“I hate it.”
“So did I, but it’s something you have to do.”
“Why can’t you teach me?” Billy asked.
“I don’t have the time and you can’t just get up from your desk every time your class does basic math.”
“It’s not a challenge.”
After running his fingers through his hair, Dean walked over to the pint size version of himself. “Look, you want to make basic math a challenge, teach it to Uncle Frank.”
“That’s rude.”
“So’s Frank.” Dean lifted Billy from the stool. “Now go. Go on.”
“Fine. Don’t think I won’t remember this.” He stormed his little body to the door and stopped. “I needed you and you let me down.”
Dean smiled and waved as Billy spun and left.
Shaking his head and figuring he should place a call to Jenny at the school to tell her Billy was on his way back, Dean walked to the phone. He lifted it, started to turn it on and stopped. He remembered it wasn’t working, and then he remembered why.
FLASH!
Slam went the phone and Dean growled in frustration. “I can’t believe she had the gall to call here.”
“I can. Bev doesn’t know everyone’s on to her,” Ellen said with little care. “The kids are asleep. I’m turning in.”
“You can’t even look at me.” Dean stood up and followed her to the kitchen. “El, don’t go to bed.”
“I’m tired.”
“We need to talk.”
“Dean.” Ellen set down a glass. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“You don’t think? What about us? Our marriage?”
“I told you there is no more us,” Ellen said strongly.
“I can’t believe you want that. How about after all we found out about Bev and the extremes she went through?”
“And why is that, Dean?”
“What?” Dean was shocked.
“Why is that?” Ellen folded her arms. “Why would Bev go to such extremes just to get you?”
“She’s George’s daughter.”
“Still,” Ellen shrugged. “She may have set herself up to look like she was pregnant by you, but you sure got into the baby. Wasn’t it you who had your hand on her stomach feeling your baby kick?”
“This is bullshit. I argued that it wasn’t my child.”
“I think there’s more to it.” Ellen nodded. “Much more than just needing you to work for Daddy. Or to get rid of Beginnings bright boy.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m going to bed.” Ellen walked from the kitchen.
“El.” Dean pulled her back. “I can’t believe we’re still fighting over her. Let it go.”
“Me? You? Didn’t you just slam down the phone when she called? Why did you get so angry even though her gig is up? Unless there’s something I don’t know.”
“I don’t believe it.” Dean laughed. “You still think I was with her. After all we found out, you think I slept with Bev.”
“Did you?”
Dean hesitated through his anger. “You know what? Yeah, El. Is that what you want to hear? Yeah. I slept with her.”
“Fuck you.”
“No, fuck you.” Dean’s hand swung out. “She tore this community apart. Us apart. Everyone that we know and love has had a monkey wrench thrown into their lives courtesy of Bev. We have a chance to stop at least one of her viscous cycles and we aren’t. We’re still fighting. That’s wrong.”
“You’re right. It is. I’m sorry.” Ellen walked to the door and took her coat from the tree.
“Where are you going?”
“I need some air.” She flung open the door and looked back at Dean. “I’m sorry for fighting.”
“El . . .” Before more could be said, Ellen was gone and Dean stood alone. He looked at his watch then moved to the coat tree. The kids were asleep. Josh was there. Grabbing his jacket, Dean, too, left the house.
“Ring. Ring.”
The vocal bell snapped Dean from his memory. He looked up. “Frank.”
“Sorry. You were staring at that phone. I thought I’d give you a fond memory of when they worked.”
“The phone gave me a memory all right.” Dean set it down. “I was thinking back.”
“To?”
After a shrug, Dean looked up. “The night Bev was killed.”
“That was a fucked up night.” Frank’s demeanor fell.
“A mystery night,” Dean said. “Who killed Bev?”
Speaking almost in a daze, Frank stared out. “Maybe it’s not a mystery.”
“What was that?”
Frank shook his head. “Just thinking. You know, what if someone actually saw who killed Bev.”
