The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “I know.”

  “I prish-ate it. Joe.”

  “Consider her on her way.” Joe received his nod from Dirk who slowly turned and walked away. With rolled eyes, Joe went off to do the task he had been putting off all day.

  “Ellen!” Joe called out for the third time, this time as he stepped into the clinic lab. “Dean.” Joe spoke to Dean who stood by the counter. “Where is she?”

  Dean pointed down.

  “What?” Joe asked. “What the hell?”

  Dean stepped back and pointed to the bottom of the counter.

  Joe walked around, hunched down and opened up the double door. Scrunched inside was Ellen. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Cleaning. Dean’s making me clean under here.”

  “I am not, Joe. She’s hiding. She heard you call and she hid.”

  “Oh, you’re in trouble,” she yelled up to Dean.

  “Get out of there.” Joe tugged on her arm and Ellen, still curled up, rolled just like that onto the floor. “Why are you hiding?”

  “I’m not hiding. I said ...”

  “You’re cleaning yes. What are you doing in the lab? You know what you’re supposed to do today.”

  “No, I don’t. What?” Ellen asked.

  “Ellen,” Joe said her name. “Everyone does it. Even Dean put in a few minutes here and there.”

  “Jenny doesn’t. Maggie doesn’t. And right now Jenny’s job is to read.”

  “Jenny does do it and so does Maggie.” Joe told her. “They work every morning in the greenhouses.”

  “That is not farming.”

  “Ellen it is. Now I know you’re not a Frank. You aren’t that goddamn stupid.”

  Dean snickered. “Sorry.” He moved away.

  “Ellen. I protect you,” Joe said. “I don’t know why, but I cover for you. But you know as well as I do that we are rationing our divisional work so we don’t do it all at once and end up bored. Part of all of our jobs is to help with food. Prep work, canning.” Joe raised his eyebrows. “You go, help them pick the tomatoes, and then work in canning them and I’ll consider it enough for this season.” Joe heard the huff from Dean “Shut up, Dean.”

  “Canning, Joe?” Ellen asked. “Picking.”

  “Yes.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m on my period.”

  Joe’s eyes widened. “What the hell does that have to do with it?”

  “Everything. It is bad luck for a woman who is menstruating to touch fresh vegetables or fruit and can them. It curses them.”

  “Oh baloney.” Joe waved his hand at her. “Get your ass up there and work. Hear me? Now.”

  “But I have stuff to do here.”

  “Dean.” Joe turned and looked to him. “Does she?”

  “Not a thing, Joe.”

  “Ellen.” Joe pointed his index finger at her. “Now.” He backed up and left the lab.

  Ellen, with arms folded, marched to Dean. “I’m going to curse our food. Bad luck will fall on us.”

  “Ellen, that’s an old wives tale. Go to the fields.”

  “Fine.” Ellen tossed her head up and her nose in the air. “But Dr. Hayes, you have been warned.” She walked snootily from the lab.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Dean chuckled thinking about Ellen’s reasoning about not wanting to farm. Then it dawned on him, Ellen had to be the most menstrual woman he knew. Either that, or she just used that as an excuse for everything.

  Ellen’s first thought as she took the ‘Family Circle Cartoon’ route to the field was, ‘Miguel Sanchez, Fashion Guy’. But then she quickly dismissed it when, even though he wore a new shirt, he still wore those K-mart jeans. But he looked different. Better, she thought. “Hey, Miguel. Nice hair.”

  “Frank did it.” Miguel rubbed his head.

  “Do you know where Mr. Vidal Sassoon is? Ellen asked.

  “He’s in his office, getting cool.”

  “Thanks.” Ellen kept moving. She stopped and looked back. “Miguel, why the new look?”

  “I am in love,” he stated. “I want to win my love’s affection.”

  “Oh.” Ellen nodded slowly. “That’s nice. Good luck.” She turned, going back in the direction of Frank’s office. It wasn’t too far ahead of her, but enough of a distance for Ellen to ponder who it was Miguel was in love with and a long enough of a distance for it to be too much of a bother to run back and ask Miguel. Wanting to kick herself for missing the nosey opportunity, Ellen knocked once on Frank’s door and walked in. “Hey.”

