Innocently Taken

twelve

"good job frankie!" ariana said as frank rolled over into his stomach. "good job buddy, you're getting so big. let's call daddy, you wanna call daddy and tell him?" she asked as she picked the baby up from the floor. "let's call daddy. i know he misses you. we're gonna have to go see him tomorrow," she said as she took her phone out of her pocket. "let's call daddy."

ariana dialed macs number and waited for him to pick up, but hung up when the phone went to voicemail. "he must be sleeping. he had a long day yesterday," she said as she kissed franks cheek.

ariana looked at her phone when it rang, smiling when she saw that it was mac. "look it's daddy, we must have woken him up," she said as she answered the call. "we have some news for you daddy."

"it's mom," karen said.

"oh hey. are you with mac?"

"yeah honey but listen-"

"tell him frankie rolled over."

"honey..."

ariana stayed quiet for a few seconds. "...i don't like the way your voice sounds... what's going on?"

"he's gone honey."

"he probably went to the studio or something, he forgets his phone all the time."

"no ariana. he's... dead."

"what?"

"he's dead sweetheart," karen's voice cracked.

"but..." ariana's eyes filled with tears, placing frank in his playpen. "i just talked to him three hours ago," her voice cracked. "how is he dead?"

"he overdosed."

ariana let out a small sob as she covered her mouth. "no..."

"i'm so sorry honey," karen's voice cracked again.

"no! no he's not! he can't be, i just talked to him this morning!"

"he's gone, ari."

"no!" she shouted. "stop saying it! he can't be, i talked to him three fucking hours ago!"

"hey, what's going on?" pete asked as he walked into the room.

"he's not! he's not, he can't be! please!" ariana sobbed.

pete took the phone from her. "this is pete, what's going on?" he asked.

"it's karen. i just let her know that mac passed away," karen said.

"oh... fuck. i'm sorry."

"take care of her."

"i will."

pete hung up and put the phone in his pocket. "babe..."

ariana sobbed, pushing her hair out of her face. "this isn't fair, i was just fucking talking to him!"

"i know baby."

"no! you don't know!" she shouted. "he is my child's father, he was my first everything, he was the love of my life! and — and now he's dead, he's gone! he just — he left me! he left me alone! he left me to — to take care of his baby all by myself! i can't do this without him, i need him!"

pete pulled ariana into a hug, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head as she sobbed over and over.

———————————————————————

"do you wanna see him?" karen asked as she and ariana stopped at a closed door.

ariana sniffled and nodded as she took frank from her gently. "yeah. we need to say goodbye to him."

"sir," karen said to a security guard. "this is his son and his mother. can i show them in?"

"go ahead ma'am. i'm sorry for your loss," the guard said.

karen opened the door and ariana slipped in, tears filling her eyes as she slowly walked over to the bed macs body was laying on.

"oh my god," she whispered. she sniffled and ran her finger over his cheek, shaking her head. "you need to shave..."

frank babbled and reached out for his father. ariana stayed still for a few seconds before carefully placing him on macs chest. "frankie's here, malcolm..." she said softly. "we were gonna come see you tomorrow..."

as frankie babbled, ariana sniffled and ran her fingers through macs hair. "why did you do this to yourself? you had so much going for you, baby... we were supposed to watch frankie grow up together... be best friends..." her voice cracked. "i'm still in love with you... i always will be, i think..."

ariana sniffled again as tears slid down her cheeks. "i talked to you six hours ago... six hours, malcolm, and... why did you do this? why? frankie needs you... i need you. i fucking need you!" she snapped.

karen walked up slowly and took frankie from macs chest and touched ariana's arm. "i'll be outside with him."

ariana stayed silent until she heard the door close and she let out a rack of sobs. "please wake up... please, please wake up. open your eyes, please just open your fucking eyes!" she sobbed, resting her head on his chest. "i can't raise our son on my own, please come back. please. i need you, malcolm, please. i'll tell pete we have to make other arrangements, i'll come back to you, please wake up," she sobbed. "please..."

she spent almost an hour sitting with him and holding his hand before the door opened. "ma'am... we have to take your husband to the mortuary," a woman said. "you're welcome to follow us."

"i'll be ou in a minute," she said with a raspy voice.

"alright. we'll be right outside."

once the door closed again she lifted her head and looked at him, sniffling. "...i don't know why i said i'd break it off with pete... you know i can't do that. i'm as in love with him as i am with you..." she said, sighing as she ran her fingers through his hair again. "i do love you. so, so much... i'm so sorry you got to this point. if i could help in any way i would have and you know that. you could have come to me..."

she waited a few seconds before leaning down and kissing his lips. "i love you."

———————————————————————

as soon as ariana got home, she fed frankie and got him down to bed before taking a shower and getting into bed herself. when she felt eye wrap his arms around her, she wiggles out of his grasp.

"are you okay?" pete asked.

"don't touch me."

"okay," he said pulling his arms away. "sleep good okay?"

"won't be much sleeping. just let me cry."

"okay. i love you."

"okay."

pete kisses her head before drifting off to sleep.

ariana laid there, chin trembling as tears fell.