SECRETS OF THE PAST
Chapter Sixteen

Jack Abagnale set his eyes on his computer. He was writing a list of things he needed to do. He couldn't quite think straight because of his father. He missed him already.

The funeral would be held on Saturday, which was in a few days. He had called everyone, including Carl Hanratty. They were all sad to hear of his sudden death. All Jack could think was that his dad didn't have to run from the authorities anymore.

The accounts that his father had were way over a couple of million dollars. Jack was an environmentalist. He gave Global Green a large amount, and some other causes, as well. He put an account under Franklin's name for his college fund. After everything was taken care of, he decided to draw up a remembrance letter. He went through his father's old things. Angelina gave him everything his father had ever collected, even a little diary.

He read through it, and all the pranks his father had gone through somewhat shocked him. He had been slick to get away with so many things. It seemed that all his pranks had happened after his parents had gotten divorced. Inside his father's Pan Am suit was a letter addressed to him. He opened it.

Dear Son,

I always knew you liked this suit. It was my favorite, too. We had so many great times together. If you are reading this, this means that I am no longer with you, and I just thought that you should know that I love you and Angelina. I have died happy, son. You gave me everything I could ever dream of. I never had any regrets where you were concerned. You were my only prized possession. I want you to do something for me. I want you to burn this suit, since you, my son, have real wings now. You don't need this, and I don't want Franklin doing what you and I did. I want him to have a full life. Get married, have kids, etc. Well, son, I must close this letter. I will be checking in on you from time to time, depending on where I go in the afterlife. But I will always be there, watching you from above. I love you, son. Tell Robert, too.

Love Always,
Frank W. Abagnale

Jack sat there crying. The letter touched his heart. He went to the fireplace, got the suit, and burned it. He watched it burn. The flames engulfed it. There were some old letters that he had written to Angelina. He got them, packed them in a bag, and put them away for his mother. He didn't care for his birth mother after what she had done. He considered Angelina his mother. She had always been there for him.

Rose came inside.

"What the hell? Jack, it's smoking in here." She opened some windows.

"Sorry, Rose. I didn't notice." Jack was so absorbed in his sadness that he hadn't even noticed.

"Jack, have you seen Franklin?" She looked at him, watching the fireplace.

"I think he went to his girlfriend's house." He looked up at her.

"Oh, all right. Are you hungry?" He was looking on the thin side since his father had died.

"Yeah, a little." He tried to look happy, but he just couldn't.

"Okay. I will make us dinner." She went to the kitchen and started cooking.

He sat there like a zombie. He felt quite lost, now that his father was gone.

*****

Franklin lay in bed with Leah. Her bare shoulder was uncovered, so he kissed it.

Frank and Leah had been going out for quite some time. Every day, after school, they went upstairs and made love.

Frank loved her totally. He had never felt like this for anyone.

"Hello, handsome." Leah turned around.

"Hi." He looked down at her and kissed her. "So, how was it?" he asked.

"You're getting good, Frank. Really good." She smiled at him. Her eyes sparkled.

"Thank you, Leah. I try to satisfy you before myself." He watched her get up.

"I noticed." She stretched like a kitten before getting out of bed. "So, what are we going to do today?" she asked.

"I though we would go out to Crystal Lake with the others. You know, it's been a while since we hung out with Danny, Crystal, Erica, and Kyle." He got up, too.

"Yeah, I know. Let's go tonight. It will be fun." Leah went into the bathroom for a brush.

"My bag is already packed in the car. We should get you packed, too," he said, putting on his pants.

"Will I need my sleeping bag?" she yelled, turning on the shower.

"No. I have a big one for the both of us. I assume you are sleeping in my tent." He looked at her before she got in.

"Of course. There is nowhere else I would want to be. Be out in a second, all right?" She disappeared into the shower.

They got everything ready, and when they were done, they called their friends and confirmed that they would all meet at Crystal Lake.

Frank drove to Crystal Lake and called his mom on his cell. It rang.

"Hello, Mom," Frank said.

"Hi, Frank. Where are you?" She was worried about him. He was hardly ever home.

