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

by Jacqueline Druga

  With even more embarrassment, Ellen’s head plopped to the table.

  Andrea noticed Dean at that moment. “Dean. Is this bothering you?”

  Dean wasn’t laughing. He just stared blankly at his water. His thumbs on his cheeks, his fingers sprawled across his forehead.“I’m trying Andrea.” His head moved side by side in disbelief. “I’m really trying to get this mental picture of Ellen dancing around naked in front of a bunch of hooting guys. I can’t do it. I just can’t do it.”

  Andrea smiled and ran her hand across his back. She looked at Joe. “Joe, this must be a shock to you.”

  “Nah.” Joe said. “I knew about it. I asked Frank where he was getting the money and he told me.”

  Robbie had enough, it was time to step in. He stood up from his chair and walked behind Ellen. He held his hand down to her. “El, it’s been a really long time since I danced. Can I have this dance?”

  Ellen sighed in relief. “Thank you, Robbie, yes.” She grabbed his hand and stood up.

  Robbie led Ellen away from the table, and away from the loud laughter. He placed his arm around her waist and held his left hand up. “It’s been awhile. Be patient.”

  Ellen placed her hand in his. “No problem. Thank you for the rescue.”

  While everyone still laughed at Ellen’s past, Andrea took notice of Robbie and Ellen on the dance floor. “Uh oh. We may have a problem.”

  Everyone stopped laughing and looked.

  Frank’s chair slammed down to all four legs when he saw Robbie, not so much dancing but holding Ellen. The huge grin on Frank’s face was gone.

  Andrea shook her head. “We may have that problem again, Joe. You know the same one you had? Survivor syndrome.”

  Joe remembered, but cringed when he thought about it.

  Andrea continued. “It looks like it’s happening again. I remember when Trish latched on to you, thought you were some sort of God. She loved you. It was pretty funny though how she kept showing up naked everywhere for you.” She looked out to the dance floor.

  Frank was not amused. His fingers played with the dampness on his glass as his eyes stayed fixed on that dance floor. He saw what the others did. Robbie and Ellen dancing close. But what he didn’t see was Robbie wasn’t dancing with Ellen. It the midst of an overwhelming welcoming party, Robbie was stealing that moment to grip onto the emotional security blanket he found in Ellen.

  ***

  “Oh, yeah.” Frank’s raspy voice whispered in a commentating way. “He’s Frank Slagel. Sensing danger at every corner.”

  Joe raised an eyebrow as he peered above his cards to George across the table.

  “Ignore him,” George said.

  Joe grunted.

  Frank continued in his low key speaking. “The hulking master of strategy cannot be spotted . . .”

  Joe’s eyes fluttered as he reached for a card.

  “Ignore him,” George reiterated.

  “But then . . .” Frank’s voice raised with enthusiasm. “Out from the brush, he spots his target. Oh no.”

  Joe cringed when he heard the squirting of water then Robbie and Henry’s shrieking from Frank’s playing with the water sprayer of the sink . . . again. “Frank!” Joe slammed his hand on the table. “Grow up and go home.”

  “Dad.” Frank put the sprayer down. “I’m just having fun.”

  “Yeah, well, go home.” Joe laid down his card.

  “All right. Robbie.” Frank tossed his brother a towel. “Walk with me?”

  “Yeah.” He wiped off his face and tossed the towel to Henry. “I’m tired. Night Dad.” Robbie walked over to Joe and kissed him on the cheek.

  “Night.” Joe smiled and listened to his sons leave. “Your turn, George.”

  “Joe.” Henry called out. “Frank got water all over the floor.”

  “Clean it up.” Joe laid down a card.

  “But, Joe.” Henry gasped. “I didn’t make the . . .”

  “You were playing around too, Henry.” Joe scolded as he played cards. “Clean it up.”

  “Oh my God, Joe.” Henry whined. “You are such a tyrant. And a typical parent. Your kids never do anything wrong. Huh?”

  Joe shook his head as he grabbed onto the two of spades. “Did we put that man on Council on purpose?” He laid the two down. “Gin.”

