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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Can you sleep after the test? I promise you can sleep then but not for too long.”

  “All right.” Danny walked to the computer. “I swear you are one driven man.”

  “I don’t want to stop until we know it will and can be done.”

  “Dean’s sight is important yes, but there’s something else to it, isn’t there?” Danny watched Henry shrug instead of responding. “There is. What is it? You don’t seem like the glory-guy, wanting recognition from everyone.” Danny opened his mouth, then smiled. “But you’d die for recognition from one person, wouldn’t you?”

  Henry raised his head. “I need her recognition.”

  “You’re driving yourself like this for Ellen?” Danny was shocked.

  “Danny, Dean’s sight is so important, yes. The whole community needs him to have it. Dean needs have it himself. But if I could use this as an opportunity to make a change in my life I will. If I can help Ellen’s friend see again, the maybe, just maybe, she won’t hate me anymore.”

  “Holy shit,” Danny exclaimed as he began to run the test program. “You must really love this woman.”

  “I do. I love her very much.”

  “Oh yeah?” Danny clicked on the last key. “Then why did you turn to someone else?”

  Henry wanted to say something in his defense, anything ,as Danny looked at him for an answer. But Henry couldn’t give a defense because he had none. He just gave Danny that ‘I don’t know’ look, then tried to move on to more hopeful thoughts as the test program began to run.

  <><><><>

  It could have been one of the best Sunday family dinners at Joe’s house. It had the makings, at least in Ellen’s mind. Dean wasn’t sulking. He got over the fact that Brian had no hair. Alexandra wasn’t screaming every ten minutes. Billy wasn’t complaining about being bored. Nick slept. And Henry wasn’t there. Not to mention, the finger food Andrea had set out as appetizers—something Joe never did. Yes, to Ellen it could have been a great Sunday. Could have been, if it wasn’t for Frank.

  “El.”

  “Frank, leave me alone.” She tried to block him out as he followed her from the dining room table to the living room and all around. “The noise level in here is annoying enough without you adding to it.”

  “I don’t want you mad at me.”

  “I am.” Ellen grabbed for a piece of bread and then dipped it and brought it to her mouth.

  “Get over it.” Frank took the bread from her hand and ate it.

  “Frank!”

  “El. We had a great evening last night.”

  “Yet you killed it by yelling at me on the street. Dean ... Dean.” Ellen looked at Dean who was occupied playing some sort of string game with Katie. “Tell Frank to leave me alone.”

  “Leave her alone, Frank.”

  Frank fake shuddered. “Now I’m scared. El ...” He followed her back to the table.

  “Frank, leave me alone.”

  “Why don’t we put aside what happened at the end of last night and go to what happened during.” He stepped closer to her. “No one is home at my house.”

  Ellen gasped at him. “I can’t believe you are making that insinuation.”

  “Oh please,” Frank said loudly, “you act all offended, yet, who was the one throwing themselves at me last night?”

  “I did not.”

  “You did too! You stood in my living room half naked.”

  Silence, complete silence, took over the house.

  Ellen cringed and twitched her head to Dean. “Frank.”

  “You think Dean doesn’t know how you lose control around me?” Frank yelled over to him, “Dean, you know how she is around me?”

  Dean lifted his head, hands still tied up. “Unfortunately.”

  “See, El,” Frank told her, “you threw yourself at me.”

  “Asshole.” She stormed from him.

  “Half naked in my living room. Feeling me up at the field.”

  “Frank!”

  “Not to mention that little doll you made of me. Lord knows what you do with that.”

  “Oh my God.” Ellen dropped the dipped bread and moved from him.

  “Where are you going?” Frank followed her to the door.

  “Away from you.” She opened it. “I’ll be back.”

  “El, come on, I’m only teasing you. I’m trying to get you to be nice to me.”

  “Guess what, Frank, you blew it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I felt really badly for arguing with you last night.”

  “Right.”