"I just wanted to let you know that I am with Leah at Crystal Lake with a couple of friends." Leah watched the road as he talked.

"All right. Thanks for calling, Frankie." She sounded concerned about him.

"Okay, Mom. Bye." He hated it when they called him Frankie.

He clicked off and looked over at Leah. She had been gorgeous to him since the day he had met her.

When they reached their spot, Frank got out of the car and went over to Leah's side.

He saw Danny and Kyle. He waved at them.

Danny saw Frank. They had been best friends since seventh grade.

"Hey, man. What's up? I haven't seen you in a while." They did their usual handshake.

"I have been around…here and there," Frank said.

"Word has it you've been with Leah a lot lately. Care to share what's going on?" Danny kicked back and took out a smoke.

"Nothing, really. We're just together. Kicking it." Frank took out his lighter and lit the cigarette for his friend.

"Not from what I've heard," he said, after he puffed a few.

"What have you heard?" Frank was very curious.

"Word is that you and Leah are doing it. Is it true?" Danny watched him closely. He always knew when he would lie.

"If it is, do you think I would tell you?" Frank retorted.

"I would think so. We have been best buds for almost five years." Danny smiled at him, watching Frank turn into jelly. He could never tell a lie.

"It's not polite to kiss and tell, Danny." That was all Frank would say.

"So, it is true. How is it?" Danny was curious. He had had sex before, but was just curious about him, since he was the stud of the school.

"The most amazing feeling in the world." Frank relaxed and took out a smoke.

"Man, you are lucky. Erica won't even put out." Danny watched his reaction.

"So, where's Kyle?" Frank asked.

"He's doing something over there." He pointed.

"Well, why hasn't he joined us?" Frank was curious about Kyle.

"I don't know. Don't ask me." Danny and Frank walked over to Kyle.

*****

Leah saw Erica and Crystal. She walked up to them.

"Hey, Leah. How's Frank?" Crystal asked, in a funny way.

"He's good. Why?" Leah acted innocent.

"Good, as in the sack?" Crystal laughed.

"What?" Leah did not know what they had been talking about.

"We know about you and Frank," Erica said.

"Oh, that." Leah had not said a word about their relationship to anyone.

"Yes, that! How come you never told us? You ho." Crystal always spoke her mind. She giggled at the way Leah tried to hide it.

"Me, a ho? No, I don't think so." Leah flipped her hair, acting like a smart ass.

"Yes, you are, bitch." Crystal punched her in the arm. "So, how is he?" she asked again.

"The best. He drops me to my knees." Leah smiled.

"Really? He is that good?" Erica looked at Leah. She had liked Frank since before she and Danny had gotten together.

"Yes," Leah admitted.

*****

They all gathered around the fire. Erica glanced at Frank. He was so handsome. She was envious of her friend.

She pondered the thought of Frank being hers for just one day. She knew she and Leah's relationship would suffer tremendously. But the more she thought about it, the more she dared to go for it. She glanced at him from time to time while tying a rope to a tree. No one noticed. She had been having a hard time with algebra, her worst subject of all. She failed every math test. She really needed help if she wanted to get into college with a scholarship.

Frank could feel her staring at him. He wondered why she suddenly had an interest in him. She never had before. He walked up to her as she was tying a cord to a tree, but having a hard time doing it.

"Hey, Erica. Need some help?" he offered.

"Yeah. Thanks, Frank." She felt her skin burn as he grabbed the cord from her hand.

He tied it tightly. Danny had not even bothered to help her, and he was her boyfriend.

"Frank?" Erica asked.

"Yeah?" He looked at her, curious as to what she had to say.

"Can I talk to you as a friend? I need some advice, and since you're a guy…well…I think you can help me." She really needed help.

"Sure. What's the problem?" Frank sat down and listened.

"Well, Danny and I aren't compatible, and I have been thinking of breaking up with him. I like another guy. The only thing is, he doesn't even know I exist." She looked down.

"Why are you talking to me? I really think you should tell Danny." He felt uneasy talking about it.

"Because, Frank, you are smart. You know these things, and Leah said you're good at everything." Erica looked at his hands. He looked nervous.

