Ellen quickly looked up. “Why is she being like that William? She doesn’t think I see it. She comes over all the time when the babies are fussy. Help is one thing but an eighteen year old girl telling me that maybe I’m too emotionally drawn to handle them alone is another.”
Foots steps hurrying down the stairs precluded Dean’s comment. “She’s just being nice.”
“No, Dean, she’s not.” Ellen looked up to him.
“Ellen, you’re making far too much out of it.” Dean opened up the living room closet. “I have to start a test at the clinic. I’ll be back.” He hurried and kissed Ellen on the cheek. “Dad, are you staying?”
“Dean?” William had question in his voice. “Are you insinuating that your wife can not handle the twins alone?”
“Dad.” Dean stopped at the door. “Don’t instigate. El.” Dean winked. “Alex is asleep, bathed, fed, and should be down until I get back. See ya.” He hurried out.
Ellen turned to William. “He should be with Jenny.” She twitched her head at the door.
<><><><>
Wine. Candles. Food. Joe scratched his head in wonder as he stared at the perfectly set dining room table. “So uh Andrea.”
“Hmm?” Andrea folded her hands over her empty dinner plate. She shifted in her seat to make sure that the candle light lit her face just right.
“The dinner was good. What’s the occasion?”
“Just ...” Andrea spoke in a whisper. “I just wanted to show you my appreciation for all that you have done around here.”
“Really.” Joe reached into his pocket for cigarette.
“Yes. I wanted to do something for you.”
“I have a pair of pants that need sewn, do you think ...”
“Joe.” She tapped his hand. “You just bring them over.”
“Gee thanks Andrea.” Joe leaned into the candle bringing it to him and lighting his cigarette. “Kids in bed early?”
“The children ...” Andrea moved the candle back into perfect lighting position. “The children are with Maggie. It’s just us, Joe.”
“I see that.”
“All alone.”
“I see that.”
“And I thought you and I could ...” Andrea giggled. “Engage in something fun this evening to pass time.”
“I don’t see a problem with that. I’m open tonight.” Joe sat back in his chair remembering the last fun evening he had with Andrea. He was there for hours and saw no problem in doing it again. He only hoped that she put the lights back on because he left his glasses at home and would have a hard time seeing that Monopoly Board if she didn’t.
<><><><>
Andrea’s voice was high pitched, singing, and muffled by the wall,. “Oh! Sweet Jesus! Oh! Sweet, Sweet Jesus. Sweet Jesus, Sweet Jesus. Sweet Jesus!”
Ellen’s face was so red as she laughed, lying stomach down on her bed. Her forehead met her hands as she laughed again. Catching her breath, she lifted her views to Dean, who laid the same next to her, laughing in near hyena mode.
“El. Stop.”
“I can’t help it.”
Another Andrea cry out and Dean and Ellen, both at the same time, released a burst of laughter and dropped their heads.
“I have to go.” Dean scooted to her.
“Don’t you want to wait for the outcome? It’s like the only entertainment in Beginnings tonight.”
“I’d love to but I want to finish those tests and get home.” He lifted her chin and kissed her softly. “Unless ...” he kissed her again. “You wanna give me reason to stay home?”
“Like?”
“Like.” More intense Dean placed his lips on hers. “What do you say?”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“It’s uh ... it’s a female thing.”
“A female thing?” Dean questioned and rolled onto his side. “Explain. Are you mad?”
“No.” Ellen giggled at him. “Female problems.”
“El.” Dean rolled onto his back, sat up then swung his legs over the bed. “You had female problems last week.” He stood up.
“I know. I just haven’t been right since the twins were born.”
“You should talk to my dad and see what he thinks.”
“I will.”
“All right. I’ll be back. If I get held up it’s because I ran into problems with the new anti-infection batch.” He leaned over the bed and kissed Ellen on the head. “Don’t wait up if it gets too late.”
“I won’t.”
“Night.” Dean walked to the door and left. He stopped to shake his head when he closed the door and hear another burst of laughter come from Ellen.
