^^^^
“Beautiful night, isn’t it,” Jenny commented as she and Hal walked into the living section.
“Yeah, it is.” Hal folded his hands behind his back.
“Oh, Hal,” Jenny locked her arm through his.
Hal shifted his eyes down.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Jenny said, “but . . . we have to talk.”
“Talk? About?”
“I think you know.”
“I assure you, I do not.”
Jenny stopped walking three doors before her own. “Don’t make this hard by telling me you didn’t see it coming.”
“Then whatever it is will be difficult, because I’m clueless.”
Bringing her forefinger and thumb to her eyes, Jenny squeezed as she held them shut for a moment, “Just . . . give me a second.”
Hal stared at her.
“All right,” Jenny sighed out. “For a couple months, you and I, we . . . we’ve been working at being together.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say we were working at it.”
“No, you’re right. Working is a chore. Being with you . . . is . . . never work.” She smiled. “You’re right. I stand corrected. I want to say, the chemistry that has been sparking between us, I have never felt before.”
“Neither did I.”
“You flatter me.”
“I . . . I flatter you. How?” Hal asked.
Jenny giggled. “You’re modest too. That’s why I am so taken with you. But, Hal, there’s something that I have to tell you. As fresh and exciting as this has been, I have to . . . I have to work things out completely with John. It was fine when he was in a coma, but he’s conscious now and we have to get our relationship back on track, at least for a little while. Do you . . . do you understand what I’m getting at?”
“No.”
Jenny closed her eyes. “My heart is breaking. Don’t make this any more difficult by fighting me. Hal . . . it’s . . . at least for now, it’s over. We have to stop seeing each other.”
Hal looked at Jenny for a long time. “Did I miss something?”
Inhaling through her nostrils, Jenny spoke as if reading in question. “Did you miss something? Did you miss something? If you mean, did you do anything wrong. No. No, you did nothing wrong. It’s me. It’s John. It’s fate keeping us apart again and . . .” She shuddered. “I have to go or I’ll fall apart. That’s the last thing we need. Good night, Hal.” Kissing her own fingertips, Jenny brought them to Hal’s lips, backed away, and hurried into her home.
Hal stood there dumbfounded. “Oh, I know I missed something.”
^^^^
“Thanks a lot, Henry. I mean it,” Jess said as he stood in the door of Henry’s home. “I just needed to hang back.”
“You sure there’s nothing you want to talk about?” Henry asked.
“No, I just needed to hang. Hey, I’ll be at the Hall.”
“Maybe I’ll stop by later.”
“Good.” Jess peeked into the house. “Hector.” He lifted his hand in a wave.
Hector nodded an acknowledgment as he picked Nick up out of the walker.
“Night” Henry closed the door. He turned around to see Hector holding Nick. “What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t hold him. Just let him sit. I have to take him back.”
“Listen to you.” Hector shook his head. “You borrowed him, as you put it, for two hours and spent the entire time hanging out with Jess. You didn’t see your son at all.”
“Jess needed to talk to someone.”
“Jess could have waited,” Hector stated strongly. “What is he up to anyhow?”
“Why are you being like this?” Henry asked. “You’re acting jealous.”
“I’m pissed. You told me you were getting Nick. I came over for that. You hung out with Jess. You need to spend time with your son, Henry. He’s the only one you got and the only one you will have.” Hector extended the baby to him. “Hold him.”
“Not right now. Maybe tomorrow.”
“There’s something wrong with you. You should keep him tonight.”
“What are you nuts? First, Dean wouldn’t like it and second, I would have to run to Dean’s and get belongings.”
“Then go get them. My God, Henry, this is your kid. You should be happy to have him over night. Besides, we have enough diapers. He’s fine.”
“Hector, why are you pushing me to take my kid?”
“It’s your kid.” Hector continued to hold Nick. “Henry, you should seriously talk to Dean, Ellen, and Frank and tell them you want to raise this child. Look at him. He’s you. He’s a heritage of a people that will be forgotten if you don’t get off your ass and do something about it.”
