Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 Page 8

  “Your commitment to Henry is commendable, Ellen, it really is but keep in mind you can’t guarantee that it will always be like that. No matter how peaceful Henry makes you now, there are no guarantees that he won’t make you sad. Or maybe … you find something out.”

  “Like he’s gay? Joe, if …”

  “No.” Joe held up his hand. “Like anything. I really hope that day never comes because you, little lady, have so much stock and trust in Henry that he won’t hurt you, that God forbid he does, you will be crushed. Right now you are keeping at arm’s length, the only person I believe that can pick up those pieces correctly.”

  “Please, Joe, don’t tell me your saying I should be with Frank as an insurance policy in case Henry betrays me.”

  “No, Ellen, I’m saying you should be with Frank because you love him and he loves you.”

  “No way, Joe.” Ellen smiled and waved him off. “I can’t do it.” She tried to make an exit before anymore was said.

  “Ellen.”

  Too late. Ellen turned back around. “Yes, Joe?”

  “What about you making Henry happy? Just like you feel this underlying obligation to Henry, he feels an underlying obligation to Frank. Maybe him making his best friend happy is a way for him to be happy too.”

  “Joe.” Ellen leaned in to him. “Henry’s getting fixed because his best friend just beat him up. If he felt like that, he certainly doesn’t anymore.”

  “Ellen.”

  “Have to go.” She opened up the door, but stopped. “Joe,” she softened her voice. “Just between you, me and these four walls ... if circumstances were different, I would be with Frank.”

  “Circumstances, meaning Dean?”

  “Bye, Joe.”

  “Ellen ...”

  “Bye, Joe.” She hurried out the door.

  Joe mumbled and flung his hand in frustration then, as he turned to get his button down shirt, he grumbled some more in pain.

  What was it about Ellen’s timing? Was she meant to walk out of Joe’s room and into Frank as he walked from the other examining room? “Frank.” His name rolled from her mouth.

  Frank stared at her, said nothing, then walked away.

  “Frank, wait. I want to talk to you.”

  “Leave me alone, Ellen.” He held up his hand.

  “We need to talk.”

  “I have nothing to say to you.” He turned around and walked backwards. “You slept with Dean.”

  “Frank.” She followed him.

  “You kicked me in the shin.” He still walked backwards. “Not once but twice!”

  “Frank.”

  “You pointed a fuckin gun at my head, Ellen.”

  “Frank ...”

  “You shot my father. Go away.” He spun to no longer look at her and as he did, he stopped cold when he heard the clicking of chambers and saw a wall of his Security guys holding their guns aimed at him. “Fuck. What! I have a fuckin headache. This better be good, gentleman.”

  Robbie emerged from the back of them. “You’re being taken to Holding, Frank. You can go easy or we’ll drag you there.”

  “You gotta be fuckin shitting me. For what?”

  “Community disruption.” Robbie motioned his head to Dan and Cole. “They’re taking you to Holding.” Robbie pulled out handcuffs.

  Frank was shocked. “Handcuffs? We never used handcuffs before.”

  “New rule, Frank. Where have you been?” Robbie walked behind his brother, grabbing his arms. He felt Frank pull. “Don’t fight me on this, Frank. We have orders to shoot you.” Robbie handcuffed him. “You are to go to Holding until the decision is made on whether you are to be ousted or not.”

  “What!” Frank shouted. “We’ve never ousted anyone for fighting.”

  “There’s always a first time.” Robbie handed Frank over to Cole and Dan. “Take him away.”

  Ellen would have panicked at that moment, at the thought of Frank being ousted, but she saw the look on Robbie’s face. He was too calm. If it wasn’t a scare tactic—one she knew wouldn’t work on Frank only piss him off—then Joe wouldn’t have been so insistent that she get together with Frank. So Ellen decided to help out and play along. “Thank God someone is doing something about him. Let me know where to cast my vote, Robbie.” She folded her arms and watched them lead Frank out. Snickering, she turned around to go see Henry and see Henry she did. He was walking down the hall. “Henry!” She ran to him, reaching him and throwing her arms around him. “Oh you’re all right. Look at your poor face. What did he do to you?” She laid her hand on his cheek.

  “He beat me up, El. Real bad.” Henry touched his cheekbone. “Now I have a Frank-scar.”

