Joe Read online

  Ellen folded her arms and stared at him.

  “Ok, sometimes I do. But this … Harry, he’s fine. We just need to find him. Maybe he went back to the Killer Baby region.”

  “If he did. We’ll never know,” Ellen said. “They all look alike.”

  “Not him. He looks different.”

  “You can tell them apart?”

  “I can when they have a collar on.”

  After staring for a moment, Ellen inhaled. “Ok, let’s check the house first, anyhow.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “I’ll start with the bedroom, you start here.” Ellen instructed, and then headed immediately down the hall. She shook her head at Frank’s calling of ‘Here Harry’, and knocked on the door of the first room. “Alex?” she called out as she opened the door. “You ok?”

  Alex quickly turned around from her seat on the floor. “Yes, mommy, fine. Playing with my dolls.”

  “Ok. Just checking.” Ellen smiled at her daughter; pulled the door closed, told Frank that the room was clean and moved to the next.

  Alex stared at the closed door and listened to the sound of her mother’s footsteps. She grabbed her Brunette Barbie and moved it closer, then on her hands and knees reached under her bed. “Come on.” She called in a soft voice. “It’s ok.”

  When pulled back her arm and smiled. “You weren’t scared were you?” She stared at the creature in her hand, the Killer Fetus called Harry. She had on him a green doll evening dress and a wide hat. “You hat is falling off.”

  His little jaw nipped out to her. She giggled, and flicked him. He twitched his head. Bracing him between her bony knees, Alex grabbed the tape and secured the hat on his head. “Better, “she said. “So pretty.” She gave him a pat and he purred. Another snicker of enjoyment and Alex lifted her Barbie. “Now where were we?”

  Harry opened his mouth.

  “No biting.” Alex hit playfully hit him with the Barbie doll, then proceeded, holding both dolls, to engage them in rival Barbie doll conversation.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Alexandra’s little hand clasped tightly to Ellen’s while her book bag, nearly as wide as she was, slapped against her thigh.

  She paused in the street watching the truck pull up.

  “Let’s go,” Ellen told her.

  “Yes,” Billy added from behind. “Let’s rush to get this astounding education.”

  “Billy.” Ellen scolded. “Alex, come on honey.”

  “I’m watching Uncle Henry. He went on a pick up run again this morning.”

  “How do you know?” Ellen asked.

  “He was arguing with Frank before you got up. He said he didn’t want to go. He gave me this book bag.”

  “And it’s very nice.”

  “Please do not lie to the child,” Billy added.

  Again, Ellen looked back at Billy.

  “It’s show and tell today Mommy,” Alex said.

  Ellen faced Billy. “Did you bring something to show and tell?”

  “Please. Anything I have is way over the head of the students.”

  Ellen rolled her eyes, and then smiled at Alex as they approached the steps to the school. “And you brought something right?”

  “Yep. I brought my new toy.”

  Ellen cringed. Visually, in her mind, all she could see was the twisted, broken wreckage of that Barbie. “Alex, sweetie, it might scare the kids.”

  “No, Mommy, they’ll love my toy.”

  “Ok.” Ellen crouched down beside her. “If it doesn’t go over very well, don’t be upset.”

  Alex shook her head. “I won’t. Promise.”

  “Good.” Ellen kissed her, stood, and then bent down to Billy. “You two have a great day.” She backed up, smiled once more and turned.

  Billy stood on the stairs with his sister. He gave an ‘up’ motion of his chin. “So what the heck did you bring? That broken Barbie doll?”

  “No.”

  “But you said your new toy”

  “Yes. Wanna see.”

  “Sure.” Billy shrugged.

  Alex lifted the flap on her book bag. Billy peeked inside. He nodded nonchalantly and spoke in nearly the same manner. “Hmm. That may be a good one. Make sure you give Miss Jenny a good look.”

  “Ok, I will.”

  “And I can’t wait to see her face.” Billy reached for the door. “This is gonna be a good day after all.”

