“Sure.” Ellen nodded.
“See you later, sweetheart.” Joe kissed her on the cheek as he left.
Ellen mouthed the words ‘sweetheart’ while a confused look perched upon her face. ‘Sweetheart?’ She moved her lips again.
“Oh.” Joe snapped his finger and quickly turned around.
Here it comes. She thought. He wants something.
“Ellen, I’d like for you and I to sit and talk. Have a, you know, father-daughter type chat.”
Chat? Ellen grew concerned.
“It’ll be nice. So, today, while the survivors are having their meal, let’s you and I go into your office, grab a cup of coffee and have a heart to heart. Sound good?” Joe reached over and lightly tapped her on her cheek.
“What did I do?”
Joe didn’t answer, he just smiled.
Ellen shook her head. She never tried to second guess what Joe wanted to talk to her about. She learned that the hard way when she first eloped with Pete. Joe called her to have a serious ‘heart-to-heart’. And Ellen, thinking he was going to give her a nice wedding present check, got the hell shocked out of her by Joe, when he dragged her to a good attorney to correct her drunken, quickie, Vegas wedding. A kiss to her cheek during her mid-memory chuckle made her jump. She jolted in a turn. “Frank?”
“I’m heading out.” He pointed backwards. “Just wanted to say goodbye.”
“You never said hello.”
“Oh.” He scratched his head. “Sorry.”
“You O.K.?”
“Me?” Frank smiled. “I couldn’t be better. But I wanna finish up so I can have more time with you tonight.” He gave her another kiss on the cheek. “I love you.”
“Frank?” Ellen waited for him to stop in his walk out. “That’s . . . that was odd for you to just blurt out.”
“It was? Yeah, it was. I guess I wanna make sure you know that.”
“I do.”
“Good.” He winked, smiled and turned back around and walked out. He figured on his way out, he’d check just one more time to see if Robbie was awake yet. Passing the men’s quarters, he opened the closed door. Robbie was sitting on his bunk. “Robbie?”
Robbie turned his head. As soon as he saw that it was Frank, his expression changed from solemn to happy. “Frank, come on in.”
“Why aren’t you with the others?” He walked over and sat next to him.
“I don’t know. I’m not comfortable around them. I wasn’t when I was out there. They give me the creeps.”
“Tell me about it.” Frank rested his hand on Robbie’s knee. “It won’t be long. You know that? All you have to do is pass a few of Ellen and Dad’s corny little tests. Show to them you’re not like the others and you’ll be out.”
Robbie looked very seriously. “Will I pass them?”
“Please.” Frank scoffed. “They’re a piece of cake.”
“So you’ve taken them?”
“No, but I seen them.”
“I don’t know, Frank.” Robbie stood and began to pace. “I feel awkward. I’m also afraid that if I screw up, I’ll be out of here. I looked too hard for you guys to have that happen.”
“Robbie, you won’t screw up. How could you? You’re not like the others. You aren’t bad.”
“How about when I do get out of here? Will I fit in? Am I going to sink right into this little sheltered world all of you have created? How about with you and Dad? Am I gonna mesh or clash with you guys . . .”
“Whoa, hold it.” Frank stood, he raised his hands. “You have to stop worrying about this. You’re back. That’s what counts.” He embraced his brother. “I thought you were dead. You’re not. This means we all have a second chance with each other. There’s gonna be some adjustments, granted, but we’re a family, nothing can keep us apart.”
Robbie pulled back. “I’m glad to be here, Frank.”
“I’m glad you’re here, too.”
Momentarily, Robbie felt reassured. His big brother’s words gave him a sense of security, but they didn’t remove all doubt. He knew it had a lot to do with the fact that he had spent so many years out in the wild. Surviving, killing, living. While his family stayed protected, sheltered, and safe. Frank was so confident that Robbie would fit right in. But how could he? Robbie knew without admitting it, he had become a product of a new ravished society. There was worry in his mind if the Slagel bond was strong enough to bridge the differences that the world had created between them. He fought the little bit of resentment that crept in him the second he took a warm shower in Beginnings, and had to keep reminding himself it wasn’t his family’s fault that they had, and he didn’t. For years he searched with his heart and soul. For years he knew he would find his family. But in all his visions of reunion, Robbie never expected to find his family in a world such as Beginnings. And that frightened him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Ellen!” Joe’s voice carried out of Ellen’s office into the hall. He didn’t need to yell, Joe’s voice was always stern enough.
