Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8

by Jacqueline Druga

  “I hope you aren’t making a shoe reference.”

  “Well it certainly isn’t a Mary-Tyler-Moore reference.” He reached for his drink and cringed when she walked to him. “What?”

  “You are one nasty man.”

  “And you are ...” Frank couldn’t stop himself. He noticed what she wore and the man in him took over. His eyes skimmed down, looking at the little skirt she wore and her dimpling legs. Frank shuddered. “What the fuck are you wearing?”

  “Quit it about the shoes, Frank. Are you going to make fun of Ellen when she wears hers as well?” Jenny asked.

  “Ellen won’t wear them. I won’t let her.”

  Jenny laughed at him. “Oh yeah?” She held up the shoes and slammed them on the bar. “Here are Ellen’s.”

  “No way.” Frank slid them down.

  “Hers. Are you seeing her tonight?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Can you give her them?”

  “No,” Frank answered abruptly. “You give her them. Weren’t you supposed to drop them off at Dean’s?”

  “I went to Dean’s but they were kind of busy.”

  Frank scoffed. “They were too busy to let you drop off hideous shoes? It was an excuse. Ellen just doesn’t want them. They were lying to you.”

  “I hardly think two people lying on the floor naked is a ...” She saw Frank look up suddenly from his drink. “A uh ... uh ... I have to go.” She spun way. “John?”

  “Jenny.” Frank jumped in her path. “What ... what did you just say?”

  “Nothing.”

  “No. What did you just say?” He didn’t get an answer. “Fuck it. I know what you said.” He started to leave.

  “Frank.” Jenny grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”

  “What are they doing, Jenny?”

  “Why do you care? So what? Let it go and talk to her later.”

  “Let it ...” Frank let out a shocking breath. “Let it go? Oh, I don’t think so.” He pulled from her reach and charged out of the door.

  “Shit.” Jenny spun around confused, spotted John, and ran to him.

  “Hey, Jen, what ...” John stopped speaking when Jenny stole his phone from his belt. “What are you doing?”

  “Warning someone.” Jenny began to dial.

  <><><><>

  Laughing and wearing Dean’s shirt, Ellen bent down to the floor and picked up the swatch of color that Jenny must have dropped in her rush out. “Blue.”

  “What is?” Dean stood up zippering his pants.

  “This, see?”

  “El.”

  “Sorry. It’s a swatch of fabric so I can see the color for the bridesmaids’ dresses. It’s blue, very blue.” Her head turned to the phone ringing. “Where is the phone? Did you see it?”

  “El.”

  “Sorry. I mean ...” She moved to toward the dining room, following the sound. “Here it is.” She picked it up off the cabinet that sat between the living room and dining room. “Hello?”

  “Ellen,” Jenny said her name, grateful that she answered.

  “Jenny, you took my shoes.”

  “Ellen, listen to me. I’m sorry ...”

  “Jenny, let it go.”

  “No, listen. Frank’s on his way over. I didn’t mean to but I mentioned you and Dean were together.”

  “Oh.” Ellen spun to face Dean who stood, not knowing what expression was on her face.

  “Ellen, get dressed. Whatever you do, don’t let him catch you. He’s roused up.”

  “Jenny I ...” BOOM! The front door to Dean’s house burst open. “Shit.” Ellen hung up the phone, dropping it.

  Frank stood in the wide-open door looking around, assessing a situation that screamed answers to him. “What the fuck, El.”

  “Frank.” Ellen flew over to him as he charged forth.

  Dean felt lost. He didn’t know what way to turn. “Frank?” He took a deep breath.

  Ellen pressed her hands to Frank’s chest holding him back. “You have to leave.”

  “Fuck that. Fuck that!” His words were strong as he blared them out, “How can you do this, El? How? I thought things were happening between us. Things were happening. And you!” He spun and faced Dean. “You can’t even face me can you? I ought to nail your ass right now! You lied to me!” Frank charged toward Dean. “You lied! What was this shit you aren’t with her? What was this shit you gave me that you have no interest in her.”

