Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 (22 page)

Worried and not wanting to make Robbie think he was blowing him off
, Dean raised his head.

“
Dean, I fixed the disposal in the mobile lab.”

“
Good. Thanks.”

“
Yeah found your problem.” Robbie reached into his back pocket. “Did you lose a penlight? It must have fallen down there. Here, Catch.” Robbie tossed Dean the pen and it sailed across the room beaming Dean in the forehead. “Dean, you were supposed to catch it, or make an attempt at it, not sit there and be a target.” He noticed Dean still stared forward and the snicker on Robbie’s face left him. “What’s going on? I know something is going on. Never do you three hang out together unless you did something and you’re trying to figure out a way to cover it up.” Robbie had to wonder at that moment if they really thought he was that stupid that he couldn’t see through the fact that something was going on. “That’s it, isn’t it?” He walked back into the dining room. “You guys are way too quiet right now not to know something you want no one else to know. What is it? What did you do?”

Frank looked at Henry
’s face, so at a loss. Then he looked down at Dean. “Dean?”

Dean lifted his head up
. He knew and he felt what Frank wanted. “Go on. Tell him.”

Just as Robbie was about to ask
‘tell me what?’, he saw Frank move from Dean. At that moment, quietly, and seriously, Frank told Robbie everything.

<><><><>

In just enough time so as not to be too late for Andrea
’s dinner and hear her complain or possibly make him sit on the couch for holding things up, Robbie returned home. His mood had changed from his upbeat one to a somber one. He was in shock over what Frank had told him about Dean and a little upset that he wasn’t included in the big ‘help Dean and cover up’ plan. After all, he was good at keeping secrets. He could keep the truth from the community for their best interest. Opening his door quietly, he saw his father still in the same place he was when he left, probably because Joe couldn’t move around too much at that point. “Hey, Dad.”

“
Just in time.” Joe looked at Robbie, returned to his work, then looked quickly back at him. “What’s wrong with you?”

“
I can’t believe it.” Robbie slowly shook his head, walking around the couch to the arm of the sofa.

“
Can’t believe what?”

“
I didn’t even see it coming. I didn’t know. I don’t pay much attention to him. But how did I miss it. I lived with him for a week straight. Was I the one who was blind? I consider myself a perceptive guy.”

“
Robert? Where are you going with this?” Joe asked, not wanting to come straight out with it.

“
Dean.” Robbie tilted his head. “I understand why you are keeping it from the community, but me too? I could help like Frank, but I still can’t believe it.”

“
Robbie. This is not to be mentioned to anyone. Got that?”

“
I got it. Frank told me. He wouldn’t have, had I not hit Dean in the head with something I tossed at him. Then again, Dad, people are gonna know something is up if Dean and Frank are hanging out together.” With his hands on his hips, Robbie looked so much in disbelief.

Joe looked up at his son
, and just under Robbie’s arm he saw the vision of Andrea walk into the room. “Robbie.”

“
I can’t believe Dean is ...”

“
Robbie.” Joe tried to halt him.

“
Blind.”

Joe
’s hands immediately covered his face when Andrea zipped around and into the living room.

“
Robbie?” she questioned. “What did you just say?”

Joe shook his head
. “Robbie.”

Robbie looked at Andrea
. “Oh I know, Andrea. I found out, don’t worry about it. It’s safe with me.”

“
What is?”

“
Oh you’re good acting all dumb. I was just over Frank’s. Dean’s blindness.” At that point Robbie didn’t even notice that Joe was hunching more.

“
His ... his what?” Andrea’s mouth dropped open. “Dean’s what?”

Robbie spun to Joe
. “She doesn’t know?”

Joe peeked through his spread fingers
. “She does now.”

“
Dad, she is Council. How can she not know?”

“
Robert,” Joe scolded, “enough. Thanks for adding more fuel to her fire.” Joe looked up to Andrea and he waited for the Andrea-blast at him for holding back the truth. “Andrea.” Joe held up his hand in a calming fashion. “Dean didn’t want you to know. He was afraid you’d pull him from everything when he is perfectly capable of doing things, just differently. He is working really hard.” Joe wondered if that did it. Did it do it? He didn’t think it did when Andrea’s mouth dropped open even wider. Joe hunched and cringed in preparation for what he wasn’t in the mood to hear.

Andrea let out a strong gasp
. “Sweet Jesus. Sweet Jesus. Sweet Jesus.” Her hand covered her mouth. “Oh ... my ... Sweet Jesus.” She heaved out with emotional dramatics. “Oh.” Her other hand fanned herself. “Dean is blind? He has lost his sight?” Faster she fanned herself. “Oh that poor man. That poor, poor man.” With her trembling hands out, Andrea made a painful squeezed up face, shaking her head back and forth. “Oh Dean!” In such fifties-movie-fashion, Andrea covered her mouth with the back of her hand, let out a single short sob, raced from that living room, and out the door.

“
Damn it.” Joe turned as fast as he could. “Where is she going?”

“
One guess.” Robbie walked to the door. “I’ll go chase her. I know you’re crippled.”

“
Stop her before she gets us both is deep shit.”

“
Got it.” Robbie flew out.

<><><><>

“Dean!” With her loud blast out, the front door to Frank’s house opened and Andrea charged in.

Frank let out a surprising shriek at the sight of Andrea racing forward
.

Dean whispered up to Frank and Henry
, “What, what is going on ... Uh!” Suddenly he felt the tight embrace of someone and felt himself being pulled into a body. He knew it was a woman because he could feel his head pressed between the breasts.

