Chapter 5: Buster

That night, everyone felt too wound up to sleep. They finally managed to around midnight, with the applause still ringing in their ears. Elwood was immensely proud of his band and most importantly, Buster. Mack's adopted son (and unofficially Elwood's son as well), had grown into a confident teenager with none of the usual problems a teen would be having. Buster had a few romances with girls and Mack had taught him not to take the romances too seriously, as he was still a teen and needed to mature some more. Fortunately Buster was more mature than other teen boys his age and he could take Mack's cautions seriously and consider them.

When Elwood had been Buster's age, he had been in his final years at the orphanage. Jake was still around, despite having moved out with a girlfriend. He would stop by once a week and visit Elwood, promising to bust him out of the orphanage as soon as he turned 18.

One night Elwood had been broken up with by his girlfriend and instead of meeting his brother in the activity room, he sat on the back steps of the building, trying to stifle the emotional tears that were threatening to fall. He'd have turned to Curtis normally, but he was away for the weekend on some family business.

The girl's name had been Sara, and Elwood had fallen hard for her. She was a cute girl, curly blonde hair, blue eyes, bubbly and outgoing. Elwood being the exact opposite was immediately attracted to her. Sara was well put together as the other boys called it, having been lavishly endowed as soon as puberty hit her. When he was with Sara, all the other boys in the orphanage envied Elwood and Sara had been very sweet to him. They dated for 8 months, but then she set eyes on someone else and then broke it off to Elwood.

"What's up, bro?" Elwood jumped. Jake had found him and was settling down next to him on the stairs. He lit up a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke.

"I just got dumped, Jake."

"Aw, that sucks."

"Yeah. She was real nice to me." Jake rubbed Elwood's shoulders gently.

"What was her name?"

"Sara."

"Sara Hutchins? The broad with the big rack?"

"Yup."

"Man am I glad you're off of her," Jake exhaled. "she uses guys, Elwood. How long were you with her?"

"About 8 months." Elwood sniffled, accepting the tissue his brother handed him.

"Elwood, did you give her cash?"

"Yeah, some from my job." he had a paper route in the mornings.

"How much did you give her?"

"About 20 bucks."

"I'm glad it wasn't more than that," Jake sighed. "Sara likes to go out with guys who have money. She takes as much as she can and leaves the guy for the next one. You didn't fuck her did you?"

"No. She wouldn't let me."

"Good! Don't give away your virginity, El. No matter what, unless you're in love with a lady, sex is just a mechanical act unless there are feelings involved."

Elwood sighed. Given that he was Catholic, he'd be sent straight to hell even if he masturbated. "Jake, I just wanna leave here. It's too depressing and it's getting me down."

"I know, bro, I know," Jake sympathized. "I'm workin' on it. In the meantime, as soon as you're off school for the day, you can get a second part time job to keep you out of here. I think I know how to do it too."

"Where can I go?"

"Ever heard of a guy named Ray? His business is selling amps and instruments. He's looking for some part time after school help."

"The blind guy?"

"You'd never know it by the way he manages to get around, El. He asked me about you and I said I'd send you on. He's a great guy, really funny. It might be just what you need."

"I like Ray," Elwood wiped his eyes. "Thanks, Jake."

"You're more than welcome, bro." Jake smiled at him and stubbed out his butt.

Elwood brought himself back to reality as the singer saw Buster come into the room, looking a little put out. "What's up, Bus?"

"Cute girl down in the hallway here, never even looked at me." the teen pouted a little as he sat down on the bed. "Do you think a girl will ever notice me, Elwood?"

Elwood chuckled and took his hat off. "Yes but aren't you a little young for that sort of thing?"

"That's what Mack said."

"Do you think we might be right if we both tell you?"

"Aw," Buster whined. "I don't wanna admit adults are right, El! I'm a teenager!"

Bursting out laughing, Elwood replied, "I said the same thing when I was your age, Bus. Did this girl even see you?"

"Yeah and she kind of smiled at me."

"It's a start," he encouraged him. "why don't you see if you can find her and invite her to breakfast tomorrow morning? Don't leave the hotel, though."

"There's an idea! Thanks, Elwood." Buster's face lit up and Elwood, still chuckling, got into his pajamas and went to bed, hearing Mack snoring in the next room.

Buster went whistling down the hall and knocked on the door he'd seen the pretty girl go into. She opened up the door, revealing straight red hair and merry green eyes.

"Hi, I'm Buster from just down the hall."

"I've seen you around a bit." she giggled and blushed. Buster started to feel his own face get warm as he realized the girl was flirting with him.

"I've seen you too. Want to meet me for breakfast tomorrow morning?" he put a hand in his pocket and tried to look suave.

The girl looked amused at his attempt and shyly nodded yes. "Does 9 AM work well for you?" another nod.

"What's your name?"

"Alexandra."

