The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Frank!” Joe called out.

  “Uh!” Frank’s head pulled back immediately from being startled. “Fuck, Dad. Thanks a lot.”

  “Sorry.” Joe stepped in with Jason. “We’re ready.”

  So excited, Ellen jumped from Frank’s lap. “Oh I’ve been waiting for this. Jason told me all about it.”

  Joe hurried and looked at Jason. “You did, did you?”

  Ellen held her hands in a prayer fashion. “Can I stay Joe, please, please, please? Oh can I stay. I won’t make a sound. I won’t make a noise. Please, please, please can I . . .”

  “Ellen!” Joe hollered. “Christ. Stay. Sit at your desk now!”

  “Thanks.” Ellen smiled and moved to behind her desk. “Not a word.” She pretended to lock her lips closed.

  “All right. Frank stay seated. Jason . . .” Joe instructed. “Shut that door. We’ll do this in here.” He heard Ellen giggle. “Ellen.”

  “Sorry, Joe.” She held up her hand. “I’m excited.”

  Frank looked up at Jason. “Now remember, this might not be easy. I have a very strong mind. Don’t try anything funny.”

  Joe’s head snapped back to Ellen who laughed again. “Last warning, Ellen.”

  “Sorry Joe.” She hunched in her chair. “I’ll be good. I promise.”

  <><><><>

  Ellen still laughed. Despite the fact that she was verbally chastised and nearly bodily thrown from her very own office, she still laughed. She didn’t think Jason would be able to do it. Actually it took Jason several attempts to put Frank under, but he did. When Jason started talking to Frank, Ellen couldn’t hold back and that’s when Joe tossed her out. It should have bothered Ellen but it didn’t. She headed to the clinic to share the funny story with Dean, amusing herself the whole way, stopping in the street to laugh, then to do that little dance she does to stop herself from having to go to the bathroom

  She giggled like a mad woman as she walked up the steps to the clinic and stopped to smudge her finger prints on the just cleaned glass doors. She knew Dean would be there. They had decided to stay away from the mobile on this day and do what they could of their work in town. But right now Dean was working on clinic stuff and Ellen knew that. He probably was bored and needed a time out. What better way to break his monotony than to tell him something about Frank that he’d really enjoy?

  She stood in the doorway watching him. He worked at the far back counter, his lab coat doing that Batman thing as he moved back and forth. Finally when he stopped, Ellen sneaked up to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his shoulder. “Guess who?” She kissed him on the cheek.

  Dean removed her arms. “I’m busy.”

  Ellen looked down at her hands, hands that a second earlier were flush against his chest. “What’s wrong?”

  Dean turned only his head back, looked at her for a second, and returned to his work.

  The look in his eyes said it all to Ellen. “All right.” She held up her hand. “Now I know I didn’t do anything. At least I don’t think I did. Geez, for the past few hours I’ve been in containment.” She received no response. “Let me think. What did I do today? What does Dean get mad at Ellen about?”

  “This is not a joke. I’m pissed.”

  “When aren’t you anymore?”

  “Why are you here?”

  “Obviously it’s to fight now. What did I do?”

  “One word.” Dean faced her. “Frank.”

  “That’s an awful big word. What about Frank? What did I do today with Frank . . .” She snapped her fingers. “I know. You’re mad that I had breakfast with him.”

  Dean shook his head totally annoyed with her.

  “You’re not mad that I had breakfast with him?” She watched him turn his back again to her. “You didn’t know.” She saw his eyes shift back at her. “O.K., I’m getting somewhere. You’re mad now that I had breakfast with him? You’re mad that I . . .” She shut up when he turned his head and gave a scolding stare. “Dean, are you sure you’re going blind and not mute because I’m not getting anywhere with you.”

  “Ellen, knock it off. Just leave. Go find Frank. You are having the understanding with him now. I’m temporary, so do me a favor and leave me alone.”

  “Why don’t you do me a favor, Dean? Why don’t you flag the fuckin door when you’re mad at me so I can avoid walking in here unarmed. Hell . . .” She tossed her hands up. “Where you get this shit from is beyond me. And you know what? I’m not even justifying anything you just said with a comment, because you are ridiculous. I come in here with every intention of lightening your day, to make you laugh and you yell at me.” He stood silent looking at her. “And now, now you stare at me! What’s the matter Dean? Can’t you focus?”

