“Who me?” Frank waved her off. “I feel fine. Look, my Dad shaved me.” Frank lifted his chin. “My goatee isn’t crooked is it?” He watched Ellen shake her head no. “Actually, there’s a reason I’m all . . . spiffy as my Dad said.”
“What’s that?”
“I have to ask you something. Remember, remember before I was shot, I asked you to marry me?”
“Yes. And . . . Frank, don’t worry. It was an emotional time, the kids had just been taken and . . .”
“No.” Frank shook his head. “I was serious. Very. In fact, even more so now, I want you to marry me El. With this baby coming . . .”
“Frank . . .” Ellen tried again to interrupt.
“El please, I have a whole speech.”
Joe wanted to step in. He wanted to stop Frank. Had he known he was shaving his son for a heartache, he would have refused.
“As I was saying. With the baby coming it makes even more sense to get married.” Frank spoke with sincerity to Ellen, even though she kept staring down at his hand. “Now I know you’re probably so worried about me and this baby. Let me tell you, this is a new beginning for me. I want to do this right. I want something to come home to. With you, I’ll have a family. I want to be there. I don’t want to miss anything. I’ll do good El, I will. I promise. I’ll marry you today if you like, tomorrow, it doesn’t matter. I love you. Will you marry me?”
Ellen had to face him, she had to answer him. Her emotions had taken over. When she lifted her head to look at him, she showed what she was feeling. Her face was streaked with tears, and she continued to cry.
Frank was shocked when he looked at her. She didn’t seem to be crying tears of joy. His mouth dropped open. “Oh my, God, El, what is it?”
Ellen shook her head as she cried.
“Did I say something wrong? What?”
“You don’t have to marry me, Frank.” Ellen released his hand. “I’m sorry . . . I lost the baby.” Without waiting for a response from Frank, she flew from the room.
Ellen’s words went straight to Frank’s stomach. He was speechless as he watched her run from the room. “El.” He tried to call out, but she was gone. Without thinking, he flung the covers off of his legs, swung his feet to the floor and slid from the bed. As the soles of his feet touched upon the linoleum, a sharp burning pain emanated up his legs and to his gut. He lost his balance and grabbed for the bed.
“Frank. What the hell are you doing?” Joe reached to him to help.
Frank swung him away. He didn’t need any help. “I have to find her.” He tried to move his feet, the pain worsened.
“Stay put. I’ll get her.” Joe raced after Ellen. Out the door Joe flew and knowing Ellen wasn’t moving fast. He caught up to her. “Stop.”
“I have to calm down.”
“You have to go back in there and talk to him.” Joe pointed back. “The man jumped out of bed to go after you.”
“Joe, I can’t face him.”
“You will face him. This was his baby too. You will talk to him . . . now.” Joe stared sternly at her pointing back at Frank’s room so much like a scolding father. “Now.”
Hyperventilating in her breaths, Ellen slowly returned to Frank. When she stepped back in the room he was seated on the bed. She hurried over to him and reached for his legs. “What are you doing? Lay back down.”
“Stop.” He grabbed her hands. “El. I’m sorry.” He connected his eyes with hers. “I am so . . . sorry.”
Ellen’s head dropped to his legs and she buried her head against his knees. “I’m sorry too, Frank. I didn’t want to lose the baby. I swear. I swear to you.”
Frank ran his hand over her hair to her chin. He lifted her views to him. “Baby or no baby . . . I will not rescind my proposal. Got that? And I will not take ‘no’ for an answer. El, I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. We spent the last twenty years missing our chance. Don’t make me grow old waiting for you, because I will. I just would rather grow old . . . with you.”
Ellen didn’t answer. She wiped her hand across her face removing her tear and she dropped her head back down to his legs. Hands gripping to him in desperation, Ellen just held on to Frank.
***
“You see, Den.” Dean sat chair to chair with the scared teenager. Dean folded his hands in front of him, trying to be a guidance for Denny. “It was not smart, not at all to try that last night.”