"See you tomorrow morning then, Alexandra." he beamed and she began giggling again.

The door closed and Buster pumped his fist in the air, beaming triumphantly. He was so jazzed up from his successful invitation that he barely noticed a well dressed man standing around the corner from where he was walking. The teen decided to head to the lobby for a soda, not knowing that the man was starting to follow him.

When he turned around from the vending machine, he thought he saw a shadow but shook his head and proceeded to the elevator, bumping right into the man.

"Hello, sonny." Buster saw the guy in the suit with several scars on his face.

"Hi." unnerved, he stared straight ahead.

"Aren't you from the Blues Brothers?" the voice had a raspy and smoky quality about it.

"Yup."

"I saw you and the others tonight. Great job."

"Thank you." the elevator chirped and the doors opened up. Buster was about to walk out when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Not so fast, son," the teenager gulped and froze. "you're coming with your old dad right now, got it?"

"No! ELWOOD! MACK!" Buster shrieked loudly enough to wake up the entire floor. The man was about to grab the teen when he ducked from under the grasp and raced down the hallway. Elwood burst out from his room as did the entire band. Melody cinched the sash on her robe as they all took in the guy in the pinstripe suit with the mutilated looking face launch himself after Buster.

Buster's years in the orphanage dodging bullies had given him a keen sense of when someone was pursuing him and it stood him in good faith now. He ducked and weaved as Willie and Matt blocked off the elevators, Murph and Tom blocked off the staircase. Lou called the police as Buster kept the guy at bay for a few more minutes.

"No more of this!" the guy huffed. "I'm here to deal with you now and end it quickly!" in an explosion of agility, the man grabbed Buster by the neck and raised him up off the floor. Elwood tried to charge the guy, but he fended him off with almost ridiculous ease. The singer was shoved aside, he crashed into a wall, hitting his head and blacking out. Mack wanted to aide his friend, but he could wait. The bartender geared himself up for a minute, amid Buster's hacking and raspy breathing, then tackled the guy.

Mack's tackle was aimed very well. The guy flew into the wall and lost consciousness, Buster fell down and flopped onto his side like a discarded toy. "Buster!" Mack moved to pick him up, but Melody halted him, her first aid training coming into play.

"Go see to Elwood!" she knelt over Buster, checking his breathing. "He's not breathing, Alan."

"Shit!" the trumpet player stood by as she began to resuscitate Buster, hoping the ambulance was on its way. "Mack, how's Elwood?"

"Not good. I can't wake him up!" the other bandmembers came into the hallway. They heard sirens and Melody paused for a brief moment, panting from her efforts and getting a bit dizzy from the exertion. Alan eyed her curiously as the elevator opened up, revealing 2 cops and 2 paramedics.

"Come on, Buster!" Melody urged. Like he had heard her, Buster recoiled and started hacking deeply. "Thank god!" she propped him up so he could breathe more easily. One of the paramedics was examining Elwood while the cops handcuffed the criminal and led him away. Mack volunteered to give a statement on behalf of the band so they could all return to their rooms to sleep.

An oxygen mask was put onto Buster's mouth and nose amid feeble complaints. He was loaded up onto a gurney and Mack followed them into the elevator, promising to text Melody when there was any news. Elwood was taken into the second elevator without an issue. Alan and Melody were both cringing when they saw Elwood had an identical mask on and he was already connected to a saline drip.

"Oh, God," Melody and Alan went back into their room. "this ain't gonna stay in Vegas, trust me on that one." Alan chuckled weakly as he sat down on the bed with her.

"Mel, I heard you and Buster talking last week. Remember when I was sick?"

"Yes."

"I came awake when I heard you mention that you can't bear... that you were infertile."

Melody sighed and shifted her weight, lying down in front of Alan on the bed. He faced her, sitting with his legs crossed in front of the pillows. In the half light from the neon signs outside, the trumpet player saw Melody's expression of fatigue cross her face for a moment. She had extreme patience sometimes, one of the many traits that he admired, but wondered at the story behind her particular ailment.

"What would you like to know?"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have understood."

"Well, it isn't a chapter of my life that I like to revisit."

"I do understand that, Mel. What happened to you?"

"When I was younger, I got very sick and the only drug that helped was a very potent one called methadone. I got well with it and the side effect was the drug completely destroyed my downstairs," she paused. "I felt like nobody would want me as I was incomplete, so to speak."

"You know you're wrong on that one."

"I know," Melody grinned. "how could I know back then I'd wind up with a blues band?"

"Does it affect your monthly as well?"

"Yes. I can't do that and I never ever complain about it!" Alan joined hands with her and pulled her over to him.

"Do you think you're incomplete now?"

"Not at all," Melody kissed him. "it's been a great life so far."

"Wanna make it better?"

"How?"

"Want to marry me?"

"Well, yeah!" she answered in a teasing tone. "So where do we get hitched?"

