avantgarde_muse - 4.4.D - Cradle
(Takes place Monday morning.)
It was nearly impossible for Randall to get through work and sleep Sunday night, knowing that Frankie was in town. He just couldn't see him. Not until the next morning, at least. So Randall woke up early and headed across town to Janice and Alan Mackenzie's home in Queens. It felt pretty good to be in the neighborhood again. Walk up the familiar steps. Ring the bell.
The door opened and Alan looked over Randall, breaking into a friendly smile. "Hi, son."
"Hey," Randall greeted. "I know it's early, but-"
"No, no. Janice is making breakfast. Frankie was just getting dressed." The man let Randall in just as Frankie was making his way down the steps. "Look who's here, buddy," Alan called up the stairs quietly. Frankie was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, but when he spotted Randall he broke into a huge grin. Randall only returned it.
"Hey kiddo," Randall said. Frankie stood frozen in his spot and Randall laughed. "Do I get a hug or what?" Frankie bolted down the stairs and launched off the third step. Randall caught him with an "oof". Randall let out a long sigh and closed his eyes as he hugged Frankie tightly. Frankie's arms were tight around Randall's neck. "You've gotten big," Randall said softly.
"I'm nine," Frankie reminded him.
"I know." Randall pulled back. "Let me get a look at you." He set Frankie on the floor and tousled his hair. "I think you grew a whole head."
"You look older, too," Frankie nodded, a grin spilling onto his lips.
"Hey," Randall frowned. But then he smiled. He glanced down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Smells like Gran's got some pancakes going." His tummy was rumbling and he loved Janice's cooking. "Come on." He took hold of the boy's shoulders and turned him around to walk him in the direction of the kitchen. He only somewhat noticed Frankie flinch, but he didn't make anything of it.
"Well look at this stranger." Janice broke into a grin when she turned around and spotted Randall. He smiled and walked over to give the woman a hug. "How are you, honey?" She looked up to pat his cheek.
"I'm good." He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then plopped down at the table next to Frankie. Alan came in the room and the parents ran through the questions - catching up on Randall's life. He talked to them, but kept his eyes on Frankie the whole time.
The boys got fed right away, and Frankie started talking to Randall a mile a minute. It was halfway through the meal that Heather stepped into the kitchen. Randall looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile. She smiled back and moved over to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him. He put his hand against her arm and leaned back against her. "Hi," he said softly.
"Hi," she whispered, giving his cheek a kiss. Then she pulled away and went to get herself a cup of coffee. Randall's eyes went back to Frankie and the boy had paused from eating and had a big grin on his face. "Don't get any ideas, kid." His mom said from the counter, seeing the same look.
"I'm not!" Frankie laughed and went back to his pancakes.
Randall looked over at Heather with a warm smile. "How was the flight?"
"Long," she nodded, reaching a hand to rub the back of her neck.
"At least you get to relax now."
"Oh yes," she nodded. Randall kept his eyes on her, his smile fading a bit. But he tried to not let it show. His ex looked different. More tired. She looked like she'd aged a couple years in just one. Even her eyes looked older. He sighed, knowing they needed to catch up in private.
"I'm done!" Frankie dropped his fork and wiped his mouth. "Can me and Randall go out now?"
"Calm down," Janice laughed. "Let's all catch up first. Give your mother a chance to wake up."
"And give me a chance to eat seconds," Randall added on.
"Fiiine," Frankie sighed. He dropped his cheek to his hand, but was still smiling happily.
***
After breakfast, Heather went to take a shower and get changed. Alan pulled Frankie from Randall's side to take him to find his shoes and jacket. Janice moved to Randall and patted his back. "Come outside with me a moment."
"Sure." He got to his feet and followed the woman to the small landing on the back of the house. She closed the door and sighed, glancing around, before letting her eyes land on Randall again.
"Did you notice anything different about Heather?"
He blinked, then shrugged. "She looked pretty worn out. Might have just been the jet-lag though."
"Maybe," Janice mused softly. She sighed and Randall watched her closely.
"What?"
"She was wearing make up when she came in this morning. And last night I caught her changing for bed and..." The woman's eyes fell to the ground. "She might have had some bruises."
Randall's blood pressure began to rise immediately. His eyes narrowed. "Are you saying.."
"I don't know, honey. I know I've never had a good impression of that man, and...she's been sounding more stressed lately. Frankie wasn't sounding happy. He didn't want them coming to the city early."
"Did you ask her?"
Janice shook her head, looking up into Randall's eyes. "How do I ask my daughter if her fiance is hurting her? You know how proud she is."
"So I'll ask her." He shrugged and reached for the door. Janice grabbed his arm.
"No. Honey. I'm just...letting you know my suspicions. I'll have the day with her while you take Frankie out, but...maybe you can ask him about home life a bit?"
Randall nodded. "Okay," he said slowly. He was still pissed as hell though. Even the idea that this man might have hurt Heather made Randall want to kill him.
