Chapter 7: To Give and To Receive
Hours after the attack on Pasquale's and the fire had been put out, Bayport's police department and fire inspectors started to piece together the details of what had happened that night. Pasquale's exterior security cameras managed to capture a dark colored 1990's Dodge Ram making two passes in front of the restaurant. The license plates were missing on the back and front of the truck, which didn't help matters at all. A passenger in the bed of the truck, dressed in black and wearing ski mask, of course, tossed what appeared to be Molotov cocktails through the front windows of the restaurant. That was confirmed by the Fire Inspector and the crime scene team when they found shards of the heavy glass bottles used to make the explosives. It would still be a few more days until tests came back on exactly which flammable substances were used, but on a hunch just from the way the fire spread, an extra accelerant like motor oil might have been used to make the flames stick and spread out.
All the evidence that could be gathered had been sent to the labs for fingerprints and any bystanders that could be found had been questioned. Naturally, the first people the police suspected were Ramon Hernandez and Glen Martin, the two men who had been thrown out of Pasquale's earlier that evening. Glen supposedly had a rock-solid alibi. His wife claimed a yellow cab brought him home and he wound up sleeping the night off on the family room sofa. Ramon's story was sketchier. The cab company reported dropping him off at his apartment, and Ramon said that was where he stayed the rest of the night. However, Ramon's roommate was conveniently not in town to corroborate that. Another factor in Ramon's favor was that the size and build of the person in the back of the truck did not match Ramon's body type. That's not to say Ramon or Glen had nothing to do with the attack, but it definitely made it difficult to make a legitimate connection to them and the crime.
Marco and Tony Prito hung on every word that the investigators could tell them about the attack on their restaurant. Tony had called their insurance company the morning after the attack and an adjuster was there by the same afternoon.
"We're fully covered Marco, we can rebuild! And the kitchen wasn't harmed at all in the attack, most of the damage was in the dining room. So as long as the health inspector gives us the green light, we can advertise for some catering work while the contractors work on the dining room. That'll help keep the kitchen staff busy and wait staff can be sent out for those jobs…"
"I'm glad you're always able to see the silver lining Tony. But what I want to know is why? Why would someone attack us like that? And who's to say after we're up and running that it won't happen again?" Marco sat back in his dining room chair staring at his coffee mug. "No one every attacked Pop's place." he muttered.
Tony looked up from the slice of pie Marco's wife had set in front of him that he had nearly finished.
"Pop was lucky." Tony said with a mouth half full of pie.
"Pop's place wasn't as… cosmopolitan, either." Marco said just before he took a swig of his coffee. Tony raised an eyebrow and swallowed his last bite of pie.
"What's with the fifty cent word there?"
"I mean, maybe when we get the dining room fixed and ready for business, maybe we should try a more family friendly atmosphere. Get rid of the dance floor, that'll make more room for tables. But we can keep the stage for when folks want to rent the whole restaurant for weddings, banquets…" Marco tried not to make eye contact with his baby brother and glanced out of the kitchen window.
"Family friendly? We're already family friendly! We don't open up the dance floor until after eight on week nights, by that time the "family" crowds have headed home for the night. We're one of only two other restaurants in Bayport that has a dance floor. Anywhere else you go in town with a dance floor is a bar with a seedy reputation…" Tony stared at his brother for a moment before a light went off in his head.
"It's because we're tolerant of "alternative lifestyles" at our bar and on our dance floor, isn't it? You think last night was because of Frank and Phil and those bozos we threw out?"
"If I have to be honest, it's not the first time the thought had crossed my mind. I've always wondered when some assholes would lash out…" Marco set his coffee mug on the table.
"No! No way are we going to change who we are and who we accept into our establishment because of some bigoted asshats!" Marco could see he'd struck a nerve in his little brother. His wife Lisa even stepped from the kitchen to stand in the dining room's doorway to see what the heck Tony was getting riled up about.
"I'll go by the fuckin' Chamber of Commerce and get a damn rainbow sticker tomorrow to put on our front door if I have to! That's not who the Prito's are Marco! From day one, when Nonno opened Mr. Pizza, he was the first restaurant of any sort in town not to segregate. Ask Pop or Nonni! Ask them how much shit he put up with from other patrons and restaurants! But look at Mr. Pizza now, five years away from being eligible for a Bayport historic site certificate!" Tony declared as he let the fork rattle onto the dessert plate.
