Page 17 of Survivor
Chapter Eleven
Frank
Summer 2015
Graduation went off without a hitch, the four of them arriving early enough to get parking nearby and seats in the auditorium for everyone just a few rows from the stage. This would be Taylor’s fourth time to walk across a stage, but that didn’t make the ceremony any less meaningful as far as Frank and the Stones were concerned. Junior high was a bit messy, fourteen-year-old Taylor still raw from his parents’ deaths. High school graduation was a much smoother and joyous event for them all, Taylor mugging for the camera alongside Brad and Kian. Two years earlier, he received his Bachelors in Social Work and today he’d be getting his Master’s.
A well-spoken young lady named Melissa was valedictorian. She spoke of the challenges they’d all faced while in school, reminding her peers that there would definitely be more trials in life as they all grew and moved forward. “If you think it, believe it, and have confidence in yourself, you can achieve anything you put your mind and heart to. In closing, I’ll just say remember that our fingerprints never fade from the lives we touch.”
The Dean of the college gave Melissa her rolled-up, ribbon-wrapped paper first and then the two of them handed out the remaining papers in alphabetical order. Slowly but surely, each person stepped forward to receive congratulations from their valedictorian before accepting their own pretty paperwork from the Dean along with a handshake and a quick smile for the school photographer and family that lined up in front of the stage, determined to get the perfect picture.
Taylor’s row stood and Frank watched him move with grace and ease toward the stage. Gone was the scared and uncertain boy Frank had first seen huddled and terrified in the tiny space he was hidden in all those years ago. With each passing year, surrounded by the safety and love of the Stones, Taylor flourished, becoming more confident and certain. The once gangly, awkward teenager had grown into a strong, self-assured man. Frank closed his eyes and thought back to just a few hours earlier when he’d walked up the stairs to Taylor’s apartment to find Justine and Caleb hugging the crap out of Taylor.
In the few seconds before he spoke up, Frank took a moment to take Taylor in from head to toe. He could swear that Taylor had grown taller and was carrying more muscle than the last time he’d seen him. At six three with thick, dark hair, hazel eyes, and a toned physique, Taylor was stunning. Wearing nothing but a pair of sweats that sat low on his hips, Frank couldn’t help but admire the man standing just a few feet away from him. His attraction to Taylor both terrified and mesmerized him. When Taylor’s gaze landed on him, Frank was certain he saw a similar look of appreciation in the young man’s eyes.
“Taylor George Langford.” Frank stood and clapped, whooping and hollering loudly as did the rest of their friends and family. He watched as Taylor waved, smiled, and then gave them all a thumbs-up before he exited the other side of the stage and made his way back to his row of seats. Just before he sat back down, Taylor turned and grinned at Frank and then—Holy fuck—he winked at him. Stunned, Frank stared at the back of Taylor’s head until Caleb grabbed him by the arm and jerked Frank down into his seat.
“You okay there, Frank?” his partner asked. Frank nodded, shaking his head, trying in vain to convince himself he was seeing things.
~ ~ ~
There was a small reception at the Bass performance hall at the college after the graduation ceremony for the graduates and their families. They all got to meet Melissa and her girlfriend Pattie before heading back to the suite the Stones had booked for the weekend. Valerie invited Melissa and Pattie to join them for brunch the following day at the Blue Dahlia Bistro, a small but quaint European-style bistro in the heart of the college district that was Taylor’s absolute favorite place to eat in Austin.
Arriving back at the hotel, everyone had just enough time to freshen up and change if they wanted to before their six o’clock reservation at Stephen F’s, a restaurant and bar on the second floor of the Intercontinental hotel where they were staying. Taylor, Valerie, and Charles were already seated out on the patio when Frank, Caleb, and Justine joined them. Hubert was tired and opted out of dinner and drinks, deciding to take a nap instead. Frank’s dad was in his sixties and diabetic, so he became winded easily.
Drinks in hand and appetizers ordered, Charles was the first to lift a glass to his foster son. “To Taylor, a bright and gifted young man that is going to go far in life; we love you, Son.” His voice wobbled on the last few words, and the women teared up a bit.
Taylor lifted his glass and nodded once. “Love you too, Dad.”
