Meet Francine Pt. 20
Brannan shared the true reason why his father killed Rachel’s attacker. Francine then, unexpectedly, had her way with Brannan in a barn on their way to attend the reading of her parent’s Will.
And that afternoon, sat only ten feet apart, I thought I’d lost you.
I haven’t let go of Brannan’s thigh since we made that unexpected stop back in Scotland. We are now driving into the town of Bowness-on-Windermere, on the lake. I must attend the reading of the Will tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
“It’s coming up to five, Francine. Keep an eye out for a hotel, it’s not peak season, I’m sure we will find something close by.”
“Can we just get a room together, Brannan,” I ask, pretending shyness.
“I think that makes economic sense,” he says and smiles.
“Of course, economic sense is important.”
“Just don’t find a hotel where your Aunt and Uncle are staying,” says Brannan, laughing aloud.
“When you laugh, Brannan, you’re more handsome than ever,” I say, squeezing his thigh.
“Are you looking out for a hotel, lassie?”
“Yes… yes, sorry, I got distracted,” I say, staring out the window. “Oh, look, there’s the ferry,” I say, thrilled with the water’s beauty and the hills around the lake. “No wonder Mum and Dad wanted to settle here, Brannan.”
“Aye, lass, it’s pretty enough alright.”
“Look there… The Belsfield, can we make that work? It has a view of the lake, I’m sure,” I say excitedly.
“Aye, but there’s a lot of steps. I’ll park up and go see if they’ve got a vacancy.”
“Here, take some cash, Brannan.”
“Nay, lassie, you bought breakfast, and sandwiches for lunch, remember,” Brannan says.
I'm looking around while Brannan runs up to see if we can get a room. Seeing all this beauty, the people with their children, and the sunshine doing everyone proud on such a clear day, I cannot imagine why I stayed so long in Glasgow. People watched me for years and knew what I’d been doing. These people have no idea what Brannan and I were doing!
I think it started with Mum, always having one eye on me, being her only child. She had terrific eyes; I can see them now, sitting here, imagining them walking around if they were alive… my God, my parents are dead, and I’ve hardly thought of them. I’m sure Aunt Gilda will be at the house now. I offered for them to stay at my parent’s place, having come a distance to find me, and me with the accident and all. I felt bad.
Mum missed nothing when I was growing up, those small, sharp eyes narrowing to a squint if she thought I was up to something. If she were here now, I can tell you this: Mum would know, take one look at me, and know just what I’ve been doing. That was why I liked my bedroom so much as a child. It always felt safe.
The car door opens. “We’re in luck, lassie. It’s not ready yet, it will take an hour, but we can stay,” Brannan says.
“Oh Brannan, look the ferry sails in fifteen minutes for a ninety-minute sunset cruise. That would be perfect. We can have dinner at the hotel after we’ve checked in, what do you think?” I ask, clearly bubbling with excitement.
Brannan takes a moment to think. I twist my head like a puppy dog.
“Ferry… looks kind of small, don’t you think?”
I laugh at him, “Were you wanting a Caledonian MacBrayne to sail on Lake Windermere?”
“Aye, well, I suppose it will be alright. There’s a car park a little farther along the street. I’ll sit you on that bench, then go to park the car.”
“Oh, thank you, thank you, what fun.”
Brannan comes around the car, opens the door, and pushes one hand under my knees and the other around my back as I throw my arms around his neck.
“Okay, don’t go away; I’ll be back,” he says, running around the car to drive away and park.
The sunset will look stunning, with blue skies, cotton wool clouds, and the lake to set the whole thing off.
Less than ten minutes and Brannan is back, just in time. The bandage wrapped around my ankle came off at the barn; I can’t think why, so Brannan insists on carrying me over to the ferry. We grab two tickets and go up the gangplank, finding a seat at the bow.