“Did . . . did someone?” Dean asked.
“You never know.” Frank exhaled and returned to his previous ‘up’ mood. “Anyhow, is Billy sick?”
“No. Why?”
“I just saw him. I asked where he was going and he said, ‘Home, I hate my Dad’. I figured you wouldn’t treat him.”
“Ah.” Dean slammed his hand. “He cut school again.”
“So what. Let him.”
“He has to go, Frank.”
“Why? He’s smart.”
“He’s seven.”
“Still, he’s smarter than Jenny. Let me take him out on rounds and I’ll teach him some stuff.”
“No. No. If it’s the last thing I do, my son will not develop any Frank traits.”
“Pissy.” Frank shook his head.
“Frank, why are you here?”
“Man . . .” Frank reached into his coat. “I brought back your blood. I didn’t use it all and figured you might want it back.”
“No. I . . . Frank?” Dean stepped closer and looked at the bag. “Please don’t tell me you ripped that open with your teeth.”
“Yeah. Why?”
“It’s blood.”
“It’s mine.”
“No, it’s not.” Dean snapped. “It’s type ‘B’. Didn’t you look on the bag?”
“Yeah.”
“You have type ‘O’.”
“I know that,” Frank said.
“And you still thought it was your blood?”
“Yeah. After all, it is my bear so we use my blood to catch my bear. I wouldn’t want him following anyone else’s scent. Right?”
Dean stared for a moment. “Right. Anything else?”
“Why are you in a bad mood?”
“I’m just busy.”
“Too bad. How’s Elliott?” Frank asked. “When El came over last night, she said he wasn’t doing good.”
“He’s not, but he’s doing as we expected. He’ll handle it better tonight. I’m positive.” Dean looked at Frank. “Let me ask you something. El said you guys kissed last night.”
“Is that why you’re being pissy?”
“Did you?” Dean asked.
Frank just stared.
“Frank?”
“What?”
“Did you kiss last night?”
Nothing. Not a peep. Not a sound.
“Frank!” Dean yelled. “Why won’t you answer me?”
“Rules are rules, Dean, and a kiss falls under ‘no kiss and tell’. Now if you asked me if we slept together, I could answer you.”
“Did you?’
“No. But we played lots of Scrabble.”
“This sucks. You know that. This really sucks.” Dean shook his head. “How did you end up getting close to her again? She swore you off as much as she swore me off and now . . .”
“Dean,” Frank interrupted. “If we’re going to have a semi-understanding, it will never work if you pick on me every time I’m with Ellen.”
“Pick on you? Me?”
“Yeah. You’re badgering me to death over a simple kiss.”
“That’s because I haven’t even hugged her since we broke up.”
“Have you even tried?”
Slowly, Dean looked up. “What do you mea
n, have I tried? Of course I . . . I . . .” Dean blinked. “Shit. I haven’t tried.”
“There you have it,” Frank exhaled. “Another dilemma solved by Frank.”
“You’re the man.”
“I am.” Frank walked to the door. “And I am the mighty hunter. I have to go check on my trap. Are you sure you don’t need this.” He held up the bag of blood.
“No, you keep it.”
“Thanks.” A few steps taken and Frank stopped. “Dean, in all seriousness. Did El tell you why I needed her?”
“No,” Dean answered. “She didn’t. It’s none of my business.”
“Well . . . just know I appreciate you not giving Dean little man attitude because I’m really glad she was there.”
“Frank.” Dean walked to him. “Look. I don’t know for sure what was wrong. I’m gonna take a wild card shot in the dark, so forgive me if I’m wrong. O.K.? But know that it’s all right, and it’s perfectly normal to have trouble. Just because you quit, doesn’t make you recovered. Not yet. You still have a long road. A lot of us forgot about that road you’re traveling.”
“How did you know?”
“Not much rattles you. You needing El told me a lot.”