  Their out-of-breath laughter echoed in the silent sleeping living section of the community. Frank and Robbie slowed in their race as they reached the row of houses where Robbie lived. Frank grinned when he came to a stop. “It was great night.”

  “Yeah it was.”

  “Hey. If I don’t see you beforehand, good luck tomorrow your first day.” Frank gave a swat to Robbie’s arm. “Night.”

  Robbie nodded and noticed the direction Frank walked. “Frank? Where you going? I thought you lived that way.” Robbie pointed to the opposite direction. “Of course, I might be wrong.” He scratched his head. “Everything looks alike.”

  Frank smiled almost embarrassed. “Nah, I do live that way. I . . . kind of like to walk by El’s. My way of saying goodnight.”

  “It has to bother you that she lives with Dean.”

  Frank shrugged. “No. I can’t let it. Besides, last year . . . let’s just say they stopped being a real couple. And Dean, he works a lot of nights at the lab. Their living together is just a formality.”

  “Do you believe that?”

  Frank nodded slowly and tossed up his hands as he walked backwards. “I have to. Or else . . . I’ll drive myself crazy.” Frank waved once more to Robbie and moved on.

  ***

  The tickling on her back awoke Ellen from her deep slumber. She had to wonder if it was some sort of weird seduction that Dean was trying but quickly realized the more she came to, it wasn’t a tickle, but a darting pressure. Lying on her stomach Ellen opened her eyes and saw her bedroom light was on. Turning her head she squinted to look.

  Dean gave an innocent smile as he peered over the rims of his round glasses. “Sorry. Did I wake you?”

  “What . . . what are you doing?”

  “I had a great thought.” Dean lifted up a tablet from her. “And your back was the best hard flat surface.”

  “I was your desk?” Ellen plopped her head back down. “Dean, your scientific eccentricities are gonna drive me nuts.”

  “Sorry.” He smiled.

  “And your immunity to cold. Can you shut the window? I’m freezing.”

  “Sure.” Chuckling because Ellen failed to realize he had lowered the blankets for easier writing, Dean kissed the small of her back and covered her. He sat up, crawled over her body and darted to the window. The air was cold as it seeped through the window straight through his boxer shorts. Parting the drapes only momentarily, Dean closed the window then went back to bed, waiting for Ellen to fall back to sleep.

  Frank didn’t take the quick glimpse of Dean closing the bedroom window as a shot of reality. He couldn’t. He had to envision in his mind, Ellen elsewhere in the house. As blind as it made him feel, or as dumb, that’s what Frank had to do or else, like he told Robbie, he would drive himself nuts. Things were on their way to changing, Frank knew that. It would just take time. Less the peaceful feeling he thought he would get from a pass by Ellen’s house, he looked once more up to the bedroom window, then Frank walked home.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  May 10th

  Robbie woke up early after his first night in his new home. He didn’t sleep well, but it was not due to nightmares. The bed was hard, a strange hardness that was worse than any ground he had ever slept on. Robbie didn’t realize people began working so early in the community. He was shocked to see Henry when he decided to take a walk around. Henry was heading off to work, ‘lots to do’, he had told Robbie. It was Robbie’s first real day, he would see the office then head off to the first area of the compound they felt he should learn. Surprisingly, that was medical at the clinic. He didn’t mind working with Dean and learning all the equipment used. He also knew by bein
g at the clinic, he would see Ellen. Ellen made Robbie feel normal.

  Robbie joined Henry in the barely daylight hours, in entering what appeared to be a tool shed, but was actually the main office of the mechanical division.

  “Meet Michelle.” Henry introduced the red head to Robbie upon their entrance to the mechanical division.

  Michelle turned around in her chair to face Robbie, her mouth dropped open. “Are you sure you’re a Slagel?”

  “Born and bred.” Robbie replied.

  “That’s what I was afraid of. You know your brother doesn’t like me too much.”

  “You don’t say.” Robbie said snide.

