Crazy For You

by Sandra Edwards

  And bring us hope again

  And the promise of a new day

  Frank and Roxanne hadn’t planned a honeymoon, both had agreed they had too much work to do. Just to placate her, he suggested they postpone it until the band finished the new album. For the wedding night, he booked a suite on the shoreline of Sunset Beach.

  The word got out quickly once the newlyweds checked into the hotel. But that didn’t bother Frank. He was counting on the press to do their part. Frank wanted the whole world to know Roxanne was his wife. He especially wanted Kirk Bronson and David Faulkner to know that. More than anybody else, he wanted them to know it.

  Nothing that happened to Roxanne during their five-year separation had eluded Frank. He knew all about her affairs with her co-stars. First Kirk Bronson, then David Faulkner. Frank wanted them both to know she belonged to him, she always had and this wedding proved it. But more importantly, he wanted the entire world to know that Frankie was his son.

  Frank made the casual suggestion that they go down to the beach—knowing how much Roxanne loved it—and watch the sun set and maybe the stars come out. He made no attempt to conceal their intentions, parading her through the hotel lobby on one arm and a blanket under the other. His intent was to make sure that all who noticed could easily guess their destination. If Frank turned out to be as lucky as he thought, then it shouldn’t take the press much more than twenty minutes or so to swarm them.

  He spread the blanket over the sand and lay down on his side, propping his head in his hand. Roxanne sat down and leaned against his chest.

  There weren’t too many people left on the beach now that the sun had slipped behind the horizon. The fact that the press wouldn’t have to look too hard to find them pleased Frank.

  “Look.” Roxanne pointed toward the sky. “The evening star.”

  “You’re right.”

  “When I was little...I used to wish on the first star of the evening.”

  “Did your wishes ever come true?”

  “Sometimes.” She gave him an optimistic smile.

  “You going to make a wish now?”

  “I will if you will.”

  “Do I have to tell you what it is?”

  “No!” she said quickly. “You have to keep it a secret. Or it won’t come true.”

  “Okay.” He smiled to himself. Her optimism was infectious. But he had to remember why he was really here.

  They sat silently for a time, making their respective wishes.

  I wish, Roxanne thought, that we can be happy together.

  Frank savored the thought of a wish. There were lots of possibilities, but the one he favored best: I wish...that she really is crazy!

  Confident that he’d made the best of all possible wishes, he said out loud, “What did you wish for?”

  “I can’t tell you that. It won’t come true.”

  “I’ll tell you mine,” he said. “If you’ll tell me yours.”

  “Tell me yours first?”

  “All right. I wished that our love would last forever.”

  “Really?” she said, as if that surprised her.

  “Really.” He looked her straight in the eye. “What’d you wish for?”

  “I wished we could be happy together.”

  Yeah. Like that’s going to happen.

  “Can I ask you a question?” she asked, searching his face.

  “Sure.”

  “Are you going to wear those things forever?”

  What, the sunglasses? Frank knew why she wanted him to take them off, and that’s exactly why he wouldn’t. She’d seen inside his soul, and he refused to let that happen again. “Roxanne...” He paused, merely for effect. “I do love you,” he said with a twinge of honesty. “I always have and I always will.” But that didn’t change the fact that she had to be punished for what she’d done to him.

  She looked at the rings he’d placed on her finger and hesitated, eyes glued to the jewelry. She finally looked back at him with the beginnings of tears glistening her eyes. “My heart is in your hands,” she said. “And I do love you.”

  Frank heard chattering voices behind them, thankful for the interruption. He looked over his shoulder and saw the oncoming reporters. Finally. He jumped to his feet and extended his hand to Roxanne. “Come on,” he said, helping her up. “It’s the press.”

  As the crowd approached, she clung tightly to Frank’s hand and stood close to him, as if he were her protector.

  “Frank,” someone yelled out. “Is it true?” Camera flashes lit up the night. “Did you marry Roxanne today?”

  “Yes,” he said coolly. “That is true.”

  Flashes continued to go off and Frank realized the pictures would be plastered everywhere tomorrow. In every newspaper, tabloid, and magazine. He took Roxanne’s face in his hands and kissed her sweetly. The photographers tried to capture a shot of the kiss. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

  This was the picture he hoped ended up in all the papers around the country. That’d increase the chances of Kirk Bronson and David Faulkner seeing it.

  “What about your son, Roxanne?” A reporter squeezed to the front of the crowd. “How is he taking this?”

  Once he came into view, Roxanne recognized him right away. It seemed, over the years, this guy had nothing better to do than to follow her around wherever she went. “Max.” She gave him a dry, unfriendly greeting.

  “Well…how about it?” he challenged her. “How is your son adjusting to having a step-father?”

