The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Oh my God.” Henry looked panicked.

  “Nice knowing you.” Joe gave Henry swat on the arm and walked into the hanger.

  ^^^^

  Ellen took a standing-still stretch after booting down the computers in the lab. A long evening had come to an end and she couldn’t wait to get out. After shutting off the lab lights, she moved to the sink to turn on the signature night light. Turning around, she froze. Elliott stood in the doorway.

  She could feel her heart jump in nervousness. She knew he had slept. Things were probably on his mind and he knew what he wanted to say. Taking a breath, Ellen walked across the lab.

  “Can we talk?” Elliott asked as he stepped in.

  “Sure,” Ellen said coming off more cold than the nervous she was. She leaned against the counter and waited for him.

  “Ellen, about today.”

  “Stop.” Ellen held up her hand. “I know . . . I know what I did was wrong and so you’ll have piece of mind, I’m giving Dean all your information. He’ll take over as your doctor from now on.”

  “What? No.” Elliott shook his head. “Where is this coming from?”

  “You said you don’t trust me.”

  “No, I will correct you there. I said I placed my trust in you. I never once said I didn’t trust you anymore.”

  “Do you?”

  “Trust you?” Elliott nodded. “Yes. I don’t want to not trust you.”

  “But you’re mad at me.”

  “Not anymore. I was irritable earlier and tired. Maybe I came off a little more hostile than . . .”

  “Elliott.” Ellen gasped out his name.

  “What?”

  “Your reaction had nothing to do with you. It was me, all me. All right? Don’t even go there, blaming yourself for getting mad at me. I was wrong.”

  “And I would rather not be angry or bitter with you. Not you. You made a choice. I believe you would have changed your mind on that eventually . . .” He glanced at Ellen who looked the other way. “I’ll just, uh . . .” He brought his lips close to her ear to whisper. “Believe that.”

  Ellen’s stomach fluttered at the feel of his redemption of her. She shifted her eyes to his face, so close, and whispered almost inaudibly. “Thank you.”

  Elliott smiled and stayed close to her for a moment longer before pulling back and standing up straight. “O.K.” he cleared his throat. “I just need to know who all knows.”

  “You and me, of course. Dean. Jess because he was there and . . . and Frank because of some stupid new bonding thing he and Dean have. The ‘ex mess’.”

  “Can we not have anyone else know?”

  “Absolutely.” Ellen nodded. “I’ll speak to everyone personally and have them not say anything.”

  “Good. I want no preconception of the way I’ll work because I’m sick. I won’t let it affect me. Frank won’t change any responsibilities for me when I’m in Beginnings, will he?”

  “Frank?” Ellen chuckled. “Frank has this way of working people so they don’t feel sorry for themselves. He helped Dean out when he was blind.”

  “Frank was blind?”

  “No, Dean.”

  “Dean was blind?” Elliott was shocked.

  “Yeah, then Danny fixed him. Danny and Henry.”

  “Danny and Henry aren’t doctors.”

  “No. They created the microchip in Dean’s brain.”

  Elliott looked so confused. “Dean has a microchip in his brain.”

  “Yeah, he’s a SUT.”

  “A SUT.”

  “Stupid Uniformed Target, but he isn’t stupid and definitely doesn’t wear a uniform. He could be a target. You know us little people.”

  “I’m lost.” Elliott dropped to a lean on the counter.

  “I’d expect no less.” Ellen watched Elliott’s head lower as he laughed. “I like you, Elliott. I like you lot.”

  Elliott lifted his head slowly. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  He stood up again. “Yet another reason to be here. I like you too.” He winked. “And I’ve been told I have a free evening tomorrow, a break in the ‘Be-a-Frank’ training.”

  Ellen chuckled.

  “So . . . I was wondering if maybe, even just for a short while, if you and I could . . . I know I’ve already asked you on a date. I don’t want to be pushy. I just, you know, want some time. No, that doesn’t sound right. I want to know . . .”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes? Really? I didn’t ask.”

