Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8

by Jacqueline Druga

  “John?” Jenny called out.

  “Down here.” John grabbed the paper from the fax machine, didn’t read it, unhooked the phone, and unplugged the machine. “I’ll be right up.”

  “Is the baby with you?” Jenny yelled down the steps.

  “Uh yeah.” John fussed to the storage cabinet, pulled out the awaiting box on the bottom shelf, and set the machine awkwardly in there, while holding the baby.

  “You need me to come down and get her?”

  “No!” John yelled up. “We’re fine.” He covered the fax machine with cloths, shoved it in the box on the bottom shelf again, and placed it way in the back. “I’m getting my clothes for the game. I’ll be right up.” Walking over to the dryer where he laid down his fax, he could hear Jenny walking above him. He picked it up, bouncing the baby on his hips as he read. “Are we getting a little panicked, George?” He looked at the words. ‘Contact us now! This is not a game. This is your warning!’ John shook his head. “Yeah, well what are you gonna do about it? I think you’re at a loss or you would have done something by now.” Smirking at the note, he nearly dropped the baby and the paper when Jenny’s voice was far too close.

  “John?”

  John looked up immediately. Jenny was on the bottom basement step. “Jen.”

  “Are your clothes done?”

  “As a matter of fact,” John turned the dryer on, “they were still damp.”

  “What are you reading?”

  John looked down to the paper. “A Frank-roster.” He crumbled it up.

  “Don’t you need that?” Jenny asked.

  “No.” John threw it in the wastebasket by the washer. “Nope, not at all. It’s not important.” He walked to the steps and handed Jenny the baby. He followed her up the stairs, looking back to the trash. “Not important at all.”

  <><><><>

  Dean felt the warmness of the late afternoon sun beating down upon the bridge of his nose. The heat that generated from the homemade bleachers he sat upon made him just a little uncomfortable. So many sounds surrounded him, children screaming and laughing to his right, adults chattering to his left. The deadened sound of ‘thumps’ followed by yells which were as distinctive to Dean as the ball players playing on the field. Dean never played, but what he wouldn’t give to be out there playing now. It felt like a great day. He only wished he knew. “El?”

  “Yes?” Ellen sat next to him on the fourth bleacher. She held Nick.

  “What color is the sky?”

  “The same color it’s been all my life. Blue.”

  “No, I mean now. Is it overcast? Is it light blue, dark, what?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Can you look?”

  Ellen gasped, perturbed.

  “I can’t believe you just gasped at me.”

  “Light blue, Dean.”

  “Any clouds?”

  “Dean!”

  “El, be nice.”

  Ellen looked up. “Very few, and don’t ask if they’re white and fluffy.”

  “I won’t. You know ...” Dean leaned forward. “It’s days like this, when so much is going on, that I wish I could see.”

  Ellen got somber and she reached out her hand to his face. “I’m sorry. I wish with all my heart you could see too, Dean.”

  “I know.” Dean touched her hand as it slid from his face. “Are they starting yet?”

  “Nope. The star is not here.”

  “Frank?”

  “Who else?’

  “El? You got awfully quiet. First you were rambling, then you got quiet.”

  “You hate when I ramble, Dean,” Ellen stated.

  “But I also hate when you’re quiet.”

  “Well make up your mind,” Ellen snapped.

  “Get out of the mood. I didn’t do anything to you.”

  “You’re right. Sorry. I was just staring at Nick. He looks so much like Henry. So much. Why does he have to look so much like Henry?”

  “That’s very simple, El. The Asian characteristics are very dominant traits. Basic genealogy will dictate that to ...”

  “Dean, I wasn’t asking for an explanation.”

  “Yes you were.”

  “No I wasn’t. I was merely stating a question, not looking for an answer.” She adjusted the baby. “Then you go off being all scientific on me.”

  “Ellen, come on. Knock off the attitude with me.”

  “Sorry. Dean? Do you think it’s too hot for the baby out here?”

  “No.”

  “Too cold?”

  “No.”

  “Should I have him in the ...”