"Ay! I'm not an idiot, bambino! And I know our family history! But I am trying to think about our family and our safety, and not just our immediate family but our employees and our customers! If we open those doors up and folks won't come in because they're scared none of this will mean a damn thing!"
…
"Yes, I'm sure I'm okay little bro. I took some serum after we got home, we're good. Phil's face is looking better already. Tell Van not to worry and give Ashleigh a kiss from her Uncle Frank. I'll see you at the office tomorrow. Yes I'm coming in! I told you…" Frank sighed as he listened to his brother try to give him every excuse in the book why he should take an extra day at home to recover from Saturday night's catastrophe.
"You've only been discharged from the hospital for a few hours!" Joe protested. There was a beeping sound that interrupted Joe's argument and Frank asked him to hold on as he looked at his caller I.D.
"Look, this is Biff on the other line. He and Amy high-tailed it out of there last night after he got Phil to the ambulance. Lemme see what's going on with him, I never got to thank him for his help anyway."
"Ugh… Alright hard-head. But take it easy and don't be in hurry to get into the office tomorrow. Call before you come in and pick up coffee and donuts for us and Dad."
"The fuck?"
"That way you won't get to the office so G-d awful early and get enough rest."
"Fine!" Frank conceded. "Love you little bro, bye!"
"Love ya too, later." Frank ended the call and clicked over to Biff.
"What's up big man?" Frank asked his friend.
"Checkin' in on you and Phil. Heard you got discharged before lunch." Biff didn't sound like himself, Frank immediately felt something was up.
"We're pretty good. No worse for wear. How about you guys? I saw you put Phil on the gurney and then you were gone. Thank you by the way, for you and Chet helping us get to safety." Frank said as he watch Phil enter the den. His face and arms were still scratched up and burned, but thanks to their supply of vampire serum, one small vial had healed his wounds enough to look like they were at least a week old. Even the laceration on Frank's shoulder and his own scrapes and burns looked slightly better.
"Hey, won't nothing to it! You and Joe and Phil are like family to me. But…" and here it was Frank thought, "I could use a favor."
"Anything!" Frank said enthusiastically. In the last year or so Biff Hooper had gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping out Frank and Joe. Biff took in a breath and cleared his throat.
"It's Amy. We got the hell out of Dodge last night so that Amy wouldn't attract the EMT's attention. She got a little roughed up in the fire last night."
"Oh my G-d! I thought you two were one of the first ones out." Frank wondered as Phil sat beside him on the sofa to eavesdrop on the conversation. Frank didn't mind as he took his free arm to drape over Phil's shoulders and put his phone on the other ear so Phil could hear easier.
"We were, but after everyone got out and the fire department still hadn't gotten there, and you and Phil still hadn't made it out, well…"
"She didn't!"
"It was her vow of protection over you two, she ran back inside and the fire was worse by then. I went back in after her and pulled her out, but by then she'd been burned pretty bad." Biff took a steadying breath. "I told her to high-tail it home and for once she didn't argue with me. I've let her take a few pulls off of me when I got home, and she's stronger and almost back to her old self, but the burns on her arms and legs still look awful."
"I'm sorry to hear that, is there anything we can do?" Phil grabbed Frank's knee and shook his head. He knew where Biff was going with this conversation, and he had a feeling Frank did too.
"Would you be willing to let Amy suck some of your blood? Me, Chet, Zeke and of course Phil would be there to make sure she doesn't go crazy. But your special blood type may be what it takes…"
…..
After several worried glances from Phil and said fiancé making several phone calls to Chet to make sure he knew what he was doing, the couple arrived at Amy and Ezekiel's downtown penthouse. It was elegantly furnished in a way that harkened back to that of times gone by, with a proper camel back sofa, wingback chairs sat by the unused fireplace… And it was on the fainting couch where they found Amy, dresses in a silky nightgown and matching robe. She looked the same as she always did at first glance with her ebony skin and air of confidence.
When her eyes met Frank's, those fierce and knowing eyes suddenly looked sad and humble.
"Thank you for coming Frank. I told Allen not to bother you." Frank looked at Amy's hands, resting in her lap. She was missing part of her right pinky finger, and the tissue around the injury looked like charred paper. Amy noticed Frank staring and covered her hand.
