Henry blew slowly from his mouth. “I hate being put in that position.”
“I know, but you have to make a decision and it has to be done now. It’s on the lines of punishment.”
“Oh no, Joe, you know I hate making punishment decisions. People end up thinking I’m not very nice.”
“You have to do this one.”
Henry slid down in his chair. “All right. What’s the situation?”
“Fact, it involves two women ...”
“Stop. Women?”
“Yes, Henry, let me finish. We’ll call these women, Woman ‘A’ and Woman ‘B’. Fact. Woman ‘A’, on the word of a third party, went after Woman ‘B’, physically attacking her.”
“Did Woman ‘B’ attack back?”
“No.”
“Did Woman ‘B’ provoke it physically?”
“No.” Joe shook his head.
“Woman ‘A’ based her attack on the word of a third party? She didn’t see anything for herself?”
“No.”
“Was it a simple attack? Slap and scratch sort of thing?”
“That’s good.” Joe pointed with a chuckle. “But ... no. That’s why you have to make the decision. See, Woman ‘B’ is in the clinic now with a sprained neck and severe burns on the back of the neck, some of them third degree.”
Henry’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding me? What in the world is up with the women in this community this week? My God, is it premenstrual week or something?”
“You know how it gets the first few days after hormone injections.” Joe shrugged. “I always give leeway.”
“Well I won’t. I’m really sick of the way these women get away with things, Joe.”
“Henry.” Joe held up his hand.
“No.” Henry shook his head. “You have a woman, who didn’t strike back, who didn’t physically provoke, who wasn’t even proven guilty and she’s lying in the clinic with third degree burns.” Henry sat up. “Oust Woman ‘A’.”
“No!” Joe scolded.
“Why?”
“We don’t oust women, you asshole, unless it’s deadly.”
“You gave me the decision.”
“Well ousting can’t be one of them.”
“That sucks, Joe.”
“Tough.”
Henry tapped his hand on the arm of the chair. “Well we have to send a clear cut message to the community. Woman ‘A’ has to be made an example.”
“Henry, you think that maybe you should ...”
“Joe.” Henry held up his hand. “My decision, let me think. Severity. We can’t stick her in the Fields. She wouldn’t work out. Hmm.” Henry thought and grew annoyed at Joe’s finger tapping on his desk top. “Joe, please.”
“No. Henry, please. This isn’t a difficult thing to do. Come up with a punishment. How about an hour in Holding?”
“No way! She burned and scarred a woman.” Henry snapped his finger. “I got it. This is good.” He leaned toward Joe. “Woman ‘A’ will be placed immediately in Holding until tomorrow morning, after and only after, she delivers a personal apology to Woman ‘B’.”
“Henry, most of this day and all night in Holding? And an apology? Don’t you think that’s a little severe?”
“No, Joe. That’s my decision.”
“I don’t think ...”
“Joe.” Henry raised his voice. “It’s my decision. You gave it to me. That’s fair and severe.”
“You’re absolutely sure?” Joe asked.
“Yes,” Henry answered.
“Positive?”
“Yes,” Henry grew perturbed.
“I can’t change your mind.”
“No, Joe. That’s it. I’m really tired of these women in this community. Did you see the long scratch on Frank’s arm from the Jenny fight?”
“OK, if that’s your final word.” Joe picked up his phone. “Excuse me.” He dialed. “Robert, Henry made his decision. Woman ‘A’ is to be placed in Holding until tomorrow morning. Yes, he decided that.” Joe looked at Henry. “No, don’t take her there yet. Go get her and ... and bring her to the clinic. Part of her punishment is to apologize to Woman ‘B’.” Joe spun his chair and lowered his voice. “Knock of the laughing. Get her and bring her to the clinic. We’ll be right there. No, I’ll tell her the punishment. And uh ... call Andrea with this one for me. Thanks.” Joe hung up the phone and spun the chair to re-face Henry. “Ready?”
“For what?”
“To go to the clinic.” Joe stood up. “You decided the punishment. You hand it out.”