“I swear, Dean, I swear sometimes I’m strong enough to have that drink and not have a problem again, but I know better.”
“Well know this, me, El, either one of us, we’re both here.”
“Thanks. I mean that. I’ll make it through this . . . rough spot. I will. I’m tough.” Frank nodded.
“That you are.”
Johnny stood out in the hall with his back against the wall, within earshot to the door. He heard all he needed to hear and he smiled. It was a way to play his father. If Frank thought he was having a tough time with his drinking, things were only going to get tougher with Johnny aiding him in his problems.
^^^^
With a typical Hal style grin, he sat in a chair by Elliott’s bed. His hands were folded, fingers taping as he talked. “So, should I not want to face a New Bowman mutiny of my authority, I kind of have to stay in New Bowman for a couple days. I hope you understand, especially since I have to be back in three days for my turn at questioning. Oh yes . . .” Hal nodded and sat back. “I’m scheduled to be questioned first. There’s prepping for it. It must be big. You have to wonder what kind of evidence they are gathering. I know that there’s this disk . . .” He tilted his head. “That my father says is valuable, but I can’t figure it out. It’s of Ellen and Dean’s bedroom, this room. Perhaps something was said. Well . . .” With a slap to his thighs, Hal stood up. “I must be going. I wanted to say good luck with these treatments and I’ll see you in a couple days. Remember, my friend . . .” He leaned down toward Elliott. “My prayers . . . they are so much with you.” Adjusting the covers over Elliott, Hal stepped back. Before leaving he looked upon Elliott, so white and so still, sleeping soundly under medication. Sadly, Hal began to leave. He knew Elliott never woke while he was there, but he hoped at the very least, his presence and supported were felt much more than the concern that was tearing him apart.
^^^^
“Robbie,” Ellen called across the street when she saw Robbie walking toward the Chapel. “Robbie, wait.” She hurried to him, stopped, and caught her breath. “Just the man I have been . . .” She froze when Robbie turned around. “What happened to your nose? Was Frank beating you up?”
“No.” Robbie shook his head. “Fuckin Henry tackled me from behind and my face met the door that was there.”
“Oh, my God.” She reached up. “Can you breathe?”
“I’m fine.” Quickly, in Robbie fashion, he grasped her hand and pulled it down, but not before kissing it. “What’s up?”
“Oh, I’ve been thinking. I want to have a memorial service for Andrea. Will you say the service? You are Rev. Robbie.”
“El. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“What?” Ellen asked shocked. “You of all people I thought would want to have a memorial service for her.”
“That’s not what I was talking about. I was talking about me saying the service. I’ll go. But the Reverend thing . . .”
“Was Andrea’s doing. She loved you. She loved your short to the point sermons, Robbie . . .” Ellen snickered. “Remember when she walked around singing the silly song all the time.”
“And she sang it slow and blues like.”
“How about when you tried your new country song and put God in there just to make it religious? Boy, she bragged about you to everyone. I think there would be nothing more that Andrea would want than for you to say her service.”
“I think you’re right. When do you want to do it?”
“I want to wait a few days. People, they’re well, kind of still bitter about her. After a few days, that should subside. She deserves a good farewell.”
“Yeah, she does. I miss her,” Robbie said with a smile. “Just let me know when.”
“I will.”
“Where you headed?” Robbie asked.
“Oh, house call for John Matoose. He’s home now. You?”
“Meeting with my Dad, Hal, Frank, and . . .” Robbie cringed. “Henry.”
“Robbie? Why did he go after you?”
“El.” Robbie tossed his hands up. “I really don’t know. He was really nasty with me. He’s been nasty with everyone. I told him it was all that pent up guilt.”
“Guilt?” Ellen snickered. “Over what?”
“Bev.”
Ellen’s eyes lifted. “What about her.”
“I told him he was hiding his guilt over killing her. I also told him I’m not going to keep his little secret about seeing him outside of her house that night.”
