The Inner Struggle: Beginnings Series Book 7 (10 page)

“Now why do you have to be all sarcastic and shit? I come in here, being civilized and trying to help you so you can help me.”

“Whoa,” Dean said with a laugh, “back up. Help me?”

“Yep. Help you to remember what you saw that night that you say you keep dreaming about.”

Dean scratched his head taking a second to figure out what Frank meant. “You mean the Moses attack?”

“Bingo.”

“How are you gonna help me help you.”

“Fuck, Dean. Weren’t you listening? Hypnosis.”

“Hypnosis.”

“Yeah, it works in the movies all the time. We get someone to hypnotize you to jar that weak memory of yours. I mean if it wasn’t weak you wouldn’t be so afraid to remember what you only want to dream about.”

“What if it isn’t a memory Frank? What if it is just a dream?”

“It’s not,” Frank stated with such assurance.

“So you think hypnotizing me will do it?” Dean hid his sarcasm.

“Oh sure.”

“Who Frank? Who is going to hypnotize me?”

“At first I thought I would . . .”

Dean shrieked in laughter. “Sorry, go on.”

“So fuckin rude. But then I thought, hey there are other intelligent people in this community. So I went to Godrichson. He’s gonna do it.”

“Godrichson helps to screw up time. No way is he messing with my subconscious. No way.”

“Dean, don’t be such a wuss.” Frank moved closer. “It has to be done.”

“Does he know what he’s doing?” Dean asked.

“He said he’ll learn. I think he said that. I’m not sure if he said he knows or he’ll learn.”

“No.” Dean stated strongly. “Forget it”

“Dean, you have to.”

“No.” Dean walked to his box. “I’m leaving, I have to go. Forget it Frank. I’m not being hypnotized.”

“Pansy.”

Dean, carrying his box, stopped midway across the lab. “What is wrong with you? If he succeeds in hypnotizing me, that could be dangerous.”

“Why are you being such a baby about this? I need you to remember what you saw that night.”

“It’s not safe Frank. It’s the mind you’re messing with,” Dean told him. “If you think it’s so safe, you do it first.”

“I don’t have anything I need to remember. But if it will make you do it, sure I’ll do it.”

Dean tilted his head. “You don’t have a problem being hypnotized by someone who might not know what they’re doing?”

Frank raised his hands and let them drop. “Nope.”

“No, of course you don’t. You have nothing to lose if Godrichson screws up your mind.” Dean started walking again.

“Dean.” Frank hurried to him speaking very seriously. “Will you think about it? I need this information and I’ll be the guinea pig if it will make you feel better. I will.”

“I’ll tell you what, Frank, I’ll think about it. But right now I have to go. I have a tight schedule. All right? I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I wanted to hear. Thanks.” Letting Dean continue on, Frank figured since he was at the clinic, he might as well go and see Nick.

He headed to the nursery, opened the door, and stopped when he saw Melissa reaching into the incubator.

She titled her head with a smile, halting in her reach. “Frank, perfect timing.”

“That’s me.” Frank shut the door and moved closer. “Why?”

“Andrea says it’s time to take Nick out of the incubator a few times a day to be held. Want the honors?”

“Are you serious?” Frank grinned. “Yeah.” He took his revolver out of the harness and set it down on a table as he watched Melissa wrap the baby in a blanket and pick him up.

“I know I don’t have to tell you how to hold him.”

“No.” Frank awaited the moment and then he felt the smallness of Nick in his arms. “Oh my God.” He grinned as he gasped with excitement. “Oh my God, is he tiny.” Frank cradled the baby closer to his chest and placed his lips on Nick’s forehead. “Look how small, Melissa.”

“But beautiful.”

“Isn’t he though.” Frank brought his lips to the baby again being careful not to let is goatee brush against the tender infant skin. “How long can I hold him?”

“Andrea says he can be out one of every three hours. Would you like to sit?” She unfolded her arms and pulled a chair closer to Frank. “Just let me know when you have to go.”

“Thanks.” As Frank lowered himself, baby in his arms, his eyes peered at the incubator. “Melissa.”