“With pleasure, Joe.”
Wanting to tell Henry ‘you think?’ Joe decided it was best not to let any of the anonymity out of the bag. That little surprise would be best uncovered first hand.
<><><><>
Henry walked side by side with Joe. He held his head high, ready for any argument Woman ‘A’ would give to him and battling his defenses in his head as they made their way to patient rooms.
“This way,” Joe told him. They started to turn the bend but were stopped by Andrea.
“Joe.” She grabbed him. “Stop this right now.”
“Andrea.” Joe held his hand high. “Like Henry insisted, it is his final decision. Excuse us.”
Covering her face then folding her arms, Andrea walked away. She didn’t want to witness the painful scene that would unravel.
As soon as Henry turned the bend, he slowed down when he saw Ellen stand up from a chair outside of a room. Robbie was with her. “El?” Henry walked up to her. “What are you doing here?”
Giving scolding eyes to Robbie, who snickered, Joe explained, “Ellen, you know why you are here don’t you?”
“Yes,” Ellen said calmly, “my punishment.”
Henry’s mouth dropped open. “You? You burned her?”
“Yes, Henry, I did. So what?” Ellen said sharply. “Just tell me what my punishment is. This is fuckin stupid.”
“Henry?” Joe motioned his hand. “Since the decision was announced to the other parties, please tell Ellen your final decision.”
“But, Joe ...”
“Henry,” Joe deepened his voice, “you were the adamant one. Tell her.”
Nervously Henry cleared his throat. “These are severe, El. You have to go to Holding and stay there till morning.”
Ellen nodded slowly. “Holding, like a criminal.” She closed her eyes briefly. “Thanks, Henry. So what’s the other one? You made it sound as if I have two punishments.”
“Yes.” Henry breathed out. “You have to go in and apologize to her for burning her.”
“No!” Ellen shouted.
“Yes,” Henry said. “El, listen I ...”
“No!” Ellen waved her hands about. “No, no, no!” She stepped back ranting. “I won’t! Fuck her! Fuck you, Henry! No! Joe. I’ll spend a week in Holding. Anything. No.”
Joe looked at Henry. “Care to change your mind now, Mr. Final decision?”
Henry was a little upset by this. Didn’t Ellen understand the severity of the injuries she caused and yet she was still so calloused about it. Taking a firm breath, Henry faced her. “More than anything, this is what you have to do. I made the decision. I stick by it. Apologize, El. You hurt her badly, really badly. I want you to apologize now. She deserves that.”
Ellen bit her bottom lip, stared cold eyes at Henry, pleading eyes at Joe, and then shot her middle finger to Robbie who laughed. “Fine.” She tossed her hands up. “I’ll apologize.” She tossed her head back. “You coming?” Taking a calm pause before going in, Ellen opened Bev’s door and walked inside.
The moment Henry saw who was in the bed was the moment he wanted to drop over and die. Before he could call out to stop Ellen, before he could do anything, Ellen had opened her mouth.
“Bev.” Ellen faced the bed. “I’m told by Henry to apologize. Fine.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry.” She faced Henry. “And, Henry?” Without warning, without saying anymore, Ellen revved back her tightly clo
sed fist, squared it away, swung it harshly, and landed it to the side of Henry’s face. Shaking her hand, she stormed passed Henry and Joe then walked up to Robbie. “Take me to Holding.” She walked with him. “And don’t try anything kinky with those handcuffs.” Without looking back, she moved with anger from the clinic.
Joe cringed and squinted when he looked at Henry who held the back of his hand to the corner of his eye. “Geez, Henry. Uh ... I ...”
“You set me up.”
“No,” Joe hid his laugh, “I gave you every opportunity to change your mind.”
“Thanks, Joe. Thanks a lot.” Henry closed his eyes tightly.
“I swear I didn’t expect that.”
“Neither did I.” Henry twitched his head. “Can you at least tell me now why she burned Bev? Now that I know who the parties involved are.”
