Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8

by Jacqueline Druga

  “She’s gone,” Frank commented and ate a brownie. “Whoa, she did a good job on these.”

  Henry sat up perkily. “I know why she’s like she is.” He saw he had their attention. “Andrea is in ... these brownies are good.”

  “Henry!” Frank yelled. “Andrea is in what?”

  “Love,” Henry answered, “with your father.”

  “Oh she is not in love with my father,” Frank said.

  “Is too,” Henry insisted. “Head over heels.”

  “They aren’t even together,” Frank argued.

  “Yes they are,” Henry insisted.

  “No they aren’t. Did she tell you this?” Frank asked.

  “No.” Henry shook his head. “But I can tell. I guess they’re hiding it like you hiding your smoking. But I’ll bet they are. Frank, she waits on him hand and foot. She’s all giddy when she’s around him. Love. Bows down to him, in so many words but not literally, I don’t think. That’s really none of my business.”

  “Please. No woman waits on a man hand and foot.”

  Dean laughed loudly once. “Frank, have you see Ellen with Henry? She’s bad with him.”

  “You’re kidding?” Frank asked. “No way.”

  “Yes.” Dean nodded as he chewed. “Frank, everyone talks about how much control you and I have over her. Nothing. It’s nothing compared to what Henry has over her.”

  “Henry.” Frank looked at him. “Knock the shit off.”

  “I don’t control her, Frank,” Henry stated. “Did it ever dawn on the two of you that I am nicer than the two of you? Or maybe she just likes me better.”

  “Oh really, Henry?” Frank said with arrogance. “A little cocky are you? Well, maybe you’re not the nicest one anymore.”

  “I am too.”

  “Nope.” Frank shook his head. “I’m telling you that guy Danny is nicer. Dean, this guy is really nice, and he’s not all high strung like Henry either.”

  “You don’t say.” Dean knew what Frank was up to.

  Henry tried to ignore them. “Danny is not nicer than me.”

  “He is too. I bet El knows,” Frank told him. “Henry, it’s after nine. Where is Ellen?”

  “At Containment,” Henry answered.

  “Where’s the new guy?” Frank continued.

  “At ... at Containment.” Henry reached for his milk. “But I’ll have you know, Mr. Smarty Pants, she has a social skills class tonight.”

  Dean cleared his throat. “Frank, correct me if I’m wrong. I might be wrong but when you and Ellen were together and she was cheating on me, didn’t she use that excuse? That she had a social skills class? And that they ran over?”

  “I’m pleading the fifth, Dean.”

  “I thought so,” Dean said. “You’re saying that she was taken by this new guy? I’m a little worried, Frank. If I were Henry, I wouldn’t be so sure. She’s been around us for how long? We know Ellen. Someone new. Someone nice. Someone clean and ...”

  “Dean,” Frank interrupted, “you can stop now.” He snickered. “Henry left.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  JULY 28

  It was as if he could actually see the files he pulled from the filing cabinet. Henry watched Dean, thumbing through, his mouth murmuring as if he were counting or something then Dean would pull out a file.

  “Dean? How are you doing that?”

  “I’m remembering the names of everyone in Beginnings and counting files. Here. Who’s this?” Dean held the file out to his side.

  “Gerry Sanders.”

  “That’s one of who I need.”

  “Wow, Dean, this is really amazing.”

  “Who’s this?” Dean handed him another file.

  “Bill Trobino.” Henry looked at the name.

  “Good. Need him too.” Feeling the file cabinet, Dean closed it. “That’s everyone. Walk back to my lab and wait with me. Henry?”

  “That’s why I’m here, to wait for Frank with you.”

  “What am I in for today, Henry?” Dean grabbed his files and moved slowly to the door. He paused and then turned right.

  “Um ... you’re in for an interesting day.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Are you counting paces, Dean?”

  “Yes.”

  “Was Frank right? Or was I? Was it twenty-five Dean-paces or Frank-paces to the lab?”

  “Frank-paces. Wanna know how I know? I came here last night with him and followed his stupid chart. I walked twenty-five paces, turned left, and bam, I hit a wall. So we recalculated. I stayed up most of the night memorizing the steps from the lab to the file room and so forth.”

  “Do you think Frank’s pace map will actually help you then?” Henry asked.

