This Love: A Frank Adler Story

Fourteen

Mary had left yesterday. I was so anxious about her. I wanted to call her but I really didn't wanna call Evelyn over it.

Frank was grabbing his shoes as he came into the living room. I looked over at him.

"It's six pm. What are you doing?" I asked.

"Come on. I have something to show you."

I sighed and got up, putting on some sandals before walking outside with him. He grabbed my hand and kissed my cheek.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

I just walked with him. It was quiet tonight. I liked it that way.

We waved to a few neighbors here and there. Before frank starting going towards the big houses, not just the apartments.

And eventually we stopped at a white one. Frank walked in, taking me with him. Roberts was already in there.

"Three bedrooms, two and a half baths. Rent is about twice the amount. Mary can still stay here, and you can actually feel like a family."

I looked around and smiled. It wasn't just a smile though, i was beaming.

I looked at him and pulled myself up into a hug. My feet were off the ground as I hugged her tight.

"Oh my god...oh my god okay I need to see the rest."

It was two stories. We went upstairs and looked at the bedrooms. The master bedroom even had a little porch, and it looked out on the bay.

I smiled. The master had its own bathroom. Mary could be right down the hall. Oh my god it was perfect.

I looked at frank. He smirked and held my hands.

"Do you want this house?"

"Yes. Oh my god yes."

"Okay. Well...we start moving in whenever. It's just rent right now."

"Rent is fine. We have money stacking up."

I kissed him again and smiled.

"Oh my god Mary's gonna be so happy." I said.

"She gets her own room here."

"This is so perfect."

Frank smiled and kissed me again. He was really smiling.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too."

———

Frank and I already starting packing a few things up the next day, until we heard a car pull up outside.

I went out with frank, seeing Mary getting out of the car. I smiled and picked her up after she ran to me.

"Hi baby. How was Boston?" I asked.

"Good." She said. She gave me her little toothless smile. I kissed her head and set her down.

"You wanna come inside?" Frank asked. Evelyn shook her head.

"Cats." She said.

I took Mary inside. She raced to see Fred.

"Uhhhh. Why are there boxes?"

I looked at frank as he came in. He picked Mary up and looked at her.

"We are moving."

"What?? But Roberta!" She said.

"No. It's just about five houses down. You will still see Roberta all the time, it's just that now you get your own room." I said. I pointed out the window.

"See that white one? That's ours." I whispered.

She gasped. "We're right on the water! There's a porch!" She said.

"Yeah!"

She giggled and kissed my cheek.

"We're gonna be a big happy family up there! We can make pancakes and eat in a dining room and have a full living room!"

I smiled and nodded. Frank smirked.

"I'm so happy!" She said.

"Me too sweetheart. I'm excited."

"Does that mean you're having a baby?" She asked. I chuckled.

"No. Not yet."

"I wanna be a big sister."

"And you'd be great at it. Just hold off a little bit for me."

"Fine." She said and groaned. I smiled.

"You hungry?" I asked. She nodded. I went to go make dinner.

"Come tell me about your Boston trip."

"Well I went to this big institution and I got brought into this room to solve a big problem but I couldn't solve it because it was wrong. So I left, and told Evelyn. So she took me back and I solved it. Apparently it was a huge problem but I got it just fine. He was just stupid for writing it wrong."

"Don't say stupid. That's not nice." I said.

"Yeah. Well Evelyn has a piano and lots of pictures of my mom. You were in some of them and so was uncle Frank. You all looked really happy."

I smiled. "We were. I loved your mom. She was very nice to me."

"Did you two hang out a lot?"

"When your mom wasn't busy yeah. I remember I was the first person she told about you. I was so excited for her. You were a little bundle of joy from the start."

Mary smiled. "Did you watch me be born?"

"Frank and I were in the delivery room. I remember seeing you for the first time. You had your mothers eyes and nose right away."

She hummed and pet Fred. "I like that. You and frank have always been there for me."

"And we will continue to be babe." I said. I came over and kissed her head.