“Simple.” Joe started to lead Henry down the hall. “Frank radioed her and told her Bev was in his office naked.”
“What?” Henry stomped. “That’s sucks, Joe. She burns Bev because she flashes Frank, but she doesn’t go after her at all over me. That just sucks and now I have a black eye.”
“Not to mention Ellen probably is really pissed at you.”
“Thanks, Joe.” Henry stormed ahead.
“Maybe even hates you more.”
Henry spun around still holding his eye. “I don’t need to hear this!” He stormed off.
“Gonna try to fix this, Henry?” Joe picked up his pace to keep up to a near running Henry.
“Yes!” Henry shouted as he flew out the double glass doors of the clinic.
Jolting at the bang of the doors, Joe shook his head and sang his words. “I don’t think you can.” Shrugging, he turned back down the hall and went to find Andrea.
<><><><>
The day in Holding wasn’t as bad as it could have been for Ellen. It was spent with lots of paper work that Dean insisted he had to go over in person with her. Ellen figured that was his attempt to keep her in contact with someone. Dean spent a lot of time with each visit, laying on the bed with Ellen, and talking to her as if they weren’t in that cold Holding room.
They talked a lot about the virus, but most of all they talked about the microchip that was going to be implanted in his brain ... first thing the next morning. The whole entire aspect of it frightened Ellen, but she couldn’t let on to Dean that it did. So confident Dean came off to her, so comfortable with the fact that he added that needed final touch to secure the possibility of success in the procedure. In fact, Dean was more worried about the fact that Johnny was his eyes up at the mobile instead of Ellen, and how he was going to be able to work efficiently without Ellen by his side.
Ellen’s day in Holding was filled more with people stopping by than being alone, but that was during the day. When evening came, the buzz of visitors slowed down then finally ceased. The two and a half hours that Ellen had sat alone since the last time she talked to anyone seemed like an eternity.
Maybe that was why, when she heard the Holding door unlock, she became so excited, like a kid chasing an ice cream truck. She jumped from the bed when the door opened. “Frank!” she screamed out.
Frank barely set down the things he brought with him on the table to the right of the door before he was pummeled by Ellen, who jumped at him and threw her arms and legs around him tightly. “El.” He felt Ellen tightly cling to him like she was a monkey.
“Frank.” Ellen held on to him. “Take me out of here, please.”
“I can’t, El.”
“Frank, I’m scared in here. It’s spooky. Frank.”
“El. I can’t,” he snickered.
“Please, please, please, please, please.” She whispered in his ear, “Sneak me out and put me back in the morning. No one will know.”
“I can’t do that.” He peeled her legs from him. “I brought you some things though.”
“I don’t want things. I want out.”
“You’re stuck.”
“Can you at least beat up Henry for doing this?”
“No, I am not beating up Henry.”
With a whine, Ellen released her grip. “I can’t believe you’re taking his side.”
“I’m not taking his side. I’m following rules.”
“The rules suck.” She backed up and sat on the bed.
“Yeah, I agree. But it won’t be that bad. Just go to sleep. Look.” He walked over to the table. “I brought you clothes and your toothbrush, an old magazine.” He lifted it. “And ...” he grinned, “the blue underwear I like seeing you in.” He held them up.
Ellen looked up from the slump stature she held on the bed. Her face brightened. “You like seeing me in them?”
“Yeah. They’re my favorite.”
“Frank?” Ellen smiled. “You know you could stay in here with me.”
“No I can’t.”
“Yes you can. I’ll ... I’ll model the underwear for you.”
“El, for as great an offer as that is, I can’t, honey.”
“Please.”
“El.”
“Just stay all night with me. No one will know. I’m scared, Frank.”
“El.”
“Frank?” She unbuttoned her shorts. “Look.”
“No.”
“Frank?” She unzipped them and let the shorts fall then stepped out of them. “Look.”
“El.” Frank covered his eyes and peeked through his fingers.
“All night, Frank.” Ellen lifted off her shirt.
“El ...”
“All night.” She undid her bra and tossed it. “Alone up here.”