  “Aw, Henry.”

  Robbie stepped in between them. “Excuse me, El.” He pulled out another pair of handcuffs.

  Ellen grabbed Robbie’s arm. “What are you doing?”

  “Henry has to go to Holding too.” He walked behind a shocked Henry, bringing Henry’s arms back.

  Henry shook his head. “No. What’s going on? Handcuffs?”

  Robbie clicked them closed. “New rule, Henry. Where you been?”

  “But I’m the one who go beat up.”

  Ellen stepped in closer. “Yeah, Robbie, Henry got beat up.”

  Robbie just shook his head, leading Henry to Scott and Mark, who waited. “My brother got smashed in the head with a lamp, El. I wouldn’t exactly say Henry was the total victim in all this. Excuse us.” He handed Henry over.

  Ellen chased behind as they took Henry. “Wait.” She caught up, laid her hand on Henry’s face. “It’ll be all right, Henry. Right, Robbie? You’re not ousting Henry, are you?”

  “Nah.” Robbie shook his head. “Just cooling him down. Fighting rules. He’ll be out by morning.”

  Henry looked back at Robbie as they led him out. “But I’m not angry anymore. I’ve cooled down.”

  “Too bad.” Robbie waved to him as he watched them take Henry out. He turned and faced a stunned Ellen. “You know, if you weren’t such the busy little woman tonight we could’ve hung out. But, after all this ‘shooting my dad’ and getting everyone in fights ... man you must be exhausted.” He laughed at Ellen’s open-mouthed expression. Under her chin he placed his index finger and closed her mouth. “See ya.”

  Ellen tossed her hands in the air and let them drop with a slap as Robbie waltzed away in his usual cockiness. Ellen decided right then and there to get her tail out of the clinic before she got anymore shocks or talks thrown at her.

  <><><><>

  “Thank you again, Denny.” Ellen smiled and closed the front door to Dean’s house, leaning briefly against it for a moment. “Oh boy.” She stood straight and walked to Dean who sat on the couch.

  “He has got to be the easiest person in the world to be able to hide the fact that I am blind from.”

  “It’s Denny. He’s naive.” She sat down on the couch next to him, watching Dean as he leaned forward rubbing his hands together slowly. “What’s wrong?”

  “How’s Henry?”

  “Beat up.”

  “Badly?”

  “He could have been worse,” Ellen told him. “He’s walking.”

  “I’m sorry.” Dean brought his hands to his face.

  “Why are you apologizing?” Ellen removed his hands. “You didn’t beat him up.”

  “But I feel responsible somehow. I pissed Frank off while he was here, making him worse, as if he wasn’t bad enough just seeing us.”

  “There are other reasons for Frank’s anger. Just know that.” Ellen grabbed his hand. “Next you’re gonna tell me you feel bad because I shot Joe.”

  “What!” Dean’s head sprung up. “You shot Joe?”

  “You didn’t know? Oh, yeah I shot him. I was trying to break up the fight and when I tried to shoot Frank, I missed and hit Joe.”

  “You tried to shoot Frank?”

  “Yes. He was killing Henry, contrary to what Joe said. But Joe’s fine. I hit him in the butt.” There
was silence then both Ellen and Dean started to snicker. “We shouldn’t laugh, Dean.”

  “No.” Dean ran his hand down his face, again his smile left.

  “What else is it?”

  “I’m feeling bad, El. Guilty. When I was with you tonight, it was so great, El. It was so much what I needed.” He gripped her hand tighter as he leaned back on the couch. “I need to tell you thank you for tonight. Thank you for what happened. You gave me back a strength I thought I lost for good.”

  “Wow. I must be one hell of a lay.” Ellen smiled.

  “No, you’re one hell of a friend.”

  “Dean? Since you’re feeling better and stronger, can I ask a favor?”

  “Sure, El.”

  “Can I just fold right now? I’m having a really hard time. Frank and Henry are both in Holding. Henry got beat up. I shot Joe. You’re blind.” She heard him chuckle. “No, it’s not funny.”

  “That’s one hell of a weekend you had, El.”

  “I know and I’m tired. I just don’t want to be strong the rest of this night.”

  “Then don’t be. What did you have in mind? Did you feel like crying?”

