Frankie's eyes brightened.

"Really?"

The prospect of preventing his father from going to jail and averting a divorce between his parents seemed almost too good to be true.

"Absolutely," Galilea confirmed with a reassuring smile.

"But for now, don't let your mother know your plans. She won't believe that your father hasn't been unfaithful, and she'll try to stop you from telling your great-grandmother the truth.”

Frankie remained puzzled, caught between loyalty to his parents and a desire to help his father.

Frankie grasped one key aspect. He couldn't divulge any of this to his mother.

"You've got to save your father," Galilea encouraged him.

“You're a strong young man. I believe in you."

As Lena returned with the cake, she found Frankie lost in contemplation while seated in the rocking car.

After some deliberation, Frankie looked up and said, “Mom, I really miss my great-grandmother. Can we go visit her?"

Gazing at her sweet son, Lena nodded and replied, "Of course, sweetheart."

Frankie promptly hopped out of the rocking car and offered, “Mom, let me take the cake for you."

“Thank you, my love," Lena replied, touched by her son's gesture.

Frankie reminded her so much of Larry.

It was on that day Larry had returned home battered and shared everything with her.

At that moment, Lena's emotions were a turbulent mix of feelings.

It turned out that he hadn't been unfaithful, but he had done something unforgivable.

It didn't make the situation much easier to bear.

He had given her a choice. He would turn himself in, and she could decide whether to divorce him or not.