  “Yeah I do. Hey.” Dean stopped and turned left. “I’m at the lab right?” He didn’t get an answer. “Tell me I’m at the lab, Henry, so I don’t walk into a wall.”

  “You’re at the lab, Dean.”

  Dean smiled and walked inside. “Too bad you didn’t come back to the house last night. You could have come with us. Josh watched the kids and Frank and I were here working. Actually ...” Dean shrugged. “Actually, I thought he was being stupid and I yelled at him, but it ended up being fun. We went to the Social Hall last night and threw darts.”

  “That couldn’t have been much fun, Dean.” Henry sat down on a stool. “It had to be a pretty lopsided game, especially seeing how Frank can see the dart board and you can’t.”

  “He made it fair, Henry. He put on a blindfold. Well. we both had blindfolds on to cover up for me throwing badly too. It took an hour to play a countdown game that should have taken five minutes. But, aside from hitting old lady Josephine a few times with the darts, all went smoothly.”

  “Who won?”

  “Who do you think?”

  “Frank.”

  “Exactly.” Dean walked to the refrigerator, felt the clipboard that hung there, grabbed the third sheet, and opened the fridge. He pulled out a rack and walked to the counter, setting down the rack of blood tubes carefully. “Here, Henry, could you compare the names on this sheet to these tubes. I think I grabbed the right rack.”

  Henry took the sheet of paper and started to compare.

  “So why didn’t you come back to the house?”

  “That’s one of the things I came here early to talk to you about. I need to talk to someone and I thought you could help.”

  “Sure.” Dean felt to his side, found a stool, and sat. “What’s up?”

  “Last night ... oh by the way, you grabbed the right rack.” Henry set down the paper. “Last night I went to Containment. I snatched Ellen out of there, Dean. I kind of fought with her and made her feel guilty.”

  “How was Ellen with that?” Dean asked.

  “Sad that I made her feel badly.”

  “Why did you snatch her out of there, Henry?”

  “See ... whoops, sorry, Dean. When I got to Containment, they were laughing and joking around, everyone listening to that Danny guy rattle on and use Ellen as a visual aid. I don’t know why I got like I did.”

  “Henry, simple, you were jealous.”

  “No.” Henry shook his head. “I’m not a jealous person.”

  “Henry, you are.”

  “No I’m not, Dean.”

  “You are a very territorial guy, Henry. How much more blunt can I be?”

  “Dean, you’re wrong,” Henry stated. “How can I be a jealous person when you and her don’t upset me?”

  “Can I be perfectly honest with you?” Dean asked.

  “Please.”

  “OK. Henry, you are territorial. Now you are only well and fine when the situation falls within the realm of your Henry comfort zone. Anything that happens out of bounds from that drives you insane. It’s in everything you do. Mechanics, friends, life. That’s when your territorial tendencies come in. Last night was a prime example. Had she been with me, you wouldn’t have thought twice about it. But she stayed late at Containment and all over anoth
er guy, a guy who isn’t in your Henry rules. Therefore you got upset.”

  Henry grumbled a little. “I was a little upset last night, I was. But you know what, Dean? I refuse to let myself get like that anymore. I won’t.”

  “Can you though, Henry. You seem awfully threatened by the new guy. Ellen works at Containment.”

  “I’m just gonna have to trust the fact that he is just a Survivor right now. I have to trust Ellen.” He heard Dean snicker. “I trust her, Dean, and I won’t do that again. Mark my words, I won’t show my jealously again.”

  Ellen’s bright chipper entrance happened upon that lab as she shuffled in. “Morning! Or almost afternoon!” She giggled and set her phlebotomy tray on the counter. “Hi, Henry. Are you waiting for Frank with Dean?”

  “Yes. I’m helping them out today,” Henry replied.

  “Boy, I’ll tell you,” Ellen spoke loudly, “what a weight I feel was lifted off my shoulders, especially with people beginning to know you’re blind, Dean. They only have nice things to say.” She moved to the counter and saw the stack of folders. “Are these for me to work on?”

  “Yes,” Dean said. “I also have the rack out for you. Remember their virus strained blood is on the second shelf at the mobile fridge.”

  “Got it.” Ellen gave a thumbs-up. “Oh! Can I tell you guys a joke? I have a really cool joke. I laughed and laughed.” She snickered. “Can I?”

