SECRETS OF THE PAST
Chapter Four
Jack went outside. It was a
pretty day. Jack, also known as Frank Abagnale, Jr. the II, was sitting on the
porch when he saw a beautiful little girl with flaming red hair pass him by. He
had never seen a girl as pretty as her.
His dad had enrolled him in school,
and he really wasn't looking forward to it at all.
"Hey, Jack?" Frank sat
by him.
"Hey, Dad. What's up?"
Jack looked up.
"I'm going out. Wanna
come?" Frank asked.
"No, thanks. I will just sit
here and play my game. Okay?" He was hoping to catch another glimpse of
the little girl.
"All right, Jack. Angelina
is inside, so if you need anything, just yell." Frank patted his head and
went to his car.
"Okay, Dad!" he yelled
to him.
Jack kept playing his game,
glancing next door.
*****
"Mommy, can I go outside?"
Rose pleaded with her mother.
"Sure, Rose. Go ahead."
Ruth was putting away the laundry.
"Thanks, Mom." She ran
outside before her mother changed her mind.
She had seen the handsome boy
with the blond hair and blue eyes. She wanted to meet him.
She went outside, and he was
still there, playing.
"Hello." She looked up
at him.
Jack glanced up from his game.
"Hello." Jack was
caught off guard.
"My name's Rose
DeWitt-Bukater," she introduced herself.
"Jack. Actually, Frank
Abagnale, Jr. But you can call me either one." He smiled at her.
"Okay, Jack. So, what are
you playing there?" She had never had a game like the one he held. Nothing
at all.
"Dungeons and Dragons. Wanna
play?" He loved the gothic era.
"Sure, but I don't know how.
Mom's never let me have one of those." She didn't even have a doll.
"Come on." He led her
inside to play with the new game his dad had bought him. "My dad just
bought me this. It's version two." He showed her the game.
He plugged in all the
connections. "I will be right back. I have to check on my mom."
"All right, Jack." Rose
sat on the couch.
He saw that Angelina was all
right. She was laughing.
"Hey, Mom?" Jack asked,
entering the room.
"Hey, Jack." She looked
at him.
"I invited a friend to play
a game with me. I just wanted to let you know," he told her.
"All right. Thanks for
telling me, Jack." She was glad he was able to confide in her.
Jack went back to Rose.
"Here. You have this
one." He handed her a controller. "I will be Lord Vladimir, and you
are the Evil Sorcerer Merlin. Okay?"
"All right." She sat
down next to him. "You're gonna have to show me how to do this,
though." She saw what he was doing.
"Okay. See this button, the
one with the circle? That's to jump, and this one over here is to fire your
weapon. That's about it." Jack touched her hand when he was showing her
the buttons on the controller. He looked at her and kissed her.
She didn't pull back.
"Rose, did you like
that?" he asked.
"Yes, Jack. I did." She
blushed.
"Will you be my
girlfriend?" Jack asked.
"Yes, Jack. I will."
Rose had no idea what he meant by that, but if it meant being his friend she
would love to.
"Rose!" her mother
called.
"Sorry, Jack. I've got to
go. See you later, though." She ran back home.
"All right." He waved
good-bye.
*****
Rose went next door.
"Rose, where were you?"
Ruth asked.
"I was at Frank's
house." Rose was wondering what had she done now.
"Who's Frank?" Ruth
wondered how her daughter knew about the neighbors so fast.
"The little boy next
door." Rose smiled.
"Oh, I see. Are they
rich?" Ruth loved rich people.
"I guess. I don't really
know for sure." Rose had never cared about social status.
"All right. I will ask them
if they would like to come for dinner."
*****
Rose was embarrassed when her
mother asked them over for dinner.
"Angelina, are you almost
ready? Come on. They're expecting us!" Frank yelled.
"All right, Frank. Don't
rush me," she said, putting her jacket on.
They went over, dressed really
nice. Frank and Jack had on suits, and Angelina had a nice velvet dress on.
They knocked on the door.
"Oh, come in. Please make
yourselves comfortable." Ruth answered the door.
Ruth's eyes gleamed at the
expensive suit Frank was wearing.
Rose was setting the table.
Jack went over to help Rose while
his parents took off their coats.
"Frank Abagnale, and this is
my lovely wife, Angelina." He shook Ruth's hand.
"Nice to meet you. I am Ruth
DeWitt-Bukater." Ruth took their hands and shook them.
"Is there a Mr.
DeWitt-Bukater?" Frank asked.
"Yes. He will be in
shortly." Ruth went to the dining room.
Rose and Jack talked while
setting the table.
"So, how did you like the
game, if you know what I mean?" He was hinting at the kiss.
"I loved it, Jack. It was
weird, but in a good way." She smiled at him.
"You're right." Jack
liked her.
"Okay. Table all done,"
Rose announced to her mom.
Rose pulled Jack to the chair
next to hers.
They all sat down.
Richard Bukater came in.
"Hello, all. Sorry I am
late. I was buying the wine." Richard sat at the table.
"Mr. Bukater?" Frank
got up to greet the man. "Frank Abagnale."
"Nice to meet you, Mr.
Abagnale." Richard got up to shake his hand.
"This is my wife, Angelina,
and my son, Frank, Jr.," Frank introduced them.
"Nice to meet you,
ma‘am." He shook her hand. "Frank." He nodded his head.
They sat down while Rose and Ruth
brought out all the food.
They ate and chatted.
"So, Frank, what do you
do?" Richard grabbed his fork and poked it into the hard piece of steak.
"Well, Richard, my wife and
I own F.W. Stationers," Frank said proudly.
"Well, haven't heard of it,
but good for you," Richard said.
"Thanks," Frank said.
Rose and Jack chatted between
themselves as the adults continued to talk.
"So, you're gonna have a baby,
and this is number two?" Ruth asked.
"Actually, Frank is not my
son, but I love him just the same." Angelina caressed her stomach.
"Oh. So, I gather Frank is
yours, Mr. Abagnale." Ruth looked over at Frank.
"Yes. He is mine from a
former engagement." He thought about Rosalie.
"Well, he is in good hands
now," Ruth pointed out.
"Sorry to interrupt, but may
we be excused?" Jack asked.
"Sure. Go ahead,"
Angelina said.
Rose's mom nodded her head.
Rose got up from the table and
led Jack to her room.
"So, what kind of stuff do
you play with in your spare time?" Jack asked her.
"Well, I don't have many
toys. Mother forbids them." Rose sat on her bed.
"She's weird, if you don't
mind me saying so." Jack sat next to her.
"I don't mind, Jack, because
she is." They both laughed.
"So, what shall we do?"
Rose asked Jack.
"Can we try that kiss thing
again?" Jack wanted to kiss her.
"Okay." Rose stood
there.
He kissed her again.
Even though they were only nine
years old, they were learning quickly.
"We should practice, Rose,
at least once a week, so we can be good at it when we are adults." Jack
wanted to learn.
"Okay." She went along
with Jack's plan.
Jack and Rose became almost
inseparable. They spent their time together quite often.