At the far end of the hall stood Joe. Pulling the door closed, Ellen ran to him. She ran straight into his father arms and buried herself in his chest. “He’s gone, Joe. He’s really gone.”
Joe didn’t need to speak any words, he held her tightly, holding her head close to him. Just holding her.
^^^^
Ellen didn’t want to speak to anyone but it seemed everyone, though not many, tried to talk to her as she went back to Frank’s. Couldn’t they tell? Couldn’t they tell she just didn’t want to be bothered?
Her neck hurt and her head pounded as she walked into the house. There wasn’t a soul in the living room. “Frank?”
“Up here.”
Ellen took off his coat and laid it back on the banister. Like it was a mountain to climb, she walked up the steps. Reaching the top she saw Frank coming out of the second bedroom.
“Hey.” He looked nervously at her. “The kids are all asleep.”
“Do the twins know?”
Frank shook his head. “I figured you’d want to tell them.”
“How do I do that? How do I tell them that they will never see their father again?”
Frank didn’t have an answer.
“Will you help me tell them?”
“God, Ellen, yes.” His hand reached across and touched her cheek. “I’ll stay with you every step of the way.”
Ellen leaned into his hand. “We’ll tell them tomorrow. I can’t handle it right now. Can I stay here tonight? I don’t want to go home to that house.”
“El, I want you to stay here all the time. I want you home. This is your home. You need to be here.”
“I can’t do that Frank.” Ellen walked to the bedroom.
“Why?” He followed her. “This is your home, El. Stay home with me. We’ll get through this. You need me right now.”
Ellen faced him. “I do.”
“Then it’s time.” He moved closer to her. “It’s time that we put everything behind us and be together right now. We have to be together right now.”
“We shouldn’t even be together right now.”
“Why would you say that?”
“It should have been me that died in that hole. You should have pulled him out first. This community needs him more than me.”
“Yeah, but I need you. And don’t ever let me hear you talk like that. Ever. You think Dean would have wanted you left behind? Do you think Dean would have ever forgiven me or himself if you died down there instead of him? No.” Frank’s argument conveyed his angry emotions. “Dean loved you way too much. He would have wanted it this way.”
“It’s not fair, Frank.”
“No El, it’s not fair. It was wrong that this happened. He was a huge part of your life and everyone’s life in Beginnings. This was a loss. A loss I can’t even comprehend yet.” Frank raised his eyes up, swallowing to catch his emotions. “In my mind and in my heart, this is the worst loss Beginnings has ever suffered.”
“Thank you for saying that. And thank you for all you’ve done today. Please don’t think I forgot about you.” She moved closer into him.
“I know you haven’t. We’ll get through this. Let me help you get through this.” As he lifted her lowered head to look at him, he reached with his other hand to the dresser a foot away. “Here.” He handed her the jean jacket. “I got you his coat.” He watched Ellen take it, her eyes watering up as she did. She cradled it immediately into her chest. With no more words, Frank took hold of her and held her tightly. He felt her sob within his arms, her body quivering in her silent tears. He held her strongly. Even when he felt her legs begin to give way, Frank held her up. He had to be for Ellen . . . her strength.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Brushing her hand over Henry’s white shirt and black tie, Ellen looked up to him with sadness, trying to smile. “You look so handsome.”
Henry grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. “Thank you for coming and helping me get dressed for this.”
“I needed to see you. I needed to be around you.” Ellen fixed his tie. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to this?”
“I have to be there El. I have to say goodbye to Dean.”
“We all do.”
“Don’t feel you have to help me there. I know you have a lot on your mind.”
“I need to help you there, Henry.” She reached to his hospital bed and handed him his cane. “I think we should stand together today.”
“It’s a bad day.”
“I know.” Ellen shivered as she breathed. “Everyone is so sad. Frank is even wearing a tie today.”
“I wish we could do more for Dean instead of dressing up.”
“We’ll all be there. That’s what counts.” She held on to his arm as he began to hobble slowly with his cane. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah.” Henry moved on. “Are you?”
“No.” Ellen shook her head. “All I do is cry. I try not to but it’s just so hard.”
“I know. And if you just need me, know I’m here for you.”
“Thank you, Henry.” Ellen leaned against his arm as they walked, trying to fight the tears as they crept up on her again.
^^^^
Joe was walking like he used to. It had been three days since Dean’s passing and his awakening from the hell that George had placed him in. Staring at the revolver one more time, Joe opened the door to holding. “This is the day.”
George sat on the edge of the bed. He only turned his head to Joe.
“We couldn’t deal with you until we’ve dealt with Dean. We bury him today you son of a bitch. Any regrets?”
“None.”
Joe held the revolver up then laid it on the bed next to him. “You’re out of Beginnings today. In that gun is one bullet. One single bullet. You can use it to take your own life if you want.”
“What happens if I use it to take yours?”
