Page 12 of Resolution
“What’s wrong, Franks?” Maddie asks as she puts her arm around her little sister. I can tell by the look on Samantha’s face it’s killing her not to be there comforting Frankie herself. Hell,I’dgive anything to be there to comfort her, if I could.
“I…” Frankie gasps, taking in a big breath of air. My blood turns to ice as I await her response. “I…”
“What is it, Frankie? You can tell us anything,” Samantha coaxes as she reaches out and places a vise grip on my leg beside her.
Through the screen, I can see tears well up at the corners of Frankie's eyes. I might as well be sliced through the heart with a dull tablespoon, this pain caused by her reaction is immeasurable.
“I… missed it?” Frankie asks in disbelief, causing more confusion than anguish to wash over me.
“Missed what, Sweetheart?” I attempt to get her to clarify.
“I—”gasp—“missed—”sniffle—“the…wedding?”
Relief washes through both Samantha and me immediately. I can physically feel each of us relax, as we realize her misconception. “No, Frankie. You haven’t missed anything.” Samantha lets out a low laugh. “Enzo only hasaskedme to marry him. We will include all of you in the ceremony!”
Suddenly, Frankie beams with delight. It’s as if she hadn’t been about to fall apart just moments ago. “Really, I get to be in it?”
With tears filling her eyes, Samantha nods. She attempts to say something, but it gets stuck in her throat. I break the silence by saying, “Frankie, we couldn’t get married without you.”
“Wheeeee!” Frankie shouts, “Do I get a fancy dress and everything?”
“Goofball,” Maddie chides as she rumples her sister’s hair.
“Does this mean weallhave to dress up?” Declan asks as if he seems really put out by the idea. The look of pure disgust is almost comical. I can’t say I wouldn’t have said the same thing at his age.
I glance to Samantha since we haven’t discussed any of the details yet. I would marry her today if we were all in one place. I have no idea what kind of wedding she wants. If I’m being honest, I couldn’t care less. I just want to spend the rest of my life by her side.
“Of course, we’re going to dress up, dork,” Maddie says in disbelief as she gives her brother the stink-eye, as only a big sister can. “This is Mom’s wedding. It’s a special occasion.”
I hear Declan groan quietly and can’t help the grin that forms on my face.
“We won’t torture you too much,” I assure him.
When Samantha asks what’s new with everyone, the subject naturally changes. We chat for a while longer, with each of them telling us what they have been doing for the past day or so. Of course, we don’t tell them Samantha’s been in the hospital, or that they are about to have two new siblings. That’s something that needs to be done in person. This has already been more of a roller coaster ride than I could have ever imagined. One thing’s for sure, I’ll never underestimate Frankie’s need to feel included again. Just the thought of her feeling completely left out and rejected sends shivers down my spine. Lesson learned.
Unfortunately, the rest of our weekend passes much too quickly. Samantha and I spend every moment possible wrapped in each other’s arms. We manage to tour more around Frankfurt and the surrounding areas. She even convinces me to spend an afternoon at a Roman bathhouse. It was a relaxing and unique experience. I would certainly never have done anything like that without Samantha’s encouragement. She makes being a tourist an art form. I’ll never forget this experience with her. It’s as if her mere presence brings vibrant colors to my life, that had once been only contrasting shades of gray.
I know she’s exhausted with the pregnancy, but Samantha has more than enough energy to show her true feelings toward me. Of course, the highlights for me include making love to her until we both fall asleep from pure bliss and utter exhaustion. I have no fucking clue as to how I’m going to spend a day apart from her, let alone six weeks.
Thankfully, I know I’ll be busy after she leaves. Not only do I have to work, but I have to pack my apartment and ship things back to the States within the next few weeks. I’ve scheduled the movers to be here in two weeks. Then I’ll live in the barracks on post until I complete my contract, since I’m shipping my car home as well.
Since Samantha packed only one bag to travel, I’ve decided to send another bag with her when she returns. That way I’ll have some of my civilian things with me when I return as well as some of the photo albums and a few mementos I’ve collected over the years. Who knows how long it’ll be until I get the remainder of my things. Sometimes it’s taken weeks or even a month or more for things to get reunited with me when I’ve been relocated. Yeah, I don’t need more than my “Go” bag, but the comforts of home are nice once I get settled in a new place and are a luxury to have.
As much as I love spending the weekend with Samantha, the dreaded day has arrived. Samantha’s set to leave tomorrow morning. My gut twists and turns at the thought of letting her go. I can’t believe how, in such a short time, she has become everything my world is tethered to.
Samantha and I talked earlier this morning, and contrary to her typical behavior, she insists, just for today, she simply wants to live in the moment. She can’t focus on leaving tomorrow, or she won’t enjoy the rest of our time. She knows it’s going to be extremely difficult for her to leave. I’m doing my best to make that happen. Fuck, it’s hard not to speak of the inevitable. I plan to keep her “in the moment,” while making memories that’ll last a lifetime.
After giving it some considerable thought, I decide to take her to Metz, France. Not only will it put another stamp on her passport, but it’ll give us a memorable destination for her last full day with me. I pack some snacks and encourage her to get ready after agonizingly removing her beautiful body from my comfortable bed. I’d much rather spend the day in bed with her, but I force myself to remember that we’ll have a lifetime ahead of us.
It doesn’t take long to cross the border into France. Within a few hours, we arrive at our destination. Samantha loves the view from the passenger seat as we drive. Once in Metz, I park near the train station. Though we won’t be traveling by train, the architecture inside Cara de Metz is beyond impressive and I can’t wait to show it to her.
As I suspect, Samantha falls in love with the building as soon as it comes into view. There’s a gigantic Christmas tree decorated with lights as we approach the massive building, as well as impressive, lifelike statues that seem to come off the wall. This building’s designed by Jurgen Kroger in 1905 and he did a magnificent job.
“Enzo, this town is what fairytales are made of.” Samantha gasps as she spins in a slow circle to take in the town. Her eyes shine bright, filled with wonder.God, can she get any more beautiful?“I love the narrow cobblestone streets and the massive buildings around it. Thank you so much for bringing me here.” She nibbles on her lower lip as if she’s still processing everything around her.
“Let’s go inside for a better view,” I suggest.
The moment we pass through the entryway, her eyes are drawn toward the vastness of the large room. “This might be bigger than Grand Central Station! I love the dark beams that inlay the ceiling and all the unique, almost lifelike sculptures.”
