Ellen looked at Jenny. “We’re kind of talking, Robbie.”
Jenny waved her hand out. “Oh, I should be going anyhow. I have a class to plan for tomorrow.” She stood up. “Great talking to you, Ellen.”
“Same here.”
“Night.” Jenny stepped by Ellen and off the porch. She waved one more time before leaving.
Ellen saw Robbie raise his head some. “What’s wrong?” Robbie stared behind her and Ellen turned to see Dean in the doorway.
“Dean?” Robbie asked. “Do you mind if I steal El for an hour. I want to take a walk with her.”
Dean couldn’t answer. He felt the words, but they were thick in his throat. He wanted to tell him,. ‘no Robbie, I’d rather you not. I need to talk to her.’ But he didn’t. Dean shook his head and so much as gave his blessing.
“Thanks.” Robbie smiled, extending his hand to Ellen and taking hers.
Ellen looked back once more to Dean as she walked hand in hand with Robbie away from the porch. Dean still said nothing. He just watched them fade away.
^^^^
“Smaller.” Danny stated to Henry. Though every light was on in Henry’s house, they had two extra table lights on in the dining room as they worked. Electrical wires and other supplies spread out all over the place.
“Smaller?”
“Smaller.”
“How much smaller does it have to be?” Henry asked. “This is small. I can’t go much smaller, can I?” He held up something about the size of a match book.
“It has to be able to be concealed.” Danny told him of the box. “Something like that can be seen or lost and then we’re screwed.”
“What if we just put the tracking device in something else?” Henry suggested. “Like James Bond would do with a pen.”
“We could still lose it. It has to be smaller. Robbie wants these to be able to track our men when they go out in case something happens to them. I’m working on the tracker itself. You’re supposed to be working on the tracking. If you can’t do it . . .”
“I never said I can’t do it.”
“You’re acting like you can’t.”
“I can do it, I just need to think and right now I’m not thinking.” Henry scratched his head. “I guess I’m just tired and in a bad mood for some reason.”
Henry dropped the screw driver. “I need a break. You need one?”
Danny nodded. “Social hall?”
“Where else?” Henry tossed his hands up and moved to the door.
“We’ll have a bowling alley this time next year.”
“Joe won’t allow it.”
“Bet me.” Danny said.
“I’ll bet you.”
“Ten work hours.”
“You’re on.”
Danny opened his hand and motioned it out. He saw how miserable of a mood Henry was in and Danny was going to do everything in his power to get him out of that bad mood.
^^^^
Binghamton, Alabama
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and annoyed if he gets awoken from it. And that was exactly how George felt at the steady thumping at his door. He grumbled, wanting to get some rest. He desperately needed to get some sleep. Though it was only nine at night, he really wanted to be slumbering. Patting down the hair that stood on edge, wearing boxer shorts and a tee shirt, George made his way to the door. “This better be good,” George said as he opened it looking at the soldier who stood there.
“Dr. Morris said to call for you. The Beginnings man is awake.”
Like a bright spotlight coming on, George’s face lit up. “Tell Dr. Morris to say nothing to him. I’m on my way.”
“Yes sir.”
George slammed the door and excitedly clapped his hands. Like a kid, George ran all the way to his room. This was a moment he had been waiting for . . . Frank’s expression when he saw George.
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
Sitting with a cigarette in one hand, Joe reached across the bar and lifted a bottle. He poured a drink, set it down, and winked at ‘Sam’ the mannequin. “Thanks Sam. I’ll give you a tip next time.”
Jason, who was sitting next to Joe, picked up Joe’s glass and pulled it away from him. “You’ve had one too many.”
“Give me that. Hell, that’s only my second.” Joe’s eyes shifted across the social hall. He could see Johnny shooting pool. Joe shook his head when he also saw Bev. She sat in a chair doing nothing but watching Johnny.
Jason leaned to Joe. “Looks like the little vixen has her eyes on your grandson?”
