Hold Me Close & Don't Let Me Fall ✓

Chapter 10

I had taken a few days off after the incident in order to be there to pick Mary up from school. Frank pulls his truck into its spot in front of our apartment after we got Mary from school.

"Oh shit!" I say when I see who's at our door.

"There's a lady standing at our door." Mary says.

"Who is it?" Frank asks, still not looking.

"How should I know? I'm 7."

"Frank... Look," panic working its way into my into my voice. He turns the truck off and looks.

"Shit. That would be your grandmother."

"Holy shit!" Mary exclaims, causing me to laugh out.

We get out of the cab and I whisper in Frank's ear, "Do we have to let it in?"

He slaps my butt. "Play nice. I don't want her here anymore than you do." He lets her into our home and she hands Mary a gift bag, which she promptly tears into. It's a new laptop.

"An Apple? Whoa!"

"It's a MacBook darling. Top-of-the-line, with the Retina Display."

"Hey, you know who else has a Retina Display?" Frank asks.

"Fred!" She says happily.

"Mary, I understand you like mathematics," I scoff. "So, on there, you'll find a great out-of-print book by Charles Zimmer called Transitions in Advanced Algebra."

"And there it is." I say under my breath.

"Yeah. Love that book," Mary says.

"You're saying you read it?" Evelyn looks shocked.

"Yeah. I've kind of moved on to differential equations now."

"Don't forget your manners Mary." I remind her.

"Thank your grandma." Frank adds.

"Thank you, Grandma." Mary says.

"Grandmother or Evelyn will do just fine."

"Or you can call her what I do... a raging c..." I get out before Frank covers my mouth.

Evelyn chooses to ignore me. "There's so much more on there. Things I know you'll find really challenging."

"Yes but sadly, it's a school night and there's homework to do. What a surprise though, right? Say goodnight to Grandmother or Evelyn." Frank interrupts.

"Good night." Mary tells her.

"I'll get dinner started as soon as we come back in. Get started on your homework." I tell Mary as Frank gets his mother out of the house.

...

"I'd kill a priest for a Benadryl." Evelyn says as we walk her to her car.

"Still with the allergies?" Frank asks.

"Why in God's name have you got a cat? You don't even like cats, either of you."

"He's not our cat. He's Mary's." I say. "We're just along for the ride."

"So let me guess. Our lovely principal, Ms. Davis." Frank says.

"Never get in the bad side of small-minded people who have a little authority. I thought I taught you that."

"That's probably the only thing you taught him." I mumble.

"What are you doing here?" Frank asks, holding my hand so I can't do anything stupid.

"You don't think I have a right to see my granddaughter?"

"Well seeing as you turned her mother out when she got pregnant..." I stop myself, knowing those words will do enough damage.

"I do. We do. I'm just thrilled your seven-year exhaustive search has finally come to a fruitful conclusion." Frank says.

"I don't think this is an appropriate time to talk. Certainly not the setting. While I was waiting, a cockroach this big tried to steal my shoe." She measures out with her hands.

"Yeah. They'll take a shoe." Frank says.

"Honestly, this? This godforsaken mosquito ranch was a conscious choice?"

"We could drop you back off at the airport." I offer. She doesn't respond, just gives us a look as she gets in and drives off.

We head back inside and we see Mary playing around in her computer. "This thing is loaded with cool problems." She says as she goes through it.

I go into the kitchen and lean against the counter, breathing heavily, trying to keep myself from crying. I busy myself getting dinner.

I turn and see Frank leaning in the doorway, watching me. "I'm fine," I say, wiping my face before turning away to start cooking.

He comes up behind me, reaching around and gently taking the utensils from me. "Talk to me." He says.

"I knew something was going to happen. I can't believe that principal called her. She has no claim to Mary. Diane was very clear about that." I say, my sadness and anxiety quickly giving way to anger.

"She doesn't have a leg to stand on. No court would choose to rip a child away from the only home they've ever known."

"You think we're going to have to go to court for this?" I say, back to panicking.

"No, I'm just saying if it does, we'll be prepared. I won't let her hurt us."

"What can we do Frank? She has the money, resources."

"Stop, stop." He says, pulling me to him. "Don't let her get in your head."

"Get in? She's never left. Her last words to me have been playing on a loop for 7 years."

"I'm gonna order pizza. Go chill on the couch with, spend some time with Mary."

"Ok." I say and walk out of the kitchen, settling in on the couch next to her, smiling as she excitedly told me all the cool features her new computer had. I looked up at Frank and saw a sad smile on his face and I knew we were thinking the same thing, our motto, it seemed, for the last 7 years. Is this what Diane would've wanted?