“Then you’ve signed your death warrant.” Joe moved to the door stepping into the archway. “I’ll be back after we’ve buried Dean. By then, you’ll either be dead or waiting to leave. I have to tell you George, the community is outraged that I just don’t shoot you myself. But you know what I say? I say what a perfect circle of justice it will be to know that you will die in a world you made into such a monstrosity.” Joe walked through the door. “What a perfect circle of justice.”
^^^^
It was all so foggy to Ellen as she made her way back home after Dean’s services. Everyone in the entire community gathered around the one small grave site set in the undeveloped section of town. A place she and Dean often went to talk. He deserved to be the only one buried in Beginnings itself. It was only fitting that he be laid to rest within the walls he helped to build. All Ellen remembered of the funeral, as she walked through her front door, was the feeling of Frank’s strong hand on her shoulder while he held a crying Alexandra. She leaned to Henry while gripping Billy tight to her. Even Brian sensed the sadness as he whimpered in Joe’s arms.
Reverend Bob’s words ‘we gather in heartache to mourn the loss of our brother, Dean Michael Hayes’ were the last thing Ellen remembered. The rest of the service was a blur.
Ellen sat on her bed watching Frank undress and he undressed like he was in a hurry. “Are you going somewhere, Frank?”
“I . . .” He faced her. “I have to take care of something.”
“Please don’t leave. Not now.”
“El. I’ll be back.” He threw a tee shirt on, ran to the bedroom door and opened it. “Come on in.” He opened it wider for Henry. “Henry is staying with you.” He raced to the bed and kissed her on the cheek. “I have to take care of something. I love you.” He backed up, looked at Henry and ran from the room.
Ellen watched Henry sluggishly make his way to the bed. “Sorry you have to babysit me.”
“No problem.” He sat next to her. “You have to babysit me. Frank’s offered for me to stay here until I’m well. Josh and I are gonna bunk. You are gonna be our nurse.�
�
“I am, am I?”
“You are.”
“Where’d he go in such a rush, Henry?”
“I’ll let him tell you.” Henry reached down and grabbed her hand. “You’ll have to hear it from him.”
“Does it have to do with Dean?” Ellen asked.
“Yeah, yeah it does.”
^^^^
Joe opened the back gate slowly sneering at George who stood with a single bag. “I have to say I’m surprised you chose to do this.”
“I’ll be back, Joe. I’ll be back to take you all down.”
“No you won’t.” Joe shut the gate and locked it. “You won’t survive out there. You just don’t have the makings to beat the elements ahead of you.”
“Wanna bet.” George was adamant.
“Sure I’ll bet you. How’s this? If in one year you return to this back gate. I’ll let you in. Heck, I’ll even give you the run of things again.”
“You really believe I won’t survive, you cocky son of a bitch.”
Joe tossed his keys up and caught them. “Yep.” He stepped back and lifted his radio to his mouth. “Back gate. Perimeter up.” Smiling, Joe turned around, placed his radio on his belt and walked away.
George stood there watching him, feeling angry at Joe’s lack of confidence in him. George would make it back and on his return he’d bring Joe painfully down. He still had forces out there, forces that Beginnings knew nothing about. He knew where to meet them and that’s where he would head.
Saying in his head his goodbye to Beginnings, George turned to the dirt road he would have to take. The first step in his long journey. But that thought was short lived. Out of the brush, making his presence known, Frank emerged. “Frank.”
“Where you going, George?” Frank spoke coldly as he stepped to him.
“I’m leaving Beginnings.”
“Really? Did you actually think I’d let you walk away with all that you’ve done?”
“What are you gonna do? Kill me Frank? Ask your father. I’m as good as dead out here anyway.”
“Even knowing how measly of a threat your fuckin ass is, we the people of Beginnings cannot take that chance.” Another step closer and the reality of what Frank was feeling showed on his face. “I can’t take that chance.”
“You can’t do this Frank. If you kill me that makes you a cold blooded killer.”
“You know what George? I am a cold blooded killer. I accepted that. I am that. This world that you helped create did that to me. You did that to me.”
George stepped back, dropping his bag and stumbling over it. He didn’t fall because Frank grabbed him fiercely and snatched him close.
“You caused so much suffering. I’m not talking about what you and your people did to our world. I’m talking about what you did to the people of this community. You made us suffer. We’re still suffering. I think you should to.” There was an eerie calmness about Frank. a frightening aspect of things to come.
“No. Frank. Just let me . . .”
“This . . .” Frank, closed fisted, hurled George with his punch to the ground. “ . . . is for trying to oust me!” He dove forward picking George up and nailing him again. “That was for what your people did to my wife!” Watching George try to crawl, Frank picked him up. “Miguel . . .” Another hit and blood shot forth from George’s mouth. “Josh . . .” Frank moved him back a little with every hit. “My father.” A harder strike. “And Dean . . .” The pain Frank felt when he said his name was evident in his final blow to George. Holding George’s shirt he brought him close to his face, breathing the heat of his outrage on him. “What you did was a crime punishable by death.”
George could barely see through his bloody eyes. He felt Frank’s grip and felt his feet lift from the ground as he was brought to Frank’s eye level. “If you kill me, you’ll burn in hell for this.”
