Joe by Jacqueline Druga

sexually driven. My God, he’s only been with two women in his entire life. This is nonsense. You’ll see.”
    Ben raised his hand. “You still want that gift right?”
    Elliot looked down to the present. “Very much so, thank you.” He opened the door for him and Hal.
    Hal stepped out and placed on his bandana. “Well, now that you are armed with gifts, shall we go to Beginnings?”
    “Yes, I am ready. I have some thoughts of my own to share at the meeting.”
    “So you slept on it?” Hal said sarcastically, walking to the truck.
    “You can say that.”
    “Well, you’re ideas may be a little too late. My ideas may be a little too late.”
    Pausing before opening the door, Elliott looked at Hal. “What do you mean?”
    “I figured out his little sleep on it.”
    Elliott tilted his head in question.
    “My brother was stalling to talk to this new advisor.”
    Shocked, Elliott cocked back. “A new advisor? That sounds odd. He told you this.”
    “Not that he was stalling. But he said his new advisor has some things to say at the meeting.”
    “Where is he from?” Elliott asked, getting in the truck.
    “I don’t know.” Hal said after he entered and got situated behind the wheel. “Probably Jordan, maybe even Doyle camp. But I’m a little insulted that he’d go to someone new for advice.”
    “Understandable.”
    “Yes, I cannot wait to meet this man who has so much influence on my brother.” Hal started the truck. “This man my brother only calls Bob.”
    *****
    The black magic marker did the trick, and it was indelible ink, too, so it wouldn’t go away. Frank was impressed at how good Bob looked in a goatee. He was enjoying the new office and the much bigger desk.
    “Oh, yeah, we look alike.” Frank lifted the dummy, positioned it, warmed up the head and eyes, laughed at his own wit, and then spoke. “Hi.”
    “Hi.”
    “My name is Frank.”
    “My name is Bob.”
    Frank chuckled. “Fuck saying the letter ‘B is hard. Ok, I can do this lip not moving thing. In his own voice, “My name is Frank.”
    “I aim is Ob.”
    “What?”
    “Ob.”
    “Not Ob, Bob.”
    “Frank.”
    “No, my name is Frank. Of course Frank is easier to say.”
    “Yeah en ob.”
    “Bob. Fuck. I’ll get it. You want a cigarette.”
    “No I don’t smoke.”
    The door to the office blasted open and Ellen raged in.
    Frank let out an ‘uh!’ then so do did Bob.
    “You son of a bitch!” Ellen pointed at him and slammed the door.
    “What?’
    “Oh, look at you. You disgust me. You’ll do anything to have your hand up someone’s shirt.”
    “Well, yeah, I mean …” Frank stood. “El, what the fuck did I do?”
    “You would ask.”
    “I did.”
    “Fuck you Frank.”
    Bob’s head turned to Frank. “Wow, she’s mad at you.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    Bob said, “Your lips are moving.”
    “I know. But it’s hard to sound good like you when I don’t move my lips.”
    “Frank!” Ellen screamed. “What the hell are you doing?”
    “Fuckin Bob has been getting me in trouble all day.”
    “Sure. Sure. Blame Bob. Was it Bob’s penis that started the trouble?”
    “I don’t know.” Frank looked at Bob. “Has your penis been starting trouble?”
    “I wouldn’t say trouble, I’d say …”
    Whack. Ellen smacked Bob.
    “Hey! You hit Bob.” Frank shouted.
    “Hey!” so did Bob.
    “Wow, I could do that word without moving my lips.”
    Ellen growled. “Can you please pay attention to me? Maybe that’s why you were in trouble. Maybe if you paid less attention to everyone else …”
    “El, what are you talking about. Why are you so pissed?”
    “You wanna know?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I’ll tell you.”
    “Good. Cause me and Bob are tired of being yelled at and not knowing why.”
    “Fine!” Ellen blasted. “You started it. You made this big deal yesterday, Frank. A huge deal, and now it’s all over town.”
    “What is?”
    “Hiding the child.”
    Frank stared. After a moment he asked.