Frankie sat down on her bed, feeling that instant sense of comfort that you always get from your bed, but she had to remember that she couldn’t get too comfortable, she couldn’t stay. “Yeah,” she said softly. “I couldn’t say no,” she said. Frankie leaned over and grabbed her elephant, burying her face in the familiar feel of it, she took a deep breath. “I have to, Arlene…he’ll be suspicious if I don’t go back…I don’t…I can’t…I don’t want him to hurt my brothers,” she said softly. “I need to protect them,” She said, looking up, tears in her eyes. “God…”
Arlene made space for Frankie on the bed, listening to Frankie’s words, trying to be as sensitive as possible. She just didn’t understand why she had done what she’d done. Why couldn’t she have just come to Arlene? The shorter girl ran her fingers through her hair, her throat gone dry once she remembered Frankie’s brothers. Right. Hunter and Miles. Vince wouldn’t have any problem going after them if it came down to it, and Arlene just couldn’t have that. She turned to face her friend again, hugging her tight. “We can find a way, Franks. All you have to do is get away long enough to get to my house and we can figure it out from there. Please, Frankie, I’m begging you. We can fix this.”