OM2: Not Quite Ordinary
by Paul Diaz
by Paul Diaz
Chapter 20: Ordinary Me
The hotel suite was lively; bursts of laughter filled the living room as Francesca cradled Frank like a baby. “Mom! This is embarrassing! You are even doing it in front of the one I love” Frank said.
“Oh its okay Frank, your mother missed you” Jennifer said as she kept laughing. “Dad you are one hell of a liar!” Frank uttered as Francesca hugged his son. “I am not! I never said your mother was dead” Nathan replied.
“But your story, you said they shot her” the son said. “Yes, but remember how will I know the story if I wasn’t there. Didn’t you even ask that?” Nathan grinned. “I really thought I was dead. So many bullets hit my body. They left me for dead, I even really thought I was dead” Francesca recalled.
“You see, I told Elaine that there was no need to test the serum but I would never administer the serum on my son if it was not. So no one knew I tested it on myself. I didn’t feel anything change really so I said since the serum didn’t kill me then it would be good for you” she related.
“Thus, when Nathan found me lying on the road he cried. He screamed like a girl when I stood up” Francesca said and Frank and Jennifer laughed. “I didn’t scream like a girl!” Nathan reacted.
“So you two went into hiding?” Frank asked. “Not really, we were close by all the time. To be honest we watched over you. Every night as you slept I watched over you Franky” Francesca said. “Tell him how you would sedate him as he was sleeping” Nathan said and Frank was surprised.
“Sorry son, but I had to make sure you would not wake up. I really wanted to hug you so I had to sedate you to make sure. Then me and your dad would sleep beside you” Frank’s mother said.
“So there are mornings when I wake up so late and I have a severe headache” Frank uttered and his mother laughed and hugged him tighter. Jennifer wiped her tears and smiled, “So you were never alone after all” she whispered.
“I think its time” Nathan said as he looked at his watch. Frank and his mother stood up and wore black robes. “Are you sure you don’t need help?” Jennifer asked as Frank wore his hood. “Its time for me to bond with my mom, I hope you understand” Frank told her. “Don’t worry Jennifer dear, I won’t let anything happen to him. Come on Franky” Francesca said as she opened the window.
“There is a door you know” Nathan said but it was too late as mother and son flew out of the window. “Will they be okay?” Jennifer asked. “Of course they will be, but I just don’t know about the flying part” Nathan replied. “What do you mean?” she asked. “Well you see, its only lately that Francesca learned how to fly” he replied and they laughed. “So you mean if she didn’t see Frank fly she wouldn’t know she could?” Jennifer asked and Nathan nodded. “Don’t worry she actually could teach Franky new tricks too”
At a mansion at the outskirts of the city, Demitri was enjoying a glass of vodka as he watched television. The living room lights sudden died so he started calling for his bodyguard. “Ivan! Come fix the lights!” he shouted.
“Ivan!” he again said. “Scared of the dark?” a voice was suddenly heard and Demitri was very frightened. “Ivan? You stop playing tricks on me comrade or else I will chop your head off!” he threatened.
From the dark Frank emerged and Demitri threw his glass at him. The glass never reached Frank as it stopped inches from his body and it returned to the Russian who was hit on the head. The more scared Demitri was as he started to cling to the sofa.
“Who are you? What do you want with me?” Demitri asked as Frank paced the room and never showed his face. “I know all of you. We have taken Elaine down and it happened that you were next on the list” Frank said.
Demitri felt someone choke his neck so he gasped for air. “Do you want me to stop?” Frank asked. “I cant breathe” the Russian said. “I can end your life right now , do you like that to happen?” the hooded hero asked. Demitri could not reply as Francesca, who was hidden in the dark, tightened her mental grip on the Russian’s neck.
“Noooo” Demitri managed to say. “You will turn yourself over to the authorities and tell them everything” Frank said and Demitri shook his head. “what is that? Are you disagreeing with me?” Frank asked as Francesca tightened her choke hold.
“Okaaaay” the Russian said and Francesca released the choke hold. “I want you to turn yourself before the sun rises. If the sun is out and I hear you have not done so I will be beside you and choke you to death with my bare hands. Do you understand?” Frank said as the Russian nodded. “The only safe place for you is behind bars, other than that I can find you” Frank added.
“Demitri, try to use your phone and I shall kill you instantly. Try and alert others and I will kill you at once. Remember I shall always be near you and you will never notice my presence” Frank said as he stepped towards the dark. Demitri stood up and took out his phone but he immediately dropped to the floor as he again was being choked.
Frank again emerged from the darkness but the Russian was able to draw out his gun. Demitri fired at Frank but the bullet bounced of his body. The Russian dropped his gun and pleaded for his life, “Okay I will do what you say” he murmured.
Thirty minutes later Frank and Francesca were standing on top of another mansion, “Mom are you sure Demitri will turn himself in?” Frank asked. “Son, fear can work both ways. It can make you stronger and it can make you weaker. I am sure we have scared him enough” his mother replied.
“Teach me how you do that choke thing” Frank said and his mother laughed. “Okay, I will let you do this one. This time I will do the talking” she said as they moved to the next target.
As the sun rose Sarah Kelly was reporting live from the Federal Bureau of Investigation building.
“We all thought that with the death of William Gregory, we would not be able learn who else are involved with the terroristic acts on our country. Late last night, five distinguished men surrendered to the authorities and all said that they were in collusion with William Gregory”
“We still do not have their names but sources say the five men are wealthy and two of them are even diplomats. What made them surrender we still do not know our source said that the men were all scared as they surrendered”
“There is only one man that comes to mind who is capable of making them surrender, so in behalf of the world, thank you very much Frank Miller wherever you are”
The television turned off as Tina walked towards the bed. “That is enough television William. The doctor told you to rest” she said as a man in bed grumbled. His face was covered with bandages and gauze as Tina tucked him in bed. “Did you get rid of the plastic surgeon?” William asked.