"Well, in school, yes, but not life." He glanced up, meeting her gaze.

"Please, Frank. I don't know what I am going to do." She started to cry.

"Erica, don't cry. It will be all right." He patted her back.

He felt weird seeing her cry, so he comforted her. She went into his arms, and he held her.

Leah and the others were chatting. No one had seen him hold her.

Erica felt his strong, muscular build. He towered over her. She held him, not wanting to let go. Frank pulled away.

"Look, Erica, I promise to help you in any way I can. Okay?" He meant it.

"Thank you, Frank. You're my best friend in the whole world." She hugged him and smiled, wiping the tears away.

He spotted Leah. She had seen him and was looking at him in a weird way. He was almost unable to stare back at her.

He parted from Erica and went back to Leah.

"Hey, Frank. What's going on?" she asked.

"Follow me." He pulled her with him.

She followed him into the woods. When they were alone, he spilled.

"All right. I am gonna give it to you straight. I think Erica likes me." He looked at Leah, and she looked at him like he was crazy.

"You're certain? No way, Frank. She hates you." Leah laughed.

"No, but it feels like it. I think after you told her about me, she got some ideas that I am good at things. She told me she likes a guy, but he doesn't know she exists. So, what do you think that tells you?" He sat there, trusting her to give a care about him.

"Well, she's just gonna have to face it. You're mine." She pulled him to her and kissed him hard on the lips.

"Leah, you are a devil." He felt happy, but he really didn't think she believed him.

"No, just happy to see my man." She wondered about Erica, if she really had had a change of heart.

"Come on. Let's go swimming." Leah grabbed his hand, changing the subject.

"All right." He followed her.

He put on his swim trunks and dove in. Leah had on a bikini. She swam next to him and put her legs around him. Erica saw them and decided to join them. She swam by herself, even though she knew she didn't know how to swim at all. The rocks on the bottom were very annoying. She was slowly walking on them when her foot slipped and got trapped. The water splashed on her face, and it was getting higher by the minute. She screamed, hoping someone would hear her.

Frank saw Erica.

"Leah, Erica needs help." He watched her trying to move.

"Go, Frank!" Leah yelled.

He swam fast, and when he got to her, the water was up to her chin.

"Frank, don't let me drown." She was glad that he was the one to come and save her.

"I won't. Can you move?" he asked.

"No. My leg is trapped." She tried to pull up, but she was stuck.

"Okay. I am gonna try and pull it free." He went down and grabbed her leg, pulling.

She felt him grab her ankle. It was really jammed.

He came up for air.

"Okay, let's try something else." He was afraid that he couldn't do it, but he had to try.

He put his arms under her breasts and pulled her from behind. But she was still stuck. She started to go under. He followed her, took her mouth, and breathed some air into her mouth. With one last thought, he got between her legs and pulled. Her leg got free.

Frank had not come up from the water, so Erica looked for him, and she found that his watch was trapped on a branch. She took his lips and breathed air into him, but it wasn't the saving type of kiss. It was more than that. She undid the watch, and she pulled him up with all her might. He helped, and they swam to the shallow area together.

They both started to cough. The water had gotten into their lungs.

"Thank you for saving my life," she tried to say.

"Thank you, too, Erica." He held her. He was thankful that she had saved him.

"I wouldn't have let you die, Frank. Even though I don't know how to swim." She was freezing.

"You don't know how? Want me to teach you?" he asked between gasps.

"I would be honored. When can we start?" she asked.

"Well, not today. Tomorrow. Is that okay with you?" He spit out the water he had inhaled.

"Okay. Thank you, Frank, for everything." She hugged him, and then got a towel.

"Oh, my gosh. Are you all right?" Leah asked.

"Fine. Leah, it was a close call. Thanks to Erica, I could have died, but she saved me." He took the towel from the rock and dried his face.

"Well, I guess I should thank her." Leah got her towel and wiped the blood off his leg. It appeared he had gotten caught on something in the water after trying to save Erica.

"We saved each other, Leah. She was brave." He flinched at the pain as Leah dabbed it with some hydrogen peroxide.

Chapter Seventeen
Stories