  “Hi, El.” He leaned back in his chair. “I can’t.”

  “You can’t what?”

  “You know. Can’t. I can’t. I need my legs strong this afternoon. Tonight?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Ellen asked.

  “Didn’t you come up to fool around?”

  “No! God, Frank!” Ellen stepped into the office. “You think my life revolves around sneaking around with you.”

  “If it doesn’t, it should.”

  “Geez.” Ellen pulled out a chair and sat down. “Hey, who’s Miguel in love with.”

  “Henry.”

  “Really?” Ellen tilted her had. “I wouldn’t have known. Anyhow, the reason I’m here.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Your Dad is making me farm.”

  “Everyone farms, El.”

  “Yeah, but Frank, listen to me.” Ellen held up her hand. “He wants me to farm and can.”

  “So.”

  “So I’m on my period.”

  “O.K.”

  “Frank, I can’t touch fresh fruits and vegetables or can them. I’ll curse them.”

  Frank held a serious look. “Is this true?”

  “Yes.”

  “My God, El, you have a problem.” Frank started to laugh and he stood up. “What the fuck? No sympathy from me. None.” He walked over to the door. “If you have to farm, you farm. Everyone does it, El Everyone. No exceptions.”

  Ellen stood in a pouty manner. “You aren’t going to help me?”

  “I can’t. And I can’t do your work again. I’m really starting to wear down a little.”

  Ellen huffed out. “You’re getting weak, that’s why. The old Frank in the old world could have handled the work.” Slouching, Ellen walked through the door Frank held open for her. “All right. Bye.”

  “Bye.” Frank hurried and kissed her then shut the door. “Weak?” Frank spoke his thoughts out loud, really worrying the moment Ellen was gone, if Dirk was right after all. Maybe that was why he was so tired. And if that was the case, Frank knew he’d better work on working a little harder.

  <><><><>

  “Here, like this.” George grabbed hold of Johnny’s hands, cupping them with in his and together he and Johnny brought the fishing rod back and cast out the line. “There.” George rubbed Johnny’s head. “That’ll work.”

  “I love fishing.”

  “Me too. I wish my Dad would take me more.” Johnny’s feet dangled off the old peer on a small lake about ten miles from Beginnings.

  “I know. He is a busy man. Very busy.”

  “I know.”

  “Sometimes. Johnny, we just don’t have enough hours in the day.” George laid his hand on Johnny’s back. “But just know, I’m here. I like hanging out with you.” George winked. “We can fish anytime you want.”

  “Thanks, George.” Johnny smiled happily, kicking his feet.

  George smiled in return. He cast his own line out, knowing full well if they were lucky they may get a bite. But it didn’t matter. Dead world around them or not, fishing at the lake was old world to George.

  <><><><>

  “Have to get them done now, Joe.” Dirk told him. “Ben wait for a now-er.”

  “I know. I know.” Joe rubbed his eyes and looked at Henry who stood there. “Do you know where Ellen went?”

  Just before Henry answered, Ellen walked up. “Here.”

 
“It’s about goddamn time. Where the hell have you been Missy Jane?”

  “Joe.” Ellen gasped out. “I’ll have you know that I had a female thing to attend to. I told you what time it is.”

  Henry’s eyes grew wide. “Oh my God, Joe. You can’t let her pick tomatoes or can them. Are you on your period El?”

  “I certainly am.” Ellen folded her arms.

  “Oh, Joe.” Henry shook his head. “She’ll curse our food. She will, Joe.”

  “Henry,” Joe stated calmly. “That wives tale is a crock of shit. O.K. Now ...” Joe grabbed Ellen’s arm. “Go with Dirk.”

  Ellen whined and hesitantly stepped forward. Dirk secured her and nearly drug Ellen further into the field.

  Joe faced Henry. “Henry, you aren’t helping the cause you know. You and this curse.”

  “I know, Joe, but I won’t eat what she cans. I won’t. Not offense to Ellen, but I don’t want to die.”

  “Henry!” Joe snapped. “No one is gonna die from her canning. All right? Christ.” Grumbling and ignoring Henry who still mumbled something about the curse, Joe left the fields.

