A Heart Comes Home

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Often it has been said home is where the heart is. But a restless heart is different. It feels there is no need for a home and only wants what today’s happiness can bring. Too many times, it must suffer the harshness of a cruel world before realizing where it should be. Sometimes it needs firm reminders as to where home really is. It needs to be shown where love awaits. This was true for a woman who is near and dear to me. The lady is elderly now but still has those schoolgirl looks and the twinkle in her eye of a teenage rebel. 

I watch her as she brushes the soft gray hair from her eyes and settles onto the couch beside me in her living room. She is clutching the family photo album and brings it to her breast as she takes her seat. Pausing for a moment to gather her strength, she breathes a deep sigh as a rush of memories and emotions flood her to the point of overflowing. It has been awhile since she last strolled down memory lane. Today seems a good time to venture once again to the life she once had. 

She has always found it difficult to reflect on what was and what could have been. Sometimes the lingering pain can be too great, but today has been a good day. I was glad to join her in visiting the past again. With silent determination she musters the courage to allow her emotions the freedom to come flowing to the surface. 

Gingerly she opens the album and faces the picture of her and Hank on the day they had met. I have always been taken back by the young looks of Francine Lyn McDowell. She was a beauty, full of life, and intent on doing things her way. Her friends knew her as Frankie. We both look at each other and then at the picture of the smiling couple. A smile spreads across her lips as she remembers the day she became aware of the big hunk of a heart named Henry Elroy Mason. 

She may have seen him at school before, but she was too wrapped up in her own world to have noticed. Besides, she spent most of her free time dodging the attention of overeager hormone driven teenage boys to even be aware of a quiet and mild person like him. Hank was definitely not the type to force himself on anyone, much less someone like Frankie. On this particular day she would never have paid any attention if he had not been thrust onto the scene by the actions of the school’s star quarterback and all-around jerk, Kevin Musselwhite. 

Kevin had a crush on her and made sure everyone in school knew it. She actually enjoyed the attention but found him to be the most obnoxious person in the senior class. In her heart she knew there was no way they would ever have a future together. To Kevin it was not so much the attraction as it was being denied something he wanted. He was not used to being turned down and his pride was taking a beating as he felt his reputation become more tarnished each time Frankie rejected him. 

As she gazes at the picture, she can still hear the taunting he was given her when Hank showed up. It was lunchtime and she and her best friend, Molly, were in the courtyard beside the cafeteria. 

“Hey babe, don’t do me like that,” he begged with a big grin on his face as he and three of his cohorts surrounded her.

“Kevin Musselwhite, you might as well take your foolishness somewhere else,” she tersely declared as she tried to break out of the circle Kevin and his friends had made around her.

“Oh, come on, Frankie, you know you like me,” he laughed as he grabbed her arm and held her tight. “Let’s go out to my car and you can show me how much you like me.”

“Let go of me,” she demanded as she struggled to break his grip.

“Don’t make me beg,” he continued as she finally wiggled her arm free.

“You’ve got to be the rudest and crudest person I’ve ever known,” she declared as she pushed her way through the ring of boys.

“All I know is you weren’t that way last night,” Kevin declared as Frankie turned her back to leave. “What?” she muttered as she wheeled around to face him.

“Honey, you remember last night, don’t you? Why, you were practically begging me for it,” he sneered as she bit her lower lip in disgust. “Boys, the girl’s a tiger. I had to fight her off most of the night.” 

“Kevin, you’re a liar! She wasn’t anywhere around you last night,” yelled Molly as Frankie slowly made her way back to him and his friends. “She stayed overnight at my house!”

“Well, all I know is I wasn’t fighting myself off,” he smirked as Frankie balled her fingers into a fist. “I wasn’t ready last night, but today I’m all yours.” 

With all her might Frankie swung and hit Kevin in the side of the face. The impact surprised him more than it did harm and he immediately grabbed her by the arms in anger and to keep her from trying to hit him again.

“You little slut!” he yelled as she struggled to break free. “Don’t you ever try anything like that again! No one embarrasses me in front of my friends.”

“Just because you’ve got money you think you can push everybody around and get your way!” declared Frankie as she felt the anger swelling inside her. “Let go of me!”

“Not ‘till you tell me you’re sorry and agree to go out with me,” he sneered as he tightened his grip on her arms.

“You’re hurting me!” she cried in pain. 

“Kevin, you need to let her go.” Frankie and Kevin both looked up at the same time to see a behemoth of a man looking down at them. He was well over six feet tall and enormous in size. Frankie could see his bulk was more muscle than flab and his determined look gave her pause as Kevin slowly let her go. “Well, look who we have here, boys,” he said with a nervous energy. “Plowboy wants to be a hero.”

“Kevin Musselwhite, I hate you,” declared Frankie as she hid herself behind Hank’s hulky frame.

“I’ll take care of you later, you ungrateful hussy,” barked Kevin as he moved to get around Hank.

“I said leave her be,” ordered Hank as he stepped between the two.

“Now, look, plowboy, I haven’t got a fight against you. This is between me and my girl,” Kevin declared as his three friends started circling Hank and Frankie.

“I’m not your girl!” yelled Frankie. “I’ll never be your girl!”

“Yes, you will!” shouted Kevin as he pointed his finger at her. “I always get what I want!”

“Kevin, you need to leave her be,” repeated Hank as he gently pushed Frankie to the side and out of harm’s way.

“Oooo, I think plowboy is hard of hearing,” laughed Kevin as he stretched his neck and caused a popping sound in his muscles. “What’s wrong? Has all that loud cow mooing made you deaf?”

“Francine, you and Molly wait over there,” ordered Hank in the kindest voice she had ever heard.

“Francine?!?” continued Kevin in a mocking tone. “It appears plowboy is trying to act all sophisticated. Francine! Francine! What’s that the name of your favorite cow?”

“That’s funny, Kevin. That’s real funny,” smiled Hank as he turned to walk toward Frankie and Molly.

“Hey, don’t walk away from me, you brainless idiot,” yelled Kevin as he punched Hank in the middle of the back. 

Hank dropped his head and shook it in disbelief. He turned to find Kevin crouched in a defensive martial arts position. Suppressing a smile he said, “You’d better go on before you get hurt.”

“Are you scared, plowboy? Are you scared of someone who can stand up to you?” Kevin sneered as he punched his hands back and forth in the air.

“I ain’t never been scared of the likes of you,” declared Hank as he stared down at the commotion Kevin was making.

“You should be,” Kevin warned as he moved closer. “I’ve been taking lessons for two months now. You ask these boys, and they’ll tell you how good I am.” 

His three friends yelled their agreement and one shouted “Get him, Kevin!” With a flurry of motion he attacked. Hank watched with detached amusement as Kevin lunged into the air with outstretched leg and foot aimed for his face. Quickly moving his massive hand he caught Kevin’s foot in midair. With a grunt he pushed forward causing Kevin to fly through the air backward until he came down with a thud on the flat of his back. His friends ran to his aid and helped him to his feet. 

“You haven’t heard the last of this, plowboy,” he cried as he rubbed the bump on the back of his head.

“Get!” snarled Hank as he took a step forward. Kevin and his three allies hurriedly backed away and left the scene. 

Frankie was astounded at what she had just witnessed. All her life she had never known anyone to take a stand against Kevin Musselwhite. His father was the richest man in the county and he had been spoiled from the day he was born. Not only did this giant of a man come to her rescue but he disposed of Kevin and his cohorts in a quiet and efficient manner of which she had never seen before. At the same time his courage and strength were tempered by his tenderness. She could see it in his eyes. From that moment on there was no doubt he would be a part of her life. 

Gathering her thoughts she noticed Molly’s mouth was hanging open in disbelief. She motioned for Molly to close it and then looked up into Hank’s big brown eyes. “Thank you,” she said as he smiled at her. “You’re welcome,” he replied. 

They stood there not speaking for what seemed to be an eternity. She and Molly looking up at the gentle giant while he smiled down at them. “Uh, this is my friend Molly and my name is Frankie,” she offered as she tried to break the awkward silence.

“I know who you are,” he revealed. “You’re Francine Lyn McDowell.”

“You know my entire name?” she asked in amazed wonderment.

“Yep, I do,” he confessed. Molly pursed her lips together and muttered in a hush tone toward Frankie, “You’ve got an admirer.”

Frankie rolled her eyes toward Molly in a signal to be quiet and then asked, “So, what’s your name?”

“They call me Hank,” he replied.

“Is that your name?”

“Well, it’s really Henry,” he answered with some embarrassment. “I prefer Hank.”

“Okay, Hank,” smiled Frankie as she watched the big man blush. “What’s the rest of your name? It’s only fair since you know mine.”

“Well, it’s Henry Elroy Mason,” he confessed as his face turned a brighter red. “Everybody just calls me Hank.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Hank,” she declared as she gently touched his arm. “You can call me Frankie.”

“Uh, if you don’t mind I like Francine,” he said as his eyes transfixed on her hand resting on his arm.

“Then call me Francine,” she laughed. “After what you did today you can call me anything you want.” 

The moment was shattered when they heard Kevin’s voice shouting, “That’s him, Mr. Bostian.”

“Okay, Mr. Mason,” came the principal’s high pitched voice. “According to Mr. Musselwhite it appears you’ve been fighting again. I told you last time I will not tolerate such behavior on this campus. You come to my office pronto!”

“He didn’t start it, Mr. Bostian,” cried Frankie. “You can ask Molly. She saw the whole thing.”

“Well, then, everyone to my office,” he ordered. “We’ll straighten this out so there will be no more such foolishness.”

A dejected Hank followed Mr. Bostian toward the school. Lingering behind, Kevin grabbed Frankie’s arm, and whispered, “You can make this up to me by going to the school dance with me this Friday.”

“No,” she declared as she jerked her arm free from his grip. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m going with Hank!” 

Mr. Bostian sat silent for a long time after hearing everyone’s story of what had happened in front of the school. Finally, he decided to give everybody a stern warning and let them go. His words were especially pointed toward Hank as this was not the first time he had been summoned to the principal’s office. As Frankie would later learn she was not the first person Hank had rescued from a bully. Besides, Mr. Bostian was well aware of Kevin’s family fortune and influence. He had no desire to face Mr. Musselwhite to tell him his son had been misbehaving at school. That would not prove beneficial to anyone, especially to Mr. Bostian. 

After leaving the office Kevin winked at Frankie and started to say something until he saw Hank scouring at him. With a huff and a smirk he and his entourage hurried down the hall toward the cafeteria. Molly and Frankie started laughing as Hank stood there with a satisfied grin on his face. 

Catching her breath Molly said, “Thank you, Hank.” Frankie relayed the sentiment, and he muttered something about no thanks being needed. He turned to leave when Frankie ran up behind him and grabbed his arm. “Don’t leave so fast,” she said as he stopped to look at her. 

“I was just leaving, that’s all,” he said in defense.

“Look I might need your protection again,” she acknowledged as Molly moved closer to the two. “That Kevin never gives up.”

“If you need me, I’ll be there,” he promised.

“Good, then you’ll take me to the dance Friday night,” she declared.

“You’re gonna need help at the dance?” he asked.

“I probably will, with Kevin still around and all,” she pondered. “So, it’s settled, we’ll go together.”

“No.” 

A surprised look came over her face. “What do you mean, ‘No’?”

“I’m not going to the dance with you,” he declared.

“Why not?!?”

“I don’t dance,” he revealed. “Besides, I’m not your personal bodyguard.”

“Oh, you just said you’d be there if I needed you,” she pouted with the sad look she had perfected years before. “I guess Henry Elroy Mason is just a big liar.”

“I said I’d be there for you, but I don’t see you needing any help. When I do, then I’ll help,” he explained.

“What are you gonna do rush in like some super hero or something?” she smirked.

“If you say so, Francine,” he smiled as he started to walk away. “You’ve got along pretty good all these years without me, so I figure you can go to another dance without needing me.”

“Hmmph!” she muttered as she crossed her arms in disgust at his rejection. “Most boys would be honored to go with me.”

“I’m not most boys,” he shot back. “Like I said I don’t dance.”

“I can teach you. We’ve got ‘til Friday.”

“Nah,” he said as he started walking away again. “Look at me Francine. People laugh at me enough. I’m not gonna be the main attraction of some freak show.” 

Frankie stood in disbelief as he turned to leave. She had never been turned down by a boy in her life. Molly whispered in her ear, “Tell him you want him to go with you.” When she hesitated she nudged her in the ribs. 

“Hank I want to go with you,” she shouted as he neared the end of the hall. He stopped and turned to look at her. “What did you say?”

“I said I want to go to the dance with you,” she repeated. “I like you.” Molly whispered, “I didn’t say for you to say that!” 

He rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment. “You gonna teach me how to dance?”

“Yes, I will.”

“I gotta learn by Friday.”

“I know.”

A big smile spread across his face. “Well, okay.” 

For the next few days Frankie and Hank met after school, and he learned to dance. He was a quick learner, which at first surprised her, but dancing would never be his expertise. This was not the only surprise in store for Frankie. She learned he was charming, with a quiet but good sense of humor. He may have looked like a big dumb hunk to others, but he was one of the most interesting people she had ever met. Frankie started to feel stirrings within her she had never felt before. It would not be long before she would be madly in love with a man that only a few days ago she never knew existed. 

On the day of the dance, she drove her car out to Hanks’ farm to pick him up. He showed her around and introduced her to his Aunt Nell. She was the only family he knew as he explained to Frankie that his parents had been killed in a car crash when he was just a baby. Nell, a widow and childless herself, took him in and raised him on the farm as if he was her own. 

Even on that first day at the farm Frankie could see the love Hank had for the animals and the enjoyment he received from tending to them. Being a city girl this was all new to her but she was a fast learner. If he could learn to dance then she could learn to milk a cow. He was somewhat surprised when she said she wanted to come back and learn how. “I thought after the dance I wouldn’t see you anymore,” he surmised. 

“Why, Henry Mason, you’re not gonna get rid of me that fast,” she curtly replied. He muttered more to himself than anyone else, “I didn’t say I wanta get rid of you.” She smiled and took his arm as they walked to her car and headed to the dance. 

The dance floor was already crowded with students gyrating in all different directions when they arrived. Some snickered when they saw Hank walk in but their faces quickly turned to disbelief when they saw Frankie hanging onto his arm. Everyone watched in amazement as they took the floor and started dancing together. Hank was quite agile and looked like he had been a dancer all his life. He surprised everyone, including himself. 

The two enjoyed the fun of dancing, laughing, and being with each other. Molly was there with her new boyfriend, Ben, and was taking pictures as she always did. Once Frankie saw Kevin start to walk toward them but change his mind and head in a different direction. She was glad. This was her evening with Hank, and she had no time for anyone else. That date proved to be the best date she had ever had.

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Frankie turns the page in the photo album and almost laughs at the picture of her and Hank dancing. It was not his dancing but the look on all the student’s faces that made her smile. Hank had surely surprised them. He had a way of doing that. She knew he always surprised her. When she thought he would be angry he was gentle; when she was certain he did not care, he showed he did; when she thought she had no one to turn to, he was there. How could she ever think of loving anyone else? 

After the dance Frankie was a little disappointed when Hank appeared to show very little interest in her. She knew they had a great time at the dance and she was certain he liked her but, now for no apparent reason, he was keeping his distance. One day after barely speaking to her in the hall at school she drove up to his farm that evening. He was just coming out of the barn from milking the cow when she confronted him. 

“Francine?!? What are you doing here?” he asked with sincere wonder.

“Henry Elroy Mason I am mad at you,” she pouted as she faced him down. “You put that bucket down. I want to have a word with you.” 

He sat the bucket on the fence and humbly approached her. “What have I done?” he timidly asked.

“You’ve been ignoring me and I want to know why,” she demanded. “You take me to the dance. We have a good time and now you’ll hardly even look my way. Why do you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you,” he offered in defense.

“Well, you have a funny way of showing it,” she continued. “I could’ve gone to the dance with any boy, but I chose to go with you. And this is the thanks I get?”

“See, that’s the problem,” he declared. “I’m supposed to be eternally grateful that the beautiful Francine Lyn McDowell graced me with her presence at a dance.”

“I never said that,” she protested. “You don’t owe me anything. It’s just I thought we had a good time together.”

“We did and I am grateful,” he revealed. “I just want to be liked as me, that’s all.”

“I do like you. I like everything I’ve seen about you,” she offered as she smiled and gently touched his arm.

“All my life folks have made fun of me or been afraid,” he continued as he laid a big hand on top of hers. “The few that showed any interest in me always did it because they wanted something out of me. Outside of Aunt Nell I haven’t found anybody who wants me for me.” 

She looked deep into his large brown eyes and for the first time in her life she understood the feelings of someone else. Feeling tears welling up she blurted, “I do like you, you big brute. After all, I drove all the way up here just because I was mad at you.”

“Yeah, you did,” he smiled.

“So, it’s settled,” she declared. “You’re my man and I’m your girl.”

“Now, wait a minute, I never said anything about that,” he protested.

“Well, Henry Mason don’t you think I’m pretty?”

“Well, yeah…”

“Don’t you like me?”

“Yeah, but…”

“Well, then I don’t see the problem. We should go steady and that’s it.”

“Yeah, but,…I don’t,…I mean we haven’t even,…”

“What are you trying to say Mr. Mason?” she teased as he swallowed hard to ease his nervousness.

“I mean, gosh, we haven’t even kissed, yet,” he blushed and turned away in embarrassment.

“You’re right,” she declared. “We’re gonna have to fix that.”

He turned and looked at her. “Really?” he asked. “Really!” she replied. “But you’re gonna have to bend down here cause I can’t reach that high.” 

In one swift motion he grabbed her by the arms and gently lifted her to place her on the fence. When he moved close to her she put her arms around his neck as their foreheads came together. Looking deep into his eyes she whispered, “You ever kiss a girl before?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Me, either,” she said. He looked in astonishment at her for a moment and then broke into laughter as he realized what she had said. That was when they kissed. He standing there with her sitting on the fence, their heads nudged together, and both of them shaking with laughter. Frankie closed her eyes as she wanted to relish the moment. She felt it would be one to remember the rest of her life. 

It did not take long before word spread through their high school that they were an item. She was good at showing him worldly ways and he taught her all about farming. Most observers were amazed how two completely different people, with opposite interests, could be attracted to each other. Neither one was completely comfortable in the other’s world but the bond they were building kept them together. They were happy and were falling in love.

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Once again, she turns the page in the photo album to find a picture Molly had taken of her and Hank. This was at their graduation from high school. They had the silliest grins on their faces as they posed in their caps and gowns. Hank’s gown had to be specially made to fit his enormous frame. The full-length picture showed how much of difference in height and size there were between the two. It made them appear to be the oddest couple, but they never gave it a thought. 