  “I know where you’re going. Yes, I’ll spend the evening with you. We’ll go to the Hall, play some pool, hang out.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “I would too.” Ellen lowered her head in blush. “Thank you for not staying mad at me.”

  “It wouldn’t be right to do. We’re friends.”

  “Yeah we are.” Unexpectedly, Ellen stepped into Elliott and placed her arms around his neck.

  “Ellen.” Elliott swallowed. “I asked you once to warn me when you were going to do this. I don’t want to miss it.”

  “You won’t miss it, Elliott, because I’m not letting go until you do.” Ellen clung tighter to him.

  More than he wanted to admit, Elliott needed that comfort he felt coming from Ellen’s arms. He ran his hand gently on her back, then pressed in a firm, feeling motion. It was real. She was real, but he just had to be sure. Wrapping his arms around her, Elliott closed his eyes. It had been so long since he had anyone in his arms, a body so close, a tight embrace. Even though he felt a little guilty for liking it, as if taking advantage of his friends generosity, Elliott held on to Ellen.

  ^^^^

  A glare of damnation was on Johnny’s face as he braced the phone between his shoulder and ear. His right eye rolled way behind his head as his hands worked to place the headphone on Dean’s head.

  Bev stood nervously by the bed in her house, biting her nails and waving Johnny to hurry up.

  Johnny gave a quick snap of a glare at Bev then dropped the headset, flung his head back, and stomped once. “Henry. Henry. Stop. All right? I know my Dad isn’t yelling at me like this. Put my Pap on.” He held up a finger to Bev. “Pap.”

  “Johnny, where the hell are you?” Joe asked. “We want to go in five minutes.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Now,” Joe told him.

  “Sorry Pap. I was working on a, uh, surprise for my father. I thought I’d have it finished for this flight. You know.”

  “That’s nice of you. However . . .”

  “I know. I know. Get my ass up there. See ya in a minute.” Straightening his neck, Johnny let the phone drop. It clunked hard when it beamed Dean in the head. “Whoops.”

  Bev gasped. “That’s not right.” She took the phone, turned it off, and brushed Dean’s head so daintily with her fingertips as if he were diseased. “No blood.”

  “Good.” Johnny secured the headset on him.

  “He won’t wake up. Right?”

  “Hell no. I smacked him with enough Bunny Thorazine to keep him out until way into tomorrow.” Johnny snickered as he started the tape. “Feeding data.”

  “Tomorrow morning?”

  “Yeah. Won’t it be fun for him to wake up and find out he’s here?” Johnny gave a ‘he-he’ type snicker. “Almost done.”

  “What am I supposed to do? I don’t want to be here with him. What if he wakes up and wants to have sex.”

  “God, Bev.” Johnny shook his head in disgust. “You’re fat.”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  “Same difference. Done.” Johnny shut off the player and took the headphones. “I’ll keep this with me so it doesn’t just hang around. I have to go.”

  “Johnny.”

  “Bev, George says I have to do this one. It benefits him as well.”

  “But what about . . .” Bev twitched her head back. “Him. I don’t want to be here all night.”

  “O.K., go to my house.”

  Bev grinned widely.
r />   Johnny shook his head in irritation and left the bedroom. “But, no. I’m not having sex with you.”

  Bev’s mouth dropped open in shock and then she chased after him.

  Dean let out a simple moan, rolled onto his side, smiled, and snuggled the pillow.

  ^^^^

  Ellen could smell the silence as she drew closer to her home but it didn’t stop her from fearing what she’d see when she went inside. Josh and Denny babysat which meant food on the floor, carpet, and couch. Dishes Ellen didn’t even know she had, stacked up in the sink. Not to mention the free-for-all in all the bedrooms. She only hoped that her exhaustion would hold off for just a little while because she hated going to sleep in a messy house.

  Taking that ‘I’m ready’ breath, Ellen opened the door and nearly fell over. It not only looked clean, it smelled clean. “Oh my God.”

  “Hey.” Jess peeked out the opening between the kitchen and dining room.

  “Jess?” Ellen shut the door, stepped inside, and kicked off her shoes. “What are you doing here?”

