The soft sound of rain once thrilled Frankie, but now the sound brought nothing but fear. She could already see the moisture soaking through the cardboard box she called home. It hadn’t been easy for Frankie to find a box large enough to fit her body in and losing it after just two short days was unnerving. Ultimately, she knew that the box really offered her little protection from the streets at night, but somehow, the idea of being so enclosed had comforted her.
Frankie kicked the box off her, looking up at the gray skies above. It didn’t look like these clouds were going to give way anytime soon. Frankie stood, trying to ignore the homesickness brought on as the rain soaked her dirty hair. God, what she wouldn’t give for a shower right now.
She picked the box up, folding it down into a more manageable size and carried it with her, crossing the street and tossing it in the green dumpster behind the grocery store. It was useless now, she thought. Frankie looked enviously at the people walking to their cars, oblivious to the young woman observing them from next to the big green container. Once, Frankie knew what it was like to be those people, completely naïve in their safe little worlds.
She walked a little ways down from the smelly dumpster, seating herself underneath the small awning that stretched over just enough to keep her dry. Frankie let her thoughts drift to her previous life. The life that abruptly ended two weeks ago.
Once Frankie had a bedroom of her own with yellow wallpaper. The ceiling was painted white. She used to lay on her bed watching the pink ceiling fan spin round and round.
Frankie jerked her leg back, tucking it under her, as a stream of water dripped off the edge of the awning onto her ankle. Her hand slipped down to caress her belly. It didn’t matter what she used to have, this little thing growing inside her always reminded her that she had made the right choice.
Not that Frankie had expected to be out on the streets like she found herself now. No, Frankie had gone to Ronnie’s house expecting him to take her in when her parents refused to accept her condition. Instead, he slammed the door in her face calling her names. Frankie knew at that moment that she and the baby were on their own.
Of course, Frankie didn’t have a plan. She never made plans. She knew that plans once made were usually broken. So Frankie walked until she came to the superstore grocery center that she sat beside now. The store was in her neighborhood, and the parking lot was well lit at all hours of the night making Frankie feel safer than she would have otherwise. Secretly, Frankie hoped Rhonnie or her parent’s would come to the store and spot her, changing their mind and taking her back. Of course, Frankie also knew that thoughts like that were bullshit, but that didn’t stop her from having the recurring fantasy.
Frankie closed her eyes, letting thoughts of warm, dry houses envelope her. Sometimes she swore that thinking about those places made her feel warm all over.
“Miss?” Frankie barely heard the timid voice that approached her. She opened one eye, and found herself climbing quickly to her feet. Standing in front of her was a slight young woman, not much older than herself.
“Uh, I’m sorry…” Frankie began, “It’s just…it was raining, and I didn’t want to get wet.”
“Oh!” Cried the woman, “Oh no! Of course not! It’s just that, I’ve seen you before.”
“You have?” Frankie said, her mind racing to try to place the young girl in front of her.
“Yes. We went to school together. I graduated two years ahead of you.”
“Oh wow.” Frankie said, feeling embarrassed. She definitely didn’t want someone she knew from school to find her sleeping on the streets. Instead of acknowledging her embarrassment, she continued. “I’m sorry. I don’t recognize you.”
The young woman nodded, as if she expected as much, but continued as if she hadn’t heard. “Listen,” She paused as though she herself was embarrassed now, “It’s just that, I have this apartment…” At this she pointed just over the fence to a small cluster of apartments, “and it’s a little bigger than I expected it to be, so I was thinking that maybe you could come stay with me? Be my roommate?”
Frankie froze. What the hell was she supposed to say to that. Her pride had her hesitating at the generous offer. The young woman wasn’t even asking her to pay rent. Frankie knew, however, that this was no time to get prickly over her silly pride. Frankie met the woman’s eyes evenly, “I’d like that, but on one condition.”
The other woman started, clearly surprised. “Okay. Go on?” She prodded.
“I pay half the rent.”
The woman smiled at her. “Of course!” After a brief pause, she continued, “I’m Jenn.”
“Frankie.”
“Well, Frankie, I just got out of work, and I don’t know about you, but I am starving. Are you ready to go see your new room?”
Frankie nodded, “Are you allowed to paint the walls?” She asked hesitantly.
“Of course, what color were you thinking?”
“Yellow.” Frankie said. “A bright sunny yellow.”
