After the contentious custody battle, Frank & Mary go on with their lives as usual. But it isn't until an eventful night at Ferg's that Frank starts to wonder if maybe his life might be missing something. Now that his niece has a normal life, maybe...
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Frank had to admit, as he looked at his mother standing on his doorstep, that there had always been a small tiny part of him that had been happy to see Evelyn whenever she came back into his life. But, after everything that they gone through that year, he tried to ignore any positive feelings that he still held towards her, however small they might be, and kept his guard up nice and high. Even though they had technically mended fences, and buried the proverbial hatchet, Frank was still suspicious as to her motives and tried not to let that tiny happy part of him show.
He was smart enough to know that she hadn't undergone any profound change of character, but that little kid inside him still held out the faintest hope that one day she might love and accept him. He hated feeling that weak.
There wasn't another human being on earth more familiar with the famous wall that he'd put up to protect himself than Evelyn Adler. Frank could have sworn that her posture changed when she noticed his wall go up. In turn, hers went up as well. They were really more alike then he'd ever care to admit.
Frank stood in front of his house and took a deep cleansing breath when he realized that Mary and Sam would never have to go through similar conflicting feelings when it came to Joey. Knowing that the kids he loved wouldn't relive his experiences gave him a sense of relief. Even though she was still across the street, Joey still managed to comfort him and make him stronger in her absence.
"I take it that the giant hillbilly amusement park across the street is for Sean?" Evelyn quipped when she became annoyed with Frank cold expression.
"Sam. His name is Sam." Frank dryly corrected her and tried not to show any emotion. "Get used to that name because you're going to be hearing it a lot. Why are you here?"
"Can't a grandmother visit her granddaughter on her birthday?"
"Of course." Frank agreed and tried to project as much fake lightheartedness as he could. "I'm sure you'll fit right in with all of the hillbillies." He added with a bit more ice in his voice.
Evelyn rolled her eyes and let out a familiar disappointed sigh. "I was hoping that I could take you and Mary out for lunch."
"Sorry, but our lunch has been spoken for. That party across the street is for Mary, too. I hope you like hot dogs."
"You can't be serious." Evelyn grimaced. "All of that can't be for her as well. It looks like the bloody circus has come to town. I told her not to get her hopes up too high."
"Evelyn." Frank stood up straighter and became more commanding. "Of course this party is for her as well. Why in the hell would you imply otherwise?"
Evelyn shrugged and pursed her lips together and Frank closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe he should be paying closer attention to the conversations that Mary had with her grandmother over Skype. Joey had pulled him aside that morning at the resort and told him about the heart to heart that she had had with Mary in the kitchen that morning
