AUTHOR"S NOTE-I was heartbroken to hear about the actor who played Lafayette passed away. So I wanted to write a story to try to honor him and do something more lighthearted. As always, read and review….thanks!
The flamboyant short order cook was slinging potatoes while the waitresses slung suds. Sookie was off with her girlfriends to some Lularoe party that Willa was hosting and though he hadn't pegged Sookie as being one of those people-those leggings perplexed even him-but Lafayette was working his tail off and wanted nothing more than to finish the next hour and get home with a little bit of his own special brew and some of his secret stash. He was nothing if not a responsible user of the recreational drugs. Unfortunately, rest and relaxation were not in the cards for as he was closing up for the night, a familiar face entered the bar, someone who he had a past and present with. And though they were friends now, it was always hard to forger that which happened in the past. That was the thing about torture, it left a mark in more ways than one.
"She texted me that you should still be here and I am glad that you are. I came here with a job offer. Like old times." Eric sat himself at one of the stools at the bar and made a slightly distasteful looking face as he took in the ambiance around him. It was always clear he preferred his own bar but he knew enough to be respectful of where he was. Sookie worked here and had good people around her that made her happy. So he refrained from at least making any comments.
"What can you possible need from me? There ain't been no blood being bought and sold in years and if you are trying to start something up again-"
"Dealing in vampire blood was never something I wanted to do and I have take it upon myself to ensure it is not dealt in around these parts. Though, since that backwards community of were panthers scattered off to parts unknown, there hasn't been such a problem with drainers and the like…..but I digress. I came here because I need you and your…talents."
"Which ones? I have more than one skill set ya know." Lafayette retorted with a smirk as he threw the rag used to polish up the bar counter aside. "If it involved any witches, psycho faeries or whatever the else we've already dealt with in the past-"
"I need assistance in finding something that I accidentally misplaced. Something of Sookies." with her out of town, I think it would be a good time to try to get it back before she had my head." he paused. "Friends or not, I never have been a fan of asking for help but your abilities….they should resolve this rather fast."
"Unless what you're looking for wound up in the county dump." Lafayette laughed but seeing the look on the vampire's face, he rolled his eyes. "I hate plain old dumpster diving but this crap….seriously? You seriously think whatever you tossed is on the-"
"I tossed nothing….the maids-who have to be continuously glamoured but are well paid-mistook the blanket for trash. Sookie had been going through things that she wanted to donate and apparently her blanket was in the wrong pile. The trash pile as the blanket was….well loved."
"A blanket." Lafayette said flatly. "You want to search for a-"
"Her baby blanket. Her family life, as you know, was not an easy one and she has locked away things her parents left to her. She came to grips with how they perceived her and as hurtful as it was, she knows they did love her. That being said, as you well know, her father tried drowning her through you. She wants to remember her parents in a good way and yet, she keeps out items that her grandmother left her. Things from her parents are locked away in trunks in safe keeping. Those feelings, she won't admit, are still raw."
Lafayette remembered all too well being possessed by Sookie's father and had very nearly drowned her. For her own good, her father had pressed/ no doubt she was loved by her parents by their had feared her too. Her grandmother had never once judged her or made her feel like a misfit. And as such, the blanket, made by her grandmother, was her prized possession. He looked at his friend long and hard and sighed. "There are few people I would do this for and no offense, I ain't doing it for you but for her. I know she had a hard upbringing and honestly, if her parents were around today, I would be only too glad to tell them how much better off she was with her grandmother." Lafayette shook his head as a grin spread across his face. "Her parents must be rolling in their graves knowing who their kid wound up with."
"if I had the chance to speak to them…..to be able to touch her father after what he tried doing to her…but they are the past and we are in the here and now. And now, we need to get a move on finding that blanket."
"Whatever happened to the car I got you? I thought you liked it?" grumbled the Viking as he took the passenger seat in Lafayette's restored classic Fiat convertible. It was white with silver trim and he had only had it for a few weeks. It was, Lafayette was unapologetic, his baby. "It certainly wasn't a cheap investment…..and you never did give me the dollar for the gift tax….."
"It was…too flashy for me to be honest…..traded it in for something not so….European. I know you've got that Euro taste in some stuff but I prefer the classics. Ironic since age wise, you're a classic."
"In more ways than one…" replied the Viking as a dollar bill came flying at him. "Well, at least you got something you really wanted out of it. I like seeing our friends….pleased." he said. "But I always did wonder what happened to that car….." Eric said, reminiscing about past times with the cook to his left. "Still, I think overall, things have worked out well for us all….how goes things with James?"
