Chapter 11

Jon wasted no time in getting over to Frannie’s the next morning. He dropped the boys back to Dorothea as early as he could and headed straight to Frannie’s. He pulled in the driveway, not recognizing the other car that was there. He practically ran up to the door and rang the bell. He was just about to start pounding on the door when it opened. “Can I help you?”

The face Jon saw was not Frannie’s. “Who are you?” She looked him up and down, “I’m Geena. Can I help you?” “Hi Geena, I’m Jon. Is Frannie here?” She nodded her head, “yes, just a minute.” She closed the door and Jon heard the locks open. She let him in and, looking around, didn’t see any sign of Frannie. “Where is she?” Geena indicated toward the hallway, “in her room. She hasn’t come out since I got here.” Before she could finish her sentence, Jon was down the hall and knocking on Frannie’s door. “Frannie?” He talked to her through the door, “can I come in?” Getting no response he cracked the door open.

Glancing around her room he didn’t see her right away. She was curled up in the fetal position on the far side of the bed, the blankets pulled up around her. Closing the door behind him, he crossed the room to her and crawled up behind her on the bed. “Frannie” he said softly as he stroked her back, “look at me baby.” She didn’t move at first. He pulled her hair back from her face and continued to stroke her back. “It’s going to be all right Frannie.” She rolled over then, an incredulous look on her face. “How can you say that?” She sat up, “did they find him during the night? Can you tell me he’s not going to try to hurt me again or hurt someone else?” She started crying, “I’m scared Jon. I’m so scared.” He gathered her close, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you Frannie. I promise you that.” He reached over to the night table and grabbed a tissue for her. She wiped her face and looked up at him, “is this ever going to be over?” Not knowing what else to do he held her close, kissing her head. “It will baby, I don’t know when, but it will.”

They sat like that for a while and, gradually, he felt her relax against him. When he looked down at her, she had fallen asleep. He eased her down to the bed and covered her up. Judging from the shadows he had seen under her eyes, he assumed she hadn’t slept much the night before. He hadn’t either. He had been so worried about her after the phone call. He had wanted to come over right then, but he couldn’t. Resting his head against the headboard, he closed his eyes. Just for a minute he thought. Soon, he was asleep too.

Sophie was crying. Frannie needed to go to her. She dragged herself from the bed and went down the hall. Looking down into the crib she found it empty. “Sophie?” She ran out of the room and down the hall to the living room, the baby’s cries were getting louder. “Sophie!” She stopped in her tracks; there was a tall man in the living room, holding her baby. “What are you doing? Give me my baby!” He looked over at Frannie, his gray eyes boring into her. “Don’t you mean my baby, bitch?!” She shook her head, “she not yours!” She started toward him, intent on getting Sophie away from him when he stuck his arm out and caught her around the throat. “Don’t even think about it!” His grip tightened and she started thrashing about.

Jon woke to Frannie’s moans and her thrashing on the bed. He watched as she clawed at her own throat and he tried to wake her up. “Frannie.” He shook her gently, trying not to panic. She didn’t respond. “Frannie come on baby, wake up!” He shook her a bit harder this time and she opened her eyes. He watched as she almost recoiled from him, but then she stopped. “Jon?” He stroked her hair back from her face. “I’m right here.” She curled into him as the sobs wracked her body. He let her cry it out before trying to get her to tell him what the dream was about. He stroked her back, “its all right baby. I’m here.” She didn’t look at him, she just started to talk, “he was here. He was in my house looking for Sophie.” She sucked in a shaky breath, “he had her and I tried to get her” her voice broke before she could continue. “He tried to kill me Jon.” She started crying again. He held her and offered quiet words of comfort and she finally started to settle down. “Where is she Jon, where’s Sophie?” He grabbed a tissue and handed it to Frannie, “she’s with Geena baby. She’s safe.” Frannie wiped her face, “I need to see for myself.”

Entering the living room Frannie breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Sophie in her baby seat, Geena capping the bottle she had just finished. Geena looked up, “ah Frannie, feeling better now?” Frannie nodded, “I am, thank you. Thank you for taking such good care of Sophie.” Geena nodded as she stood, “its my pleasure.” She took the bottle into the kitchen and Frannie turned to Jon, “I’m sorry Jon. I’m not usually such a basket case.” He thought about how she had been the last few days and her actions this morning. “I know you’re not. You don’t need to apologize. You have every reason to be afraid.” Frannie sighed and turned to lift Sophie out of her seat. She nuzzled and kissed the soft downy head before turning back to Jon. “I know I have every reason to be afraid, doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Jon smiled, she hadn’t totally reverted. He crossed the room to her, taking Sophie from her. “Why don’t you go take a shower? That might help you feel even better.” Frannie told Geena that she could go home and then went to shower.

Jon lay down on the couch with Sophie on his chest. She laid her head down and he stroked her back. This was how Frannie found them a short while later, both of them asleep. She pulled a blanket up over them and just watched for a minute. Seeing Sophie safe and sound, sleeping on Jon made her feel that much better. The dream had scared her more than the thought of being attacked again. She didn’t know if she would be able to handle anything happening to Sophie. She reached over and brushed the hair off Jon’s forehead with a smile. He said he wouldn’t let anything happen to her, she hoped that meant Sophie too.

Frannie went into the kitchen to fix herself something to eat. She hadn’t eaten since the night before and she was hungry. She put the water on for tea and turned to find Jon standing there. “Oh, you startled me.” He looked good all sleep mussed. Sophie was still asleep against him. “Should I put her down?” Frannie nodded, “yeah, just bring the monitor out with you.” When he came back carrying the monitor Frannie was mixing up some tuna. She looked up at him, “care for a sandwich?” He hadn’t eaten either and his stomach was letting him know. “That’s sounds good. I’m starved.” Not five minutes later they were sitting down to tuna melts and chips, Frannie with tea and Jon with coffee.

After finishing half of her sandwich Frannie looked over at Jon, “you don’t have to stay here today. I’m sure you have better things to do with your day.” He reached over and covered her hand with his, “I want to stay. I have one interview and I can do that over the phone. I’m not going anywhere, unless you don’t want me here.” She was relieved to hear that. She really didn’t want to be alone. “Thank you. I’d like it if you would stay.” She raked her eyes over him. “Maybe you’ll let me paint you?” He quirked an eyebrow at her, “where’s your feather?”