What if? | Frank x Brenda

Chapter 10

He excused himself from the crowd, slipping out of the reception unnoticed, and wandered to a quiet corner of the garden. The distant sounds of music and laughter faded as he found a bench beneath a large, leafy tree. He sat down heavily, his head in his hands, feeling the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him.

As Frank sat there, lost in his reflection, Brenda was at the other end of the reception, standing with Teresa del Taco. The two of them had been making small talk, but Teresa had quickly become engrossed in her phone, her attention completely diverted. Brenda noticed Teresa scrolling through something, her brow furrowed with concentration. 

Curious, Brenda leaned over slightly, catching a glimpse of the screen. Her heart sank as she saw what Teresa was browsing—a website titled "Divorce Wizard," complete with step-by-step guides on how to end a marriage. It was as if a cold hand had gripped her heart, and for a moment, Brenda couldn't breathe. 

She had thought that things between them were getting better, that their reconciliation was real, but now it seemed like Teresa was already planning her escape. The realization stung, but it also clarified something deep within Brenda. Her gaze drifted away from Teresa and across the reception, where she caught sight of Frank slipping out into the garden alone.

Without a second thought, Brenda handed her glass to a nearby waiter and hurried after Frank. She didn't bother to tell Teresa where she was going—she didn't even look back. Her mind was focused entirely on Frank, on the need to see him, to talk to him, to understand why he had left.

She found him sitting on the bench, his posture slumped and defeated. Brenda approached quietly, not wanting to startle him, and then took a seat beside him. For a moment, they just sat there in silence, neither of them speaking, but both aware of the other's presence.

"Hey," Brenda finally said softly, breaking the silence. "I noticed you left the reception... Are you okay?"

Frank looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and tired. He forced a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed some air."

Brenda studied him for a moment, sensing the turmoil beneath his words. "Frank, you don't have to pretend with me. I saw how you were looking at Sammy and Lavash... It's okay to feel things, you know."

Frank let out a long, shaky breath, his shoulders sagging. "I'm happy for them, I really am. But... seeing them like that, it just got to me. It's hard not to think about what could have been, you know? What I might have had... with you."

Brenda felt her heart ache at his words. She had spent so much time running from her own feelings, from the memories of what they had shared. But now, sitting here with Frank, she couldn't deny the truth any longer.

"I've been thinking about that too," Brenda admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I had moved on, but... seeing Teresa the way she is and all that shit, I don't know. It feels like I've been lying to myself."

Frank looked at her, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Brenda, I never stopped caring about you. Even after everything that happened, you've always been in my heart."

Brenda swallowed hard, feeling a lump forming in her throat. She wanted to say something, to tell him how much he still meant to her, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she reached out and took his hand, holding it tightly.

For a long moment, they just sat there, hand in hand, letting the silence speak for them. The pain and confusion they had both been carrying seemed to ease, just a little, in the comfort of each other's presence.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Brenda finally said, her voice thick with emotion. "But I don't want to keep running away. Not from you, and not from how I feel."

Frank squeezed her hand, his eyes searching hers. "I don't want to run anymore either. Whatever happens, we'll face it together."

Brenda took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked into Frank's eyes. She could see the hope and longing in his gaze, mirroring her own feelings. The weight of everything unsaid hung between them, and she knew this was the moment—her chance to finally speak the truth she had been hiding for so long.

"Frank," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "I can't keep pretending that I'm okay with seeing you once every few years, like some distant memory. The truth is... I've missed you more than I ever let myself admit. I've tried to move on, but no matter what I do, I keep coming back to you."

Frank's breath hitched, and he gripped her hand a little tighter. "Brenda..."

She shook her head, cutting him off gently. "I need to say this. Frank, I want to be with you. I don't want to keep living my life wondering what could have been. I don't want to keep you at arm's length anymore. I want us to be together, not just in passing moments, but for real. I love you, Frank."

The confession hung in the air, raw and vulnerable. For a second, Frank just stared at her, as if trying to process the words. Then, without hesitation, he reached out, cupping her face in his hands.

"I love you too, Brenda," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I've always loved you. And if you're willing to give us a chance... I'm all in. I want this—us."

Brenda felt tears welling up in her eyes, but they were tears of relief, of joy. She smiled through them, her heart swelling as Frank leaned in closer. 

And then, in the soft light of the garden, with the stars twinkling above them, Frank and Brenda closed the gap between them. Their lips met in a tender, passionate kiss, one that spoke of all the years they had lost, and all the years they now had to look forward to together.

In that moment, everything else faded away—the past, the mistakes, the what-ifs. All that mattered was them, right here, right now, finally finding their way back to each other.

The end.