Audrey Hepburn's Pearls: Part I

Chapter 56.2: 1968, Georgina

Chapter 56.2: 1968, Georgina

"I'm scared for you. That would be my only concern." Frankie was slowly giving me an up and down look, observing me as if in a new light.

"I know. I'm scared, too. But Sylvia said it would be okay. Its not without danger, certainly, but... What do you think?" I kept asking him this same question over and over. 

"I really like the hormone idea. I like you going to see a doctor, a therapist. But the dressing part is scaring me."

"It scares me, too. But somewhat a good kind of scared, mixed in." My hand squeezed his between us. He shifted on his stool, and I had to judge why. It couldn't be because he was uncomfortable with the situation. He'd been nothing but supportive. He was just concerned for me, he loved me, that's all.

"Would you be doing hormones after?"

"Huh? 'After'?"

He squeezed my hand twice, causing my heart to slow. "After the surgery. After we're in Hawaii."

Oh. "Yeah. I think so. But the dressing part. I really want to dress like this outside. You should have seen it, Frankie. I was terrified, but I felt so liberated. I wasn't hiding anymore. Well, a little. Yesterday, I was...but I was wearing that sailor dress you like underneath."

"You've been out dressed like this?" his tone was suprised with a barely detectable appallation.

I gave him an assuring smile. "Yeah. It was okay. I went to Norman Rockwell's. He knew me, so it was alright."

"But the other people in there didn't know you."

"No, but it went fine."

"Georgina..."

"Hm?"

His other hand laid on my bare knee, almost brushing the hem of my light grey-blue dress. My heart jumped, starting to beat faster with the warmth of his touch.

"I...how do I say it?"

My lips parted. His words triggered a chain reaction in my body, like ice traveling upwards. Even though I knew he'd never say something contrary, still that fear was stirred, always worrying. I waited as patiently as my wildly beating heart allowed. Color rushed to my cheeks because of this. Did he see it?

Desperation spilled into his eyes as if it were liquid. "When I...heard you say this my first instinct was to protect you personally. There's no other way for me to express it."

Oh, Frankie. His words broke me but mended me up as if he were sewing me back together at the same time. They had to be some of the sweetest things I'd ever heard or even tasted. I didn't know what to say. His eyes went slightly wider, and he lowered his head, peering up at me as he leaned forward.

"Georgina?" he asked tentatively, a little shy.

"Yeah." My voice was too quiet.

"Did I say something wrong?" He sounded so worried. So dear.

"No."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

His hand squeezed my knee. My fingers met his, laid over them. His face rested into a pleasing smile, soft as an angel.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, still shy. Adorable.

"What you said."

"What do you think about it?"

My lips stretched into their own little beam. "That its one of the sweetest, nicest things that's ever been said to me."

Any worry left his eyes and he took a long, easy breath. "But I do want to protect you. The thought of people giving you a hard time... I don't know what I'd do if somebody hurt you. It makes me want to stay by your side all the time."

The idea of him being my personal body guard seemed laughable at the surface at first, but a quick thought reminded me that despite his scrawny, string bean exterior was pure muscle and training to deal with resistance. The stories he'd told me appeared in my head like many films that I had imagined as he spoke of them. This was serious. He could do real damage if he wanted to. Him protecting me this way...it made my blush deepen.

"I don't know how that would be possible." My hands intertwined with his, resting on my knee.

"I don't know either, but I worry about you."

"I know."

"What would you...do if somebody started giving you a hard time?"

His face filled with concern again and I wanted to wipe it away gently.

"I don't know. Well...at Norman's...I thought for a second that Norman was going to give me a hard time, but he didn't. I kind of panicked in that moment."

"What would have happened if he'd given you a hard time?"

"I don't know. Well, Sylvia told me that she's been refused service before, so maybe he'd have refused to serve me."

"Pretty eyes...I don't like the sound of that."

I sighed. "I don't either, but...not being served is better than being served as a man? At least, that's how I feel about it. I'd rather they...I guess...refuse service to me as a woman than serve me as a man. At least they'd be acknowledging me."

"But that sounds awful."

"It is."

He shifted on his stool again, this time I knew it was in uncomfortableness. His eyes looked uncertain. "I wonder if I were there if they'd refuse you service."

"I don't know."

"There could be a better chance they couldn't."

"There could."

He gave me a little smile and I collected it in my heart. He went on. "I want to figure this out. I don't want them to treat you differently. You don't deserve that. I wish everybody could see that."

I leaned forward and pinched his cheek very gently. This was met with an immediate pink blush. His cheek felt hot under my thumb and forefinger. So I kissed it. 

"Mm," he moaned a little bit, not moving. 

"You're so sweet," I whispered into his ear, feeling butterflies of my own.

"I just want you to be happy."

"I know, baby."

"You're beautiful, and I want the world to know."

My heart. It was indescribable. "I only care that you know."

"Cuddlebug."

"Mmmm."

I got off my stool and sat on his lap, wrapping my arms around him and settled my face against his neck. It was the most comfortable position in the world. The dull light of my apartment seemed suddenly romantic even though it was the same from my pose. He held me tightly, protectively it seemed. 

"Just promise me you're going to be safe," he whispered to me. I could feel his jaw moving.

"I promise. I won't do anything dangerous."

"Just promise me."

"I promise." I nuzzled my lips into his neck, kissing and kissing. The way he cared about me. I felt so safe. He squeezed my body and snuggled his cheek against the top of my head, loving me.