  Ellen fluttered her lips. “No. I cried twice tonight. I think I reached my quota for the year. I just ... I just want to not have to worry about anything, at least for a little while.”

  “Then don’t. However I can help, let me know.” At the completion of his words to her, he felt Ellen slide down and drop to his lap, laying her head on his legs and holding on to them in her cuddle. Dean ran his hand across her face, closing his eyes and feeling her. He smiled, though it would be brief—Ellen never was less than strong for very long—it was the first time in a long time instead of Dean depending on Ellen, Ellen depended on him.

  <><><><>

  A slight gasp and a cringe was what Frank did following his drink of the moonshine. He placed his finger to the corner of his mouth and the small cut there that burned when the whiskey hit it. “Thanks, Dan.” He handed the moonshine back to him.

  “The handy-dandy flask.” Dan held it up. “Never leave home without it. Why don’t you hold on to it. It’s gonna be a long night.”

  Frank took back the flask. “Thanks. I appreciate it and I appreciate you letting me in on my father and Robbie’s little ‘oust me’ plan. I owe you.” Frank pointed. “Name what duty you want for a week and it’s yours.”

  “Thanks, Frank. But right now ...” Dan held up his keys.

  “I know. Go on.” Frank motioned his head.

  “See you in a few.” Dan backed up, hating to do it, but under orders he had to. He left the Holding room, locking the door as he did.

  Frank closed his eyes at the throbbing of his head. He walked to the bed, bringing the flask to his lips, and taking another drink. Slowly he brought his body down to that bed. Every single move pounded in his head. Just as he was about to lie back, he heard the door unlocking and when it opened, Henry walked in. “What the hell?”

  “Hey!” Henry yelled at the door as it closed. “Shit.”

  “Oh great, just fuckin great.” Frank set down the flask and stood up.

  “You think I like the idea of being in Holding with you, Frank?” Henry asked him. “I don’t. You beat me up.”

  “You hit me in the head with a lamp, Henry.”

  “You started it.”

  “No you started it.”

  “How can you say that, Frank?” Henry tossed his hands up. “You hit me first. Now I’ll look like you, thank you very much.”

  “Oh quit bitching like a woman. You held your own with me.”

  “Oh sure, Frank. You choked me. Look.” Henry tilted his head. “A bruise. You could have broken my neck.”

  “You shouldn’t have started this thing.”

  “I didn’t!”

  “You did. You pretty much owned up to marrying her to give her to Dean. You failed to mention that little detail when we just talked about the understanding with me.”

  “I failed to mention it because I didn’t think you needed to know. I didn’t think it would actually happen.” Henry stepped back. “I should have told you about it. That was wrong of me. I’m sorry. I knew there was a chance that they were going to sleep together, but I guess a part of me was hoping that she could help him through it without reaching that point and get him through it enough for him to stand on his own so she could be with you.”

  “So you’re not angry that she slept with Dean?”

  “No I’m not angry, because he needs her. If finding comfort with Ellen is the way to his healing then so be it. He has to heal. He has to get better, Frank. That is so important right now, for himself and for this community.”

  Such a shock took over Frank’s voice. “He really is blind?”

  “Yeah, he really is blind. He’s been dealing with the loss of his sight for months now. They tried to prepare but when it happened, I guess the shock hit him harder than he thought it would.”

  “Shit.” Frank turned around.

  “Ellen is helping him. I can’t get mad at her for doing that and neither should you. How would you feel, Frank, if you found yourself suddenly without your sight? I know how I would feel. If I couldn’t see, I swear I’d rather be dead. My eyes are my ability to do what I do.”

  “Oh that’s such bullshit.”

  “No it isn’t.”

  “Yes it is.” Frank faced Henry. “Your eyes are a guide; they have nothing to do with what you can or cannot do. I knew a blind man once who would nail your ass harder than I did if he heard you say what you just did. You have to just learn how to do things over again. I remember Sam. That was his name. It was during practice maneuvers when he lost his sight. He was down for a while, real down, but he learned and learned fast to do things all over again. When he did, there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do after he lost his sight that he could do before.”

  “He could still shoot a gun?” Henry asked in non-belief.

  “Eh, that’s a hard one to judge. He was always a lousy shot. OK, there is one thing. He couldn’t drive a car ... fuck!” Frank’s hand cut through the air. “No wonder Dean almost hit me today. He was trying to drive blind. Someone should have told him he shouldn’t drive. Well ...” Frank tilted his head to think. “Maybe he can. This is Beginnings. How much traffic is there driving around a field?”