  “Ellen.” Dean reached out sideways to touch her. “You know how it goes, however you feel then that’s pretty much how the baby feels.”

  “I’m comfortable, a little hot here and there.”

  “Then so is the baby.”

  “I take it I should remove the blankets.”

  “Blankets?” Dean asked. “Yeah, take off the blankets unless you want to give the baby heatstroke.”

  “But he’s so tiny.”

  “Ellen.”

  “They’re coming off right ... hey, looks like they’re gonna start. No, they’re switching warm up ... Oh my God.”

  “What?”

  “Frank. He looks so hot when he dresses like that. He has on these long shorts, this tee shirt, a backwards ball cap, and ...”

  “El, I really could care less how hot Frank looks.”

  “He does look ...” Ellen’s voice dropped, “Oh.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Henry’s there. Maybe he’ll get hit with the ball like he did last time.”

  “Knock some sense into him, huh?”

  Ellen smiled. “You’re cute, Dean.”

  “But not as cute as Frank.”

  “Not at this moment. No.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ellen waved to Frank who was catching. He tossed the ball back to Robbie then signaled to Ellen to come down. “Dean? Will you be all right for a second?”

  “Sure. Where are you going?”

  “Frank wants me. I’ll be back. I’ll grab you a cold drink while I’m there.”

  “Want me to hold Nick?” Dean asked.

  “Do you mind?”

  “Nope. Hey, I have to practice, right? Tonight is the big ‘try it alone’ night.” Dean felt his hands being maneuvered and Nick set in them. “Is he sleeping or awake?”

  “Sleeping. What does it matter?”

  “I’ll feel real dumb talking to a sleeping baby, El.” Dean made the infant more comfortable in his arms. “Go on. I’ll be fine,” Dean told her, not even realizing Ellen was already gone.

  She walked to the fence that the men had proudly erected a few months earlier. As she walked to it, so did Frank. She saw Henry look over to her and miss the ball thrown to him because he was so preoccupied with staring at her. Ellen snickered and met Frank at the fence. “Hey, Frank, you guys gonna start soon. It’s five thirty.”

  “In a minute or two.” He adjusted his cap and looked to the bleachers at Dean. “You don’t have the baby in blankets, do you?”

  “No. Do you think I’m nuts?” Ellen fluttered her lips. “You look good, Frank.”

  “Thanks.” He smiled. “Hey, what are you doing later?”

  “Why?”

  “Answer the question.” He poked his finger through the fence and touched the tip of her nose. “What are you doing later? Wanna go out?”

  “As in a date?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Don’t ask me on a date, Frank. I have to say no.”

  “All right, you wanna hang out then?”

  “I don’t know.” Ellen looked back at Dean. “He’s trying to be alone with the kids later, but I still want to hang out there.”

  “I can get Josh to go over.”

  “Frank ...”

  “Will you think about it?” he asked.

  “Will you let me touch your chest?”

  With a
n ornery grin, Frank walked to the edge of the fence and lifted his shirt.

  Ellen followed him then smiled as she ran the palm of her hand up his hairy flat stomach and to his hair-filled chest.

  “Not that I’m complaining, but can I ask why you asked for this?”

  “Call it a fix. You look really good and I haven’t touched a hairy chest in a while.” She continued to touch him with a peaceful look on her face.

  “Almost done?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Can I make a suggestion? Unless you want to embarrass both you and me, you’d better stop.”

  Ellen quickly pulled back her hand and laughed. “I’ll head back up, with Dean.”

  “Think about tonight. I have some perimeter work to do and we can go, I mean hang out after.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Ellen flashed flirtatious smile at him, walked to the lemonade cooler, got Dean a drink, carried it back up to the bleachers, and stopped once more to wave to Frank.

  Frank walked back to the fence and leaned on it. While he watched Ellen, his fingers gripped tightly to it. He watched her demeanor and really worried about it. Though she smiled, she didn’t smile one-tenth as much as she looked lost.

  “She hates me.” Henry walked up behind him.

  “Nah. She’s pissed at you.”

