Last Christmas - 4. Chapter 4

4

Frank wasn’t in the best of moods. It was two days till Christmas and he was dealing with a lot of different feelings. This was when Peter had packed up and left last year. Two days before the holiday with no real notice. At the time he, just went numb, and Catherine had done the best she could to keep him moving and alive. Now, she was just driving him nuts.

“So you still haven’t told me about the dinner! I want details.”

“Would you stop? We had dinner for Christ’s sake.”

“And?” Catherine leaned over the counter and looked at Frank.

“And what? We ate. We talked. He ... walked me back to the shop. I went home.”

“Wait a minute. You went home? Alone?”

Frank sighed.

“Catherine?” A deep voice seemed to echo through the house.

“We’re in the kitchen, babe.”

A moment later, Brian walked into the kitchen. He slipped behind his wife and gave her a hug.

“So what are you two discussing?”

“Your wife is trying to find out about my dinner the other night, and won’t leave me alone about it.” Frank stared at Catherine.

“Bri, he is just being a meany. I want to know what is going on, but all he will tell me is they ate and he came home alone.”

Brian laughed. Then he stepped away from his wife and raised his hands.

“Sorry, I know better than to get between you two. He had a date, Cat. Just be grateful he is getting out there again.”

Brian snatched a piece of cheese off the cutting board. It was loaded with sausages, cheese, and crackers for them to snack on.

“You’re as bad as your wife.” Frank sighed. “There really isn’t much to tell. He sort of surprised me and asked me out to eat on Monday night. I mean we have had a number of lunches together, but we hadn’t gone anywhere outside of the shop. We went over to Texas Ranch; you know, the barbeque place that opened up last month.”

“I’ve heard a few of the nurses talk about it,” Brian said as he grabbed some of the crackers from the plate.

Catherine sat watching Frank, and occasionally snatching a cheese cube off the cutting board.

“If you two want to eat the snack food, let’s move to the living room where at least we can be comfortable. “ Frank commented, trying hard not to frown.

Brain grabbed the tray of snacks, Cat grabbed the wine, and Frank grabbed three glasses and followed them into the living room.

Frank set the glasses down and stretched out on the floor while Cat and Brian sat down on the couch across from him.

“So Cat has been telling me a bit about the guy you have been seeing. So how did your dinner date go?” Brain grabbed a slice of cheese and leaned back as Cat dropped her feet into his lap.

“Yeah, you big meany. I want details.”

Frank took a sip of wine

“Well the meal itself went well.”

Cat leaned forward, grabbed a sliced of cheese and launched it into the side of Frank’s face.

Frank looked up at Cat in surprise.

“Trust me, if there was something better to throw at you I would. The meal went well. What the hell am I supposed to make from that?” Cat sat back, crossed her arms, and stared at Frank.

Brian laughed, as Frank simply picked the piece of cheese up and tossed it back at Cat.

“Hey, you nearly hit me.” Catherine stuck her tongue out and picked up her wine.

“I’ll hit you.” Frank shook his head and laughed. “Alright, so dinner was really nice. We got a table as soon as we walked in, which, considering the time of day and the fact it is nearly the holidays, was a big surprise. The food at Texas Ranch really is good.”

“Before my wife decides to kill me with the way she keeps kicking her feet, please give her some details. I’d like to be able to walk out of your place tonight, not leave by ambulance.”

Cat shot Brian a dirty look, but stopped moving her feet.

“Well we finally started to talk to one another about our families, history, and just getting to know one another. I mean some of it we had covered before, but now we were filling in the details. I found out Chris is one of like nine brothers. They come from all over the world, and some have similar names.”

“Damn, that is a big family.” Catherine set down her glass and looked over at Frank. “At least he won’t be so self-centered like Peter.”

Frank scowled as Cat mentioned Peter.

“Sorry.” Cat held her hands up. “Please, continue.”

“I told him about Nick and Amanda. I explained about me missing the kids, my accident, and starting the store since I couldn’t keep up with my old job.” Frank paused. He took a slice of the cheese and bit into it. “Told him about … Peter.”

“You know you don’t have to satisfy her curiosity, Frank.” Brian swatted his wife’s feet. “She is just too damn nosy for her own good.”

Frank looked up as Catherine swung her legs off Brian’s lap and sat up.

“Fine. Just wait till later, dear.” Cat’s voice was low, and she turned to look at Frank as she took a sip of her wine.

“Oh, knock it off.” Frank laughed at Cat’s attempt to dominate her husband. “I’ll tell you. Besides, I don’t know what to make of the rest of the evening.”

Cat set her glass down. Silence filled the living room.

Frank looked up to see both Cat and Brian were watching him.

“It isn’t anything major. It was just sort of … well … weird.”

“How so?” Brian leaned forward, his brows raised as he set his glass down on the coffee table.