“Christ, if they could be anymore on him, he’d be wearing them.”
Johnny motioned his head to Cole, then to the ball. “Eight ball off the bank, corner pocket.” Johnny leaned over the pool table, revved back his stick, and took his shot. “My game.”
“You’re an ass. I refuse to play with you anymore,” Cole told him.
“Sore loser,” Johnny joked and turned around to see Bev standing before him.
“Johnny.” She spoke his name softly. “You have a great body.”
Johnny bit his bottom lip, raised one eyebrow, and handed her his pool stick. “Put this away for me. Thanks.” He sniffed loudly, pulled up the waist of his baggy Levi’s, turned away, and walked toward Joe. A shitty grinned graced his face. “Hey Pap.”
“Johnny.” Joe sipped his drink. “Don’t look now but your slave is running this way.”
Johnny smirked and mouthed the words. ‘Watch.’
Bev slipped up to Johnny. “Hi Johnny. I was wondering if you’re done. If you’d like to . . .”
“Bev.” Johnny stated her name while pointing to his temple. “I distinctively remember someone . . . snapping at me this morning in distribution? Was that you?”
“I really apologize for that. Can I make it up to you? Can we have a drink or something?”
With such arrogance, Johnny shook his head. “Nah.”
“But . . .”
“Bev.” Johnny laid his finger on her mouth. “If I want to deal with you, I will. I’m talking to my grandfather now.”
“But . . .”
“Bev.” Johnny motioned his head backwards. “Why don’t you sit down. If I join you, you got a deal. If not, oh well.”
“All right.” Bev smiled at Johnny and walked over to a table. She sat down, crossed her legs, and stared at Johnny.
Johnny looked quickly at her then Joe. “I’m out of here.”
“You’re leaving her?” Joe asked with a snicker. “Johnny, you are an asshole.”
“Yep, but you love me.” Johnny grinned widely, grabbed hold of Joe, and kissed him on the cheek. “Love you. Pap. Night.” He gave a swift pat to Joe’s back, nudged into Jason, and walked out the door.
Joe watched as Johnny left. He smiled and shook his head then turned serious when he saw Henry and Danny walk in. “Just the guy I wanted to see tonight.”
Jason looked. “Danny?”
“Henry.” Joe stood up. Henry didn’t look like he was in his usual mood. “Henry, my boy.”
“Hey Joe.”
“What’s wrong?” Joe asked.
“Just thinking and Danny and I have been working on something for hours. I needed a break.”
“Good because I needed to talk to you. Got a minute?”
“Sure.” Henry shrugged.
“Care to walk outside?”
“O.K.” Henry saw Danny getting their drinks. “I’ll be right back, Danny. As horrible as this sounds, why don’t you talk to Jason.”
Jason leaned down into his drink, calmly raised his hand with a shot of the middle finger, and sipped.
Henry and Joe stepped outside. Both men walked slowly up the street with their hands in their front pockets.
“Henry,” Joe spoke seriously. “Things have been bad.”
“What do you mean.”
“I try to put up this front, but . . . Frank has me down. Really down.”
“I understand that. Me
too.”
“And there’s a lot to deal with lately. A bunch of runs are going out. This suspect shit. Savage attacks more frequent. The society. Distribution. Too much work and not enough people to distribute it to. I always have Frank on my mind along with a lot of everything else.”
“Well Joe, just tell me what you want me to do. O.K.? Anything you need for me to take for you, I will. You know that. Just tell me, You don’t even have to ask.”
“I know.” Joe laid his hand on Henry’s back. “I do want you to take something for me.”
“What’s that?”
“The leadership position.”
Henry stopped walking. “Joe, I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I’m no leader, Joe, and you know it.”
“Henry. You were elected by this community to take the reins. Your fairness is what decided that. You can be level headed when you need to be. I need the break. I need to have a little pressure off of me, even for a little while.”
“So you’re not retiring fully.”