  “I’m sure you heard his, ‘I borrowed the van’ line. I did. He keeps forgetting how mean he was to me.”

  “Frank, mean? No.” Robbie was sarcastic. Perhaps he wasn’t giving her the chance he should due to Frank’s warnings. Or perhaps he was genuinely afraid that Frank would kick his ass if he found out he was sitting with Michelle, and being nice to her.

  Michelle felt as if she had struck out, she rolled her eyes and gave up. “Whatever, I see the attitude runs in the family.” She turned her back to him and resumed her work.

  “Sorry Michelle, maybe my attitude should be a little better if I’m gonna be working in this division.”

  Michelle turned back around at him and smiled. “Thank you for saying that. Maybe I jumped to conclusions about you being a typical Slagel.”

  “In some aspects I am, so don’t let your mind wander too far off the Slagel track. I don’t want to catch you off guard.”

  Enough idle chat, Henry thought, it was time to continue on. “O.K., come on Robbie, I’ll give you the low down on our little office here.”

  Robbie turned from Michelle and gave Henry his complete attention. “Give it to me.”

  “This is where we come every morning to check what’s on the schedule to fix. We have over here. . .” Henry walked over to another door. “Manuals, on just about everything. If it’s in the community, chances are we have related material on how to fix it. Usually we can figure it out ourselves. Also in here is where we do the menial work. Like right now, Michelle is making batteries, we go through them like water. Frank kills the batteries in his radio, kills them, but when he asks, he gets first priority. His radio is of most importance, if we need him, it has to be working.”

  “So what happens if say, my dad needs help, but his batteries aren’t working because we gave them to Frank?”

  “We do a daily check on all the waist radios, it doesn’t happen.” Henry’s voice held a tint of annoyance. He felt like he didn’t even have to answer that question. “Besides, Frank is the only one who leaves his on twenty-four hours a day. Even when he’s sleeping, it’s on just in case. Now . . .” Henry moved from the door. “Come with me, I’ll explain how requisitions work here, and I want to show you the array of tools and equipment we’ve collected. I also want to see what you are familiar with before I head you down to be with Dean for the day.”

  “Sounds good.” Robbie followed Henry, saying one more goodbye to Michelle before leaving the office area. Henry didn’t seem as if he wanted to show Robbie any of it. He was much more than serious with Robbie, and had a tone of bitterness to him. Robbie wondered if maybe Henry was just not a morning or a nice person, or at least to Robbie he wasn’t. Robbie chalked up Henry’s attitude to paranoia. Henry didn’t strike him as the type to be mean. He was always pleasant with everyone. Shaking off the bad vibes he was receiving, as newness and nerves, Robbie, tense, followed Henry about.

  ***

  Johnny knocked once on the doorway to Joe’s office, he snuck his head in the door to see if Joe was there. “Hey, Pap.”

  Joe lowered his glasses and looked up to Johnny from his paper work. “Hi Johnny, what’s up?”

  “Can I come in?”

  “Sure.” Joe continued his work.

  “What are you doing?” Johnny sat down across from his grandfather.

  “Chicken rations. Damn coops are getting over run. We have eggs coming out our asses. We have more chickens than we know what to do with, and something has to be done. At least some living creatures in the community are re-producing.” Joe looked up at him. “And my sarcastic comment is not geared toward you.”

  “No, not me Pap. I have no desire for a baby.”

  “Good. However, if people in the town don’t start conceiving, we may be in trouble. Of course, that’s not a topic for conversation now, that’s saved for next week’s town meeting.”

  “You’re having a town meeting to tell people to have sex?”

  “No. To talk about building population . . . Frank junior.” Joe shook his head. “What do you want? Why are you here at nine in the morning, aren’t you supposed to be in the field?”

  Johnny took a deep breath, he was nervous and his stomach flipped. “You run things here Pap, so I have to come to you about this. And you know what, you do a great job, a great job. . .”

  “What do you want?”

  “Well, you have me in the fields, and working with Dad in security.”

  “O.K. so? What’s the problem?”

  “Pap, do you think I’m smart?”