  Dean turned his body as close to the point where he knew Frank’s voice was coming from. “What the hell did you expect me to tell you, Frank? Huh? The truth? No. Because you’d screw it up for me. You always screw it up for me.”

  “So you lied?”

  “And I’d lie again,” Dean huffed his words. “If you didn’t walk in here, you would never know. I wouldn’t tell you. I can’t take the chance of you trying to take her from me. I can’t. And you would, whether you want Ellen or not, you would try your hardest because you can’t accept the fact, Frank, that you are no longer a part of her life. Face it.”

  Ellen saw it. She watched the red on Frank’s face growing as Dean gave his short speech. Now was not the time for Dean to take his stand. Seeing Frank charge toward an unsuspecting Dean, Ellen dove forward, intercepting Frank’s reach, and stood before Dean. “Don’t, Frank!”

  “Move, El!”

  “I won’t let you touch him.”

  “I see.” Frank lifted his hands up in surrender.

  “No you don’t see,” Ellen snapped back.

  “I see! I see you jumping in the middle, nearly getting nailed, all to defend him.”

  “No I jumped in the middle because he can’t see you to defend himself!”

  “What?” Frank’s head twitched suddenly.

  “You heard me.”

  Frank looked past her at Dean who still didn’t look his way. “Oh bullshit!”

  “No it’s not bullshit.”

  “You’re telling me he can’t see? Bullshit. Another lie, El, another lie to cover up that what you did was wrong.”

  “It was not wrong,” Ellen argued. “You can’t come in here and pass judgment on me. You can’t.”

  “How can you stand here, half dressed, and tell me you’re not wrong? What about Henry?”

  “What about him?”

  Frank ran his hand down his face. “You live with him. He’s your primary relationship. You sleeping with Dean is not wrong?”

  “How can it be wrong when Henry knows?”

  Crushed! Frank felt that more so than if he had gotten hit. “Henry doesn’t know.”

  “Henry knows,” Ellen told him. “Henry’s known for a while. I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have crossed the line with Dean, if Henry didn’t know. The whole reason Henry and I got married was so I could freely be with Dean.”

  Fire raged through Frank upon hearing her tell him that. He stepped back, breathing short breaths through his nostrils. “Sorry I bothered you. Sorry I bothered your little understanding.”

  Ellen saw it in his face. She sensed it in his words, his anger, the hostility. “What are you doing, Frank?”

  Frank pointed to Dean. “He may not be able to see to defend himself but Henry sure as hell can.” Slamming his fist against the archway of the door, Frank stormed out.

  Ellen knew she didn’t have much time. Four houses down the street was all Frank had to go. “Oh my God.” She rushed around looking for something to put on.

  “El,” Dean called out to her, “what’s happening?” He listened to the sound of her footsteps as they ran up the stairs, shuffled on the floor above his head and thumped back down, Dean even thought he heard her stumble. “El? What’s going on?”

  Ellen pulled up her shorts. “I have to stop him. Oh shit, I have to stop him.”

  The panic was so predominant in Ellen’s voice that Dean felt it. “What?”

  “You heard him, Dean,” she spoke rapidly as she ran to the door. “And that look. That look, that look ... oh God, he’s going a
fter Henry.”

  <><><><>

  Henry had just about reached that point in his work where he was starting to get bored. He set down his book on the coffee table and began to sit. He expected Ellen to call him back soon. He did not expect the loud, single bang at his front door. Wondering who was joking around—loudly—Henry walked to the front door, opening it. “Frank?”

  “Just so you know,” Frank spoke graveled, “just so you were warned, and just so you can see it coming ... I’m gonna nail you right now.” Before Henry could respond, Frank did something he seldom did. He gave Henry everything he had and he sailed it to him in that one hit. A single hit that spun Henry and sent him flying back, knocking him into the end table, then rolling him onto the floor.

  Henry’s eyes rolled from the hit. He found himself face-first in his carpet, staring at blood that dropped swiftly onto it from his cheek.

  “Get up!”

  Henry blinked slowly. He watched the floor move in a blur, so foggy he felt.