“Well from the leadership position, yes. I’m stepping down to your position. If you can’t handle it or if there’s trouble and you need me to take the wheel, I will. But for the time being, I’d rather not have full responsibility. I need some time to pass before I can think of resuming my position.”
“It’s a rash judgment, Joe, and you know it.”
“Yep.” Joe nodded. “It is. My oldest son died, Henry. My kid. The same kid that started this whole place with me. I can’t function right with him so on my mind. I’ll help you every step of the way. I will answer any questions you have and I will show you exactly how this place runs. O.K.?”
Henry reluctantly nodded his head. “You’ll be back. I’m not keeping this position for ever. I’m too young to be old right now and this position will make me old.”
“You’ll do fine.” Joe laid his hand on Henry’s cheek. “I just want you to be the first to know so you aren’t shocked when I make an announcement at the community meeting tomorrow.”
“When . . . when will it be official?” Henry asked.
“Two weeks.” Joe answered. “Now let’s . . .”
Henry saw Joe’s eyes shift. “What’s wrong?”
“Robbie and Ellen.”
Henry turned around to see Robbie and Ellen walking hand in hand toward the living section. “Aw Joe, it seems awful quick for that to be happening.”
“Yes and I’m gonna to talk to him some more about it, but first, let’s you and me have a drink.”
“Sounds good.”
“A silent celebration before your ‘Joe’ training.”
“Oh boy.”
Joe laughed as he led Henry into the social hall. “Think of how much you and I will bond over the next couple of days.”
Danny held up darts when he saw Joe and Henry return. “Henry, wanna play? Maybe it will take our mind off our work.”
“Yeah. “ Henry poured a drink and joined Danny.
Danny stopped in his move to the dart board. “Wanna take on the old guys?” He pointed to Joe and Jason who looked like two barflies at the bar.
“That’s not even a challenge.” Henry stated. “But, sure why not. Hey Joe! You guys wanna play us?”
Joe looked at Jason twitching his head at Henry and Danny. “Care to take on the challenge of our Asian community?”
“Joe, come on. That’s not even a challenge.”
“We’ll take it easy on them.” Joe grabbed his drink and stood up. “Let’s throw the first game then get them to bet something really big and kill them.”
Jason snickered. He liked that idea. He thoroughly enjoyed the arrogant laughs of Danny and Henry as he totally missed the dart board on his first throw, knowing full well his mind was thinking up things he wanted from the wiry pair.
^^^^
Very seriously, Dean stared in his cup of coffee as if answers would somehow float up to the surface of the cream he had added. His hands gripped the cup. Occasionally he would look to Jess who sat with him.
“Look at your home, Dean. Look.” Jess spoke so seriously. “My God, you have it all. A home, a woman, kids. This is the perfect Ozzie and Harriet set up. Why are you being so dumb about this?”
“I told you.”
“O.K.,” Jess said. “You told me your reasons. What makes you so sure that Ellen is going to go through with the annulment after all is said and done?”
Dean chuckled in ridicule. “Jess, you’re new here. Trust me, it’s the same old cycle. If you realized how many times I have been wrapped up in her and then lost her to Frank, you wouldn’t say that.”
“But from what I understand, that hasn’t been the case recently. I’m talking before I arrived and before all of this went down.”
“Why do you care?” Dean asked. “Why are you so concerned with this?”
“I’m concerned with Robbie. Dean, when everybody else treated me like an alien because I was once a member of the society, Robbie did not. He saw who I was and he befriended me and trusted me. That means a lot. I want to be trusted. You could say I’m indebted to him. He took me in and he shares his home with me. We’re friends. I’m seeing my friend getting involved, no matter if this marriage is real or not.”
“It doesn’t mean anything when it comes to Frank. Trust me. Ellen chooses Frank.”
“Oh, does she?” Jess asked with arrogance. “Ever heard of the third party syndrome? Ellen chooses a third party so there are no more pulls between you and Frank. And how do you know, that this so called friendship between Ellen and Robbie can’t blossom? How do you know she just may not have that third party syndrome with Robbie? Or . . . things may just actually work. There’s a chance on that. You know that.”
