Back to the present……

"Vanessa had the most incredible smile, Frank. Her eyes light up and I feel I can see right into her heart. Sometimes I feel like she has saved up her smile just for me, she looks me straight in the eye and I just want to stand and stare at her forever."

"Frank, I’m so glad you came back." Vanessa kissed him awkwardly on the cheek "Come on over, everyone’s dying to see you"

Frank took a deep breath and walked over to the group. Biff Hooper, Chet Morton, and Callie Shaw were all seated around a big table.

"Well look what the cat dragged in" drawled Biff Hooper, but he smiled as he said it. "Good ta see ya buddy" He shook Frank’s hand.

"About time you came back." That was Phil’s comment.

Frank smiled at his best friend. Phil and Frank had been in contact over the phone more than the rest, more even than Frank and Callie, and he knew about the loneliness and torment that Frank felt since Joe had returned to Bayport. He could see the tired lines under Frank’s eyes, and knew the leap of faith that he had made in turning up for Chet’s party.

"So you eventually came back" said Chet "Good, cos I’m getting sick of eating your share of the pizza"

"So’s your waistline by the looked of things" Frank quipped and the two boys shook hands and laughed.

"Hey." This was a soft voice, the voice of Callie Shaw.

"Hey yourself" said Frank, looking down at his petite girlfriend and suddenly feeling awkward again. He knew that he had been neglecting Callie lately. He knew why as well. He thought that Callie, as Vanessa’s best friend, blamed him.

But Callie stood up and kissed Frank on the lips. ‘Welcome home’ she said. We missed you, I mean, I missed you.

Amidst catcalls from the rest, Frank smiled at Callie, kissed her back and slid into the booth beside her, his hand firmly in hers. He knew they had to talk, and that he had to tell her everything he was feeling, but that would come later. Right now he needed to find out about Joe.

Somehow Frank couldn’t bring himself to mention his brother’s name for over an hour. He was enjoying the banter and chat as Chet talked of his latest girlfriend, the daughter of a Russian Diplomat, and Biff told them some of his exploits as a pro-footballer. He had only turned pro three months previously and was becoming quite well known on the East Coast.

"How are things with you Frank?" Phil finally asked the question that the others had been avoiding.

"I’ve been surviving" Frank looked down at his hands. "Some mornings I wake up and expect to hear Joe in the other room snoring his head off, or singing at the top of his voice in the shower" "Then I remember he’s moved out, moved on"

There was an awkward silence. Everyone knew how close the brothers had been, and how hard the falling out had affected each of them.

Frank looked up and smiled. "I’m not going into it again, how’s Joe?"

He knew he had to ask though, truth be known it was one of the main reasons he had gone to Prito’s.

Again, there was an uneasy silence. Finally Chet spoke. "He, ah- he’s fine, we ah- don’t see that much of him anymore, he’s always busy, you know"

Frank looked at Vanessa.

"It went really hard on him too Frank, I think he’s confused. I don’t really think he means to blame you, it’s just that, well, he always felt that he could look up to you, that you would always be there to do the right thing.

"Except that this time I didn’t" Frank sighed. "Mom said that she and Dad hardly see him either"

He turned and looked at Vanessa, who had gone strangely quiet and wouldn’t look him in the eye.

"Ness, is there something I should know, you promised to let me know what he’s up to."

Frank paused.

Vanessa was paying very close attention to the buttons on her jacket. Too close.

"Where is Joe?" Frank was about to get annoyed. He knew that the others were ignoring him. "WELL, WHERE" Again no-one spoke

Frank was about to stand up and walk away. "Frank, don’t" He felt Vanessa’s hand on his

Frank looked into Vanessa’s eyes. "Please, Ness, I have to know, please"

"Ok" said Vanessa, "but your not going to like it"

She faltered for a second before saying "He went after Frazer, Frank, he’s been gone for three weeks now."

Immediately Frank was on his feet. "Why didn’t you tell me straight away? I need to go after him."

"Frank" Callie put her hand on his. "He, he told us, well, more like warned us not to say anything. He, he didn’t want you going after him"