Audrey Hepburn's Pearls: Part I

Chapter 100.1: 1968, Georgina

Chapter 100.1: 1968, Georgina

There was a warm breeze, reminding me of orange. Of hills waving orange grass, but a musky smell that could never be orange.

When my eyes opened the memories flushed back, and I didn't want to be here. There was a dream, a horrible dream. In the same moment, the warmth cascaded on my cheek again. A small breeze.

The car horn blaring made me jump up, my eyes wide open to see everything. That's when a hand gently appeared on my chest, pressing me back into bed. A large hand, one I recognized instantly. My head turning, I saw who it was and the relief. Oh god the relief.

All the air rushed out of my body like a waterfall, and more floated back in smelling of cigarette smoke and sausages cooking on a stove. Next to me was Frankie, staring at me with those blue-green eyes like a saint, as unreal to me as like the dream I'd had last night.

"Oh, Frankie, where have you been?" I whispered, all of my emotions hitting me like too many baseballs. "Where have you been..."

He shook his head slowly, took my hand. It had to be a dream. His lips met my knuckles, such warm lips. His hand was pulling me towards him, and I rolled over on the bed and we were kissing. We were kissing, and there was nothing else I cared about in the world.

"Sausages and eggs, baby girl," Paulie said casually, plopping a plate full of the stuff in front of me at the kitchen table. Frankie was beside me, at his favorite spot. He began to cut up my eggs for me, even though I didn't need him to. He was always so kind. It was surreal, seeing him here doing that. Being so kind. "Hey, Frankie, you want sausages? What kind, I've got links and patties. I cut the patties from this block that I got. All beef."

"Oh, well you made those patties sound nice. I'll have a couple of 'em," Frankie replied back, his smile coming. I was enchanted.

"You got it."

"Are you going to eat with us or do you have work? I heard they're painting next to my dad's office building today. White walling."

"No, I'm going uptown today. There's some construction going on. I'm going to ask if they're union or not. They're usually union, but if they're not I'm gonna apply. I'm sick of painting, you know? Messes up my clothes."

Painting...

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, I bet it does," Frankie beamed, spearing one of my link sausages with my fork. The edge of the fork exposed underneath speared a small bit of egg. This was twirling towards my mouth like one would to a baby before I could react. All I could do was smile in my surprise, opening my mouth for it. It almost distracted me from this conversation, but not enough. "Shame, though," Frankie continued, "I heard that contract is real nice. You get half again pay if you go overtime. They're doing a rush job, so there's lots of overtime. Good work, good pay."

"Nah, I'm interested in construction. Thank you, though." Paulie was scooping egg on to Frankie's plate at the stove. I couldn't see his face.

"Well, alright."

"Yup."

I'd finished chewing, just watching them. The conversation seemed to be over. Construction. Paulie never mentioned it.

"Let the birdie in," Frankie said softly to me, smiling so charming. There was more egg on the fork, waiting. I obeyed, opening my mouth again.

"Hmm, so." Paulie was talking again. I was watching him again. He was putting the remainder of the eggs on his plate, no sausage. "You two sure are lovey dovey. When is the wedding?"

The egg got stuck in my throat. I swallowed hard. At this mention, Frankie had started to smile shyly, and this smile made my heart so nervous, like I had a crush on him.

"That's another matter we have to discuss." He faced Paulie now, who was taking his seat at the head of the table. He slid Frankie's plate towards him and set his own in front of himself casually. Frankie caught his plate and situated it in front of himself. I stared down at my own plate, which looked a bit lonely now.

"A matter? You make it sound so business-like," Paulie snorted, leaning forward to grab his cigarettes.

"Let me give you a light." Frankie reached into his shirt pocket for his lighter, and I picked up my fork.

"Don't bother. I'll use mine."

"Alright."

"Hmm, so." I heard the sound of Paulie's lighter flicking, then closing in one swift motion as I stared down at my plate. "When's the wedding?" Again.

Something sour was forming in my stomach, making me lose my appetite.

"Oh, it will get here."

"Yeah? No date?"

"No."

"Hmm."

That wasn't tension, was it? There was something terse in the way Frankie had responded to those questions. Was it my imagination?

"There's something else coming up soon, though." Looking up, I saw Frankie observing me again. A blush formed on my cheeks in the dim light. His hand found mine on the table and I forgot to breathe for a second. "Its your birthday soon, pretty eyes. What do you want to do?"

"Um..." I was caught off guard. I hadn't expected this at all, didn't know how to feel.

"How about Coney Island? We can go to the beach. I think its beach season? You like the beach, right?"

"Oh, um." I didn't know how to respond to that. It was too abrupt. Too normal...

Paulie clearing his throat brought me back into the apartment, away from sudden images of us on the beach, sitting on a picnic blanket together maybe. Watching the waves. Frankie was looking at Paulie now instead.

"If you want to go to the beach I suggest Seaside Heights. You know, Jersey. Oceanside. That boardwalk is nice this time of year, not too crowded. The waves are bigger, too. More fun." Paulie sounded so serious. Too serious, stern.

The middle of Frankie's eyebrows creased. He looked immediately troubled. "Oh, you're right. You're right. The waves are bigger."

My lips pressed into my mouth before I could stop myself. My hands started to shake, one in his so he must have felt it.

It was reality setting in. No, I didn't want reality...

"Its okay, baby doll," Frankie was smiling at me again. The illusion was trying to come up over my eyes again but it couldn't. I couldn't stop trembling. No, it wasn't okay. It was- "I'll take you to a nice restaurant. We'll walk along the beach. You know, I'll get you a nice bathing suit. It could be one of your birthday presents. I know you like blue. I'll find you a nice blue one. You like lobster?"

"Um, yeah, I like lobster." I tried to take a deep breath but it got caught under my ribs.

"Okay. I'll find a nice lobster place. I'll get you the biggest blue lobster they have."

I realized too late that this last sentence had been meant as a joke. The way he was smiling at me. It was too late to laugh now. He rocked my hand back and forth on the table instead, maybe trying to comfort me.

"Okay," I said quietly.

"You better eat that sausage, its going to get cold. There's more in the pan If you want it, too," Paulie offered, sounding quieter now, too. More subdued.

I nodded, picking up my fork again.

Soon we were all eating in silence, just the sounds of cutlery on plates. It was all too much for me, this conversation. What should have been a happy, light conversation had been too serious. I knew what they were talking about. What they'd meant.

I sighed, closing my eyes as I put the last of the egg in my mouth. As I chewed, I felt a shivering feeling, the coldness of a wave on me, like at the beach I wasn't allowed to go to. Not with Frankie, anyway. That's what they'd meant, I knew it.

We weren't allowed at that beach. No, the reality was...we couldn't be seen together at all. Not even on my birthday.