The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Yes. Do you want to go first?”

  “Sure. I’ll talk. If you remember anything I’m forgetting, you fill me in.” Dean took a thinking breath. “Bev’s investigation. We stuck to the story that we spent the entire night alone in bed together. We’re sticking to that. Bev’s uterus is in the freezer down in the cryo-lab marked ‘worm infested stool sample’.”

  “That was really smart on your part.”

  “I found myself worrying that someone found it while we were gone.”

  “But no one knows,” Ellen said. “Hell, we just walked out of Joe’s office.”

  “No, correction. We were thrown out of Joe’s office. It was a screaming bazaar in there,” Dean recollected. “I was yelling at you. You were yelling at me. Frank was mad at Hal. Elliott was mad at Hal. Henry was condemning you. Joe was having a stroke. Jess and Hector cringed. Jason wasn’t there or he’d be doing that sneaky Jason snicker.”

  “Tee-hee-hee?”

  “Exactly. And Robbie, the start of all the confusion . . .”

  “Sat quietly, looking innocent. Isn’t it funny?” Ellen commented. “Every ounce of anger we felt. What we were worried about. All that has faded. Those little problems seem moot.”

  “I’m going to do a lot of resolving. I know that sounds stupid.”

  “No, not at all. I was thinking the same thing.”

  “Elliott?” Dean asked as he grabbed her hand.

  “He’s one of them. I think I’ll go back to being that special friend to him, if he’ll have me.”

  Dean laughed. “You don’t think he will.” He kissed her hand. “Life is so short. And you know what? Twenty-two years isn’t a long time. We’re not here. That’s sad. We aren’t around. I’m going to try to enjoy every second I have left.”

  “Everyone assumes they’ll be around forever. We know we won’t and that plays a lot into my resolutions. I’m going to try to help Henry so he doesn’t commit suicide.”

  “I’ll encourage this father role he’s been playing. Maybe that will stop the depression that makes him kill himself.”

  “If . . .” Ellen said. “He killed himself. We’re still guessing. Speaking of being a father.”

  “Oh, you know it,” Dean said with certainty. “I’m putting my all in with Billy. I did something wrong before. I won’t again.”

  “Joe,” Ellen whispered out. “I have to tell him how much he means to me. I don’t think he knows that.”

  “Yeah, he does.”

  “I learned last night that it never hurts to tell someone again.” Ellen stared out and relaxed into Dean. “All those people. I miss them so much. I can’t wait to see them.”

  “The purse is pretty much stuffed,. . . whenever you’re ready.”

  Ellen sat up and turned to Dean. She took his hand. “It’s six-thirty. I’m ready now. You?”

  Dean grinned. “Yeah. Let’s go home.”

  Standing up, Ellen extended her hand to Dean. “Billy’s staying in Frank’s wing. Why don’t we go wake them? We can have one last breakfast and sneak back home with just a farewell from both of them.”

  “I like that.” Using her hand as leverage, Dean stood up with a smile. “Let’s go.”

  ^^^^

  They freshened up a bit after their all night stint on the patio. They didn’t want to be a mess when they slipped through the Aragon Window.

  “Morning, Lancing,” Ellen said brightly as she approached the wing with Dean. “Are they up?”

  “I saw Dr. Hayes getting the paper. I believe he’s in his room.”

  “Frank?”

  “The President is still sleeping.”

  Ellen turned to Dean. “Go get Billy. I’ll wake Frank.”

  Lancing shook his head. “It makes monitoring conversation impossible when you two separate.”

  Ellen gave a fling of her hand at him and darted to Frank’s room. She knocked on the closed door. “Frank?” She turned the knob. “Hey, wake up.” She spoke softly in her entrance to the room. “I want to spend some time with you before I leave. God, do you sleep late in your old age.” She walked over to the window and smiled at Frank on the bed. “It’s a beautiful hot January day.” She pulled open the curtains to brighten the room. “And you’re missing . . .” Turning to face the bed, all smiles dropped from Ellen’s face. “Frank?” she whispered out seeing him lay on his side, the covers just to his waist. And then . . . her heart sunk. “Oh, God. Frank.” With a rush she had never felt, Ellen flew to the bed. She hovered close to him, looking at his peaceful face. “Frank?” Her hands moved desperately over his face. The warmth of him was gone. Gurgling, the emotions built in her gut and escaped Ellen in her cry out. “Dean! Dean! Someone!” Her screams were loud and the pain was so strong in her chest, Ellen whimpered her words. “No,” she peeped out, dropping to her knees. “No, no, no.” Her head fell to Frank’s. “No.”