“Yes?” She stopped and looked back.

“Where did he get the toy?” Frank motioned his head to the teddy bear in the incubator.

“Henry made that for him. Isn’t it cute?” She smiled and headed back to her work in the other room.

Frank looked once more at the teddy bear then at Nick as he settled into the chair to hold him.

<><><><>

“Now remember, Ellen,” Dean told her as he sat in the dining room of her home, “Describe it to me as detailed as you can. Detailed.” He raised his eyes in a thank you to Henry who set a cup of tea in front of him.

Ellen peered in the microscope. “You don’t know what slide I have?”

“No.”

“But if I know what I’m looking at, why don’t I just tell you.”

“Because I want to train you to see it.”

“I do.”

“No.” Dean shook his head. “See it. Every detail of it. If there are abnormalities I want to know by your description. So think of it as a Dean quiz game.”

“O.K.” She shrugged and looked in. “Ready? Round top. It has a tail and . . .”

“A sperm.”

“Can I finish?” Ellen asked him. “It’s not a sperm.”

“You said tail.”

“You said to describe it.”

“You did.”

“Not completely,” Ellen argued. “I’m giving fine details.”

“A tail is fine details.”

“If you would have let me finish.”

“Go on.” Dean held up his hand.

Ellen looked at Henry. “He thinks he’s on Jeopardy or something, buzzing in first.”

Henry snickered. “He should have known it wasn’t a sperm. Why would you describe a sperm?”

Dean answered, “Because there is one in the samples.”

Henry’s eyes widened. “Oh shit Dean, you brought sperm into my house and it’s on my dining room table.”

“It’s encased in glass, Henry.” Dean tried not to laugh.

“Still Dean,” Henry cringed and stood up, “can you get it off my table.”

“Henry.” Dean tried to calm him.

“Who’s sperm is it Dean?” Henry asked.

“Does it matter?”

“Yeah it matters,” Henry stated. “If I don’t like the person I certainly don’t want his sperm in my house.”

Ellen chuckled. “Henry, lighten up. It’s just a sample and it’s dead now anyhow.”

“And you,” Henry pointed at her, “how can you be so calm about working with someone’s sperm. There’s something sick about that.”

“Please Henry, I’ve handled lots of sperm in my life.” She shifted her eyes to Dean. “No smart comments.”

Dean shook his head. “I’m silent.”

Ellen smiled. “Henry just . . .” She gave a sneaky look, reached into the sample box, and pulled out a slide. “Look Henry.” She touched it to him. “Sperm.”

“Uh!” Henry stepped back. “That isn’t nice, Ellen. That isn’t. I just know I’m going to have bad dreams tonight.”

Dean couldn’t hide his laughter. “Ellen, this man actually had sex with you.”

Ellen raised her eyebrows and looked into the microscope. “I often wondered what it was like, since I missed it.”

“Clinical,” Dean said.

Henry scoffed. “I told you that it didn’t count since we don’t remember it.” His head jolted to a knock at the door. “I’m saved. Go on with your sick game you two.” Shuddering, Henry moved from the dining room toward the door. He wasn’t the least amused at their laughter. Shaking his head, he opened the front door. “Frank.”

“He doesn’t need your gifts, Henry.” With a firm extension of his hand, Frank shoved the tiny teddy bear into Henry’s chest, turned, and walked away.

An immediate knot formed in Henry’s stomach as his heart suck as low as it could go. His hands gripped the toy as he stepped back and shut the door.

“Who was at the door?” Ellen asked.

“Um . . . no one.” Henry looked down at the toy. “Probably just . . .” He swallowed emotionally. “…Denny messing around again.” Briefly he closed his eyes.

“Henry.” Ellen’s voice seemed so distant. “I’m just about to describe mucus. Come on over.”

“In a minute.” He shifted his eyes to the table then sadly walked to the steps to take the toy upstairs. He’d hide it away, hoping at another time he could give it to Nick. But right then, it was much too painful to have in his view.

<><><><>

It was a repeated action. Frank became more and more annoyed with while he did his dishes. There was a soft rumble coming closer, then a jolt. It crashed into him and ricocheted his knees into the cabinet under the sink. “Brian.” Frank turned around, hands wet, and pushed the walker from the kitchen into the dining room.