Frank grew antsy as he stood there, staring back at the partially opened Holding door.
“Frank?” Ellen softened her voice then in a seductive move, she slowly rolled off her underwear. “I will make love to you all night long. Turn around, Frank, and look at me.”
Slowly Frank turned around.
“Stay with me and I will make love to you all ... night ... long.” She backed up to the bed.
“Starting when?”
“Starting right ...” Ellen sat on the bed then laid on her side on it. “Right now.”
“Oh my God.” Quickly Frank dropped his shoulder harness, kicked his foot back to close the door, and in his stride to the bed, took off his shirt, throwing it.
As Ellen moved to her back and Frank knelt to the bed, Joe yelled through the closed door. “Let’s go, Frank. Time’s up.”
“Shit.” Frank closed his eyes. His body was so close to touching down to Ellen’s. “Uh, Dad, not now.” He felt Ellen’s hand slide to his neck and he began to lower his body down.
“Now, Frank!” Joe knocked.
With his hands on both sides of Ellen, suspending his body up, Frank looked at the door. “I’m staying here, Dad.”
“No, Frank. Move it. Let’s go. I know what you’re up to.”
“You haven’t a clue what I’m ...” Frank looked down at Ellen’s naked body just inches from his. “Oh God.” He swallowed. “... up to.”
“Frank!”
“All right!” Frank looked down at Ellen. “I’m sorry.” He slid from the bed. “I’m sorry.”
“No.” She jumped up and was greeted by her clothes that Frank tossed at her. “Don’t leave me here.”
“El, I can’t stay.”
“Frank, I swear to God if you walk out that door, you won’t ever get this opportunity again.”
“Yes I will.”
“No you won’t.”
“Yes I will.” Frank faced her and smiled. “And I guarantee it won’t be on rebound from Henry or just because you are scared to be alone.”
“Then what will be the reason?” Ellen asked tauntingly.
“It’ll be because it’s finally our time.” Frank opened the door slightly. “You know what, El? I think ... I think for that moment, I wanna wait.” He winked with a smile and walked out the door.
“Frank,” Ellen called out in a slow whine. “I can’t believe you
left me here.” Stepping into her underwear, then placing on her shirt, Ellen heard the grunting and the moaning from the SUT who roomed next to her. “With zombies.” With visions in her mind of Harold the SUT crashing through the walls, arms extended ready to chomp flesh, she heard the turning of the lock on her door. “Thank God,” she breathed in relief. “You changed your ... Henry.”
“Hey, El.” Apprehensively, Henry stepped in.
“Get out.”
“El, I need to ...”
“Get out!”
“El.”
“No! You did this to me! You made me say I was sorry to that bitch.”
“I know.” Henry swayed his head. “I’m sorry about that, but look at my eye, El. It’s black.”
“So what? Why are you here? Did you want to gloat about you sticking me in here?”
“No!” Henry said defensively. “I was wrong for making you come here. I can’t let you out, but I don’t want you to be alone.”
“I want to be alone.”
“You aren’t scared?”
“No Henry, I’m not. What do you think I am? A big baby? You are the last person I want here tonight. In fact, I’m looking at this as a break. Even Frank offered to stay, seducing me and all, but I turned him down. I’d like you to get out.”
“I’m not leaving Holding.”
“Well you’re not staying in here. What are you gonna do? Sleep on the floor outside this room?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want you there, Henry.” Ellen stepped to him. “I don’t want you anywhere around. Don’t you comprehend this? Your life would be so much easier if you did. You worry about how you hurt me. You worry about making me angry. Well you wouldn’t make me these things if you would just stay out of my life. Stay out! Get out of my room. You put me here so leave me here.”
“But, El ...”
“Leave.” She pointed to the door. “You made your decision. Stick with it. Deal with it. Leave.”
Nodding silently and less any words he could say, Henry backed up, feeling really badly, and he left the room.
<><><><>
Letting out a loud dramatic sound of exhaustion, Frank came down his stairs. “Were they out of control tonight or what?”
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 322