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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Me?” Dean grinned then wiped it from his face. “Wait. Am I allowed to be happy about this? I mean, with all that’s happened, can I be?”

  “I am. It’s my sign of hope. You gave it to me. Thank you. So are you … are you happy?”

  With a short shriek of excitement, Dean placed his hands to her face and kissed her. He kissed her over and over. “Thank you.” He kissed her again. “I never thought I’d have this in my life, especially now. Are we going to do this together, El? Are we?”

  “I’ve given it a lot of thought.” She saw he waited for a response. “And yes, I’d like to do this with you. I want you to be there every step of the way. I don’t know how things will turn out. I can’t make any promises right now. A lot of shit has happened to me and I don’t know how I’ll be yet, but I want to try. Try with you. That is, if you want to take a chance on doing it with someone that’s still a stranger.”

  “I do, El.” Dean laid his lips to hers. “And it’s time we work on that stranger part. Don’t you think?”

  “Yeah I do.” Ellen felt him move closer to her. “What are you doing?”

  “I don’t think we should waste any time.” He kissed her softly. “In a sense we’re taking part in beginning this world over. You and I, Ellen, we’re starting a brand new history together.”

  While they were indeed, starting a new history, in sense it was Frank who caused it.

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  Author Notes:

  The entire history shifted because of Robbie’s presence. A lot of things occurred that made an impact on the later books.

  Robbie was a positive in so many ways and he being there in Ashtonville caused a lot of ripples. Actually, it started from the moment he opened Frank’s ‘Do not open until’ letter.

  Below are questions and answers about the major ripples and after effects. Should you, the reader, have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

  Ripple Questions and Explanations.

  Whoa. Whoa. Whoa, Ellen went to a lecture? I don’t remember her going to a lecture in Silent Victor.

  She didn’t. She was supposed to. Doc Breyer paid for it, but because Pete found a love letter from Frank, they fought and he hit Ellen. She didn’t go to the lecture because of the fight and injury.

  Robbie, once he opened Frank’s mystery letter, began his path to Ashtonville. He opened up a connection with Ellen that grew into a deeper friendship. Robbie flirted a lot with Ellen, keeping her ego boosted enough that she was satisfied. Pete found Robbie’s letter, and because it wasn’t scathing, he was merely annoyed. The fight was minor and Ellen went to the lecture.

  Dean doesn’t recall the affair at the lecture because he was with Frank when Frank changed time. He doesn’t recall how he actually started a relationship with Ellen out of feelings and not a need for her to get pregnant.

  It seemed as if Ellen and Frank weren’t having an affair. How did Robbie change that?

  By being forefront in her life, either in person or emails, there was a Frank and Ellen affair early on, but it stopped. Robbie had a positive influence on Ellen and during that time, she stopped her affair with Frank. Her innocent crush on Robbie was enough to stop her from making mistakes with Frank.

  Like with Dean, Frank doesn’t recall that. He believes they were lovers the whole time.

  What about the cure?

  A few things happened. Robbie helped a lot. Joe wasn’t angry when he arrived in Stamford so he had a peaceful conversation. Dean, because he knew Ellen, raced to Stamford.

  Because of their one night stand and his immediate attraction to Ellen, Dean left right away to go help her. He wasn’t there when Catherine dropped off the cure, so he didn’t get to work on it until it was too late. Ellen’s feeling for Dean were genuine and not based on the fact that he gave her more time with Taylor.

  How much difference did Robbie make in Ashtonville?

  Aside from the fact he helped stock Ellen’s house, he was there every step of the way. His being there afforded Ellen time to be with her children more as they were dying. He gathered bodies, so they were actually a day ahead in progress when George arrived.

  Robbie was the one who found Kelly, not Ellen. It was one of many horrendous things she was spared from seeing.

  Did Robbie’s presence have any negative impact?

  Yes. He was strict with Ellen and that helped to make her numb to a lot of things. Also, since Dean didn’t get to work on the cure, he didn’t give Ellen that extra week with Taylor. That really made a difference in here. Plus, there wasn’t that gratitude and hero worship of Dean.

  If I were Dean, what were some things I missed out on?

  The relationship with Ellen and the fact that it was based on real feelings. There was less negativity with Frank in Ashtonville. But the biggest was the fact that his father not only didn’t die, he lived to see his grandchildren born. He lived long enough to be part of Beginnings.

  The reason William survived longer is because Robbie was there. In the time frame Dean knew, Andrea was out on supply runs. William had a heart attack and no one with medical knowledge was there to help him so he passed away. Robbie made the supply runs instead and Andrea stayed back to care for the children. Because Andrea was in Ashtonville, she was able to treat William right away when he had his heart attack.

  I really hope you enjoyed these ‘Lost Ripples’, I enjoyed finding them, reading them and fixing them and bringing them from the trash.

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