Chapter 20: Karen's Threat
Sheila was deeply concerned about Frank, asking him why he had been hospitalized, if he had recovered, where he had been all this time, and why he hadn't come home to see her.
Seeing her long-lost love again, Sheila was too excited to notice the awkwardness on Frank's face.
"Mom, I'm back!" At that moment, the door opened, and Karen walked in with her backpack.
"Frank Dad," Karen paused for a moment upon seeing Frank.
Outside, Karen would call him Frank, but at home, especially when Sheila was around, she referred to him as "Frank Dad."
"Karen!" Frank quickly called out, pulling Karen over.
Frank shifted the conversation to Karen to ease the awkward situation.
Karen ignored Frank's pleading look, but seeing her mother genuinely happy for the first time in days, she decided to play along to keep Sheila happy.
"I'll just go to the restroom," Frank said, handing Liam to Sheila to distract her while he headed to the second-floor restroom and lit a cigarette.
'Click.' Before Frank could take more than a few puffs, the restroom door swung open.
"Occupied," Frank said hurriedly.
Karen stepped into the restroom and closed the door behind her.
"What do you mean by this?" Karen asked directly, sensing Frank's reluctance towards Sheila.
Sheila might not understand Frank's true nature, but Karen did. She was aware of Frank's past long before he wormed his way into their home.
Even though she knew Frank was trying to scam money from Sheila, Karen decided not to expose him because he brought a smile to her mother's face.
Karen overlooked Frank's petty thefts, but she had hidden away anything truly valuable in the house.
Now, sensing Frank's reluctance and the vibe of a final farewell, Karen wasn't having it. She couldn't understand why Frank would want to leave when her mother had just started to recover emotionally.
"You can't make my mom unhappy," Karen warned, grabbing Frank's collar. "If you do, I'll report you for assault."
Karen, being only fourteen or fifteen, knew the weight her words could carry. If she reported Frank, he could end up in jail.
"You..." Frank looked at Karen.
"I don't want you living with us forever, but you can't leave until my mom is truly happy. Even if you leave, she shouldn't be heartbroken," Karen released Frank's collar.
Karen knew having Frank around wasn't ideal, but during his hospital stay, she saw how heartbroken Sheila was. Whatever charm Frank had worked on Sheila, Karen couldn't just kick him out.
"Fine," Frank sighed, forced to agree to Karen's threat.
Even without any concrete evidence, if Karen were to report Frank for assault, the police would likely arrest him, and the judge would side with Karen because she is very young and still a minor.
Karen's appearance is deceptively innocent; she is strikingly beautiful and looks so well-behaved that no one would suspect her of lying.
On the other hand, Frank has a history of wrongdoing. Given his reputation, both the judge and the jury would likely support Karen.
This situation is reminiscent of a historical concept where a woman's word in court was taken as truth, simply because the act of speaking out was seen as proof of its authenticity.
Although modern laws no longer operate this way, societal biases persist. If a girl, especially a minor, claims assault, the public tends to believe her, regardless of the actual truth, due to an instinctive drive to protect the vulnerable.
If you're skeptical, consider how Michael Jackson's life ended, or the many movies and shows with similar plots.
There have been stories in the news about teachers being falsely accused by students, only for the truth to emerge decades later, revealing ulterior motives for the accusations.
Even if Karen's threat against Frank were eventually disproven, the damage to Frank's reputation would be irreversible. In a chaotic place like Chicago's South Side, someone might even take justice into their own hands.
Karen's threat is extremely effective, as it targets Frank's most vulnerable point. He has no choice but to comply.
Watching Karen leave the restroom, Frank felt helpless, regretting ever coming to her house.
But realistically, this confrontation was inevitable. Karen, who spends all her time with Lip, knows where Frank lives.
If Frank continued to avoid Sheila, Karen might eventually show up at his house and drag him back to see Sheila.
"Why did you take so long in the restroom?" Sheila asked as Frank came downstairs.