A Time For Love (A Time For Love Series-Book 1)

A Kind Gesture

"Your turn! I bet I can get it in the hoop!" Frankie says as she dribbles the ball down the court, knocking her friend Mariana out the way as she almost falls to the ground but catches herself.

Both girls thought of themselves as competitive basketball players and loved spending the afternoons at the 92nd street Y.  It was a way for the two nine year old girls, who had been friends since they were babies since their mothers worked together at one time, to stretch their legs before heading back into their cramped apartments and for Frankie to escape her violent home life. 

"No way! You cheated! No way!!" Mariana yells down the court with her long black messy hair coming out of its ponytail as Frankie dunks the ball grinning wide from ear to her. She sports her usual beat-up. grey converse high tops, a worn black sweatshirt, and ripped acid washed jeans, her only pair.

She was a sweet girl but had a hard life for her mother. She was constantly on and off drugs and seemed to attract very abusive men, most of whom were physically violent with her and with Frankie. Unfortunately, the latest one in Frankie's eyes was the absolute worst.

But the girl was rather independent and used to fending for herself in some way, and sadly, the signs of Randy's temper and her mother's neglect were there. Her eye was still healing from the punch he had given her for her mouth. She was constantly hungry, her clothes were often old, and at times, she stole. Not to be mean, but because when her mother was on a binge and no longer clean, there was nothing to eat in the home. Nothing and most meals Frankie ate at school if she could.

"Yes, way!!! DUNK! Just like Bird!! NUMBER 33!! You're turn AGAIN!" She yells, tossing the ball at her friend while her wild curls blow in the breeze. Mariana can only laugh her butt off at her overly confident friend.

Mariana was a sweet girl to a point but a tomboy like Frankie. She lived in the St. Nicolas housing projects in Harlem like Frankie, but her home life was nothing like her friends for her family were warm, kind, and happy. Both her parents, who were immigrants from Mexico, worked very hard as her mom was a maid who was going to night school to become a nurse, and her father worked in a restaurant. Her grandmother stayed home to watch her and her three older brothers, who liked to tease and toss Mariana around, which explained why she was so tough.  Regardless, they looked out for her and Frankie as well.

Nonetheless, both girls were the best of friends, and it broke Mariana's heart when she'd see the abuse her friend suffered, knowing there was nothing she could do about it.

"You bet it's my damm turn, and I'm gonna wail YOUR Larry Bird loving behind because here comes Magic! NUMBER 32!" The latin girl sasses as Frankie tries to get the ball from her only to be outsmarted by her friend who makes a quick turn and dunks the ball.

"SLAM!!! SLAM DUNK! JUST LIKE MAGIC!!! Take that, Bird!!!" She jokes tossing the ball at her friend as Frankie chuckles. 

"Another round?"

"I gotta get home. My grandma is cooking tonight. Do you want to come over?" She asks as they grab their backpacks and head out the Y as Frankies face beams for she'd do anything for a hot meal at Mariana's.

"She making that chicken thing????"

"YUP! You damm know it!" She says as Frankie bounces the old basketball and the two head into the little bodega to grab some chips and candy. "I'm gonna grab some blue juice." 

Frankie nods her head as she scans the chips, seeing her favorite ranch Doritos as she digs into her pocket and pulls out two pennies and frowns. Seeing her friend is still looking for a drink, she looks towards the front register and shoves the bag of chips in her sweatshirt front pocket. What she didn't know was that a cop had walked in and was making herself a cup of coffee when she spotted the girl stealing.  But being who she was, the blonde cop liked to hear kids out and give them a chance.

Heading to stand on line, Frankie now notices the cop who is reading a newspaper by the coffee pots as the young girl swallows hard. It was just her luck as she turned around, seeing Mariana still looking for a drink as she  nervously bites her bottom lip. The young girl knew she could run if she got caught, but the last thing she wanted was for Mariana to get in trouble.

"Who's your favorite player?" Frankie suddenly hears, and looking up, she sees the blonde cop standing beside her as she smiles at the young girl. "Basketball, I mean. Who's your favorite?"

"Oh, um, Bird. Larry Bird."

"Yeah? Nice! He's one of my favorites too and Magic and of course Karim. But, gotta be a Knicks fan being from New York, right?"

"Yeah, but they got nothing on Bird right now." The confident nine year old says as the cop can only laugh but, of course, noticing that shiner on her eye.

"Ha! I hear ya. But good game they played the other night against the Sixers. You see it?"

"Yeah. It was good. But I was scared during the 4th quarter." Frankie answers rather comfortably and forgets about the stolen chips in her pocket as the two make their way up the line as another lady purchases a lotto ticket calling out the numbers she wants to play.

"Yeah, that got kinda tight. We'll see if they make it to finals, huh?" 

"I hope. Would be cool to watch."

"Well, we got a few more games to see. But I'm putting my money on the Lakers." The cop says as Frankie makes a face, causing the older woman to laugh.

"Ya'll loose. AND badly making that kinda bet!"

The cop can't help but burst out laughing again at the young girl as Franke shakes her head, continuing to hold her ball.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first bet I lost, but you got some shinner there, love. Are you ok?" She asks, but before Frankie can answer, Mariana overhears as she quickly walks up to her friend and answers without thinking.

"She's ok. We played kinda rough. Basketball. I hit her in the eye with the ball by accident."

"Yeah, well, that can happen." She smiles as Mariana puts her chips and drink on the counter as Frankie remembers the chips in her pocket. Right now, she isn't sure what to do, but she watches the cop grab a granola bar and some chips and a little juice carton, placing it on the counter as well and pulling out a ten. 

"I got it, Hector. " She smiles at the man whom she knew all too well as she hands Frankie the extra chips, granola bar, and juice as Frankie stares at her confused.

"Thank you for paying for us. That was super nice of you!" Mariana grins as the cop continues to smile at the little latin girl but glances at Frankie, who seems rather unsure. Which of course the woman understood considering she had the stolen chips in her pocket but ones the blonde cop had paid for. But she wasn't going to reprimand her this time.

"Not a problem, love. You two look like you worked up a sweat. Don't spoil your dinner, ok?"

"We won't!" 

"Ok. Have a good day, loves, and put some ice on that shiner, honey." She winks at the light skin girl as Frankie nods and watches the cop head back into her patrol car. She can only let out a sigh of relief as she looks down and sees the chips she thinks she stole, sticking out of her sweatshirt pocket.

"That was nice of her. Ready to go, Franks?"

"Yeah."