“Then I’ll burn in hell with you.” Clutching tightly, Frank took one more step. “You know George . . .” He graveled in bitterness as he spoke. “I think my dad spoke to you about justice. Well, since you wanted the land of Beginnings so much, I think it’s only fitting that you should die in Beginnings.” With his final words of wrath, Frank with a loud grunt and all his strength, lifted George higher and hurled him backwards into the live perimeter fence.
George let out a long scream as his body shook, and convulsed as it stuck to the metal protector. A foul smelling smoke emerged as his body began to fry. It took longer than it should, George fought every last second of his life. But he did not win.
Frank watched. He had too. He watched the final seconds of George’s life. Feeling nothing while he watched George’s head slump, then his body drop, leaving behind, still stuck to the fence, pieces of his head and back.
Frank ran his hand over his mouth as he breathed heavily. Without a second thought to what had happened, Frank lifted his radio to his mouth. “It’s over. Down the back gate.”
^^^^
Joe waited for his son on the front step of his house. He watched Frank walk closer. He stood straight, head held high, shoulders back. Not an emotion on his stone face. He stared straight ahead as if he were looking past his father. Straight through him to see where he so much wanted to be . . . back home.
“Frank. I waited out here for you.” Joe said.
“I appreciate it.” Frank stopped before the step. “How will she react?”
“She doesn’t have to. It’s up to you if you want to tell her. But you know your wife. She stands behind you no matter what.”
“Yeah, I know.” Frank’s jaws clenched back and forth, he still felt so much rage. “Where are the kids?”
“Billy’s already over Andrea’s and . . .” Joe’s head jolted when the door opened.
Jenny Matoose emerged. She held Brian in her arms and Alexandra’s little hand.
Like Frank was her magnet, Alexandra jumped to him and he swept her up into his arms. Her little legs wrapped as much as they could around his big body, her arms clung so tightly to his neck she could have strangled him. Frank felt the softness of her cheek against his. He closed his eyes and gripped her head holding her closely to him. He got a shiver of heartache when he heard her tiny voice whispering in his hear. A voice that spoke so soft, a young voice that held ages worth of sadness.
“Mommy said you went to get the bad guy who took my daddy. Did you get the bad guy, Uncle Frank?”
So hard to speak one simple word. Frank thought it would never emanate from his throat. “Yes.” He pressed his cheek tighter to her.
Alexandra felt it against her. She touched her delicate lips to his rough face, whispering again. “Please don’t cry.”
He shook his head and embraced her one more time. Pulling slightly away, he ran the back of his hand across the corner of his eye, then over Alexandra’s face where his single tear fell. He took a deep breath and a long sniffle through his nose. He reached out and touched little Brian’s head.
Jenny Matoose held her hand out to Alexandra. “I thought I’d take the children with me for a little while. I think you and Ellen need some time right now.”
Frank nodded and tried to pull Alexandra away. She held tighter shaking her head. “Sweetie.” He ran his hand down her long brown hair. “It will be just for a little bit then I’ll be right over to get you.”
“You promise you’ll be there?”
“I promise you, I’ll be there.”
With an agreeing nod of her head, Alexandra let Frank set her down.
Jenny grabbed her hand and walked with her. “Take all the time you need.”
Frank closed his mouth tightly, thanking her only with an expression.
“You all right?” Joe asked as he reached and opened the door.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Frank stepped in, Henry stood in the living, waiting.
“Frank is it done?” Henry asked.
“Yep.” Frank took off his coat and merely tossed it across the room. “Where’s Ellen?”
“She’s upstairs. I just left her.”
“Thanks Henry.” Frank patted him on the back as he walked by him. Taking another breath, Frank slowly headed up the stairs.
“Let’s go, Henry.” Joe gripped his arm. “If you’re going to be staying here, I’ll help you get some things.”
“Thanks, Joe.”
“Sure.” Joe reached for the door. “And I want to talk to you. In fact, you and I, my boy, really need to have a talk.”
“About what?” Henry asked as he was guided out.
“Let’s just say . . . while I was under the Salicain, the simple fact that I could possibly hear and comprehend what was being said to me, seemed to elude everyone in this community. Especially you.”
“Oh shit.”
“Exactly.”
^^^^
Before he opened the closed bedroom door, Frank paused. He took off the tee shirt he wore. A shirt that was splattered with George’s blood. He wanted to tell Ellen first, not have her see. Of course by what Alexandra said, Ellen somehow already knew. Slipping it over his head, he opened up the hall closet, and set it in the hamper. Reaching out, he opened the door. Ellen was straightening up his dresser. “Hey El.”
Ellen looked at him curiously with her sad eyes. “Where’s your shirt?”
“I threw it in the hamper. I had . . .” He stepped to the dresser.
“Blood?”
“Excuse me?” Frank, nervous, reached his hand out for the drawer.
“You didn’t want me to see. I know you didn’t want me to know what happened.”
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 155