  “See!” Dean finally spoke up again--loud. “See how you get so low and throw my sight in my face? And you wonder why I don’t trust you.”

  “No Dean, I never wonder why you don’t trust me. I’ve fucked you over once too many times and you think I’m doing that now.” She lifted her shoulders. “I thought I wasn’t. I guess I am. But could you do me a favor? Could you give me the exact details so I can actually do it. If I’m going to be accused of dogging you, I’d like to at least enjoy fucking you over like I did when I was with Frank.”

  Dean clenched his fist and rumbled a growl of frustration before slamming his hand. “Do you enjoy that? Do you enjoy being that much of a bitch?”

  Ellen stormed to him. “Not as much as you enjoy being that much of a dick. You know what Dean? You make Frank look like a saint.”

  “Ellen, who the hell are you kidding? Jesus Christ himself could walk in this lab and you’d tell him he looks bad compared to Frank.”

  “I can’t believe you just said something like that. That is really blasphemous.”

  Dean laughed loudly at her remark. “That comment is coming from the woman who is personally seeing that Beginnings becomes another Sodom and Gomorrah?”

  Ellen shrieked, “I’m leaving.”

  “Go.”

  “I’m going.”

  “Good.”

  His loud, long clearing of his throat, followed by a snicker was all Frank had to do. But then of course he wouldn’t be Frank if he didn’t have something smart to say. “Is it my imagination or are the love sparks just flying about in this room.”

  Ellen turned to look at Frank. “Hi, Frank.” She smiled, her demeanor changing, and then, as her top lip quivered from hiding her laughter she ran to the other counter.

  Dean saw her do this. “I thought you were leaving.”

  “Nope.” Ellen shook her head. “I have to stay, especially now. Say hello to Frank. Say Hi to Frank, Dean.”

  “No I’m not saying ‘hi’ to him.” Dean looked at Frank. “Why are you here?”

  “To see El, like it’s any of your business.” Frank walked in. “We’re having lunch today together?”

  “Not today.” Ellen pretended to work. “I’m having lunch with Henry. I won’t see him until later. Remember he works late in Mechanics on Thursdays.”

  “That’s right. Robbie’s coming over after his flight for dinner. We have to fatten him up you know. So you’ll be at the house with the kids tonight with me?”

  “Until Dean picks them up then I’ll stay with you and Nick. Huh Dean, tell Frank you’ll pick the kids up.”

  “He knows I’m picking him up,” Dean commented.

  “Tell him again.”

  “No Ellen. He knows.” Dean grew irritated.

  Ellen huffed in frustration. “Who knows?”

  “Ellen.” Dean snapped. “You’ve been hanging around him too much. Can you two take this conversation somewhere else? I’m busy.”

  “Dean.” Ellen shifted her eyes to Frank. “Tell Frank about why . . .”

  “No.” Dean turned to him. “I’m not telling him anything, Just go.”

  “Not tell who anything?” Ellen quizzed.

  Dean’s eyes widened. “What is wrong
with you? This is a payback for our fight isn’t it?”

  “What were we fighting about? Better yet. Who were we fighting about?”

  “El,” Frank called her, “I’m heading out. I’ll see you at home tonight and don’t cook,” he instructed. “Robbie’s eating with us. And . . . Dean, I want you to know, I did that hypnotizing shit. It worked. I’m fine. Tomorrow is your turn.”

  “Swell.” Dean shook his head.

  “Frank.” Ellen raced out. “Don’t go, stay.”

  “I have to go El,” Frank smiled. “Robbie has an appointment with Andrea to get on this protein stuff and I want to be there to go over an exercise and build up program for him with her. Unless . . . .” He leaned down to her ear. “You tell me you want to go back over to containment in your office and pick up where my Dad interrupted.” He laughed when he heard Dean slam something. “What’s the matter, Dean?”

  “Go away,” Dean said “Bother someone else.”

