What other choice do I have? Junie’s not forgetting her any quicker than I am.
She watches the video over and over, at full volume, so Frankie’s voice and her message for Junie accompany me all the way back to the ranch. I don’t mind. I like to think Frankie’s words were meant for me too.
I suffer through another two days of Junie rewatching the video close to a million times before I break down and text Frankie. As a friend. Nothing more.
It’s mid-afternoon, and I don’t have any calls to go out on,so the office is pretty slow. Of course I could find other things to do, but impulse takes over. I’ve typed and sent the message to Frankie before I can stop myself.
Hey, just checking in. You okay?
I sit at my desk and flip on my computer to update some patient files, preparing myself to wait for her answer. I won’t get my hopes up that she’ll text back any time soon. Or ever.
But then my phone rings and Frankie’s number appears, bringing a stupid grin to my face.
“Hi,” I say.
“Hey. Hope it’s all right I rang. I’m sorry I haven’t sooner.” Her voice wavers, leaving me feeling unsteady. She feels so far away.
“Nothing to be sorry about. You’ve got bigger things to worry about. Have you talked to your dad?” I press the phone to my ear and hold as still as possible, like I might frighten her, even though she can’t see me.
“Yeah,” she says on a sigh. “He’s got cancer, stage four. I’m staying with him.”
“With Malcolm?”
“Bit of a shock. I know,” she laughs without any humor. “It’s terminal. Figured this may be my last chance to have any kind of relationship with him, so I moved in to help with his care.”
I'm not sure how to respond. I pushed her to see her dad, but I never imagined she’d move in with him, let alone play nurse to him on his deathbed. He doesn’t deserve that from her. After everything she’s told me about Malcolm, I don’t trust him. She could be caught in his manipulation tactics again without even knowing it.
“But you’re okay?” I ask again. “You can leave if you want to? You don’t feel obligated to take care of him, do you?”
She coughs out another laugh. “I knew I’d give you one more thing to worry about if I told you. I promise, I’m good. This is hard, but you’re the one who said I could face hard things.”
“Yeah, I didn’t mean you should make things harder on yourself.” I grab a stress ball from my desk and squeeze, but the motion doesn’t release any of the guilt I feel for urging her back to LA.
“The funny thing is, being here with him while he’s dying is easier than hiding from him. We’re sorting things out, Cal. I doubt we have enough time to fix everything, but I hope I’ll be ready to tell him goodbye without any regrets or bitterness.”
I take a breath, picturing Frankie facing this challenge the same way I’ve seen her do in the competition videos I’ve watched. She read the wave with patience, choosing the right set with confidence before conquering it.
“Sounds like you’re navigating the situation like a pro.”
“Maybe not a pro, but I’m not running from it.”
I nod to myself. “You know you can call if things get rough.”
Frankie’s quiet for too long, and I almost say goodbye, but then she blurts. “How’s Junie? Did she watch the video?” She pauses, then lets out a soft huff. “Not sure if I want the answer to that to be honest.”
“She loved it.”
I don’t have the heart to tell Frankie how many times Junie’s watched it. She’s trying to fix things with her dying dad. That’s enough burden to carry. She doesn’t need to be told how much Junie’s missing her.
“Good. I’m glad. Tell her I miss her.”
“Of course.”
A quiet settles over us again, but I’m not ready to end the call.
“I got an audition for a part in an Alison Fisher film,” she says quick enough to hit me with the force of a surprise left hook.
I don't have any idea who Alison Fisher is. I don’t really care either. Whoever she is, she’s luring Frankie back to a life even further from me.
