What career are you pursuing?”

“Writing. I want to be a reporter in some capacity.” I sipped my wine and stared at his chest, noting the way it looked in his t-shirt. I’d already seen him naked and understood just how glorious he was, but he was still sexy as hell in clothes.

“That sounds like a fun job. A lot more interesting than putting portfolios together all the time.”

“If you don’t like your job why did you choose it?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Understanding money is the best way to do that.”

I sipped my wine again, realizing the conversation only centered on Axel and I.

He realized it too. “What did you do today, Frankie?”

She kept eating like she hadn’t heard a word he said.

He eyed her for a few more seconds before he repeated the question. “Frankie?”

“Hmm?” She stopped in mid-bite and looked at him.

“What did you do today?” Axel watched her closely.

“Oh…” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Nothing much.”

“Marie told me you didn’t go to school today.” Axel was the biggest joker I knew. He could never take anything seriously. But the second things got tough he changed. Now he was a different person, a guardian.

“I didn’t feel like it…” She ate most of her rice but didn’t touch her chicken.

“Well, you better feel like it tomorrow,” he said. “You shouldn’t be laying around the house all day. It’s not good for you.”

Francesca didn’t argue with him but it was clear she wasn’t planning on leaving the house anytime soon.

Axel dropped the subject, knowing he pressured her enough. “Marie, this is good. Thank you.”

“Thanks…” Right now I should be focusing on my friend but when Axel was near I started to notice the pretty color of his eyes and the deepness of his voice. The childhood girl inside me returned and I relieved the sensations of my teenage crush. When we slept together I enjoyed it but I was immune to his other charms—until now.

***

After dinner I had to talk Francesca into taking a shower. “You need to shower. And dry your hair this time.”

She ignored me and headed to her room.

“Whoa, hold on.” Axel got in her way. “You aren’t going into your bedroom until it’s actually time to sleep.”

“Axel, get out of my way.” Her old fire came back but it was dim.

“You can pass if you’re taking a shower. If not, you’re going to stay out here and play a board game with us.”

“I appreciate you guys looking after me but this is unnecessary.” Francesca tried to walk around him. “You guys have your own lives to get to. Just ignore me.”

Axel blocked her path again. “Shower or board game. Pick.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Just leave me alone.”

Axel wouldn’t budge. “Shower or board game.”

Francesca looked like she wanted to murder him.

“Shower or board game.” He crossed his arms over his chest, looking formidable with his large size and threatening gaze. “Those are your only two options.”

“Whatever.” Francesca stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door. A moment later the water began to run.

I was surprised Axel could handle her so well. She could be stubborn until the sun burned out. “Good job.”

He shrugged. “I grew up with her. I know how to work her.”

I’d been living with her for years and I didn’t know how to work her that well. “What game do you want to play?”

“I don’t care,” he said. “Do you have a favorite?”

“Well, her favorite game is Monopoly.”

“Because she dominates that shit.”

I chuckled. “Whatever makes her feel better, right?”

“I guess you’re right.” He grabbed the box and set it up on the table. “At least I don’t have to let her win. She’ll kick my ass all on her own.”

***

I tried to cover Francesca’s shifts as much as possible but my attempts were coming to an end. Most of the time we worked together at The Grind, so I couldn’t cover her shift if I was already there.

If she didn’t come in soon she’d lose her job.

“Frankie, come on.” I shook her vigorously. “You need to work.”

She lay there like a dead body.

“I mean it. How are you going to pay bills?”

“I have my savings.”

“That’s for your bakery—and only your bakery.” She wasn’t giving that up because she couldn’t get out of bed.

“Whatever…” She turned over.

“Francesca, it’s been weeks.  You need to snap out of this.”

“I can’t,” she whispered. “I would but I can’t…”

I pitied her deeply but I was also disappointed in her. Times got tough but we had to push on. She loved Hawke with everything she had but she was happy before he came along. She’d be happy now that he was gone. “I’ve covered for you as much as possible, but if you don’t work today Tony is going to fire you.”

“Good call.”

I wanted to scream. “I can’t cover all of the bills, Frankie. I don’t make enough money.”

“Like I said, I have my savings.”

When she was unreasonable like this I couldn’t talk to her. I stormed out of her bedroom and slammed the door. I loved Frankie like family but her depression was really taking a nosedive.

I called Axel, someone I spoke to on a daily basis now. “Hey, can you talk?” I assumed he was at work.

“Yeah, I’m at my desk. You can call me whenever you want. What’s up?”

“Frankie…”

“What did she do now?”

“She refuses to go to work. I’ve covered her shifts as much as possible but my manager said he’d fire her if she doesn’t come in today. I don’t know what to do…I can’t pay all the bills on my own.”

“Don’t worry about that,” he said. “I’ve got her covered.”

“What…?”

“If she’s not going to class, then she’s definitely not going to work. I can cover her bills as long as she needs it. Right now, we need to focus on getting her back to class. That job doesn’t matter. She won’t need it when she graduates anyway.”

Gratitude washed through me in waves. The last thing I wanted to do was ask my parents for money to cover Frankie’s expenses. I’d resort to anything else before that. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I’m not going to let my sister’s break-up ruin your life.”

“It’s not ruining my life…but it’s nice to have one less thing to worry about.”

“When is your rent due?”

“The first.”

“Alright. I’ll write you a check when I come by.”

“Okay.”

“How is she today?”

I didn’t even want to answer.

“Nevermind.” He sighed into the phone. “Forget I asked.”