Harry on the Prairie

Chapter 39

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So how y'all feelin' 'bout things?

TWITTER: @styles_orama

*****
And as I take the love you're giving
I can feel the tension building in your mind
And you're wondering if tomorrow
I'll still love you like I'm loving you tonight

You have no way of knowing
Tonight will only make me love you more
And I hope that you'll believe me
'Cause I know you've never been this far before
           —Conway Twitty

*****
FRANKIE:

Grabbing me by the shoulders, Harry's excited eyes bore into mine. "That was my book, Frankie. That kid was me."

"Shut up, Harry. That's not very nice to make fun of somethin' that meant so much to me in a time where I had nothin'. I still have it. It has his initials in it —"

"I know, cause I wrote 'em, Frankie."

Then, at the same time,

"H.E.S."

*****

HARRY:

I knew there was some reason why the image of Frankie as a youngun' kept poppin' into my head - cause I'd seen those heartbroken creekwater eyes years ago, and when she mentioned my reader, the memories fell into place. Memories of the occasional wagon rides to town for supplies with one or both of my folks, and the frustrated little girl on the porch of the Hullabaloo. No wonder I was sweet on her from practically that first meetin' at the train station . . . 'cause deep down somewhere, it was as if we'd already met.

There's a splash of brightness in her eyes for only a second before they turn cloudy once again.

"Frankie?"

"Your mama used to drag you away so fast, Harry. She never woulda wanted you to marry someone like me." She brings her hands to her face, and as soon as she swipes her tears away, they're replaced with new ones.

"Look here." I catch her hands in mine and pull her eye to eye. "Mama was pullin' me away 'cause she didn't want her little boy to know what kinda behavior was goin' on inside the Hullabaloo. Now, Mama's dead and I'm grown — besides, she didn't know you weren't involved in any of that mess. And even if you were, mama was always a believer in second chances. She had a knack for seein' the good in people. She'd a liked you, Frankie. I know she woulda."  Now it's my to turn to sniffle as I start missin' my mama somethin' fierce.

Scoochin' up on her tiptoes, Frankie kisses my wet eyelashes, almost makin' me laugh.

"See how good we fit, Frankie? I wipe your tears, then you wipe mine."

I sniffle once more, and Frankie's lips cover mine in a tender kiss. I think this may be the first time she's actually kissed me first, and that makes me feel
pret-ty swell, especially when the kiss starts gettin' a little more advanced-like as she catches my lower lip in between hers. But first things first. Cuppin' Frankie's face in my hands, her eyebrows wrinkle in confusion as I pull away from her kiss.

"I just wanna make sure everythin's fixed up now? I mean, there aren't any other issues to keep ya from marryin' me, 'cause I wanna get this deal locked down pretty quick here." I grin at her.

"Locked down pretty quick, huh?" She almost laughs. "Just what exactly are you meanin'?"

"I mean that I don't wanna be waitin' around for a spring weddin' or any of that mess. The sooner we do it, the less shit can go wrong to mess it up. Seein' as Thanksgivin's not far off, I vote for a December weddin' so we can start squeezin' out a few pups."