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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Well anymore than that would be forward, wouldn’t it?” Dean kept his hands behind his back. “Are you from around here?”

  “Stamford?” Ellen asked. “No.” She shook her head. “I live in a little town called Ashtonville, forty-five miles from here.”

  “Well then I guess asking for a tour of Stamford would be out of the question.”

  “Not out of the question, misleading, maybe. I can pretend I know what I’m showing you.”

  Dean bit his bottom lip and took a second to muster up the courage he needed. “Ellen, are you in a hurry to get back to Ashtonville?”

  “Not really, why?”

  “Would you ...” Dean paused. “Would you have lunch withme? If you don’t want to, I’d …”

  “I’d love to. I mean we did have that flirtatious thing going through the whole lecture.”

  “Great.” Dean grinned. “Just let me get my things.” He backed up. “I’ll be right with you.”

  Ellen watched as he seemed so nervous gathering his stuff. As he did, she wondered if he was going to stick her with the lunch bill. But that thought didn’t bother her. She’d be happy to pay for lunch. It kept her away from Pete for the day. There was a really smart man--not to mention cute--paying attention to her. And she’d have something to talk about over coffee with Kelly later on that night.

  May 30-4:48 p.m.

  Flight655en route to Bridgeport, Connecticut

  They engines were so hypnotizing that at some point Robbie must have dozed off. He snapped forward in his seat, listening to the high pitch steady engine noise. Rubbing the corner of his eyes with his forefinger and thumb, Robbie adjusted himself to a more comfortable position and looked at his watch. In less than three hours he would land.

  Robbie had his plan. He had his transportation lined up at the airport. He only packed enough clothes to fit in a duffel bag to carry on. No luggage to claim. He was going to head straight to Ashtonville in hopes that his father was there or on his way.

  If it wasn’t for the gut wrenching, pulling feeling he had, Robbie would fear that he may have jumped to a decision without looking into it. But Frank’s letter and Joe’s serious call was all Robbie needed. That was all it took to do something he thought he’d never do in his entire career. He just left. He was taking a chance on losing everything if this trip ended up being nothing but a rat chase.

  But what was going to happen? Robbie tried to figure it out in his mind. Even as the gentleman next to him rambled on about how he too was a Sergeant in the service, Robbie kept thinking. War? Nuclear war? With the peaceful state the way things were, that would be a near impossibility. Act of terrorism? Did the smaller countries have the capabilities to pull off something so drastic as ending the world? And then he heard it, a simple hacking cough coming from the seat in front of him. It broke Robbie’s concentration. He listened some more. The person who coughed was joined by another behind him. The sounds of people’s basic colds rang a scary feeling through him.

  Was he thinking in the wrong direction? Massive explosions, and world destruction was typical thinking of the world’s demise. But the other corner that his father had pointed out to him came creeping into Robbie’s mind. A missile wasn’t the only thing capable of killing off the world. A simple cough could do the same trick.

  May 30-5:30 p.m.

  Stamford Connecticut

  Why was she feeling so at ease? Ellen wondered as she looked at her reflection in her pocket minor she pulled from her purse. Using her fingertip, she cleared away the mascara that smeared a little at the edge of her eyelid. Running her hands through her hair to straighten it, she tossed the mirror back into her purse, somewhat satisfied that she didn’t look like complete hell. Tossing her purse to the floor, she saw the room service tray laying there. Holding the bedding tightly against her nude body, she dangled her arm down and grabbed a cold French fry from one of the half empty plates. As she brought herself back to the bed, the phone caught her eye. She saw the time on the digital alarm clock next to the bed. Hearing the sound of running water from the sink in the bathroom, Ellen called out. “Hey. Can I use your phone? I’m not getting a signal.”

  “Yeah.” He answered through the cracked bathroom door.

  “Thanks.” Ellen reached over, picked up the phone and, still holding the covers to her, set it next to her on the bed. With her knees to her chest, she dialed. Watching the bathroom door for his return, she listened to the phone ring with the nervousness of a late teenager. Her eyes raised and heart pounded when the phone was answered. “Kel,” she spoke softly.

