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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Tonight? Really? I’m gonna be working till ten.”

  “That’s fine.” Ellen said softly. “In fact, I have to remove my supplies from the examining room in Joe’s office. I’ll just do that tonight. Meet me there when you’re done and we’ll talk.”

  “Thank you.” Frank stepped to her.

  Ellen moved away. “Talk Frank. No touching.”

  Frank lifted his hand. “No touching. I can handle that. I can’t handle not talking to you.”

  A triple light tap on the door announced Henry before his voice did. “Neither can I.”

  Frank looked at him oddly. “Neither can you what?”

  “Handle not talking to Ellen, especially now because I need to talk to her.”

  Ellen shook her head. “Absolutely not. I learned my lesson with you, Henry.”

  Frank hid his snicker watching the two staring at each other. “I’ll uh . . .” He stepped back, shifting his body out. “Let you two be. See you tonight, El.” Backwards he walked out.

  Henry and Ellen, at the same time noticed Frank’s odd departure. But it was Frank.

  “El, I need to talk.”

  “Not unless you sign a waiver of anger.” Ellen walked behind her desk. “I knew you’d need me one day again so . . .” As she sat down she opened her drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Here. Sign it and we’ll talk.”

  Henry read the short note which implied he wasn’t allowed to yell at Ellen for her advice. He grabbed a pen from the desk. “Fine.’ He signed it and handed it back. “Why do I feel like I’m Charlie Brown and you’re Lucy.”

  Ellen giggled and folded her hands. “What’s wrong?”

  “Robbie.” Henry leaned back in the chair. “No. I guess . . . I guess it’s me. I’m losing it on him El. I snap at him. I’m short. Everyone but me sees it and I don’t know what to do.”

  “I’ll talk to Robbie.”

  “Excuse me? You’re supposed to help me.”

  “Henry.” Ellen stood up and walked around to him. “I, right now, know Robbie a little more than most people do. And I know you. I’ll speak to Robbie. I know he has a lot of anger and he knows how to instigate.” Ellen winked. “I’ll handle it.”

  Henry sighed in relief. “Oh, El.” He stood up. “You don’t think it’s all me.”

  Ellen shook her head. “But, I didn’t say that. O.K.?”

  “Promise.” Henry kissed her on the cheek. “And next time I won’t even whine about signing a waiver. I better go. Thanks again. Let me know.”

  “I will.”

  Henry moved to the door and stopped. “Shit.” He flew back in. “Robbie’s coming. If he sees me and you talk to him . . .”

  “He’ll know. Stay here. I’ll get him to walk outside and you sneak out.” Getting a nod from Henry, Ellen walked out into the hall and headed of Robbie. “Robbie. Wow. What a surprise.”

  Robbie smiled. “I came to see you.”

  “I was going for some air. Wanna join me?” She grabbed his arm and turned him to walk back out.

  “Sure.” He walked with her to the door and she pressed in her code. “Hey, El. I saw my brother. Why did he have the flowers I gave you?”

  Ellen stopped mid-leaving. “Hold this door.” With her feet pattering, she ran down the hall to her office and looked in. “Oh! That dick!”

  Robbie shook his head and waited for her to return. They walked outside.

  Stepping out, Ellen looked to the bright sun. She let out a moan from the warmth. “So, what are you doing tonight?”

  “Tonight?” Robbie shrugged as they continued to move. “Nothing. Why?”

  Ellen held closer to Robbie steering him from containment. She looked back to see Henry sneak out and she knew it was safe to stop. “Well. I have to clean out the examining room at your Dad’s office. We’re stopping runs for a while. I can use the help . . . and the company?”

  “Sure.” Robbie nodded. “What time. Four? Five?”

  “Later. I was thinking nine. I know it’s late, but Joe won’t be there. We can be alone to . . . talk.”

  Running his forefinger and thumb over the corner of his mouth, Robbie wiped away his grin. “Talking alone and helping you sounds great.”

  Ellen grunted sarcastically. “You may not be saying that when we’re finished.”

  “I highly doubt that. I like being with you. Always have. We’ll have fun.”

  “I’m sure we will.”