  “Hope you don’t mind.”

  “No.” Ellen walked to the kitchen. The minute she stepped inside, Jess handed her a cup of tea. “Oh shit.” She smiled. “You’re spoiling me.”

  “Andrea called and said you were finally on your way home. Hungry?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good.” Jess opened the fridge. “I made us some sandwiches. I thought we could . . .”

  “Jess, what’s going on?”

  “You’re mad. I’m sorry.”

  “No.” Ellen sipped her tea. “I’m surprised you’re here.”

  “I wanted to stop back at the Clinic. I felt kind of bad abandoning you in your talk with Elliot, but then when I came by to check on how Josh and Denny were handling the twins and Joey and Nick. Man . . .”

  “What?” Ellen looked horrified.

  “This place looked like a tornado had hit it so I stayed. Alex and I got the place under control. The last of the tribe zonked out about twenty minutes ago.”

  “Billy?”

  “Billy.” Jess nodded and continued in the fridge. He pulled out a plate. “And . . . I was kind of hoping you wanted the company.”

  “Love it.”

  “I went through your tapes.”

  “Oh God.” Ellen smiled “You aren’t gonna bitch about my movie choices are you?”

  “No. I saw this great Barbara Stanwick movie.”

  “I love Barbara.”

  “Oh, me too,” Jess said. “Len and I never missed a Barbara movie when it was on. Feel like just hanging, eating, and watching.”

  “Lead the way.”

  Grabbing some towels and with a plate in hand, Jess moved from the kitchen.

  Ellen looked at how upbeat he was, sitting on the couch, with the sandwiches on the coffee table, and preparing to settle in. “You’re . . . you’re not minding this companionship thing?” Ellen smiled at him impressed “I have a feeling you’re gonna end up doing better than you thought.”

  “You think.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Maybe with you.” Jess laid a napkin down on both sides of the plate. “I can be, really be who I am in front of you. I don’t have to put on a false front. Thank you for that.”

  “You’re welcome.” Ellen sat down on the couch next to him and saw the movie he picked out. Her expression dropped.

  “What’s wrong?” Jess asked.

  “I love this movie, but . . . I’m gonna cry.”

  “Oh, good. Me too.”

  Ellen giggled, grabbed her sandwich, and sat back on the couch to watch the movie. “This is great. And to think Robbie passed on this.”

  ^^^^

  There was a tinny wet sound to it as Henry threw up in Joe’s waste paper basket.

  Joe tapped his fingers on his desk. Not only was he annoyed with Henry’s upheavals, but with Robbie’s snickering at him as well. “Done?” Joe asked Henry.

  After one more nonproductive gag, Henry set down the can. “Yes, sorry. Your son, Joe.”

  “I warned you.”

  “But I didn’t think it would be true,” Henry defended. “He’s Frank.”

  Joe saw Frank nod arrogantly. “Yeah, let’s just feed his ego, Henry. Anyhow, who found them?”

  Robbie raised his hand. “Me of course.”

  “Of course.” Joe rolled his eyes. “And?”

  “Night vision shows, as usual, about a hundred,” Robbie answered. “They are now a hundred and twenty miles northwest of us.”

  Joe leaned far back in his chair. He rocked in his thoughts. “That’s like really in an odd direction. They’re retreating. It makes no sense. Where in the hell are they going?”

  Frank held up a finger, grabbed a pen from Joe, a tablet from the desk, and happily wrote quickly. He held up his sign as if he were on a game show.

  Joe read it out loud, “We follow them . . .”

  Frank turned the page of the tablet and wrote more. He held that up as well.

  “We got them,” Joe nodded in his reading of Frank’s note.

  Frank wrote again.

  “A lot more than a hundred,” Joe read.

  A flip of the page and Frank moved the pen rapidly. He held up the sheet that only said “Because they’re going. . .” Frank began to write dramatically slow.

  “Christ, Frank, get on with it,” Joe snapped. “If we follow them, we got them, a lot more because . . . because they’re going where?”