Ellen cringed. Busted. She tried with all of her might to sneak into the skills room without notice. Ellen stepped back, tilting her head back into her doorway. She smiled at Joe. “I’m going to get things ready for class tonight, Joe. I’ll be right back.”
Joe, with one eye closed, motioned his head and waved at the same time. “Come on.”
Ellen rubbed her eyes. “Sure.” She walked in. Joe was sitting at her desk. She took a seat across from him. “What’s up?”
Joe slid a cup of coffee across the desk to her. “I told you I wanted to sit and talk with you. I even got you coffee.”
“How nice.”
“Take the coffee, Ellen. We are just going to sit back and talk.” Joe held his cup and leaned back in the chair, giving the appearance that he was relaxed.
Apprehensively, Ellen took the cup.
“Ellen, sit back.”
Ellen sat back. “What are we talking about?”
“Things. How are things going?”
“Joe, everything’s fine. Is that it?”
“You are hurting my feelings, Ellen. I just want to talk about you . . . and possibly Dean and . . . Frank.”
“No.” Ellen stood up with emotions. “No, Joe. I can’t believe you want to talk to me about this again.”
“Ellen, sit.”
“I will not listen to another one of you mind control lectures, Joe.”
“Ellen!” Joe snapped. “Sit down!”
Ellen did.
Joe wiped his hand across his forehead in a calming sweep. “This . . . this is not a lecture. This is my opinion which I would like for you to listen.” He watched Ellen silently lift her hand in a ‘go on’ manner. “Ellen, ever since I’ve known you, you have never done things right.”
Ellen shook her head. “Gee thanks.”
“I know. You don’t want anyone to get hurt. You’re confused. But I don’t think you see where you should be. I think that you should end it . . .”
“Joe, we discussed this.”
“With Dean.”
Ellen’s eyes widened. “We did not discuss that.”
“I just think . . .”
“What are you trying to do, make me insane?” Ellen’s voice rose. “One day end it with Frank, the other end it with Dean.”
“I never said end it with Frank. I said do the right thing.”
“You never said to end it with Dean, either. Joe!” Ellen’s hands flew out as she stood. “This is not like you! You believe in marriage or serious relationships. Look how many you had. And this goes against everything you stand for. Why the sudden change?”
“Because Robbie has come back.” Joe stood up. “Our Robbie. You don’t take that as a sign? I do. Why, when family after family was wiped out, did we all live? I’ll tell you. We’re supposed to be together, all of us.”
“We are together. We are a family.”
“You and Frank are not.”
“We’re together all the time. What
are you talking about? We get along great.”
“But it should be etched in stone, if you know what I mean.”
Ellen burst into laughter in moved to the door.
“I watched him Ellen, I watched him stare at you today with the same look he used to have when he was eighteen.”
“I’m not talking about this.” She kept walking, still chuckling.
“How, how can you laugh? I thought you loved Frank.”
Ellen stopped cold. Airy and emotional she turned back around. “What?” She lost her breath for a moment. “I do love Frank. How can I not? We lost our innocence to each other. But he’s the one that chose not to be a couple after the plague. He’s the one that backed off. He is the one that turned me down when I so desperately wanted a baby. If we aren’t together, it was not my doing.”
“What about now? He needs you now.”
“Frank needs sex.” Ellen turned to leave.
Joe grabbed hold of her arm. “Just a minute. You think that’s all you are to my son? Someone to get off on? You don’t think you are his best friend in the world. That he’s not grateful everyday for you.”
