Confrontation

[fab_fan]

Title: Confrontation

Fandom: All My Children

Pairing: Frankie/Bianca

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters

Summary: A short scene between Frankie and Erica.

 

 

“Ms. Kane!” 

 

Erica nearly slammed her head with the door of her car as the familiar aggravating voice filtered into her ear. Gritting her teeth and closing her eyes, she silently prayed that she was mistaken. 

 

“Ms. Kane!”

 

She wasn’t.

 

With a depressive sigh, she closed the door and spun on her expensive stiletto heel, an unwelcome glare and haughty air greeting the caller, “What can I do for you, Mary-Francis?”

 

Frankie skidded to a halt in front of her, gulping in air after her sprint down the sidewalk, “It’s Frankie.” She inhaled deeply and righted herself, her hand unconsciously rubbing at her nose before jamming into her unzipped sweatshirt pocket, “We need to talk.”

 

Erica narrowed her eyes and waved a hand, “There is nothing for us to talk about.”

 

“Yeah, there is.” Frankie stared at her hard. 

 

“What could we possibly have to talk about?” Erica smirked as her eyes bore holes into the teenager. “How your being in my daughter’s life is slowly ruining whatever chances she has at college? How I don’t want a drug addict taking advantage of my teenage daughter? How you have conned your way into making my dear sweet child believe your lies?”

 

Frankie grit her teeth, “No, about how you’re hurting Bianca.”

 

Erica’s hand flew to her chest, “I am not hurting my daughter.”

 

“No?” Frankie scoffed, “Then you need to get your eyes checked, Ms. Kane.”

 

“How dare you!” Erica took a threatening step forward. “I love my daughter. I would never hurt her. For you of all people to imply...”

 

“Listen, lady.” Frankie sharply cut her off. “You don’t like me. I get that. Truthfully, I don’t really care what you think. But, Bianca does. And what you’re doing is tearing her apart.”

 

Erica rolled her eyes, “I’m not the one doing that.”

 

“Who’s the one making her choose?” Frankie stuck her chin out, “I don’t care if she lives with you or not. Bianca can make her own choices. I want her to go to school. I told you before, school’s important. You don’t believe me, but this isn’t what I want to be for the rest of my life.”

 

“What’s that? A con artist? A grifter?”

 

“Homeless.” Frankie ground out. 

 

Erica crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“I’m trying. I know it’s never going to be enough. I’m never going to be enough. You don’t have to keep telling me that. I know it. Bianca...Bianca’s smart. She’s kind. She’s...she’s really amazing. Your daughter is amazing. And, she loves you. It’s killing her that you keep acting like this.”

 

“Like what?” Erica sniffed.

 

“Like you don’t want her to be who she is.” Frankie pointed a finger at her. “Like she’s not good enough for you.”

 

“My daughter has always been more than enough. She’s the best thing in my life.” Erica growled.

 

“Does she know that?”

 

“Of course she knows that.” Erica snapped. “Just because you’re filling her head with thoughts of leaving me...”

 

“Cause this all started when I showed up, right?” Frankie interrupted her again. “You know this isn’t all on me.”

 

“How am I not surprised you would say that? Cons never take the fall, right Frankie?” She spun on her heel, “Maybe if you weren’t in her life filling her head...”

 

Frankie shook her head, her fingertips rubbing the side of her face in exasperation, “You want me to break up with her?”

 

Erica paused, “I think you know the answer to that, Mary-Francis.”

 

“You think that’ll change anything? You think she’ll stop wanting to be treated like an adult if I leave? That she’ll all of a sudden want to marry some guy or be the center of attention?” Frankie shook a hand at the older woman, “She’s not you! Alright? If I leave...it doesn’t matter, because I won’t. I’m not leaving her. I’m not running out on Bianca. You may have paid off some other chick or whatever, but I’m not like that.”

 

“Like what?” Erica turned around. 

 

Frankie bit her lip and lowered her head, breathes coming in fast and hard, “I ain’t running out on the person I care about.” 

 

“Of course not. The con isn’t over. You haven’t taken her millions yet.”

 

Frankie’s jaw locked so tight her face turned red, “You don’t know me. Not a damn thing about me. But, you know Bianca, and if you think she’s dumb enough to fall for some stupid street con, then you aren’t who I thought you were.”

 

“And who was that?”

 

“A mom who actually gave a damn about her daughter.” Frankie took a step back. “Bianca loves you. She thinks you don’t accept her and never will because she’s gay. She thinks you’re ashamed of her. I didn’t tell her that. She told me.” She wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do. Bianca would probably be ticked off that she’d told her mom that stuff, but Frankie couldn’t take seeing Bianca so broken up anymore. Bianca might be smiling and laughing, but Frankie could still see the sadness in her eyes. She hated seeing that sadness.

 

“And I’m sure you egged her on.” Erica tried to not shiver at the blatant truths being laid out. She could never be ashamed of her daughter. She loved Bianca more than life itself. Time after time, though, whenever they argued, Bianca immediately believed it was because Erica still couldn’t handle the fact the teenager was gay. Did she care Bianca was gay? Yes, because she knew there were people who would attack Bianca because of it. Or take advantage of her great big heart...just like this con artist was. She knew without a doubt Frankie wasn’t right for Bianca. She couldn’t be. 

 

Frankie took another step back, “I told her to talk to you, cause you’d do anything for her. That it’s me you don’t like, not her. It’s all me. Either way, it still hurts her. Because...because she cares about me.” the way her voice lifted in awe at the simple statement made Erica blink in surprise, “And, if you hate someone she cares about, it hurts her too. Because when the person who means the most to you is in pain, you can actually feel it.”

 

Erica watched as the shorter girl quieted, the blonde’s throat bobbing with a thick swallow. 

 

Frankie seemed to shake herself out of whatever feeling was enveloping her and shrugged, “She wanted to spend the night with me tonight. Sleep over. Thought you’d want to know so you don’t have to have Opal spying on us. She feels weird doing that. But...um...if you dropped by, I might have to skip out for a few minutes to pick up some snacks around nine.”

 

“Nine?”

 

Frankie nodded, “Yeah, and if I come back and Bianca’s crying...” she shrugged again, “Just do what you have to do, alright? Don’t make her cry. She needs you in her life. Stop acting like such a bitch and let her know you are. She deserves that.” Then, she pivoted and walked away.

 

“The nerve...” Erica trailed off, the keys clinking together as her hand shook.