  “I said get up!”

  Henry braced his hands upon the carpet, lifting his chest from the floor then bringing himself to his knees. “Frank ...”

  “I will not fight with you, Henry, and I will not argue with you until you get up!”

  His balance was lost and Henry was confused, not only from the hit but from what caused it. Stumbling, he reached for the already fallen end table and stood up. His wobbly legs caused him to tip then Henry stumbled forward, catching himself seconds before he hit the wall. Using it as a means of support, Henry faced Frank and leaned back swaying. “What is going on?” He wiped the blood from his cheek.

  “I cannot believe you have to ask me that.”

  “What, Frank?”

  “You were supposed to be my best friend. You are supposed to be the one person in Beginnings I can count on.”

  “I am!”

  “That’s bullshit, Henry. You killed me the worst. You know that? You have a child with Ellen, you sneak off and marry her and then, then I asked you, I asked you to be honest with me. I asked you to tell me if you stood behind Ellen and I. I asked if you supported us being together. YOU said yes. You said you would make sure of it and the whole time you lied!”

  “What are you talking about, Frank?”

  “Don’t!” Frank held his hand out pointing. “Knock it off! Answer me honestly, Henry. Do you have an understanding with Dean?”

  Henry waited before answering, “It’s not an understanding.”

  “Really.”

  “No, it’s not. It’s not supposed to be a understanding.”

  “Then you tell me why I had to walk in his house and see both of them half naked. Why?”

  “He ... he needs her, Frank.” Again, Henry wiped the blood that poured down his face.

  “So, it’s true. You married Ellen so they could be together. The whole you and me working together thing is bullshit. You did it so she could be with Dean.”

  “He needs her. It was temporary. That’s why I didn’t say anything to you.”

  “Temporary? He needs her?” Frank’s words held so much of an angry edge. “So you loan her out because he needs her? She’s not a fuckin lawn mower, Henry. She’s a person. You don’t loan her out until the next person needs to borrow her. You married her like a pimp. She’s not a fuckin whore and that is exactly what you’re making her.”

  Stupid or not, weak or not, Frank had crossed Henry’s line. Stepping to him with all of his strength, Henry swung out his tightly closed fist, connecting hard with Frank’s jaw.

  A sideways toss of Frank’s head then it snapped right back up. When it did, Frank grabbed hold of Henry’s shirt, tossing him back-first, hard into the wall.

  Henry bounced forward, falling to the floor. He saw Frank coming. What did he start? Hurrying to his feet and grabbing the lamp that laid there, Henry stood. In a turning spin, in his best defense, he smashed that lamp into the side of Frank’s head, trying to stop the maddening force of Frank he saw rippling his way.

  It was a blow that Frank felt. The pain of it knocked him off his balance and onto the floor. Losing his perception for only a second, Frank shook his head and felt his anger build even more. Facing the front door, Frank, with a growl, stood up ready to charge Henry. As he turned to face him, he saw Henry racing at him, but what Henry did not expect was for Frank to be so ready for him.

  Leaping his thin body at Frank, Henry felt himself being lifted farther than his physical capabilities allowed him to jump. Frank had hold of him and Henry’s charged-run only fed a strengthening fuel to Frank’s fire. Feeling himself going, Henry wasn’t going to go alone. With every bit of strength he had, he held on to Frank and in that instant both men crashed with a vengeance through the porch screen door, bouncing once off the steps and rolling out into the grassy area before them. So enthralled in their emotional battle, they failed to hear Ellen’s scream when they nearly knocked her over as she made her approach.

  Ellen, shaking, knew she was at a loss. Watching Frank stand up first and literally lifting Henry to his feet by his neck, told her Frank was out of control and Ellen raced off to go get help.

  “Robbie!” Ellen burst through Joe’s front door. “Joe!”

  Robbie sprang up from the couch. “El, hey did you come to get the kids or did you come to get me?” The smiled dropped from his face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Frank.” She caught her breath and then saw Joe walk in the room. “Joe!” She ran to him. “Frank ... Frank and Henry are fighting. They’re fighting bad, Joe. You have to stop them. Frank will kill him.”

