Love Mia, Love Jimmy

Chapter Four

Mia's POV

Jimmy's truck backs down the driveway, rolling easily over the snow. I watch from the window as he rolls down the street and out of sight.

I head back to the kitchen. The older Fallon, Winnie, sits on the tile floor with a golden retriever. The dog lifts her head up to look at me, then puts it back down. Winnie runs her hand over the dog's ears, the dog used to it.

"This is Gary," Winnie says, looking up to me. "I can't say her middle name."

"Uh..." I tilt my head to look at her, wondering where she's going with this.

"Psst." She beckons me down to her. "It's Frick. Don't tell Daddy I said it." My lips twitch upward.

"Your secret's safe with me. Where's your sister?" I look around to try to find the younger Fallon.

"Did Daddy tell you about Franny?" Winnie looks up at me, and I slide down onto the floor next to her. I lean against the kitchen cupboard, my ankles crossed.

"He did."

"Good. I don't explain it like Daddy does." Winnie twiddles her thumbs. "She'll be okay. She needs time, Mama leaving is still fresh."

"How old are you again?"

"Five. I'll be six in six months."

"Okay."

"How old are you?"

"Thirty. I'll be thirty one in two months."

"Cool. Where'd you get your red hair?"

"My mom. Where'd you get your blonde hair?"

"My mom."

"Good talk," I say.

"What's your full name?"

"Milana Grace Bennett Wilson."

"What's your daughter's name?"

"Sailor Gray Wilson."

"I like full names."

"You do?"

"Yes. Mine is Winnie Rose Fallon, Franny's is Frances Cole Fallon, Daddy's is James Thomas Fallon, and Gary is Gary Frick Fallon."

"Do you always ask a lot of questions?"

"Yes," she says, taking my wrist. "Pretty," she whispers before shaking her head and standing up. "We need to find Franny now. Daddy doesn't want her to be alone too long in case she talks and we miss it." I heave myself off the floor as I follow her to the third floor. There's five bedrooms, she tells me, three of them are occupied, one's Jimmy's office, and the other is a guest room. She shows me her room first, the walls a soft orange, like the color you would think of when you think of the fall season.

We make our way to Franny's room, the door opened slightly. Inside, three walls are teal, the other one gray. There's a bed in one corner, with a mountain of stuffed animals piled high.

"Franny?" Winnie's voice rings out softly. I stand in the doorway and watch one of the bears shift, and a small head peaks out of the covers. The younger Fallon sits up, and I see a small picture frame nuzzled in her arms. Winnie walks over to her sister, pulling her gently out of the pile and hugs her close to her chest. The picture drops and I catch a glimpse of it. It's a woman, blonde hair and pearly white smile, smiling at the camera as two blonde heads are tucked into her chest. I can hear mumbles coming from Winnie as a tear slides down my cheek. I wipe it away quickly, slowly walking into the room.

"Are you okay Franny?" I ask the little girl. She peaks at me, her eyes red.

"She gets sad, that's all." Winnie whispers, nestling her cheek into Franny's hair.