  “I think you’re very smart. Why?” Joe was interested in where the conversation was going.

  “Doctor Dean thinks I’m smart too. In fact, he thinks I’m very smart. So smart that . . .that he wants to train me to be the next generation’s doctor.”

  “You and Dean have discussed this? Why didn’t Dean come to me with this?”

  “At first we thought we should speak to Dad, you know, because he wants me in security really bad. We didn’t see you having a problem with it. But I’ve chickened out telling Dad.”

  “We’ve trained you to fly Johnny. We’ve trained you to shoot.”

  “I know. But Dean wants to train me to save lives. He wants me in the lab, in the clinic, he has books for me to learn from. He says that he’s more into research and Andrea into doctoring, he wants me to do both. This is something I want Pap.”

  Joe rubbed his chin as he stared at Johnny. He was silent for a very long time before he spoke. “A doctor is a very important thing Johnny. So, how can I say no . . .”

  “Yes!” Johnny grabbed the arm of the chair in excitement.

  “Wait. Before you get your ass in a tizzy. You’ll be in the learning phase, so . . . I still want you to fly when needed, security when needed and you will give me three morning hours in the field before you study with Dean.”

  “No problem.” Johnny agreed.

  “And you’ll have to tell your dad you won’t be doing security anymore.”

  “That’s a problem.”

  “Why?”

  “Dad’s gonna be mad, he’ll be disappointed. Can you tell him?”

  “Christ Johnny.” Joe grabbed a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. “You can’t be afraid of your father.”

  “Pap please. You do it, unless you’re afraid of him.”

  “I’m not afraid of Frank. It’s just that he has such a goddamn hard head. And to make matters worse, you’ll be spending time with Dean, your father has never liked him, ever.” Joe saw the sad pleading eyes of his grandson. He huffed. “Fine, I’ll tell him. But you owe me big time.”

  “Thanks, Pap.” Johnny jumped up from his chair, ran around the desk and kissed Joe on the cheek. “You’re so fair. That’s why you run this place.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Joe waved him away. “Now get your ass back to work. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Thanks.” Johnny ran from the office. A tremendous burden had been lifted from him. Unfortunately, he placed it on his grandfather’s shoulders.

  ***

  Ellen worked at her desk. She filled out the stupid reports for Joe on what she did, whom she tested and so forth. She signed the letter recommending Chuck, another male survivor, to be released in the morning. She didn’t foresee any problems with that. Miguel was waiting on the six-foot, twenty-five year
old. Miguel had plans already to beef him up. Chuck was fine, he was adjusted after the average two week stay.

  Ellen placed the letter to the side when she heard a soft tapping on her door. She looked up. She saw those pretty green eyes first, then the bright smile of Denny.

  “Hi, El. Mom said you wanted me.”

  “Come on in, Den. Sit down.”

  “Thanks. Wow this place is cool, I was never in here, you know.” Denny sat down.

  “I know. I have something to ask of you. A favor.”

  “Sure I’ll do it.”

  “Don’t you want to know what it is?” Ellen asked.

  “Sure.”

  Ellen laughed at him. Denny was so cute and such the perfect kid. “Denny, you know we have two kids in here. Well, the grown up survivors are moving toward getting out, there’s lots I have to do with them and I can’t give the kids my complete attention. They need that to help them adjust as well until we find them homes here. So, I was sort of hoping I could get you to come in here a couple hours a day to help and teach those kids.”

  “Oh, wow. Oh cool. Hey, O.K., do we start now?” Denny was excited. Not many people asked for his help.

  “This is great.” Ellen grinned. “Come with me, I’ll introduce you.” She walked from behind her desk, Denny followed. “Now, Den, they get quiet and scared. I don’t want that to stop you from talking, or playing with them. Just keep going, no matter if they say a word or not.”

  “I’m used to that. People do that to me all the time.”

  Smiling, Ellen led him to the two children who scurried back some. “Hey guys.” She knelt before the two boys on the floor. “This is Denny. He’s a big kid like yourselves. He’s gonna be your new pal.”