  Henry grinned. “A joke? Wow, it has been forever since I heard a funny joke. Dean, how about you?”

  Dean lifted his hand and let it fall with a slap. “At least one that hasn’t been told a million and one times. Shoot, Ellen, tell us your joke.”

  “Really?” She shifted her smiling eyes. “Good. Thanks. Oh gees, the pressure. I hope I don’t screw it up.” She rubbed her hands together. “Here it is. These two whales, Mr. and Mrs. Whale, were swimming in the ocean. The guy whale says to his wife, ‘Hey I hear a fishing boat and I know it’s the sailors that tried to stab me last year.’ Well the wife, being a wife mind you, says, ‘Oh how do you know?’” Ellen heard Henry snicker. “It’s funny, huh? So the husband insists that it’s the boat and he begs his wife, like a good husband should, to help him out. Against her will she says, ‘Oh, all right ...’ So the husband tells her, ‘When the boat comes near, I’ll go under it and rock it like mad. Then you, you snort at them blasting them with your water and when they fall out of the boat, you eat them.’” Ellen paused to laugh. “Here’s where it gets funny. So the wife ... the wife goes, ‘Fine, but get this straight, I have no problem snorting at them but I refuse, refuse to eat the fishermen!’” At the end of her joke, Ellen burst into laughter and so did Henry.

  Henry smiled brightly. “That was really funny, El. Really funny.”

  Dean was lost. “I’m blind, not dense. What? I don’t get it.”

  Ellen gasped. “I can’t believe you don’t get it, Dean. She’ll snort, but won’t eat the fishermen. Get it?”

  “No.” Dean shook his head. “Ellen, there is absolutely nothing funny about that joke. Henry, are you insane, why are you laughing?”

  “It’s funny.”

  “No it’s not.”

  “See, Dean, that’s because you weren’t listening.” Henry took a breath and stood up. “You have to decipher Ellen’s punch line. What she meant to say was that the wife whale would blow, but she refused to swallow the seamen.”

  Ellen quickly looked at Henry. “That’s what I meant to say.” She laughed. “Wasn’t that funny? Dean, wasn’t it funny?”

  “Yeah. Ha, ha, ha.” Dean shook his head. “And where in the world are you hearing jokes from anyhow?”

  “Oh.” Ellen slid in a stool next to Dean. “Danny. He told me. He has a million. He’s so funny.”

  Dean wished with everything he had that he could see the expression on Henry’s face, but Dean really didn’t need to. He heard the breath that Henry tried to hide and just sensed the immediate tension. “Henry,” he called out in a warn.

  “El.” Henry moved to her. “When did Danny tell you this joke?”

  “This morning. I stopped over to get some papers.”

  “El,” Henry spoke her name so strongly. “Did nothing we talked about ...” Henry’s head jolted when he heard the loud slam coming from where Dean stood. He looked to see Dean picking up a clipboard.

  “Sorry.” Dean set the clipboard down. “Clumsy. So, Henry, uh ... gosh, Ellen came in and interrupted us. What were we talking about right before she came in? I can’t remember, can you? Do you remember? It’s only been a few minutes.”

  “I don’t know, Dean,” Henry snapped off so annoyed. “Right now I’m too ... too ... cars. We were talking about cars. Wow, great conversation.”

  “Wasn’t it though,” Dean said.

  Ellen looked at them oddly. “Excuse me, Dean.” She stepped in between them. “Henry, you were going to yell at me. I would appreciate if you finish so you don’t stew about it all day.”

  “I was going to yell at you? When?” Henry played dumb.

  “Just now. About Danny. Yell.”

  “I wasn’t going to yell at you, El.”

  “Oh.” Ellen smiled. “Good.”

  Henry looked down at his watch. “I’ll be back. I want to see what’s taking Frank so long.”

  Waiting until he knew Henry was gone, Dean slammed his hand on the counter and held back his lab coat with one hand while leaning forward. “God!” Dean exclaimed loudly. “You really irritate me when you do that, El.”

  “Do what?”

  “Get scared of him. Why?”

  “Oh, please, it isn’t scared, I just don’t want to hear him whine. He’s jealous about Danny.” Ellen walked up to him. “I’m going to touch you.” She grabbed him harshly by the collar of his lab coat, leaned her back against the counter, and pulled him into her. “I’m scared of you ...”