  Robbie looked at his watch. “Then I better hurry and finish my work load. I’ll see you later.” He gave a squeeze to her arm. “And El . . .” He stepped back. “Thanks. I mean it. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Ellen said with confused pleasantries. Shrugging at his gratefulness over being dragged in to help work, and listen to her talk, Ellen returned to containment.

  ***

  Frank looked down at his watch as he walked his check along the line of utility buildings. It wouldn’t be long before he and John Matoose finished the structure and they could go home.

  Frank did his check slowly, he had the gnawing feeling that he should be there. He checked all of the structures carefully, as if something was supposed to be found. Everything was turning out fine. But still, something was wrong, something was seriously wrong, Frank could feel it, but he just didn’t know what it was.

  Ellen stared at the open cabinet just above the counter in the examining room of the receiving center. She shook her head in disbelief at all the stuff that had gathered there. She knew Andrea would have a bird if she discovered how much Ellen had taken and forgotten to return. Ellen chuckled at her thoughts, Andrea hadn’t a clue.

  “Am I too late?”

  Ellen stopped reaching and turned to the voice. Robbie was walking in, shutting the door behind him. “No just in time, I’m about to start putting stuff in boxes.”

  “El, you know, I had this really strange feeling that you asked me here tonight for another reason besides helping you.”

  “Well, yeah, I did.” Ellen folded her arms and leaned on the counter. “How are things going?”

  “Good.” Robbie stepped to her.

  “How about ... say . . . with Henry?”

  “Henry’s a prick.” Robbie snapped back. “He’s in my shit constantly.”

  “O.K. honesty’s good.” She turned her back to him and faced the open cupboard. “We can talk about Henry another time. We’ll just talk while I work.” She took a few items from the bottom shelf, then reached to the top. She stood on tip toes, trying to get that box of gauze she had hidden. Her finger tips extended to it, but they kept pushing it back.

  “Here let me help you.” Robbie suggested.

  “Thanks.” Ellen began to withdraw her arm. Her eyes widened when she felt Robbie press up behind her, right against her. His hand gently grabbed hers, so together they could retrieve the box. A twinge of feeling uncomfortable hit Ellen. “Thanks again. It sucks being so short.”

  “No problem. Maybe I can help your self-esteem.”

  Ellen paused in wonder on what he meant by that comment. She turned around, Robbie hadn’t stepped back. Grabbing the gauze from her hand, he set it on the counter. He leaned his body against her, reached his hand behind Ellen’s neck, pressed his lips hard to hers and began to kiss her. Ellen, shocked, placed her hand to his chest to push him back. He didn’t budge. His lips moved wide in a search and continued gaining momentum. Trying harder to move him again, she succeeded.

  Robbie released his lips from hers and moved back. “El, what’s wrong?”

  Ellen touched her lips. “Robbie? I . . . why . . .”

  “Alone time. Hit on you.” Robbie tilted his head. “The person you’ve been waiting your whole life for.” Robbie moved into her again.

  Ellen, shocked and embarrassed, held her hands up to stop him. “Oh my God. Robbie, I am so, so sorry. I said things to you. Things you may have taken out of context.”

  “Right.” Robbie’s lips moved to hers as his hands pressed almost too tight to
her face.

  “Stop.” Ellen pushed him back becoming more stern. “Now I’m not kidding. O.K.?”

  Robbie threw his hands in the air and rubbed his head. “I’m confused. If this isn’t what you want, then why did you ask me here this late, and when no one was around?”

  “To talk to me.”

  “I don’t think so. I just think you’re chickening out.”

  “No, Robbie. I’m not chickening out.” Ellen raised her hands. Calming down, she tried to take control over the situation. “I’m just . . . not. Understand?”

  Robbie nodded his head, a disbelieving look in his eyes. “Oh . . .OK . . . Ellen, playing hard to get was something you should have done before you asked me up here.” His hand reached up toward her.

  Ellen pushed it away. “Look, if you’re trying to joke around and get me scared . . .”

  “I’m not joking. I’ve wanted you. You’re finally giving in.” Robbie leaned into her and reached for her waist.

  Ellen, again, shoved him back, this time with more force. “This isn’t funny.” She tried not to show any worry. “Maybe . . . maybe you should leave.”