It was a game to the boy a few weeks over one. Laughing so hard, then charging his little bare feet forward, and careening his walker as he came full speed into Frank’s legs again.

“That’s it.” Frank shut off the water, grabbed a dishtowel, and dried his hands. “Need to be mobile or not, your little ass is banned from this contraption.” Frank picked up Brian who seemed to hold on to the walker with his feet. “Let go.” Frank struggled with the baby, lifting him and the walker high. “Let go.” Frank gave a soft shake and the walker tumbled down with a bang to his foot. “Fuck.’ He kicked it out of the way. “In the living room.” Under his arm, he carried Brian and set him on the floor next to Alex who drew. “Watch him while I finish dishes.”

“He’ll eat my color sticks.”

“So, it won’t hurt him. Eh.” Frank waved his hand at her. “Forget it. And go to the bathroom.” He marched to the steps. “Josh,” he yelled up. “Come down and watch Brian while I do the dishes.” Frank looked at the baby who picked himself up and stood at the couch. “Now please.” Hearing the confirming footsteps above his head, Frank moved to the couch and towered over the baby who looked up to him. He pointed down. “Stay put.”

“Da.” The baby spoke the only word he knew.

“Yeah that’s right,” Frank told him. “And who’s the coolest.”

“Da.”

Frank smiled and stepped back. As he did, he watched Brian let go of the couch. Thinking his son was about to take a serious nose dive, Frank hurried back and to his surprise, he watched Brian step awkwardly--without holding on--to him. He shrieked about the boy’s third step causing Brian to fall down. “Alex, did you see that?”

“No.” She colored.

“Ha, Brian, you walked.” Frank glowed and picked his son up. “Try again.” He helped him to his feet. “Stand up.” Brian tried to sit. “No, stand.” Frank steadied the baby and moved back. “Come on.” He held out his hands and Frank laughed loudly when Brian walked to him. “Oh, this is so great!” He picked up the baby. “I have to show, El.” Excitedly he raced to the door, stopping when Josh came down the steps. “Watch the kids. I’ll be right back. Brian walked.”

“Where are you taking him? To practice it?” Josh asked.

“Yes. For Ellen.” Holding the baby, Frank flew from the house.

<><><><>

Dean saw Frank as he stepped from his house, walking at an extremely quick pace, and holding Brian like a sack of potatoes. The baby flopped about as Frank carried him. “Frank,” Dean called out. “Bringing one back?”

“No, I’m taking him to . . . Where are you going?”

“To pick the kids up.”

“Wait.” Frank raced into Dean’s house through the door Dean was trying to close.

“Frank, what are you doing?” He watched Frank sit on the floor.

“Sit down, Dean. Come on.”

“Why?”

“Just sit down.” He saw Dean begin to sit. “Not there, closer, man. He’s not that good yet. Soon.” He waited until Dean sat down and Frank lifted Brian and set him firmly on his feet. He brought his lips close to Brian’s ear. “Go to Dean. Go on.”

Dean’s mouth opened, his eyebrows raised, and his eyes widened when he watched Brain step forward. Repeating Frank’s actions, Dean shrieked, scaring Brian into falling.

“Aw Dean, you made him fall like a drunk. Try this again.” He lifted Brian up and smiled as Brian took the four steps to Dean.

“Hey,” Dean spoke with enthusiasm lifting Brian into his arms and kissing him. “Good job!” Dean laughed as Brian kissed him in that wide baby biting manner.

“O.K.” Frank snatched him up. “I have to show Ellen this before he forgets.” He carried Brian to the door. “I’ll meet you back here.”

“Frank.” Dean called to him stopping him as he walked out. “Thanks. Thanks for sharing that with me.”

Frank smiled, snuggled Brian with a kiss, and raced the few doors down to Henry and Ellen’s. He knocked once and became impatient. “El!” He opened the door then stepped in. “El.” He saw her on the couch. “El you have to see this.” He saw Henry walk in from the dining room. “El, check out Brian.”