  “Not much.” Henry shook his head smiling. “Are you still mad at me, Frank?”

  “Nah. I understand where your thinking was at. You still should have told me. But I have to tell you something.” Frank’s head lowered. “I was uh ... I was drinking tonight, heavily. It made things worse than they needed to be.”

  “I figured as much.”

  “It’s no excuse and it makes it clearer why I have to quit, Henry ...” Frank placed his hands on his hips. “I feel really bad. I’m sorry I went after you. I should have never done that.” He held out his hand to Henry.

  “You hit me hard, Frank.” Henry shook his hand.

  “I know.”

  “Knocked me on the floor.”

  “I know.”

  “Broke my wall ...”

  “Henry! Fuck.” Frank watched Henry smile. “We’re OK?”

  “We’re OK.”

  Frank’s shoulders dropped. “Thank you.” With a grin, he stepped forward, placed his hand behind Henry’s head and yanked Henry to him, smacking a kiss on his forehead.

  “Aw, Frank, did you have to kiss me.” Henry wiped off his head.

  Frank bit his bottom lip. “Don’t think I won’t spread that around.”

  “Aw, Frank,” Henry whined.

  “Lighten up.” Frank swatted his arm. “I’m messing with you. Now that we’re all made up, we have to talk about this Dean thing.”

  “What about it?”

  Frank grabbed the flask. “Drink?” He showed Henry.

  “No.” Henry snatched it from Frank. “And neither are you.”

  “OK.” Frank held his hands up. “We have to help Dean. We h
ave to help him learn how to do things right. Because if I know Ellen, aside from her comfort tactics, her idea of help will be just to do everything for him so she doesn’t get frustrated.”

  “You’re right. But I don’t understand why you ... oh, I get it. You want to get Dean on his feet because of Ellen.”

  “No, Henry,” Frank turned more serious, “and if this ever gets out of this room, I’ll kill you. I want to help Dean get on his feet because ... because it’s Dean.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  JULY 27

  That cellular phone, waiting with anticipation, seemed to smile at George. Finishing off his coffee, George walked to it, looked down at his watch, then at the phone which sat upon his office desk. How badly he wanted to pick that phone up and dial, sending the signal to Beginnings, but it had only been a few minutes since he heard that Cole and the crew had settled into Jordan. And if it was only a few minutes, then the monitor hadn’t returned yet to the Communications room and George calling his awaiting CMEs would be a futile attempt. He needed that monitor to be near. He needed that monitor to inform Frank or Joe who would then prepare—George hoped—Robbie to join, protect, or escort Cole back to Beginnings. It was almost ready and if all went as planned more Beginnings men would be dead and Robbie Slagel would be on his way to Former Quantico to be a Society Legion Soldier. How exciting that thought was to George. He rubbed his hands together in an antsy fashion and stared again that cellular phone. A few more minutes. A few more minutes.

  <><><><>

  The edge of Frank’s desk touched against his body as he leaned far into it, reading from a folder, his hands rested on the sides of it as he peered down. “Reports … reports.” He pushed out his chair, stood up, and walked over to the file cabinet. He took a second to pull the nearly finished cigarette from his mouth and blow out the smoke before checking his ‘in’ bin on top. “Here you are. Let’s see.” Frank spoke to himself, putting his cigarette back in his mouth and heading back to his desk. “Oh yeah.” He flipped a page of the report. “Yesterday alone, John, you were down in Communications one, two, three ... five times?” Frank shook his head with a smile, sat down and immediately wrote on one of many sheets of paper that occupied that folder. Frank went through it each day and its history, counting up how many times a John-number was used to open or close the Communications room. Reviewing his notes, reviewing the weeks history, Frank felt so close, so confident that he had just about all he needed to present it to Council and they could present it to the community to get a full vote on ousting John Matoose. Really all Frank needed, and he knew it, was Dean’s remembering for certain John was there that night at the mobile. That would clinch it. This was a delicate situation and Frank knew it. It wasn’t any normal ousting, it was John Matoose. A lot of people would get in an uproar about him being tossed out if there wasn’t enough proof or John himself didn’t confess.