  “Ellen, where in the hell are you?” Kelly sounded so frantic. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, I’m fine. What time did Pete get the kids?”

  “He didn’t. They’re still here. He said he’s really sick.”

  “God, he’s such a baby.” Ellen’s eyes still held firmly on the door. “Kel, I owe you.”

  “Where are you, Ellen?”

  Ellen covered the mouthpiece of the phone with her hand and whispered. “I’m hanging out.”

  “You’re what?”

  “Hanging out having grown up time,” Ellen kept whispering. “With ... get this, him.”

  “The guy from the pamphlet?” Kelly asked.

  “Yeah.” Ellen’s voice held excitement. “I’ll talk about this when I get to your house.”

  “O.K.” Kelly sounded so enthralled to hear to whole truth. “I want to hear everything.”

  “You will.” She heard the water stop running. “He’s coming. I have to go.”

  “‘What’s he like, El?”

  Ellen paused. “He is really nice, Kelly. Really nice. And Kel, thanks.” She hung up the phone and grabbed the remote to the television. She flicked it on. Thinking it was the news at first, Ellen realized it was more, a special report. She turned up the volume and listened to the reporter describe what was going on at a hospital in New York . . . a quarantine involving the CDC.

  “Did you make your call?” Dean asked as he came from the bathroom wearing only his boxer shorts and an opened buttoned down dress shirt.

  “Yes, thank you.” Ellen looked up at him and smiled. “What do you make of this?” She showed him the television.

  Dean walked to the bed and took the remote from her hand, shutting off the set. “I don’t watch T.V.”

  “But it’s right up your alley.”

  “It obviously has nothing to do with me or I’d know about it, right?” He smiled and sat on the bed, lifting the phone and placing it on the night stand.

  “It’s weird though. There’s a quarantine.

  “Ellen.” Dean kissed her. “Let’s not talk about the news.”

  “O.K.” She ran her fingers through the side of his hair. “I see your getting ready to go. Maybe I should too.” She started to slide from the bed.

  “Why don’t you come to dinner with me?”

  “With your father?” Ellen snickered. “Oh I can see that one. You introducing the married woman you just slept with to your father.”

  “So.”

  Ellen looked at him. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Very. I’d like it very much if you would come.”

  “I’d like that too. But …” She smiled. “I can’t. I have to pick up my kids.”

  “Can I ask you something?” Dean ran his hand up her bent leg. “Can I see you again? I’d like to see you again.”

  “I think that might be a little difficult with you living in Nebraska.”

  “No.” Dean shook his head. “I come to see my father once a month. He lives in Milord. I’d like it, when I come next month, if I could see you again.”

  “Why?” Ellen asked.

  “I like you. We had a great day. There’s something about you.” He leaned forward and kissed her softly. “I don’t know. It’s not just that we slept together either so don’t think that.”

  “I don’t and I’d like to see you too when you come back. Can we keep in
touch while you’re gone?”

  “As much as you want.”

  “Good.” Ellen spoke perkily. “I’ll write down my number and email.”

  “What about your husband?” Dean asked.

  “Oh, you don’t want his contact information.”

  Reaching around her, Dean slid his hand up her back to her hair. “I really…” He kissed her. “Really liked being with you today. I don’t do this. What happened this afternoon is not something I do. I’m not this lucky.”

  “I wouldn’t exactly call meeting me lucky.”

  “I would,” he said so seriously.

  “Dean?” Her face was so close to his. “When are you leaving to go home?”

  “Monday morning.” He brushed his lips against hers.

  “If I can ...would you want to meet tomorrow?”

  “I’d love to meet tomorrow.”

  “Good. I’ll call you tonight.” Ellen took a moment to stare at his boyish looking face. the years and the intelligence behind it. “I uh ... I’d better let you go.”

  Dean stopped her. “We have time.”

  “For what?”

  Dean slipped off his dress shirt. He leaned back and tossed it behind him. It hit the chair and slid down but never fell to the floor. Reaching for Ellen, he began to kiss her again, pulling her to him, then down to the bed.