  “El, what’s . . .” Dean saw her over Frank, her shoulders heaving. Deep sobs were muffled as her lips pressed hard to Frank. “No.” Dean’s eyes closed and every ounce of his soul, every part of him he thought bred life, hit the floor.

  A sluggish sniffle came from Ellen as she only raised her eyes to look at Dean, “He’s gone. Oh, God, Frank’s gone.”

  Did his legs weigh a thousand pounds? They felt it. Every step Dean took toward the bed was a heavy one. His heart thumped against his rib cage. It was something he never expected to see, or to feel. The loss of Frank.

  “Mom? Is something . . .” Billy froze.

  Still hovering over Frank, Ellen looked up. “Billy, I’m sorry.”

  Billy’s eyes closed in pain and he swallowed. He cleared his throat and turned his head. “Lancing.”

  He didn’t pay mind to the whispers between Billy and Lancing. With his hand extended, Dean made it to the bed. His fingers touched upon the side of Frank first then he dropped to the edge of the bed and sat close to Ellen. He watched her cry, but felt the loss. He looked at Frank, so still and peaceful, and then to his own hand that laid on him. Dean’s movements were rigid. He lifted his hand but, like a magnet, Frank drew him. It dropped emotionally back down with a grip to Frank.

  Ellen’s soft sobbing, Dean’s heart pounding, and the reality of what had happened became painfully evident when rising above the quiet noise in the room, Lancing on the phone, spoke with a sad smoothness. “Yes. It’s me. . . .we have a situation. I need you to send someone up here. President . . . . President Slagel has passed away.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  ‘And do you promise to uphold the responsibilities, privileges and duties of the President of the United States?’

  ‘I do.’

  They could have left, but Dean and Ellen didn’t. They stayed long enough to see him . . . Hal. Immediately flown in, Hal assumed the office under conditions he never thought would happen.

  He took Ellen’s breath away when she saw him. With an incredible likeness to Joe, Hal could have been his father walking in the room. His face ended up being strong, His hair, down to the hair line, was the same as Joe’s. Gone was the long hair and the super fit body. He dressed like Joe, walked like Joe, and even held his composure the way Joe would. But even though he placed on that strong exterior, Hal was like a window. Ellen could see right through him to the pain he was feeling.

  They witnessed his swearing in. Dean and Ellen wanted to, plus they wanted to be there for him. Just as he was taking Frank’s place as President, with pride, Hal took Frank’s place at the Aragon Window.

  Fatherly cupping his hands onto Ellen’s face, Hal looked into Ellen’s eyes. “I wish . . . I wish our running into each other in this time would have been under much better circumstances.”

  “I do too.” Ellen embraced Hal.

  “I am so envious right now,” Hal spoke in her ear. “You get to walk through there and see my brother. Tell him . . . even if it sounds absurd, tell him I love him and admire him. I always have since I was a kid.”

  Ellen only nodded. She couldn
’t speak.

  “Dean.” Hal extended his hand to Dean then embraced him. “You take care.”

  “Good to see you, Hal. Good luck.” Dean stepped back. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “It’s all of our loss,” Hal said.

  Billy moved back from the computer. “It’s ready.”

  “Billy,” Ellen walked to him. “You take care. I’ll see you soon.”

  “No. You take car, Mom. Do things right.” He winked. “Do things right.”

  “I know you’re close to Frank. I’m sorry. If you want us to stay . . .”

  “Go,” Billy instructed. “Dad . . . we really knew this would happen, only I look at it this way. He died happy. If it would have happened a month ago, I couldn’t have said that.” He kissed Ellen then ran his hand down her purse’s strap. “I see you didn’t forget this.”

