Frankie cocked her head and looked at me oddly and said, “Anything particular?”
For whatever reason, I hadn’t anticipated that question. I had it all worked out that we’d just go shopping and wind up in the store, and then I’d tell her the story when it would be too late for her to talk me out of it. I looked into her eyes and saw Anna’s eyes. I looked away and then began examining my fingers. I gathered my resolve and said, “An engagement ring.” I braced myself for her reaction. I had gotten through the hard part of just saying it.
Frankie was apparently dumb-struck. She just sat there across the coffee table gawking at me over the urn. Slowly, her lips formed a smile and then a grin. She screeched, “YES. FINALLY. OH MY GOD, JACK.” She launched off her chair and threw herself into my arms and kissed my face everywhere over and over again. I had prayed for this reaction but I never thought I’d get it. She maneuvered herself so she was sitting on my thighs with her feet behind me as she clung to my neck. I was so relieved by her reaction that I gripped her hips and pulled her to me. She tenderly kissed me on the lips and whispered, “I never thought I’d see the day. You found someone. Oh my God. You have to tell me.”
I told her the whole story. I told her about Donna and Priya and Ashley and most of the others. I left out Divi and her friends. I didn’t want her judging me as too much of a pervert. She was so excited that I got excited too. She asked a ton of questions and I answered them all. We talked into the early morning hours.
Frankie suddenly got energetic and her eyes went wide. “Fuck. I had something important to tell you.” She had my attention. “I’ve been having these weird recurring dreams lately. They’re always the same and you and Anna are there. I must be there too but I never take part. Anna always has her favorite dress on. You know that low-cut, navy-blue dress with small white polka-dots? The first few times I had the dream, Anna is talking to you. I’m just there listening. Neither of you seem to know that I’m there. I can’t make out what she says and I try to listen harder but she drifts away and you’re reaching for her. Two nights ago, I had the same dream. Everything is the same. Anna took your hand and she says something again but it’s hard to make out. Then suddenly her words were clear but she was talking directly to me. She said…” Frankie’s eyes suddenly glistened with tears as she stopped in mid-sentence. Her breath caught in her throat and she struggled to continue, “She said, ‘Tell Jack that I’m always with him and I’ll always love him. Tell him it’s time.'” We were both crying like babies and I went to her and held her tight to me as we sobbed. When we got ourselves back together again, Frankie continued, “If that wasn’t strange enough, last night I didn’t have the dream and then you called this morning. This is all so weird.” She smiled and more tears pushed out of her eyes. I wiped them from her cheeks and kissed her on the lips. She kissed me back with passion.