“I know that,” Dean said.
“Is that a chance you’re willing to take? Robbie will treat her like a queen. They never fight, them two. Ever. You may just end up losing a chance you’ve wanted for a very long time.”
“Yeah, but it’s not time for that chance, nor are the circumstances right.”
“Make them right. Make it the time. Do something about this. Whether Robbie believes it or not, it will tear him and Frank apart if he marries Ellen. Real or not. Trust me, there is nothing worse than a woman coming between two brothers. I know.”
“Been there?” Dean asked.
“You can say that. Robbie loves Frank. It will kill him if he doesn’t have Frank as his brother.. Robbie will go on if he doesn’t have Ellen as his wife.”
“I think we’re worrying too much.”
Both of them turned their heads to the window when they heard Ellen and Robbie’s voices nearing. They were laughing and talking.
Jess looked at Dean. “Worrying too much? Really?”
^^^^
Binghamton, Alabama
George had to prepare. He wanted to look official when he arrived at the hospital to see Frank. The last thing he wanted Frank to see was a man who just climbed out of bed, half asleep. George combed his hair and even shaved his five o’clock shadow. Fully dressed in a nice shirt and dress slacks, George walked into the hospital. Dr. Morris waited for him at the old nurses’ station.
“Doctor.”
“President Hadley.” Dr. Morris looked pleased.
“He’s awake?” George asked with some excitement.
“Yes, sir he is. He’s sitting up in bed. He feels fine and . . .” He saw George walk away. “Sir, there’s something you should . . .” George didn’t answer. “ …know.” Dr. Morris dropped his hands, shrugged his shoulders, and hurried to catch up to George.
George took a deep breath, placed on his smug face, and walked into Frank’s room.
Frank sat in bed. He looked up to George, raising his dark eyes upon George’s entrance.
George smiled. “Hello, Frank.” He stepped closer. Something was wrong. Where was that angry Slagel expression . . . that jump from the bed and want to kill George look? George slowly stepped closer.
�
��Oh my God,” Frank gasped.
George grinned. “That’s right.” George looked so smug.
“You’re the President. Sir, forgive me for not getting out of this bed and saluting. I’m . . . a little without clothing, sir,” Frank spoke, staring at George.
“What?” George said shocked. “What . . . what did you just say?”
“I’m without clothing, sir.” Frank lifted his sheet.
George’s body shuddered in confusion. He blinked, spun around, and saw Dr. Morris behind him. “What’s going on?”
“Frank, we’ll be right back.” Dr. Morris spoke to Frank.
“Yes sir,” Frank responded.
Dr. Morris took George into the hall. “I see you talked to him.”
“What . . .” George pointed to Frank’s room and scratched his head. “What in the world is going on?”
“Seems someone is looking out for you. Frank’s doing well. He’s strong. A little confused. And . . . he has amnesia.”
George gasped in laughter. “He what?” He covered his mouth. “Shit.”
“Yep. We can’t determine how much he has lost in his memory. We wanted to give him another day before bombarding him with questions, but he definitely knows he was in the United States Army.”
“How long will he be like this?” George whispered as he looked into Frank’s room.
“Could be days, weeks, or forever.”
George clenched his fist with excitement. “This is great. We wanted Frank’s training, Frank’s mind, without Frank attitude.”
“Looks like you may have it,” Dr. Morris said.
“Excellent. Excellent. Excellent,” George gloated. “All right. Treat him good. Treat him with respect, but tell him nothing. Let me work on that tonight. Got it?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good job.” George gave a swift light punch to Dr. Morris’ arm. He chuckled when Dr. Morris rubbed the spot. “See you in the morning.” Grinning, George popped his head in Frank’s room. “Son, I’ll be back in the morning. We’ll talk.”
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 389