<><><><>
“I have to say, Andrea.” Joe finished buttoning his shirt. “You meant it when you said fun and here I thought I was getting my ass whipped in a board game.” He tucked his shirt in his pants.
“Well, Joseph.” Andrea tightened the belt to her robe. “I certainly hope this is a first of many, many times.” She ran her hand across her forehead.
“That would be nice especially with nothing to do.” Joe looked around for his shoes.
“And it would be nice since you find it in you to make me feel good every single day.”
“Really?” Joe sat on the edge of the bed. “How’s that?”
“Oh Joe.” Andrea flung her hand, gave a school girl giggle, and covered her mouth. “You know.”
“I do?”
“Yes.”
“No I don’t. So tell me because I haven’t a clue.”
“The notes. The flowers.” She sat next to him on the bed. “The mini poems you leave about for me to find. That is so sweet.”
Slam! Joe’s shoe slipped from his hand and fell hard to the floor. “Poems? Flowers?”
“Yes.”
“You think I’m leaving you flowers and poems?”
“Yes.”
“Christ, Andrea.” Joe stood up. “Now do I strike you as the type for man that leaves flowers and poems around? No.” He shook his head. “But I appreciate you thinking it was me.”
Andrea’s mouth dropped open. “It ... it wasn’t you?”
“No.”
“You ... you ...” Andrea stood up. “You slept with me for no reason?”
“In my defense.” Joe held up his hand. “You offered.”
Andrea’s words were excited, high pitch, and rambled fast together. “You son-of-a-bitch.”
“What?”
“Oh.” She gasped in a sad, overacting emotional way. Her hand went to her chest. “Sweet Jesus, I’m a slut.”
Joe had been married several times and he knew women. He also knew when I woman needed kindness, compassion, and understanding and at that moment, Andrea needed that from Joe. He wanted to give it to her, but he had to stop laughing at her comment first.
<><><><>
Dean really thought he was missing something as he slowed down his pace by the Social Hall. Laughter, deep and lots of it, seeped out into the street.
“Dean,” Robbie called his name upbeat as he approached him
“Hey.” Dean looked up and started walking.
“You decided to join us after all, huh?”
“What are you talking about?” Dean asked.
“I asked you this afternoon. I said us guys are getting together to try to break the boredom.”
“Oh,” Dean recalled. “No, I’m going home.”
“To be bored.”
“What else?” Dean tossed his hands up.
“Come in with us.” Robbie reached for the door. “Have some fun.”
“Nah.”
“Dean, you never associate with any of us guys. You got a lot of years you have to be with us. Your dad hangs. Come on. Just an hour or so.”
Remembering advice William gave him on trying to fit in, Dean shrugged his shoulders. “Why not? What are we doing?”
“Frank said he has something planned.”
Dean slowed down. “Oh no.”
“It’ll be fun.” Robbie waited for Dean to walk in. “Drink?” Robbie pointed to the bar.
“Um, yeah.” He walked over and joined Robbie only after looking at the tables joined and every male but Joe sitting around.
“Moon shine.” Robbie poured him a glass. “Take it easy on that. It’ll kick your ass.”
“Swell.” Dean sniffed it. He knew he was in trouble. It even burned his nostrils.
“See you at the table.”
Still staring into the glass, Dean turned his body and faced a chest. He slowly raised his eyes to Frank.
“Look who’s trying to fit in.” Frank’s long reach extended to the bar and lifted the bottle.
“Excuse me.” Dean tried to get past him.
“El uh ... at home alone?” Frank raised an eyebrow. “Maybe I should go and see her.”
“Frank, you two spend enough time together. I would like it very much if you would try to leave her alone some times.”
“You would, would you?” Frank smiled, turned and walked back to the table.
“Asshole,” Dean mumbled under his breath and grabbed a chair, pulling it to the table in between Miguel and Robbie. Just as he sat he heard the rumbling burp come from Miguel and Dean shifted his eyes to watch the big man swaying. “Please don’t throw up on me.”