Even though this was a happy time the memories of it causes Frankie to reach for a tissue to wipe her eyes. Graduation was a pivotal moment for them and their lives changed forever. It was the start of something wonderful, and yet, only foreshadowed heartache to come. 

Jolene Lyn Brasworth McDowell loved her daughter but did not understand her. She could see the love in her eyes whenever Hank Mason was around or even when his name came up in conversation. Why had she chosen to fall for him? Jolene knew he was good, a hard worker and honest, but Frankie had the potential to become much more than a simple farmer’s wife. Her whole life was in front of her. She could be somebody. 

When Jolene was younger, she was something of a wild one herself. In fact, many who knew her in her teenage years now remark how similar Frankie was to the younger Jolene. She could see the resemblance. It was when she was full of vim and vigor and thrilled at every moment of her life. She had never fully told Frankie about how she was when she was her age. There was plenty of time to reveal those secrets later. 

Frankie did not know how her mother had become involved with the son of the richest man in the county, Jason Lee Musselwhite. She would only discover the truth years later. Theirs was a torrid love affair that left lasting emotional scars on both of them. Jason was self-centered, demanding, and a control freak. Jolene was just as bad but Jason was rich and was never shy about flaunting it. No couple ever loved and fought as hard as they did. The love was intense and the fights left bruises that took weeks to heal. 

One day Jolene caught Jason flirting with one of the Carson twins after the high school football game. He denied any wrong intent and she would normally have shrugged it off. But today was different. She was still hurting from their last fight and seeing him trying to grope another girl was too much. When she slapped his face, he punched her in the mouth. Crying and yelling the most obscene things she could think of, she ran away from him as he shouted how sorry he was for hitting her. 

She never stopped running until she came downtown to the soda shop. Once inside she ordered a glass of water and dabbed her split lip with a wet napkin. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a young man sitting at one of the tables eating a banana split. Finally, she glanced at him and he smiled and nodded his head. She quickly turned away and continued to work on her lip. It was not long before she could feel he was standing right behind her. 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked in a rich but mellow voice.

“Uh, no, I’m okay,” she said without turning to face him. “I bit my lip and it won’t stop bleeding.”

“Here, let me help,” he offered as he sat down beside her. Putting a hand on the back of her neck he steadied her head while applying pressure to her lip. This was when Jason walked in and strolled over to the counter. He stared at Jolene and the stranger for a while and then turned and left the shop. 

“I believe it’s stopped bleeding,” the young man said as he lifted the napkin from her lip.

“Thank you,” was all she could muster to say. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t introduced myself,” he said with a grin. They exchanged their names and this was the way Jolene met Samuel Bartholomew McDowell. After engaging in some talk, Sam looked deep into her eyes and offered, “I’ve seen bit lips before, and I’ve seen busted lips. You didn’t bite your lip.” 

His honest approach was enough to break Jolene, and she poured her heart out to the man she had just met. He listened to her outburst and when she was done gently took her hand and simply said, “You deserve better.” 

This was the start of their romance that eventually led to their marriage and the birth of their daughter Francine. Sam was a good man, and Jolene really could not ask for more. But there was an empty place in her heart. It was where her love for Jason used to reside and had been ripped out. She knew she no longer loved him but there would always be a vacuum that no one or nothing could ever fill. 

Deep inside Jolene wished she had weathered the storm with Jason. The life with Sam had been good but her imagined life with Jason left her wondering at what might have been. Now, she knew her daughter was going down a path where she would wind up missing out on golden opportunities the way she had. 

She had no doubt Kevin Musselwhite was just like his father, Jason. But, he was able to offer Frankie a future that Hank could never dream of giving her. As her mother, there was no way she was going to let her daughter continue a romance with Hank and forfeit her chance of living a better life. 

With a determined resolve she had worked to have Frankie accepted at the same university Kevin was going after high school.  It took some persuasion but Sam finally agreed to place a second mortgage on their home to help finance four years of college. She knew Hank could never afford to go there. In fact, it was doubtful he would even be able to attend any college. This would give Frankie four years away from him. Hopefully, this would give her time to come to her senses and realize it would be a mistake to try and make a life with someone who had never imagined a life away from a farm. There was no telling what could happen in the space of that time, especially with Kevin nearby on the same campus. If Frankie and Hank were still in love after all that, then so be it. But, Jolene believed different. At the least, she had to try and give her daughter something she had denied for herself. 

Of course, Hank and Frankie were unaware of Jolene’s scheme. Hank had always felt uneasy around her. He had lived a life of knowing people in town looked down on his country ways and he never really cared much what they thought. His presence was big enough to gain the respect of anyone. But it was different with Jolene. He wanted to make a good impression with her out of regards for Frankie. This caused him to try too hard. It only affirmed Jolene’s conviction that he was no more than a country bumpkin. 

Samuel McDowell liked Hank. He saw in him what he had always wanted to be—a strong and resilient man. This was what Frankie needed. Without someone like Hank he was afraid his daughter would easily lose her sense of direction. She was as restless as her mother had been at her age and Hank was a steadying force. Sam knew his wife had to learn the hard way before she realized the truly important things in life and he wanted Frankie to avoid the same path. He wanted to spare her the pain and heartbreak her mother had endured. His hope rested in Hank gently guiding her to transform from the impulsive person she was to a refined lady. 

And so, the stage was set two weeks before high school graduation. Frankie was busy with Molly practicing the walk they would take to receive their diplomas when Jolene broke the news to her about college. 

“I’ve got a big surprise for you,” she declared as the girls balanced books on top of their heads as they pretended to march down an aisle.

“Oh, mother, you shouldn’t have bought me a new car!” Frankie teased as she caught the book falling from her head.

“It’s better than a car,” declared Jolene.

“Better than a car?!? Why, mother, there’s no such thing,” giggled Frankie.

Molly chimed in, “Unless it’s two cars. One for you and one for me!”

“You two quit being silly for moment and listen to me,” ordered her mother. She handed Frankie a paper and said, “Here’s a very important letter. It’s about your future.” 

With a serious look Frankie took the envelope, opened it and read the invitation to attend Ballsworth University. After reading the letter she slowly looked up at her mother, “I didn’t know anything about this.”

“I know, dear, like I said, it’s a big surprise from your father and me,” she said with a big smile on her face. “It took some doing but we gathered the money and you’ve been accepted!”

“But, that’s a thousand miles away,” reflected Frankie.

“It’s only three hundred miles and you’ll be able to come home for the holidays,” explained Jolene. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime. You can major in any subject you want and when you’re through in four years the sky will be the limit for you.”

“Four years?” muttered Frankie. “That’s an awful long time.”

“Oh, Frankie, I’d give anything to be able to go there!” declared an excited Molly. “Your mother’s right. A degree from Ballsworth is as good as gold!”

“I don’t know,” reflected Frankie as she started folding her graduation gown on a clothes hanger.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” asked her mother with more than a little irritation in her voice.

“I just don’t know if that’s what I want to do with my life,” she replied. “I’m not sure I want to go to college, especially one so far away.”

“Oh, Frankie!” gasped Molly. “How can you say that?”

“Well, young lady, you don’t have a lot of time left to make up your mind,” declared Jolene in the stern motherly voice she had perfected over the years. “We’ve made these plans, borrowed money for you, and now you don’t know if that’s good enough for you?!? This is totally unacceptable!” 

Frankie could tell her mother was angry and about to blow her top. She appreciated what her parents had tried to do for her but it was her life and she wanted to be able to decide for herself. Trying to be as diplomatic as she could she said, “Mom, it’s great you and Dad are trying to look out for me. I love you for that. But I really don’t see it in my future.”

“Don’t see it in your future?!?” muttered an exasperated Jolene. “Why you ungrateful brat! We do all this for you and you don’t see it in your future?”

“Mother, my future is here,” declared Frankie. “I want it to be with Hank.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s what it comes down to, you and Hank!” yelled her mother. “We’re trying to give you your future and you want to run off with your plowboy lover!”

“Don’t you talk that way about Hank!” shrieked Frankie as she and her mother were now in a full-fledged shouting match. “I love him and I’m gonna spend my life with him!”

“Fine, fine! Do that and you’ll be so poor you won’t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out!” screamed her mother. “How can you take all our plans and throw them down the toilet like that?” 

Sam McDowell could hear his wife and daughter yelling at each other as he climbed the stairs to join them. It was not the first time they had fought like this, and no doubt, it would not be the last. With a deep sigh he entered Frankie’s bedroom to face two angry women with their arms flying as they gestured to make their points. 

“Don’t I get a hug when I come home from work?” he asked with a big grin.

“Daddy!” cried Frankie as she gathered in his arms. “Mother’s trying to make me go away to college and leave Hank!”

“Samuel, you know you and I have already talked about this. There’s nothing else to discuss,” declared his wife. He knew she was extremely upset as she had used his full name instead of calling him “Sam.”

“Well, it is the best for you, dear,” he said as he stroked Frankie’s hair. “After you get your degree you and Hank will still have plenty of time for a life together.”

“Hmmph!” snorted Jolene. “I would hope after four years you would come to your senses and see what a wasted life it would be with someone like him.” 

Frankie backed away from her father and turned to her mother in disgust, “So, that’s what this is all about. You don’t really care about me going to college. You’re just trying to get me away from Hank!”

“Well, you can do a whole lot better,” her mother yelled back. “Look at you. You’re pretty. You’re smart. You come from a good family. Any man would be happy to marry you. You can have anyone. I bet even Kevin Musselwhite would be interested if you showed him any attention.” 

Sam felt his anger start to rise as Jolene had touched on a sensitive matter with him. Over the years he had wondered if she had regretted marrying him instead of Kevin’s father. Trying to remain calm he declared, “Jolene, we best not go there.”

“Oh, don’t get bent out of shape, Sam,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. She can do better. And she will if I have anything to do with it!”

“Well, you don’t, Mother!” yelled Frankie as she grabbed her sweater and headed toward the door. “I love Hank and I’m going to marry him. There’s nothing you can do about it.” 

With a toss of her head, she ran down the stairs and stomped out the door. Taking a deep breath Jolene turned to Molly, “Molly, dear, can you please go after her and try to talk some sense into her? She might listen to you.”

“I don’t know, Mrs. McDowell,” she replied. “When Frankie gets something in her head it’s awfully hard to get it out of her.”

Sam grinned and muttered, “Yep, she’s a lot like her mother.” 

Frankie made a bee line to Hank’s farm. He was feeding the pigs when he looked up to see a cloud of dust coming his way at an unusually fast speed. Once he recognized it was Frankie he quickly set the feed bucket down. He knew she was one to normally drive fast but this was even fast for her. There was only one reason she was driving that way. Something was wrong. 

She slammed on the brakes and slid to a stop causing a spray of rocks to go flying toward Hank. He nimbly avoided them and rushed to her car. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Hank, it’s terrible!” she cried unable to hold back the tears any longer.

“What is it?” he asked as he gathered her in his large arms.

“They want me to go away and leave you,” she blubbered as he gently stroked her hair in an attempt to calm her down.

“Who’s they?”

“My father and mother,” she declared. “They’re trying to send me away to college.”

“Well,” was all he could think to say.

“For four years!!” she cried. “It’s just a scheme of my mother trying to break us up.”

“Well, how does your father feel about it?” he asked as his mind raced at the thought of her going away for that long.

“Oh, he’ll do whatever she wants him to do. She’s got him wrapped around her little finger,” she pouted as she clung to his embrace.

“I know the feeling,” he said quietly.

“Now, Hank Mason don’t you go and try to be funny at a time like this!” she cried as she pushed him away in mocked disgust. “I don’t want to go and they’re trying to make me.”

“Well, college is a good thing,” he offered as he searched for something to say that would help the situation.

“No, it’s not!” she declared. “Not this time. Not when I have to go and leave you.”

“I don’t want you to leave either,” he reflected as she hugged him again. “It’s just,…well, it just seems like a great opportunity for you. That’s all.” 

She backed away and looked at him long and hard. “You’re taking their side in this?”

“Well, no, I’m just trying to think out loud,” he said as he scratched his head while he pondered the opportunity Frankie had been offered as opposed to losing her for a long time.

“Oh, Hank, do something,” she begged as she grabbed his arm. “Don’t let them make me go.”

“Well, I’m not sure exactly what we can do…” he muttered more to himself than to anyone else.

“I know, we can get married!” she exclaimed.

“Married?!?”

“Yes, married,” she affirmed. “Then I can come out here and live on the farm with you and Aunt Nell. That way they can’t ever make me leave cause we’ll be married!”

“Well, I don’t know…”

“We can run away and get married,” she continued. “I can stop by my house and grab a few things and then by this time tomorrow I’ll be Mrs. Henry Elroy Mason!”

“Well, I don’t know…”

“That’ll show them,” she persisted. “They think they can run my life and drive me away from the man I love. They’ve got another thing coming!!”

“Well, I don’t know…”

“Is that all you can say? ‘Well, I don’t know,’” she mocked.

“Well, I don’t know, Francine,” he declared. “I really don’t.” 

She slowly backed away from him again and paused to think. For the first time in their relationship, she wondered whether he loved her as much as she loved him. The thought sent shock waves through her whole system. 

“You do love me, don’t you?” she asked as she searched his face for any reassuring sign.

“Sure, I love you,” he said in an almost blushing manner. “I’ve loved you for a long time.”

“Then I don’t see a problem,” she declared. “You love me. I love you. People in love get married all the time.”

“Well, I don’t know…”

“Will you please stop that?” she yelled. “Tell me Mr. Mason why you wouldn’t want to marry me.”

“Well, I just,…I just ain’t never asked you,” he blushed.

“Then get on your knees and ask me,” she demanded. “Then we can go and get married.” 

He looked at her and slowly shook his head. “No, I can’t.”

“You can’t?!?” she yelled. “You can’t or you won’t?”

“I’m not going to,” he declared. “I’m not gong to ask you to marry me.”

“Well, you big dumb goofus!!” she screamed. “You’re just going to throw me away!”

“I didn’t say that…”

“That’s the way I heard it!” she interrupted. “You make me fall in love with you and you say you love me, but I’m not good enough for you to marry!! I spend all my spare time with you and this is all I get out of it?!?”

“No, no, that’s not what…”

“Well, Mr. Mason, you’ve done something my parents couldn’t do,” she said as she started crying. “You’ve made me want to leave you.”

“Now, Francine, there’s no need…”

“Don’t Francine me,” she continued yelling. “My mother says you’re no good. I guess she saw more than I did.”

“What do you want me to say?” he asked as he felt frustrated in trying to explain himself to someone who refused to listen.

“Oh, I think you’ve said quite enough,” she cried as she climbed into her car and started the engine. “You know mother always wanted me to marry someone like Kevin. But I always thought he was a big phony. Well, right now, if I put him beside you I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

“Look, we’re both upset. Let’s talk about this tomorrow after we’ve settled down,” he pleaded.

“If you’re not marrying me today then we have no tomorrow together,” she declared as she put the car in drive. “I was such a fool. Such a fool. I hate you, Hank! I hate you!!” 

Hank hung his head as Frankie spun her tires and sped down the road. With a heavy heart he turned toward the house as Aunt Nell came out on the porch. From all the noise and the look on his face she knew something was dreadfully wrong. She hugged his massive arm as he started crying while trying to tell her that Frankie had broke up with him. 

The next day about midmorning Hank was leaving the house to check on the cows in the pasture. As he was about to step off the porch he saw a car in the distance approaching. It pulled into the driveway and stopped. Sam and Jolene got out of the car. He could tell Jolene had been crying. 

“Where is she, Hank?” blubbered Jolene.

“I don’t know, Mrs. McDowell,” he replied as they came up to the porch.

“Oh, quit trying to hide her!” yelled the distraught mother. “We know she came out here yesterday. You go and tell her we want to see her.”

“She’s not here,” he stated again.

“For God sakes, quit playing games and tell us where she is!” shouted Jolene.

“Now, dear, calm yourself and let Hank speak,” said Sam as soothing as he could. “Hank, do you know anything about this?”

“Well, Mr. McDowell, Francine was out here yesterday but she left,” he explained as Aunt Nell came out onto the porch. “We had a fight, and she told me she hated me and left.”

“I don’t believe him,” smirked Jolene. 

Aunt Nell cleared her throat and then declared, “Well you ought to. He’s telling the truth. The boy kept me up half the night crying over that girl.”

“She broke up with you?” asked a surprised Sam. “Hank, what happened?”

The young man looked down and shuffled his feet before replying, “She wanted to run away and get married, and I told her no.”

“She wanted to elope?” asked Sam.

“Yes, sir, she did,” Hank continued. “She said you were forcing her to go away to college and if we went and got married, she wouldn’t have to go.”

“That sounds like her,” mused Sam.

“What? You’re now too good for my daughter?” barked Jolene as she wiped her eyes with a tissue. 

Hank just stared at her for a moment. Nell could see the large vein in his neck starting to bulge out. She knew her nephew was about to explode in a burst of anger. So, she decided to do it for him. “Now, look, that’s just about enough out of you young lady! This boy loves that girl and he’s only interested in doing what’s right by her.”

“You couldn’t prove it by me!” huffed Jolene.

Nell bit her lip and then asked, “Are you trying to be an ass or were you just born that way? Hank backed you guys up. He told her she ought to go to college and all he got out of it was a broken heart. So, don’t come around here with your high and mighty ways acting like you know something! You don’t know diddlysquat!”

“Hank, you told her to go to college?” asked Sam.

“It’s the best for her,” declared Hank. “She can be somebody.”

“Well, thank you for doing that, but I’m starting to have doubts about her going away,” reflected Sam. Jolene jerked her head in shock and yelled, “What are you talking about?!? We’ve done worked all this out and now you’re going to let this plowboy change your mind?!?”

“Jolene, you’re the one who worked all this out,” declared an irritated Sam. “I told you not to go behind her back and make all these big plans. I told you to quit trying to live the life you always wanted through her. You wouldn’t listen to me and now my daughter is mad at me for no good reason.”

“Samuel McDowell, don’t you talk to me like that!!” screamed Jolene.

“I’ll talk to you any damn way I want to when it comes to my daughter,” he yelled back at her. “The best thing you can do is to get in that car and shut your big fat mouth!”

“I will not!!” shouted a defiant Jolene.

“Hank, you got any duck tape around here?” asked Sam. “If she won’t shut her mouth then I’ll tape it shut!”

“Yeah, we’ve got lots of it,” offered Hank.