***
"Randall! Watch! Watch this!" Randall looked up at Frankie as the boy raced along the skateboard Randall had just bought for him. Randall grinned.
"Awesome," he nodded. Frankie rolled up to Randall, breathless, and jumped off of it.
"This is a great present. Thank you."
Randall smiled and put an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Don't mention it." He walked Frankie over to a bench and sat down. Frankie sat beside him, a happy smile still on his face. "Tell me some more about London."
Frankie's smile faded and he shrugged. "It's stupid."
"Is it?"
"Uh huh."
"Why is it stupid?" Randall turned so he could watch Frankie.
"Because Peter sucks."
"What sucks about him?"
"I don't know. Come on, let's go somewhere." Frankie moved to get up, but Randall pulled him back down.
"Hey. I'm not trying to upset you, okay?" He moved an around Frankie and pulled him close, kissing the top of his head. "I'm on your side. Always. You know that." Frankie nodded and leaned against Randall. "And you can tell me anything. Anything that's bothering you, anything you're scared of. About your mom, too. I still love both of you."
"I know," Frankie murmured.
"So is there anything you want to talk about?"
"I dunno," Frankie shrugged. He leaned into Randall more and Randall sighed, hugging Frankie tightly to his chest. He heard a slight grunt from the boy and pulled away.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
Randall's heart stopped for a moment, then pounded. "Come here a minute." He moved to crouch in front of the bench and reached for the hem of Frankie's shirt.
"What?" Frankie tried to pull away, but Randall just looked him in the eye. Frankie sighed after a moment and dropped his hands. His head fell too, almost ashamed. Randall pulled Frankie's shirt up halfway and looked closely. There was a greenish bruise on the boy's side.
Randall's teeth clenched tightly and he let go of Frankie's shirt and looked at him. "Who did that?"
"I fell on the playground at school."
"Are you lying to me?" Randall gave Frankie a strict look. The boy looked back at Randall, his eyes scared. Frankie just shrugged. "Is he hurting you and your mom?" Frankie said nothing, and after a moment just slipped off the bench onto Randall's lap and hid his face in Randall's shirt. "Is he, Frankie?" But Frankie still wouldn't say a word. Randall's eyes closed and he moved back to sit on the ground, wrapping his arms around his boy.
Randall didn't need to hear an answer. The pieces had fallen together in his head in moments and he knew. And if it weren't for the boy he was cradling in his lap, he would have probably uprooted the bench from the ground it was nailed into. As it was, he was just shaking in anger.
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It was nearly impossible for Randall to get through work and sleep Sunday night, knowing that Frankie was in town. He just couldn't see him. Not until the next morning, at least. So Randall woke up early and headed across town to Janice and Alan Mackenzie's home in Queens. It felt pretty good to be in the neighborhood again. Walk up the familiar steps. Ring the bell.
The door opened and Alan looked over Randall, breaking into a friendly smile. "Hi, son."
"Hey," Randall greeted. "I know it's early, but-"
"No, no. Janice is making breakfast. Frankie was just getting dressed." The man let Randall in just as Frankie was making his way down the steps. "Look who's here, buddy," Alan called up the stairs quietly. Frankie was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, but when he spotted Randall he broke into a huge grin. Randall only returned it.
"Hey kiddo," Randall said. Frankie stood frozen in his spot and Randall laughed. "Do I get a hug or what?" Frankie bolted down the stairs and launched off the third step. Randall caught him with an "oof". Randall let out a long sigh and closed his eyes as he hugged Frankie tightly. Frankie's arms were tight around Randall's neck. "You've gotten big," Randall said softly.
"I'm nine," Frankie reminded him.
"I know." Randall pulled back. "Let me get a look at you." He set Frankie on the floor and tousled his hair. "I think you grew a whole head."
"You look older, too," Frankie nodded, a grin spilling onto his lips.
"Hey," Randall frowned. But then he smiled. He glanced down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Smells like Gran's got some pancakes going." His tummy was rumbling and he loved Janice's cooking. "Come on." He took hold of the boy's shoulders and turned him around to walk him in the direction of the kitchen. He only somewhat noticed Frankie flinch, but he didn't make anything of it.
"Well look at this stranger." Janice broke into a grin when she turned around and spotted Randall. He smiled and walked over to give the woman a hug. "How are you, honey?" She looked up to pat his cheek.
"I'm good." He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then plopped down at the table next to Frankie. Alan came in the room and the parents ran through the questions - catching up on Randall's life. He talked to them, but kept his eyes on Frankie the whole time.
The boys got fed right away, and Frankie started talking to Randall a mile a minute. It was halfway through the meal that Heather stepped into the kitchen. Randall looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile. She smiled back and moved over to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him. He put his hand against her arm and leaned back against her. "Hi," he said softly.
