Chapter 2

Even though it was late September, the temperature in Holly Springs hadn’t gotten the memo that the calendar proclaimed it was indeed autumn. Frankie couldn’t wait to wear thick wool sweaters and boots and drink pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks. But for now, she donned T-shirts and tennis shoes and drank Diet Dr. Pepper.

“This food isn’t fit for human consumption.” Faith Williams, Frankie’s bestie, declared as she pushed her tray across the picnic table. “It smells like dog food and tastes even worse.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “It should be a Senior privilege to get real food from the cafeteria and not this…stuff.” Faith’s face turned a slight shade of green. Frankie decided she wasn’t about to sample today’s installment of “Mystery Meat Monday.”

“I think the government should investigate the school kitchen for alien life forms making this stuff. This can’t be actual food.” Frankie giggled, “Watch out for the pods!” They both deteriorated into laughter.

“Want to sleep over at my house tonight? We can order pizza and watch a Hallmark movie.” She bounced on her tiptoes. “There is a movie coming on tonight that I want to see. It’s called The Christmas Fiddle. It looks sooooo romantic!” Faith grabbed Frankie’s arm for dramatic effect. “I’m not letting go until you say yes!”

“You are such a sap, Faith. Christmas movies in September? Really?”

“Well yeah! It isn’t like you—” Faith immediately began to defend her inner Cupid before getting cut off by, of all things, a boy!

“Hi, Frankie,” Steve Barnette, a tall, dark-haired, Adonis-looking football player, appeared behind Faith and cut her off mid-sentence. Steve wouldn’t look directly at either of them; instead, he stared at his feet as he shuffled them.

“Oh, hi. Uhm, Steve. Are you ready for the trig test tomorrow?” Frankie admonished herself: What a stupid thing to say. I am such a nerd! Trig? Really?

“Hi, Steve,” Faith interjected sternly, making her presence known. Steve was oblivious to her sitting there and still failed to acknowledge her. She huffed loudly.

“Yeah. Uhm, I was wondering. Would you, I mean, if you aren’t going with anybody, would you like to go to Homecoming with me?” his face turned red as Dorothy’s ruby slippers.

Frankie, taken aback, tucked a strand behind her ear and twisted it in her fingers so tightly it got caught in the prongs of her class ring.

“Oww,” she whimpered to herself. The more she tried to act like her own hair wasn’t hog-tying her, the worse it got. Matters only got worse when she attempted to yank her finger free and jerked her head like she was having a spasm. She let out a little cry. The nerd factor was rapidly on the rise.

“Need some help?” Steve’s hands fidgeted in his pockets. Frankie was mortified. The more she attempted to loosen the knot, the more the tangle tightened and held her hand hostage. Now her face was as red as his. Faith wasn’t helping matters as she snorted in laughter at the two of them. Frankie cut her eyes at her best friend, and Faith immediately clamped her mouth shut.

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“Oh, uh, yeah - sure. No, I mean, I would like to go to the dance with you but can get the knot out myself.” She tried to play it cool but looked like she was the brunt of a comedy act with her hand plastered to the side of her head. She tried to pull the ring off her finger, but it wouldn’t budge. Real cool, Frankie.

“Okay, great! Uhm, I will call you later to make plans. I’ve got to get to work.” Steve declared, turned, and was gone.

“Bye, Steve,” Faith called out sarcastically to his retreating back.

“I can’t believe I am going to Homecoming with Steve Barnette!” Frankie squealed, her hand still glued to her head.

“Not until you get that rat’s nest off your finger!” Faith announced as she worked the ring loose from Frankie’s. “Only you could manage to tie yourself in a knot! Girl, that takes talent.”

“Oh, Wait!” Frankie screeched. “He didn’t get my phone number! How is he going to call?” Frankie panicked, and Faith dissolved into laughter once again.

☙☙☙

“Mom!” Frankie burst into the Montgomery kitchen later that evening. “Mom! Guess what?”

“Frances Tulsa Montgomery, calm down. You scared me to death!” Rachel admonished her daughter. “What is it?” Rachel turned back to the pot on the stove, methodically stirring its contents.

“Remember the boy I told you about in my Trig class? Steve Barnette? He’s on the football team,” Frankie drew a deep breath, “He asked me to the Homecoming dance today at lunch!”

Rachel didn’t acknowledge her daughter’s big news but continued to study the contents of the pot she was stirring.

“I need four hundred dollars for a stripper’s dress,” Frankie tossed out casually.

“That’s nice, Dear,” her mom replied flatly.

“Nice? Mom, you aren’t listening! It’s Steve Barnette! Homecoming Dance” A DATE!” Frankie blurted in one big breath. “Faith and I are going to the mall tomorrow to look for a dress. The dance is next weekend! Mom! Earth to Mom!”

“What? Oh, I’m sorry, Honey. Yes., I am listening.” Rachel placed the mixing spoon on the spoon rest and lowered the heat. Turning her full attention to her daughter, she continued, “Isn’t that the boy you have been fawning over since school started?”

“Fawning over? Nobody says ‘fawning’ anymore! Wow, how old are you, Mom?”

“Old enough, and besides, you have been.”

“How do you ‘fawn’ anyway?”

“It doesn’t matter. So when is the dance?”

“This weekend. I told you that you weren’t listening.”

Frankie grabbed her phone and started searching for formal gowns for the dance. “What color dress should I get?” Frankie asked the air, “What about red?” she kept scrolling, not noticing her mom’s lack of response.

After several long moments of silence, Rachel turned to Frankie and clasped her hands around Frankie’s. “Honey, the dress can wait a few minutes. I have to tell you something.” The tone in her mother’s voice concerned her. “Come and sit down.” They sat at the dinner table, and Frankie began to twirl a strand of hair in her fingers again. Remembering the earlier incident, she quickly put her hands on her lap.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

“Remember the meeting at work this morning?” Rachel shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“Yeah.” Frankie’s eyebrows wrinkled.

“Burkhart Furniture is closing the plant in town,” Rachel explained slowly. “Within three months. I was offered a transfer to the main office in Raleigh.”

“Raleigh? That is three hours away! They expect you to commute to Raleigh?”

“No, Honey,” her mom continued in a strained voice, “Unless I can find a comparable job here, I will be forced to take the transfer, and we will have to move.” Frankie’s eyes dropped to the floor.

“Move? To Raleigh? That’s the other side of the state!” Frankie jumped out of her seat. “Mom, it’s my senior year! We can’t move!” she began pacing across the kitchen floor, clenching her fists. “I will get a job after school to help with bills. I will wear an old dress to the dance. I will do anything, Mom! Please! We can’t move.” Tears welled in her eyes.

“Sweetheart, calm down. I will do everything I can to keep us here, but I can’t make a promise I don’t know I can keep.” Rachel reasoned. “You will be going off to college next fall anyway. There are plenty of good schools -.”

“I am not moving!” Frankie whirled on one heel, took off down the hall, and slammed her bedroom door shut.