“I’ll get you some,” declared Nell. She turned and went into the house.

“This is not over, Samuel McDowell!” huffed Jolene as she crawled into the car seat and slammed the door. “This is far from being over!” 

Ignoring her Sam turned his attention to Hank. “Do you have any idea where she might be?”

“I figured she went back home, but I guess not,” he reflected. “Molly’s would be my next guess.”

“I called Molly and she said she hasn’t seen her,” offered Sam. “This is tearing me up, Hank. She’s never run away like this. She’s never been this mad at me before. I just want her back. We can work things out.” 

Aunt Nell came back out on the porch and slipped her hand into Hank’s pocket. He looked down at her with a big surprise on his face. She reached and pulled his head down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Hank, you know where she went. Go get her. Go do what your heart knows to do.” 

For the first time since his fight with Frankie he smiled and nodded his head. Sam asked, “Hank, will you go get her and bring her home for me? If you do that I promise you we’ll sit down and work everything out. We’ll do what’s best for Frankie.”

“I’ll find her, Mr. McDowell,” he declared. “And I’ll bring her home.” 

Hank started up his old pickup truck and drove out onto the highway. He headed straight for Dog Lake Acres where Kevin and his father lived. The house was on the lake. It was a large mansion that Jason Musselwhite used to declare how wealthy he was. The gate was open so Hank drove right up to the front door. At the same time Kevin came strolling down the front steps. 

“Mason, what are you doing over here?” he smirked. “We don’t have any cows around here.”

“Kevin one of these days you’re actually gonna say something funny,” declared Hank. “That is if you live long enough.”

“Oooo, the big and mighty man is throwing threats around,” mocked Kevin.

“I ain’t threatening nobody,” offered Hank. “I just come to get Francine and take her home.”

“Who says she’s here?”

“She’s either here or you’ve bought a car just like hers,” Hank declared as he pointed to her car parked by the side of the house. “Now, are you gonna tell me where she is or do I have to go find her myself?”

“Well, we’ll see about that…” 

Frankie leaned out the upstairs window and yelled, “Hank Mason you might as well go on back home. I’m not speaking to you!”

He looked up at her and shouted back, “Francine, please come down here. We need to talk.”

“You’ve already talked enough and I didn’t like what you had to say,” she declared. “So, you just go on back home and leave me alone!”

“Francine, please,” he begged. “Look, your parents are worried sick about you. They want me to bring you home. Your daddy says he’ll work something out.”

“Oh, so that’s the only reason you came over here,” she smirked. “My parents made you come.”

“Now, Francine, you know me. Nobody can make me do anything I don’t want to,” he protested. “I came here because,…well, I came here…”

Frankie giggled and said, “Well, Mr. Henry Elroy Mason, just why did you come looking for little old me?”

His face turned a bright red as he blushed, “Ah, shucks, Francine, you know why.”

“I’m not coming down unless you say it,” she declared.

“Ah, Francine, you’re embarrassing me,” he blushed again.

Molly stuck her head out the other window and shouted, “Oh, go ahead Hank. You know she’s not budging until you do.”

He looked up at her and said, “Molly, I thought you told Mr. McDowell you didn’t know where Francine was.” She shrugged her shoulders and slipped back into the room. 

In the meantime, Kevin was sneaking up behind Hank with a large wooden board. Frankie tried to yell a warning but Kevin hit him in the middle of the back and broke the board in the process. Hank grunted and turned to find Kevin with his eyes wide open in surprise at how little of an effect the board had. Once he realized what was about to happen his face filled with fear. Before he could blink a large fist smashed into his right eye knocking him to the ground. 

Frankie ran downstairs and out the door as fast as she could. Molly was right behind her.

“Are you okay?” she asked between gulping for air.

“He hit me in the eye!!” cried Kevin.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” she yelled as Molly bent down to help Kevin. “Hank, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think so,” he mumbled. “That hurt.” 

Molly helped Kevin to his feet as he held his eye that was well on its way to swelling shut. “Here we are two weeks from graduation and you give me a black eye!” he shouted. “Get off my land!!”

“You had it coming…hitting him in the back like that!” yelled Frankie back at him.

“Come on let me put some ice on your eye,” offered Molly. Kevin jerked his arm away from her and mumbled, “I’m okay.” He turned and walked back into the house. Molly followed right behind him. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked again.

“Yeah, I’ve had worse,” he replied. She looked at him and then folded her arms in mock disgust, “Hank Mason what am I going to do with you?”

A broad grin crossed his face, and he said, “I guess you’re stuck with me.”

“I guess so,” she agreed. 

He shuffled his feet as she looked off into the distance. Finally, she smiled and said, “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Which one?”

“Oh, don’t try to wiggle out of it now, buster,” she said as she swatted him on the arm. “Why did you come all the way here to get me?”

He looked at his feet and then gazed in her eyes, “Because I love you. That’s why.”

She was about to swoon until she realized she was still mad at him, “You love me? Hank Mason you have a funny way of showing it!”

“You didn’t give me a…”

“I practically throw myself at you and you turn me down!” she interrupted. “I have never been so insulted in all my life!”

“That’s not what I…”

“You love me but you don’t want to marry me?” she continued. “I’m willing to give you the rest of my life, but no, you don’t want…”

Her words were cut off as a big hand covered her mouth. Being as gentle as he could he asked, “May I say something?” All she could do was nod her head.

Removing his hand from her face he said, “I never said I didn’t want to marry you.”

“You said…” she started until he raised a finger to warn her to be quiet.

“Look, I want to marry you, Francine,” he declared.

“You do??”

“Yeah, I have for a long time,” he said as he fumbled for the box in his pocket that Aunt Nell had put there. “I just don’t want to run off and get married. I want to do it right.” 

Frankie gasped and grabbed her mouth as Hank bent to one knee. Even on his knees he was still almost as tall as her. He carefully opened the lid of the box to reveal the diamond ring. “Francine Lynn McDowell will you do me the greatest honor ever granted me and become my wife?”

“Oh, Hank, you know I will!” she said as she lunged at him and held onto his neck. She kissed him long and hard until he lost his balance and toppled over backwards pulling her down with him. Laying on top him she cried, “I love you.” He lay there looking up at her and replied, “I love you, too, but I want a regular wedding. I don’t want to run off and elope.”

“Me either.”

“I want you to have a wedding you will remember the rest of our lives,” he continued. “I want you and your mother to plan it and then let me and your dad know when to show up.”

“We can do that.”

“I want you to go to college here and live with me,” he declared.

“I want that, too.”

“I want you to go home and talk with your father,” he continued. “He’s a good man and he’s willing to listen to you.”

She sat straight up and crossed her arms, “You sure want a lot, Mr. Mason.”

“That’s right,” he agreed. “And there’s one other thing I want.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you,” he laughed as he pulled her back down to him. She wiggled free and swatted him in the chest. “How long have you had that ring?”

“For a few months,” he confessed.

“And you’re just now giving it to me?? What were you waiting for?”

As he blushed he looked away and finally muttered, “I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

With a sheepish grin he replied, “I was afraid you’d say ‘No.’” 

She leaned back down and gently kissed him. “No wonder I love you,” she whispered. The two lovers kissed for the longest time. Finally, before getting up, Hank slid the ring onto her finger. She held it up to admire it and then they started kissing again. When their lips finally started getting sore, they arose and headed toward Frankie’s home. 

Her father heartedly embraced her and even wiped a tear from his eye. Jolene was a little more sullen but hugged her daughter and told her she loved her. Frankie excitedly showed them the diamond ring and told them Hank’s ideas about how they should get married. Sam was thrilled with the whole idea and thanked Hank for being there when he was needed. Jolene, recognizing her defeat, declared she would support whatever they decided. 

A few hours later Hank bid all a farewell and headed toward home. Aunt Nell was in her rocking chair rocking briskly back and forth in anticipation of him coming home. One look at the big smile on his face confirmed that all was well. She hugged his neck as he animatedly described the events of the day. Watching his big arms fly back and forth as he punctuated the air made her think that even big guys like Hank could float on air. 

Graduation day came and everyone gathered at the high school. Molly as always had her camera handy and snapped a picture of Frankie and Hank. After receiving their diplomas a reception for the graduates and family members was held in the cafeteria. Principal Bostian made sure everyone displayed the proper decorum. Of course, with all the parents present there was little chance of any mischievous conduct. Dancing was allowed, and in fact, encouraged. Kevin was in a friendly mood and even wished the couple the best. He was still wearing sunglasses as his black eye had not completely healed. Hank and Frankie were a little surprised, as most everyone else, to see him and Molly dancing together most of the afternoon. It was a sign of things to come.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The elderly Frankie turns another page in the photo album to reveal pictures of their wedding day. I can see in her eyes the happy memories this brings back. This was one of the happiest times she ever had. Hank said it was his happiest. And, yet, it almost became one of their worst. Jolene was outwardly supportive of the marriage plans, but as she had told Sam when he had ordered her to get into the car and shut her mouth, “This is far from being over!” She meant it and worked behind the scenes to try and destroy Frankie’s love for Hank. 

Jolene’s efforts would have had no chance on most people. But Frankie was not most people. She loved Hank, but like her mother, her heart had a vacuum in it that begged for trouble. This impulse was her charm, but at times, it brought her dangerously close to reckless ways. That was why Sam took such comfort in Hank marrying his daughter. He knew this strong man was about the only one who could control her, and at the same time, love her. Even he was to be surprised at how much Hank would have to endure. 

It had been a year since high school. Hank was busy on the farm. Frankie, her mother, and Molly were busy finalizing plans for the wedding. It was a little over a month away. Frankie had spent the last year as a freshman in the local college. To her mother’s chagrin she majored in horticulture. She figured if she was going to make her life on a farm she would need to learn all she could. As it turned out, the knowledge she learned greatly helped over the years to make their farm the most successful in the county. 

Over this time Jolene had, at least, on the surface been supportive of her daughter and the upcoming wedding. But, in the background she had been digging for any information she could use against Hank and scheming to undermine their relationship. She lucked upon something she thought would do the trick. It was during her yearly medical checkup with old Doctor Barnes. He had delivered Hank when he was born as he had most of the people in the county. Now, well into his eighties he was not as diligent at maintaining privileged information as he had been in his younger days. Jolene used her sly tricks to find out something she felt she could use to her advantage. Doc Barnes was no match for her charm, especially now as he was older and his lips were looser. In fact, not only did he tell her things about Hank and his family, but she learned many of the dirty little secrets about other families in the county. With nearly everyone else this knowledge would simply be interesting gossip at the most, but with her, knowledge was power. 

She planned her assault on two fronts. Her first was to talk to Kevin. She knew no matter how much he appeared to no longer care for Frankie he still had a soft place in his heart for her. If for no other reason than she was the only girl he had wanted and who had turned him down every time. He was just like his father. Money brought or bought friends and lovers. The only thing left was ego and Frankie was the one person who refused to stroke Kevin’s. 

It was the middle of the afternoon when she pulled up to the Musselwhite mansion. Kevin and Molly were tossing basketballs on the court in the backyard. Jolene paused for a moment to watch the couple. It almost made her sick to think it could easily be Frankie playing with Kevin instead of Molly. Her daughter would never know what she was missing out on. 

“Hey, you two!” she yelled as she rounded the house. They stopped and looked somewhat surprised as they were bewildered as to why she would be coming to see them.

“Uh, hello, Mrs. McDowell,” said Molly. “What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to come by and see how you two are doing,” she lied. “I haven’t been out here in quite awhile.”

“It’s been a long time,” reflected Kevin. “My Dad’s not here.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” she said. “I really wanted to speak with you, Kevin.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you,” she reasserted. “Molly, I don’t want to sound rude, but could you be a dear and give Kevin and me a few minutes?”

“Well, I guess so…”

“Good. I’m sure you can find something to do in that big old house of Kevin’s,” she declared. “My, what it must be like to live in such luxury like that. Molly, you’re one lucky girl. Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

“Okay,” muttered Molly. “I’ll be in there…uh…watching TV. I guess.” 

The two watched her gather her things and walk toward the house. When she was out of earshot Kevin smiled and said, “Well, you seem to be rather forceful today, Mrs. McDowell.”

“Oh, please, Kevin, call me Jolene,” she laughed. “Mrs. McDowell sounds so old.”

“Okay, Jolene, so why did you want to speak to me?” he asked as he took a seat on the bench beside the basketball court.

She took a long look at the virile young man and her heart almost skipped a beat. How could Frankie ignore his advances and settle for a nobody like Hank? It defied all logic. “I’ll get right to the point. I want you to help me stop Frankie from marrying that farmer boy.” 

Kevin raised an eyebrow as he contemplated what he had just been told. He knew Jolene had never been fond of her future son-in-law, but he never considered she would try to undermine their wedding. “Okay, you have my attention,” he declared.

“I just want you to treat her nice. That’s all,” she offered.

He sat stunned for a moment and then protested, “I do try to treat her that way, but it never works.”

“Well, I know you think you’ve tried, but you really haven’t,” she declared. “You’re too used to heavy handed tactics. Those will never work with Frankie. Believe me I’ve tried. They’ve never worked for me either.”

“I don’t think I’ve treated her rough,” he protested. “It’s just she won’t listen to reason. I get so frustrated!”

“I know. I know,” agreed Jolene as she tried to reassure his bruised ego. “She’s been that way since she was a baby. No matter what you do, if you try to force her, she’ll fight back every time.”

“Then what do I do?” he asked.

“Well, first of all, never get mad at her,” offered Jolene. “I know it’ll be hard, but no matter what happens, no matter what she says, you can never let her know it bothers you. You’ve got to treat her as a queen.”

“That’s asking a lot,” he declared.

“Yes, it is,” she agreed. “But it’s the only way you can win her trust and eventually her love. It’s the only way you can get her to forget about Hank.”

“Well, I don’t know…”

“Look,” she interrupted. “You can do it. I know you can do anything you put your mind to. You’re just like your father.”

“Oh, I’m sure I can,” he asserted. “It’s simply a matter of whether I really want to or not. She’s not the only fish in the ocean. Look at Molly. She’s thrilled to be with me.”

“That’s true,” she agreed. “But she is the only one who’s ever turned you down and now you have the opportunity to make her beg for your attention.”

“You really think so?” he asked as he envisioned Frankie clinging to his leg and begging for his forgiveness for rejecting his advances over the years.

“I know so,” Jolene declared. “It’s all she ever really wanted. She needs someone to treat her as gold. Hank does and she loves him. If you do it then she’ll love you, too.”

“You want me to believe she’ll just up and leave Hank cause I treat her nice,” he scoffed. “That’s quite a stretch.”

“Not when I get through with him,” she asserted as she smiled at the prospect of putting Hank in his proper place.

“Okay, so I’ll wine and dine her and she’ll be mine,” laughed Kevin.

“No,” ordered Jolene. “She’d see through that in a minute. Listen to me, Kevin. All you have to do is be her friend. That’s all.”

“Her friend?”

“Yes, her friend,” she repeated. “She’ll come to you and all you have to do is be there for her.”

He thought about it for a minute and then asked, “How’s she gonna come running to me?”

“You leave that to me,” declared Jolene. 

The two looked at each other long and hard as each gave thought to what needed to be done. Finally Kevin broke the silence, “So, what do I get out of this?”

“Well, you get Frankie,” she declared. “And we both get that plowboy out of our lives.”

He sighed deeply and then said, “Well, at one time that would’ve been enough. But, not now. She’s hurt me too many times.”

“What else do you want?”

He looked her up and down from head to toe. “What do you have to offer?”

Quickly sensing his innuendo she replied, “Anything you want.”

“Anything?” he asked with a sly grin.

She folded her arms and then brought a hand to her mouth. With a twinkle in her eye she breathed, “Anything! Anything you want, Mr. Musselwhite.” 

The next morning Jolene left her house to start her second assault on ruining her daughter’s wedding plans. Frankie was busy studying for exams so she posed no threat of interfering. Sam was busy at work. Driving the long road out to Hank’s farm gave her time to go over her battle plan again. Kevin was on board and now it was time to put to use the information she had so cleverly learned from Doc Barnes. 

Aunt Nell was at the kitchen sink when she saw the car approaching down the road. It was not long before she recognized it. At first, she thought it might be Sam coming to visit Hank. Then she realized it was Jolene, and she developed a bitter taste in her mouth. 

Wiping her hands she went out on the front porch to greet her. Jolene drove right up to the gate and then hopped out. “Well, hello, Nell,” she shouted as she walked toward the house. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is, Mrs. McDowell,” agreed Nell. “What brings you all the way out here?”

“I came to see you,” she asserted. “I was hoping to catch you when Hank wasn’t around. I wanted to talk privately.”

“He’s not here,” Nell declared. “He went to town and hasn’t got back yet.”

“Good,” smiled Jolene. “Can we go inside and sit down for awhile?”

Nell summed her up for a moment and then said, “I suppose we could.” 

As she sat down on the couch Jolene declared, “I think it’s good we can talk. After all, we’re both going to be part of our extended family in a few weeks. We should get to know each other better.”

“Well, I always thought I knew about all I wanted to know about you, Mrs. McDowell,” declared Nell.

Ignoring the put down, Jolene said, “Now, now, Nell, please call me Jolene. We’re almost family.”

“Okay, Jolene,” she said as she settled into her rocking chair.

“You know, I was thinking the other day how I was soon going to have Hank as my only son-in-law,” Jolene continued. “I’ve got to know a lot about him over the past year or so. He’s a fine strong boy.”

“He’s a man, Jolene,” asserted Nell.

“Yes, he is,” she agreed. “So big and tall. The more I get to know him the more I understand why Frankie would fall in love with him. He’s such a dear.”

“Yes, I’m very proud of Hank,” agreed Nell.

“Oh, I know you are,” declared Jolene. “Why, just look at what he’s done here on this farm. I mean, I know you work hard here, too, but it just seems Hank is the engine that makes it work.”

“You’ll get no argument from me,” declared Nell as she started a gentle rocking back and forth.

“Well, I told myself I just had to learn everything I could about him,” she continued. “After all, my daughter is going to come out here and live the rest of her life with him.”

“So, what do you want to know?” asked Nell as she tried to determine if Jolene was as sincere as she appeared.

“Oh, all about him!” she laughed. “Tell me about his childhood, his likes and dislikes. Do you have any baby pictures?”

“I have a few,” replied Nell as she began to smell a rat.

“What was he like as a baby, Nell?” asked Jolene as she leaned forward in her seat. “I know his parents died when he was quite young. So, you knew him when he was a baby, didn’t you?”

“He was a normal baby,” answered Nell as she felt her defenses beginning to come to the fore. “He was bigger than usual, but other than that, he was like all other babies.”

