Boston Blood

Thirty nine

The sound of soft, sweet snores filling the room made Frankie smile. Lucy was curled up in between her and Cillian after demanding they watch "The Lion King" a second time. Cillian had ordered two pizzas and he and Lucy ate their body weight before both passing out. Frankie was in too much pain to eat. After Cillian had gave up telling her to eat something he hadn't said a word to her the rest of the night. It was strange. Sitting there hearing Lucy laugh and sing along to the songs and making Cillian fast forward the scene where Mufasa dies, Frankie couldn't help the odd sense of happiness that had taken over her. She was sure it was the utter surrealism of the fucked up situation she had found herself in, but the last few hours had felt normal. Well, what she imagined a normal life would feel like.

She never thought she had wanted a family. She swore that she would never bring a child into this world and knew that she wouldn't make a good mother. She was far too familiar with the cruelty of life and the dangers and horrors it contained and after everything she and Michael went through, she could never face having her own child go through any of that. She was very fond of Lucy but she still worried about her. She had to admit that in spite of her family, she did seem safe and happy. Cillian and her aunt Bridget were dangerous criminals but Frankie could tell that they loved her very much. It was oddly comforting. Frankie knew that they would do anything to protect this child, well she hoped so, anyway.

Lucy twitched beside her, kicking her leg out which unfortunately connected with Frankie's stomach. She winced and let out a moan, closing her eyes and biting down hard on her lip. She lifted up her sweatshirt to check her bandage and was relieved to see that it wasn't bleeding. The pain was becoming intense but she had to fight through it. As bad as it was, she refused to take the medication. She knew that they were strong and addictive and just couldn't risk it. The only good thing was that the pain was a constant reminder of why she was doing this. It was like it was fuelling the fire and hatred within her to keep going and to just get the job done and finally see these fuckers pay.

She had had a lot of time to think of her plan. She didn't really know what she would do. She wasn't going to go to the cops, that was only for rats and cowards. But maybe there was a way she could take O'Shea down like she did Tony? Maybe she could convince Tony that O'Shea was working with the FBI? She was already going to make sure Tony knew that Tommy was fucking him over, maybe she could do the same with O'Shea?

Frankie's mind was reeling as she found herself completely lost in her own thoughts. She hadn't noticed that a tiny pair of arms were carefully wrapping themselves around her neck. Frankie jumped, slightly as Lucy hugged her tight. "Night night, Frankie. I hope you'll be at my party tomorrow. I like you, Uncle Cillian's other girlfriends were never very nice. You're nice." She kissed Frankie's cheek just as Cillian carefully lifted Lucy up, his face absolutely alive with frustration. "Lucy, Frankie is not my girlfriend. She just works for uncle Aidan and won't be staying long. And she will not be at your party tomorrow."

Frankie's head snapped up and she couldn't help the hurt that was definitely plastered across her face. "What? Why not? Frankie? Don't you want to come to my party?" Lucy's eyes were filling with tears but Cillian was already half way towards her bedroom. "Lucy, that's enough. We'll talk about this in the morning." Cillian's voice was full of authority and the tone send an unexpected shiver down Frankie's back. "Good night, Lucy. Happy Birthday." Frankie whispered and peeled herself off the couch just in time to see Lucy's little hand wave at her before disappearing.

Frankie stomped over to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She held her stomach with one hand while she lifted the glass with her other, very shaky, one. Why was she so angry? She wasn't part of this little girl's life. It was better for Frankie to keep her distance. She was already furious with herself for feeling so attached to Lucy. Cillian was right. She had to stay away and keep her head in the game if she was going to get through this. Just then, a terrifying thought attacked Frankie's mind like a bomb. She had been so hell-bent on going along with O'Shea and helping him kill her father and take over Boston. She was going to try to put a stop to Aidan O'Shea and his crew if it was the last thing she did. But what would happen to Lucy? In all of her scheming, she hadn't considered where Lucy would go if all of her family were in prison. Surely there was someone who could look after her? But Frankie remembered Bridget telling her how she had adopted Lucy because there was no one else. Frankie couldn't let that sweet, innocent child be taken away and given to the authorities? Sure, she would probably be sent to a good home and live a life far away from crime and danger but she knew first hand what being in the system was like. She would never willingly put Lucy through that. What if I take Lucy and just run away? We could move back to Ireland and start a new life?