“Yeah, but I wish you wouldn’t give her any. She’s hyper enough at night.”
Frank snickered. “Deal with it.” He set both mugs on the counter and poured coffee into them. “Why are you waiting in here with me?” Frank turned to look at him.
“I smelt something.”
“Probably Henry, Danny, and Jason in the basement.” He took a drink of his own coffee.
“No.” Dean shook his head and stepped closer to Frank’s voice.
“Why are you walking toward me? You aren’t gonna try and kiss me are you?”
“No!” Dean reached his hand out.
“You are!”
“Frank! Knock it off.” Feeling around, his hand connected with the back of Frank’s.
“Dean, I swear if you ...”
“Frank.” Dean took the mug from his hand, stepped back, reached for the counter, and then made his way to the sink.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you some coffee.” Dean sniffed the cup then poured out its contents.
“Dean, I had some coffee but you’re fuckin pouring it out.”
“Have some fresh stuff, Frank.” Using the counter against his stomach as a guide, Dean felt his way to the coffee pot. He let his finger rest just inside the rim as he poured the coffee into the mug. When the heat drew near to his finger he stopped. “Here.” He picked the mug up and held it out. “Am I facing you?”
“Yeah,” Frank’s voice dropped, “Dean, I ...”
“Take it. This cup will be better.” Dean felt Frank reach for the mug.
“I wish it would be.”
“It will be.” Dean could feel, as Frank took the mug from him, the trembling that conveyed from Frank’s fingers. Reassuringly, Dean laid his hands over Frank’s to clench the mug tighter. “It will be.”
The kitchen was silent, but only for a second. Ellen’s snickering startled them both. “Frank? Dean? Why are you guys holding hands?”
“Fuckin Dean.” Frank stepped back. “He was hitting on me. I’ll tell you, El, I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you two ... here’s your coffee.” He handed her the mug and started to leave the kitchen. “First you last night, now Dean. You guys are weird. I’m actually starting to get a little frightened that next you’ll approach me with a kinky offer about all three of us together ...” He stopped in the archway, and turned back when he heard Ellen gasp then Dean snicker. Knowing how offended Ellen looked, and knowing Dean didn’t need to see to know it, Frank snickered also. “Dean?”
“Frank.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know.”
Ellen’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my God. Sick, both of you are sick. Can we get to our serious discussion now?” She brushed by Dean, then Frank. “Thank you.”
Laughing, Frank began to follow Ellen out. “You coming, Dean?”
“Yes.” Dean took a sip from his coffee and slowly began to turn to walk out. Heading to the living room on his own, it was back to the reason he and Ellen came there. As much as he hated the thought of doing it, Dean was about to change Frank’s whole laughing demeanor with the seriousness of what he had to talk to him about.
<><><><>
Jenny jiggled in a sway, making her entrance into the Social Hall for her typical Sunday evening date with her husband, John. It was the only night of the week that they could go out because it was the only night that Patrick took their baby, Caroline. Dressed in a tight, little skirt that form-fit her large hips, she smiled at the whistles she got, let them boost her ego, and then made her way to John who stood up when she approached the table.
She tucked her hair behind her ear as John pulled out a chair for her. “Sorry I’m late, John.”
“No, I just got here from my rounds. I’ll tell you, Jenny,” John stepped closer to her, “you look great.”
Jenny tossed her head back in a flattered motion. As she brought it forward, she saw Bev at the bar. It had been the first time she had seen her since the night Bev left with Henry. The smile was erased from Jenny’s face. She stared at Bev, whose one leg extended off the stool, wearing black shorts—too short and too tight for her, even though she was thin. Her short black hair was wild and curled.
“Jen?” John waited for her to sit. “What do you want to drink?”
“You know what, John? I’ll get it.” She turned her head with a fake smile.
John saw Jenny eyes immediately go back to Bev. “Blow her off, Jen. She’s just under your skin.”
“She’s under my nails to be more precise.”
“I will tell you what I heard today. I ran into Kenny. Seems, uh ... Bev has had a major change of heart when it comes to him and Kyle.”
“What do you mean?”
