Chapter 1 - Frankie
“Yes I understand that but it has been a terrible time of late you must know that….fine…yes I will be there tomorrow.”
I hear my father in his study finishing up a phone call. The last few weeks have been like a dream. No strike that the last few weeks have been a living nightmare.
My mother had complained of some serious headaches that had been causing her to lose her vision. It all came out of the blue, and unfortunately what we didn’t know and so quickly found out was that everything was going to change.
*Flashback to two weeks ago*
“Frankie darling, come on we are going to be late. You know your grandmother doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” I hear my mothers voice echoing from the kitchen as I make my way down the stairs begrudgingly.
“I’m coming. I don’t know why we have to go anyway. She’ll only talk about herself and the new work she has had done. How wonderful Dr whatshischops is. I mean are you sure there is nothing going on there mum? Huh? I can’t help but make the light hearted jokes about my grandmother, we are by no means close her doing not mine.
I laugh as I make my way in to the kitchen. My mother looking at me with a slight scowl but hidden smirk on her lips. She knows I am right, since my grandfather passed, god rest his soul, my grandmother seems to think she is back to being a twenty one year old. She doesn’t care one bit about her daughter or granddaughter.
But here we are going to lunch as my mother had promised we would.
“Francesca Ella Peters! Do not talk about your grandmother like that. She wouldn’t dream of dating her doctor. Another one maybe, one that doesn’t know the history of the work she has had done but not the one doing the work.”
I can’t help but let out a huge laugh - snorting in the process.
“What are you girls laughing about?” My dad says walking in to join us from his study. Rounding the kitchen island he kisses my mum so passionately it makes me sick.
“Guys, get a room.” I swear they are like a pair of horny teenagers.
“Oh we have plenty, when are you going to move out Frankie? Huh?” He turns his head looking at me and raising his brows as he asks his question with a smile on his face.
“Right darling, I have to pop in to the office, a client wants a face to face and I can’t push it.” I don’t know why he’s explaining himself it’s not like he has to attend this lunch date I am being dragged to kicking and screaming. “I’ll be home by dinner. Enjoy your lunch with your mother.” The sarcastic tone in his voice doesn’t go unmissed by me so I know my mum caught it one hundred percent. He leans in again placing both his hands on the sides of my mothers face and kisses her deeply. They still have the ultimate fire in their relationship even after twenty four years of marriage, something I aspire to have. One day!
“Bye darling, we will see you later.”
“Come on then Nancy let’s go meet your motherrrr.” I drag out the word mother my own hitting my arm gently….pushing me towards the front door.
“Would you mind driving sweetie, I can’t seem to shift this headache.” I look at her, worry etched across my face and I can see that she sees it.
“Mum I think you need to go to the doctors, why don’t I call nan and cancel?”
“I’m fine, just don’t feel like driving. Concentrating on the road will just make it worse.” The tone in her voice tells me she is annoyed with me. I have pushed the doctors appointment idea on her for weeks and she just isn’t biting, but she’s her own person who am I to push her more when she doesn’t want the help.
Reluctantly we climb in to my car and head off to Luigi’s to meet my grandmother.
Walking in to the familiar surroundings of our family favourite restaurant I hear her before I see her. “Nancy…..Francesca, how wonderful to see my girls.” Embracing us both in an overly exaggerated hug that even my mother looks a little disturbed by the niceties.
“Mother.”
“Grandmother.”
We all sit, my grandmother having taken the liberty of ordering some champagne, I don’t hesitate diving straight in. I’m going to need it if I am to endure this lunch right now, remember your driving Frankie I subconsciously remind myself.
As I had already predicted Evelyn talks all about herself, she doesn’t once ask home my mother is or how I am getting along with anything in my life. It’s like this world we live in revolves only around her and nothing and no one else matters.
I notice my mum is a little bit out of it, she hasn’t made any comments to anything Evelyn has said for at least ten minutes which is not like her. It’s where I get it from, I notice she’s holding her head, her eyes are closed to and her other hand is gripping the arm of the chair she is sat in. “Mum are you ok?.”
“Yes, yes I’m fine don’t worry, would you be able to get me some water please?”
I look around through the sea of people trying to locate a waiter, why is it so busy in here today. Do these people not have jobs to go to? Before I even manage to get a waiters attention everything changes from being ok to being pure hell!
“NANCY” I hear my grandmother shriek, turning to see my mother convulsing in the chair, her eyes glazed over like no one is there.
Panic kicks in automatically; “MUM!! Help please, someone help, call an ambulance!”
Looking to my grandmother she is sat there in shock. “Frankie what’s happening? What is wrong with your mother?” Ye like I can answer you I’m not a doctor. And Frankie did I hear her right? She hasn’t called me Frankie since I was like twelve. Pull yourself together Frankie your mum needs you.
“Excuse me miss, an ambulance is on its way they said they should be five minutes.”
Oh thank god! Hang on mum help is on the way!! Please stay with me!!
**Present day**
“Dad is everything ok?” I have to ask, we haven’t interacted much over the last few days and I am worried about him.
“Yes everything is fine Frankie. Nothing you need to worry about. Would you like some dinner. I hadn’t realised the time.” But I do worry, it what children do. Parents worry about their children but children worry about their parents equally.
“I was going to order takeout, do you want something. I think Charlie is coming over. Is that ok?” He looks at me a confused look on his face.
“Yes of course I have some work to catch up on, it seems I have to get back to the office tomorrow.” With that he turns and walks back in to his study and closes the doors. I guess I’ll just order extra from the Chinese and he can help himself.
About twenty minutes later the doorbell rings.
I open the door to my best friend….Charlotte Wyatt. We have been best friends since primary school, she’s the one who is there no matter what. “Frankie, babe!” She embraces me in the biggest hug ever and that’s when the tears I haven’t yet shed threaten to fall!
“ I missed you so much.” I say quietly in to her hair as our hug last for what feels like an eternity.
That scene in the restaurant😥 It's so sad when someone close to you refuses to get help no matter how many times you suggest it. Absolutely loved this chapter, Frankie's sense of humor is amazing lol and I hope her mom makes it through this.
Nice!
Maybe I shouldn't, but I like Granny, I mean she's not letting age hold her back, but I think its too late for mothering instincts to kick in, Great start though, kinda felt like I was in the middle of an Ab Fab episode, lol and Granny was Patsy