Ellen had to laugh. “Listen to you. Have you been reading Andrea’s romance novels? That is not Frank. O.K.? The grass is always greener to Frank. He wants what he can’t have. When confronted with it, he backs off. Trust me. He had his chances and he chose not to take them. For six months Dean backed off from me. Didn’t touch me, barely spoke, slept on the couch. Frank knew this. And all that Frank would say to me was, that I’d better get home before Dean got suspicious.”
“Ellen . . .”
“No, Joe. I’ve been your son’s whore for almost twenty-years. That’s the painful truth.”
“If you felt that used, why did you stay with him?” Joe asked.
“Because I needed him in my life. I still do. And back then, I took him anyway I could. But now, now . . . it’s just the way it has to be. There’s no other choice, whether he wants it or not, it’s the way it has to be.”
Closer Joe stepped to Ellen in their silence and laid his hand upon her cheek and his lips to her forehead. He knew how wrong she was, but decided to end their talk. Pushing it further would force Ellen’s eyes closed tighter instead of opening them like he intended to do.
***
Johnny hunched over holding his long cue stick in his hand, eye-balling what shot he would take as he and Denny worked at their daily game of pool. “Nine ball.” Johnny tapped the stick on the table. “Corner pocket.”
“No way.” Denny bent down to look at the shot. “You’ll never do it. Better call your bank shots.”
“Nine ball corner pocket. No banks.” Johnny positioned himself, angling his stick, he revved it back in preparation for his shot.
“No way.” Denny began to snicker.
“Den.” Johnny stood up, clanking his cue stick on the floor. “I’m trying to concentrate on this shot. Will you shut up?”
“Sorry. Go ahead.”
“Thank you.” Johnny aimed again, he pulled back and shot.
“You missed.” Denny laughed.
“I know I missed. Why do you do that to me all the time? That’s cheating. You psych me out.”
“Do not.” Denny looked for a shot. “Hey, Johnny. It’s pretty cool with your uncle coming back. I heard he didn’t know anyone, and when he saw Joe it all came back to him, and that he was all wild, and he stayed because he’s your uncle.”
“Denny, do you believe everything you hear? God you are so gullible. My uncle was fine when we picked him up. Come to think about it, a little too fine. Too quiet.” Johnny shuddered. “It was eerie. Anyhow, I didn’t even recognize him.” Johnny began to tap his stick, he grew tired of waiting on Denny. “Den, are you gonna take your shot or what. I have to go.”
“Where?” Denny shot and missed.
“I have an early date with Dina.” Johnny smiled. “Come to think about it . . .” Johnny put down his stick. “I better be going.”
“Why do you have to hang out with all those ladies for?”
“I can’t believe you’re asking me that.” Johnny shook his head. “You’ll find out. In another year or so.”
“No way.” Denny curled his lip.
“What do you mean no way?”
“Have you looked at them women?” Denny shook his head. “They’re really old. They’re like, twenty.”
“Look who’s talking about hanging out with old. You hang out with George. Now he’s old.”
“George is great. He was the president you know. Whatever that means. Your Pap said to respect that. Besides, he tells great stories.”
“Den, I have to go.” Johnny hated to interrupt Denny, he really was Denny’s only friend. “We’ll play tomorrow I promise. Three games.”
“O.K., I’ll see if George wants to play me.” Denny was disappointed that Johnny was leaving. “What do you do with these women that is so fun anyway? They never come in here and play pool or darts.”
Johnny knew Denny didn’t understand. “You ask me that all the time.”
“You never answer me.”
“I’m not allowed to answer you. Andrea said she’d kill me. She wants to keep you innocent.”
“Can I come with you?”
“No, Den, not tonight.” Johnny picked up his empty water glass and carried it with him as he walked away. He set it on the bar, waved to ‘Sam’ the mannequin, and walked from the social hall.
Denny watched his friend leave, disappointed, he finished the game himself. He spent most of his time alone, he was used to that. Other than Johnny, there wasn’t anyone he could spend any length of time with. He always seemed to get in the way. Too young for the grown-ups to talk to. Too old for the kids to play with. It didn’t bother him though, not much ever bothered Denny.