Henry huffed out. “It’s the way we decided it would be.”
“And I’m willing to bet my life they would understand,” Hector explained. “If they want him, then share. Have him three days a week but don’t treat having this kid like a babysitting detail. Treat it as a privilege. Because, Henry . . .” Hector stepped to him. “Having a kid is. You don’t know. If you knew one inkling of the pain it is to lose a child, then you would never want to let this child go. Ask Ellen. Ask me. We know. You’re lucky . . .” Hector started to pace with Nick to keep him calm. “You’re so lucky. Most of us . . . we’ll never have a child to raise, to love. You have it and you’re just tossing the honors to someone else. Don’t you want this?” He cupped Nick’s face in his hand. “Don’t you want to see this boy at twenty, standing tall, doing good and you can say to yourself, ‘hey, that’s my son’.”
“It’s not easy. I’m not a fatherly type.”
“Learn,” Hector told him. “I’ll help you. You know I like being around him. He’s so young and innocent and there’s so much he still can learn. Walk, talk, run. Be the one to teach him.”
“It’s easier said than done.”
“Hey. I realize that. I had two kids.”
“You had a wife,” Henry pointed out. “I would have to do it alone.”
There was a slight silence in the room. Hector looked at Nick, kissed him, and set him in the walker. “I can help you raise him.”
“You mean move in here?”
“Yes, for the days you have him. Give him a sense of family here as well as at Dean and Ellen’s. A different sense, but still a family.”
“You can’t. People will talk,” Henry said.
“Let them.” Hector came back. “What are they gonna say? We’re gay?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not gay.” Hector tossed his hand up. “I’ll argue that fact.”
“How can you say you aren’t gay?” Henry asked.
“Henry . . . we’re friends. I like this friendship we have, but don’t kid yourself.” He held up a finger. “If a bus load of women rolled into Beginnings tomorrow, you’d be Henry history because I’d be on that.” He sniffed in joking arrogance. “I’m a good looking guy. I stand a chance too.”
“No one’s ever lived with me before. Well, El, for a little bit. I’m not an easy person to live with.”
“That doesn’t surprise me nut I won’t take your shit,” Hector told him. “I’m here to help with Nick. Use you a little to get a chance to be a father . . .” He smirked. “But seriously. We’ve got this bond between us and I’m not talking about things that have happened. I’m talking about circumstances that caused it.”
“Bev.”
“Bev.” A nod came from Hector. “For as much bad as she did, she brought us together. We share lot of secrets and sticking together, will keep them secrets hidden.”
Just as Henry started to agree, he looked up when there was a knock at his door. “That must be Dean.” He walked to the baby.
“Don’t let him go back tonight,” Hector spoke softly. “Keep Nick. Let him stay overnight. Make up for the time you haven’t put in. I’m here.”
“You’ll stay?”
“Yes,” Hector spoke
with certainty. “Tell him.” He motioned his head at the door.
“He’s not going to take it well.” Henry walked across the room. “Dean is very fussy. He’ll yell. You may have to help convince him.” He opened the door. “Hey, Dean.”
“Henry.” Dean shook some of the cold from him. “Is Nick ready?”
“Um . . .” Henry looked back to the walker. “Dean, I know this is short notice but I would like to keep Nick overnight tonight.”
“O.K.” Dean shrugged, walked up to Nick, kissed him, turned around, and walked out. “See ya.”
Stunned, Henry closed the door. He looked back at Hector, who picked up Nick and laughed.
^^^^
New Bowman, Montana
“Sorry.” Ellen moved down the hall of the small clinic to Frank, who waited by the doors.
“No, that’s O.K.” He extended a popcorn bag to her.
“No.” She shook her head. “I’d better not. We have reservation at the Hoi-Hoi on the Range for dinner.”
“We still have a half hour.” Frank pushed open the clinic doors. “What do you want to do?”
“Let’s hit the Danny-Bucks.”
“Sounds good.” Frank walked with her. “So, how was Elliott?”