“Bev has ended the relationships. She did so yesterday.”
Jenny’s mouth opened wide. “You don’t think Henry and her ...”
“No.” John shook his head. “Grapevine has it—no.”
Jenny cringed. “Oh, I hate Sundays. I never hear any gossip.” She stomped her feet. “I’ll get the drinks.”
“Jen ...”
“Oh, John, sit.” She pointed her finger. “I’ll be right back.” Jenny walked, or rather strutted, to the bar. She fully intending on just getting her drinks, give a glare or so to Bev, and head back to her husband. That was unless Bev said something to her, then it would only be right if Jenny responded. Perhaps Jenny lingered at the bar longer than she had to in beverage debate. Perhaps she gave a few more glances then she needed to, but as she poured the second drink, Bev spoke.
“Problem, Jenny?” Bev asked her and smiled, letting Paul who sat next to her light her cigarette.
“Nope, not at all.” Jenny flipped her hair and moved around the other side of the bar stopping at Bev. “I heard you and Kenny split up.”
“Yes, it was time to move on, to start anew with someone else.”
“Unmarked territory I hope,” Jenny said.
“Now he is,” Bev waited until Jenny started to walk again, “oh, Jenny, your promise to let Ellen beat the fuck out of me fizzled. She didn’t say a word.”
Jenny spun around. “Then Ellen missed her opportunity.”
“You were wrong for getting on to me about going off with Henry.”
“You were wrong for going off with Henry.” Jenny walked back to her, placing the drinks back on the bar. “You know the way it is. We cannot have one woman breaking the bond that we other women have built. You could have very easily done that.”
“Henry is a free man.”
“Not for long.”
“Exactly.” Bev picked up her drink. “If I have my way, Henry will be mine.” She nodded.
“Leave Henry alone.”
“No.” Bev shook her head. “I gave up Kenny and Kyle for him. I’m a newer woman here. I haven’t earned the respect I need.”
“You think going after Henry is the way to do it?”
“Most definitely. Henry is second in lead of this community. There is a certain prestige that goes along with that. He will be leader someday.”
“Oh give it up, Bev. This isn’t Payton Place. This is Beginnings. Forget about line of leaders, this isn’t a democracy. This is a monarchy and next in line for the throne is Frank.” Jenny saw the lighting-up-fact on Bev’s face, and all Jenny could do was laugh. “That would be funny if you tried that. Now I know for a fact Ellen wouldn’t beat you up, she’d kill you. Not to mention the fact of how much of a fool you’d feel when you went after Frank.” Jenny laughed harder. “I’ve been there. I’ve tried that. Frank has one single focus ... Ellen, for many, many years.”
Bev fluttered her lips. “Stop. If Frank rejected you, you need to look at why. Look at you, Jenny.” Bev raised her eyebrows.
“I’ll ignore that comment.”
“Henry was with me.”
“He won’t even touch you,” Jenny stated. “Henry won’t be that stupid again.”
“Ha.” Bev shook her head. “He will
in time. After all, why not? Ellen doesn’t want him and ... and I am prettier than Ellen, built better, nicer, and younger. Henry will see there really isn’t anything that Ellen is that I’m not.”
“Oh, I beg to differ, Bev. I can think of one very important thing.”
“And what is that, Jenny?”
“Ellen is an Original.”
“That’s not a very good attitude, Jenny.” Bev stood up from her stool. “Wait until I tell the other women, the ones who aren’t Originals, about your attitude.”
“Wait until I tell the other women about yours. I can do a lot more damage to you around here than you can to me. Watch your step.”
Bev merely laughed at Jenny. “Are you threatening me? What are you gonna do, Jenny, throw me out of your little women’s group?”
“As a matter of fact, you’re already voted out.”
This made Bev laugh harder. “Then you can tell the women who voted me out to just watch their backs and their men. Payback is a real bitch, Jenny.”
“Guess what, Bev.” Jenny folded her arms. “So am I.”
<><><><>
“No more, Frank,” Dean instructed. “You hear me?”
“I hear.” Frank returned the bottle to the cabinet above the stove.