  A single nod with that hay in his mouth and Dirk took the tutorial stand over Ellen in the tomato patch. “Raddy?”

  “Ready.” Ellen said while slouching.

  “Dirk,” Thelma spoke up. “You got stew give her the die-rec-shins.”

  “Aw, Thelma, hush now,” Dirk told her. “I ain’t gonna be that mooch of a stupor to have her going pickin without the knowledge now, will I?”

  “Ya might.” Thelma stated. “Right Stan.”

  Stan didn’t want to argue. He tossed his hands up. “I guess.” He had known Dirk and Thelma for many years, since they all went to grade school together. He half expected to find them married when he came back to Dairy, Ohio, a city man returning to his roots to live out his retirement. Dirk and Thelma were still the same. Stan was educated. He worked more with people and even sounded city. Dirk and Thelma hadn’t changed. Often Stan got a laugh when he heard them bickering, not because he enjoyed them fighting, but because he could see Frank and Ellen turning into them two.

  “Basket.” Dirk held up a basket to Ellen. “This here’s a basket.” He set it down. “This here.” He reached to her and grabbed her hand.. “This is your hand. Ya fallen me?”

  “Yes.” Ellen nodded, containing her rolling eyes.

  “Aw-right. This ...” Dirk reached to a big vine. “This is a ta-may-ter. This one here’s.” Dirk pointed to a bright red one. “This one here’s been on the vine jus a Lil too long cause some dumpkin says she a gonna pick em and she don’t. But now we got ta pick em an can em. ‘Stand?”

  “Yep.”

  “Aw-right. Now here’s where es gonna get a Lil tricky .Raddy?” Dirk waited for Ellen to nod. “Now you take that there hand you have and you reach it on up to the ripe ta-may-ter. Ya give a nice Lil tug on that may-ter,. You take it from the vine and ya place it in the basket. Got that.”

  “Got it.”

  “Aw-right any questions. Ask Thelma.” Dirk stepped back and grabbed his own basket.

  Ellen figured she show him. He wanted to teach her like a slow student, she would perform like a slow student. She moseyed with her basket, grabbing a tomato and slowly picking it, taking extra long to put it in the basket. She huffed out a sigh of exhaustion and looked at Dirk, Stan, and Thelma who had nearly a full basket to her ten tomatoes. “Hey Dirk. I don’t know if I’m much of a help. Look.”

  Dirk walked over and looked in her basket. “Don’t have much in-ear do ya?”

  “No. Not at all.”

  “Hmm.” Dirk reached in. “But chore doin a dandy pickin job. And member. One may-ter an hour with chew, es one more may-ter an hour den we’d have without chew.” He winked and moved on.

  Ellen gave up, but only for the time being, until she could figure out something else.

  <><><><>

  It was the only thing really to do at night, go to the Social Hall or stay home. And mostly everyone made a stop at the Social Hall during the course of the night, to unwind, play a game, or just talk.

  “One more, El?” Frank asked as he followed her to the bar.

  “No.” She finished her drink then looked at the time. “I have to go and so do you. Your father said he wanted to come here tonight.”

  “Yeah I know.” Frank downed his drink.

  “Walk me home?”

  “The long way?” Frank raised one eyebrow.

  “The direct way.” Ellen set down her glass. As she turned around, Jenny walked into the hall. “Joe should lay down some ground rules for the under twenty-one.”

  “Let’s just go.” Frank nudged her to get moving before any trouble ensued.

  Ellen moved slowly, her eyes connected in hatred to Jenny’s.

  Jenny snidely spoke as she passed her. “I see you’re being the good mother, drinking and hanging out with the other man again.”

  Ellen spun in a violent pursuit, only to be bodily stopped by Frank, who wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up from her feet, and walked out of the Social Hall.

  “Easy.” Frank put Ellen down.

  “She ...”

  “El. No. It’s not worth it. Let it go.” He grabbed her hand. “Why don’t you come back to the house with me?”

  “I can’t and you need to spend time with Johnny.”

  “I will. You can just hang until he goes to sleep.” They moved toward the living section.