  “She almost did,” Dean interjected. “I had to run back and get it.”

  “Good thing.” Billy smiled.

  “Bill.” Dean walked up to him. “Whatever I did back then in your life that distanced us, it won’t happen now.”

  “You know what?” Billy smiled. “I really believe that.” He looked down at the hand that Dean extended and ignored it. Instead he embraced Dean. “I love you. That has never been a question.”

  “I love you.” Laying one hand on Billy’s face, Dean kissed him on the cheek. “Do well.”

  Taking a breath, Billy stepped back. “Let’s do this and not make it any harder.”

  Dean and Ellen stood there together. Ellen reached once more to Hal and gave a squeeze to his hand.

  “It’s time,” Billy spoke up.

  The Aragon Window illuminated.

  HOME

  Beginnings, Montana

  PRESENT DAY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Dean and Ellen felt like creatures from the movie Gremlins, screaming ‘bright light, bright light’ when they stepped into the bright sun of Beginnings. It was the same bright sun that was there forty two seconds earlier Beginnings’ time, but over a month their time.

  Ellen let out a happy scream, jumping up and flinging herself to Dean. “We’re back!”

  Dean was just as excited. He swung Ellen around in the embrace, set her down and was hit by her purse. “You don’t think they screwed up, do you?”

  “No.” Ellen ran her fingers through her hair. “Not at all. We’re back.”

  His breath felt heavy as he released it. “El, what do we do? Just, I don’t know, go on like we were going to.”

  “What did we have written down?” Ellen asked, catching the breath of her overzealousness.

  “Well . . . I was going to head to the lab and get things together for the expulsion of the Bev fetus. But . . .”

  “Dean.” Ellen grabbed his arms. “Let’s not. Let’s go see everyone. I have to.”

  “My thought exactly.”

  “Let’s go.”

  They didn’t just hurry. Dean and Ellen ran all the way to Joe’s office.

  ^^^^

  Joe’s chair squealed as he leaned back in it. “Now . . .” he exhaled. “Peace in this office. Let’s move on with . . .”

  Bang!

  Scream!

  “Christ!” Joe sprang up. “I just threw you two . . .”

  Ellen’s long shriek shut Joe up.

  He winced with one eye closed and put a finger to his ear shaking his head. “What the hell is the matter with . . .uh!” He thought it was a heart attack, but it was Ellen pummeling him with her body and the tightest of hugs.

  “Joe. Oh, Joe.” She kissed him then plastered him over and over with tiny pecks. “Joe. You’re the best. So good to see you. Oh, my God.” She got her breath. “Dean. Look. It’s Joe.”

  “Joe.” Dean smiled and walked up to him and hugged him.

  Puzzled, but more annoyed, Joe nodded then looked around to everyone that laughed. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Frank!” Ellen screamed in a spin to him. “Frank!” Her words shivered and she threw herself at him.

  “El!” Frank blasted back with a matching excitement and held on tight.

  “Frank, I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.”

  “Knock it off!” Joe barked. “You just saw her.”

  Dean was choked up when he walked up to Frank. “Frank.” When Ellen stepped back, Dean stepped toward him. “Frank.” He put his arms around Frank’s waist and gave him a hug. “It’s . . . man, it’s good to see you.”

  “Fuck, Dean. Get off.”

  “Right.” Dean shook his head. “Frank, El.”

  “I see.”

  “And Hal,” Dean pointed.

  “Hal,” Ellen giggled. “You look good.” She pivoted in a turn. “Elliott. Oh, Elliott. Don’t leave Beginnings until I talk to you.”

  Holding back a snicker at the odd acting pair, Elliott only nodded.

  Dean snapped his fingers, “Henry. Hey, make time for me. We need to talk.”

  “Why?” Henry asked with apprehension.

  “Henry,” Dean said his name with a chuckle then pulled Ellen into him. “I just need to talk to you. You’re important to us.”

  “Yes.” Ellen smiled. “Very. Know that.”

  “Out!” Joe ordered with a strong point. “I kicked your skinny asses out once. Out!”