  Roxanne didn’t imagine that inquiry sat too well with Frank.

  “I’d like to set the record straight,” Frank said, proving her right. “Roxanne’s child…Frankie is my biological son.”

  Max directed his curiosity at Roxanne. “Is that true?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why did you let the whole world believe Kirk Bronson was his father?” He was coming across as a bit resentful. Understandable, since Kirk was the one who’d made that claim to Max, all those years ago.

  “Why, Max...” She paused, purely for effect. “I was simply leading you on a wild goose chase.”

  “Well, Max—” Frank relished in the opportunity to laugh at the reporter who’d broadcast the lie about Kirk Bronson being Frankie’s father in the first place. “Looks like the joke’s on you.”

  I was fooling myself

  But was I fooling you

  In the rain

  I can see you standing there

  In the rain

  I can still believe that you care

  Don’t break my heart

  Don’t throw our love away

  Frank had let the press serve their purpose. Now they could spread the news to the world that Roxanne belonged to him. So long as Kirk and David got that message, that’s all Frank cared about. But now he had no more use for the press so he cut their little get-together off abruptly. He simply grabbed the blanket, took Roxanne’s hand and walked away. A few of the reporters attempted to follow them, but Frank ignored them as he continued to lead Roxanne back inside the hotel.

  The elevator doors closed with them inside compartment. Frank turned to Roxanne. “You’re not mad, are you?”

  “Mad?”

  “That I kissed you in front of them? And told them I’m Frankie’s father.”

  Roxanne smiled and glanced away shyly. “Everyone should know you’re Frankie’s father. I intended to set the record straight in my new book…but you told them tonight and that’s fine with me.”

  “Speaking of your new book.” He paused long enough to capture her hand in his. “If you don’t get busy working on it, and I don’t hurry up and get into the studio...” He raised her left hand into the air. “We may have to hock your rings.”

  Roxanne laughed softly and fell comfortably into Frank’s arms. It had been a long time since he’d actually tried to make her laugh.

  ***

  Chapter 22

  Roxanne was happy being Mrs. Frank Garrett—for about a w
eek. Right up until she signed the legal documents proclaiming Frank as their child’s legal and biological father.

  Once that happened Frank didn’t give a damn what came to pass because in his heart he knew he was the best thing for their son. When all those legal papers were filed, Frank figured his work was over. He’d completed his job after all. He’d gotten what he’d come for, so why should he continue to work at it? Now, Frank directed all his efforts toward his music, instead of Roxanne.

  These days, he ignored her. He’d sit at the piano, hour after hour, picking out a basic tune and putting the words in line. And yet, he always made time for Frankie.

  Sometimes, Roxanne sat and listened to him while he worked. Although, it never seemed like he knew she was there. If he did, he never let on. He openly declared his love for her through his music, yet he refused to acknowledge her existence. She listened to him write songs of love about her while she was in the same room, but he never, not once, looked up at her.

  One day, she tried to make him concede that she was there. “What are you working on?”

  “Umm…I think it’s going to be called In The Rain.” He was talking to her, but his eyes never left the piano’s ivory keys.

  Roxanne didn’t say anything more. She simply listened to him sing the song. After all, that was more pleasant than trying to carry on a one-sided conversation.

  But now that you’ve come back to me

  It’s so plain to see

  Even here in the rain

  Things still remain the same

  I was fooling myself

  But was I fooling you

  In the rain

  I can see you standing there

  In the rain

  I can still believe that you care

  Don’t break my heart

  Don’t throw our love away

  If Roxanne thought she had a complaint coming, it was because Frank hadn’t gone into the studio yet. Initially, she’d thought being ignored by him was bad, but then he started leaving for the studio every day. Being ignored was bad enough, but Frank not being around to ignore her was taking it just a little too far.

  Then there came a time when Frank left for the studio every morning while Roxanne was still sleeping. And he wouldn’t come home until the wee hours of the next morning. Then he’d get up and do it all over again. Shades of the past. A few days out of the week he’d take Frankie with him. On these days he’d bring the boy home in time for dinner, but once Frankie was safely tucked in bed Frank would take off again.

  Roxanne was lucky if she saw her husband a few hours a week for dinner. Other than that, a few hours a night in bed was all they shared. Sleeping.

  She quickly began to realize their marriage was a disaster. She foolishly thought she could do something about it. When she suggested to him that they spend more time together...he coldly replied that he had work to do and so did she.

  His reasoning seemed logical enough, but it was deliberately hurtful.

  Roxanne preoccupied herself as best she could with writing her book while Frank and Rich put together another song for the new album.