  Joe barreled by Ellen without saying anything, following Robbie, who was already out the door.

  Robbie ran, bare feet and all, toward the vision of Frank and Henry not far down the street. From what Robbie could see, Henry was losing any fighting chance he ever had.

  Slam! Frank pummeled his fist into Henry, and Henry stepped back, leg over leg, catching himself before he fell. In a weakened run toward Frank, Henry swung out hitting Frank in the corner of his mouth. It was in that after-hit instant, with Frank blurry, and everything spinning around him, that Henry felt the tight grip to his throat. One huge hand of Frank’s had reached out snatched him forward. Henry couldn’t breathe. He felt the choke of Frank’s palm pressing with firmness against his neck. In a gasp for air, eyes somehow losing their steadiness, Henry found himself face to face with Frank, under Frank’s control. “Frank.” Henry tried to speak, his hands trying to free himself. “Frank, stop this.”

  “I’ll stop it.” Frank clenched his free hand into a fist, raising it in a torturous suspense to Henry. “For every lie you ever told me, Henry. For all the pain you caused me ...” Frank gripped tighter to a defenseless Henry. “Right here and now, I’m gonna finish this. It’s over!” Just as he was about to deliver what would have been his final devastating blow, Frank heard his brother call out.

  “Frank, no!” Robbie raced forward leaping at them and diving on Frank’s back. “Get off of him!”

  Frank struggled with his brother who held tightly to his fist. His choke hold on Henry slipped and Frank’s fingers reached out, grabbing Henry’s shirt. “No!” he growled, struggling more when Joe pulled at Henry trying to free him from his son’s grip. His emotions had built so strongly that all it took was one hard jolt of his body and he knocked Robbie off of him, jerked Henry towards him from Joe, and with both hands, he hurled Henry hard to the ground another five feet away. Frank then assailed forth at him, grabbing him, lifting him, and readying to hit him again.

  Joe saw it. Robbie saw it too. Frank wasn’t going to stop. He had reached his out-of-control point and it was going to take everything they had to bring him down. Both of them, Robbie and Joe, could not give up. They dove back into Frank’s battle trying to separate Frank and a now powerless Henry.

  Robbie was pulling at Frank, and Joe was pulling at Henry. Frank was grunting out a call of frustration, trying to swing his arm forward at Henry, trying to stand on his
feet against the powers that fought to bring him down. Robbie and Joe, despite their best efforts, were losing. How much more could Henry take?

  Suddenly, in the madness of the fight, a lone, single shot rang out, closely and loudly. One shot. In that one shot, Frank fell to the ground, bringing with him, not only Henry but also Robbie and Joe, who were holding on so tightly they had no choice but to fall right along with him.

  Like a commercial break at the height of an action scene, everything stopped and all movement ceased.

  Breathing heavily, Frank released Henry and swung his arm out to push off his brother. In doing so, Frank had cleared a visual path for himself. He saw the reason for the gunshot and the person who fired it. Ellen, holding a revolver out, walked toward the four men on the ground who all stared up at her. The gun shook from her trembling hand that embraced it.

  “I had to stop you,” she spoke coldly, pointing the gun at Frank the closer she stepped. “I had to.” Her words were emotional and the gun closed in on him. “If you touch him again, Frank, I swear to God, I won’t shoot you in the leg again. The next time I’ll kill you.”

  Frank took a long breath to slow his hyper breathing. He looked at Robbie, then Joe, and then at Henry. Then Frank found himself staring at the barrel of the revolver that was inches from his face. “Sounds good, El, but you see, there’s only one problem.” Frank huffed, shook his head in disbelief then raised his voice to a high level as he screamed in annoyance at her, “You didn’t shoot me!” He reached up, snatching the gun from her hand. “Gimme that! You aimed? You fuckin aimed at us? What the fuck is wrong with you shooting into a group of men? A shot in the air wouldn’t cut it. You had to fuckin aim! Your aim isn’t that good! What the hell, El?”