  May 30-8:20 p.m.

  Ashtonville, Connecticut

  “Mom?” Josh ran into Kelly’s kitchen where his mother and Kelly sat at the small kitchenette table. “Can Johnny sleep over tonight?”

  “It’s fine with me.” Ellen faced Kelly. “But Pete is sick. I’ll keep him away from him.”

  “That’s fine,” Kelly stated.

  Ellen nodded to her son. “Tell Johnny to go get his things.”

  “Shit.” Kelly called out. “Joe’s coming. He’s gonna want to see Johnny.”

  “So what?” Ellen waved her hand then picked up the coffee mug. “You said he’s coming for a month. He can see Johnny tomorrow. Josh, go help Johnny with his stuff. We’re leaving soon. Get Taylor ready too.” She glanced down at her watch. “Wow, we’ve been talking for an hour.”

  Kelly waited until Josh had cleared the room. “So ... are you going to meet him tomorrow or what?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t do that to you again.”

  “Ellen, I charged five hundred dollars on your credit card. I think I can watch them for a couple hours tomorrow.”

  “Then you know what? I will. I’ll call him later after I get the kids settled.” Ellen grinned. “I really feel free,Kel. I really do. And I don’t know if it’s just Dean..

  “Or the fact that you hadn’t had sex in eighteen months.”

  “That too,” she laughed. “But with the fight yesterday and today, and Pete . . . it’s time to move on. I’m doing this.”

  “I’m glad, Ellen.” Kelly reached over and took her friend’s hand. “I want to see you happy. Even if nothing comes out of the affair this afternoon, I think it showed you what’s out there for you.”

  “It did.” Ellen stood from her seat. “Of course Roger at the video store could have showed me if it wasn’t for Frank.”

  Kelly covered her face. “You know it’s been two years and I still call to make sure he isn’t working when I go there. I can’t believe Frank did that to you.”

  “I can.” Ellen waited for Kelly to walk with her. Just as she was about to yell up the stairs, Ellen saw and heard her daughter Taylor, plus Josh and Johnny running down. “You guys ready? Johnny, kiss your mom.”

  Johnny darted to his mom and kissed her. “Tell Pap I’ll see him tomorrow.”

  Ellen reached into her purse and pulled out her keys. “Go ahead and get in the car, kids, I’ll be right there. Kel, thanks again. Tell Joe I will see him tomorrow too.”

  “I’ll tell him.” Kelly saw the front door open and the kids run out. “Call me later and tell me what he says if you get a chance.”

  “I will.” Ellen backed up. “I am really excited about this. A doctor, Kelly. And not only is he a doctor but one of the top scientists in the country.”

  “Ellen.” Kelly looked oddly at her. “That really sounds like a boring guy.”

  “It does, doesn’t it?” Laughing and walking backwards, Ellen waved. “I’ll call you.”

  Kelly’s face took on an odd look of surprise. “El…”

  “I have to go. I don’t want to leave them in the car too long.”

  “El…”

  “I’ll talk to you…”As Ellen spun to the door, she barreled right into him, nearly knocking herself over. Her eyes moved from the chest up to the face.

  “Robbie!” Ellen called excitedly.

  “El.” Smiling, he picked her up and hugged her. He poked his head around to see Kelly. “Hey, Kel ... excuse us.” Laughing, he started to dart away with Ellen.

  “Robbie.” Ellen joked and tried to break free. “Put me down. My kids will have a fit.”

  Kissing her on the cheek, Robbie put her down. He picked up his duffel bag that set outside the door and tossed it inside. “Where you going? I just got here.”

  “I have to go home.”

  “El?” Robbie watched her walk by him. “When are you leaving that husband of yours?”

  “When are you stealing me from him?”

  “Tonight all right?”

  “Sure.” Ellen raised her hands up in the air. “Give me time to get the kids in bed?”

  “I’ll do that.”