  *****

  From the moment he had faked his death, Joe lived a different life. No longer was he ‘Joe’ the man everyone went to. He was Joe, deceased, in hiding. Living in that extra trailer wasn’t bad. Nor was walking around in the invisa suit. Joe actually enjoyed that. He could walk around Beginnings, eavesdrop when a door was open long enough, and be a part. He just couldn’t talk. He even figured a way to get a latte.

  Jenny Matoose went into the bakery every day at lunch time, always, always she held the door open to holler across the street, that was when Joe slipped in. Jenny also ordered her latte, and then peeked at the baked good, distracting Gemma, that was how Joe stole the latte.

  Typical mentality of Beginnings, they never questioning anything unusual.

  Of course that wasn’t the complete case.

  Joe was visiting History quite often until Danny changed the password.

  Locked out.

  He supposed he’d have that.

  But now things were different. Even though pretty much everyone believed he was dead, there were those who knew otherwise.

  Now Joe had company other than the clone.

  Not that the clone was bad company, he became enjoyable when Joe found out how gullible he was.

  But that only lasted so long then Joe got bored.

  The nights were the loneliest.

  He’d wander town in the suit, watching everyone at the Social Hall, going in and absorbing the atmosphere.

  Once and a while he’d find fun out of switching up the karaoke line up. But again, you could only have so much fun alone.

  Now he had Jason.

  He stayed at Jason’s place, it was safe, they drank all night like old times, and Joe didn’t have a single gripe about the hangover.

  He actually welcomed it.

  Now he was about to welcome something else.

  A time trip.

  Not that he needed any more convincing, but the drunken discussion about how time trips would pass time for Joe. He for an adventure.

  Jason told him to think about where he wanted to go and when.

  Joe just had to figure out the details.

  So many to choose from, he didn’t know where to start. One thing was for sure, Joe was going to take a trip back in time to when life wasn’t necessarily simpler, but it was at its best. Back to when his boys were young.

  *****

  Roy was buzzing about the lab, he not only had his work, but he had that special request work to do for Frank in regards to the secret child.

  But that posed a problem.

  In the future, they really never dealt with things called tumors. Roy had heard of them, but they weren’t medical problems. Perhaps someone had cured them somewhere along the line, but the truth was there were other things. Other things were more life threatening.

  So Roy had to research tumors extensively. He had the knowledge, but like the knowledge of what was a postage stamp, Roy tucked it away as something he would never need.

  “Morning, Dean.” Andrea said brightly.

  “Oh, good morning Sunshine.”

  She smiled and giggled. “Do you have Hap’s sugar results done?”

  “No, I do not. I am sorry. Almost.”

  “Really? You are usually so proficient.” Andrea sifted through the stack of folders.

  “I know. I was working on something for Frank. I will get to it now. This was just bothersome.”

  “Can I help you?”

  “No. He asked it to be a secret.”

  “Hmm.” Andrea folded her arms. “Really, Dean, I know your
history with Frank. There should be no secrets in this lab. They have gotten you in trouble before as you know.”

  “I didn’t know that. I will keep that in mind.”

  “Is it a health problem?”

  “Yes. I cannot tell you anymore. Because Frank doesn’t want anyone to know he has … he has …”

  “He has what, Dean?” Andrea stepped forward.

  “I can’t.”

  “Dean?”

  “I cannot.”

  “Dean, you found Jesus. Jesus would be happy.”

  “Fine. I cannot tell you because Frank is keeping it a secret that he has a child in Beginnings. No one is to know.”

  Andrea gasped. “He has a child. One of his and Ellen’s?”

  “No, Ellen is not the mother. She doesn’t even know.”

  “Sweet Jesus.”

  “Yes.”

  Melissa called from the door, “Dean. I need you in exam room two.”

  “Yes. Be right there.” Roy grabbed a lab jacket. “I will speak to you later.”

  “Oh, you better believe it.”

  After Roy left, Andrea stood by the counter. Her fingers tapping on the counter as she spoke out loud. “Frank has an illegitimate child.” She gasped out. “Bastard.”

