Page 81 of Whiskey and Regret

“Yeah, absolutely…if she was five years old. She’s twelve. She knows how to get herself ready. She was just having a moment this morning because…” Frankie shot me a death glare and shook her head slightly.

My lashes fluttered and I plastered a fake smile on my face. “She wasn’t feeling well.”

“Is she sick?” Alexis’s eyes were as wide as her injections would allow. It was the first time I’d seen concern on her face.

“I’m fine, Mom. Just a little cold or something. Anyway, I made bagels from scratch. By myself.” Frankie was about to pop she was so full of sunshiny pride.

“Oh, okay. That’s nice. Is that what you’re wearing? I wanted to take you to a play.”

“I just want to lay down, Mom.” Frankie wrapped her lanky arms around her slender middle and I knew she was probably starting to deal with cramps and aches for the first time.

“We’ll go to the play first. Go put on a dress.”

“I don’t want to. I don’t feel well.” Alexis held her hand up, silencing Frankie so she could answer her ringing phone. She tossed a look at Evander and rolled her eyes before walking out of the kitchen.

“Come on, Frank.” I hooked my arm with hers and hurried upstairs before her mother sank her claws into us.

“I don’t want to go to this stupid play,” she huffed, flopping on her bed.

“I know but you gotta go where your lovely mother takes you, babe.” I sat beside her and rubbed her back. “Pick out a dress and a pair of black stretchy workout shorts.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll be right back,” I told her, hurrying out of the room. When I returned, I handed her the white Chanel bag she was drooling over earlier. The look on her face was priceless. I knew right then, once I had a kid, I would do anything to see that look.

In other words, my children would be spoiled rotten.

“Are you serious right now, Xari?” Frankie’s hand flattened against her chest.

“I’m dead ass serious. You can borrow it.” I looked at the dress in her arms and smiled. It was an adorable yellow Calvin Klein dress. But it wasyellow. The girl just started her period, she couldn’t wear yellow. “First, you have to put that dress back and find a dark one. When Mother Nature is on your ass, always cover it with something dark.”

“Ugh. So many rules. I liked it better before I became a woman,” she grimaced tossing up air quotes.

“Girl, you and me both. I wish I could be twelve again. My parents paid for everything and I got to wear amazing clothes at no expense to me. It was a good time.”

Frankie ignored my poetic waxing and went back into the closet.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” I called from her room.

“What’s up?”

I listened to the shuffling of hangers for a few seconds then said, “Why didn’t you want Alexis to know about your period?”

“Because,” she sighed, walking out with a burgundy dress and a denim jacket draped over her forearm. “She’d say something basic then bury it and not talk about it again. At least you tell me stuff like…don’t wear yellow and take Tylenol.”

“And water. Drink lots of water. Oh, and ginger helps slow the flow so eat ginger snaps or drink ginger tea or ginger ale,” I rambled, sticking my finger in the air.

“See? She’s not going to tell me things like that.” I didn’t know what to say. When I was her age, I had my mother and Navy to help me when it was that time of the month. I had no idea what it felt like not to have support.

“The burgundy dress is good. It’s dark enough. I like the jacket too. You can tie it around your waist if you need to. Take some Tylenol before you go, okay?” I smoothed the hair back from her face and looked at how pretty she was. “Try to have some fun. I’m always here if you need to text me.”

“I know you are.” She gave me a hug then I kissed her forehead and left her alone to get dressed. I’d never kissed anyone on the forehead before but Frankie felt like my…I don’t know. Not exactly a best friend because she was so much younger than me, but I loved that little girl. I wanted to protect her and make sure she had everything she needed.

I hated how sad she looked when she had to leave with Alexis. The moment the door closed, Evander pushed out a pent up breath. “That never gets easier,” he said.

“I can’t even imagine. If I hate seeing Frankie look sad, I know it must fucking kill you.”

“It does,” he nodded solemnly. “Alexis is her mother though. She has to learn how to get along with her and she has to form her own opinions. I can’t stand in the way of that no matter how much I want to. As long as Frankie isn’t being abused or neglected, I can’t step in and play papa bear.”