Blank Slate

Frances Delgado looked around her at the shabby one-room apartment. Curious about how long she'd be able to stay here in this one. Being on the run was no fun, especially being alone. Money was tight, even though she still had most of what she'd taken from Dom when she killed him.

Frannie wished Nedna was here so she could listen to her. Nedna always had good stories or advice; she knew what was needed. But Nedna had been murdered by Dom, effectively leaving her all alone in the world.

She'd considered looking for her mother but changed her mind. Frannie wasn't even sure where her mother was, let alone what her full name was or if she was even using her real name. The most she could remember was the neighbors calling her mother "Sissy." She couldn't even be sure that her mother had the same last name as her. Frances couldn't even find a birth certificate for herself.

Right before she killed him, Dom DeMarco claimed he was her father. Frannie did not want to believe him, but she noticed too many similarities between her and him. They had the same color of eyes and cheekbones. Their hair had the same shade of brown. She even noticed now that they stood and held themselves the same way. She wished she could have been sure he was lying, though.

She'd only been in this town for a week. In the last two towns she'd been in, Greco, Dom's younger brother, had found her and sent his goons after her, which forced her to run again. She knew she'd have to stop running and confront Greco, but she wasn't ready yet. She knew Greco and was sure he would change his routine and have more lackeys around him. Frannie wasn't prepared to get killed.

She was hoping she'd find enough time to find some little job she could do. She needed to replenish anything she spent out of Dom's stash she stole. She didn't know how long she'd be running and didn't want to take the chance of running too low. Hence, she always chose the rundown apartments in each town she went to. Plus, blending in on the wrong side of the city was easier, considering everyone was trying to make ends meet and only sometimes had the time to be nosy.

Few people were hiring around here. If she didn't find a job soon, she'd have no choice but to move on. She didn't have the funding to stay put, especially if she would be on the run for the rest of her life. She hoped the job she was applying for today would pan out, even though she had yet to learn what her responsibilities would be.

Frannie put on her best jeans and the best T-shirt she had. She wished she had something more professional to wear to make a better impression, but Frannie couldn't justify paying for an outfit she wouldn't wear that much. French braiding her hair in one long plait to keep it out of her eyes. Frannie never wore make-up; she didn't even know how to put anything on except lip gloss. Then, she set out three hours early for the appointment.

She found the nearest bus and took it to the other side of town, the pleasant side, the rich side, as it turned out. She walked around until she found Belmont Avenue and looked to see which way 409 would be. Heading south down Belmont, she headed towards the townhouse she sought.

When she arrived, she was ten minutes early. She went ahead and knocked on the door. An older woman answered the door. The woman looked Frannie up and down before motioning her in.

"You're early. I like that. You dress sensibly. Good, it shows you have some common sense. Come on into the Parlor, now. What's your name? Oh, you can't talk. Can you hear? Good. Good. That's fine; it's something we can work with."

So began her adventures with Mrs. Goldina Matthias of the Matthias ChedderWhips mogul empire. She would learn that not all mobsters treated people like shit and that some even offered protection to those in their care. Frannie would know that giving herself to another person was not bad. Where she would find her only love, and she would also lose her love. But these are stories for another day.

Today's story was to let Frannie explain her fresh start. So she could wipe the slate clean and begin anew. Because everyone deserves a clean slate, least of all, Frances?

Until I see Frannie again, she bids you all adieu.

>>>>>>> To Be Continued

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 4