  “Well at least you are benefitting from this.”

  “Not really.” Frank dropped his voice to a murmur, “Not yet.”

  “I heard that. Don’t be a dick, Frank, or at least don’t rub it in. I’m depressed.”

  “Well, I can’t rub anything in yet. Not with Dean like he is.” Frank motioned his head up to the bleachers to Dean and Ellen. “Look at her with him. It’s sick. She gets him his drink, lives with him. God, I have to get him self-sufficient or I’m not getting her away from him.”

  “He’s getting there, Frank. You did good.”

  “Not good enough.” Frank nudged Henry. “Hey, you’re the fix-it guy. Why don’t you make him some new eyes so he can see?”

  “Easier said than done, Frank,” Henry stated, taking Frank’s joking request so seriously. “If I could make him new eyes I would. Unfortunately, his blindness has nothing to do with his eyes. It’s all in his brain signals. Now if I could ... If I could ...”

  “If you could what?”

  “Oh shit!” Henry’s eyes grew wide.

  “What?” Frank looked next to him and Henry was backing up. “Henry, where are you going?”

  A huge grin hit Henry as he held his hand up. “You have to play without me, Frank,” he spoke rapidly and excitedly. “I have to take care of something. Tell everyone not to bother me.” He got farther away. “This is important. Yes!” He took off running.

  “Henry, what the ...” Frank grunted and turned to the field. “Fuck. Now I’m short a player.” He faced the fence again and whistled loudly. He had no choice and he wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. “Hey, Dean! Come on, we need you!”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Dean chuckled, lying on his couch, his back against the arm of the sofa, headphones on, and Nick on his chest. His eyes were closed, and his knees were bent up to allow room for Ellen who sat on the opposite end of the couch, reviewing notes.

  Ellen would read, make a notation, look up to the noise above her, then smile and shake her head at Dean, who continuously chuckled. It was nearing the end of an uneventful evening at home. Working and relaxing on the couch, her leg catching Dean’s for some contact. She was so comfortable that she hated the thought of getting up when she heard the knock at the door. She debated, then yelled out, “Come in!”

  Dean slid his headphones off slightly. “Huh?”

  “Not you,” Ellen told him and watched him close his eyes again and listen. She looked up to the opening door to see Frank peek his head in.

  “Hey, El. I brought Brian home.” Frank stepped in. “Ready? I got him haircut. Actually, I cut it myself.”

  Ellen screamed when she saw Frank lift the baby and walk in with him. “Oh my God! What did you do to him? He’s bald!”

  Dean flung off the headphones. “What are you screaming, El?”

  “Brain’s bald. Frank gave him a crew cut.”

  Dean’s eyes widened. “No, tell me he did not cut off that kid’s curly hair.”

  “Uh ...” Ellen shifted her eyes to Frank who held his finger over his lips and shook his head at her. “No, Dean, it was uh ... blind joke. Go back to listening to your reading.”

  Dean nodded, rewound his tape, and listened again.

  Frank walked to the arm of the sofa behind Ellen and kissed her on the cheek. “What are you doing?”

  “Going over some notes. Can you put Brian in his walker? It’s in the dining room.”

  “Sure.” Frank carried the now shaven-head child to the dining room and set him down. “Kids upstairs?”

  “Playing,” Ellen told him.

  “I’ll let them go. Hey, I’m going to do that perimeter. Smell me, El. I smell good.” He leaned into her.

  “You were hanging around Robbie, weren’t you? I smell cigarettes.”

  Frank sniffed and shrugged. “Anyhow, you gonna come out with me tonight?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I’ll stay here in case Dean needs me.”

  “Come on, El. Josh will come over. He already said so.” Frank knelt down behind her. “Please.”

  “I’m not in a good mood, Frank.”

  “I’ll put you in one.” He saw Dean laughing. “What the hell is he listening to?”

  “Oh, Jason has been recording Dean’s favorite books. You remember Dean loves to read. So, right now he’s reading The Albertine Experiments, or rather listening to that research. Boring.”