  “Come on, Ellen, it’ll be fun. So just relax. I’m not leaving.”

  “Then I will.” Ellen stepped to her right to go past him, Robbie blocked her. Ellen tried her left, he repeated his actions. “Robbie, let me by.” Ellen moved again to the right. His blocking her was a game to him. “Robbie!” Ellen raised her voice in her coldest manner. “This is not good. O.K.? What if Frank walks in here and sees you doing this?”

  Robbie laughed loudly. “Do you think I care? Do you think I’m afraid of Frank?.Let him walk in. I don’t give a shit. Better yet, do you think he gives a shit? Do you think he cares about you? Frank doesn’t care about you. All you are to him is his fuckin’ whore.”

  Not realizing the Pandora ’s Box she would open, Ellen, with almost an involuntary defense motion, open handedly slapped Robbie hard across the face. Her hand stung upon its connection.

  Robbie, without hesitation, whacked her in return. His was not as easy. His had weight behind it. His slap sent her a foot back.

  Ellen reached her hand up to her throbbing face. She became engulfed with anger as her fingers felt the warm wet sensation of blood. It was not a situation she wanted to be in. The warning signals had gone off. It was time to run. Ellen, with all of what little weight she had, bolted toward the door. It didn’t take much though, for Robbie to stop her. She had to go past him, as she did, his arms grasped her from behind, holding her by the waist. “Let me go!” Ellen kicked back her foot, jamming it into his shin. She jolted back her elbow into him, taking him somewhat by surprise. His grip released, but only for a moment. As she began to flee once more, he grabbed her by her hair, and tossed her back behind him. Ellen’s back slammed into the counter. She didn’t even have time to catch her balance and Robbie dove on her. The pressure of his body against her gouged the counter into her back as his hands groped and pulled and his lips bit.

  Ellen let out a throaty, struggling scream as she slammed her fist into his back and felt her legs part wider. “No. Stop this! Robbie!”

  Robbie lifted his head and his hand squeezed her chin. “You said you would have me.”

  She saw his mouth approaching, felt his body against hers and Ellen had only one choice. Drop to his level of thought. Her heart beat rapidly. “Not like this.” Ellen spoke softly, hiding the quiver in her voice. “See. Not like this.” Rigidly she kissed him quickly. “I want . . . I want to make love.” She swallowed. “Not here.” She contained her sigh when she felt the pressure ease up on her.

  Robbie lifted only slightly. He stared at her as his fingers smeared the blood on her face. Blood that seeped from her ripped open stitches. “Here.” Parting his lips while breathing heavily, he kissed her.

  Ellen’s throat tensed up when she felt his lips go to her neck and his hand undo her pants. Tightly she closed her eyes and tried to speak. A squeak escaped with her words when she felt his hands slip into her pants. “Robbie. Not here. Please. Let’s go . . . Let’s go back to your house.” Robbie removed his hand and Ellen slowly let out a breath as he also lifted his body from her. She kept her eyes on him as he stepped back. She had only one thought. And that was to run. Seeing a safe distance form, with everything she had, she charged again. She didn’t make it far. Robbie’s left hand gripped her tight by the shirt.

  “What do you think I am!” Loudly he shouted, his face deep red. “Fuckin stupid! Huh! You think I’d buy it! You and your little games.” He snatched her in close. “Guess what, El? Games over.”

  Like in slow motion, she saw the fist form on his right hand, his knuckles turning white. He reached back, and with anger, and frustration, he delivered one single powerful blow into the side of Ellen’s face. It spun her around, and landed her hands first on to the counter. With her rolling eyes, the radio, her radio, came into focus. She quickly reached for it, and pressed in the button. “Frank, help Me!” she cried out with everything she had. “Oh, God Frank, help me!”

  Frank felt Ellen’s call for help as he heard it rip through his radio. It burned through his soul, and he knew she was in trouble. There was no time to call her back, no time to hesitate. He knew where she was. Frank charged with his every emotion to seek her out. Ellen’s cry was heard . . . everywhere.

  Robbie snatched the radio from her hand and hurled it across the room. It smashed against the wall. He grabbed Ellen by the back of the neck and slammed her head onto the counter, bending her over. “What are you doing Ellen?” He brought his lips to her ear as he slammed himself into her. “Frank can’t help you now.”