  “I did.” Ellen lifted her head high. “And ... and ... I was going to ...” She grabbed his tee shirt and yanked him down to her level whispering in his ear. When she was done saying what she wanted to say, she let him go. “So there!” She stormed out.

  “Hey!” Frank laughed when the door slammed. He waved his hand at the door and spun around to see Katie and Dean on the couch. With his finger in a hush-hush manner to Katie, Frank sneaked up to the couch, grabbed the string Katie twirled gently around Dean’s hands in a game and pulled it hard and fast, causing the immediate and harsh joining of Dean’s hands. Silently he laughed and moved away.

  Dean let out only a squeak of a scream so as not to scare Katie. “Easy, Katie, it’s only a game,” he spoke to the bewildered child while hiding his wince of pain. “Boy, you’re strong for a little girl.”

  <><><><>

  Ellen heard The ‘Silly’ song played slowly, picked on the guitar when she stopped into Joe’s backyard. “Hey,” she called out to Robbie, who sat on a chair just off the back steps. “What are you doing?”

  “Hiding.”

  “From who?” Ellen sat down across from him.

  “Andrea the June-Cleaver wannabe.”

  Ellen laughed at him. “She isn’t that bad.”

  “Oh yeah she is, especially with me. She acts like I’m Denny. You know, she told me to comb my hair.” He shook his head at Ellen’s laughing. “No, El. It’s not funny. I always wear my hair tossed like this and sticking up. It makes me look ...”

  “Sexy.”

  Robbie grinned. “Thanks.”

  “I’ve never hid that fact from you. So ...” Ellen brought her hands to her legs. “Can I hide with you?”

  “Depends. Who are you hiding from?”

  “Your goofball brother. We’re fighting.”

  “Well don’t fight too much with him please. He tends to drink heavily when you do that. In wartimes like this, you never know when there will be a sneak attack. I’m not Frank. No one is and the last thing we need is him drunk if that happens.”

  Ellen waved him off. “Frank doesn’t get drunk.”

  “Yeah he does, El.” Robbie looked up from his guitar. “You know that.”

  “Drunk?” Ellen shook her head. “Not Frank. He was drinking for a while, but he never got drunk.”

  “Where were you?” Robbie asked with sarcasm. “Maybe not in the falling down, slobbering sense, but he consumed enough to knock his senses off. I know.”

  “So do I. He had a hard time. Why are we arguing? You’re annoyed at me.”

  “I’m annoyed at Andrea. Sorry.” Robbie stopped playing. “El, can I ask you something?” His chin rested on the curve of the guitar.

  “Sure.”

  “Is Frank having a drink right now?”

  “He’s nursing one. He had cut back for a while and now he’s back to drinking one a day, if that, Robbie.” Ellen reached out to him. “I know we talked about this before but he’s good now.”

  “El, my brother has gone from drinking to help him get through the rough times, to drinking because he has to.”

  Ellen turned silent. “Robbie, a month ago I would have agreed with you, but we all brought it to his attention, and Frank made the turn around.”

  “El, Frank isn’t better at drinking. He’s just better at hiding it.”

  “Did he even try?” Ellen asked, with a hint of anger.

  “Oh
he tried. In fact, he’s still trying. He has that one in public that he makes out to seem like his social drink then he fights not to have the others. I watch him. When he’s at home, he doesn’t have the big facade of the Social Hall to hide behind. That’s when he has his problems.”

  “You haven’t said anything.”

  “Nope, because I know he’s trying to quit, a lot more than we see. He’ll ask for help one day. Unfortunately that’s what I’m worried about. Unfortunately it may just take something big to force him into it.”

  “That scares you.”

  “Yeah, that’s why I keep watching him. I don’t like leaving him alone. I don’t like you two fighting. It throws him over the edge. He needs you.”

  “I know he does.”

  “I think you’re the key to helping him, one, because he loves you, and two, because you are the closest one to him.”

  “How can I help? Tell me.”

  “Frank has to tell you that. You can’t go after him for it. He has to come to you.” Robbie started playing again.

  “Is that why he started smoking, to help with his urges?”