  With a sarcastic laugh, Dean nodded. “Right, El. What a ...” His eyelids flickered when he felt her hand move up his chest and her lips hit his neck.

  “Enough!” Frank’s loud mouth blasted in the room. “Knock the shit off! What did I tell you last night about your hormones, Dean?” He laid his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Henry just said to me outside that he is really close to nailing your blind ass for touching her so much. Now, see, I have couth. Henry, he could care less. He’ll nail you, and I haven’t even taught you yet how to fight without sight.” Frank chuckled and snapped his finger. “Hey that was pretty good huh? Fight without sight.”

  “Frank!” Dean yelled out as he moved farther from Ellen. “Stop the stupid shit. I know Henry isn’t planning on hitting me.”

  “Was too,” Frank argued.

  “He was not.”

  “Dean.”

  “Frank!” Dean reached up running his hand across his forehead. “God, you annoy me.”

  “Trust me when I tell you you’re not my fuckin Prince Charming either, but let’s go lover boy.” Frank grabbed hold of his arm. “Say goodbye to, El.” Being helpful, Frank waved Dean’s hand for him and spoke female-sounding and high. “Bye, El. Bye.”

  Angry, Dean pulled from Frank’s hold. “I can do this, Frank.”

  “Dean ...”

  “No.” Dean started walking from the lab ... “You’re the one who preaches ‘do it yourself’, right? Well ...”

  “Dean.”

  “I don’t need your help, or for you to ...” WHAP! Dean was close, but not close enough to miss the archway of the lab door.

  Ellen cringed, Henry hunched, and Frank laughed loudly and annoyingly.

  Dean rubbed his head, shook it off, and like a cat, acted as if he meant to do that. Feeling around first, he walked out of the lab with Frank and Henry trailing closely behind.

  <><><><>

  “How’s that head, Dean?” Frank asked as he slid in the driver’s side of the awaiting jeep.

  Dean grunted and slid down in the front passenger’s seat. “Just drive to wherever you’re taking me, Frank.”
>
  Henry, sitting in the back, reached between the seats and laid his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Dean. It matches the one on the other side of your head.”

  “Swell.” Dean rubbed his head. “I swear to God not only am I gonna be blind for the rest of my life, but if I keep hitting my head, I’m going to be stupid as ...” Dean jumped a foot in the air when Henry’s high pitch scream startled him. “What!”

  “No!” Henry yelled. “No, Frank.”

  “Shut the fuck up, Henry. I have the jeep pointed in the right direction.”

  “I’m getting out,” Henry stated in a panic.

  “What?” Dean screamed. “What am I missing?”

  “Fr ... Frank.” Henry pointed. “He’s wearing a blindfold, Dean.”

  Dean laughed. “Yeah, I’m buying that. You two think you’re real funny.”

  “Frank,” Henry pleaded. “Don’t do this.”

  “Shut up, Henry.” Frank gripped the wheel. “I have to follow sounds. Don’t tell me where to turn unless I’m gonna hit something. Got that?”

  “Oh my God.” Henry covered his eyes. “I’m sitting in the backseat of a jeep that has a blind man riding front passenger and a blindfolded man driving. I’m dead, I know I’m dead.”

  Immediately Dean perked up. “You’re not kidding?” He reached for the door when he heard the jeep turnover. “Shit, I’m getting ...” His body jerked back when he felt the jeep move. “Henry? Henry? Henry! How’s he doing Henry? Oh Shit.” Dean held on.

  “I don’t know, Dean. I’m not looking.”

  Dean shrieked, “Look! Look! You’re the only one who can see. What are you crazy?”

  “No, Frank is.”

  Frank chuckled, bouncing some in the seat as he drove. “This is fun. How am I doing, Henry?”

  “Oh.” Henry moaned then moaned again. “Well ... you just missed Josephine.” Henry turned around in the seat of the jeep, looking back. “She’s fine though, Frank. She’s getting up. You just frightened her.”

  “Should I stop?” Frank asked.

  “No,” Henry told him, then turned back around. “She’s walking.”

  “What the fuck was she doing running around a field anyhow? She’s like what? Ninety?”