“Brannan, I love this. It’s so beautiful,” I say, over the top of a child running around and screaming playfully. Her mother smiles at us, and reading her lips, she says sorry. I raise my hand. Children are children, and their noise is a joy.
“That child, Brannan, isn’t she adorable?”
“Aye, that she is, and trouble for sure,” he says.
“Stop it, you gave her a huge smile, you terrible man.” I put my arm through his and rested my head on his shoulder as the ferry moved away from the pier.
From the ferry, we can see so much more: the docked boats, children flying kites in the breeze, others playing Frisbee, the restaurants, the people walking idly, enjoying the last of a sinking sun.
On deck, a mother is looking after her two children. One child, a small girl, is skipping. I suspect she has a new rope. The bay stands on the railing, and his mother tells him to get down.
A voice comes over the loudspeaker, asking that we locate the safety equipment, the lifeboats, and the alarm stations. Farther out, we can see a hillside of camper vans and people sitting in folding chairs, taking in the beauty of the surroundings.
“Isn’t this wonderful, Brannan? It's our first time on the water together.”
“I think I’d like something a little bigger, Francine.”
“It’s deep, I understand, but there are no waves, no currents, it is hea…”
A terrible screaming noise interrupts and everyone looks up, covering their ears as two fighter jets fly low, straight down over the lake at tremendous speed, and everything shakes. The water shakes, the ferry, the ferry passengers, and the mother, with her ears covered, runs scared, terrified, screaming. Oh no, she’s running to the railing… the small boy… I see her calling, but the noise is loud. I look around for Brannan, but he’s gone… where? A crew member runs to the railings and throws a life lifebuoy into the water.
I stand and hobble to the railing, “Brannan… Brannan…” and see a splashing, a struggle. It’s Brannan. Oh God, he cannot swim. He cannot swim. Brannan!” I scream, and then there’s a loud siren. Someone has pushed the ferry alarm, and two more crew members come running. Brannan has the child in the lifebuoy, and crewmen are pulling him in… but Brannan is gone; where is he?
“Over there, over there, he’s drowning…hurry, help him, please… Brannan… Brannan.” The water no longer splashes, then a huge splash and a heavy gasp… There, he is… help him…” and again he disappears… the two crewmen throw out safety lines…But there is no sign of him…. “Brannan….” A crewman leaps into the water: oh my God, it must be freezing, swim…swim… whoever you are…. Brannan, someone is coming to you.”
The crewman reaches Brannan and holds his head. There’s no movement.
In my head, I’m screaming. Brannan, please. I love you, I love you, Brannan, hold on. I’m coming, my love. We will be happy together, you will be okay, we will have children and a house, and we will love each other forever. Forever, my darling Brannan.
Several people help lift him back onto the ferry.
I kneel by his head, “I’m here, darling. I have you, my love,” I say to him lying there. He’s so big, and I’m so small. “Help me, Brannan, don’t do this; wake up. I love you; help is coming,” I say, seeing an ambulance coming down the hill. I see blue flashing lights and hear the siren.
The skipper of the ferry keeps pumping on Brannan's chest.
A crowd has gathered as they dock the ferry. Brannan isn’t moving, not struggling; he looks limp and heavy.
“He’s unconscious,” the skipper tells the ambulance crew, “give him room; move away, please. The skipper immediately tries to revive Brannan. Pushing down on his chest and counting.”
In my head, I’m crying out, please, Brannan, I will make you happy, don’t leave me, don’t leave me, Brannan….oh God,… please make him okay.
Oh God, he coughs, water splutters from his mouth. He’s okay.
The skipper sits him up; another person wraps him in a blanket. My head in my hands. How is this happening, how… how… the ferry takes forever to return, or so it seems.
“Hello…. excuse me…. your husband, he saved my son… I saw him; the planes frightened him, he lost his balance.” She puts her arms around me.
“Ma’am, come this way. We are about to dock.”
“Thank you for your jacket, I’ll return it, do you have a number?”