“I’m sure he was beautiful,” she declared. “How was it again that his parents died?”

“In a car crash,” replied Nell as she stopped rocking as she started to feel uncomfortable with Jolene’s interrogation.

“You know, it’s funny you say that,” she continued. “That’s what I’ve always heard. But when I checked the old newspapers, I couldn’t find anything about their deaths. In fact, I can’t find anyone who remembers how they died. I can’t even find anyone who even remembers ever seeing them in the first place.”

“So, you’ve been checking up on us?” asked Nell as her suspicions began to materialize.

“Oh, no, no, not like that,” laughed Jolene. “I was just trying to learn more about the man my little girl loves. That’s all.”

“I see,” offered Nell as she looked at her with steely cold eyes.

“So, don’t you think it a little bit strange that there’s no mention of Hank’s parents?” she continued. “I would imagine the news of a couple dying in a terrible car crash would be front page news. It has been with other people. And especially a couple who just had a darling little boy.”

“What do you want me to say?” asked Nell as she bit her lower lip.

“How about the truth,” she declared as she quit smiling while her face turned to reflect the cold calculating person she was.

“I don’t believe I have anything further to say on the matter,” declared Nell.

“Why, Nell, we’re family here,” Jolene smirked. “I would think, at least, we could be honest with each other.”

“I believe it’s time for you to leave,” ordered Nell as she started to rise from her chair.

“So, you don’t want to tell me how Hank’s parents were brother and sister?” asked Jolene as she settled back into the couch.

Nell stopped and sat back in her chair. “There’s no need to tell you something you already know.”

“I guess not,” she agreed. “But how could they do it? I mean that’s incest and all!”

Nell looked out the window and into the distance as she gathered her thoughts and fought to control her emotions.

“My little sister wasn’t right. She was born that way. I don’t think she really understood what she was doing.”

“Why didn’t you seek help for her?” asked Jolene as she did her best to look concerned.

“My parents didn’t have the money,” replied Nell. “I didn’t have any money to help either with my husband dying the year before Hank was born. Besides, my parents were embarrassed to have a handicapped child that they couldn’t afford to properly take care of. They were proud people. So, we all pitched in and did the best we could.”

“I’m sure you did,” offered Jolene as she suppressed a smile. “And what about your brother?”

“Well, I don’t really know,” reflected Nell. “He was a boy and boys will be boys. But, I can’t blame him too much. My sister would tease him all the time. I don’t think she realized the effect that has on boys. I caught them together in the barn several times. Pa and Ma didn’t know what to do to control her. They tried but she was determined to be with him.”

“That’s so sad,” sighed Jolene.

“They finally had to send him away,” continued Nell. “He went into the army but it was too late. She was pregnant.”

“So, is she still alive?” asked Jolene.

“No, she died giving birth,” replied Nell. “Hank was too big and she was too weak. When my brother found out she was going to have a baby it was too much for him. I think he finally realized how wrong it was with what he had been doing. Or, he was afraid of what would happen when he came back home. So, one day when they were practicing crawling under a stream of bullets flying over their heads, he stood up. He stood up and that was it. They couldn’t stop shooting quick enough. He never got to see Hank.”

“That’s terrible,” offered Jolene. “Such a tragedy.”

“We weren’t going to tell my sister, but she found out,” continued Nell. “Ma couldn’t hold her tears back. Even though my sister wasn’t the brightest person she knew something terrible was wrong. One day she found Ma reading the letter from the army again and snatched it away from her and refused to give it back until Ma told her what had happened. She cried for weeks. I’m not sure she fully understood what it meant to be pregnant but she knew what death was. I think she actually loved my brother. It’s not right. It’s not natural, but it’s the truth.”

“That’s so sad,” declared Jolene.

“Well, she went down from there,” reflected Nell. “By the time Hank was ready to be born she was nothing but skin and bone. I don’t think she would have survived a normal delivery much less having a baby Hank’s size. After all that, Ma and Pa decided to move away to avoid the shame. I took over the farm and raised Hank by myself and kept their secret until now. They passed away when he was five. So, since then it’s just been him and me. It’s been hard with nobody but Hank and me.”

“I’m sure it has been. That is such a shame. He must have been devastated when you told him about them,” Jolene offered as she fought hard to hold back her delight at finding out the very information she sought.

“He doesn’t know,” Nell confessed. “He thinks his parents died in a car crash.”

“He doesn’t know?!?” Jolene asked in her best mocked surprise. “That doesn’t seem right.”

“I plan on telling him.”

“When? He’s an adult fixing to get married,” declared Jolene. “I would think he would want to know.”

“You’re right,” agreed Nell. “I should’ve told him a long time ago. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Well, you’re just gonna have to do it now,” she ordered. “My daughter needs to know what kind of freak she’s planning on marrying.”

“Hank’s not a freak!” declared Nell as she started hating herself for revealing so much to a person like Jolene. “He may be tall and big but he’s no freak.”

“That’s what you say,” asserted Jolene. “But look at him. He’s not normal. Heaven forbid if he ever wants to have children. This is something Frankie’s gonna have to think long and hard about.”

“Why, you pompous…” She stopped in mid-sentence as the cold reality of what Jolene had intended to do all along sent a shiver up her spine. “You found out about Hank’s parents, didn’t you? That’s why you came out here today.”

“Let’s just say I’ve had my suspicions,” Jolene confessed.

Nell felt sick to her stomach as she said, “There’s only two people in this whole county that know the truth about Hank. How did you get it out of him?”

“Oh, you know what they say: ‘Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead,’” laughed Jolene as she stood and walked toward the door. “So, I’m going to go home and let my daughter know what kind of man she was hoping to marry. In fact, I’m going to tell the whole world. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I let my daughter marry that inbred bastard!”

“That’s been your intention all along,” declared Nell as she fought back the tears welling up inside her. 

Jolene just shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave. In the distance she could see Hank’s truck coming up the road. She turned toward Nell and said, “Here he comes now. You might as well go ahead and tell him.” She laughed. “Tell him Sam and I don’t want him around Frankie anymore. Tell the freak it’s all over.” 

As she passed Hank she smiled and waved at him. He waved back with a perplexed look as he knew it was unusual for her to come out to the farm. She turned on the car’s radio and started singing along with the music. Things could not have gone better. Now, she could tell Frankie all about Hank’s secret past. She would be devastated and might even start to hate him as much as she did. Of course, she would be there to comfort her and dry her tears. And Kevin would be there. He would be the friend Frankie would need at such a time. With his comfort and guidance, she would recover. In time she would come to see what a mistake it was to waste her time on a freak show like Hank. In time she would come to see how much she needed Kevin Musselwhite. This was Jolene’s plan, and she had every intention of carrying it through as soon as she got home. She never got the chance. Hank did it for her. 

Nell hung up the phone as she heard Hank cut the truck’s engine off. She had called Frankie and asked her to come out to the farm. Frankie could immediately tell something was wrong. Even though busy preparing for final exams she never hesitated to rush out to her car and speed off to the farm. 

Hank came into the kitchen and said hello to Nell. At first, he did not see her crying. When he realized she was his first thought was it must be Jolene’s doing. She had him sit as she told him the truth about his parents. He asked a few questions but mainly let her tell the complete story. She apologized over and over again for not telling him when he was younger. He shook his head in disbelief as everything he had believed about his parents was shattered. 

“Hank, can you ever forgive me?” cried Aunt Nell.

“Yeah, I think so,” he responded as his thoughts raced back and forth. “I need to think.”

She finished by telling him Jolene’s reaction and what she had said about stopping the wedding and telling the whole world about his past. He bowed his head as a tear rolled down his cheek.

“Hank, I don’t know what to say,” she offered. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I don’t know either,” he said. “I need to think. I need to think long and hard.” With that said he rose and walked to the barn. Fighting his emotions he grabbed the pitchfork and slung it toward the door. The force of his throw made its prongs pierce the door and poke through to the other side. Grabbing his head he sank to the floor in a sobbing heap. 

Frankie had a bad feeling about the phone call she had received from Aunt Nell. She had never heard her speak in such a worried tone. As she sped down the highway she fought to control her imagination and keep it from running wild. Finally, she came to the farmhouse and rushed in to find Nell crying in her rocking chair. 

“Aunt Nell, what’s wrong? Where’s Hank?” she blurted out. In a rush of emotion Nell told her about her mother’s visit and the truth about Hank’s birth. Frankie sat in silence as she spoke, hardly believing what was being told. When she had finished, Frankie hugged her and told her everything would be okay. After gently kissing her on the forehead she left the house to find Hank. 

He was still in the barn sitting on the ground. Frankie quietly approached him and said, “Hank?”

He did not answer but kept staring off into the distance. She sat down beside him and slipped her arm into his. 

All his life he knew he was different from other people. There were a few guys he knew who were as tall as he was but none with his height and bulk. Over the years he had forced himself to become callous to what others had said or thought by building an inner shell he could retreat to when the insensitivity of others bore down on him. He had suffered the stares, the insults, the snickering behind his back. The shell he had built kept him sane and from harming people when they made fun of him. There were a few times he had given in to the rage, but all in all, he had led as normal a life as he could. 

He always felt he was like everyone else just bigger. Now the truth about his life weighed heavily. His parents were fleshly brother and sister. What they did was illegal, immoral, and went against everything he had ever been taught. Not only was the act that brought him into the world reprehensible, but on top of that, his mother had not been mentally stable. His father had committed suicide at the thought of bearing a child from incest and his mother practically did the same by pining herself to such a weaken state she could not endure childbirth. 

If Aunt Nell had only told him about all this when he was younger, and not kept it a secret, it would have been ancient history now as he would have grown up knowing his beginning. No one would have been able to say anything or do anything to shake his confidence. But to wait until he was grown, and about to be married, was almost too much for him to bear. On top of that, this revelation played right into the hands of the one person who was intent on stopping the wedding. Now as he sat crying and staring into the distance, he felt himself slipping deeper into his shell of protection than he had ever done so before. 

He finally realized Frankie was sitting beside him and calling his name. “Hank we can work through this together,” she was saying.

“Huh?!?”

“I said together we can get through this,” she repeated. “Who cares about all that anyway?”

“I care,” he replied.

“Well, you shouldn’t,” she declared. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal!” he said louder than he meant as he withdrew his arm away from hers. “Everybody’s right. Your mother’s right! I am a freak!”

“No, you’re not!” she shot back. “You’re the man I’m gonna marry, and you’re nowhere near being some freak show.”

“I can’t do it, Frankie. I can’t!” 

Her face dropped as his words chilled her to the bone. As long as she had known him, he had insisted on calling her by her given name, Francine, and had never called her by her nickname. He was the only one she knew to do that. She felt it made their relationship special, and it endeared him to her. This was not the Hank she had fallen in love with. It was as if she was talking to a stranger. 

She gave it one more try, “Yes, we can. Don’t think like that.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” he yelled as he bolted to his feet. “I don’t need this! I don’t need anybody!!”

“Hank, please don’t talk like that,” she pleaded.

“I’m telling you I don’t need anybody! I’ve made it all these years being a misfit and not caring. I’ll go to my grave not caring what other people think,” he continued yelling. “I don’t care!! I simply do not care.”

“I care,” she blurted as she started crying.

He looked at her with the coldest stare she had ever seen. It made her shrink back in fear.

“I don’t need anybody!!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. The noise startled the two cows in the barn with them and they kicked their stalls. “I don’t need you!”

“Hank, you can’t mean that,” she cried.

“Get out!” he ordered. “I don’t need you. I don’t need anybody!”

“Hank, I’m not going to leave,” she declared. 

Before she could react two big hands grabbed her arms and lifted her into the air. Staring into his face full of rage she was as scared as she had ever been in her life. “Get out!!” he breathed between clinched teeth. 

Regaining as much composure as she could muster, she forcefully and firmly said, “Put me down.”

His head shook as he fought to control his raging emotions. After a moment’s hesitation he sat her back on her feet. She turned toward the barn door, stopped, and without turning around declared, “If I leave, I’m not coming back.”

When he did not reply she steadily walked toward her car. Aunt Nell came down the steps from the house as she opened the car door. Crying and unable to say anything she pulled the engagement ring off her finger and handed it to Nell. She jumped into the car and sped off down the highway. 

All Nell could do was mouth, “Oh, no!” She clutched her chest and fell back onto the steps. Burying her head in her apron she cried until she could cry no more. 

The next day, right on time, Kevin arrived at the McDowell residence. Jolene met him at the door and kissed him on the cheek. “She’s up in her room,” she offered. “Now, remember, be gentle. Be her friend.” Kevin just smiled and nodded his head. 

At the top of the stairs, he peered into Frankie’s room. She was sitting on her bed clutching a box of tissues. He gently knocked on the door frame and asked, “May I come in?”

With a startled look she said, “Oh. I really don’t want to see anyone.”

“I know,” he agreed as he took a step into her room. “I didn’t come by to stay long. I just wanted you to know I heard what happened and I’m sorry he did that to you.”

She looked at him as her emotions rushed to the surface again. She cried, “I love him so much.”

Kevin came over and sat beside her. He gently put his arm around her and said in the most comforting tone he could, “I know. I thought you two made a good couple.”

“You did?” she blubbered. “I thought you didn’t like him.”

“Oh, you know me,” he laughed. “I’m a jealous guy. But you loved him, and that tells me there must be something special about him. I was wrong to treat him the way I did.”

“Oh, Kevin, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she wept as she buried her head into his shoulder.

“You’ll get through this,” he offered as he stroked her hair. “I know it hurts. But, you’ve got your dad and mom, and you’ve got Molly and me. We’ll help you get through it.”

“I made a mistake,” she declared. “I thought I had found the man of my dreams, but…”

“Now, now, there’s no need to go beating yourself up,” he interrupted. “We all get hurt sometime. It’ll pass. I’ll help you.” 

She got up and went to her dresser to get another box of tissues. Kevin stood and walked to the door. “I stayed longer than I meant to. If you need me don’t hesitate to call.” He turned to leave when she said, “Kevin?” He turned back and she gave a weak smile, “Thank you.” He smiled back and then started down the stairs. 

Jolene was still at the front door waiting. She watched him descend the stairs with eager anticipation. He nodded his head and gave her a thumbs-up. She clapped her hands together and gave him a hug. “You’re the best,” she whispered.

“Yes, I am,” he said with a silly grin as he headed toward his car. 

It had been a little over a week since Hank and Frankie had broken up. She had been miserable but was finally starting to show some life. This was due in large part to the loving and tender attention she was getting from Kevin. He had surprised her. She had always looked upon him as an egotistical and spoiled rich kid. Now, she was starting to see a different side of him. One that was tender and caring. A side she liked and one she could easily come to love. He was nothing like she had thought he was. Of course, she was wrong. It was just an act. All was proceeding just as her mother had planned. 

Jolene could not have been happier. Her daughter was not going to marry Hank, and if things continued going as they had been there was the distinct possibility Frankie would wind up becoming Mrs. Kevin Musselwhite. Then Jolene would have the opportunity to tap into a wealthy son-in-law’s estate. Finally, all the money that would have been hers if she had toughed it out with Kevin’s father would be at her fingertips. The money would be hers and she would get it without enduring an abusive life with Jason Musselwhite. A smile was either on her lips or just below the surface all the time. Life was good. 

On the other hand, Sam McDowell did not feel right about the whole situation. Hank and Frankie had too much love for each other to let something like this pull them apart. A love like theirs was special. It was rare and could endure far more than this. He had the feeling there was something going on and he could not quite put his finger on it. Being a practical person it bothered him as to what could have really happened and it bothered him because he was not sure what he could do about it. He spent his spare time trying to piece things together but they just would not fit. At one point he started to go and talk to Hank but decided it would be best to wait awhile and let things settle down. Adding to the mystery was Kevin being there every evening when he came home from work. And Kevin was acting like a perfect gentleman. All this was hard to figure. Then he had a visitor and everything fell into place. 

He was busy working at his desk in his downtown hardware store when he heard the bell above the front door ring as someone entered. It was Molly. He could tell she was upset. Her eyes were puffy, no doubt from crying. 

“Well, hello, Molly,” he said as cheerful as he could. She looked around to make sure they were alone in the store.

“Hello, Mr. McDowell,” she replied. “Can we talk?”

“Sure,” he agreed as he ushered her to a seat beside his desk. 

Through emotion and anger she told what she knew, and she knew a lot. Kevin was never one to keep his mouth shut when he had the opportunity to brag about something. One night after a few beers he could not resist telling her what Jolene had done and how they worked together to win Frankie’s trust and make her forget about Hank. Sam listened intently and fought the rage that was building inside him. He knew something was dreadfully wrong, but he never imagined his wife would sink this low in trying to manipulate their daughter. It made him mad, and it made him want to plot his own revenge. 

After Molly finished telling all she knew he sat in stunned silence. Finally, he asked, “Why did you decide to come and tell me this? You could’ve stayed quiet and no one would’ve known.”

“I know,” she agreed as she bit her lip to help control her emotions. “But I could see the writing on the wall. If this keeps going then it’s not gonna be long before Kevin dumps me for Frankie.”

“He’s a cad!” declared Sam.

“Yes, he is,” she agreed. “But, as bad as he can get, I love him Mr. McDowell. He can be rude and crude and everything that anybody’s ever said about him, but there’s something about him. I don’t know. He flips a switch in me or something. I can’t explain it.”

Sam smiled and offered, “He doesn’t know how lucky he is.”

“Well, I know Frankie and I have been friends since we were kids,” she continued. “And I know she would never deliberately take Kevin from me, but I don’t believe she knows what’s she’s doing. Kevin’s catching her on the rebound and he’s using every trick he can to make her fall in love with him.”

“Molly, I believe you’re far wiser than your years would lead us to believe,” observed Sam as he stood when he heard a customer coming through the door.

“Here,” she said as she handed him a folder. “Look at this when you have time.”

“I will,” he agreed as he took the file. “Molly, thank you for coming here today. I know it wasn’t easy.”

“Mr. McDowell all I ask is to please stop them,” she said as she prepared to leave. “I want Kevin back and Frankie needs to be with Hank.”

“Once again, you’re right,” he offered. “Leave it to me.” 

Later in the day when he arrived home Frankie was upstairs in her bedroom. He did not bother to go to the kitchen to say hello to his wife, but, instead, headed up the staircase and marched unannounced into Frankie’s room. She was startled as he had always knocked before entering.

“Young lady, we’re gonna talk,” he declared.

“Yes, sir,” she said as she was taken aback by his abrupt and stern manner.