"You don't want an engagement first?"

"Whatever you want, I'll do." Melody winked as she stripped off her robe.

"Oh, well, how about we go and get a ring tomorrow?" he asked between smooching her neck.

"I'd love that." she moaned a little as she knew that he liked it. "Well, I didn't think we'd be doing this so late at night!" Alan snorted as he pulled her nightdress off.

Buster's eyes opened and he took in the blurry image that was Mack. He blinked a few times and became aware of his surroundings as Mack filled out paperwork and handed it to the discharge nurse. The teenager had never been in a hospital before and wondered what had gone on exactly to make Mack look so solemn.

"Hey, Mack."

"Hey, son," Mack smiled grimly. "what do you remember?"

"Some guy said I was his son and he tried to kidnap me." the nurse came in and removed the mask from Buster's face. Mack bit his lip as he glanced over in the corner. Buster was a bit too groggy to follow his adopted father's glance and he closed his eyes for a long moment.

"That's right, kid. We're looking into who that guy was and why he thought he was your dad." Buster grasped Mack's hand.

"I don't care who he was or is. You're my dad."

"Thanks." Mack hugged him. "A cop will turn up sometime later today at the hotel to fill us in on who that dirtbag was. Maybe he was just high and thought you were his son, I don't know."

Buster smiled. Mack always was a bit of a worrywart. "You are discharged, Buster, so come on, we'll take you back to the hotel."

"Where's Elwood?"

"Right here!" Elwood came in, not looking any worse for wear because of his injury. Buster noticed his color was a bit off but that would sort itself out in a few days. "C'mon, Buster, time to get back."

"All right. Where are my clothes?" he was handed a small bundle and with their backs turned, Buster changed up and was ready to get back to the hotel.

"Did anything happen to you, Elwood?"

"I got conked one on the head," he admitted. There was no point in trying to be macho about an injury. "I don't remember much."

"I'm sorry."

"None of that, Buster," Elwood said sternly. "you couldn't have known what was going to happen with me or anyone else. Let's just catch what sleep we can before the second gig tonight."

"Deal."

As soon as Buster had hit the sack and shut his eyes, memories drifted up, memories of his childhood. His mother he'd never known anything about her and he could never even find out her name. It had been known she'd died a few days after he'd been born, of an amniotic aneurysm. He didn't know anything about that or why it killed her, nor did he want to know. It seemed she had been antisocial as well, never having any friends to speak of, nobody knew of her at all.

His father was a different story. He had a surname, but it wasn't known at all what it was. People referred to him as Sidney as that was his first name, but no surname to speak of. Buster had a few memories of his father, how he was constantly out all night, a drinker and user of ladies. The teen's first memory was a hooker being nice to him, as his father was flat out drunk and motionless on the floor. The few other memories he had was of his father beating him when he was 5 for accidentally ruining his father's stock of heroin. As Mother Mary told him later on, Sidney had disappeared and if it hadn't been for a neighbor nearby, Buster would never have been found.

Buster had healed physically well from his ordeal under Mary's guidance and patience, but he couldn't be around the other children for a long time. Any time he'd do something wrong he would automatically hit himself like his father did. Mary noticed it at once and took the youngster to long counseling sessions. It took a few years of hard and patient effort, but Buster was able to be with other children again and not strike himself if he did something wrong. He'd finally been allowed to play like a little boy should, he had friends, he began to mature the way a child did. As he grew older, Mary had patiently mentored the boy, set him straight when he did something wrong, and was proud of his progress.

Then there was Elwood. Mary told Buster that she'd raised Elwood and his brother Jake herself, and that she hoped Elwood would be able to mentor Buster. His first impression of Elwood wasn't very favorable; a man wearing a suit, hat, and shades inside, very tight lipped. Buster had to refrain from laughing as Elwood called him a wiseass and got whipped for it with Mary's retractable pointer. The youngster back then had no choice but to follow Elwood around as the singer initially dismissed him, but he persevered. Buster had managed to swipe a cop's wallet that got Elwood the money to buy the Ford, which helped Elwood see him in a different light.

Ever since Mack finalized the adoption years ago, Elwood and Buster had grown closer and Buster was happy that he had two dads. They'd taken good care of him when he was sick, and again when he needed his tonsils out. The teen had also needed his wisdom teeth taken out and Elwood had taken him to get it done. It had been a long and painful road to recovery, as he'd been all swelled up and very sore, but Elwood and Mack had taken turns nursing him, and he'd recovered.

Elwood's philosophy on music helped Buster through his dark moods as well. When he was ill, he'd listen to all sorts of music and he found the up tempo songs made him feel better, medium tempo would lessen the feel good effect, and slow songs he didn't like to listen to at all. It often made a significant difference in how he was feeling overall.

Yawning, he put his hands up behind his head and shut his eyes. Even though he had a rocky start in life, he wouldn't trade anything for where he was now.