  *****

  “Oh, yeah,” Frank grinned holding the ventriloquist dummy. “This is fuckin’ cool.” Like a kid at Christmas, Frank basked in the dummy. Its hair was lifelike, face sculptured. But the dummy looked small in his large arms.

  Henry didn’t look amused. In fact, he pouted. “I can’t believe I wasted an entire morning going into a warehouse that was supposed to have explosives and it ended up being a flea market storage.”

  “Yeah, but the stuff is cool. We can put it in the warehouse and the Bowman businesses can have a field day.”

  “Swell.”

  “Is he great or what?”

  “Swell.”

  Frank positioned the dummy on his arm. “Look his eyes and mouth work.”

  “Great,” Henry said less than enthused.

  “I’ll call him Bob.” Frank changed his voice some. “Hey, Henry, how are you?”

  “Frank …”

  “My name is Bob.” Frank laughed. “Whoa, I’m good at this.”

  “I can see your lips move Frank.”

  “No you can’t.”

  “Yes, I can.”

  “Look again,” Once more, Frank maneuvered the dummy. His mouth was twisted and distorted as he tried to keep it still while talking. “Hi Henry.”

  “Moving.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Not moving, that word slips out of you.”

  “Maybe I should have him swear more.”

  “That works.”

  “Look here comes Jenny.” Frank made ‘Bob’s’ head turn to him, and he laughed. “Look at Bob, Henry he’s looking for Jenny.”

  Bob peered around. “Oh, man, Jenny sucks.”

  Frank laughed.

  “Oh my God,” Henry closed his eyes briefly. “But you do kind of have a knack for moving him.”

  “It’s realistic huh?”

  Henry tilted his head. “You do it good. You just need to work on the mouth thing.”

  “Here comes Jenny. Man, she looks pissed.”

  “Don’t make Bob talk to her, then Frank, she’ll get even madder.”

  “Frank,” Jenny said in a scolding tone, arms folded.

  Bob peeked down from Frank’s arms and straight into Jenny’s eyes.

  Jenny looked at the dummy. “Why is that thing in my face?”

  “Thing?” Bob retorted. “Thing. She called me a thing Frank.”

  “I heard.”

  “Frank.” Jenny huffed out. “I can …”

  “What do you need toots?” Bob asked. “Gotta go through me to get to the big guy.”

  “Frank, I can see your lips move, you’re not fooling me.” Jenny raised her eyebrows.

  Frank turned his head into his shoulder hiding his mouth. “No you can’t.”

  “Frank!”

  At first he answered as Bob, ‘What!” then Frank cleared his throat. “Yes.”

  Jenny opened her mouth to speak. “Can you please put that away? I need to speak to you.”

  “He’s my friend, he stays. He may be my new advisor.”

  “I find it annoying, especially now.”

  Henry interjected. “You know, Jenny, you’re not being very nice.”

  “Oh, and this dummy doesn’t annoy you?” she asked.

  “Since he irks you, he doesn’t annoy me anymore. Thanks, Bob.”

  “You’re welcome,” Bob said.

  Jenny growled. “Fine. Be childish. Frank, at the hospital they said they are waiting on you to speak to Jimmy before they release him. Can you go do that?”

  “On my way now.”

  “And can you be a leader and have a town meeting?”

  “Why?”

  “The brain flu. We need an antidote and an update.”

  “Talk to Roy.”

  “Who?” Jenny questioned.

  “Who's Roy?” Henry followed up.

  “Roy?” Frank asked. “What are you talking about?”

  Jenny said, “You told me to talk to Roy.”

  “No I didn’t.”

  “Yes you did.”

  “You did, Frank.” Henry added.

  “I did?” Frank looked at Bob. “Did I say Roy?”

  “No, I did,” Bob replied.

  “Fuckin Bob.” Frank shook his head. “Sorry.”

  With a smug look, Jenny tightened her arms go her body. “You of all people have no right to joke around today since the jig is up for you buster.” She poked him in the chest.

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “You know and when El finds out and knows then with Ellen’s support I’m moving for your impeachment.”