  Flinging back her head laughing, Ellen gushed. “God, are you cute, Robbie. Bye Kel.” She ran to the car. “Hey!” she yelled at the kids. “Out of the front seat.”

  Robbie bit his lip with an arrogant smile, watching Ellen leave, then turned and faced Kelly. “Hey, Kel.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Robbie, what in the world are you doing here?”

  “Um ...you don’t know?” He saw her shake her head. “Visiting. Have you heard from my Dad?”

  “Oddly enough, he’s on his way here. In fact …” She looked at her watch. “He should be here any minute.”

  Robbie sighed in relief. At least Frank’s note wasn’t scurrying him like a mouse to Ashtonville for no reason. “Good. What about Frank? Is he coming home?”

  “Not that I know of. Since when does your brother ever let me know he’s coming home?”

  “True.” Robbie closed the door. He bent down, unzipped his duffel bag, and pulled out a shirt, jeans, and his tennis shoes. “I’m gonna go upstairs and change. I’ll be right back.”

  “Robbie?” Kelly called to him causing him to pause mid-stairs. “Whyareyou here?”

  Seeing how Kelly didn’t know anything about what was going on and seeing how telling her that the world might be about to end could be a bit much, Robbie opted for something more on the lines of kidding around. “To steal Ellen away from her husband.” He smiled at her and hurried up the stairs.

  <><><><>

  With the sounds of chirping crickets as the background noise, a burning cigarette in his hand, Joe read Frank’s letter to Robbie on the front porch of Frank and Kelly’s home. “When did you say you got this letter?”

  “Four years ago.” Robbie brought his beer bottle to his lips and took a drink.

  “The envelope said to open it yesterday. When did you open it?”

  “Four years ago.” Robbie grabbed his cigarettes from the railing. He hit the pack against his palm once causing a single cigarette to emerge. He grabbed it, placed it in his mouth, and lit it. “Dad, I thought Frank was joking around. I thought he lost it. In fact, I was saving that letter to embarrass him the next time the family got together. But now, now I’m thinking he may be psychic.”

  Joe snickered. “I doubt it.” He folded the letter back up. “Have you spoken to him about this at all?”

  “Not really. I tried to call him this morning but he wasn’t available and I didn’t bring it up when I got it, because I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction
of getting me.”

  “He got you all right and me too.” He handed the letter to Robbie.

  “What’s goingon, Dad? I need to know. Right now, because of Frank’s letter and that call from you, I’m AWOL.”

  “You and me both.” Breathing out, Joe sat back and reached down for his own beer.. “It’s bad, Robbie, really bad. Yesterday we were chasing a suspected terrorist into the subway. My partner tackled him to the ground. The guy steals my partner’s gun, rattles out the words ‘this is the end’ and shot himself in the goddamn head. Eight hours later Brian, my partner, is dead. Something ravaged his system like I have never seen. I pieced it together. This terrorist was sending faxes to the CDC telling them to get prepared. The CDC. And then Brian dies like that? This happens in New York. Now I’m driving up here and hear that the CDC has placed a quarantine on a hospital in New York. Coincidence? I stopped at a diner about fifty miles from here. A young couple, from New York no less, are sick as dogs, same symptoms as Brian.”

  “And you aren’t sick,” Robbie stated so factually. “Which means…”

  “I’m probably immune, yes.”

  “And according to my psychic network brother’s letter, I may be too.” Robbie flicked his ash. “So what now? What do we do?”

  “I figured if a hospital has been quarantined, it won’t be long before New York is shut down. And then ... then the country. This thing moves fast, real fast.”

  “Things will fall apart, Dad, and you know it. Martial law going into effect.” Robbie shook his head and took a drink. “People panicking, chaos. Not to mention what happens when the soldiers working their posts get sick. Things could get detrimental, not just health wise, but safety wise.”

  “I know that. Being that this is a small town, I think it’s a pretty safe bet. But what if this thing really wipes out most of the population, then what? There will be chaotic madness, Robbie and we have to protect those we love.”

  Robbie agreed, staying so serious. “And your only grandchildren are right here. They may need you.”