“I want to know something,” he said as he plopped down on the end of her bed. “I want to know what you are doing sitting here in this room.”

“I’m waiting on Kevin,” she answered as she was still perplexed by her father’s behavior. “We’ve got a date.”

“Exactly!” he declared as he crossed his arms in disgust. “You’re sitting here waiting on an asshole like Kevin when you should be out on the farm with Hank!”

“Daddy!” she shrieked in disbelief at his choice of words.

“You heard me!” he continued. “No matter how good you now think Kevin is, no matter how good he’s acting toward you, no matter how many gifts he showers on you, he’s still the same son of a bitch who used to try to intimidate you into liking him and then would do his best to humiliate you when you turned him down.”

“Daddy!” she said again as she was not used to her father speaking this harsh.

“You don’t love him. You never have and never will,” he declared. “The man you love is out on his farm, a broken man, who needs you by his side and all you can do is sit in this room and let a dick head like Kevin Musselwhite sucker you into falling for him.”

“Daddy! How can you say that?” she cried.

“Easy, because it’s the truth,” he declared. “You know as well as I do that Hank is a broken man. He’s found out things that, well, maybe a person ought not to know. He loves you and what did you do? Did you stay there by his side and help him through this? Hell no, girl! You tucked your dress between your legs and went running home to mommy and daddy. Some wife you’d make!”

“How can you say that? He told me to leave.”

“Yes, he did,” Sam agreed as he started to calm down from his ranting. “Do you think he really meant it?” He gently placed his arm around his daughter. “Deep down inside you, do you think he meant it?”

“No. I don’t know,” she sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek. “It was pretty frightening. I was scared.”

“I know, honey,” he said as soothing as he could. “I bet Hank’s scared, too. That’s all the more the reason you two need each other.”

“Are you sure, Daddy?”

Ignoring her question he continued, “You know I like Hank. I really do. Over the years I’ve wondered what kind of man my little girl would marry one day. I knew I wanted him to be a special person. I knew he could never love her as much as I do, but I wanted him to try. I wanted him to protect her and make her happy. I hoped he and I could be friends, after all, we would love the same woman. That’s what I’ve wanted, but I was never sure it would happen, that is, until you brought Hank home to meet us. I like him. He’s my friend.”

“What am I gonna do, Daddy?” she asked as the sniffles returned.

“Get in the car,” he ordered.

“What?!?” she mouthed.

“I said get in the car, girl,” he ordered again.

“Are you sure, Daddy? I mean, uh…”

“Get in the car, girl. Time’s a wasting.” 

Jolene answered the door as the chimes faded away. Kevin entered carrying a bouquet of flowers. She looked at them and said, “Nice touch.”

“Look, I’ve been thinking,” he declared. “Tonight I’m gonna ask Frankie to marry me.”

“No, no, no,” she protested. “It’s too soon, Kevin. She’s not ready. You’ve got to keep spinning your magic and she’ll eventually come around.”

“Well, I’m not used to waiting for something I want,” he sulked. “And I’ll tell you, I’m not gonna wait much longer. I’m tired of all this sweet talk and lovey-dovey stuff. For Christsake, much more of it and I’m gonna puke.”

“Please just be patient,” she begged. “You’re getting there. It won’t be long.” 

They quit talking when they heard Sam and Frankie coming down the stairs. Half way down Sam said to them, “She’s not going out with you tonight, Kevin.”

“What?!?” muttered Jolene and Kevin at the same time.

“We’ve got a date!” protested Kevin.

“Tough!” Sam declared. “Frankie, get in the car.”

“But…”

“Get over it, boy,” sneered Sam as he opened the door.

“Where’re you going?” yelled Jolene as Sam and Frankie stepped off the front porch.

“We’re gonna go help a friend,” he shouted back. Then he stopped and turned to look at them. With a sneer he said, “Why don’t you two just…well…why don’t you just do whatever it is you two do?” 

Nell met them as they drove up to the farm. Sam opened his door and climbed out while Frankie sat in the front passenger seat.

“Hello, Nell.”

“Howdy, Sam,” she replied as he gave her a hug.

“How are you making it?” he asked as he kept his arm around her.

“Well, they’re good days and bad days,” she replied. “Mostly bad days, though.”

Sam shook his head and said, “I can only imagine. Where’s Hank?”

“He’s where he is most days now, in the barn,” she answered.

“So, he hasn’t snapped out of it yet, huh?”

“No, he hasn’t,” she answered. “I’m beginning to wonder if he ever will. He hasn’t spoke over a dozen words to me since he found out. I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, I’d like to talk to him, if you don’t mind keeping Frankie company a little while,” he declared.

“Sure,” she agreed. “Just please be careful, Sam. He’s not himself. I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“I will.” 

Sam walked through the barn door and found Hank pitching hay for his horses. He looked around a bit and then said, “Hey.” Hank looked at him and then continued working without saying anything.

“What? You not even gonna talk to me?” he asked as he crossed his arms.

Hank took a long deep breath and without stopping he replied, “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“You figured I wouldn’t come out here to see you? I thought you knew me better than that,” he declared. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“Nope.”

“Okay, then, you take care,” he said as he turned to leave. He stopped at the door and turned back to face Hank. “I just need to know one thing.” Hank kept on working and did not look at him. “What does it feel like to be an inbred bastard?”

Hank momentarily stopped and then went back to pitching hay without answering. Sam continued, “That is what you are, isn’t it?”

“If you say so,” Hank muttered.

“Yep, that’s what I say,” agreed Sam. “In fact, the whole city says so; no…the whole county says so.”

“That’s what I figured,” Hank mumbled.

“But I’ll tell you, Hank,” Sam continued as he moved closer. “It’s one thing to be born that way, but it’s a whole different matter to act that way.”

Hank stopped working and leaned on the pitchfork. “I think you’d better leave.”

“Okay, I’m leaving,” he said as he threw an arm up to signal goodbye. He moved even closer. “But, I must tell you, I’m glad you’re not marrying my daughter. She loves you but I thank God every day you ran her off. I mean, I could accept her marrying a natural born bastard, but for her to want to marry someone like you, a bastard through and through, well, that’s a little more than I’m willing to take.”

Hank dropped the pitchfork and turned to face him. “You better get!”

“Okay, I’m leaving, I’m leaving,” he said as he shook his head and looked at the ground. “I mean, you’ve got to be the talk of the whole county. I haven’t read the paper today, but I bet you, you’ve got to be on the front page.”

Hank started breathing heavily as blood rushed to his head as he filled with rage. Sam swallowed hard and then continued, “I bet the headline read: ‘Henry Elroy Mason— Bastard of the Month!’ I can see it now! The article tells about how Hank Mason’s mother was as dumb as a doorknob. She was good looking but stupid. Her brother, Hank’s father, not being bright himself, took her and banged her until their little inbred bastard was conceived!”

“Stop it!!” Hank yelled.

“Yeah, and then Hank’s daddy goes off to the army and when he finds out his sister is bearing his child, what does he do? Like the dumb ass he was, he gets himself killed so he wouldn't have to come home and face the music,” declared Sam as he started yelling as Hank took a step toward him. “And his sister? Poor thing, too dumb to know better, she just wastes away until her body can’t endure bearing a child. Poor…poor thing. Then there you are…the bastard you are…left with no parents, no home, just a widowed aunt to raise you. You’ve got to agree, it would’ve been far, far better if you’d just died right there on the table with your dumb, stupid mother!” 

Hank gave a loud grunt and lunged for him. Sam was older but he was nimble. He easily sidestepped the human freight train and even slapped him on the back as he lumbered forward. With surprising speed for a man his size Hank spun around and swung a huge fist aimed at Sam’s jaw. He barely ducked under it feeling the force graze the hair on the top of his head. The momentum carried Hank around to where Sam jumped up on his back. He clamped his arms around Hank’s neck and hung on for dear life. Hank swung back and forth trying to dislodge him but he held tight. With a loud yell he backed until he crushed Sam against the side of the building. Leaning forward he banged him again into the side. When Sam did not let go he smashed him again into the wall. Gasping to breathe Sam could see the inside of the barn start spinning around as he fought to get his bearings. Stepping away from the side, Hank gave a loud shout and with all his might plunged backward in an attempt to crush Sam against the wall once and for good. Sam timed his movement to when Hank started going backwards he let go of Hank’s neck and fell to the ground. Not being able to stop, Hank tripped over the crouching Sam and banged hard into the wall. All the pounding on the wall finally dislodged an overhead hammer that had been hanging on a hook and it came crashing down on the top of his head. He looked stunned for a moment and then in slow motion slid down to the ground and sat there staring off into space. Sam gingerly rolled out of the way and laid on his back looking up at the top of the inside of the barn. 

There was several minutes of silence as the two men slowly regained their senses. Finally, Hank gave a huff and said, “You’re scrappier than you look.”

With a tinge of pain Sam replied, “Yeah? Well, you are as tough as you look.” 

Hank started snickering but it quickly turned to weeping as a lifetime of anguish and bitterness rushed to the surface. By retreating into his emotional shell, he had become something totally contrary to what he really was. The gentle giant had become a sullen and angry monster capable of driving everyone away who cared for him by hateful words and violent actions. Sitting on the ground with a knot on his head his emotional fortitude ruptured, and he wailed, “Sam, what am I going to do?”

Sam rolled over to his side in an attempt to get up. “Things are broken, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed.”

“Sam, I’m an inbred bastard and everyone knows it!” he cried.

“Yeah, you are,” Sam agreed. “So?”

“I can’t handle it anymore,” he continued. “I can’t take the stares, the snickering…the scared looks!” 

With more effort than he wanted to exert Sam pushed himself up and moved to sit beside Hank. He let him bury his big head in his shoulder and weep. They cried together. He knew this was what Hank needed and he finally said, “You know, I’ve done a lot of thinking over the past week.”

“Me, too,” Hank blubbered.

“Do you believe the Good Book about Adam and Eve?” he asked as Hank straighten to a more comfortable position.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Now, as far as I can figure they were kin,” he continued. “I mean the Lord did take one of his ribs and make her out of it.”

“Yeah, well…”

“And then what about their kids?” he interrupted. “When they grew up whom did they marry?”

“Well, I guess each other…”

“Yeah, they had to ‘cause they were the only ones around,” Sam continued. “So, you had brothers and sisters making babies just like your parents did.”

“Yeah, but…”

“And according to the Good Book we all got our start from Adam and Eve and all those brothers and sisters,” he offered. “Am I thinking right, here?”

“Yeah, but…”

“So, Hank, when you look at the facts of the matter, it seems to me we all are inbred,” he declared. “Adam and Eve were kin, their kids were definitely kin, and we all came from them. Yep, we’re all a bunch of inbreeds! A whole lot of us are bastards, too.”

“Yeah, but that was way back yonder,” objected Hank. “Things are different now. People don’t look at it that way, now.”

“No, they don’t,” he agreed. “Incest is illegal, immoral, and everything else bad you can say about it. It can cause a whole lot of problems for any children that come from it. But, if it wasn’t for it none of us would be here, would we? People blind themselves to that fact. That’s okay. But when you and I look at them we can think what we want. We know the truth.” 

Hank put his hand to his mouth as he started snickering. Then he soberly said, “So, you really don’t believe all those things you said about my dad and mom?”

“Nah, but you did,” he answered. “That’s why you got so mad when I said them. I mean what happened to them was what happened. Nobody can change that. But I don’t think they were bad people.”

“You’re right,” agreed Hank. “I’ve thought they were the most terrible people and I figured other folks saw it the same way.”

“I knew you thought that because that’s the way you’ve been acting,” Sam continued. “So, I figured I could use it to get you mad enough to break through that shell you’d built around you.”

“You were thinking right,” offered Hank. “It worked.”

“Yep, I’m glad it did,” he asserted as his banged up back stiffened. “I’ll tell you something else I’ve been thinking.”

“What’s that?”

“No matter how high and mighty we think we are…no matter how elite we are and no matter how much people look up to us with awe and respect, we all are the same when it comes to one thing: We can never be really sure who our ancestors are,” he declared as he shifted to ease the growing pain in his back.

“How’s that?”

“I mean we can look like our parents,” he asserted. “Families can look alike, but you never know. Even with all this DNA testing nowadays, who can really say who our ancestors were two or three hundred or more years ago? Records may show one thing, but how do we know for sure?”

“That’s an interesting point.”

Sam continued, “Just because this woman was married to this man doesn’t mean he’s the father of her children. It happens all the time now, so you’ve got to believe it’s happened a lot over time. So, it appears to me none of us have much room for bragging about our own heritage or belittling someone else about theirs.”

“You’re right, Sam.”

“It’s probably best if we all just accept each other for what we are now,” he declared. “That’s about all we can do.”

“But you know that’s not the way it is,” asserted Hank. “I know from personal experience how people are and now with this, I just don’t know anymore.”

“I believe you underestimate a lot of folks,” he observed. “Oh, I know there’s those who act like they don’t have a lick of sense, but most folks like you. I do. They respect you, Hank, or, they did until you went and broke my little girl’s heart. That’s the first time I’ve heard people say something bad about you.”

“I’ve made a mess, haven’t I?” declared Hank as he hung his head in shame.

“Well, yeah you did,” he agreed. “But she loves you and you can fix it. But you’ve got to fix something else, too.”

“What’s that?”

“You’ve got to fix it with your Aunt Nell,” he declared. “You hurt her real bad, Hank.”

“But, she lied to me!” protested Hank.

“Yep, she did,” he agreed. “She’s guilty of lying. But you know what else she’s guilty of?”

“What?”

“She’s guilty of taking you when you had no one else and raising you as if you were her own son,” he offered. “She’s guilty of giving you a good foundation in life. She’s guilty of teaching you what’s right and what’s good. She’s guilty of giving you this farm and of giving you a way to earn a living. She’s guilty of loving you. Yep, she’s guilty all right. It’s no wonder you hate her.”

“I don’t hate her,” Hank confessed. “I just…oh, I don’t know.”

“It’s not easy, is it?” he asked as he stood with a grunt.

“No, it’s not.”

“That’s why we need each other,” he offered. “It’s too hard on a fellow to make it by himself.”

The barn door creaked open as Nell and Frankie peered cautiously inside.

“Come on in,” motioned Sam.

“I sorry, Daddy, but we heard some awful crashing noise and then we didn’t hear anything,” offered Frankie.

“We got worried,” chimed in Nell.

“Well, as you can see everything’s okay,” declared Sam. Hank stood as Frankie turned to walk back to the car. He said in the gentle voice she had come to love, “Francine?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry!”

She ran with all her might and leapt into his arms. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt…”

His words were muted as she smothered his mouth with kisses. 

Sam took Nell’s arm and said, “Come on Nell, I believe these two have some talking to do.”

“Yep,” she agreed as they left the barn. “I’m sure they’ll get around to talking eventually.”

Sam laughed and grunted, “Yeah.”

Nell stopped and looked at him, “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he said. “It’s just my back.”

“What happened?” she asked.

He scratched the back of his head and replied, “Oh, I must’ve tripped and banged it against the side of the barn.”

She took his arm again as they started walking. “Umm-huh. How many times?”

“Three.” 

Frankie and Hank finally did get around to talking. He kept apologizing for acting like a jerk and she kept reassuring him how much she loved him and all that mattered was that they were together. They came to the house and told Sam and Nell the wedding was back on. Hank hugged and kissed Aunt Nell and told her how sorry he was and how grateful he was that she had raised him when she did not have to. He kept going on until she told him to shut up and sit down to eat dinner. Frankie said she wanted to stay for a while and Hank agreed to bring her home later in the evening. Sam bid everyone goodbye and drove toward his home. 

Other than being sore for a few days he felt everything had turned out great. Hank was back to being the normal guy everybody liked. His daughter was still going to marry the man she loved. What more could he want? Now, what to do about his wife? She had done some very bad things. He was determined she would not get away with it. This would take some thinking. He was glad it was a long drive back home. It gave him time to make his plans. 

The wedding day came, as all wedding days do, quicker than expected. Hank and Aunt Nell were busy getting him all spruced up and the McDowell household was a busy hive of activity. Molly was Frankie’s maid of honor and she was busy helping her with the last minute details. Jolene surprised Sam by actually being helpful and showing real support for the wedding. He was not sure if she was being sincere and actually showing remorse over what she had tried to do, or, probably closer to the truth, laying low until she could figure out another way to wreck havoc in Hank and Frankie’s life. Even Kevin was being a gentleman. He seemed to be genuinely happy as he and Molly announced their engagement. But, with him Sam never knew for sure. He was not to be trusted. 

Hank had asked Mr. Bostian, the high school principal, to be his best man. He was caught by surprise but agreed to it. Mr. Bostian and Sam were the closest Hank ever had to a real father. Of course, Sam was giving the bride away so it fell upon Mr. Bostian. He was actually quite honored at being asked and took his duties seriously, as he did everything. Right on time he showed up at the farm and escorted Nell and Hank to the chapel. 

It was a gala event with all the usual giddiness and nervous chatter. Hank looked as uncomfortable as anyone ever had in his tuxedo. At one point he started to swoon and was about to faint until Mr. Bostian sternly said, “Mr. Mason! Snap out of it!” This was enough to bring him around and he made it through the ceremony without further incident. 

After everyone had settled in their seats Jolene and Aunt Nell took theirs at the front. Jolene gave her a big smile while Nell acknowledged her with a nod of her head and poison darts shooting from her eyes. 

Molly took her place in front of Frankie in preparation for the walk to the altar. She was happy for Hank and Frankie. Things had worked out the way they should. Now, with Frankie permanently out of the picture Kevin had no reason not to marry her. She knew that was why he had finally come around to asking her. It was that and the fact she was the one person who knew all his dirty little secrets. Marriage was the best way to keep her quiet. She breathed a breath of satisfaction as she started down the aisle. 

Frankie was a vision of loveliness. Everyone there agreed she was the most beautiful bride in memory. She was beautiful and she was happy. That combination always made her the envy of every woman and the focus of every man. 

Beaming from ear-to-ear Sam proudly walked her down the aisle and gave her hand to Hank. After they had been pronounced husband and wife, he bent down to kiss her when she stopped him. She said “Let’s do it like we always do” before leaping into his arms and wrapping hers around his neck. The audience roared their approval as Mr. and Mrs. Henry Elroy Mason shared their first kiss. 

After the ceremony and the customary pictures everyone gathered in the reception hall for dinner and dancing. One girl, a rising senior, came over and performed a few provocative dance moves in front of Mr. Bostian. Everyone laughed at the uncomfortable look on his face. Despite his good-natured attempt, he made a mental note to look up the girl’s name when they returned to school. Then it would be her turn to be uncomfortable. 