  “For what? I didn’t start the brain flu.”

  “Sometimes I wonder.” Jenny spun hard and walked briskly toward the school.

  “She wants to impeach me over the brain flu?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Frank,” Henry said. “She’s just upset about something.”

  “To blame me for a virus.”

  “Maybe it’s something else.”

  “Man, and people call me retarded.” He looked at Bob. “Ready to go, Bob?”

  “Yeah, let’s get out of here.”

  “See ya Henry.” Frank gave a nod and walked off with the dummy.

  “They sometimes have reason to call you that Frank.” Henry mumbled, then after watching Frank talk with the dummy all the way to the clinic, he went back to the truck.

  *****

  So dramatic, Andrea closed her eyes as she stood with Melissa in the lab. “Sweet Jesus, was Jenny upset or what?”

  “I think she was mad because Ellen is her best friend.”

  “And Richie, he walked in at the right time.” Andrea said. “Was it me or did he seem to enjoy hearing it.”

  “Shocked, like us all. I’m glad he’s the one breaking the news to Ellen.”

  “How many children did we have at the clinic yesterday?” Andrea asked.

  “Tons, it was immunization day.”

  “So any of them could be Frank’s illegitimate child.” Andrea shook her head. “Why hide it? And who is the mother? Which woman around here would sleep with Frank behind Ellen’s back?”

  “I think the question should be which woman would beside Ellen would sleep with Frank.”

  So motherly, Andrea reached out. “He’s still my son.”

  “Sorry.”

  “We just need to find out and clear the air. We cannot have this deception in Beginnings. Sweet Jesus if Joe were alive, he’d deal with Frank.”

  “What?” Frank’s voice carried through the lab door.

  Andrea shook her head.

  Melissa gasped out, folded arms and walked right out of the lab by Frank.

  “Ok,” Frank sung. “Hey, Andrea, just letti
ng you know, I’m going to talk to Jimmy, and then you can release him. Oh!” He snuck Bob in the doorway. “Check out my new friend.”

  “Hi, Andrea!” Bob said.

  Andrea sobbed out a single sob. “Frank, I love you but right now ….” She walked to the door; paused and peeped out in a voice that squeaked high pitched and fast. “You son of a bitch.” Andrea stormed off.

  Frank looked at Bob. “Man, I have you ten minutes and already you’re getting me in trouble.” After a shake of his head in confusion, Frank walked down the hall.

  *****

  A simple request for allergy medicine turned out to be a trip on an informational highway Richie wasn’t expecting. Admittedly, when he walked into the lab and heard the ‘Frank has a secret illegitimate child’ news, he didn’t believe it. Then it dawned on him, he was hearing it from two medical professionals who seemed devastated by the news.

  He laughed about it. A short chuckle then stopped when Andrea gave him that scolding look.

  “Sweet Jesus,” she said to him. “This is your sister’s emotional downfall.”

  Emotional downfall? Come on. Ellen the queen of cheat wouldn’t have an emotional downfall over discovering Frank had a child with someone else. Richie pitied the person who carried that child. Then he pitied Frank.

  Armed with info, Richie headed to Containment. After all, it was his duty as her only surviving sibling to break the news to her.

  He buzzed himself in, it was still quiet. The residents were eating breakfast and Ellen more than likely was reviewing Jess’ notes from the night shift.

  After saying hello in the dining area, Richie strutted to the office.

  But something happened when he stepped to the door. Ellen was staring at her wedding picture and at that instant, Richie couldn’t do it.

  He turned.

  “Something wrong?” Ellen asked.

  “Um, no. I just realized I wasn’t working,” Richie said.

  “You are. Just not until this afternoon.”

  “Yeah, I know, I’m gonna go back home and hang out.”

  “Don’t be late,” she instructed. “Today is Joe Day, where the residents do their tribute to Joe. You won’t want to miss it.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Richie you ok?”

  “Yeah, fine, see you in a bit.”

  Ellen waved and Richie left.

  He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t destroy her like that, but she had to know, so he was off to find the perfect person.