“I know that Dean, I do. But earlier on I heard Robbie talking. He said Frank was dead. Frank is our chance, is he dead Dean? Is he?”
“Why would that make you want to escape? It was very dangerous.”
“I have to know. See I’m beginning to know this camp. If Frank is dead and I sneak out I can help our people to break in here. Is he dead Dean?”
“Don’t worry about Frank Denny. You can’t. You have to worry about yourself and the other kids. You know they won’t let me in here more than three times a day. We have to protect these kids. How can we do that if you escape and I’m locked in another room?”
“Why aren’t you answering me about Frank?”
“Did you hear what I just said to you?” Dean’s beating around the bush wasn’t flying with Denny.
“Yeah I heard.” Denny stomped his foot and stood up pouting. “I know exactly what you’re telling me. No more trying to escape, O.K., I won’t do that. But Frank is dead, isn’t he?”
“Some things are meant to be a certain way.” Dean also stood. “I think my time is up in here.”
“Why don’t you care Dean? He was the only one who could help us. Who’s gonna help us now?”
“Joe will figure that out, don’t worry.”
“I liked him Dean. I know you didn’t. But I liked him. What happened to him, can you tell me that?”
Dean hung his head low, hesitated, then answered Denny. “Frank was shot.”
The news of what happened to Frank, pummeled young Denny. He stepped back, reached for the chair and sat. “Frank was shot? Did my mom try to help him?”
“She did everything she could.” Dean wanted to tell the distraught Denny the truth. He knew he couldn’t. Even innocently, Denny could let it slip that Frank was alive, and that could not be chanced. Misleading Denny was better than lying to him.“Look Den, I have to go. If I don’t, they won’t let me back in here later. I’ll be back, I promise.” Dean opened the door and stepped into the hall. “I talked to him, Robbie. He won’t try it again.”
“Good.” Robbie walked with Dean back to his containment space. “There’s something I want to tell you. What happened yesterday. The Andrea reaming me out thing. It can’t fly. How’s Beginnings suppose to know what they lost if they can just ask you, so . . . end of radio transmissions.”
Dean stopped in his tracks. “What! No. You told me I could communicate with Ellen.”
Robbie snickered. “There you go again, Dean. Selfish, selfish, selfish. Man I like that. Anyhow, the list you gave the other day. That can be standard. We’ll have a meet every third day and . . . because I am a caring man.” Robbie laid his hand on his own chest. “I’ll let you communicate with Ellen, but . . . in the old fashion way. Get that penmanship in order Dean, you have to write her letters now.”
Dean didn’t show it, but he liked the idea of writing letters better. He wouldn’t have to verbalize things he really didn’t want to. And , Joe and Henry could write Ellen’s letters for her. Minimizing any chance that Dean would have a hard time translating them. Transferring of massages would be easier. The only problem laid in the three day time lapse between responses. Hopefully any correspondence made, would allow for that time lapse.
***
“No.” Ellen squeezed the corners of her eyes with her thumb and forefinger. Distraught she raised her views to Joe as they stood in the hall by Frank’s room. “They can’t do this.”
“I’m sorry.” Joe laid his hand on her shoulder.
“I have to be able to talk to him. Besides this message passing thing. I n
eed to hear him.”
“You can’t. Robbie said they won’t answer. He says they call the shots. Every third day a drop off and your note from Dean.”
Ellen closed her eyes and shook her head. “This isn’t good Joe. Not at all. Dean’s going to try to send the messages in his notes.”
“I would hope so. Why don’t you think that’s good?”
“Because it’s one thing for Robbie to eavesdrop on a mushy conversation. It’s another to have it in writing. He’s going to read, and let’s hope, not between the lines.”
Andrea re-covered Frank with the blanket after she finished examining him. “Looks like you’re healing fine. You didn’t cause any problems making that jump from your bed.”
“I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about Ellen.”
“Ellen will be fine. She needs to take it easy. She took it easy yesterday that was a bonus. Just so you know, there shouldn’t be any reason, you two can’t try again down the road.”