The evening wore on and after toasts and the throwing of the bouquet the dancing began. Sam and Jolene were dancing a slow waltz when he whispered in her ear, “I know what you did.” She was startled for a moment and then asked, “What are you talking about?” Still dancing he said, “I know about your visit to the farm and what you tried to do.” He could feel her brace herself as she nervously asked, “Whatever are you talking about, Mr. McDowell?” 

He looked squarely in her face and declared, “I know how you weaseled Hank’s family history out of old Dr. Barnes. I know you went to the farm with the intention of causing so much trouble it would scare Hank out of marrying Frankie. I know you talked Kevin into being all sweet and caring in an attempt to have Frankie fall in love with him. You’ve tried to keep it a secret, but I know all about it.”

She gave a weak smile and asked, “So, since you know all this what are you going to do about it?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?!?”

“Not this time,” he revealed. “If it ever happens again I’m going to divorce you and tell Frankie, Hank, and the whole world what you did. You’ll lose me and your daughter, not to mention any future grandchildren.”

She stopped dancing for a moment and then laughed, “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am. Very much so,” he stated. “I wonder how long you’d last with no husband, no home, no money, and no job. You’ve been too dependent on me. Without me your whole world would collapse.”

She smirked, “Be careful what you threaten, Mr. McDowell. Women half as smart as me have taken their exes to the cleaners in a divorce court.”

“Yep, that’s true,” he agreed. “But you’re not going to do that to me.”

“You sound pretty sure of yourself,” she asserted with a snicker.

“I am,” he said. “Have you noticed how good Molly is at taking pictures? She’s always got a camera with her.”

Jolene felt her blood run cold as Sam reached into his coat pocket and brought out a picture Molly had included in the folder she had given him the day she came by his hardware store. Handing it to her he said, “I don’t know if it really does you and Kevin justice with it being a little blurry, but there’s no mistaking it’s you two, and there’s no doubt as to where his hand is.”

All she could do was look at him, He continued, “That one’s yours, you can have it. There’s plenty more. They show you two doing a whole lot more than that one. Molly has them and so does my lawyer.”

“You have a lawyer?” she nervously asked.

“I do now,” he replied. “He assured me with his expertise and this evidence you’d be left with very little, if anything at all.”

She bit her lower lip and struggled to find words to say. Before she could speak, he said, “Think about it” and turned and left the dance floor. She stood there for a moment before rushing to the rest room to throw up. 

The evening came to a close and the happy couple were whisked away on their honeymoon. Sam footed the bill as he still had money left over from Frankie not going away to the big university. Years later, after her mother had passed away, he told Frankie what she had tried to do and how it was thwarted. He was afraid she would be upset that he waited so long to tell her the truth about her mother, but she was not. She was appreciative of the fact she had a chance to become close to her mother before she died, and if she had known, it would have caused a rift that would have driven them permanently apart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frankie closes her eyes for a minute to enjoy the memories of those days and the first few years of marriage. I can tell by the satisfied look on her face these were the times she cherished. She opens her eyes when I touch her hand and smiles at me. Even the few wrinkles she now bears cannot diminish her beauty when she is happy. Returning her attention to the photo album she turns the page to reveal a collection of pictures of the farm and of her and Hank’s life. They are followed by pictures she and Molly took as they circumvented the globe on their world travels. 

Hank was happy raising wheat, corn, milking cows, and riding horses. She did her best to fit in. Each weekday she would make the trip to town to attend college. 

She loved Hank but town was where she enjoyed being. Even though she studied hard in school to learn farming, to her farm life was an isolated life. She reveled in the excitement of city life and especially the college campus scene. By her senior year she was spending more time in the city living at her parents house than she was on the farm. Hank begrudgingly tolerated this, as he did all of her wild impulses, but he fully expected she would stay on the farm once she had graduated. 

When the day came, she tried to talk him into moving to the city. He would not budge. Farming was all he knew and he was not interested in starting a new career. Besides, he felt obligated to stay there and help look after Aunt Nell. She had given him the farm and he felt it would be ungrateful to sell it out from under her and move her to town. 

Frankie sulked and pouted for a while. This was the time Hank came to realize that even though she loved him her heart was not always with him. She desired things he could not or would not provide for her. It caused a division between them and led both of them to wonder if their marriage was a mistake. Time and circumstances had done what Jolene could not. 

Many couples when faced with a deteriorating relationship will take drastic actions in hope of rekindling their romance. Too many will decide to have a baby just to bring them together. This usually works for awhile, but once the thrill of a newborn wears thin they are left facing the same problems they had and now matters are more complicated because a child is involved. So, it was to be expected that Frankie decided what she and Hank needed was a baby. 

Hank was dead set against it. He was still dogged by the knowledge of how he was conceived. One of his greatest fears was to produce a child with some genetic defect due to his parents being siblings. He had made this clear to Frankie even before the wedding and at the time she was sympathetic. Now, as she saw her and Hank drifting ever more apart she was desperate to try anything to bring the old spark back into their marriage. Having a baby seemed to be the easiest and best thing to do. 

No matter how much she cajoled, pouted, yelled, or even threatened, Hank would not give in. She finally asked him if he was willing to end their marriage over it. He did not reply but simply turned away. Later in the day he talked to her about their problems. He told her he understood her need to go places and do exciting things. It was simply not his style or wish to do those things. He suggested she talk to Molly and see if they could travel together and see the world several times a year. It was his hope this would fill the vacuum in Frankie’s heart for the better things in life. After mulling it over for awhile she agreed it would be a good thing to do. She secretly hoped that being away from Hank and the farm would make her want it more when she came back. 

Molly thought it was a great idea. The only things she liked better than palling around with Frankie was being away from Kevin and spending his money. This seemed to take care of all the things she liked. 

She and Kevin got married about six months after Hank and Frankie. If she had any hope of Kevin changing for the better after the wedding, she was quickly disappointed. He was still the same egotistical brat he had always been. But she loved him, and she loved the life he provided. Two years after they were married his father, Jason, drown while deep sea fishing. A surprise storm arose, and he was thrown overboard by a gigantic wave. The ship’s crew desperately looked for him, but he was never found. 

Kevin, being the only child, inherited all Jason’s estate as he and Kevin’s mother had been divorced for years. With unhindered access to wealth he became the scourge of the county. Most people had overlooked his father’s obnoxious ways because at times he would actually do decent things for the community. Kevin did not care for anything but his immediate gratification. This caused him to treat people with disdain, break promises he made, and demand everyone cater to his every whim. The only calming influence in his life was Molly and that was because in his youth he had revealed to her things he had done, that if became public knowledge, would ruin him financially and possibly result in him spending the better part of his life in prison. Of course, even that threat did not keep him from using her as a punching bag from time to time. His anger could be great and she was an easy target. She never had a good explanation as to why she tolerated such behavior, but deep in her heart, she knew the reason was she did not want to rock the boat and end the good life she had when Kevin was not abusive. For that life she was willing to endure a black eye every now and then.

When Molly told Kevin she and Frankie wanted to travel a few times each year, he was all for it. This would give him the freedom to do what he wanted without her peering eyes around. He eventually liked her being gone so much he started encouraging them to take more trips and to stay longer. 

Hank was sad when Frankie was gone. He worked even harder to keep his mind busy so as to avoid thinking about how much he missed her. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy and he had hoped she would have been living on the farm with him. But, he knew how she was from the day he met her and he never expected any more. Even though she loved him, and was willing to be around him, her heart was always somewhere else. He accepted that fact and resigned himself to savor the time they had together and not fret over something he could not change. 

Frankie thrilled at seeing the sights of the world. Molly enjoyed spending Kevin’s money. Even though Frankie did her best to pay her own way, there were places they went where Molly would take care of the cost. She offered freely and Frankie saw no need to decline her generosity. 

From Time Square to Greenwich Village in New York City to Hollywood, Chinatown, and Los Angeles, to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame de Paris, Montmartre in grand Paris, to Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London, to the Berlin Wall, 24 hours of Le Mans, to Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, to Spain, Italy, Russia, the Far East, Frankie and Molly traveled to their heart’s desire. They would sightsee and shop all day and party into the early morning. At first she would call Hank daily but as time went by she would forget to do so. There were days when she would not think of him at all. On the farm there was not a day gone by he did not think of her and wish she was there with him. 

She was living her dream life, but it still left her empty. No matter where she and Molly went and no matter how exciting it was to anticipate the upcoming trip, it never quite lived up to her expectations. Her heart always wanted something more. It was always searching and never finding the one thing that would bring joy to her life. The more she saw and did the more it wanted to see and do. Wherever she went she was the center of the men’s attention as they tried every trick they knew to win her heart. She flirted and teased but never succumbed to temptation. She remained true to Hank, but her heart left him further behind with each passing day. 

Molly and Frankie arrived back from their trip to Hong Kong shortly before her and Hank’s fifteenth wedding anniversary. Instead of joining him at the farm she decided to stay in town a couple of days with her father and mother. When Kevin heard she was there he decided it was time he attempted again to conquer the one woman always denied him. 

With cunning ways and the charm of the snake he was he moved in for the kill. Without Molly’s knowledge he invited Frankie out to dinner. After only one day at her parent’s home, she was already tired of her mother’s constant chatter and so she willingly accepted his invitation. 

He took her to the finest restaurant in town. They knew him well there and immediately took them to a secluded area in the back. He bought the finest wine and ordered an exquisite dinner. During the meal and after small talk about her and Molly’s adventures they laughed and he asserted, “You see, at times I can be quite charming.”

“Yes, you can,” she agreed.

“So, why have you always turned me down?” he asked as he sipped his glass of wine.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she replied as she felt the wine taking affect. “It just seems the timing was never right. Besides, I love Hank and you love Molly. You do love Molly, don’t you?”

“Yeah, but I think everyone else has been a substitute for you,” he declared. “You know, the one thing you can never get your hands on is the one thing you want the most.”

“Well, Kevin Musselwhite, I didn’t know you were still pining for me after all these years,” she teased.

He ignored her and asked, “Do you think you could ever see being with me?”

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t see it. Hank and I are not perfect together but I love him. I’d never do anything to harm him.”

Kevin studied the rim of his wine glass and asked, “What if he wasn’t in the picture?”

His words were cold and chilling. She slowly lowered her glass and declared, “I don’t like the nature of this conversation. If you will excuse me, I’m going to the ladies room while you figure out how to apologize for such an insensitive remark.” 

Out of respect he stood as she rose from the table. He sat down and poured them both some more wine. When he saw she was out of sight he reached into his pocket and brought out a vile. Opening it he gingerly poured the Ecstasy powder into her glass of wine. He stirred the drink with his table knife and quickly slipped the empty vile back into his pocket. 

It was not long after they had arrived at the restaurant that Molly came in and stood at the front door. She had a feeling Kevin was up to no good and had followed the couple there. The curtain was closed to the table Kevin always used when he wanted privacy. She knew his routine well. He had used it with her and she had seen him use it numerous times over the years with other women. She also knew from her talks with Frankie that she and Hank were growing further apart. At one point after a long exhausting day she had confessed of even having thoughts of leaving Hank. Molly knew with Frankie feeling this way and the tricks Kevin knew how to play would only leave Frankie vulnerable. She could see if she let this continue it would not only threaten Frankie but her own life with Kevin. There was no doubt he would drop her in a heartbeat if Frankie gave in. She shook her head in disgust and without saying anything left the restaurant and called Hank on her cell phone. He immediately climbed into his truck and drove to town. 

When Frankie returned to the table she asked Kevin, “Are you ready to be a gentleman, or should I just gather my things and leave?”

He stood and offered, “I am sorry. I meant no offense. Please stay awhile.”

She took her seat and started to sip on her wine again. He watched her and suppressed a smile. “I think we would have been good together,” he asserted.

“You think so, huh?” she smiled.

“Yes, I do,” he said. “We both like the finer things in life. The difference between you and me is I can afford them. I’d been willing to share all I had with you.”

She laughed at the thought as the drug mixed with alcohol began its effect. “Well, Mr. Musselwhite, you’re really not that bad. I mean you’re cute and all. And you’re rich! Whoa! Are you ever rich!”

“Why, thank you,” he said. In an effort to change the subject and give the drug more time to take effect he asked, “What’s it like living on a farm?”

“Oh, it’s pretty,” she declared as she tried to focus her eyes. “It’s got pigs and corn and wheat and cows. The cows’ got big old fluffy lips.”

“Are they as pretty as yours?”

“Yep, they’re big and they are pretty,” she asserted. “I never noticed that before, but they are! They’re luscious!”

“Like yours?”

She burst out laughing and drunkenly said, “Yours are pretty, too.”

“Would you like to kiss them?” he asked as he inched forward.

“What?!? Cow lips?” she giggled. “I don’t see any around here to kiss.”

“Well, then you’ll just have to try mine,” he said as he reached around her neck and pulled her to him. She resisted him at first but the combination of the drug and the wine broke her will and she succumbed. He was somewhat surprised to find her lips quiet tender and inviting. As he started to take pride in the fact that he was well on his way to accomplishing a lifelong dream two large hands grabbed him by the neck and jerked him to a standing position. He twisted around to find Hank glaring down at him. Before he could think a huge fist came crashing into his nose, breaking it. The force of the blow sent him reeling and he banged into the side of the wall. With a moan he sank to the floor in an unconscious heap with blood pouring from his nostrils. 

Frankie was still sitting with her eyes closed and lips puckered when Hank called her name. She opened her eyes, smiled and sluggishly said, “Hank, that was a great kiss!”

He gently pulled her up and declared, “Come on Francine, let’s go home.”

She weakly pushed back and objected, “I don’t want to. I’ve got to eat and drink some more.”

“No, we’ve got to go home now,” he asserted. “Do I have to carry you?”

“Hank, you ain’t no fun no more,” she declared as he slung her over his shoulder. “No fun. No fun at all.”

“We’ll talk about it in the morning,” he said as he carried her out of the restaurant and placed her in the passenger seat of the truck. Kevin came stumbling out the door holding a handkerchief to his bleeding nose as Hank’s truck disappeared from sight. With his nose throbbing he decided right there this was the last straw…no more Mister Nice Guy. 

It was early afternoon before Frankie crawled out of bed. Hank was working out in the pasture and Nell was busy in the kitchen. She stumbled to a chair at the table and flopped down. “What time is it?” she asked.

Without looking up Nell replied, “It’s time for you to stop your foolishness.”

With her head throbbing she asked, “Could you skip the sermon today? My head hurts.”

Nell muttered, “If you were my child your butt would be hurting cause I’d be spanking it until you came to your senses.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m the bad person here,” she mocked.

“I can agree with that,” huffed Nell. “Out running around all over the world and then can’t even come home when you come back to town. No, you’ve got to go out wining and dining with that no good playboy and get yourself all drunk and drugged up.”

“Well, I don’t know what you’re griping about, it’s all right with Hank,” she asserted.

“Are you sure about that?” asked Nell as she turned to face her.

“Yes, I am,” she replied. “We have an arrangement.”

“An arrangement?!?” mocked Nell. “You’re supposed to have a marriage.”

“We do, it’s just Hank knows I need my freedom to do other things,” she asserted as she sipped a cup of coffee. “That’s all.”

“Yeah, that’s what he says,” agreed Nell. “He’d say that cause he’d do anything for you. He loves you that much, but it’s tearing him apart inside. He didn’t get a lick of sleep last night after what you pulled.”

“I didn’t ask him to come and rescue me,” she angrily replied. “I can take care of myself.”

“Sure, you can,” smirked Nell. “And whose bed would you have crawled out of this morning?”

She took another sip of coffee to let her nerves calm before offering, “It sounds like you don’t want me around here anymore.”

“Oh, it don’t matter none to me,” declared Nell. “It’s not like you’re here very much anyways.”

“So, why you griping at me?” she asked.

“Because it’s killing Hank,” Nell asserted. “Can’t you see it? If you can’t it just goes to show you’re not around here enough to even notice the obvious.”

“I don’t know what more you want,” she declared. “Molly and I travel three times a year, except this year, we been gone four times. The rest of the time I’m home.”

“Home?!?” smirked Nell. “You don’t know what home is.”

“This is home,” she replied with a sigh as she was beginning to bore of the conversation.

“It is to me and it is to Hank,” observed Nell. “But it’s nowhere near home to you. It’s where you come to stay but it’s never been home to you.”

“I think you’re being unfair about this,” she objected.

“No, I’m not,” disagreed Nell. She tapped her chest and said, “Home is here. Home is where your heart is. You love Hank but your heart’s not with him. It’s in Paris or London or some other place that you find exciting. You say on all these trips you’ve never been unfaithful to Hank.”

“I haven’t.”

“I believe you,” agreed Nell. “You’ve never been physically unfaithful, but your heart has. It’s always somewhere else. Last night you came home with your husband, but your heart was with another man.” 

Frankie sat silent for a few minutes. She did not like Nell’s tone, and she certainly did not like what was being said. Deep inside was the realization that what had been said was true, but her stubbornness would not let her admit it. To save face she was willing to end it all.

“Is that the way Hank feels about it?” she finally asked.

“It is,” asserted Nell. “We’ve talked and he agrees with me. He just won’t say anything to you cause he loves you, and I think, he’s afraid of trying to live without you.”

She pushed her chair back and stood. “Well, then I’m gonna pack my things and leave.”

“Leave?!?” asked a slightly surprised Nell. “Where you going?”

“I’ll move in with my parents, or if I have to with Molly and Kevin,” she declared. “You don’t want me here. Hank doesn’t want me here and I’ve come to the conclusion I don’t want to be here. So, it’s best I leave.”

Nell turned back to the dishes in the sink and asked, “You gonna speak to Hank about this?” 

Frankie did not answer her as they were interrupted by the sound of two trucks roaring up to the front porch. They went outside and were confronted by a dozen hooded men looking for Hank. 

Out in the back field Hank was busy plowing when he heard a woman scream. Jumping on his horse he rode as fast as he could toward the house. Galloping around the barn he came face to face with four men holding Aunt Nell and Frankie. The women were struggling to get free but the men held them fast. Jumping off the horse he ran toward them yelling for them to set the women loose. From around the back of one of the trucks and to the back of Hank came eight more men carrying lead pipes and chains. One of them blindsided him and cracked him up against the head with a pipe. He swung and knocked two men to the ground while two others swung the chains and wrapped his legs in them as the others kept hitting him with the pipes. Tugging on the chains they were able to make him lose his balance and he fell with a thud to the ground. All eight kept kicking him and beating him with the pipes and chains. Blood splattered everywhere and one hit against the side of his head sounded as if a melon had exploded. 