“I can’t believe I let you take a drink.”
“I did real good all night.” Frank finished off what was in his glass. “It’s just a shot. That’s all I need.”
“Well if didn’t know the adverse effects of a deprived alcohol-dependent bloodstream ...”
“Dean, knock it off.” Frank looked up to the kitchen ceiling. “Ellen’s coming down.”
“Thanks for helping us out tonight.”
“Thanks for coming to me about it. I appreciate ...” Frank’s head jolted back to the cellar door and the shriek that came from below. “What the hell are they doing now?” He walked to the basement door and opened it. “Are you guys all right down there?”
Henry yelled up, “Fine, Frank. I burned Danny by accident. We’ll be quiet.”
With rolled eyes, Frank shook his head. “Let’s go in the living room, Dean. If they keep on making noise like that, Ellen’s going to find out they’re down there.” As he made his way to the living room, he was stopped by Ellen who held his radio. Frank could hear all kinds of noise coming from the speaker. “What’s going on?”
Ellen handed it to him. “You left this upstairs, Dan is calling you.”
Frank pressed the button. “Dan ... Dan, come in. What’s going on?”
“Frank, we need you at the Social Hall. Big ...” Dan shrieked. “Big fight. We can’t control it. Lots of damage. Hurry ... shit ... duck!” A loud crash replaced Dan’s voice.
An utter look of being perturbed took over Frank. “What the hell? Can’t they control anything?” Grabbing his shoulder harness off the back of the chair and his headset off the table in the entranceway, in his stride through the living room, Frank placed them on. “I’ll be back.”
Ellen chased him to the door. “Oh, can I come with you and see the fight? Dean can wait here. He won’t be able to appreciate it.”
“No, El, stay,” Frank told her.
“Please, I love when you rush in and do that macho thing.”
Frank looked at her, his mind racing with thoughts of how Ellen could possibly get. “Come on. Dean, do you mind staying here?”
“Nope, not at all.” Dean walked to the couch and plopped down. “Don’t take advantage of her, Frank.”
“Yeah right.” Frank grabbed Ellen’s arm and brought her out. “Keep up with me.”
“I am.” Ellen nearly ran to keep up with Frank’s fast pace.
Hustling through the Living Section, Frank radioed Robbie for backup for the out-of-control situation, monitoring the crashes and screams of the Social Hall all the way there.
It was perfect timing. Just as Frank hit the last row of houses, not far from the Social Hall, Robbie ran around the bend, harnessing his revolver. “Frank, what’s the situation?”
“Sounds like all hell is breaking lose at the hall.” Frank neared the hall.
“What’s Ellen doing here?”
Frank shrugged. “She wants to see.” As he approached the Social Hall door, he could hear even more noise. “El, stay back. It could get dangerous. Robbie, if they are that out of control, knock ’em out, deck them. OK?”
“Got it.” Robbie grinned.
Frank opened the door to the Social Hall—prepared—but then stopped in his storm in when he saw the ruckus and the cheering crowd. “Fuck.”
Robbie walked up next to his brother. “You still want me to deck them.”
Ellen shrieked with excitement when she watched Jenny, hand on the back of Bev’s hair, ram her face-first onto the rail of the bar as if Bev was a wrestler going face-first into the turnbuckle.
Bev bounced backwards and fell to the floor. Just as she tried to get up, Jenny pounced on her and straddled her legs. Her skirt was now raised above her green underpants, with her knees on both sides of Bev. As Jenny grabbed hold of Bev’s throat—banging Bev’s head repeatedly on the floor—Bev’s hands reached up to Jenny in a defensive, clawing motion.
Ellen clapped and moved into the cheering circle of men. “Get her, Jenny, get her. Jenny, your underwear is showing.”
Jenny grunted and banged Bev’s head, again.
Frank had seen enough. “Knock the shit off!” he screamed loudly. “Robbie, let’s go.”
“I’m not decking them, Frank,” Robbie stated.
“We aren’t decking them. El?” Frank looked at her. “Wanna help?”
“No,” she said. “Don’t break them up, Frank, let them ... Frank!” Ellen yelled as Frank charged in, “Frank, no!” Ellen raced toward the two barreling women.