***
Paul placed down his pencil, and stared at the off-white sheet of paper called, The Beginnings Questionnaire. He sighed, tapped it some on the table he and Robbie sat at, then looked for Joe. He saw him. Joe was off to the side speaking to two men. Paul recognized the one from the flight in, that was George. The other he didn’t know, but he soon would. Henry.
Nervously Paul stood, taking his questionnaire with him as he made his approach toward Joe. “Excuse me, Mr. Slagel?”
Joe stopped speaking when Paul neared him. “Yes, Paul, what is it?”
Paul handed him the questionnaire. “Here you go.”
“Paul.” Joe didn’t reach for it. “If you’re having difficulties let’s you and I go over and work on it. Some people have trouble with our questionnaire.”
“Oh, no.” Paul insisted he take it. “I’m finished with it.”
“You’re finished?” Joe was shocked. “I just gave it to you.”
“I know, I know. I always took tests fast in school.”
Joe took the paper and quickly reviewed it, it was completed. Paul had finished filling out the questionnaire faster than Joe had seen anyone. “I’ll pass this on to Ellen. Whenever she gets back.” Joe turned back, holding the paper with an astonished look on his face. He walked over to Henry and George.
“Joe?” George spoke up. “What’s wrong?”
Joe handed George the completed questionnaire. “That new guy Paul filled this out in about five minutes. I have never seen that done. Robbie is still working on his.”
George read over it. “You know, Joe, you oughta sit down and talk to that man some time. You may find him quite interesting.”
“Ellen said she sat with him for a good hour. He’s intelligent, bright, mannered. She also said that we should make immediate living arrangements in the community for him.”
“Is she sure?” George asked. “You know how she sometimes jumps the gun, not too often, but she has. Like that one woman she let out and we ousted her for raiding the food.”
“You can’t blame Ellen. The woman seemed fine.” Joe looked around for Ellen. “Where in the hell is she?” All that was there of Ellen, was a wheel
ed cart with a cover over it.
Henry cleared his throat and pointed. Ellen made a hurried entrance into the skills room. As she passed the survivors, she tried to get the ones who were standing to sit.
“Sorry I’m late. I was playing with the twins.” She walked around them, grabbed her cart and wheeled it up to the front of the room next to the podium. “Henry, can you get me a chair please?”
“Sure.” Henry darted away for one, collected one, and sat it next to Ellen.
“Thanks.” She smiled and positioned the chair. “Wait a minute.” She looked at George who was standing there also. “Why are you here too, George?”
“Thought I’d help.”
Ellen crinkled her nose at him. “You’re never here any other time. Are you another Robbie curiosity seeker?”
George ignored her remark, even though she was, in a sense correct.
Ellen strategically set everything,. Still she was careful not to uncover her big surprise. She raised her voice to get the attention of everyone in the room. “All right guys, we’re gonna start. Joe, is it all right if we start?”
Joe just nodded.
“Great.” Ellen waited for the voices to subside. “Tonight is going to be an interactive social skills class. Tonight’s theme is trust. Trust is something, that no matter who you are, it just isn’t easy. But understandably, out in that world, you can lose so much. We here in Beginnings, especially the ‘originals’ the ones that have been here since the start, have a strong bond and trust. And I want to demonstrate that to you, so you can get it back. People still trust. Now I’d like to ask either Joe, Henry, or George, to help me out. Oh yeah, don’t get too used to seeing Henry and George around here. They only came to gawk tonight.” She turned behind her to look at the three men. She waited for her volunteer.
Henry stepped forward. “I’m game, Ellen.”
“Good. Everyone this is Henry. Henry, have a seat.”
Henry sat down in the chair.
Ellen placed her hands on his shoulders as she stood behind him. “Henry, do you trust me?”
“Yes. Very much.” Henry smiled and spoke loudly. He was enthused about participating in Ellen’s little parlor trick.
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 47