Nell and Frankie were screaming and fighting to break free from the men holding them. The men kept kicking and beating Hank until Frankie screamed at the top of her voice, “You’re killing him!!!!” They stopped and the men holding them pushed them to the ground. The hooded men got back into the two trucks and sped off spewing rocks and dirt back on everyone on the ground. In a panic Frankie crawled over to Hank. He was motionless. She kept crying and calling his name as Nell ran into the house to call for help. 

Off in the distance, and barely in sight, Kevin stood watching through binoculars as his men finished the job and took flight. He nodded his head in satisfaction and gingerly touched his bandaged nose before jumping into his car and speeding away. 

From the hospital room Frankie could look out the window down onto Main Street. People were busy going about their daily affairs unaware of the struggle between life and death just four floors up in the intensive care unit. Hank lay unconscious with his head and ribs wrapped in surgical gauze. He was in an induced coma as he was suffering from edema and he could not breathe on his own. Over the last thirty hours she had become used to the hissing and pumping of the ventilator piston as it pushed air into Hank’s lungs and kept him alive. 

The doctor had been straightforward and honest. Hank had taken a terrible beating; one a normal person would not have survived. The next few days would be touch and go and he could not guarantee the outcome. Frankie refused to leave his side and talked and read to him in gentle tones. She was convinced he could hear her and, if nothing else, it was therapeutic for her. Nell went back and forth between the farm and the hospital. She would check on things, feed the animals, and then head back to town. Sam and Jolene came by every day and supported their daughter as best they could. Molly came every day but did not see Hank as the doctor wanted to limit his visitors to only immediate family members.

Everyone wondered why this was done to Hank. The local Sheriff had no wonders. He had no doubt it was the workings of Kevin Musselwhite. The only problem was he had no proof. He had received an anonymous tip that Kevin had used a gang of men from a neighboring county but when he checked it out they all had alibis and vouched for each other’s whereabouts. The Sheriff was not surprised. It was not the first time he had Kevin in his grasp only to have him wiggle free. In the past his father had always used his influence to bail him out of trouble. Now, with his father dead, Kevin was ten times worse and as slick as they come. But, as all law officers know, it was only going to be a matter of time before he made a mistake and was caught. The Sheriff was looking forward to that day with keen anticipation. 

As Frankie sat beside Hank’s bed, she watched his chest move up and down as the ventilator did its job. She was transfixed with his breathing as she wanted to make sure it did not stop. Her attention was drawn to his face…that big old loveable face. Even bandaged and swollen she still found herself attracted to it. She loved touching that face, loved kissing that face…the fact is she loved that face. Smiling she thought about the different looks he had, his perplexed look, his determined look, his angry look, the gentle look, the smiling look, the look of laughter, and that one special look: The look he had when he looked at her. Many men had looked at her, but none could ever match his. His was the look of undying and unconditional love. 

The thoughts of this brought her emotions to the surface and she cried the longest and hardest she ever had. This man loved her like no other and she had been about to throw it all away. All he had ever wanted was for her to be happy and all he had hoped for was she love him in return. She always knew this but for the first time in her life it meant something to her. For the first time in her life, she was faced with the real possibility of losing the one true love of her life. She was not ready for that to happen. Saying a silent prayer, she prayed to have one more chance to show her love for Hank, a chance to make things right, a chance to let him know she would never leave him. 

Hank did progress to the point where he could be removed from the ventilator and slowly brought out of the coma. A day and a half later Frankie came out of the bathroom to find him looking around. She shrieked with delight and rushed to his side, kissing him all over his face until he said “Ouch.” She said she was sorry and stopped. The doctor and nurse came in and checked him out. They told him everything looked good but to take it easy. There was a lot healing left to do.

Leaving the room the doctor turned and said, “Hank you’re a lucky man. Very lucky.” 

After they had left, he wanted to know what had happened as he did not remember the beating. Frankie told him all about it and how scared she was that he would die. He reached up and touched her face as she started crying and said, “I’m never going to leave you again, Hank. I don’t want to.” 

He made a weak smile and offered, “You’ve come home.”

“Yes, I have,” she agreed. “I know where home is.” She touched his chest. He grunted. “Sorry,” she said. “Home is there. That’s where my heart is, with you, forever and ever. I’ll never leave again Hank. Never again!”

These were words he thought he would never hear. His heart skipped a beat. If he had been able he would have jumped out of bed and high-fived the ceiling. He stroked her hair and said, “I was going to tell you something when you got back from your trip but I didn’t get a chance.”

“Tell me now,” she said.

“I’ve been talking to some doctors about my family history and the possibility of having children,” he revealed. “They think we’ll be okay since we’re not related to each other. They said it’d be different if we’re cousins or something like that.”

“Are you saying you’d like to get me pregnant, Mr. Mason?” she teased.

“Yep, that’s what I’m saying,” he declared.

She jumped with delight and landed on the bed with him. He grunted and said, “I didn’t mean right this moment! I’m too sore.” She laughed and snuggled up beside him. 

When Molly heard Hank was awake, she came by to see him. The doctor was now allowing visitors, and this was the first time she had seen him since the beating. She was visibly shaken when she walked in the hospital room and saw Hank bruised and all wrapped up with all type of tubes sticking in him. Frankie gave her a hug and she sat to talk for a while.

“Hank, I’m so sorry this happened to you,” she declared. “I never dreamed it would come to this.”

“Well, thank you,” he replied. “But, I don’t remember much. I remember hearing someone scream and that’s about it.”

“Do you know why someone would do this?” asked Frankie. “Hank didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

“No, he didn’t,” she agreed. “And yes, I’ve got a good idea who was behind it.”

“It was Kevin, wasn’t it?” Frankie asked. Molly pursed her lips and nodded her heard “Yes.”

“Molly, I know you love him, but when I get out of this bed, he’s gonna have to deal with me,” declared Hank.

“Now, Hank, two wrongs don’t make a right,” Frankie chastised him. “Please let the Sheriff take care of it. You just rest and don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah, Hank, you concentrate on getting better,” agreed Molly. “Things will work out. They always do.” 

The friends talked for a while and then Molly said goodbye. She kissed Hank lightly on the forehead and Frankie followed her out into the hall. Molly turned to her with tears flowing down her cheeks, “I’m so sorry, Frankie. I’m so sorry. I know Kevin can be a beast, but I never dreamed he’d go this far.”

Frankie hugged her as she continued, “Please don’t let Hank do anything foolish. Kevin’s not worth it.”

“I’ll do my best,” Frankie replied. “I’ll talk to him.”

“You know, Kevin’s tried his best over the years to kill any love I have left for him,” she declared. “This time he’s just about did it.”

“Now, don’t you go thinking crazy stuff,” ordered Frankie. “He’s not worth it.”

“No, he’s not,” she agreed. “But, you take care of Hank. He’s special and what you two have is special.”

“You’re right,” Frankie asserted. “I didn’t see it for the longest time, but things are gonna be different from now on. I promised Hank.”

“Good,” she declared. “And don’t you two worry about Kevin. He’ll never bother you two again. I know how to handle him.”

“I hope you’re right,” Frankie said with a sigh.

“I am,” she said. “I can see clearly now what has to be done. I’ll take care of it.” 

Later in the evening, at the Musselwhite mansion, Molly poured herself a shot of bourbon. She took a sip to calm her nerves. Kevin was due home any minute and she fully understood what was coming. Since she had seen Hank in the hospital, she had rehearsed what was going to happen a hundred times. She knew it was up to her, and her alone, to permanently stop Kevin from hurting anyone else. When she saw the car lights pulling into the driveway, she braced herself and prepared for what was to follow. 

Kevin came bursting through the door and was somewhat surprised to find her still up. It was obvious to Molly he had been out carousing again. Lipstick smudges on his shirt collar was the big give away. He swaggered over to her but stopped short when he saw she had spread out numerous pictures of him on the dining table.

They were all pictures of him in embarrassing positions and many captured him engaged in illegal activities. With a weak smile he blurted, “What you doing? Traveling down memory lane?”

“These are copies,” she lied. “I’ve mailed the originals to the Sheriff. He’s gonna know about the drugs, the beatings, the robberies, he’s gonna find out about all the dirty deeds you’ve done.”

“You did what?!?” he said in utter disbelief.

“You heard me,” she asserted. “I saw Hank today and what you did to him. You’re not going to mistreat anyone anymore.”

“You’re gonna ruin my life over that plowboy?” he yelled as his anger came to the front. “He got what he deserved!!”

“Nobody deserves what you did to him, especially Hank!” she declared. “He’s one of the nicest persons you’ll find. He’s something you can never be.”

“Hey! He broke my nose!” he shouted. “I’d think you’d be a little more sympathetic toward me instead of that big oaf!”

“It’s a wonder he didn’t break your head the way you tried what you did on Frankie,” she yelled back. “You think you can just go and try to take a man’s wife from him and he not get mad and fight back?”

He stopped for a moment and just looked her with hate filled eyes. “How’d you know about that?”

“I know a lot of things,” she shot back. “I know more than you think I do.”

“Maybe you know too much,” he smirked.

“I know you hired some of your cronies to beat Hank up,” she declared. “I know you used Mike and Fred and some their cousins and friends. For God’s sake, Kevin, they almost killed him!!”

“I wished they had,” he asserted. “Then I’d been rid of that bastard once and for all!” 

Kevin’s words hit Molly like a bolt of lightning. She knew he was mean and was capable of most anything, but this confirmed for her how evil he really was.

Knowing the full impact of what she was about to say, she grabbed the edge of the table, “Well, the Sheriff’s gonna find all of this very interesting. I don’t know if you and your money can weasel you out this time.”

He moved closer to her and shouted, “Why are you doing this to me? I’ve given you everything you’ve ever wanted! This house!! Money!! Eveything!! And this is the way you repay me?”

“And in return I’ve been guilty of turning a blind eye while you hurt people,” she asserted. “I’ve put up with your cheating! I’ve put up with your lies! But you’ve gone too far this time. Way too far! I should’ve stopped you years ago.”

“You ain’t stopping nobody, bitch!!” he yelled as he slapped her across the face.

She rubbed her smarting cheek and smirked, “Is that the best you can do?”

“Hell, no!!!” he shouted as he started smacking her back and forth. When he saw blood in the corner of her mouth he became even more enraged. In the past when he would beat her she would fight back. Even though she always came out the worse for wear, she did get some of her own licks in. This time she did not raise a hand against him except to try and ward off some of the blows. He kept slapping and punching until his own knuckles started to bleed. Finally, he abruptly stopped and turned away. “You’re not worth it no more, whore!” 

When he started to walk away, she reached behind her back and yelled, “Kevin!”

He turned to find her pointing his Luger pistol at him. She screamed, “You’re not going to hurt anyone anymore!!” He grew cold at the realization of the trap he had fell into and why she had not fought back the way she usually did. Her bruised and battered body gave her all the justification she needed to defend herself with deadly force. He lunged at her yelling, “You ungrateful…” Four shots later he started backing up, turned and slumped to the floor. Holding his arm out toward her he mouthed “Molly” before falling face forward. Gathering her strength she found the phone and called 911 and begged for help. After hanging up she swayed and fell unconscious to the floor. 

Molly was placed in a room just down the hall from Hank. Her injuries were severe enough to warrant an overnight stay in the hospital. Frankie came and they cried together as Molly filled her in on the details and swore her to secrecy.

“Am I an evil person?” Molly cried.

“No, I don’t think so,” Frankie replied. “Only God can judge you, and He knows the whole story. I’m just glad he didn’t kill you.”

They cried and hugged until the nurse came in with a sleeping pill. Frankie left her and returned to Hank. She told him the official story but never revealed the truth. That was the bond she had with Molly. 

The Sheriff investigated and considered the matter closed. It was obvious to him what had happened. Molly had finally come to her senses and was going to turn Kevin in for all the things he had done in the past. He was intent on stopping her and beat her to an inch of her life. In desperation she found the gun and defended herself by killing him. It was justifiable homicide. This would be what his report said. Over the years he had been to the emergency room quite a few times to interview a beaten and battered Molly Musselwhite. At first she always said it was an accident even though he and the doctor knew better. Later she would give no excuse but always refused to press charges. In fact, she insisted no charges be filed as she would never testify against Kevin. 

The Sheriff took no satisfaction in anyone losing their life, but he was not eager in pursuing the matter any further. Were there more facts to be found? He had a suspicion there was but felt it would serve no useful purpose to uncover them. The DA agreed with him and the case was closed. 

Kevin was buried later in the week in the family plot. Molly healed physically and with psychiatric help eventually came to grips with what she had planned and carried out. She inherited all of Kevin’s estate as he never did get around to changing the Will he had written shortly after their marriage. He had intended to do so on many occasions but was always sidetracked and finally decided it was no use as he figured he would outlive her anyway. 

About six months later she put the mansion up for sale and moved to New England for a fresh start. She never came back. Frankie and she stayed in touch and Frankie went to visit her a couple days several times over the next few years. Eventually she met and fell in love with a pharmacist who had moved to the states from England. They moved to Tucker’s Town, Bermuda where they lived the rest of their lives together. He was a kind and gentle man, a complete opposite of Kevin, who loved her very much and helped her overcome the nightmares from her previous life. She knew how precious a man like he was and never took him for granted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frankie looks at me, smiles and lays her head on my shoulder as she turns the page in the photo album to pictures of Hank coming home from the hospital. These pictures were taken by Aunt Nell and showed the happy couple at their best, albeit, Hank was still heavily bandaged. She had promised him she would never leave and she kept her promise, except, at his insistence, she visited Molly three times when she lived in New England. Hank had finally found contentment with his family history and started on raising a family with Frankie. 

They threw themselves into making a baby. Several times Nell was embarrassed by entering a room unannounced at an inopportune time. Not only were they enjoying trying to produce a child, but they were having as much fun together as they had when they were first married. At times Nell would just shake her head and laugh at their antics. She would tease them as to how could they have a child when they acted like children themselves. It was a happy time on the farm and a great time in the life of Hank and Frankie. 

After six months their efforts to produce a baby were fruitless. They visited a doctor, and he advised them to relax, as he felt they were trying too hard. Hank was concerned about his fertility, as knowledge of his family’s history was never far from him. Once again, he was becoming afraid of the fact his parents were siblings and how it could have left him genetically inferior and even possibly sterile. A simple test showed his sperm were alive and well. So, he and Frankie dutifully went back to the pleasure of trying to produce a child. 

A few months after their visit to the doctor they were having breakfast in the kitchen when Hank reached for the coffee pot. No one thought much of it at the time but he dropped the pot and spilled coffee all over the floor. Aunt Nell mildly scolded him about his clumsiness as everyone had a good laugh over how fast he could move to avoid hot coffee. Frankie did notice he was flexing his hand quite a bit while Nell was cleaning the floor. She had never seen him do that before but passed it off and did not question him at the time about it. 

A week or so later he was out mending fences when his right leg gave away. He was able to gain control of it but for a moment it had gone limped. Not wanting to be a bother he did not mention the incident to Frankie or Aunt Nell at the time.

About two weeks later Nell came into the kitchen to find him standing by the sink with his right hand shaking. He grabbed the top of the cabinet to stabilize it. She looked hard at him and asked, “What’s wrong with your hand?”

“Oh, nothing,” he replied somewhat embarrassed. “I guess I’m just tired. It makes my muscles jumpy.” 

She watched him as he left the house and climbed onto the tractor. Frankie came in the kitchen and saw her watching him. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I don’t like the way Hank’s been acting,” Nell declared.

“Well, I’m sorry if we’ve been keeping you up again,” she apologized. “But we are trying to have a baby. We really try not to be too loud.”

“No, no, not that,” explained Nell. “I think there might be something wrong with him.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I came into the kitchen and his right hand was shaking,” she declared. “He had to grab the countertop to stop it.”

Frankie took a deep sigh and then said, “You know, there’s been a few times in bed when he’s had some trouble moving his right leg. It wouldn’t move except for one time it shook a little bit. He said he was tired and it always went away.”

“That’s what he said this morning,” Nell revealed. “I don’t know, Frankie, it might be something to look into.”

They tried to talk Hank into going to the doctor, but he refused. Between being in the hospital when he was beaten and going to the doctor to try to have a baby, he was tired of being poked and prodded. He said he had never had guinea pigs on the farm, and he was not going to be the first one. Nell and Frankie did not bother him anymore about it but could not help but notice he was getting worse. They did talk about it behind his back and Frankie even called the doctor to ask some questions. She told him how she and Nell had even noticed his speech getting deeper and how a few times he had even slurred his words. The doctor strongly recommended he come in for some tests but when she approached him about it he adamantly refused. Nell got mad at him and told him he was acting like a stubborn fool. 

It was one day in the early spring when Frankie went out to join him and found him sitting on the ground. She laughed and said, “You can’t get any work done sitting there.” The look on his face told her something was wrong. She ran to him. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t get up,” he declared. She yelled for Nell and when she got there, they tried to help him up. It took all their strength as they strained to get him to a standing position. Once he was standing, he was okay and wanted to go back to work. Frankie had had enough of his stubbornness.

“Hank Mason, you march right over there and get in that car,” she ordered. “I’m taking you to the doctor.”

“Ah, I ain’t gonna go to no doctor,” he whined.

Nell crossed her arms and sternly said, “Hank, it’s been a long time since I’ve put you over my knee, but I’ve had just about enough out of you. You either let Frankie take you or I’m gonna tan your hide!”

“And I’ll help her do it, too,” Frankie chimed in.

Hank mumbled something about “women” and dutifully got in the car for the ride to the doctor. Frankie called ahead while they were driving to town and the doctor was ready to see him when they got there.

The afternoon was spent running a battery of tests. Finally, the doctor came in and talked to them.

“Did you find anything?” asked an anxious Frankie.

“Well, it’s hard to say,” replied the doctor. “Basically what we’ve done is ruled out some of the real nasty stuff like MS and spinal problems. That’s the good news. The bad news is there’s still several things it could be and I don’t have the means to test for them here.”

“What do you think it could be?” asked Hank.

“Well, it’s premature to really say,” explained the doctor. “It could be something simple. I don’t want to scare you.”

“Doc, I’m already scared,” exclaimed Frankie.

“Look, I’m not expecting you to make a diagnosis,” offered Hank. “But I think you need to level with me. What’s the worse you’re thinking?”

The doctor adjusted his glasses and then said, “Well, Hank, I’ve only seen one other case in my years around here, but it could be, and I emphasize, could be, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS.”

Frankie gasped and said, “What’s that?”

“I know what it is,” Hank revealed. “It’s Lou Gehrig’s disease.”

