BooksBarbecue
Back Mobbed Save as PDF
Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

In his cabin, Frankie looked at his reflection in the mirror. He’d taken after his father with his dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin. Adjusting the bow tie on his tuxedo, he smiled. It was almost time to go down and play a set while the first class passengers enjoyed cocktails before dinner. Tomorrow the ship would dock at Casablanca.

How appropriate, Frankie thought as he sat on his bed and picked up the phone. Casablanca is for lovers. I wish Rhonda could share it with me. A few minutes later the phone was ringing in the home that would soon belong to him and his bride. He never imagined he’d ever want to live there again, but now he felt as if it were calling out to him. Come back, Frankie. Start your new life here. It’s time to come home …

The phone rang four times. Finally Edna answered in a breathless voice. “Hello.”

“Hello, Mom. It’s Frankie!” he said, his face beaming.

“Well, what a surprise,” Edna answered. “But I can’t talk now.”

Frankie blinked. It was hardly the response he was expecting. “Is anything wrong?”

“No, but I have a lot of news. I sold the house and today I’m having a garage sale. They’re about to open the gates to the crowd. There’s a mob outside.”

“What?” Frankie sputtered. “You sold the house? I wanted to buy it. Mom, I’m coming home. I’m getting married. I’ll be back for good next week!”

“What’s that expression? A day late and a dollar short? Call me back later. By the way, I’ve found love, too. Isn’t it nice to find someone you want to spend your life with? I always told you not to be discouraged by your rotten experience with that self-centered ex-wife of yours. From the minute she didn’t like the corsage I picked out for you to give her for the prom, I knew she was no good. I told you over and over. But like always, you didn’t listen to your mama. Gotta go, Frankie.”

The phone clicked in his ear. Frankie’s heart was beating wildly. He called his sister’s cell phone, but it went directly to voice mail. Then he tried her house in San Diego. Hank answered.

“I just heard about Mom selling the house,” Frankie said, his mouth dry. “Is Karen there?”

“No, she’s on a plane headed for Jersey. She got the news this morning. Karen’s pretty upset, too.” Hank tried to laugh. “You know Edna. She’s always been impulsive. Maybe it will work out okay. Consider yourself lucky you’re thousands of miles away and don’t have to deal with it.”