  Frank grinned and held up the tablet. “Home.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  October 21

  Beginnings, Montana

  Ellen was having one of those silly dreams and almost every aspect of it--in the dream state--made perfect sense, even though she would baffle over it all day. It was Josephine’s wedding and in her dream, Ellen even produced tears while watching the blessed event. Josephine looked so in love, her hair not gray but red, and her gown was stunning as she married Henry. Henry glowed as well. Ellen was so happy for them and wondered if the toaster was an appropriate gift or if she should have given cash. She wished she was dressed as nicely as Jenny Matoose, who wore a purple polka dot bathing suit and a bright orange rubber duck around her waist.

  The only thing Ellen couldn’t figure out was that pounding against her head, that continuous pounding that caused her to ask Joe, in the dream, ‘what’s hitting my head?’ Joe told her, “The sky is falling.’ A steady pounding carried through the ceremony into the reception, blocking out the sound of The Brady Bunch as they performed. Greg Brady was quite the flirtatious guy with Ellen in his Johnny Bravo outfit and Florence Henderson didn’t like it one bit. She gave Ellen the evil eye and toldher she’d better wake up.

  And then Ellen did.

  Frank.

  Ellen shuddered as she saw the tip of Frank’s finger getting ready to poke her in the head again. “Stop!” She sprang up. “God.” She rubbed her head. “Were you doing that?”

  Frank nodded and handed her a cup of coffee.

  “Thanks. Wait.” Ellen swung her legs over the bed. “Why are you here? You have a home.”

  Frank smiled, gave a ‘yeah, I know’ look then indicated to his rear end.

  “But? But what?” Ellen asked.

  It was the Frank sequence of rapid pointing. Eye, head, eye, and then night stand.

  “You thought you would what?”

  Grinning Frank, gave Ellen a thumbs up, so impressed at her charade skills. Then he laid his index finger on his eyes before pointing forward and motioning his hand about.

  “See everyone?”

  Another thumbs up was given by Frank.

  “That’s nice.” Ellen sipped her coffee. “Gosh, you come here . . .”

  Frank nodded.

  “I know you’ll get the kids up, ready, and off to school for me.”

  He nodded as if to say ‘Absolutely’

  “You make me coffee . . .”

  Frank smiled.

  “Breakfast.”


  The smile dropped from Frank’s face.

  “Clean my house . . .”

  Frank held up his hand.

  “Man, are the men in the community spoiling me. Did you know that?”

  Hands on hips, Frank rolled his eyes.

  “Did I tell you I’m going out with Elliott tonight?”

  Frank’s eyes went wide.

  “it’s a pre-date, you know. You don’t mind, do you?”

  Frank opened his mouth.

  “I didn’t think so.” Ellen stood up. “I just love how agreeable you are anymore.” She moved to the bathroom and stopped. “Oh, I’ll have my eggs scrambled.”

  Frank’s jaw shifted from side to side as he uselessly bit his tongue from saying anything. He tossed his hands up and left the bedroom for the housekeeper task he unspokenly agreed to when all he wanted to do was just stop by and wave ‘hi’.

  ^^^^

  To look at the bed, the left side had always been Dean’s. Even not living with Ellen, he was still in the habit of sleeping on that side and rolling to his left just before he woke up, empty bed or not. Pulling from the deep slumber, Dean rolled to his left.

  Bang

  The fall was short and the floor he landed on was hard. It jolted the headache that slumbered right along with him as if he were hung over. Dean’s head daggered in pain.

  “Oh, God.” Dean squinted. His hands felt the carpeting and when things came into focus, he looked into the two dark beaded eyes of a stuffed animal. With a shriek and a throb to his head, Dean sprung up. He stumbled to a stand and nausea hit him along with something else.

  A vision.

  “Dean,” Bev’s voice moaned as she flung her head back. It was as though he were looking up to her. She was naked, straddling him, and groping her own breasts. “Dean, oh.”

  Dean grunted in confusion as the image left his mind in a blink of static and was replaced with another.

  Soft music, moaning. Bev below him with her eyes raising up.

  Static.

  Image gone.

  Pain.