Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 (16 page)

“
So what did Andrea want? She never comes up here.”

“
Actually she wanted to measure you.” Ellen led him from the mobile “Step. She has learned a new ... step ... trade. Knitting.”

“
Knitting?” Dean said with shock.

“
She says she’s going to make every man ... step ... a new sweater. I told her ... step ... that’s a lot of sweaters.” She opened the trailer door. “I do see you in a sweater though, Dean. We’re in the hall of the trailer.”

“
I gathered.” He reached his hand out feeling the wall to learn it. “Ellen, I just counted two steps down and two steps up.”

“
Yes.”

“
So why this afternoon, when I went to use the bathroom, did you tell me there were three steps.”

Ellen laughed
. “Sorry.”

“
It’s not funny.”

“
I know. Sorry.” She brought him into the living area and then into the kitchen. “Chicken sandwich or jam?”

“
Which one do you want?”

“
I can’t decide. You decide.”

“
I’ll have the chicken.” He heard Ellen whine. “Then I’ll have the jam. If you wanted the chicken why didn’t you say so?”

“
I was being nice.” Ellen opened the refrigerator. “Frank made the sandwiches.”

“
Swell.”

“
You know what he said, Dean?” Ellen pulled out the lunches. “He said that if he and I were together when you lost your sight, he would let me help you.”

“
And you believed him?”

“
Oh sure I did. Milk or water?”

“
Water. El ... Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that Frank wants to help me, but he’s gonna really get in the way of us when I start to become self-sufficient.”

“
I guess that’s something you’ll have to deal with.”

“
Like him going on and on about you wearing a ...” Dean paused. “Are you really wearing a skirt today?”

“
Sure I am, Dean.” Ellen replaced the milk back in the refrigerator. “You don’t believe me?”

“
Well ...”

“
Give me your hand.” She took it and laid it on her thigh. “Feel. Leg.” She moved it up an inch. “Feel it. A skirt.”

Dean stepped closer to her
. “You are.”

“
Sure I am. Dean?” Ellen paused. “Dean? Dean!”

“
Huh?”

“
The skirt stays down.”

“
Sorry.” Dean pulled his hands away and backed up. “I thought you were lying to me.”

“
Now why would I do that?” Ellen pulled out some plates.

“
For starters I’ve had to deal with a ton of bad blind jokes today.”

“
I’m just trying to lighten the mood.”

“
Don’t.”

Ellen turned around and faced him
. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“
Just ... just not yet. OK?”

“
All right,” Ellen’s voice dropped and she turned back to preparing the lunch.

Dean sensed the change in her mood
. “I made you feel badly, didn’t I?”

“
No,” Ellen answered shortly.

“
I did. I didn’t mean to.”

“
I know.” Ellen gripped the counter. “I’m just trying to help your mood, Dean. I thought I did last night, but every time I try to be nice or touch you, you pull back … with the exception of the skirt. But that’s a problem I won’t have again. This is the last day I wear a skirt.”

“
You did help last night, El.”

“
So if I did, why do I feel so ...” She grabbed the plates. “Lunch is done.” She brushed by Dean and brought the plates to the table.

“
So what, Ellen? You feel so ... so what?”

“
Never mind.” She took hold of his arm. “We’ll eat.”

“
No.” He stopped her. “What is it?”

Ellen let out a loud breath
. “It’s just that, I thought we kind of clicked last night. I wasn’t really looking at it like a stepping-stone over a hurdle. You understand? I looked at it differently than just something you needed.”

Dean was silent for a second
. “You think I used you.”

“
No.” Ellen’s voice took on that high pitch fake sound, “No. I didn’t say that.”

“
Yeah you did, El.” Dean stepped closer to her. “I didn’t use you. I loved last night. I want last night all the time, but I know the moment I get used to it, it will be taken away from me.”

“
You can’t say that for sure.”

“
No, I can’t. But I know our history and I know our pattern.” He laid his hand on her face. “I love you. Right now, just knowing I have you here for me, is all I need.”

“
So you don’t want to take a chance?” Ellen asked. “That sucks. You know that? Every single time we get close, one of us always stops it. I thought this time we could take that chance.”

“
I can’t take that chance. Right now, I am really vulnerable. I know that. If I sleep with you again, it’s gonna make it that much worse when it’s taken away from me. I work with you, El. I’m with you more than anyone. I’d rather want you and know that I can’t have you, than have you and wait for it to be taken away.”

“
I understand,” Ellen said softly. “I wouldn’t trust me either. I have a pretty ... uh ... strong reputation.” She watched Dean’s awkward smile. “It’s OK. We’ll work together. We had a great time last night, a great time.” She leaned to him. “I’m kissing you right now, so don’t back away.” She kissed him, softly and quickly. “There, painless.”

Dean
’s hand immediately went to the lips that just kissed him. He moved in to kiss them again and stopped. “Last night was not only what I needed, know it was what I wanted.”

“
Then why give it up?” Ellen asked softly.

“
I don’t want to give it up. I just don’t want my heart to get broken again.” Dean stepped back. “Just once, just once I’d like to be the one who’s in the way rather than the one who gets stepped on with you. Just once, I’d like to be that other man. Because you and I both know, you never give up that other man.”