The memory of a night on the beach in Martha’s Vineyard popped into Frank’s mind, and he smiled wistfully. Justine leaned into Frank, bumping him with her elbow. When he looked over at her, she squinted her eyes, silently asking him if he was okay. He nodded before giving his full attention to their small party again. Justine kept her toast short and sweet, while Caleb went with crass and dirty, receiving a smack to the back of the head from his wife. Valerie was a bit more long-winded.
“My sweet boy, it seems like just yesterday we opened our hearts and home to you, and I have never regretted that decision, not even for a moment. I hope you know how proud we are of you, Taylor, how much Charles and I love you. I know it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but we’ve always been there for each other.” Valerie paused to take a few deep breaths, her emotions obviously getting the better of her. “And now you have your degrees and you’re going to help boys and girls that are sad, scared, or alone, much like you were ten years ago. You’ve truly come full circle and…” Bringing her hand up to her chest, Valerie fought back the tears. “…we couldn’t be more proud.”
Taylor set his glass down on the table and reached out, pulling Valerie close and hugging her. Charles scooted in and wrapped his arms around both of them and they stayed huddled together for a few seconds. Frank had to strain to hear Taylor when he spoke to his foster parents. “I can never repay the kindness you’ve shown me, the home you gave me. I just love you both so much, I hope you know that.”
“We do, Taylor, we do,” Charles assured his son.
“I need to tell you guys something; I hope it doesn’t put a damper on the festivities. Caleb and I think it’s good news, and we want you to hear it from us, not see it on the news or read it in the paper.” Frank took another sip of his drink before setting it on the table and looking up, right into Taylor’s attentive gaze. “The Cold Case Squad is reopening the case, Taylor.”
Taylor stared at him for a few seconds, mouth agape, eyes full of so many emotions, Frank couldn’t figure out which feeling would win. “Really?”
Frank nodded. “Yeah, really. Caleb and I met the Sergeant that’s running the investigation.”
“This is good news, sweetie, right?” Valerie reached for Taylor’s hand, holding it in her much smaller ones.
“Wow…yes, sorry, Mom. That is good news, Frank. It’s just, well, very surreal. I guess I’d resigned myself to never knowing the truth.” Taylor looked a little shell-shocked.
“There’s no guarantee that they’ll find any new evidence.” Caleb spoke up. “But the Sergeant we met came across as a man that would exhaust every outlet in his search for the truth.”
Frank quickly agreed with his partner. The waiter arrived with two bottles of champagne, six flutes, an antipasto platter Charles had ordered, and Caleb took the opportunity to order a round of shots for everyone. When the shots arrived, Frank was a bit surprised that Valerie and Charles toasted with them. “It’s Patrón, dude. Everybody drinks Patrón,” Caleb said with grin.
After dinner they all headed back up to the suite for the night. The place was the size of a small apartment, and probably cost the same per night as a monthly lease. Spacious and inviting, the suite had an open layout for the kitchen, dining, and living area as well as a master bedroom, a double queen bedroom where Frank’s dad was sleeping along with Caleb and Justine, and an impressive balcony that looked out over the city. Frank took a seat on one of the couches between his dad and Caleb and tried his best to concentrate on the baseball game they were watching. Not on Taylor who was moving around the room, gathering his laptop, a bag of pretzels, and cold beer before heading outside to the balcony.
Justine’s words from the other night played on a repeat loop in his mind.Have you told Taylor how you feel? Don’t you think you should?
Not here, not tonight. This weekend was about his graduation; they’d have more than ample time to talk when they were at the Vineyard later in the week.
Later, when everyone was asleep, Frank lay on the couch in the dark living room, staring up at the ceiling, wondering if telling Taylor how he felt was worth risking everything they’d built over the past decade. And how did he feel, exactly? Of course he was attracted to Taylor. Who wouldn’t be? He was smart and funny, loyal to those he loved, and when he smiled his eyes lit up. The fact that Taylor had an amazing body didn’t go unnoticed either. Since the first time Frank started entertaining thoughts of a possible relationship with Taylor, he’d dreamed of what it would be like to kiss his full lips, have those arms with just the right amount of muscle wrapped around him while Taylor stared down at him like he was the only man on earth. But was it real, the attraction and the sexual tension that Frank thought they shared?
Above all, he didn’t want to lose Taylor. But standing back and saying nothing, was that really an option he should consider? Rolling onto his side, Frank closed his eyes and begged for sleep.