"Hi," she whispered, giving his cheek a kiss. Then she pulled away and went to get herself a cup of coffee. Randall's eyes went back to Frankie and the boy had paused from eating and had a big grin on his face. "Don't get any ideas, kid." His mom said from the counter, seeing the same look.
"I'm not!" Frankie laughed and went back to his pancakes.
Randall looked over at Heather with a warm smile. "How was the flight?"
"Long," she nodded, reaching a hand to rub the back of her neck.
"At least you get to relax now."
"Oh yes," she nodded. Randall kept his eyes on her, his smile fading a bit. But he tried to not let it show. His ex looked different. More tired. She looked like she'd aged a couple years in just one. Even her eyes looked older. He sighed, knowing they needed to catch up in private.
"I'm done!" Frankie dropped his fork and wiped his mouth. "Can me and Randall go out now?"
"Calm down," Janice laughed. "Let's all catch up first. Give your mother a chance to wake up."
"And give me a chance to eat seconds," Randall added on.
"Fiiine," Frankie sighed. He dropped his cheek to his hand, but was still smiling happily.
***
After breakfast, Heather went to take a shower and get changed. Alan pulled Frankie from Randall's side to take him to find his shoes and jacket. Janice moved to Randall and patted his back. "Come outside with me a moment."
"Sure." He got to his feet and followed the woman to the small landing on the back of the house. She closed the door and sighed, glancing around, before letting her eyes land on Randall again.
"Did you notice anything different about Heather?"
He blinked, then shrugged. "She looked pretty worn out. Might have just been the jet-lag though."
"Maybe," Janice mused softly. She sighed and Randall watched her closely.
"What?"
"She was wearing make up when she came in this morning. And last night I caught her changing for bed and..." The woman's eyes fell to the ground. "She might have had some bruises."
Randall's blood pressure began to rise immediately. His eyes narrowed. "Are you saying.."
"I don't know, honey. I know I've never had a good impression of that man, and...she's been sounding more stressed lately. Frankie wasn't sounding happy. He didn't want them coming to the city early."
"Did you ask her?"
Janice shook her head, looking up into Randall's eyes. "How do I ask my daughter if her fiance is hurting her? You know how proud she is."
"So I'll ask her." He shrugged and reached for the door. Janice grabbed his arm.
"No. Honey. I'm just...letting you know my suspicions. I'll have the day with her while you take Frankie out, but...maybe you can ask him about home life a bit?"
Randall nodded. "Okay," he said slowly. He was still pissed as hell though. Even the idea that this man might have hurt Heather made Randall want to kill him.
***
"Randall! Watch! Watch this!" Randall looked up at Frankie as the boy raced along the skateboard Randall had just bought for him. Randall grinned.
"Awesome," he nodded. Frankie rolled up to Randall, breathless, and jumped off of it.
"This is a great present. Thank you."
Randall smiled and put an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Don't mention it." He walked Frankie over to a bench and sat down. Frankie sat beside him, a happy smile still on his face. "Tell me some more about London."
Frankie's smile faded and he shrugged. "It's stupid."
"Is it?"
"Uh huh."
"Why is it stupid?" Randall turned so he could watch Frankie.
"Because Peter sucks."
"What sucks about him?"
"I don't know. Come on, let's go somewhere." Frankie moved to get up, but Randall pulled him back down.
"Hey. I'm not trying to upset you, okay?" He moved an around Frankie and pulled him close, kissing the top of his head. "I'm on your side. Always. You know that." Frankie nodded and leaned against Randall. "And you can tell me anything. Anything that's bothering you, anything you're scared of. About your mom, too. I still love both of you."
"I know," Frankie murmured.
"So is there anything you want to talk about?"
"I dunno," Frankie shrugged. He leaned into Randall more and Randall sighed, hugging Frankie tightly to his chest. He heard a slight grunt from the boy and pulled away.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
Randall's heart stopped for a moment, then pounded. "Come here a minute." He moved to crouch in front of the bench and reached for the hem of Frankie's shirt.
"What?" Frankie tried to pull away, but Randall just looked him in the eye. Frankie sighed after a moment and dropped his hands. His head fell too, almost ashamed. Randall pulled Frankie's shirt up halfway and looked closely. There was a greenish bruise on the boy's side.
Randall's teeth clenched tightly and he let go of Frankie's shirt and looked at him. "Who did that?"
"I fell on the playground at school."
"Are you lying to me?" Randall gave Frankie a strict look. The boy looked back at Randall, his eyes scared. Frankie just shrugged. "Is he hurting you and your mom?" Frankie said nothing, and after a moment just slipped off the bench onto Randall's lap and hid his face in Randall's shirt. "Is he, Frankie?" But Frankie still wouldn't say a word. Randall's eyes closed and he moved back to sit on the ground, wrapping his arms around his boy.
Randall didn't need to hear an answer. The pieces had fallen together in his head in moments and he knew. And if it weren't for the boy he was cradling in his lap, he would have probably uprooted the bench from the ground it was nailed into. As it was, he was just shaking in anger.
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