Read Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 for Free Online Page B

counter.
    “ Sit back down.”
    “ I’m screwing up.”
    “ So what? It’s a cough formula, big deal. That’s why you’re learning.”
    “ I can’t do this, El.”
    “ It’ll take practice.”
    “ No! Now is not the time to be practicing and you know it,” Dean argued strongly. “How can I be trusted to mix medication that people will ingest into their bodies?”
    “ That’s why we’re ...”
    “ El!” His hand shot in the air. He turned to try to face her. “I can’t even see where you are, and I’m supposed to see what I am mixing into a medication? And to think I am being counted on to cure a virus. I’m useless.”
    “ You’re not useless, Dean.” Ellen walked over to him trying to be comforting ...
    “ Useless, El. I’ll never be able to be left alone without a babysitter in my own lab. Do you know how that makes me feel? I can’t take it.”
    “ Dean, that’s not true. Come here.” Ellen reached for his jacket that not only was wet, but had blood that dripped from his hand. “Take this off. And your hand is bleeding, let me ...”
    “ No!” Dean moved back. “Stop treating me like a child. You have me up here treating me and teaching me like a three-year-old. Talking down to me, scolding me when I make a mistake. I can’t help it, El. I just lost my sight. You don’t seem to comprehend what that is doing to me.”
    “ I do, Dean.” Ellen’s voice stayed soothing.
    “ No, you don’t. All day long I have to listen to you and Henry make bad reference jokes trying to cheer me up. It’s wrong. You have me driving. Wrong. You have me mixing chemicals that could inadvertently kill someone. How can I try to save a life, if I can’t even shave my own face? A face that is so itchy!” Dean ran his hand harshly across his chin. “It’s driving me nuts! I shouldn’t be here.”
    “ You have every right to be here. This is your research.” Ellen laid her hand on his back.
    Dean ’s hands reached out for the counter and he felt his way into it. “I feel horrible.”
    “ I know.”
    “ I just feel so lost. So lost.” His head dropped down.
    “ Dean.” Ellen moved closer to him. “Let’s call it a night. Let’s just go home. Let me take you home.” Dean didn’t answer her. “Dean?” She placed her face closer to his. “I’ll even drive.” She watched his head sway from her with his eyes closed. “Dean, please.” Ellen listened as Dean let out a long breath of sadness and frustration then covered his face with his hands, so unresponsive to her.
    Leaving the lab was what they had to do . Taking a break and going home was for the best. Dean had worked so hard, but he just didn’t know that. The giant steps he was taking on this day would have seemed to him years earlier like baby steps and that made things worse for Dean ... knowing what he had the capabilities to do and feeling so powerless in expending them. But Ellen knew that before they slid backwards in any progress, she had to get Dean to care enough to take further steps to go on. And right then, she couldn’t even get him to care enough to take that first step from the lab and go home.
     
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    Henry spotted him , just where Robbie said he would be, doing exactly what Robbie said he would be doing. Frank stood against the bar, leaning into it, a drink in his hand. “Frank?” Henry walked up to behind him. “You didn’t stay for strudel.”
    Frank brought his drink to his mouth , dumping some of the liquor in.
    “ Robbie is singing.”
    “ I don’t care.”
    “ You’re drinking, Frank.”
    “ I don’t care.”
    Henry held back his frustration . “Go back to your dad’s with the kids.”
    “ Where are you gonna be?”
    “ Me? I’m uh ... I was going home unless you want me to go to Joe’s with you.”
    “ No.” Frank finished off his drink and reached over the bar for the bottle.
    “ Frank, you said you weren’t gonna ...”
    “ Henry.” Frank slammed the bottle. “Leave. Right