  When you went away

  You broke my heart

  But now that you’re back is it possible

  For us to make a new start

  If I let you in

  Are you going to turn and run away again

  With December came the promise of Christmas, and the world rejoiced with thanks. Everyone but Roxanne. What did she have to be thankful for? Her husband didn’t even know she was alive. And worse yet, he had all her son’s attention. Life was not very pleasant for Roxanne Simon Garrett, and it was getting worse every day.

  The holidays were the last thing she needed right now. They only served as a painful reminder that her marriage was a complete failure. Hell, she and Frank should be out shopping, buying presents for their son and all their friends. But that wasn’t going to happen.

  That damned album consumed all of Frank’s time. He didn’t care about anything but his music and little Frankie—at least he hadn’t given their son the cold shoulder. But there was no room for Roxanne.

  Frank knew Roxanne had started to think their marriage was a joke, which was exactly what he wanted her to think. He didn’t give a damn about them, one way or another. And he had no intention of leaving her either. If Roxanne thought she was going anywhere—well, the nearest nuthouse was the only place he planned to let her go.

  Frank’s happiness abounded, while Roxanne was all but ready to fall off the edge. But he didn’t care. All he intended to do was write and sing his songs.

  You think it’s a joke

  But I know it’s a lie

  You can’t fool me

  With the tears you cry

  The thought of spending Christmas Eve alone was more than Roxanne could bear, even though she’d been spending most of her time alone anyway. Candy had been hanging out next door with Rich, which was all for the better as far as Roxanne could see. She didn’t want Candy to get the idea that anything was wrong. Jameson and Rose were on holiday. And Frank and little Frankie were off somewhere together, doing God knows what.

  No one needed her. And Frank didn’t care.

  Roxanne went upstairs and took a bottle of pills from the medicine cabinet. She paid no mind to which ones she’d chosen because it didn’t matter. Any of them should serve the purpose. She poured a few pills into her hand, and how she intended to swallow them was anybody’s guess. At this point it wasn’t a vital concern.

  She was about the throw the pills into her mouth when a powerful force bolted against her hand, knocking the meds across the room.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Frank’s boisterous voice poured around her. “Are you crazy?”

  She looked up at him, contempt clouding her thoughts. “What are you doing here?” she asked, vague and barely audible.

  “I live here,” he reminded her. “And it looks like I got here just in time to keep you from killing yourself.”

  Roxanne shoved past Frank and went out into the bedroom. “Don’t do me any favors, okay?”

  “I’m calling Jerry.” Hell, this should be as good a reason as any to put her in the nut-house, which is where Frank figured she belonged. He felt confident that once Jerry heard about her little stunt, he would have no choice but to institutionalize her as soon as possible, just to get her away from Frank.

  When Jerry arrived, Roxanne gave her performance her all. “Jerry...who are you going to believe? Him or me? You know he’s been against me taking my meds from the very beginning.”

  “So Frank is lying to me then? For what reason?”

  “He didn’t see what he thought he saw.”

  “Then what exactly did he see?” Jerry didn’t sound convinced.

  “He’s never seen me take my medication. And let’s face it…I do take a lot of pills.” She eyed him curiously, pouring it on thick. “Jerry, I can’t believe you’d actually think I’d try to kill myself.”

  “I don’t want to believe you’d try something like that.”

  “Jerry, I swear...I was just trying to take my bedtime dosages.”

  Jerry thought about it. She could be telling the truth. She did take a lot of pills at bedtime. Maybe Frank did get the wrong idea. But he seemed so sure about what he thought he’d seen. And Roxanne was so sure he hadn’t.

  Jerry knew he’d have to play it safe. Instead of locking Roxanne up, he opted to take away her meds. For now, he’d personally bring them around to her daily. He couldn’t trust Frank with them. If this whole thing turned out to be a result of Frank’s paranoia then he was probably still against her taking the medication. Jerry refused to put that power into Frank’s hands when he couldn’t be certain of his motives.

  Jerry had no choice but to confide in Frank though, telling him to watch her closely. For the time being, he wanted Frank to humor her. If he saw her struggling with bouts of depression, he should reassure her of his love and insist that everything was goin
g to be all right.

  But comfort was the last thing Frank intended to offer Roxanne. His plan didn’t include helping Roxanne in any way, shape, form, or fashion. He didn’t want her to get better. He wanted her put away. Away from him and away from his son. The faster the better, because Frank wasn’t sure how much longer he could continue in his current direction.

  The New Year came and went. And Frank masked his inner battle between love and hate with a song. This one he wrote purposefully in front of Roxanne.

  You think that I don’t love you

  And I never cared at all

  And you may be right

  But I’m not going to take your fall

  It’s time to wake up

  From the dream you’re caught up in

  It’s time to shape up

  And let the real world back in again

  For all Frank’s incessant animosity toward her, Roxanne decided the best thing for her was not to be. Literally.