“Thank you,” Kendall replied with a weak smile as she headed to the door. She turned before opening it and looked at Frankie. “I will be back. I know you probably think I'm crazy, but I assure you I'm not.”
Chapter 2
Frankie took Johanna's arm and led her outside to the back patio. It was a beautiful day...not too warm or too chilly. A perfect day for the surprise she had in store for Johanna. She settled Johanna into one of the wicker chairs, and then sat next to her and took her hand.
Johanna inhaled deeply. She turned her head and looked into Frankie's eyes. “This is nice. It's so peaceful out here, just you and me.”
“After everything you've been through, we both need to spend more time relaxing and enjoying life...together. And this weekend that's exactly what we're going to do.”
Johanna caressed Frankie's cheek with her fingertips. “You've been wonderful through all of this, baby. Holding down the fort at work; taking care of me, and overseeing the addition to the house.” She smiled.
“The addition turned out better than I imagined. And as for you,” Frankie said planting a quick kiss on Johanna's forehead, “I enjoyed taking care of you. I wouldn't have had it any other way.”
“I know, but I should have come back to work sooner.” Her eyes shifted. “I put everything on your shoulders. It wasn't fair to you.”
“It wasn't your fault, Johanna. You were under doctor's orders and you needed time to heal. You went through a lot, sweetie. In fact, I'm surprised you healed as quickly as you did.” She squeezed Johanna's hand.
Johanna's lips curved up into a smile. “It's all that tender loving care you gave me.”
“Well, even though the doctor gave you a clean bill of health, I still want you to take it slow for a while.” Frankie put an arm around her and held her close. “You never talk much about that night anymore, but I just want you to know that if you ever need to, I'm here,” she said tenderly.
“I know.” Johanna nodded. “Sometimes I still wake in the night in a cold sweat after a bad dream.” She inhaled deeply and then slowly let her breath out. “I know that monster's dead, but sometimes it feels like he's still here. I don't know if I'll ever feel truly safe again, but I'm trying.”
“You will. I promise. He can't hurt you anymore, sweetie.” Frankie brushed the hair from Johanna's brow. “Wake me up the next time you have one of those nightmares. Okay? I don't want you to go through it alone.”
Johanna tilted her head and gazed into Frankie's eyes. “Just knowing you're lying next to me helps me get through it.” Her eyes drifted to the covered section of the backyard. “Now moving on to a more pleasant topic, when do I get to see what you and the guys have been working on for most of the spring?”
“How about now,” Frankie said with a sly grin as she leaned back in her chair and scanned the large section they'd previously had landscaped for their personal use. A forest of large trees and brush bordered the rest of the property. They kept as much of their twenty acres as they could in its natural state and now they had the best of both worlds and cherished the paradise they'd built for themselves.
She stood, and still holding Johanna's hand, helped her to her feet. “This is for you, sweetie.”
Johanna's eyes brightened. “You've literally kept it under wraps,” she said nodding towards the tarps. “I can't even imagine what's under them.”
Frankie hoped the transformation made to the area where Johanna had been brutally attacked would now serve as a place of beauty and vanquish any lingering demons from the night that had caused the both of them so much terror. Frankie also woke up many nights in a cold sweat reliving the night Johanna had been stabbed in the shoulder, had an arm broken, and had suffered a severe concussion while being held hostage in the tool shed by a cold-blooded murderer.
She led Johanna to the first tarp. “I hope you like it.” She pulled the tarp off the temporary scaffolding, and then turned to watch Johanna's reaction.
Johanna gasped. “Oh, my God!” She threw her arms around Frankie's neck. “I can't believe you did this for me. You've torn down the tool shed and had this put in its place. I don't know what to say...it's beautiful!” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Frankie gave her a tight hug. “Check out the fountain. At night it lights up if you want to sit out here and look at it.”
“It's so soothing.” She swiped at her cheeks as she studied it. “It's amazing!”
The five foot high waterfall fountain sat in the middle of a circular stone sitting area bordered by a sea of beautiful flowers. A stone path led away from it to the right.
Johanna walked closer. “All of my favorite flowers are here!” she exclaimed. “They're gorgeous!” She took a deep breath. “I'm going to love sitting out here.”
“There's more,” Frankie said. “Just follow the stone path. Come on.” She slipped her arm through Johanna's and strolled a short distance to where scaffolding and another tarp were hiding something behind it. “This is going to look so much better when all of these tarps and the scaffolding have been removed.” She pulled the tarp back so they could slip through to what was hidden on the other side.
“I don't believe it!” Johanna squealed as she cupped her face in her hands. “I don't know what to say.” She broke down in tears again. “I've always dreamed of someday having something like this.” She bit her bottom lip. “I've never seen