“You’re right,” agreed the doctor.

“Who’s Lou Gehrig?” Frankie asked.

“She doesn’t keep up with sports,” offered Hank.

“He was one of the finest baseball players to ever play the game,” explained the doctor. “He was the first baseman for the New York Yankees back in the 1930’s.”

“They called him ‘The Iron Horse,’” interjected Hank.

“That’s right,” agreed the doctor. “He played 2,130 consecutive games without taking a day off.”

“What happened to him?” Frankie asked.

“He developed ALS and had to quit the game,” the doctor continued. “He was so popular and so well liked that the disease became known as his disease.”

“So, if Hank’s got this ALS thing, then what medicine can he take to get rid of it?” she asked in earnest.

Hank touched her hand and shook his head, “There’s no cure.”

“No, that can’t be,” she exclaimed. “There’s always a cure.”

“I’m afraid Hank is right,” the doctor said. “There is none.”

“Wait a minute!” she cried. “He can live with this, can’t he? I mean so he stumbles ever once in a while, we can deal with that.”

“Francine,” Hank said as soothing as he could. “ALS is fatal.”

“No!” she protested.

“Unfortunately, Hank is again correct,” chimed in the doctor.

“How long?” Hank asked.

“Maybe five years,” he replied. “Maybe.”

“No! This can’t be,” cried Frankie as she started weeping. “We love each other and we’ve already been through so much! We’re gonna make a baby. Hank can’t die!! I need him!!”

Hank gathered her into his arms and tenderly kissed her forehead. “It’s okay, Francine. It’s okay.”

After gaining some composure Frankie asked, “Is this happening to Hank cause those guys beat him up?”

“No, I don’t think so,” replied the doctor. “We’re not sure why anyone gets this disease. We know it may be hereditary, but we really don’t know for sure.”

Frankie started crying again and the doctor offered, “Look, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves and all we’re doing is upsetting everyone. That’s exactly why I hesitated in saying anything. You’ve got to understand that is only one possibility. It’s one of the worst ones but it’s still only one.”

“So, what do we do?” asked Hank.

“There’s a clinic I want you to go to the first of next week,” the doctor explained. “They’ve got the right equipment that can either confirm ALS or rule it out. And if it’s not that they can figure out what it is.” 

With heavy hearts Frankie and Hank went home to the farm and told Aunt Nell the news. They all cried together and determined they would face whatever the outcome was with the mind set of beating the odds. Once again, Hank became worried about his family history and whether his problems were linked to his genetics. Frankie insisted but he only reluctantly continued to try and conceive a child. He was very afraid of passing on some inherited defect to a defenseless baby. 

The next week was one of heartbreak. Hank and Frankie arrived at the clinic early Monday morning. By Wednesday the team of doctors were convinced Hank suffered from ALS. They laid out a bleak future for him and described in detail what he could expect over the next few years. His motor neurons would continue to degenerate causing muscle weakness and atrophy throughout his body. It was a cruel disease as his mind would continue as active as always even though his body would slowly but surely waste away. Eventually he may lose his ability to speak, swallow, and even breathe. They laid out a plan that included medicines, physical therapy, and special equipment that may be needed. 

On the farm they continued as best they could. Frankie’s college experiences gave her the ability to know how to hire workers to help out and maximize the farms output. Hank had to curtail his physical work as he found it more and more difficult to lift and hold onto things. He joined Frankie in overseeing the day-to-day operations and the farm prospered. The two were a great team and their farm become the best and most envied in the county. Working together they grew even closer as Hank eventually had to rely on her for almost everything. She was a determined woman and worked hard and never complained. Hank had no doubt her restless days were well behind her, and that she was sticking to what she had promised when he was in the hospital, of never leaving him again. Even though sick, it made him the happiest man alive. 

Not only did Frankie work hard keeping the farm going but she worked just as hard at conceiving a child. Though somewhat reluctant Hank had promised, and he was not about to go back on his promise. There were times, and their frequencies increased, when he just was not able to perform. He tried the best he could, but his body would not let him. She was understanding and did not push the issue. They kept trying but were unsuccessful. 

It was hard on Aunt Nell to watch Hank’s health deteriorate. She had raised him from infancy and he had always been healthy and strong. Now each day brought something new he found difficult to do. The simplest movement became a chore. He was still tall but now he walked with a stoop and his arms were half the size they used to be. His gate was slow and unsteady. It devastated her to watch the disease slowly sap his energy and shrivel his muscles away. One evening she came out on the porch to find him sitting in his wheelchair watching the sun set. She sat down in a chair beside him.

“It’s been a beautiful day,” he offered.

“Yes, it has,” she agreed. Then looking at him she asked, “Are you feeling okay, today?”

Nodding his head he replied, “Yeah, as much as can be expected. I get frustrated sometimes not being able to do things. I think I can but then when I try I can’t.”

Still looking at him she offered, “You know I’d give anything to take this away from you.”

He smiled and said, “I know. You’ve always been there for me, Aunt Nell. I’m not sure I can ever thank you for all you’ve done.”

“No thanks is necessary,” she asserted.

After thinking for a minute he asked, “Why did you do what you did?”

“Did what?”

“You know,” he continued. “Look after me the way you have. I mean no one would’ve faulted you if you had given me up for adoption. You wasn’t obligated to take me in.”

She looked at the sun slipping below the trees and then replied, “Well, it was a trying time when you were born. Not only did I lose my brother and sister but the year before I lost Jim when his tractor turned over on him out in the field there.”

“I wish I would’ve known him,” interjected Hank.

“Oh, you would have liked him,” she continued. “And he would’ve been proud of you. You see, we were hoping to start a family when he was killed. In fact, I was pregnant when he died.”

“I didn’t know that,” he said with a surprised look.

“That’s because I’ve never told you,” she smiled.

“I thought you were through keeping secrets,” he offered with a sly grin.

“Well, Hank, it’s not good to know everything about a person,” she laughed. Turning serious she continued, “Jim’s death shook me pretty bad. I had a miscarriage and lost my baby.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” offered Hank.

“Well, it happened and there was nothing I could do about it,” she said. “Later after I had healed, Dr. Barnes told me my baby was a boy.”

“That had to be the hardest thing to live through,” he said as soothing as he could.

“It was bad,” she agreed. “So, in the span of about a year I lost my husband, my baby, and my brother and sister. After all that, my dad and mom were only shells of what they used to be. It was almost like I lost them, too. It was tough.”

“And then I came along,” offered Hank.

“Yep, you did,” she smiled. “I looked at that round chubby face and I knew you were an answer to my prayers. I needed something to give me purpose again and there you were. There was no way I was letting them put you up for adoption. I figured you needed me, and I knew, I needed you.”

“Well, I’m glad you did,” he smiled as she touched his arm. “You’re the best mother a person could have.”

“Why, thank you, Hank,” she blushed.

“I mean it,” he asserted. “You raised me, cared for me, and loved me as if I were your own. You saved me, Aunt Nell.”

She patted his arm and said, “Well, I guess that’s true enough, but you saved me, too. If I hadn’t had you in my life, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me. Besides, you’ve always been easy to love.”

“And I don’t think I could ever love you enough,” he offered.

“You already have,” she said. “Now, we’d better get inside before the mosquitoes have us for dinner.”

“Will you give me a push?” he asked.

“Sure.” 

As for Sam and Jolene, they became regular visitors to the farm. Over the years they had come to love their son-in-law as if he were their own son. Jolene even apologized to him for all she had done. He accepted her apology even though he did not fully understand all she was sorry for. Even Frankie learned to rely on her mother for strength. Jolene may have been a conniving woman in her heyday but no one could ever accuse her of being weak. She knew what needed to be done and she never hesitated to steer Frankie in the direction she needed to go. 

One day in the autumn she and Sam came for a visit. He joined Hank on the front porch while Jolene found Frankie in the kitchen. Aunt Nell was out in the pasture taking some snacks to the workers. It had been an especially rough day as Hank’s breathing was becoming more laborious. As soon as Jolene saw her daughter, she knew she had been crying. 

She gave her a hug and said, “You’re worrying a lot about him.”

“I can’t help it,” Frankie replied. “He tries so hard but he just can’t do anymore.”

Her mother gave a weak smile and then offered, “I know. He’s a fighter but we both know it’s not going to get any better.”

“Don’t say that Mother,” Frankie bristled. “If anyone can beat this then Hank can do it.”

Jolene looked down at the floor and then said, “Yeah, if anyone could beat it…but it’s not going to happen.”

“I will not let you come into my house and say such negative things!” Frankie sternly declared as she muted her voice to keep Sam and Hank from hearing.

“And I will not let my daughter live in a fantasy world when she needs a clear head to make rational decisions!” she replied just as sternly.

“I do have a clear head,” Frankie objected. “It’s just that…well, it’s just…”

“You don’t want him to die,” interrupted Jolene as she placed her arm around her.

“I don’t mother,” Frankie sniffed.

“But, Frankie, you’re going to have to face reality,” she continued. “He is going to die and no matter how much we wish it wasn’t true it is going to happen.”

“I can’t think that way, Mother,” Frankie protested.

“But you must,” she offered. “Knowing exactly what is coming will help you make the right decisions along the way.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without him,” Frankie cried. “I wasted so much in the past. If I could have it to do over I’d never left him here all alone.”

“We all have regrets, dear,” her mother tenderly said. “That’s the way it is. Even if we could go back and redo things, when all was said and done, we’d still have regrets for other things we failed to do. We’re not perfect. We’re just human.”

“That doesn’t make it any easier, Mother,” Frankie sniffed. “When we bury Hank you might as well go ahead and bury me.”

“Well, that’s a fine thing to say!” Jolene said with disgust. “You have such little love for your father and me that you would just go on and leave us behind when you didn’t have to?”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Frankie protested. “It’s just hard to imagine life without Hank.”

“I know it is, sweetheart,” she offered as soothing as she could. “That’s why you need to have a firm resolve now so when the time comes you can survive.”

“What do I do, Mother?” Frankie cried. “What do I do?”

“Well, first, you make every moment with Hank count,” she declared. “I mean even if you’re just sitting around not doing anything you still make it count. You grab every second you can and hold on as tight as you can. Make him know you love him and let him know your heart will always be with him.”

“It is.”

“Then make sure he knows it,” she continued. “And then when that awful day comes you deal with it.”

“How? Without him how can I do it?”

“Well, the first thing you do is cry,” Jolene said as she wiped a tear from her own eye. “And then you keep on living because there’s nothing else you can do. Eventually you’ll stop crying and you’ll go on living because there’s nothing else you can do.”

“I wish to God that day never comes,” Frankie cried.

“Me, too,” declared Jolene as she hugged her daughter again. “But when it does your father and I will be there with you.” 

From that day on Frankie never missed an opportunity to let Hank know how much he meant to her. She knew she could never make up for being away from him in the past but she took her mother’s advice and plowed ahead fully aware of what the future held. Hank, though knowing what was ahead, was happy and content with the attention his wife doted on him. He never imagined she could love him as much as he loved her, but he came to realize she did. It made him the happiest man on the face of the earth. 

As for Sam, it broke his heart to see his good friend have to undergo such a debilitating disease and it hurt him this was happening to the man his daughter loved. He did his best to boost Hank’s spirit whenever he was around. When he came for a visit he always had a joke ready and Hank had one for him, too. Sometimes they would get to laughing so hard Nell would come outside to the porch to see what all the commotion was about. Seeing two grown men laughing hysterically with tears rolling down their cheeks was enough to make her throw her hands up and shake her head as she walked back to the kitchen. Of course, her reaction made them laugh even harder. Such times as these drew the two men even closer, and Hank came to view Sam as the father he never had. 

As for Hank, he felt as sharp as ever mentally, it was his body that was letting him down. All his life he had a nagging feeling he would never grow old. The feeling became even stronger after he learned the truth about his parents. So, he accepted the inevitable as it confirmed his long held suspicions. There were times though, despite his best effort, he would become depressed, but for the most part, kept it to himself. Frankie would sometimes notice and did her best to lift his spirits. He always found solace in her as he had come to believe with her by his side he could face anything the future may hold. 

The weeks gave way to months and Hank continued his slow decline. Eventually, he became bedridden as his muscles could no longer support his weight. His speech was quite slurred and he found breathing difficult at times. The doctor issued an oxygen tank for him and it seemed to help. One night Frankie moved to make love to him. He felt weak and did not want to exert the effort. She had given up on the possibility of having a baby. In fact, she was not sure she wanted to try and raise a child without Hank around as the father. She just wanted to love her husband.

“I’m sorry,” he said in a muffled voice among the hissing of the oxygen machine.

“It’s okay,” she said as soothing as she could. “Is it okay if I just snuggle against you?”

“Always,” he replied.

She nuzzled up to him and wrapped her arms around his chest. It comforted her to feel his chest rise with each breath he took. This way she was assured he was still breathing. “We’ve been through a lot over the past twenty years, big guy,” she reflected.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“I never realized how much you were always there for me,” she continued. “But you always were, even when I didn’t want you to be.”

“I wanted to,” he said.

“I know that now,” she revealed. “I really didn’t think that way at first, but Mr. Mason, you’re a hard man to get out of one’s system.”

“You made it easy,” he reflected.

“I don’t see how you can say that,” she laughed. “I was restless, somewhat of a rebel and I tried to leave you.”

“Yeah, you were mean,” he snickered.

“I wasn’t that mean,” she said with mocked indignation. “But Hank I said I’d never leave you and I won’t.”

“I know,” he agreed. “I’ll do the leaving.”

“Oh, Hank, don’t think that way,” she begged. “I want to think we’ll be together forever. I refuse to think any other way.”

“We will,” he asserted. “Listen to my chest.”

She leaned down and heard his heart beating a steady beat. “You hear?” he asked.

“I hear it,” she replied.

“That’s you in there,” he declared.

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “No, that’s my heart in there,” she said softly. “It will always be with the man I love.”

He cut his eyes toward her and asked, “And who’s that?”

She laughed and then kissed him long and hard. He finally said, “You do the work and I’ll lay here.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he replied.

With her making all the moves they made love together. It was their last time. 

Over the next several weeks Hank’s condition worsen. The doctor wanted to move him to town to a nursing home. This way he could be given professional care and would not be such a burden on Frankie and Nell. They objected strongly to the idea that Hank was a burden and he did not want to leave the farm. So, the doctor would make the trip out to the farm every other day to check on him. It was his scheduled day to come when Sam and Jolene decided to join him for the ride out. 

Frankie and Nell were in the kitchen preparing breakfast when they heard a noise from the bedroom. The door to the room was open so Hank could watch the ladies working. Frankie went to check on him and found him struggling more than usual to breathe. She pulled a chair over beside him and asked, “Are you okay?” 

He gave a weak smile as talking had become harder and even more slurred. She kissed him on the cheek and asked, “Do you want a pancake this morning?” He smiled again at her joke as he could no longer swallow on his own and had a feeding tube which kept him alive. “You can have mine,” she laughed. “I’m not feeling good on my stomach this morning.” He blinked his eyes and continued to smile. She patted him gently on the arm and returned to the kitchen to help Nell. 

Hank stared at her for a few minutes and then said as plain as ever, “Francine.” She was momentarily distracted as the doctor’s car pulled into the driveway, but she heard him and it startled her. It had been months since she had heard him say her name as clear as he did this time. He was not calling out to her but had simply stated her name. She looked at him and saw he was staring at her. Then she realized he was no longer breathing. In a panic she rushed to his side yelling his name. 

“Hank!! Hank!!” she cried. “Don’t leave me, Hank!!!” She started pounding on his chest to make him breathe, all the time shouting his name. Nell came to the bedroom door and when she saw what was happening clutched her mouth with her hand as realization of the situation sank in. Sam, Jolene, and the doctor came rushing in when they heard Frankie yelling. The doctor came over and started examining Hank as Sam gathered her into his arms. She kept repeating over and over, “He’s gone, Daddy. He’s gone!” All Sam could do was say “I know” and hold her as she sobbed her heart out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has been fifty years since that day, but the elderly Frankie can still feel the emptiness of losing the man she loved. Over the years she has buried her parents, Aunt Nell, and a second husband, but none tore her apart as did the death of Hank. They had twenty years together, most of them married years, and she would give anything if they could have had some more. Though she rarely spoke of it, what saddened her even more were the times she wasted being away from him. If she had only come to her senses earlier and realized what she had waiting for her at home. But, Frankie has never been one to linger over what might have been, and she forged ahead with her life, even falling in love again and remarrying. Steve was a good man, and a good husband, but he always knew where Frankie’s heart was. He accepted it and they had a good life together until he passed away in his mid-seventies. 

Looking at some of the last pictures taken of Hank, Frankie pats me on the knee and says, “He would’ve been so proud of you.”

“I know, Ma,” I reply.

“You look a lot like him, you know,” she continues. 

It was easy to see my resemblance to my father. We were both tall; he being more muscular than me, but there is no mistaken who his son is. It was not long after his funeral when mother found out she was pregnant. I was conceived the last time they made love. In fact, the day he died she had not been feeling well and the reason was morning sickness. At first, she had mixed feelings about raising a child without a father, but when I was born, she said I reminded her so much of Hank she instantly fell in love with me. I have teased her that most mothers do love their babies even when they do not resemble the father, and she agrees, but said I was special and without hesitation named me Henry Elroy Mason, Jr. 

Our trip down memory lane on this special day is interrupted by my family joining us. My wife, Tammy, our two sons and their families, plus our daughter and hers all come into the house together. Frankie has always been proud of being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loves us all and appreciates us showing our support for her on the fiftieth anniversary of Hank’s passing. We would have it no other way. 

Once everyone has settled down, I ask her, “Ma, can we go visit Dad’s grave?” She replies “Sure” and takes her walking cane in one hand and grabs my arm with her other. We all gather under the big oak tree just off to the side of the barn where my Dad is buried. My daughter had placed fresh flowers there and Frankie hugs her in appreciation. I look off into the distance as she says a little prayer. 

Though I never personally knew my father, his and my mother’s story is so vivid to me, I feel as if I have lived it with them. Their life was one of extreme ups and downs, but it was a life of undying love for each other. 

She pats me on the arm and states for the hundredth time, “Now, you know I’m to be buried right beside your father. That’s where I want to be. I want to be with him.” I look at the gravestone and the big bold letters “HENRY (HANK) ELROY MASON.” Underneath them is the inscription: “My heart shall forever reside with thee—Francine.” I smile and place my arm around her and say, “Ma, I think you’re already with him.” She looks at his grave and replies with a sigh, “I always have been.”   

THE END

Copyright ©2010 by Jerry W. Crews