  Ellen held on to Frank’s arm. “Frank, don’t go. I . . . . I uh need your help, Dean’s too. Dean?” She let go of Frank. “I’m gonna play a word association game with my survivors. Can you help? Frank, stay.” She hurried and grabbed a notebook. “O.K.” She held her pencil ready and looked sneaky. “What is another word for hotdog?”

  “Wiener,” Dean answered and rolled his eyes at Frank’s snickering. “What? You know another one?”

  “Yeah.” He said. “A Frank. Ha, see how good I am at this?”

  “Aw,” Ellen whined. “Let’s try it again. Dean, what is a one syllable word for when you are short with someone . . .”

  “Dick,” Frank yelled out.

  “No.” Ellen told him. “Let me finish. It’s when you try to explain something and you explain it in a short way.”

  Dean shrugged his shoulders even though he wasn’t up for her word game. “I don’t know.”

  “Come on Dean.” Ellen beckoned. “Think, one syllable. All right, finish this sentence. ‘I need to be honest with you, can I be quite . . .’”

  Frank snapped his fingers. “I know. Straight forward.”

  Dean gasped, “What is wrong with you? She said one syllable you idiot.”

  “Dean!” Frank yelled.

  “Frank!” Dean snapped back.

  “I love you, Dean.”

  Dean’s mouth dropped open and Ellen’s shriek of laughter was followed by a ‘thump’ when her head hit the counter. Stunned, Dean stepped to Frank. “W . . . what?”

  “Huh?” Frank asked back.

  “What did you just say to me?”

  “When?”

  “Just now,” Dean said.

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “You did too,” Dean argued.

  “I did not,” Frank shifted.

  “Frank . . .”

  “I love you, Dean.”

  Again Ellen shrieked and laughed. Dean spun to her then back to Frank. “You did it again.”

  “What?”

  “Frank, you just . . .”

  “I love you, Dean.”

  “See!” Dean held out his hand. “You said it again.”

  “Said what?” Frank began to get annoyed.

  “What you just said.”

  “I didn’t say anything! Man, are you fuckin gone. No wonder everyone is talking about your nervous condition. Wait until they hear that you’re hearing voices now, too.” Frank shook his head and walked over to a laughing Ellen. “See Dean, even Ellen can’t take you serious. I’ll see you later, El.” He bent down to kiss her.

  Ellen could barely speak, barely catch her breath. Holding her stomach, she turned her cheek for Frank to kiss. “Bye, Frank.”

  Shaking his head, Frank backed up. He started to leave, stopped, looked once more at Dean, shook his head, and then finally left.

  Dean’s mouth still hung open. “What the hell was that all about? I know you heard that.”

  “We’re fighting, remember. I don’t know what I heard.” Ellen walked to the door.

  “El . . .”

  “Bye, Dean.”

  “El.”

  “I came to see what I wanted to see and now I must leave. I’ll see--no pun intended--you later.” She let out a ‘whew’ from her laughter and halted at the door holding up her hand. “I will leave you with this to ponder until you pick up the kids tonight at Frank’s. What did Frank do today? What was I trying to get you to do? When you finally inadvertently did what I was trying to get you to do, what happened when you finally did it? Figure it out.” With a wiggle of her fingers, another snicker, Ellen left the lab.

  Dean ran his hands through his hair and then tossed his hands up. “She forgot to say ‘riddle me this’.” Backing up, Dean reached for a stool and grabbed a piece of paper. “Now what did she just say?” Thinking about it, Dean wrote down Ellen’s clues so he could try to make heads or tails out of what she said so he could make heads or tails out of what just transpired with Frank in his lab. While writing down and thinking back, Dean began to laugh.

  <><><><>

  Dinner was nearly done. Robbie would be there shortly. Dean was going to be late picking up the kids. Everything was ready for a family dinner. So where was Ellen? Frank wondered. What in the world was taking her so long to bathe Alexandra? He knew Alex was fighting taking a bath, but did Ellen need to be up there that long? Frank knew what he did when Alex started her whining. Fill the tub, take off her clothes, toss her in, and get her out. Five minutes tops. Of course doing it Frank-style meant getting wet.