  “O.K.” Dean grabbed Ellen’s hand. “We’re leaving. Robbie . . .” He pointed at him. “Good to see you. Everyone.”

  “Out!” Joe screamed.

  “We’re going.” Dean backed up with Ellen to the door. He stepped out with her but stopped. “Oh Frank? I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. You get your ass to the clinic ASAP, today. I’ll make time. We’re doing a complete work up and physical on you. Sixty-two years old is too young to die.”

  “O.K.,” Frank shrugged. “Thanks.”

  Dean lifted his hand in a wave.

  Ellen popped her head in before she walked out. “Frank, make up with Hal. He loves you very much and he admires you. He has admired you since he was a kid.”

  The door closed. All faces were stunned and everyone was speechless.

  Joe dropped hard into his chair. “Did Dean look different?” After scratching his head and giving a twitch of disgust, Joe grabbed a cigarette and continued his meeting.

  ^^^^

  Smiling ear to ear, Ellen laid her hand on her chest. “Oh, did that feel good or what?”

  “It went well. Wanna walk to town?”

  “Sure.” Ellen took a step and stopped. “No.”

  “No?”

  “Dean.” She faced him. “Think about it. What if we really die together? I think for the next two weeks we should spend as little time together as possible.”

  “Beat fate?”

  “You got it.”

  “It’s a deal.” Dean darted in and kissed her quickly. “Wait, what about at home? We have to start working out how we’re gonna change the future.”

  “Our house is big. We’ll stay on opposite ends and yell to each other. That way if someone kills you I can run, or visa-versa.”

  “Good idea. You go the short way; I’ll go the long way.”

  “Got it.” Ellen started to walk. “We’ll yell at each other to let us know our progress of resolutions. Start right away!” she yelled out as she moved.

  “I will!” Dean lifted his hand. He watched Ellen get further and further away and then walked in the opposite direction. He didn’t mind taking the long route. Aside from needing some exercise, he needed to see home because it was good to be back in the Beginnings he knew.

  ^^^^

  Johnny’s hands clenched warmly to Jenny’s as they sat on her sofa. “You are glowing.”

  “Oh.” She giggled, blushed then tucked her hair. “You don’t think I’ve gained that much weight?”

  “Jenny, I didn’t know you’re pregnant. You are carrying it well.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re so lucky. Denise has shut me out of the ba
by’s life.”

  “She’s said you didn’t care.”

  “I do. I have begged her, Jenny. Begged her. Curt doesn’t like me anymore.” Johnny shrugged innocently. “Come on, you know me. I have that Slagel family honor. I wouldn’t do that.”

  “I can talk to Denise.”

  “Could you? Jenny, that would be great. Thank you.” He kissed her on the cheek. “I should go.”

  “Thank you for the visit. Johnny, any time you want to stop by and talk or just see the baby when it comes, you do that.”

  Johnny smiled when he walked to the door. “Thank you again.” He left the smile on as he walked out, but lost it when he shut the door. A smug look replaced it when he saw John approaching.

  “What the hell you doing?” John asked.

  “You can say just making my presence known. She gave me an open invitation.”

  John just stared. “You’re getting at something. What?”

  “I told you today. This investigation has to end. Until it does, phone lines will not be opened.”

  “It’s a long way from ending.”

  “I’ll find a way with your and Jess’s help, of course.”

  “Of course. But you seem to think your Uncle Hal is the way.”

  “He killed Bev.”

  “You want Jess and me to help you do what? End this investigation? With Hal? It won’t work.” John laughed. “See, this is where your nineteen year old mentality and immaturity shine through. Think about it, Johnny. I never liked your Uncle Hal much, but it dawned on me he’s a smart man.”

  “I have proof.”

  “Then it’s bogus.”

  “How do you know?” Johnny snapped.

  “If you paid attention to other people around you, you would know. He had to set you up and you’re gonna fall right into his trap. I drink at places other than the Social Hall. Johnny . . .” John gave a swat to his arm. “You’re barking up the wrong tree. Uncle Hal has an air tight alibi. He was home. A guard proves that.” Without saying anymore, John walked into his house.