Another belch and Miguel held up his hand. “I’m fine.”
With a heavy bang, Frank set down the bottle and lowered into a chair at the far end of the table. “Slagel game of truth, dare, or drink. Robbie, you know how it works. I’m the master of ceremonies and the person to your right asks or tells you what to do.”
“Got it.” He looked to his right at William, and chuckled, thinking he wouldn’t get drunk at all, and then he looked to his left at Dean and grinned widely at him. The expression Dean gave back all but said he knew he was in trouble.
“All right.” Frank spoke up. “Henry. Truth, dare, or drink?
“Oh truth, Frank,” Henry answered. “I like this game.”
John Matoose was to his right. “Henry.” He snickered as he played with his glass. “Would you be willing to be the one to help Jenny lose her virginity?”
“Oh no, not me.” Henry shook his head. “Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t. I’m a terrible lay. I wouldn’t want to leave someone with that everlasting impression of sex.”
Frank laughed and pointed to George. “George, truth, dare, or drink.”
“Truth.”
“Man.” Frank twitched his head. “Wimps. Henry?”
Henry waited for his opportunity. “George, what was the wildest thing you ever did while President.”
“The wildest thing?” George had to think. He started to laugh and brought his drink to his lips. “I got drunk one night and took a piss off the balcony of the Oval Office.”
A loud eruption of ‘Whoas!” rang from around the table and they all raised their glasses and drank anyhow.
“William.” Frank pointed. “Truth, dare, or drink.”
“Truth.”
“Fuck.” Frank cringed. “Go on, George.”
“William,” George spoke seriously. “Tell us something very personal and shocking you would never tell your son.”
William looked at Dean so smugly as Dean sipped his moonshine. Dean had that look that there was nothing he didn’t know. “Well.” William cleared his throat. “When I was a young man in the Corp, before I was married mind you, I had this little episode in a hotel room with three women. I’ll never forget it.” William nearly choked when Dean’s loud ‘What!’ made him jolt.
“Dad, you’re lying.”
“I am not. Just because your combined lover list doesn’t tally three women doesn’t mean I am lying. I was quite the ladies man back then.”
“Oh my God.” Dean covered his face.
Frank looked so lost, “I thought they didn’t do things like that back then?”
“Have sex?” William asked. “Oh we had sex. Tell him Stan.”
Stan made a clicking sound with his tongue. “By God I think women were wilder back then but they just didn’t brag. What they didn’t do to you back in the cornfield. I believe they didn’t have a name for it then but I swear they invented it. Back then, you could be out in a field with a nice woman, look like you’re working, and she’d never be seen.”
Frank coughed, grabbed his drink, downed it, and poured another. “I was born in the wrong time.” He gasped at the burning moonshine. “Robbie.”
“Dare.”
Instigating chants filled the air.
William smiled. “I would like you, Robert, to stand up, embrace Henry, plant a kiss on his cheek, and tell him you love him.”
“All right.” Robbie downed his drink and stood up. “Henry.” He extended his arms, and tilted his head. “Come on.”
“Oh my God.” Henry stood up and backed away. “This isn’t fair, Frank. I’m not the one being dared.”
“We’ll skip your turn,” Frank told him
“No.” Henry began to run around the table as Robbie chased him. “I would never pick dare. Uh!” He shrieked when Robbie lunged for him, grabbed him, smacked him hard on the cheek with a kiss, and squeezed him tight.
“I love you, Henry.” Robbie rubbed Henry’s hair, messing it up then returned to his seat.
Henry gagged. His face turned red. “This isn’t funny.” He pouted and whined his way back to his seat. “This is really starting me out with a bad reputation. No offense, Jonas.” Henry sat down. “And my hair got messed up.”
Frank chuckling, looked at Dean, and smiled. “Dean, truth, dare, or drink.”
Dean took a breath. He saw his father waiting then saw the shitty grin on Robbie’s face. “Drink,” He reached for his small glass.
