Frank was a great guy. Much to the dismay of his mother, Frank reached age 35 without being married. Frank loved cars, everything about them. He loved to sell them too. On many a Saturday he would meet a couple in his showroom, talk directly to the husband – the decision maker – and make a deal.
Except for that one Saturday when he talked directly to the wife. The husband didn’t even notice that Frank was flirting with his better half as he was inhaling and exhaling on a Winston cigarette.
Harry and Christina (or Chrissy, the pet name Harry had for her) were married for 2 years at the time that they walked in the showroom to purchase a new car that day. Their first new car. Harry got a promotion months earlier and they were saving to pay for the new car. A sturdy car that would carry their future family to dinner parties and picnics and Harry to and from work and Chrissy to the grocery store and bank.
But that day Harry and Christina didn’t know that those family fun times would never happen because the moment Frank saw Christina he knew he wanted to be with her. Not just “be with” her but to have an all consuming life with her. He wanted to give himself completely to her and she to him.
But he’d never done that before. Over the years he spent time with various women who he didn’t want to marry, nor did they want to marry. They were “loose” women. Women who knew they weren’t marriage material. He had a good life. Money, scotch and women. Then it all changed.
For the next few months Frank found reasons to call Harry and Christina about their car. One time he called to ask how they liked the car and another to see if they needed to service it. Yet another time he called and reached Christina directly.
They spoke on the party line about mundane things but Christina was not a stupid woman. She attended college until she dropped out to marry Harry. She always wanted to return, but now that she was married and hoping to start a family, she knew those dreams were lost. Over the next weeks Frank encouraged her to continue her education, and then asked her to come to lunch.
She knew she shouldn’t go, but she liked the attention that Frank seemed to provide and so she went because it seemed far enough away from her friends and neighbors. He told her she was beautiful. She told him to stop because it wasn’t appropriate. He let his hand softly touch hers as he reached for his lunchtime cocktail and she pulled her hand away. Yet, she was still there enjoying how Frank made her feel.
It wasn’t before long and those lunches became regular occurrences. Christina, always found a reason to be in town for jewelry to repair, a special order to pick up, or to attend a doctor appointment. She knew it would end up happening; her kissing Frank on the way out to her car in the alley of the restaurant and it was over.
An all powerful love affair began and before Christina knew it she was in love with Frank. She ended up leaving Harry and losing her entire family in the process. Harry ended up remarrying Helen, a young widow with a 3 year old son and they were gloriously happy as they added to their family over the years 2 other children.
Frank and Christina had a long life together. Christina finished college like she wanted and Frank encouraged and they traveled and dined at fine restaurants. They never had children, but had always known that being with each other were enough.
Written by Julia Roberts, Kidneys and Eyes