Reaching his hands in, Frank repeatedly was hit and scratched. “Knock it the fuck off!” He placed one hand on Jenny, the other toward Bev, knowing he couldn’t pull a usual Frank-break-up of the fight. “Ladies!”
Ellen, watching Bev’s hands grab the skin of Jenny’s face, figured it was time to help Frank out. She ran up behind Jenny, bracing her under her arms. “Jen ... nee.” Ellen grunted. “Stop it. You’ll ... kill.” She gave a hard tug. “Her!” As Ellen gave another hard tug, Jenny released Bev and with the force of Ellen’s pull, coupled with Jenny’s strength—both women flew backwards. Jenny ended up back-first on top of Ellen.
Ellen’s arms flung about helplessly under the heavy weight of Jenny. Trapped! “Frank,” her voice was muffled. “Help.”
Bev got up from the ground and saw that Jenny was down. She dove for her, but as she did, Frank reached out his arm, bringing it around the front of Bev and snatched back the fighting, kicking woman. “Settle your ass down!” Less then gently Frank set her back. “Now!” Almost with a smack of disgust, Frank ran his hand down his face. “Robbie, take this woman to Holding. Jenny ...” Frank saw Jenny. How odd she looked with that extra set of arms and legs beneath her. Then he realized that Ellen was trapped beneath the flesh of a woman twice her size. “El, quit fooling around. Get up.”
John Matoose reached out for Jenny, lifting his wife to her feet then straightening her skirt.
Watching Robbie remove the wiry Bev, Frank turned to John. “What the hell, John? Why didn’t you break it up? This is your wife.”
“She wasn’t losing, Frank,” John said. “I would have, if she was.”
“Get her to the clinic to clean up those scratches. God!”
“Come on, Jenny.” John put his arm around Jenny who at that instant started to cry. “What’s wrong?”
“I-I-I am-am just-just worked up,” Jenny sobbed.
One more time Frank called out, “John, she has to go to Holding for three hours. You know the rules.” Seeing John’s ‘yeah-yeah’ wave back, Frank covered his eyes with his hands. As he slid his fingers down across his nose, he saw Ellen was still on the ground. “El?” He rushed over to her and dropped down to one knee. “El.”
&
nbsp; “I think I’m part of the floor now, Frank.”
Frank chuckled then slid his arms under Ellen, lifting her up as he stood to his feet. He smiled at her as he placed her back down on her feet, sliding her against him when he did. “Thanks for the help.”
“Anytime.”
Giving a ‘hmm’ while biting his bottom lip, Frank took a step to her, cupped his hands on her face and kissed her quickly. “Let’s go home.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it, what?” Frank grabbed her hand and started walking out with her.
“That’s my kiss?”
“That’s it.”
“My God, Frank, I pulled Jenny off that person. I got pinned under her and it wasn’t fun, Frank,” Ellen bitched as they walked. “It really wasn’t fun, Frank. I could barely breathe and I get a simple peck of a kiss like you’re my dad.”
Frank still walked, smiling the whole time.
Ellen was ready to bitch more, but she stopped when Frank slowed his pace down, and the hand that held hers went from leading to joining, when his fingers slipped between hers. Ellen smiled, looking down at their locked hands. Walking back home with Frank, she took in the peacefulness of the evening. “That was pretty great though, Jenny beating Bev up. Huh?”
“Funny stuff but aggravating. I think that was the first fight we had between two women. I mean an all-and-out fight.”
“I think so. It was worth being suffocated. How about that underwear Jenny had on?”
“I didn’t notice.”
“It was green, Frank. Now where do you suppose she got green underwear?”
“Don’t know.”
“You did good. You didn’t punch either of them.”
Frank only turned his head to look at her.
“You did good helping Dean and I out, too. Thank you very much.”
“Like I told Dean, I’m glad you came to me.”
“I owe you.” Ellen held tighter to his hand as they approached his house.
“You really mean that?” Frank asked as he reached for the door.
“I mean that.”
“Then there is something you can do for me.”
Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 Page 36