  “Doesn’t sound it.” Frank reached over Ellen’s shoulder and hit Dean’s foot and kept hitting Dean’s foot until Dean stopped the tape.

  Again, Dean lowered the headphones. “What, El?”

  “Not me. Frank.”

  “Frank? What do you want, Frank?”

  “Enjoying your book, Dean?” Frank asked with sarcasm.

  “As a matter of fact, yes.” Dean tried to put on his headphones.

  “Any good sex scenes?”

  “It’s research, Frank,” Dean snapped.

  “So, any good sex scenes?” Frank snickered when Dean groaned. “Hey, Dean, are you still pissy about losing the game for your team?”

  “I didn’t lose the game for my team, Frank. I can’t believe you guys had me playing ball.”

  “You did good,” Frank told him, “even though you lost the game. One run, one run was all you guys needed.”

  “I hit the ball.”

  “Very impressive too, but you also got thrown out at first, because you ran the wrong way.”

  Dean gasped in shock. “What do you expect? First you guys yell because I miss the two fly balls that came out to right field. Then your team throws me out on a base I can’t see. I should have been cut a break, Frank. I can’t see.”

  “Yeah well let me tell you, Dean, the blind shit is starting to get old.”

  “Go away, Frank.”

  “I’m leaving.” Frank stood up. “El, I’ll be at the hall. Please stop by.”

  “I don’t know,” Ellen said. “Dean might need me.”

  “Dean,” Frank called him, getting in response a very annoyed look. “You don’t need Ellen tonight, do you? I’ll get Josh to come over and lend a hand. She can come hang with me right? Tell her to.”

  “No I’m not telling her to.” Dean started to put on his headphones, but stopped. “I might send her there if she doesn’t let me sleep again, so don’t be surprised if she does show up.” He laughed and put his headphones on.

  “See, El.” Frank kissed her again as he moved from the couch. “Finish your work and meet me there.”

  “I’ll think about it, really I will. But ... Henry won’t be there will he?”

  “No.” Frank shook his head. “I haven’t a clue where Henry is.
He went to do something, said not to bother him, and zipped away.” Frank lifted his hands. “If he’s there I’ll send him here. Sound good?”

  “We’ll see.”

  “El, you’re giving me a complex here.” Frank reached for the door.

  “It’s not you, Frank, really it’s not.”

  “All right, I’ll see you.” Just as Frank started to leave, he stopped, ran to the back of the couch where Dean’s tape player sat, turned up the volume full blast, and took off out of the house laughing.

  Dean flung off the headphones, holding his ear. “El!”

  “Not me.” She pointed to the door then returned to her notes. “Frank.”

  “God is he an asshole.” Readjusting the volume, Dean listened again, happy that he only had to deal with two blind jokes on Frank’s visit. The headphones, and fortunately, Brian’s haircut was a blind joke also, but unknown to Dean, it wasn’t.

  <><><><>

  It was about the fastest Henry’s fingers ever moved against the computer keyboard. A cup of tea, a soldering iron, a workbench scattered with papers, and a circuit board sat in front of him. Henry would type, read, write, solder, and sip. But there was one thing Henry was doing as he worked at his computer. It was the one thing that Henry barely did all week and if he did it wasn’t sincere. Henry worked and Henry smiled.

  <><><><>

  “One dart.” Frank shouted loudly over the noise at the Social Hall to Danny. He closed one eye and twitched his head. “Man, doesn’t Robbie’s band ever take a break. God!” He held up his hand. “One dart, the bull’s-eye, and game over.”

  “You think,” Danny said, nearly instigating.

  “I know.”

  “Awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

  Frank lowered his throwing arm. “Danny, you haven’t been in Beginnings that long. I can do this.”

  “With one dart? Frank, it took you eight rounds to get the other two bull’s-eyes.”

  “Yeah, but I wasn’t trying. I didn’t want to embarrass you by kicking your butt your first night in the hall.” Frank reached over to the side of the bar and grabbed his drink then his cigarette that was setting in the ashtray.