“Fine, his IV was clogged. Dr. Blue isn’t very good with them.”
They walked down the block to the coffee shop. Frank reached for the door. “Oh, it’s crowded,” he said with some excitement. “Watch this.” He let Ellen walk in first, then the second he stepped inside, all men, seated or standing, stopped and saluted him. Frank gave a commanding nod and proceeded to the counter, where the two men on let them go first. “El.” He smiled. “Is that cool or what?”
“What has Hal done to them?”
“I’m telling you.” Frank approached the counter. Hap from Beginnings worked there. “Hey, Hap.”
“Frank,” Hap stated. “What can I get ya?”
“Um . . .” Frank looked down to Ellen. “Want anything special, El?”
“No.” She shook her head.
“Two coffees.” Frank pulled out a Danny Dollar card. “Here and add a two Danny Dollar tip on for yourself.”
Hap finally placed a smile on his old face. “Thanks, Frank.” He took the card.
“That was nice,” Ellen said.
“What can I say? Dean’s a generous guy.” He laughed then took the coffees and his card. “You O.K.?” He handed the coffee to Ellen.
“Yes.” She secured the plastic lid. “No. Frank? Can I talk to you as my best friend in the whole world?”
“Yeah.” He opened the coffee shop door. “What’s wrong?”
Ellen immediately, even though it was cold, sat down at a table out front. “It’s Elliott.”
“Oh.” Frank joined her. “What about him?”
“Frank,” she spoke so lost. “I just don’t know what to do. Tell me.”
“Tell you? What do you want me to tell you?”
“Everyone keeps on saying I was wrong for stopping our understanding. Hal is badgering me to take him back because Elliott is sick. Dean wants me back with Elliott to get an accurate reaction from our treatments.” She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I’m not understanding what you want me to tell you.”
“Should I go back with him?” Ellen asked.
“I’m not going to tell you what to do,” Frank answered, “especially about that. Look at why you stopped the understanding. He shut you out. You had good reason. Then on the other hand, look at the understanding. It’s not like what we had, or you and Dean.”
“True. But, Frank . . .” Ellen leaned into the table. “I’m scared. He and I were getting close, really close as friends. If I go back with him and be that person that fills the void in his life, I’m only going to get closer. I like him a lot. He’s dying, Frank. I don’t think I can take losing another person I’m close to.”
“I see.” Folding his hands around his cup, Frank also leaned into the table. He brought his face closer to Ellen’s. “That’s understandable but you can’t let his being sick be the reason you do or you don’t go back with him. It sucks that Elliott has cancer. He’s a good guy. He plays you . . .” Frank tilted his head. “But he’s a good guy. We’re all gonna learn a lot from Elliott Ryder because he is the first person to get this. But just like Elliott’s dying, so is everyone else. Just because he’s sick, doesn’t mean nothing. Dean is perfectly healthy, yet he could walk out of the house and drop dead tomorrow. Me, I could get shot walking a perimeter. Time is short on this earth. Life . . .” Frank closed one eye and nodded. “Life’s pretty precious. It’s not a matter of making his life fuller. It goes the same way for you. We get from people as much as we give. Yeah, if you go back with him, you’re gonna feel really bad when he leaves this earth. But . . . will you feel worse, if you don’t go back and lose out on what you would have gained by being that friend to him?”
Ellen stared at Frank.
“What? I rambled.”
“Yeah.” Ellen leaned all the way to Frank and softly kissed him. “You rambled. You rambled advice that only you could give…”
Frank didn’t get exactly what she was saying. Perhaps he wasn’t listening. He was too busy staring at Ellen because she was looking at him with that look that only she could give him.
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
Monday nights were never a busy night for the Social Hall except for the dart teams that went in, loudly played their games, and left.
John spotted him go into the Hall. After saying goodnight to Jenny, John returned. It was a perfect opportunity and place to talk to the person Johnny wanted him to blackmail. Jess Boyens.