“Oh no.” Frank stood up quickly, leaned across the table, and stopped him. “You seemed to have missed something. When you choose drink, you drink.” From the center of the table, Frank lifted a large glass. He grabbed the moonshine and poured about three shots worth in. He set it down hard in front of Dean. “Now drink.”
Dean was horrified. His hand gripped the glass that felt so big.
“Drink.” Frank raised his eyes brows. “And down it.”
Dean looked to his father as if for an answer.
“Don’t back out,” William told him. “You always did that when you were a kid. You wanted to play but hated the rules then quit.”
Figuring, he’d show his father, Dean firmly grabbed that glass, brought it to his mouth, downed every ounce of moonshine, and slammed it down. It took a second then Dean started gasping. His entire chest felt as if it were on fire. He couldn’t breathe and he knew his face was red. His glands salivated and he tried with diligence not to throw up all over the table. As soon as his body started to return to normal, he knew he was in trouble. He looked around the table. Robbie was glowing, the night was still young, and that game he joined was far from over.
CHAPTER EIGHT
March 21st - Beginnings Montana
It wasn’t even dawn but the moon was shining enough to give the wooded area some visual light. Frank and Robbie’s boots made a scrunching sound on the hard ground as they shuffled where they stood.
The steam from his warm breath came from his mouth as Frank sniffled and extended down his M-16. “Dead?”
“No.” Robbie extended down his. He poked it in a nudging manner and got a moan. “Alive.”
“He’s probably freezing.” Frank stated, sniffing in again.
“Henry said it dropped down to twenty last night.”
“Fuck. I’m surprised he’s not dead.”
“We’re lucky.”
“Yeah, and maybe we can get some sleep now.”
“I’m with ya. I’m beat.”
Frank tossed his M-16 over his shoulder and unhooked the radio from his belt. “Dad. Dad, come in.”
“What’s up Frank? Give me good news. Is he alive?”
“Yep. Search is over. We’re bringing him in.” The
static signaled the call was over and Frank hooked the radio back up again. “You or me?”
“Loser does it,” Robbie stated.
“Odd or even?” Frank asked.
“Even.”
Counting to three, Frank and Robbie clenched their fists and tossed out their hands, extending out fingers. “Shit. Four.”
“You’re the man, Frank.” Robbie grinned.
“Yeah. Fuck.” Frank hunched down some. “Dean. Dean!” Frank only received a moan from Dean who lay amongst the foliage. “Shit. Oh he’s not living this one down. I am riding his ass forever.”
“As well as you should,” Robbie said. “But look at the bright side. At least he’s not heavy.”
“True.” Frank, bringing himself down to his knees, gripped hold of a passed out Dean, lifted him as he stood, and hoisted Dean’s small body over his shoulder. Frank turned some, his head shifted about.
“Looking for something?” Robbie asked as they started to walk.
“Yeah, his clothes.”
“He took them off at the Social Hall, remember?”
“Yeah that’s right.” Frank shrugged. “Let’s head back.” Turning, Frank began to lead the way. Dean’s body, clad in only boxer shorts, flopped drastically over Frank’s shoulder with every heavy, fast bouncing step Frank took on purpose through those woods.
<><><><>
“What the hell did you do to my husband?” Ellen blasted as she watched Frank just plop Dean down on the sofa.
“I didn’t do anything. If a man can’t hold his liquor, he shouldn’t drink. And he probably needs a blanket.”
“In the closet.” Ellen pointed, looking at Dean who barely moved. “You got him drunk?”
“I did not such thing. He got himself drunk.”
“And where are his clothes Frank? You didn’t do anything perverted to him did you?”
“Oh my God, I can’t fuckin’ believe you just asked me that. No!” He dropped the blanket over Dean. “We were playing truth, dare, or drink. He drank, then got drunk, and took a dare.”
“Which was.”
“To run up and down the street three times in his underwear. Then ...” Frank scratched his head. “We lost him.”
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 11