“Go… go… follow the crewman, don’t worry about the jacket. I hope he’s okay.”
The stranger hugs me, and the daughter hugs my legs.
“This way,” the crewman instructs me, and we step ashore, with him taking my hand.
There is a crowd gathered, having seen the ambulance, I suppose. I can feel my ankle, but the pain is bearable. It doesn’t matter.
“Get her to Lancaster Infirmary, The ER. Then wait for her to give you instructions. Wait all night if necessary.”
The crewman helps me into the back of the ambulance. “Good luck; I’m sure he’ll be okay.”
Yes… yes…Brannan, you’ll be okay; I’m coming, my darling. I’m coming, and I’ll never leave you again…not ever… can you hear me… I love you, my mind is saying.
That’s why he didn’t like the small ferry; he cannot swim! Why did I insist? It’s my fault. I should have known when he wasn’t sure about the ferry. Something was bothering him. But, of course, he wouldn’t tell me he cannot swim, a grown man, embarrassed maybe. Oh, Brannan, why didn’t you tell me? I would have understood; I’m scared to death of spiders, I get it, and you, you big dope, why couldn’t you tell me what was bothering you? I’m asking myself.
“How much farther?” I ask. Brannan’s eyes are closed. They are giving him oxygen.
“Ten minutes, ma’am.”
Hang on, Brannan. I’ll be the best wife you ever had if you’ll have me. I’ll love you every day, never get mad at you, never let you out of my sight, okay? I never will. Brannan, I’m here.
When we arrive, hospital staff are waiting, and Brannan is transferred.
“I must go with him. I must stay with him; I’m his wife.” I tell the doctor.
“Okay, now let’s calm down, have a seat here,” he says.
“No, please, I must see him,” I beg.
“I’m sorry, please take a seat. It won’t take long.
“Is he okay… can you tell me…is he okay…just tell me he’s okay.”
“Please sit down and someone will come and talk to you.”
Oh my God, what will I tell Bunny? What have I done? I seem to go into a nightmare and come around when the doctor appears. Ten long minutes have passed.
“You must be Francine. I’m Doctor Joseph.”
“He’s okay, you know my name, he told you, my name?”
“Yes, though he might be confused, he told me he wasn’t married?” The doctor smiled.
“Oh, yes, sorry, I lied. I thought you wouldn’t let me in to see him?”
“Well, strictly speaking, it is only family at his bedside, however, he did say you would soon be his wife, so I’ll make an exception,” the doctor says, broadly beaming.
“He did, he said that, said I would soon be his wife?”
“I hate to be the bearer of the pun, but he said he had fallen for you.”
“Can I see him, doctor. Can I see him now?”
“Yes, but we will be keeping him overnight, keeping him on oxygen, but he will be fine to leave in the morning. Follow me. I’ll take you to him.”
He told the doctor I would soon be his wife. Did he…Oh Brannan … yes, yes, I will marry you.
“Remember, when you go in, you cannot hug him, just hold his hand. Don’t get him excited.”
Brannan lies on his bed with an oxygen line going to his nostrils.
“Brannan! You crazy damn fool, I want to kill you myself, why didn’t you tell me you cannot swim?”
“Hello, Francine,” he says. I try not to hug him to death.
“Francine… uh…uh…I can’t breathe….”
“Brannan…!” I leap back….
“I’m kidding!” He says, grinning smugly.
“God, I hate you.”
“You do?”
“No. I love you, Brannan, I’ve never known this kind of love, and I thought I’d lost you. I thought I might never see you again.”
“So, I hear you told the doctor we are married?”
“I did,” I admit. “I thought they wouldn’t let me in to see you. Anyway, the doctor said you were going to marry me.”
“Yes, I’m going to marry you, I’m going to be your husband for the rest of my life. But first….”
“First…?” I say.
“I need to buy you a ring to convince Dad.”
I come to the side of his bed and kiss him full of love.
The Happy End.
