minds. Gradually Frankie’s confidence grew, right along
with his facial hair, and he began to accompany his wife out in public.
However, he still refused to socialize with people she felt close to. He
criticized those she made welcome at her home, to the point that she stopped
inviting them over for fear he would become insulting to their faces. He complained
that they were beneath her and made her look bad by maintaining such
friendships. He accused them of only pretending to be her friends so they
could use her. Gradually, Frankie pulled her away from everyone she had
known and trusted.
He began to
tighten his control over his new wife. He braved going into the public to
have his name added to all her financial papers. After all, they were married and committed
for the rest of their lives. He used guilt to convince her that his
doubts of her love for him would end if she loved him enough to include him in
her wealth. Fearing she would lose him if she didn’t, Ruby did as he
insisted. He was now co-owner of her entire inheritance.
He purchased
clothes, shoes, and anything else he wanted, in fact Frankie spent her money
quiet freely. They were together constantly except when Ruby said or did
something stupid and forced Frankie to slap some sense into her. Then she
locked herself away for a few days until the bruises faded enough to be covered
with makeup. Having never lived in a stable home, Ruby was convinced that
it was her fault when Frankie found it necessary to help her learn to be a good
wife. She even accepted it as normal when he took over completely
controlling the finances. She never noticed when he opened an account at
another bank in just his name and began to move money into that account.
For five years
Frankie had sat in a cell in that prison and dreamed of the day when he could
get his hands on the woman who put him there. Ruby and this marriage was
the means to fulfilling that dream. When the stress of forced patience
got to be too much for him, Frankie could always find a reason to lash out at
Ruby, but he would never lose sight of his goal.
Days became
weeks and Frankie and Ruby sat together and planned a long trip for a belated
honeymoon. She was so excited she told her neighbors and those few other
people that Frankie allowed to remain in her life about it. It would be
so romantic! Frankie was taking her to see the Grand Canyon! She
had always wanted to go there. They even began to take long power walks
around the neighborhood to prepare them for the hiking they planned to do, on
their trip. For the first time, Frankie began to allow some social interaction
with Ruby’s neighbors. He was at his most charming and was always very
solicitous of his beloved bride, always opening doors, holding her chair,
supporting her with helpful hands, and making subtle gestures of affection when
people were around.
Together, Ruby
and Frankie had concocted a story about how they had met. He allowed her
to tell everyone how he had stopped to help her when her car had stalled while
she was out shopping and the attraction between them had been so powerful that
they had exchanged phone numbers and had spent hours on their phones for a few
weeks before deciding that they simply couldn’t continue to live apart.
Although some
of her friends might have doubted the story, in the face of her apparent
happiness, they accepted Frankie at face value; a strange, charming man who had
brought fulfillment and happiness to Ruby.
Frankie made
it a point whenever they talked about the upcoming trip to emphasize that the
destination was chosen to satisfy Ruby’s dream. He often stated that he
would have preferred to visit New York and take in some Broadway shows, making
sure that people thought he was very familiar with the Big Apple. He
wanted to make sure that when Ruby and he didn’t return from this trip that
anyone suspicious of him would look for him in that region of
with his facial hair, and he began to accompany his wife out in public.
However, he still refused to socialize with people she felt close to. He
criticized those she made welcome at her home, to the point that she stopped
inviting them over for fear he would become insulting to their faces. He complained
that they were beneath her and made her look bad by maintaining such
friendships. He accused them of only pretending to be her friends so they
could use her. Gradually, Frankie pulled her away from everyone she had
known and trusted.
He began to
tighten his control over his new wife. He braved going into the public to
have his name added to all her financial papers. After all, they were married and committed
for the rest of their lives. He used guilt to convince her that his
doubts of her love for him would end if she loved him enough to include him in
her wealth. Fearing she would lose him if she didn’t, Ruby did as he
insisted. He was now co-owner of her entire inheritance.
He purchased
clothes, shoes, and anything else he wanted, in fact Frankie spent her money
quiet freely. They were together constantly except when Ruby said or did
something stupid and forced Frankie to slap some sense into her. Then she
locked herself away for a few days until the bruises faded enough to be covered
with makeup. Having never lived in a stable home, Ruby was convinced that
it was her fault when Frankie found it necessary to help her learn to be a good
wife. She even accepted it as normal when he took over completely
controlling the finances. She never noticed when he opened an account at
another bank in just his name and began to move money into that account.
For five years
Frankie had sat in a cell in that prison and dreamed of the day when he could
get his hands on the woman who put him there. Ruby and this marriage was
the means to fulfilling that dream. When the stress of forced patience
got to be too much for him, Frankie could always find a reason to lash out at
Ruby, but he would never lose sight of his goal.
Days became
weeks and Frankie and Ruby sat together and planned a long trip for a belated
honeymoon. She was so excited she told her neighbors and those few other
people that Frankie allowed to remain in her life about it. It would be
so romantic! Frankie was taking her to see the Grand Canyon! She
had always wanted to go there. They even began to take long power walks
around the neighborhood to prepare them for the hiking they planned to do, on
their trip. For the first time, Frankie began to allow some social interaction
with Ruby’s neighbors. He was at his most charming and was always very
solicitous of his beloved bride, always opening doors, holding her chair,
supporting her with helpful hands, and making subtle gestures of affection when
people were around.
Together, Ruby
and Frankie had concocted a story about how they had met. He allowed her
to tell everyone how he had stopped to help her when her car had stalled while
she was out shopping and the attraction between them had been so powerful that
they had exchanged phone numbers and had spent hours on their phones for a few
weeks before deciding that they simply couldn’t continue to live apart.
Although some
of her friends might have doubted the story, in the face of her apparent
happiness, they accepted Frankie at face value; a strange, charming man who had
brought fulfillment and happiness to Ruby.
Frankie made
it a point whenever they talked about the upcoming trip to emphasize that the
destination was chosen to satisfy Ruby’s dream. He often stated that he
would have preferred to visit New York and take in some Broadway shows, making
sure that people thought he was very familiar with the Big Apple. He
wanted to make sure that when Ruby and he didn’t return from this trip that
anyone suspicious of him would look for him in that region of
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