  Robbie’s hand dropped with a hard strum of the guitar. “You know?”

  Ellen blew harshly from her lips. “How can I not. The house smells of it. He smells of it. I think it’s funny how when I bust him he always says it’s you.” Ellen laughed. “I just think that ...” She saw Robbie’s expression change. “What’s wrong?”

  Robbie lifted his head. “Hi, Frank.”

  Hoping Frank didn’t hear what they talked about, Ellen turned slowly to him. “Frank?”

  “What are you guys talking about?” Frank pulled up a chair.

  “Uh ...” Robbie shifted his eyes to Ellen. “We were talking about psycho Andrea.”

  Frank pointed. “That is why I came out.” He hid a snicker. “Andrea wants you to wash up for dinner, Robbie.”

  Robbie winced. “Aw, Frank. What is wrong with her?”

  Frank lifted his shoulders. “She wants to baby you. I think she finally broke.”

  Ellen shook her head. “You’re wrong. Andrea is just in love.”

  Both Frank and Robbie looked at her and asked at the same time, “With who?”

  “Who do you think?” Ellen asked them. “Joe.”

  A unison ‘no’ came from both brothers.

  “Yes.” Ellen nodded, lifting herself from the chair to peek toward the kitchen window. Andrea’s head bobbing along in the kitchen could be seen. “She’s in love with Joe.”

  Frank laughed. “I’d better forewarn my dad.”

  “We both ought to,” Robbie added.

  Ellen just rolled her eyes at them. “Are you two that dense? Joe doesn’t need forewarning. He knows. Why else are they sleeping together?”

  “Uh!” Frank shrieked and nearly fell from the chair when he sprang up. “My dad is not sleeping with that woman.”

  “Yes he is, all the time,” Ellen stated.

  Robbie stood and peeked toward the house. “Frank, tell her to quit lying.”

  “I’m not lying,” Ellen said. “You two would swim in jealousy if you knew how much sex your father ...”

  “No.” Frank held up his hands, holding back his head and closing his eyes. “Stop. Just ... just stop.”

  Ellen didn’t. “Andrea tells me about all sorts of things.”

  Robbie began to play his guitar louder. “I’m not listening.”

  Ellen spoke louder, “She is buzzing with feelings. And she goes on and on about what they do.”

  Frank’s eyes widened. “My father can’t.”

  “Your father does.” Ellen pointed with a smile. “According to Andrea, not only in the bed ...”

  Robbie stopped playing and ran past Ellen. “I’m out of here.”

  “Me too.”

  Ellen blocked Frank, instigating him. “But in the tub ...”

  “Stop.”

  “On the couch.”

  “I’m not sitting there again.”

  “On the dining room table.”

  “Forget dinner.” Frank held up his hands.

  “Frank.” Ellen pulled his arms down. “I’m kidding you.”

  “Oh thank God.” Frank ran his hand down his face. “I was starting to think that she was acting all weird because she was trying to be a mother to all of us. So she really is whacked?”

  “No.” Ellen shook her head. “She really is sleeping with your father.”

  “But you just said you were kidding.”

  “I was kidding about the dining room table, Frank.” Ellen snickered and opened the back door. “See you inside.”

  “Fuck.” Frank shook his head when Ellen left. “Andrea and my dad, man.” He reached to his chest pocket for a cigarette and stopped when Ellen poked her head back out the screen door.

  “Oh, Frank? Before you light that up, Robbie’s in the house.” She winked and went back in.

  Slowly Frank’s hand moved from that pocket as he stared at the back door. “Shit.” He took a moment to think, then reached to his pocket again for that cigarette. He figured since he couldn’t get away with blaming Robbie on this night, he’d smoke anyhow and use the time to figure out who else to blame when Ellen asked him about it.

  <><><><>

  There was something so great about the way Dean looked sitting on his bed. Ellen just had to take a moment to stare at him. Maybe it was the jeans he wore, those really faded ones. They fit him too, loose enough to hang just right. Barefoot, bare-chested, he sat on his bed, one leg brought up, his arm dangled over it, so deep in thought.