Ellen huffed slightly
. “I can’t believe you just said that to me.”

“
OK, that was wrong.”

“
It was.”

“
But there is something appealing about being the one you sneak off with, the one you fool around with.”

“
Appealing meaning exciting? Or meaning the sex?”

Dean raised his head
. “Both.”

“
Oh,” Ellen gasped with shock. “You of all people, Dr. Hayes, are not one to say that. You’re the sensitive guy. You’re the romantic. You’re not the guy who sleeps with someone without his heart getting involved. Besides, you just don’t have it in you. I for one would never do that with you. Ever. Sex? Sex only?” Ellen fluttered her lips at him. “Let’s have lunch.”

<><><><>

“Robert!” Joe scolded as he opened the door to his office. “Get the hell out of my chair.”

“
Sorry, Dad.”

“
What the hell were you doing sitting there anyhow?” Joe hobbled his way to the desk.

“
Waiting for you. What took you so long?”

“
Eh. Andrea.” Joe lowered himself to sit, paused, lifted back up, then slowly and gently, with a scrunched up face, sat down.

Robbie ran the back of his hand across his mouth to hide his snicker
. “So uh ...” He cleared his throat. “What about Andrea?”

Joe gasped a slight moan and shifted in his seat
. “She was measuring me.”

Robbie tossed his head back
. “You too? Man, I saw her coming with that tape and I ran. I ran, Dad. She is gone. Really gone. Walking around singing that stupid song. Whistling like the fuckin seven dwarfs.”

“
Robbie.” Joe’s hand slammed on the desk. “Enough about Andrea. Where are our two Survivors?”

“
In the extra room, waiting. Waiting for you because you took too long.”

Leaning
, Joe opened his drawer and pulled out his ashtray and put it on his desk. “What are they like? Forewarn me.”

“
Considering that Cole came across ...”

“
Aw!” Joe interrupted his son with a loud vocal complaint. “What the hell is wrong with Cole? Does he not realize he doesn’t do well with Survivors? He picks up the worst of them out there.”

“
Well this time they ...”

“
Where are they now? Cleaning up?”

“
No. They’re already cleaned up.”

“
That fast? They can’t be cleaned up that fast. They have to shower and sanitize. You know that. We don’t need another outbreak of lice around here.”

“
Actually, Dad, if you would let me finish.”

Joe looked up at Robbie
, curious about his tone. “Go on.”

“
They were clean when I got there. They had cleaned up. And wait, just wait until you see them. They are different than any other Survivors we have picked up and I have been doing this Survivor shit since we started it.”

“
They aren’t sick?”

“
No, not at all. In fact I predict Ellen, when she gets here, will give the OK immediately to go to Containment. If not past.”

“
What?” Joe asked. He started to lean back, stopped, grunted, shifted, and then finished leaning in his chair. “These are the two that saved Cole and his men?”

“
No. These are the two that also saved my ass.”

“
You didn’t mention this. How did this happen?”

“
What, saving my life? The one saw it coming. He saw the SUTs sneaking in before I did.”

“
You think maybe he’s a set up?” Joe asked.

“
Nope, not at all.”

“
Then how did he see them coming before you? You’re trained in that shit.”

“
Because of this.” Robbie laid in front of Joe the video game that Danny had.

“
You were playing games when it happened?”

“
No.” Robbie reached down. “Let me see what Danny said ... oh yeah.” He pressed the circle button and the instrument beeped. “It’s on.”

“
OK, but right now I don’t want to play a game.”

“
Dad, it’s impressive.”

“
The man knows how to make batteries, so what?” Joe slid the game back.

“
No, Dad, you have it all wrong. Danny calls this the TT for Terminator Tracker, but he said he’d easily rename it the SUT finder.”

“
The SUT finder?” Joe laughed. “The SUT finder.”

“
Yeah. OK, we’ll come up with a better name.”

“
Robert, why name it that at all?”

“
Because this little thing, see this attachment on the end.” Robbie pointed to the small red square on the edge. “It’s like radar. It picks up our SUTs and it picks them up not only in distance, but in direction, and in numbers. It beeps. For each SUT, a red dot appears. Soldiers who aren’t SUTs, their dots are black.”

“
Black and red dots?” Joe spoke with sarcasm and lack of belief. “And it beeps. Robbie, you were duped. There is no way this will ...” A beep shut Joe up.

Robbie looked down at the tracker
. “See, one red dot.”

“
See, it’s wrong. I don’t think a SUT is walking in Beginnings.”

“
Fifty feet. Bet me it’s Henry.”

“
Why do you say that?” Joe asked, watching it indicate a closer range.

“
I told Henry to come up here and bring the microchips. Here he comes.” Robbie faced the door. “And ... Henry.” The door opened. “Frank?”

At the point where the thing beeped loudly and out of control
, Joe had enough. “Shut this thing off. It’s Frank and he’s no SUT.”

“
But, Dad.” Robbie grabbed the tracker. “I’m telling you this works.”

“
I’m telling you it doesn’t.”

Frank stepped forward
. “Can I interrupt?” Before he could take a chance on waiting for them to tell him he will anyhow, Frank reached his hand out and laid down a white cloth. “Here’s those microchips. Henry said to be careful with them.”