  “Frank, the last time we did that Johnny didn’t go to sleep. I hung out looking stupid.”

  “El, I’m not ready to stop spending time with you tonight. O.K., even if we don’t ...”

  “Frank.” Ellen whispered as they walked. “Don’t say it. You know I hate to talk about it.”

  “Fine. How about this? Even if we don’t have our therapy.” He leaned down to her. “We can still hang out.”

  “I can’t.” Ellen moved to the steps of her house. “I have to get in.” She took a step up. “Night.”

  “El.” Frank reached out grabbing the back waist of her pants. “One more minute.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Please.” Frank leaned on the railing and bent down with his chin on his hands. He looked up at her with his dark eyes. “Thirty seconds?”

  “Frank,” she nearly whined his name.

  “El, really. You’re so lucky I love you or I would not deal with this hard to get act.” Frank smiled raising his head.

  Ellen chuckled. “Thirty seconds.”

  “Yes,” Frank whispered out his excitement and reached out his hand as he stood straight up. Ellen, even though on the second step, was only a bit taller than him. He leaned over the rail, pulled at Ellen’s shirt and brought her to him. pulled back only a little when Dean pushed opened the screen door.

  “Say good night, Frank.” Dean took Ellen’s hand, gave a soft tug, opened the screen door wider, and waited for Ellen to walk in to the house. The whole time, Dean’s eyes, in a hard mean stare, never left Frank’s.

  Ellen looked back as she stepped into the house. “Night, Frank.”

  Frank winked at her. “El.” Watching her go in, Frank backed up with an arrogant, shitty grin smeared across his face and the eye contact between him and Dean never was lost until the moment Dean slammed the door.

  <><><><>

  “Miguel?” Andrea opened up her door in such surprise to see him standing there. “What do I owe this visit to?”

  “A ... a ... a ...” Miguel’s lips moved more than words came out.

  “Would you like to come in?” Andrea opened the door wider.

  Miguel nodded and stepped inside. He could feel his stomach churning in nervousness and feared becoming flatulent right there and then in the middle of his big moment.

  “What can I do for you?” Andrea asked.

  “A ... a ... a ...”

  “Very nice hair cut.”

  “A ... a ... a ... .”

  Andrea smiled. “Great sh
irt.”

  “A ... a ... a ...”

  “Is there something you wanted to say?”

  “A ... a ... a ...”

  “I see. Shall we sit down?” She motioned her hand to the couch and saw Miguel frantically shake his head. “Want to stand?”

  “A ... a . . a ...”

  “O.K.” Andrea folded her arms. “So what is it that you wanted?”

  “I love you.” Miguel let out a loud breath. “There I said it. Now I feel better. I have been telling you in my notes and flowers. But ...” He saw the shocked looked on Andrea’s face. “Andrea?”

  “A ... a ... a ...”

  <><><><>

  Sitting alone at a table in the Social Hall, Jenny sipped on a drink she didn’t want to drink but she wanted to feel important and older. Her eyes shifted to the men in the room, all of them but Frank and Miguel. They all were there doing something except noticing her. Jenny knew it was time to change all that, to change her life as she so much wanted to do.

  Slowly she stood up and walked over to the jukebox. The money door on the bottom was open and she pulled out the stock dollar bill. With it in her hand, she skimmed the selections and smiled brightly when she saw the one she wanted. Inserting the dollar, she made her choice. With a click, the Social Hall only filled with conversational noise, filled with a blasting music. All attention turned to her. Jenny, with her back against the jukebox, smiled.

  <><><><>

  The entire content of Andrea’s special shoe-box was dumped on the coffee table. So excited she sifted through them. “And this one here, Miguel, is my favorite. Simple, yet my favorite.” She took a deep breath and read it in awe. “I like your hair today.” with an ‘ah’ she set it down. “Oh this is so wonderful.”

  “I was so afraid to tell you.”

  “You shouldn’t have been.”

  “I couldn’t speak in front of you. I got a tied tongue.”

  Andrea giggled. “That is so cute. And you even cut your hair and got rid of that earring, for me. But you didn’t have to. I like you all the same.”