"You know staring is impolite…"
"Oh my G-d Amy!
"It's nothing."
"If it were nothing, Biff wouldn't have called. C'mon Amy," Frank said gently, "let me see."
Amy sighed and pointed a dainty finger to where her robe was covering her feet. Frank raised the silken fabric and saw where the flames had licked her legs and feet. She was missing her two last toes on her right foot and instead of blisters and bloody burns, her injuries looked like brittle burnt wood.
"I'd ask if it hurt, but that seems like a silly question." Amy answered Frank's question with a thin lipped grin.
"Like I said, I told Biff not to call you, it will eventually heal on it's own…"
"In about a century from now, half that time if you went on a binge, but we both agreed that's not an option… So I suggested a few sessions with you, Frank. I hate asking you, but you know what will happen if Amy asked you herself." Biff sat down on the other side of the fainting couch and put a loving arm around Amy's shoulders. She leaned into his embrace, but Frank couldn't decide if the look on her face was that of pain or sadness.
"Where's Ezekiel?" Frank asked casually as he noticed the teenaged vampire was absent.
"He's tasted your blood before, I didn't think he would be able to restrain himself if he caught a whiff of it again, especially now that he knows about it's special properties. So I made him call up his little Were friend to spend some time with out of the apartment this evening."
"Good plan." Frank said nervously.
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Chet setting things up on the coffee table nearby. He laid out a few bags of human donor blood, bag of saline with a sterile I.V. needle kit and a couple of vials of vampire serum, knowing Amy was too injured to spare any of her own.
He felt Chet put a blood pressure cuff on his right bicep and hooked it up to a tabletop monitor. Then the nurse put a oxygen monitor on Frank's left forefinger.
"You act like you're getting ready to perform minor surgery Chet!" Phil said as he sat down in a wingback chair near the fainting couch.
"Since Frank is only a half-blooded Elf, it's going to take more of his blood to get the job done. Which means at least one session a week. No more! And not without me here to monitor!" He looked from Frank to Amy to make sure they understood. "I'm going to keep an eye on Frank to make sure Amy doesn't compromise his vitals. Then he's going to need to kick back for a while so I can replenish what he lost." Chet pointed to the two bags of donor blood.
"Did you take those from the hospital Chet?" Frank asked incredulously.
"Nah, just dipped into the twerp's stock in the fridge. He won't miss two bags." That actually got a giggle from Amy.
When Frank thought Chet was ready, he offered Amy his left wrist.
"I'm afraid it's not going to work that way tonight Frank." Chet said with a frown. "She'll have to do it the old-fashioned way because of the pulse/blood oxygen monitor on that hand and the BP cuff on the other."
"I'm liking this idea less and less. No offense Amy." Phil said as he crossed his arms across his chest and furrowed his brows.
"None taken Phillip. If it was the love of my life was putting his self in harms way to help another, I would feel the same way." Amy said sadly. She looked at Biff and gave his hand a squeeze.
"I'll be right here to stop you, I won't let you hurt Frank. I promise." Biff assured her and kissed her singed cheek. Frank unbuttoned and removed his shirt, handing it to Phil so that no blood would get on it. He was well aware that vampires can get a bit messy when they start to loose control. The shirt was still warm from Frank's body heat and Phil gave Chet a sharp look.
"I'm going to monitor him, chillax!" Chet reassured the raven haired man.
Frank scooted closer to Amy on the fainting couch and before he realized what was happening, razor sharp teeth were sinking into his skin. He let out a cry but then he gritted his teeth and let Amy do what came naturally for her. Aside from the sound of blood rushing in his ears and the hungry pulls of Amy's feeding he could faintly hear Phil spitting out Yiddish expletives, Biff speaking just as loudly in an effort to reassure him, and Chet pumping up the BP cuff to monitor Frank's blood pressure.
"He's doing fine guys!" Chet informed.
"She could have taken a few seconds to numb him, he's not a slice of prime rib!" spat Phil with just a hint of venom and worry in his voice.
"I'm sure she'll make it up to him when she's done." Biff answered back. He looked to the odd scene on the fainting couch. Amy was on her knees, one arm holding Frank's body close to hers like a lover, the other hand cradling the left side of his head. Usually more self-aware, Amy must have still been in a world of pain to have forgotten herself and attacked Frank without preparing him. Frank's face was scrunched in pain and he had a hand on each of Amy's shoulders in an attempt to push her back, but the centuries old vampire was much stronger than the half-Elf, half-human who only took a thimble's worth of vampire serum a day to maintain his strength.