“Of course. You should rest” she told him. “I am feeling generous, please send the authorities all files we have on those five” William instructed. “Are you sure?” Tina asked. “Yes, it should be enough to get rid of them. All files even those with my name, remember I am not William Gregory anymore” he said.
“As you wish. Will there be anything else?” Tina asked. “Why wasn’t my sister with them?” he asked and the secretary shrugged her shoulders. “Hmmm that will be all for now Tina. Oh get everything you know about this Frank Miller” he said.
William closed his eyes and exhaled, “I don’t know where would be without you Tina. I still cant believe you found someone that looked like me…hahaha you even managed to pull that caper off and fooled everyone” he whispered.
“Its good they didn’t measure how tall he was. Get some rest now, everything will be okay” she replied as she closed the door.
Back at the Appleby residence, Bart was mowing the lawn when an SUV stopped in front of their house. “Good Morning Yehleen” Bart said as the doctor got out of the car. “Good day Mister Appleby! Are they here?” she greeted.
“Oh no, they left early this morning, they took Papo with them” the old man replied. “Where did they go?” she asked. “They said they would go on a vacation” Bart said and Yehleen smiled and got back in the car. “See you then mister Appleby” Yehleen said as she waved goodbye.
“So where do you think they went?” John asked and Yehleen smiled at him. “I don’t know but I have a feeling that we wont be seeing them for a long time” his fiancée replied. “Damn! I really wanted them to be the first ones to see me walk with crutches” John said as he shook his head. “Well cheer up my love, you can show them when you walk without the crutches, come on lets go to therapy” the doctor told him.
Several miles away Frank and Jennifer were cruising the highway, “Why don’t you want to tell me where we are going?” she asked. “Well its going to be a surprise, it’s a long drive so you can go back to sleep if you want” Frank said.
“Well it could have been easier if we flew you know” Jennifer teased. “I know, but Jen I just want to be ordinary from now on. I know I have abilities but as much as possible I want to be normal just like before” Frank explained.
“So you wont be taking me flying anymore?” Jen asked as she pouted. “Of course I will, for you I will be extraordinary. Remember that, from now on just for you” Frank said. Jennifer smiled and leaned on Frank, “Wake me up if you are tired then so I can drive too” she whispered as she closed her eyes.
Several hours later they arrived at Jennifer’s old home, Frank parked the car and woke up his girlfriend. “Wake up now, we are here” he whispered. Jennifer opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the full moon shining brightly. She sits up straight and her jaw dropped.
“Oh my God, it’s a Ferris Wheel!!!” she shouted as she quickly got out of the car. Jennifer stared at the huge structure beside the barn as Frank let Papo out of the vehicle. “I thought we sold this place already” she said. “Yes you did and I bought it” Frank told her. “You did? Why?” she asked.
“Well you had so many memories in this place. This is where you grew up, and this is the place where we had our first good memories together. I could not let you just sell it that is why I bought it for us” Frank said and Jennifer quickly hugged him.
“You remembered I liked Ferris Wheels” Jennifer whispered. “Come on lets go try it” he told her. The two got inside one cart and Jennifer looked at Frank. “If we are both here who is going to turn the machine on?” she asked. “Who are you talking to anyway?” Frank replied and suddenly the Wheel started moving.
Hand in hand the two enjoyed the ride and after a few turns Frank motioned his hand in a circle manner and the wheel stopped. They were exactly at the uppermost and Jennifer looked down. “Why did you let it stop?” she asked. “So we could both enjoy the view of the stars” he told her.
Jennifer looked upwards, the sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly. “If I am not mistaken this is what you wanted to do” he told her. “Again you remembered” she whispered. Both of them leaned back and enjoyed the majestic view of the heavens.
“Jen, will you be willing to quit your job?”
“And stay here with you? Of course! But we need money you know”
“I think we will be fine, so will you quit your job?”
“Yes, how about you? I mean with your abilities, people would expect you to be…a hero”
“But they should also know that I am ordinary too, and this ordinary guy is so in love with this extraordinary woman. I love hero movies and almost all of them fail in the love department because they are forced to choose. I choose you, and I will always choose you. Look, the world seems to be just as it is. Before I learned I had abilities it was this way already. So I think it will be all fine”
“But what if something happens again and people will call you?”
“I don’t know, I just want to be normal. I want to be with you. Maybe by hiding the people will hate me but I don’t care. They will learn to forget me, I hope they do so I can just be with you forever”
“Frank that is what I want too. People may forget about you but if something happens and all hope is lost again they will always remember you and look for you. I pray that it never happens. I know you have abilities but still…I don’t want to lose you. I will quit my job, i know they will blame me for taking you away so they will hate me more but I don’t care….you are the Papo that I don’t want to lose…you are the Papo that I can never replace…you will be the last Papo in my life”
“If I could pick one star and make it into a ring I would do it and place it in your finger”
“Oh you don’t have to do that Frank”
“I know because it’s impossible…that is why I have this ring with me, it has a stone that shines too…not as bright as the stars though”
“Frank…that’s a huge diamond!”
“With the stars and other heavenly bodies as our witnesses…
…Jennifer…will you marry me for me simply being the ordinary me?”
“Ordinary and the not so ordinary…Yes Frank, I will marry you”
-the end……for now-