“Well, Chris sort was telling me he was looking to find someone, well, to share his life with. He said he was tired of just listening, as all his brother’s found someone, were getting married and making his father happy to see the continuation of the family line and business. He was telling me he just wanted the chance to be happy and spend his life with someone who felt the same way.”

“Okay? So what was the weird part?” Catherine had leaned forward, her full attention focused on Frank.

“The weird part was as we were finishing dinner. Chris seemed really happy about everything and then suddenly, he just stopped talking. I saw he was looking out the window behind me, so I turned to see what he was looking at. His brother Pierre was standing there outside the restaurant. Once Pierre was sure he had Chris’ attention, Pierre simply pointed to the door and shook his head. Chris at first looked, I guess you can say scared, and then he took a deep breath, and refocused on me.” Frank began to crumble a piece of cheese and stared at it rather than Cat or Brian. “He smiled and told me that he hated to cut our night out short, but it seemed that something had come up. Chris said he would make it up to me. I wasn’t sure what to say or do. I watched as Chris got up, grabbed our waiter, paid for everything, and then simply left. I turned and watched as Pierre and Jules appear on either side of Chris and sort of led him off. By the time I got outside they were gone.”

“Have you heard from him since?”

“No Cat, and that is what worries me. I mean, he used to stop by the shop every day. Since our dinner I haven’t heard a word from him. I even finished his order. I hope he likes it, but I really would like to know what is going on.”

“Well it sounds like he is interested in you. Do you have a phone number or some way to contact him?” Brian slipped off the couch and curled up on the floor by the couch.

“Yeah. There are still two days till Christmas. He needs to come get the order. So I wouldn’t be too worried yet.” Cat spread herself back across the couch and then looked down at her husband. “And don’t expect your seat back!”

“I’m more comfortable on the floor anyway.” Brian stuck his tongue out at his wife, and then turned back to Frank. “You still look worried. Why?”

“It almost looked like they were marching him away. He was supposed to pick up the gift today.” Frank sighed. “I don’t know. It just seems off somehow. ”

“You did say it was his brothers, right?” Brian sat back and Cat ran her fingers into his mass of blond locks.

“Yeah.” Frank grunted and began to sweep the cheese crumbs back onto the corner of the cutting board.

“So, it is just his family, right?” Brian reached up and took his wife’s hand for a moment, bringing it low enough to kiss. “I mean, it wasn’t like he was going to be beaten up or something. You will just have to wait and see what is wrong. It could be nothing.”

“Bri’s right. I mean don’t psych yourself out until you have a reason to, babe. I mean, this isn’t like it was with Peter.” Catherine tried to smile. “You aren’t living together, and he isn’t going to do a runner because you aren’t perfect. I mean, he has seen you with the cane and all.”

Frank laughed and looked up at Cat.

“You are such a bitch sometimes.”

Cat stuck out her tongue. “I know. That is why everyone loves me.” Then she broke down into giggles.

“Well if you two want to hang out for the rest of the night, I say we toss in a movie and order a pizza.”

“Now that sounds like a plan to me. What do you want on it?” Brian grabbed a pad off the floor and began looking for a pen.

“I want anchovies!” Cat leaned over and grabbed her pocketbook off the floor. She took a pen and handed it to her husband.

“Over my dead body are we having anchovies on my pizza. Guess we are going to have to order two.” Frank shook his head.

“Aww. Don’t you like fish?”

“You know I don’t like them,” Frank narrowed his eyes as he stared at Cat. “Yet, you used to wait till I gave you the money, then order a large with extra anchovies so I wouldn’t eat any.”

Cat laughed. “So you figured me out.”

“Damn right I did. So you aren’t ordering.” Frank stood up to get his phone.

“Hey I just want extra cheese and sausage.”

“Sounds like we are sharing one, then Brian. Only, I am going to add meatballs to it as well.”

“Well, if you boys won’t share, I want bacon and extra cheese with anchovies,” Catherine smiled widely as she set down her empty wine glass.

Brian looked at his wife and shook his head.

“Trust me, your wife has a cast iron stomach.” Frank stood and stretched his leg a bit before moving. “I’ll make ours an extra large and hers a small.”

Cat pouted.

“I’ll let you pick out the movie, Cat.” Frank stated, as he walked into the kitchen to dial.

“But you only have sci-fi and action films,” she called after him.

Frank paused before he walked into the kitchen and smiled. “There is nothing wrong with my films. Just pick something out.” He then continued on to grab the phone off the wall.

Cat and Brian could hear Frank as he began to order the food. Brian turned and spoke softly to his wife.

“Cat, you got him to finally tell you about Chris. Let him have some peace.”

“I know. But damn it, I want him happy and if this Chris guy ends up messing up Christmas, I swear I am going to track him down and make him sorry, Bri!”

“Fine, but don’t push him tonight. Okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be good.”

Brian leaned in and kissed his wife.

“I hope so.”