The next morning, Fran picked up the phone, quickly dialing Diana’s number. "Hello?" Zac said, after picking up the phone. It sounded like he had just woken. She glanced at the clock and shook her head.
"Hey Zac. What’s Taylor’s apartment number?" she asked. "I ran out on him last night and I have to call him to tell him I’m okay."
"He’s here, actually. He’s been out looking for you all night. I’ll go get him for you."
"Thanks, Zac." She waited until Taylor picked up the phone. "Hey Taylor."
"Oh my God, Frenchie! Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere! I just now got out of the car. I could of sworn you went home. Don’t tell me you did…"
"I’m at Coach’s."
"Tyler’s?"
"No, Tyler doesn’t live here anymore. It’s just Coach. Tyler actually stopped over but…why am I telling you? I just called to say I’m alright." She was rather flattered that he had been looking for her all night long.
"Are you going to come back with me?" he asked, hopefully. She sighed, stating she wasn’t sure. "I know you’re still mad at me and everything but I was really worried about you. Just come back with me and we’ll work everything out."
"Fine. I’ll walk over there now." She hung up the phone. After telling Coach Curtis goodbye, she left. Once out the front door, she found Tyler standing there, about ready to walk on in.
"I know you don’t want to talk to me, I know you don’t even want to see me, but please let me say this." She looked at him. He was nervous. He was actually nervous to talk to her. That was a first. "I just wanted to apologize. For everything. I know how much you hate me and I know that I shouldn’t of done anything in the first place, but it’s just that…" He stopped.
"What?"
"I was so in love with you, I didn’t want to let you go." It left her speechless. She had figured that was the problem, but never did she expect him to actually say it. "I’m better now, I’m happy for you and Taylor…for the first time. You’re my best friend and I don’t want to lose that."
"Tyler…" she warned.
"What? It’s just I miss you, Fran."
"I miss you too. The real you." She hugged him. The weight on her shoulders left. "I miss Kyle, too."
"So do I. He’s just as happy for you as I am. I always knew you’d amount to something. I’m sure he’d expected more than a few world records, though…"
"Shut up."
"Take care, Fran." She hugged him again before walking off. In that brief talk that sent her best friend back, she finally realized that she couldn’t control Kyle’s spirit. She smiled as an image of him that had been haunting her for years now slowly diminished from the back of her mind.
She walked up to Diana’s house. The same house that she spent so much time in. She walked on it, finding Taylor in the living room with his mother. She leaned against the wall, watching him have a conversation with her. He seemed to treat her with the same respect that Fran had always known him to have. Then there was Sally, who Fran treated like an equal. It wasn’t her mother, it was just that woman who was in her life since the beginning. The woman that left for tremendously long periods of time, only to come back for a bit and leave again.
Walker came in the room, passing through to another room. Taylor had always admired his father. It was much in the same way that Fran had admired her father. He’d be happy with her. She’d pursued and obtained her goal for her entire life. Now that she had it, she was wishing he could be alive to see it. He would of been so proud of her.
She looked to Taylor. He was still in avid conversation with his mother, not even noticing she was standing right behind him. When there was a break in the conversation, she tugged on a piece of his short hair.
He turned around to see her standing there. "You really scared me, you know that? Don’t ever run off on me again." He had good intentions, and Fran realized that, so she didn’t mention that he sounded like her father. But with the mood she was in all of a sudden, she didn’t care anymore. She smiled to him and took his hand in hers.
She knelt next to the chair. "I’m so sorry, Taylor. You know how mad I can get for no reason. I didn’t mean to run off on you."
"Alright. It’s just that I only got you back a few days ago. I don’t want to lose you again for another six years." She looked at their joined hands. It was funny how quickly she took him back. But that was him…that was his charm on her. From day one he had been like that, and she never stopped loving it. "Let’s go home," he said. He stood, taking her up with him.
"Okay." For some reason, it felt as though his home was hers too. It was, but only for a short period of time. But the way he said it made it seem like it was hers forever. Suddenly that didn’t seem like such a bad idea. He kept his hand in hers as they walked over to the car. She hated cars, but downtown was a bit too far away to just walk.
She watched the house go by. That house had a big affect on her. Everything in her life revolved around that house and the people in it. Across the street, she saw a little girl trying to play basketball with what looked like her brother. She looked around six. She was rather good. That house used to be hers, and it used to be her skating around the driveway. Fran smiled. Another star athlete to become a product of that house.
"Frenchie?"
"Hmm?" she said, looking over.
"I lost you. What are you thinking about?"
"Oh, I was just thinking about home. When I used to be right across the street from you. I miss spending all my time with you. Hell, I miss living with you. I spent most of my time over at your place anyway."
"So why don’t you live with me again?" Taylor asked, hopefully. "Permanently." Her eyes widened.
"I can’t move here, my career is in Detroit."
"I don’t have to stay in Tulsa, you know. I’ve been dying to get out of this town for years." She smiled. Him living with her in Detroit. "We could get another apartment, or maybe even that house you wanted for Sally." She bit her lip, thinking of that dream house she wanted for her and her sick mother. In the Detroit suburbs, out in the open air and the beautiful landscape. That house with the two stories, a bedroom on the first floor for Sally. The basement game room. She looked over to Taylor.
"Austin is going to be so pissed when I tell him I’m moving out."
"You’d consider actually doing it? Living with me?" Fran smiled.
"As long as we can get that house for Mom, I’d definitely want you with me. I can’t handle her without you there. She loves you." Taylor looked out onto the road.
"It’s going to be hell telling my family I’m leaving to go to Detroit, but it’ll be worth it." He gripped the steering wheel. "Detroit. What’s it like this time of year?"
"Beautiful." He smiled to her before looking out into the road. She looked out the window. It was certainly beautiful here in Tulsa, and she never did realize how much she missed it. But there were other things in life than staying in the same place all the time. She smiled.
For the first time, Frances Marie Carlston’s life was perfect.
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