  Since he wanted to have everyone together, Frank finished the drink he was sneaking in before Ellen came down, and went up to find her. Outside the bathroom door, he heard the reason for the delay. The bathtub water wasn’t running but the shower was. The water-muffled two voices told him what was happening. Frank wanted to hear what they could possibly have to ramble on about so he walked into the bathroom silently. Closing the door, he crept through and sat down, using the commode as a seat. He placed his elbows on his knees, leaning toward the shower curtain and listened to Ellen and Alex--mother and daughter--cackling like little girls and obviously taking a shower together. That must have been the only way Ellen could convince Alexandra to get clean. Frank enjoyed the moment, really enjoyed it, especially when Ellen would give her ‘Ellen’ tips to her daughter. Keeping in his snicker of enjoyment, he closed his eyes and took in the moment listening.

  “See Alex, you put your leg on the edge of the tub like this.” Ellen showed her daughter. “Watch Mommy shave her leg and do the same. Only yours isn’t a real razor. You have to live with those hairy things still for a while.” Ellen shaved and her daughter mocked with her own fake razor.

  “The water is dripping in my eyes.” Alexandra spoke of her wet hair.

  “Mine too. Usually I save the hair washing for last but you jumped the gun. Here, give me your razor. Final washing time.” Ellen took her daughter’s razor and her own then set them down. “Little tip Alex, always use the guy’s razor. They bitch every time.” Ellen giggled and so did Alex. “Now we are gonna wash every part of our body. It’s important to stay clean. The secret to living a successful life in a post-apocalyptic world is to . . . never mind. You’re a woman, all woman are successful. There really isn’t that many of us. Hell, look at Jenny Matoose. Men love her. Go figure.”

  “Mommy, where did you get that scar.” Alex pointed to Ellen’s stomach where she had her cesarean section.

  “This one?” Ellen handed Alex the soap. “Your father knifed me. Yep, got real mad at me and stuck a knife in my stomach.”

  “Did it hurt?” Alex asked as she washed up.

  “Really badly, especially when he tried to remove my stomach.” Ellen nodded. “Boy was he mad.”

  “Did Uncle Frank ever try to take out your stomach?”

  “No, Uncle Frank does worse. He just steals my heart instead.” The sudden flinging open of the shower curtain made both Alexandra and Ellen shriek. “Frank!” Ellen scolded. “Quick Alex, cover yo
ur private parts. Frank, go away!”

  Frank grinned as he shifted his eyes down to Ellen, rubbing his fingers over the bottom of his goatee. “Dinner is done.”

  Alexandra peeked out from behind Ellen’s back. “Uncle Frank? Are you staring at Mommy’s scar?”

  “Oh yeah,” Frank said then looked at Alex. “Let’s go Alex.” He grabbed a towel. “Let’s get your little naked butt out of this shower and dressed for dinner.”

  “O.K.” She edged her way to Frank letting him wrap the towel around her and lift her from the tub.

  “Go get dressed.” He ran his hand down her hair. “Hurry.” He listened as Alex left, to the water stopping. “Need a towel El?”

  “Please.” Ellen stood in there waiting for the reaching arm. Nothing. She poked her head out. “Frank?”

  Frank held the towel, but waited for her.

  “Be nice.” She held out her hand, covering herself with the shower curtain.

  “You know El.” Frank stepped to her. “You bathed with my brother. You could shower with me.”

  “I could, could I?”

  “Yep.” Frank lifted the shower curtain. “Make cleanliness a Slagel thing.”

  “Stop that.” She smacked his hand away. “Behave. Go down stairs.”

  “I’m being good.” He handed her the towel. “See you down stairs.” He winked at her, touched her face gently and moved to the door. “Oh and El? Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “Just . . . . thanks.” Giving her a closed mouth look he opened the bathroom door and left.

  Ellen shook her head, tossing the towel around her. “Only Frank would say ‘thanks’ after being a peeping tom.” She stepped from the shower with that thought on her mind. Little did she know Frank seeing her naked was far from what he thanked her for.

  <><><><>

  Robbie was walking in the door when Frank reached the bottom of the steps. He peeked around then smiled to Frank. “Why is it so quiet?”