Phil watched as his fiancé's complexion began to pale and the look of intense pain seemed to soften from his features. Before he could ask, Chet was checking Frank's vitals again.
"Almost there, we're still in the safe zone."
"As if you were going to put him in an 'unsafe' zone?" Phil snapped. But Chet ignored him until he saw Frank's blood pressure was starting to drop.
"Alright Biff, pull her off, now!" Biff nudged Amy's shoulder.
"Amy, c'mon sweetie that's enough for tonight…" But the vampire pushed him away forcefully. Biff rebounded and grabbed Amy around her waist, yanking her away from Frank and back to the reclining part of the fainting couch. Chet and Phil caught Frank as he collapsed and nearly sank to the floor. Chet applied a wad of gauze to the bite mark and looked over to Biff.
"Get her to come to her senses, she needs to fix this!" Chet ordered as he and Phil helped Frank over to the over-stuffed camel back sofa.
"Amy, sweetie? Are you with me? Ameyo!" The sound of her proper name snapped the vampire out of her glutinous haze. "Amy, you need to go over there and stop the bleeding and numb Frank's pain!"
"Yes, Frank! Protect Frank." She mumbled and slowly moved over to sit beside Frank on the sofa. Phil was afraid she was going in for another feeding, but true to her word she cleaned Frank's wound, numbing him at the same time. All the while Chet was busy inserting an IV line into Frank's left arm and connecting the replenishing donor blood to the line. He looked around for something to keep the bags elevated with and pointed Phil to a marble statue of a Grecian woman nearby that was posed in such a fashion that that her left arm was raised and an index finger was pointing upward.
"Nice tchotchkes." Phil snarked as he pushed the heavy statue over to the sofa. Chet hung the saline and donor blood bags from the statues finger and snapped an ammonia bomb under Frank's nose.
"Oh! Agh! Shit!" Frank cried as the sharp smells went straight up his nose, burning, and bringing tears to his eyes.
"Good, you're with us again. Alright open your mouth and drink some serum." Chet ordered as he uncorked the two small vials.
"Amy, have you got anything in the fridge he can chase it with? He's not fond of the taste." Phil asked, relieved that Frank was awake, alright, and grimacing at the taste of the vampire blood.
"I think Ezekiel keeps some orange Fanta in there for his little Were friend." She replied as she returned to her favorite perch. Phil made off to the kitchen to get the soda while Chet turned his attention to Amy.
Biff was already inspecting her hand and legs. The little finger and toes were still missing, but the tissue seemed to be knitting back together, looking a little more re-hydrated and less charred. Biff seemed pleased but Chet and Amy shared a worried look with each other.
"This is going to take weeks!" Chet said glumly and Amy nodded in agreement.
"But it is working! How does it feel Amy, does it still hurt as bad?" Biff asked.
"I do feel less pain, and yes it is working. But look at Frank, how many weeks will you have to ask this of him until I am whole again?" Biff looked over to Frank, sitting up now and sipping on the orange soda that Phil had put in a glass with ice.
"The process would go a lot faster if you had a full-blooded Elf." Chet mused, but Frank managed to catch it.
"No! You're not touching my mother! She's had to put up with enough in her life, I'm not going to ask her to…"
"I would never dream of making such a request of Mrs. Hardy, Frank. I hold her in the highest regard and could not even imagine piercing her skin for my own selfish means, even if she offered." Amy stood up from her fainting couch and sat behind Phil, reaching around him to grasp Frank's hand with her right one.
"Look at the progress your generosity has made already tonight. I have heard that Elf blood metabolizes slowly, I may improve a little more between now and our next session." She gripped his hand a little tighter. "Thank you Frank, I am still indebted to you, for saving my life, and now for helping to heal me." Frank leaned back onto the sofa's cushions and sighed.
"Honestly Amy, will we ever be even?" He asked, but the ebony skinned vampire just grinned.
"Never."
Author's Note:
Happy Thanksgiving to my American and ex-pat readers across the pond, and a belated Happy Chanukah to my readers wherever you are! I've been busy cooking today but I finally got to finish up this chapter tonight. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a safe and joy-filled week.