“We’ll see. Whatever she wants to do.” Frank took a deep breath. “So I’m doing good, then. Good enough to take a walk down the aisle.”
“I hope you’re gonna wait until Dean gets back.”
“Well, I wasn’t plan . . .”
“You realize how wrong. Wrong that would be. Sweet Jesus, Francis, tell me you aren’t that callous as to marry the woman from under his nose, while he’s been kidnapped.”
“What if it’s uh, El’s idea?”
“Francis.” Andrea folded her arms.
“Andrea, please.” Frank scoffed. “Would I do that?” He watched her raise her eyebrow at him. “I’m a changed man. I died. I’ve seen the light.” Frank winked. “I won’t marry Ellen until Dean is safe and sound.”
“Oh good.” Andrea let out a breath. “She’s still wearing his ring.”
Frank grumbled.
“And it just is the right thing to do. Let him see it coming, don’t you think.”
“Absolutely.” Frank didn’t let Andrea see him roll his eyes. “Now, me, I’m doing good right?”
“I think you’re little demonstration of fortitude tells me, I want to try walking tomorrow.” She moved to the other side of the bed. “A little walking around this room tomorrow. Then the next day more walking. If you show me you can do it, I’ll let you go home and finish healing.”
“Excellent.”
Andrea gripped the bed railing. “But you have to take it slow and do it right Frank. We need you to heal properly. I’m putting my faith in you Francis Slagel.” Andrea dropped her voice to a passionate whisper. “That you personally, will bring my son to me.”
“I promise you, Andrea, I will.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
June 28
Robbie folded up the note Dean had written and handed it back to the awaiting men who stood before his desk. “You can pass it on. It is fine.” The note, the one Dean scurried the town looking for paper for. The note was written on the back of some acknowledgment page of some huge children’s picture book. It was blank, and served its purpose. Robbie read over the note. It struck him odd at first that Dean made no attempt to pass any information at all to Beginnings. None. It was a love note. Plain and simple. Too mushy for Robbie’s taste. Robbie himself would not be writing love notes if he were kidnapped. But what someone once said held true in the Dean account, ‘what some people won’t do for love’. And Dean was doing his best, since Frank was gone.
Frank. Robbie hadn’t thought of him much since he shot him shortly over a week prior. Did he die right away? Did he suffer? None of it mattered. Frank was dead. Beginnings’ best chance of sneaking into Egypt and rescuing their people was gone. Robbie had an edge. In a Joe Slagel tradition, Robbie wrote everything down. Tearing half empty pages from books. Finding index cards from the library, anything he could use. He wrote down every man he could remember from Beginnings. He wrote down their strengths and weaknesses. Know your enemy. Know them well. Robbie’s best advantage was that he spent time in Beginnings. He knew how it worked and everyone there. Robbie was certain his plan would work too. Though he grew tired lately of explaining it over and over to Moses and anyone he brought into Robbie’s office, he remained certain that he would prevail.
Robbie checked over his notes. Notes on Beginnings, and notes on Egypt’s men. One problem person lay within Egypt. That person was Moses. For some reason Moses had the ability to upheaval the men, make them question Robbie. This was beginning irritate him. Moses’ time was running short. Moses truly believed that once Robbie’s time frame was up that he’d take over, and would handle things his way. Robbie knew better. He also knew he wasn’t about to let Moses reclaim his leadership position. It was his and it would be his when he claimed Beginnings. Moses was a threat to Robbie, and Robbie was certain that Moses would be one man who would never see the inside walls of Beginnings again.
***
“Home.” Ellen opened up the front door to Frank’s house. She held onto him by his waist as he made his way through the door. “You all right?”
“El, I can manage.” Frank hobbled in holding tightly to a cane for support.
“A few more steps to the couch.”
“El, please.” He stopped walking. “I can make it over there. Besides, you holding onto me is not going to help. If I fall, you’ll fall right along with me.”
“Sorry, you’re right.” She held her hands up. She didn’t want to take a chance of landing on the floor.
