Part 70

Johnny and Ryan made a special brunch that morning. There was still one person who had yet to meet the new addition to their family. Playfully, they asked Neo to hide in his room when the doorbell rang.

Ryan let their teacher in. "Thanks for joining us, sir." He chuckled conspiratorially.

Klaus sighed. "Thank you for the invitation. But I'm guessing there's a reason for it."

Johnny smiled. "Yes. We have a surprise." He stood and went to the second bedroom, his phone buzzing in his pocket. Ryan's went off at the same time. He whipped out the device and looked. "Crap!"

Ryan read the text. "Okay, no time for a fun little introduction. Neo?" He called. The little clouded leopard came running out. "Klaus, sir, this is Neo. We adopted him yesterday. Neo, your other dad and I have to go to the hospital."

Klaus wanted to ask questions but Johnny just shoved his phone under his nose. "Go on. I'll watch the lad."

Neo looked up at Johnny. "What's going on?"

"You remember Uncle Eddie from last night?" Johnny asked and the boy nodded. "He's been hurt bad and we have to go to the hospital. So, you stay with and get to know Klaus, okay? He's your other grandpa," he explained.

"Okay, Dads. I'll be alright," he said. They watched the gorilla and tiger go tearing out of the apartment at a run. Marcus was already waiting in his truck.

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Rosita was starting to really hate the hospital. She was desperately trying to stay calm for Gunter's sake. Eddie had been in surgery for an hour now and there was no word. Alphonso, Tyler and Ash had to stay behind to talk to the police.

The doors opened and Nana came running in. "Where is he?" She asked Rosita.

"He's in surgery. He was very hurt. I'm sorry, Nana. I couldn't protect him," Rosita apologized.

The sheep shook her head. "This isn't your fault. What happened?"

Gunter shook like a leaf. "It had to be his mom again. He got a call last week from his dad. She was released on bail. Eddie didn't think she could do anything now, so he didn't say anything." He wrapped his arms around himself.

Sara hugged her uncle. "Mach dir keine Sorgen, Onkel Gunter. Die Ärzte werden Onkel Eddie helfen. Es wird ihm gut gehen."

"I hope so…. What if… what if…" Gunter looked away, trying to smile, trying to force himself to hope and think positively. "I can't do this again. I already lost Buster. Do I have to lose Eddie too?"

Rosita shook her head. "No. I refuse to believe it. He'll pull through. He's strong." She hugged her dance partner and put a comforting hand on Sara's little head.

Nana was seething. If her daughter-in-law was behind this, she wouldn't rest until the bitch was dealt with. "That gold-digging whore will pay for this." She swore.

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Meena was washing dishes when she got the text from Alphonso. He was coming to pick her up. It wasn't fair. Eddie never did anything to hurt anyone. "I just don't get it…" she said to herself. "Eddie's a good person. He doesn't deserve this." Her eyes went to Alphonso's Bible. "I want to believe but stuff like this keeps happening. We can't lose Eddie too. Please, please… don't let him die… If you're real, then please, don't let him die." She ran out the door when she heard the horn in Alphonso's Subaru Outback.

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Johnny and Ryan arrived at the hospital at the same as Alphonso's group. The doctor was talking to Rosita and Nana. "We got all the bullets out and stitched him up. Unfortunately, he sustained a lot of damage. We're hopeful but…" the doctor didn't need to go on. "It's up to him now."

Rosita nodded. "Then he'll be alright, he'll make it. He's strong… Can we see him?"

He nodded. "Two at a time."

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What happened? He couldn't remember. He was just throwing some trash away and then that black van, then nothing. He looked around the hospital room. "Mama? Gunter? Why am I here?" His eyes stopped on the chair directly beside him. "Buster? What?"

The koala took Eddie's hand with a sad smile. "It's okay, Eddie. You're going to be okay," he promised. "I'm sorry I didn't realize just how bad it was."

The sheep sighed. "My mother again… right? I should have told Rosita when Dad called. I didn't think she'd get to me again." He trembled. "And they could have all been killed. Because of me…" Tears fell down his cheeks.

Buster shook his head. "This is not your fault, Eddie. Everyone else is fine. Worried about you but fine." He squeezed Eddie's hand. "I need you to fight. I need you to live."

Eddie trembled. "But Buster, she'll just come after me again or send someone else. She won't stop and who knows how many of our friends will be hurt or worse. Maybe I should just… just stop fighting it and go with you. Please, I just want it to stop." He sobbed.

"Eddie, no. You are needed here. I promise that, if you fight for me, if you will just live for me. All you have to do is wake up, when your body is ready to because you do have some healing to do, and I promise your mother will never lay a hand on you again." His tone was almost menacing. "Don't give her the satisfaction of winning."