"Happy and healthy…can't complain." replied the cook as they finally reached their destination. He paused, feeling strangely awkward at having a friendly conversation with someone that he had a complicated past with. Yes, they had become friends and were certainly loyal to one another, but the fact remained that there were scars from the past that never would truly heal. It was hard for him to think that he was having a civil conversation with one he knew could be barbaric. And he noticed that there seemed to be something slightly off about the Viking, slightly less swagger and bravado and that he was so intense about getting the baby blanket….Lafayette was intuitive if nothing else, even when it came to Eric. "You and her…..you want something to put in the blanket…..you want another-" he was cut off by a withering glare but there was something else there, behind the anger. There was desperation too.
"I know we discussed things in the past, that we had Aurora was a miracle and one that can not be repeated. Ever. Circumstances being what they were at the time allowed it to happen. But she and I also wish to not put anyone else into a life of danger and constant threats. And yet…I know she wants another and I would do anything to make it happen."
Lafayette was taken aback by how candid he was being. He Didn't know what to say. "I guess if things are meant to happen, they will and if you're worried about protecting a kid…..think on who their parents is. I would be a damned fool to try to go up against them, to get on their bad side. Actually, I did with him once and that was a lesson learned." he gave a pointed look to Eric, who managed a laugh.
"Anyway….lets go find this thing and get out of here…..even I get disgusted by places like this." the Viking said as they got out of the car and started in on the unenviable task of tracking down something that had likely been here for days. As Lafayette tried focusing his energies on tracking down the blanket with Sookie's energy around it, he found it was harder than expected, what with his attention constantly being affected by the trash and the scents around him.
"Hell this stinks….literally and figuratively." Lafayette muttered as he thought he had picked up on me energy but it was as gone as soon as it had came. Finally, he got a bead on something and as he led them a few hundred feet from where they had entered, they both started to dig through, both grimacing and silently vowing to shower for about a week after doing this. And about three feet down, Lafayette pulled something from the depths of grossness. There it was, luckily, still in the garbage bag with the rest of the items meant for the trash. So at least the blanket hadn't made total contact with the trash but there remained a very present funk to it. It was a pale pink and knitted with love, a cute bear patch on one of the corners. "I feel the love Adele put into making this….its nothing like the energy I got from her father when he took me over. There was love and fear there but this…..only love."
The vampire took the blanket from his friend and though cringing at the scent, was vowing to get it cleaned before he returned it back where it belonged. "Thank you for your help." he said as they walked back to the car several moments later, both only too glad to get out of this place. They remained silent until returning to Lafayette's house.
Getting out of the vehicle, the two stood looking up at the sky for a few moments. "I hope things work out for y'all. I know she loves kids and I…..saw Aurora help bring out the best in ya. You could always adopt…..but something tells me that is off the table."
"I appreciate the fact that some go that way and that innocents are brought to good homes…..I know she feels the same. But nothing is like having something that was created naturally by a couple…..and I can't do that for her. Unless another miracle happens." the Viking offered a half smile and ran a hand through his hair. "I suppose we need to just be grateful for what we-"
The air changed, turned warm and there came a energy from Lafayette that was neither unpleasant nor scary. But it was not normal either, nor was the face of Lafayette as Eric turned to face him. The Brujo magic had awakened once more and though not frightened of the altered appearance of Lafayette, Eric did take a few paces backwards, having not seen, only heard of this manifestation of his magic. There came a strange chanting sound from the medium and there appeared something that belonged to the Viking, what had just been on a thong around his neck. A stone trinket carved with runes from his people. How the medium had gotten it was a mystery but that he made the stone glow for a moment, it was another thing entirely.
In a voice not entirely his own, the medium spoke. "On a full moon, under the stars and surrounded by nature as it was your first time with her, wear this and behold the light….that life can be brought from it but once." he handed it to the Viking, who looked at the enchanted artifact with reverence and a hint of trepidation. Knowing that this could allow them….it was something to not take lightly and he decided that for now, he would put it in his private vault deep in their manor house. For now, his worry was to get the blanket back up to par and then….well, it would seem that the couple had a serious conversation to have. As Lafayette's face returned to normal, he seemed shaken by the experience. "I never get used to getting all freaky looking. I prefer my fine face as it is….." he paused. "I guess it seems you and Sook have a lot to talk about.
"It would seem so." replied the Viking. "Good night and…..thank you. For more than one miracle tonight." and with that he flew into the night sky, headed for any late night cleaner he could find. He pondered if he would tell her about this or if he should wear the thing and take the chance of what was promised. He certainly had yet another big decision to make, he sighed as he clutched the precious blanket in hand. This decision would change everything yet again and the question was, did they really want, need more change?
THE END