“
Oh, Dean. Oh, Dean! Sweet Jesus.” Andrea grasped him tightly to her. Her hands ran through is hair over and over. “What has happened to you? You poor man. You poor, poor man.”

Dean
’s arms flopped about. He was in Andrea’s control as she cradled him. Muffled and from within her grip, Dean called out, “Frank ...” In such struggle he sounded. “I’m ... suffocating.”

Frank winced and stomp
ed his foot. “Andrea!” He reached out to pull her away. “What the fuck?”

“
No.” She smacked at Frank’s reaching hand, then held Dean again. “I’m here for you, Dean. I am here for you.” She laid her lips to the top of his head, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Don’t you worry your little self one bit about me. Lord knows you have lost enough. I will not take any more from you. You poor soul.” Andrea’s head jerked up when she heard Henry’s laughing. Quickly she spun to face Henry, bringing Dean with her, bouncing Dean like a little girl holding a rag doll close to her chest. “You find humor in this?” she asked with a scold.

Henry
’s top lip quivered and he stepped farther back. “No, Ma’am.” Using long strides, Henry sneaked from that dining room, grabbing the towel from Frank’s shoulder. He walked into the kitchen, covered his mouth with that towel, and released the laughter that he had fought hard to contain.

“
I’ll pray for you, Dean.” Andrea gripped his head into her bosom more. “I will pray for you. What are these men doing to you now? Probably misguiding you. You know Frank does not like you.”

Dean
’s hand reached out like a quicksand victim reaching for shore, his fingers reached for Frank. “Frank!” So mumbled his words were. “Help.”

“
Andrea!” Frank yelled. “Let the man go. What are you, fuckin gone? He’s not a child!” Frank reached for Dean. “Let ... him ...” He pulled and struggled. “Go!”

“
No!” Andrea whipped Dean away from Frank.

Frank brought his hand to his own face in a frustrated smack
. Just as he ran it across the bridge of his nose he saw, over his fingers, Robbie walking into the room. “Robbie!’

Out of breath
, Robbie stepped forward. “Andrea, do you ever run fast for an old woman. Shit.”

With his jaw twitching
, Frank stepped to Robbie. “What did you do?”

“
I uh ...”

“
You told her, didn’t you?”

“
Well I thought she knew.”

Grunting loudly through clenched jaws
, Frank brought his hands to his head. “You’re killing me! You are fuckin killing me!”

“
Frank.” Robbie nervously tried to cover up. “Look, it was innocent.”

“
Look at Dean!” Frank pointed, his face so red. “He is clenched in the jaws of fuckin hell, and I can’t pull him out!”

“
He’s being nurtured, Frank. Maybe that’s what he needs right now.”

“
He needs to breathe!”

“
Don’t you think you’re overreacting?” Robbie asked. “So she found out.”

“
She wouldn’t have found out nothing, had you not been the stupid asshole who opened his mouth!”

“
Well you’re the stupid asshole who thought you could hide the fact that the man is blind!”

“
Oh I ought to nail your ass right now! I should have known better than to trust you with anything!”

“
No, Frank, Dean should have known better than to trust you!”

“
Fuck you!”

“
Fuck you!”

“
Boys!” Andrea screamed out so close to them. “Stop this bickering. Dean does not need this!”

From staring at each other in a heated brother argument
, both Frank and Robbie, at the same time, switched their views to Andrea. Not only had she made her way to them, but she brought along Dean, still held tightly in her embrace.

Frank
’s eyes went down to see Dean who was struggling not only to break free but also to stand up. His knees were against the carpet. “Will you let the man up! God!” Finally, knowing he had to get firm, Frank walked behind Andrea, took hold of her arms and pulled them outward and away from Dean.

Dean dropped to the floor
, and let out a loud gasp for air.

Robbie reached down for him
, knowing full well that Dean’s perception was off. “Let me help you up.” He led to Dean to his feet. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to tell her.”

Dean shook his head
. “Maybe it’s better that she knows.”

“
Thanks,” Robbie told him. “Oh and, Dean, your hair is messed up.”

Frank saw Andrea stepping to Dean again and he blocked the way with his body
. “Don’t.” He held out a finger at her. “Don’t. Back off.”

“
You back off!” She smacked at Frank’s finger. “Just who do you think you are pointing that Slagel finger at me? Dean needs me! He needs comfort.”

“
Dean needs to be treated like there is nothing wrong with him! He doesn’t need to be treated like an invalid, because he’s not! You hear me?” Frank blared at her. “Now settle your ass down right now or I will tell my father how you’re acting!”

Andrea
’s bottom lip moved up to meet her top lip. She crossed her arms tightly to her body. “Well I’m ...” She shivered a sob. “I’m telling your father how you’re talking to me.”

“
Oh tell my father. I don’t care,” Frank scoffed at her.

“Joe!” Andrea saw Joe standing in the door. She ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Frank moved to Dean
. “You’re safe. She found someone else to molest.”

“
God.” Dean caught his breath and ran his fingers through his tossed hair. “I felt like I was on Space Mountain.”

“
I bet.” Frank shook his head and looked back to his father who comforted Andrea by the door. Joe didn’t look like he wanted the task, but he did it anyhow. “What is up with her?” Frank asked, then walked to the door and tried to be calm. “Andrea. You think you’re calm enough to sit your ass down and talk about this without stuffing Dean’s face into your breasts.”

Joe winced
. “Tact, Frank. She’s just concerned.”

“
Concerned? Not often do I feel sorry for Dean, but you should have seen what she did to him.”

Andrea pulled from Joe
’s hold. She wiped her hand down her face. “I am just very upset by all of this. I feel very sorry for him.”