Frank made his way to the couch and slowly lowered himself to it. His stitches pulled a bit, but not as bad as they had two days earlier. He grunted as his rear rested down. He laid the cane next to him and looked around. “What’s up with my house? It looks different.”
“It’s just my stuff in here.”
“So you’re really moved in with me.”
“Yes. The twins are pretty excited about staying with Uncle Frank until their dad gets back. Especially since Joe sees no need for them to sleep in containment anymore.”
“Wait . . . they aren’t staying when Dean gets back? Are they living with him? Why? I thought we talked about being a family.”
Ellen plopped down next to him. “I thought we’d talk about this . . . all later.”
“All right. Later.” Frank blindly felt for her knee, then leaned sideways to her. His glanced up to her as his head rested near her shoulder. So tired, Frank moved his lips to kiss her.
“Oh knock it off you two.” Joe slammed the door as he waltzed right in and stood before them. He plopped the armful of papers he held on the coffee table. “Ellen, move your ass, Frank and I have work to do.”
“Work?” Ellen stood up. “What do you mean work? And what is all this shit that just made a mess of the living room?”
“These are maps.” Joe grew tired of waiting on Ellen to move. He walked to her and gently led her away from the spot where he was going to sit. “Maps of the region.” Joe sat next to Frank and spoke to him. Ignoring Ellen completely. “Aside from setting up our attack mission, we are going to have to make an ammunition run. We have to figure out what we need. Where we are . . .”
“Excuse me!” Ellen shouted to get their attention. “Joe, what are you doing?”
“Ellen.” Joe slammed his hand against his knee. “I have very little time to do this. Its pork rations day you know? Leave us alone for an hour.”
“No. Leave Frank alone. He has to rest.”
“Frank is sitting on the goddamn couch, how is that not resting?”
“Working his mind is the same thing as working his body.”
“Christ, Ellen listen to you. Working Frank’s mind? Leave us alone. This is important.” Joe opened the maps and began to point out things to Frank.
“And his getting better is important too. Frank doesn’t need to be worrying about this right now.”
“Yes Frank does. Don’t you, Frank?” He looked to Frank who just shrugged his shoulders. “Now please, I can’t express to you how important this is. All right?”<
br />
Ellen shook her head. “I can’t believe you won’t even let him be home one day and already you are bombarding him with work.”
“This is not bombarding. This is extremely crucial. He is resting. He’s not moving. I refuse to argue any further with you on this. I do. Now . . . “ Joe waved his hand at her. “Go.”
Ellen gasped. “Fine. I will not condone this.” She walked away knowing her efforts were futile. Just as she opened the front door, Henry stood there with a raised hand getting ready to knock. “Henry.”
Henry smiled and held up a folded piece of paper. “For you.”
With a slight shriek, Ellen snatched it up. “I got mail!” She raced back into the living room. “Henry’s back.”
Joe stood from the couch. “All go well at the exchange?”
Henry shrugged. “As expected. Give the supplies. No talking. Dean’s letter.”
Joe peered over to Ellen who was unfolding the note. “Give that to me.” He reached for it, but Ellen snatched it away.
“No. It’s written to me.” She stood from the chair backing up.
“Give it to me now.”
“No.” She kept waving it out of his reach, frustrating Joe even more.
“For crying out loud Ellen, this is not a game.”
“And this is my note. . . I get to read it.”
“Fine.” Joe could have rubbed the skin off his forehead his hand grazed his skin so harsh. “Read the Goddamn note.” He watched her happily unfold it and start to read. “Out loud!”
“You are too mean to me.” Ellen sat down in the chair.
“And you are on my last nerve.” Joe quickly pulled the note from Ellen’s hands.
“That’s mine.”
“And you can have it when we’re done.” Joe’s eyes skimmed the note as he mumbled. “Dear El. Seems like weeks. Kids are fine. Eating. No illness. Treated well. Bible . . . Christ he’s turning religious.” Joe shook his head.
“Dean’s very religious.” Ellen stated. “Christian really. Reads the bible all the time.”
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 71