Seated at the bar leaning forward, Jess looked as if the weight of his troubles slipped from his shoulders into that drink he nursed.
There were other seats John could have taken in the empty Hall, but he chose the one directly next to Jess. Sliding onto the stool slowly and announcing his presence with a heavy breath. “Jess,” John said his name.
“Hey.” Jess brought the drink to his mouth.
“You O.K.?” John asked.
“Could be better.”
John nodded. It took a lot of nerve to do what he was going to do and he took a big chance. “I know what’s bothering you.”
“I doubt it.” Jess finished his drink.
Dropping his voice to a whisper, John stared at his own folded hands. “I’m there with you. It eats you alive when someone threatens what you love and holds it over your head to get you to . . . join them.”
No words.
With a violent squeak of his barstool, Jess ejected up. In his pivot, he grabbed John’s shirt, raged with him to the nearest wall, and slammed him into it. “I should kill you right now and end this,” Jess graveled his voice. “I should take you to Joe and just take my chances.”
Dan rushed over. “Hey, Hey, easy. Break it up.”
Struggling to stay focused on Jess, John spoke. “We’re fine. It’s all right.”
“Let him go, Jess,” Dan instructed. “I mean it.”
Firmly, Jess pinned John to the wall, daggering his eyes at him.
“Jess,” Dan tried again slowly. “Let him go.” He waited until Jess released John’s shirt. “Good. Now have a drink and relax.”
John waited until Dan walked away. He saw Jess still locked a stare on him. “You want to end this? You want to take me to Joe? Fine,” he told Jess, “but that won’t stop it. I’m in the same boat as you.”
“Bullshit.”
“No.” John shook his head. “Things are hung over my head. Stop and think. I was in a coma for over a month. How was I doing anything around here?” He waited until he knew he had a calmer version of Jess’s attention. “I’m not that man.”
“Then who is.”
“I’ll tell you, but you and I can’t do shit about it. Turning him in is turning ourselves in. No one is going to buy it. I want him to go down, but he has to sink on his own but m
aybe with a little help. I can’t . . . I can’t do it alone, Jess. Especially me . . . No one will believe me.” John reached into his pocket and handed Jess an envelope, the one Johnny gave him. “I’m supposed to use this to get you to join the Society. I don’t give a shit about it. It remains our secret. He’s the last George person in here or at least the top one. Let’s do this. Let’s really end this.”
Jess took the envelope and with his eyes still locked on John’s, he crumbled it with rage within his fist. “What do you need me to do?”
^^^^
Frank’s life was simple, yet difficult all in the same breath. Hal was convinced at first that they just gave him all the work to do until his father explained that what Hal was doing, was what Frank did every single day. His legs were aching and he wasn’t sleepy so Hal had to keep moving. As soon as he lay down, the cramping in his calves would make him sit straight up.
He got dressed, thinking perhaps he’d go back down to the Social Hall. He tried it after he left Dean’s for the evening but somehow news, true or not, flew through Beginnings and Hal found himself being pelted with condolences over he and Jenny’s break up. It was enough sympathy that it made Hal leave immediately.
It was getting late but the Hall was still open. Chances were no one would be there, except for Josephine who didn’t count, and Johnny, who seemed to go there every night. Johnny was someone Hal wanted to avoid until he sat down at Frank’s desk to work on one of his short stories.
Opening the drawer, searching for a pen, Hal’s hand froze when he saw the flask. A rubber band secured a piece of paper around it. With his heart in the pit of his stomach, Hal lifted the flask that felt full. “Frank,” he whispered out. “What are you doing?” Ready to toss out the flask, Hal stopped. He looked at the paper secured to it and he slipped it out from under the band. Hal unfolded it the small note and read it, ‘Dad, just in case. I know they watch you like a hawk . . . Johnny’
Suddenly with the replacement of that note, Hal felt compelled not only to go to the Hall but to seek out Johnny if he wasn’t there. With the flask in hand, Hal walked from the bedroom, through the darkened sleeping house then, after grabbing his coat in his walk, Hal left.
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 170