Joe by Jacqueline Druga Page A

details.
    So many to choose from, he didn’t know where to start. One thing was for sure, Joe was going to take a trip back in time to when life wasn’t necessarily simpler, but it was at its best. Back to when his boys were young.
    *****
    Roy was buzzing about the lab, he not only had his work, but he had that special request work to do for Frank in regards to the secret child.
    But that posed a problem.
    In the future, they really never dealt with things called tumors. Roy had heard of them, but they weren’t medical problems. Perhaps someone had cured them somewhere along the line, but the truth was there were other things. Other things were more life threatening.
    So Roy had to research tumors extensively. He had the knowledge, but like the knowledge of what was a postage stamp, Roy tucked it away as something he would never need.
    “Morning, Dean.” Andrea said brightly.
    “Oh, good morning Sunshine.”
    She smiled and giggled. “Do you have Hap’s sugar results done?”
    “No, I do not. I am sorry. Almost.”
    “Really? You are usually so proficient.” Andrea sifted through the stack of folders.
    “I know. I was working on something for Frank. I will get to it now. This was just bothersome.”
    “Can I help you?”
    “No. He asked it to be a secret.”
    “Hmm.” Andrea folded her arms. “Really, Dean, I know your history with Frank. There should be no secrets in this lab. They have gotten you in trouble before as you know.”
    “I didn’t know that. I will keep that in mind.”
    “Is it a health problem?”
    “Yes. I cannot tell you anymore. Because Frank doesn’t want anyone to know he has … he has …”
    “He has what, Dean?” Andrea stepped forward.
    “I can’t.”
    “Dean?”
    “I cannot.”
    “Dean, you found Jesus. Jesus would be happy.”
    “Fine. I cannot tell you because Frank is keeping it a secret that he has a child in Beginnings. No one is to know.”
    Andrea gasped. “He has a child. One of his and Ellen’s?”
    “No, Ellen is not the mother. She doesn’t even know.”
    “Sweet Jesus.”
    “Yes.”
    Melissa called from the door, “Dean. I need you in exam room two.”
    “Yes. Be right there.” Roy grabbed a lab jacket. “I will speak to you later.”
    “Oh, you better believe it.”
    After Roy left, Andrea stood by the counter. Her fingers tapping on the counter as she spoke out loud. “Frank has an illegitimate child.” She gasped out. “Bastard.”
    *****
    “Oh, yeah,” Frank grinned holding the ventriloquist dummy. “This is fuckin’ cool.” Like a kid at Christmas, Frank basked in the dummy. Its hair was lifelike, face sculptured. But the dummy looked small in his large arms.
    Henry didn’t look amused. In fact, he pouted. “I can’t believe I wasted an entire morning going into a warehouse that was supposed to have explosives and it ended up being a flea market storage.”
    “Yeah, but the stuff is cool. We can put it in the warehouse and the Bowman businesses can have a field day.”
    “Swell.”
    “Is he great or what?”
    “Swell.”
    Frank positioned the dummy on his arm. “Look his eyes and mouth work.”
    “Great,” Henry said less than enthused.
    “I’ll call him Bob.” Frank changed his voice some. “Hey, Henry, how are you?”
    “Frank …”
    “My name is Bob.” Frank laughed. “Whoa, I’m good at this.”
    “I can see your lips move Frank.”
    “No you can’t.”
    “Yes, I can.”
    “Look again,” Once more, Frank maneuvered the dummy. His mouth was twisted and distorted as he tried to keep it still while talking. “Hi Henry.”
    “Moving.”
    “Fuck.”
    “Not moving, that word slips out of you.”
    “Maybe I should have him swear more.”
    “That works.”
    “Look here comes Jenny.” Frank made ‘Bob’s’ head turn to him, and he laughed. “Look at Bob, Henry he’s looking for Jenny.”
    Bob peered around. “Oh, man, Jenny sucks.”
    Frank laughed.
    “Oh my God,” Henry closed his eyes briefly.