“You saw Henry outside of Bev’s?” Ellen asked. “When?”
“Pretty much right before she was killed.”
“What were you doing there?”
“To be honest . . .” Robbie shrugged. “I was gonna watch her house. I didn’t want her to leave, but she wasn’t home. I tried to find her. I couldn’t.”
“Busy little girl her last night in Beginnings, wasn’t she?”
“What do you mean?”
Ellen looked up at him . . .
Frank.
More than anything, Ellen wanted to see Frank. She felt like she needed to. One of his guards had said that he was in his office and that was where Ellen headed after her argument with Dean. Only the guard was wrong. Frank’s office was without Frank, but it was far from empty, at least before Ellen arrived.
“Oh, my God.” Robbie closed his eyes. “She said she was going to tell him. That was one of the reasons I was looking for her. I was so pissed off.”
“It was a good thing I found that note on his desk. I was pissed too. I wanted to strangle her. I was so upset that I went looking for you, but Dean found me.”
“El.” Out of breath, Dean caught up to her and grasped her arm. “What is going on?”
Shaking. Ellen couldn’t hide the shaking. Her hand still clenched the note and she slipped it unnoticed behind her back. “I need . . . I need some air. Can I just be alone?”
“No. You ran out. You were upset and . . .”
The shrill, emotional sound of Henry’s voice yelling, ‘Get out!’ made Dean and Ellen both, at the same time, turn their heads toward to sound. They hadn’t realized it, but they were standing before Henry’s house.
“Who was he yelling at?” Robbie asked.
Ellen took a deep breath. “Bev.”
“How do you know?”
A giggle and laugh carried out into the street along with Bev’s taunting voice. “Hide it, Henry. Go on. But you won’t be able to hide all your little secrets for very long, now will you?”
“Get out of my house.”
Slam.
Dean and Ellen jolted at the screen door. Bev only snickered as she nearly skipped by them.
Dean glanced at Ellen. “We should go see . . .”
“Yeah, we should.” With a twit
ch of her head, Ellen walked up Henry’s step and opened the door. “Henry?” she called out.
“Henry,” Dean spoke up as he walked in after her.
Henry stood in the living room, wearing only his boxer shorts. Surprised, he looked up.
With concern, Ellen stepped to him. “Henry, what’s going on? Are you all right? We heard you yelling with . . .”
Quick footsteps coming down the stairs silenced Ellen but not as much as the sight of Hector who held a towel around his waist.
“Henry, is she . . .” Hector froze. “Oh, God Henry. I’m sorry.”
The word rage could have been written across Henry’s face. That was how predominant it was. His glare was fast and daggering to Dean and Ellen and his two words deep and graveling. “Get out.” With a slam of his hands to the back of the couch, Henry spun hard and walked upstairs.
Robbie snapped his finger in front of Ellen. “Hello?”
“Sorry.” She smiled.
“What did you see when you walked in the house?”
“Um . . . nothing really, just Henry alone,” she said. “You know. He was upset.”
“Did he say anything about it?”
Ellen shook her head.
“I wonder . . .” Robbie said with a thinking tone. “I wonder what secret Bev was referring to. What did she have on Henry?”
Ellen didn’t have to wonder. She knew. Or, at least she thought she knew what Henry’s secrets were, but to Robbie’s question, she only shrugged.
^^^^
“Jenny, I’m fine,” John said, lying in bed.
“I just want you to look presentable.” Jenny fluffed the pillows and straightened the covers. “Ellen should be here any second. I don’t want the other women to think you’re unkempt.”
“Jenny. I’m fine.” He grabbed her hand. “You look . . . You look tired.”
“I am a little. Damn Billy Hayes.” She shook her head. “Giving me miniature Dean attitude about basic math. He cut out. Just left. I am getting so frustrated with him.”
“Jenny?” John lowered his voice. “Please don’t get mad at me for asking, but I’ve been through this twice with you. Are you . . . are you pregnant?”
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