Shattered Roses

Epilogue

Sometime in 1947

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Franny had to work to keep from dropping the brown paper bags in her arms as Patty wiggled the keys inside the lock. "Hurry, hurry," she rushed as she pushed them against the wall, adjusting her grip.

"I'm trying!" She pulled the keys out, shook them like it was their fault, and then stuck them back in, popping the lock. It didn't help as at that moment, the bags went sliding for the floor. Franny grasped, but before they hit the ground, a woman came up at her side.

"Got your back, Franny," a familiar face dove in, stopping the bags plummet.

"Eloise! I didn't see you." She beamed at her as she gathered the bags she'd nearly dropped.

"Well, at least I got the door open." Patty said with a lopsided grin and danced into the house on light feet. Franny chuckled as she took the load inside with her dear friend at her heels.

"You're a life saver, Eloise," Franny told her. Coming to New York state to join her friend had been one of her best ideas yet. Some days she really wondered why she hadn't done it sooner, but one look at Patty and she was glad she hadn't. Maybe she and Jordy wouldn't have gotten tied up in the mess, but if the Clarkston's had to be gone, she would forever be happy that she was there for that sweet little girl. If Franny hadn't been there, what would've happened to Patty? She didn't imagine good things.

Eloise had been ecstatic to have Franny and her brothers turn up in New York and had even let Franny and Patty stay in a guest room for a short time before Franny found a suitable home. Bernard had helped her cosign for the financial responsibility. The house was hers. In more ways than the last house had been. That house had been her parents, it was shared by her brothers. This one? This was hers. Hers and Patty's, and she paid for it with her nurse's wages. Jordy and Mary had stayed here for a time with her, until he finally found a job and saved enough to get his own place with Mary. Franny and Patty helped them set up their baby room.

"I see you still got that broken lock," Eloise teased, drawing her back to the present.

"I'm going to hurt Jordy," she muttered as she kicked the door shut behind them, but she was smiling with amusement. "He promised to fix the lock last week."

Patty plopped down on their small sofa. She was taller now and she'd gotten her hair cut much shorter than it used to be. She'd wanted it that way and Franny hadn't argued with the cute style. It made her look like a small adult.

Sighing after her exertion, Franny wiped a bit of sweat off her brow, "What brings you out today?"

"I just saw you struggling from across the street, thought I'd pop in." Eloise set the bags down on the floor where Franny had placed hers.

"We're having a big supper tonight if you would like to join us?"

"I'm on shift."

"Leftovers tomorrow then."

"Deal." She checked her watch and then said, "Speaking of shift, I better go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have a good day, Eloise."

"You, too, Franny." She let herself out and Franny left the bags where they were and went to her phone, lifting it and placing a call through the operator. A few shakes later, a husky voice responded.

Franny hesitated for no amount of time and said, "Jordy Michael Rose." She put her hand on her hip even though he couldn't see her. "Why isn't my lock fixed yet?"

She imagined the blush staining his cheeks, "Listen, it's hard being a dad, I got busy."

She made an obnoxious noise at him, "If you'd put that baby down for one second,"