  “Let me up now!” Ellen screamed out, trying to squirm from his hold. “Look what you’re doing! Stop this. It’s me!”

  “Shut up!” He lifted her head slightly and slammed her face down into the counter. “Just shut up.”

  “Fuck you!” Ellen felt the cold counter on her cheek.

  “No, El. Fuck you.” Robbie pressed himself harder and harder to her, as he laid his chest against her back and used his knees to spread her legs.

  A gurgling, grunting scream came from Ellen as she could feel the edge of the counter top cutting into her gut. “I won’t let you do this!” She reached back her hand feeling for his face, her fingernails finding his skin. Robbie knew what was coming, lifted back suddenly, but not without forfeiting some of his flesh to Ellen’s nails.

  “It won’t be that easy.” Still pressing her to the counter by her neck, Robbie reached his other hand around her front.

  The skin ripped on her abdomen skin when Robbie grabbed for her pants, but it wasn’t as frightening to Ellen as the feel of air when her pants fell to the floor. With everything she could muster up, Ellen screamed out. “No!”

  Frank’s heart stopped. His body filled with rage upon running into the examining room and seeing what was happening. Without hesitation, without a single thought, Frank charged over to Robbie, grabbed him, lifted him from Ellen, and threw him across the room as if he were nothing.

  Robbie banged into the wall, his body slid down to the floor, he didn’t know what happened, what hit him, or what was going to happen next. Frank stormed over to him, grabbed him by the throat, clenched his fist, and busted Robbie’s nose.

  Robbie couldn’t react, he hadn’t the strength. He felt the pain from Frank’s plummeting fist crash into his face, once, twice, three times. The blows did not stop. When would they stop? He felt like he was going to die. He was dying. Robbie’s body sailed through the air again, crashing back first into the counter. He opened his bloodied eyes. The frightful, horrifying sight of Frank raging toward him came into focus. Frank’s hand gripped Robbie’s throat and slammed him back down into the counter. This time it was Robbie who was pinned by the throat. This time it was Robbie on the counter. Only Frank stood above him facing him. The look in Frank’s eyes, the red in his face.

  Frank, with a choking grip, held Robbie to the counter. He rea
ched with his free hand into his shoulder harness, pulled out his revolver, shoved it point blank to Robbie’s face, cocked back the hammer, and rested his trembling finger on the trigger. But before he could pull the trigger, he looked into Robbie’s eyes. They were his brother’s eyes.

  “Oh God Frank don’t shoot me!” Robbie pleaded.

  “What the fuck were you doing?” Frank’s emotional words screamed at him.

  “I’m sorry, Frank. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” Robbie began to cry.

  “You’re my brother. How could you do this to her?!” Frank shouted. His words tearful, his finger pressing harder.

  “I’m sorry! I didn’t know what I was doing.”

  “No!” Frank placed the gun closer to him. “Do you know what this means? Do you know what you did?” His hand gripped tighter to Robbie’s throat banging his head off the table with every single word he spoke. “How could you do this to her?!”

  The tension did not break even when Dean and John Matoose flew in the room, both hearing Ellen’s call.

  Dean immediately saw Ellen. “Oh, my God.” He rushed to her as she fastened her pants “El. Oh my God.” He grabbed on to her, she didn’t respond. Looking over his shoulder he saw Frank holding the gun to Robbie. “John!” Dean called out. “Get her out of here. Now! Take her home.”

  John Matoose, without hesitation, raced to Ellen, and lifted her up. He fled from the room with her.

  Dean raged over to Frank, grabbing hold of him. “Frank. No.”

  Frank shoved Dean back, using his shoulder to do so. He said nothing, he just stared at Robbie, gun cocked.

  “Frank, no.” Dean closed in again, trying desperately to be the voice of reason. “Don’t shoot him, Frank. Don’t do it.”

  Frank bit his lip and shook his head. “Dean, get the fuck out now!”

  “I can’t let you kill him. He’s your brother Frank. Your brother. Don’t do this.”

  “Did you see what he did to Ellen? Did you look at her!” Frank’s eyes did not move from Robbie.