  “Ellen,” Dean called out, not raising his head at all, “what are you doing?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You started to come into the room and then you stopped.”

  “Wow, are you getting good at this blind thing.” Ellen walked into the bedroom and around to her side of the bed. “I was staring at you.”

  “Why?”

  “You really look cute, Dean.” She climbed on the bed. “Wanna fool around?”

  “Yes.”

  With a giggle, Ellen moved closer to Dean, running her hand down his stomach and to the button of his jeans.

  Dean grabbed her hand, stopping her. “But we can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “We have one more day of cowboy law. I value my life.”

  “He won’t know.” Ellen moved to kiss his neck.

  “I’ll know.”

  “Like you care.”

  “I kind of do,” Dean backed up some, “despite how much as I want to be with you.” He ran his hand down her face then spread his fingers to see her. “Can we just wait?”

  “OK.” Ellen moved away from him, fixed her pillow, and plopped back in a sitting position. “Quiet, huh?”

  “Usually is when there aren’t any kids.”

  “What were you thinking about? I know you were thinking. You get that ‘Dean look’ on your face.”

  “A ‘Dean look’?” He shook his head with snicker. “I was thinking about our work.”

  “Really? So was I.” Ellen rolled on her side. “All of our work. I was thinking just a little bit ago how much I miss working on all that stuff we put aside. Marcus, the cryo-babies, not to mention all the neat diseases we used to give the rabbits. All that work in the cryo-lab. I miss working down there too, Dean.”

  “I do too. When this virus scare is over, we will get right back to all of our research. Unfortunately, you still have a long wait.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “We have to dedicate all of our time on this virus for when and if they hit us with it. But by the date on that future note, we still have to January.” Dean sensed Ellen’s silence at that second. “What’s wrong?”

  “Well it’s just that ... it’s just that you know about the ripple thing. You read the note so you know how bringing you back, rippled everything.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well your death wasn’t the only one short lived.�
��

  “I know this. George’s was too, so you said.”

  “Yes.” Ellen nodded. “So the note that came from the future … came from a future without you and without George, right?”

  “Right.”

  “So the scientists, not George, released the virus on us.”

  “Correct.”

  “But George is around now, so how much of an impact or rush will that put on it all. It could very easily happen sooner. You know how impatient George is.”

  “I didn’t even think of that.” Dean’s head fell some. “On those lines, the lines of the virus, is where my thinking is tonight.”

  “What about it?” Ellen asked.

  “What if it hits? What if it hits our children? What can we do about it? My mind went racing to something you said on the dictation tape. You asked what we were going to do with the antiserum. Right now we have two doses,” Dean paused for a long time, “two adult doses. I can make four children’s doses out of them.”

  “And give them to four children.”

  “Not just four children, El.” Dean lifted his head. “Our four children.”

  “Dean ...”

  “No, hear me out. I know it’s wrong. I know it’s unethical. And I know that antiserum belongs to the community, but I swear to you, El, more important to me than anything are the kids. I love them. Our children. We know I’m immune and you are and so is Frank. Our four kids, not including Nick because he is immune too, can be made immune. We can give them what we have extra and we wouldn’t have to worry about them getting sick.”

  “But is it right?”

  “In which way?” Dean faced her to ask her, “Is it the right thing to do, using the antiserum for selfish reasons? No it isn’t. But, is it the right thing to do for us? Let’s face it, I’m not you. If something happens to one of my children, I won’t be able to handle it.”

  “Yes you could, Dean. God forbid something happens, you will find the strength.” Ellen closed her eyes tightly. “I have been there. I watched my children die, and it is a pain that I would never want to go through again. That is why I am working so hard on this virus with you so we don’t have to face that. And we won’t, Dean. I believe in you, and I believe in us as a team.” She clenched her fist. “For as much as I am a selfish person, I can’t do this with you. I can’t. It is not right that we cheat someone else merely because we hold the upper hand.”