He squeezed Buster's hand. "I don't want to… I… I… I want to live. I'm just starting to feel love again. Thanks to Gunter…" He hoped Buster would understand.

The koala smiled. "I know. I can't tell you how happy that makes me. He's a great hog and I can tell that he'll love you at least as much as I do." He stroked Eddie's cheek.

"Ohhhh and his niece was in danger too… Buster, I couldn't handle it if either of them were hurt. Wouldn't it just make more sense if…" he wept. "I just don't know how much fight I have left in me."

Buster kissed his cheek. "You are strong, Eddie. I know that if you really want to live through this, then you can and will. She will never threaten you again." He climbed into the bed, hugging the sheep he loved. Eddie's arms wrapped around him. "Please," he whispered. "You can't leave Gunter now. He was too good to me to lose you too."

Eddie sobbed for several minutes as he considered Buster's request. "Alright… alright… I'll fight… I won't let her win…"

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Klaus was not used to children. He was certainly not used to babysitting. He and Neo just sat there for the first several minutes, just looking each other in the eye. "Sooo… how old are you?"

"Seven. How old are you?" The leopard asked back.

"Cheeky… hmmm… Do you like to dance?" The instructor asked.

He shook his head. "I can't dance. I have two left feet." He grabbed a controller off the entertainment center. "Want to play a video game with me?"

Shyly, the old monkey nodded. "Alright…"

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Meena went back with Ash when it was their turn, leaving Alphonso to wonder how he was going to possibly get away without being seen. He couldn't let Eric ruin everything he'd worked for.

"Praying for Eddie?" Ryan's voice got his attention as he and Johnny sat down.

Alphonso nodded. "Oh… oh, yeah. That's what I was doing… praying for Eddie…" He looked away. His tone made Ryan and Johnny exchange a worried glance.

Johnny sighed. "Okay, what's wrong?" He asked. "You've been very quiet the last few hours."

"Nothing's wrong," he lied but Ryan and Johnny weren't like Tyler. They weren't going to accept that.

"Alphie, you're our friend. Whatever it is, we're on your side, man," Ryan pressed. "Just tell us."

"I'm fine alright!" Alphonso shouted, scaring himself and his friends. "I'll be right back." He hurried out of the ER waiting room. Johnny and Ryan went after him.

They found him in the bathroom, crying. They stood there, letting him cry and just offering silent comfort. Finally, he couldn't hold back. "Please, promise you won't tell Meena. I couldn't handle it…."

Johnny rubbed his back. "Whatever it is won't leave this bathroom. You're safe."

Alphonso sighed. "My mom died when I was a teenager. Afterwards, I… I blamed everyone. The doctors, my dad, even God, especially God. How could He take my mom away from me? I still needed her." He gripped the sink. "I fell in with a bad crowd, including my best friend during high school. A hyena named Eric. He got me hooked on alcohol and drugs… We would… to get money to get more drugs and booze, we'd break into homes…" He trembled. "Well one night, I got drunk and stoned out of my mind and I got behind the wheel." Tears began falling again. "It was all my fault. I… I… ran a red light and ran into the side of another car. When I woke up… a week later… in the hospital…. I learned that… the other car… the family didn't make it. Including a 4 year old girl." He broke into new sobs. "Just a baby… it's all my fault…"

He expected them to look at him in horror, to run and tell everyone else just how horrible and wicked he really was. Johnny only put a hand on his shoulder. "That's terrible. I'm so sorry, man."

"I thought I had completely put it behind me. Tyler and my dad got me back in church and I worked hard to change. To be the elephant my mother always wanted me to be," he looked in the mirror. "I thought I'd almost completely forgotten it…"

"So, what happened to bring it back?" Ryan asked.

"Eric. I found out that he lives here. And he's threatening to tell Meena everything unless I give him 20,000 by midnight," he admitted. "I don't know what to do. If Meena finds out… exactly what I did, she'll hate me. Everyone will. And our church certainly won't let me be a youth pastor now." He sobbed.

Johnny shook his head. "If Meena finds out, she'll understand, just like we do. This happened a long time ago, Alphie. You've more than made up for it by now. You're a good elephant. You love your wife and you're strong in your convictions. You need to forgive yourself now." He and Ryan stood on either side of their friend, offering their support. "As for what you're going to do. We are going to tell my father and my uncles that this bastard is blackmailing you and they're going to meet him with you. Along with the two of us."

Alphonso looked Johnny in the eye, looking for something. As if finding it, he nodded. "Thanks, Johnny, Ryan. I appreciate it…"

AN: So now you know what Alphonso HASN'T told Meena. What will happen when Eric meets the Gorilla Gang? Will Eddie wake up? And how does Buster intend to make sure Adelaide doesn't hurt him again? Keep reading to find out. Oh and please review. And please check out A Royal Production.