by M. Lorrox
She takes some blood out of the fridge. “Want any?”
He shakes his head without looking up. She pours a glass, leans back against the counter, and drinks it slowly. “Oh, this is so good. It’s like my body needs it so badly that my brain makes it taste amazing...like that burrito!”
Eddy laughs. “Sky might be pretty far out there, and Jambavan a little stiff, but they sure were right about that joint.”
“It was fun.” She takes another sip, watching her dad laugh with Minnie. Her lip curls. “Have a good night, Dad?”
He smiles and glances up, but he doesn’t make eye contact. “Yeah, it was a good night.” He goes back to the workbook with Minnie.
“Have fun?”
He doesn’t look up. “Uh-huh.”
“How’s Katlyn?”
“She’s good, I like her… She’s very nice.”
“How nice was she, DAD?”
Eddy drops his head lower behind his laptop.
Skip huffs. “What?”
June shrugs. “Nothing, you said she was nice. I’m just curious if she was regular nice, or super nice, or if she was nice-and-naughty and—”
“June! That is quite enough, young lady!”
Eddy doesn’t dare move, but if he had the ability to vanish into thin air, he would.
June takes a sip of her drink. “Just trying to make conversation.”
“What’s gotten into you? You’re being very inappropriate.”
“Nothing’s gotten into me…Dad.”
Skip snaps his arm out and points to the bedroom. “June! Get in there, I want to talk to you in private.”
She glances at the back of Eddy’s head, then she looks at her dad and sighs.
“Now, young lady.”
She slams the glass down and hurries into the bedroom they’re sharing.
Skip follows her. “Eddy, watch your sister.”
Eddy nods, and as soon as Skip walks into the bedroom and shuts the door, Eddy rushes to Minnie. “It’s okay, they are just having an argument. C’mon, let’s go into our room.”
June sits on her bed, smoldering while watching her dad pace back and forth. She shivers, and her pulse quickens.
He runs both his hands through his hair. “What was that all about?”
She feigns nonchalance. “Just making conversation.”
“You shouldn’t talk about me and Katlyn that way. I am your father, and also an adult.”
“So, you can just do whatever you want then, huh? And what about me? Do I even matt—”
“You’re fourteen, June!”
She tosses a hand out to her side. “Are you even listening to me or are you still in bed with Katlyn?”
“June, we are not having this conversation right now.”
She scoffs. “Wow, Dad… You know, they teach us all about sex in school, and they say talking about it is okay, but it seems you must have a problem with it.”
“What? …June, you’re too young.”
She snickers. “Too young to talk about it? Ha! Get with the times, Dad. There’s so much sex everywhere on TV, in movies, and on the internet that it’s ridiculous.”
He stops and turns to her, eyes wide like a deer staring into headlights. “WHAT?”
“What?”
“That’s it. You’re... You’re...” He looks around the room and sees her phone charging on the dresser. He grabs it. “You won’t be needing this for a while.”
She jumps up. “WHAT?”
He unplugs the phone. “Apparently, I need to be monitoring what you’re up to a lot more closely.”
She shakes her head. “Amazing.”
He mimics her. “What’s amazing?”
She stamps her foot and points at him. “I can’t believe you. I was up all night worrying, you don’t come back until five am, you didn’t tell me anything about where you were, or if you were okay, or good night, or anything, and you smell like...” She gags. “Never mind.” She rushes toward the bathroom with a tear running down her cheek.
Skip moves to block her path. “Hold on, June. I smell like something?”
She stops and stares at the ground, then looks at him with wet eyes. “Like alcohol and sweat, and...woman.”
He sighs and places a hand on her shoulder. “June, you know I don’t drink much anymore, but last night I did have a couple glasses of wine. And I guess you smelled Katlyn. She and I are growing close.”
She snickers. “And you lecture me about being open about sex when you smell so, so…” She starts sobbing. “Filthy.”
Oh, June. “Listen, I’m sorry it bothered you. I guess I don’t understand just how strong your senses are right now. And I’m sorry I disappeared last night; I got swept up in the romance with her.”
June wipes her eyes and swats at his chest. “You stink! I smell her—it’s awful—it’s all around you! I can’t not smell it! It’s everywhere since you came back!”
I showered... “You can still smell her?”
She holds her face and sits on the bed. “I don’t know. I see it and smell it, if I look at you, it’s like I can taste it... I don’t know! Just leave me alone.” She scoots away from him.
Skip moves to sit on the bed beside her, but stops. “Would it help if I took another shower?”
How the fuck should I know! She sobs into her hands. I don’t even know what’s wrong with me.
Skip sighs. “June, I’m sorry I blew up at you, and I’m sorry you’re going through this. I’m sorry I wasn’t thoughtful enough for you last night. But that doesn’t change the fact that you need to be more respectful. You can always just talk to me if something’s bothering you; you don’t need to be passive aggressive about it.”
She drops her hands but doesn’t wipe the streams of tears from her face. “Dad, there’s something wrong with me. It’s like sometimes I feel okay, and sometimes things just get crazy. Last night, during the night, I was so mad, and I couldn’t stop it. I feel out of control—I don’t know what to do.”
Skip chokes back his emotions. “Would it be okay if I came over to you?”
She nods.
He sits beside her and lets out a huge breath. Then his eyes flood. “I want you to know that I love you so much, and I would do anything for you.”
Between cries, she whispers, “I know. I love you too, Daddy.”
He sniffs. “I’ll take another shower.”
“Okay.”
He hesitates. “Can I say one more thing before I go?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“If you ever have sex questions, you can ask me... I don’t want you looking at porn on the internet.”
She groans, allows her torso to fall back against the bed, and wipes her eyes while facing the ceiling. “Just because I know it’s there doesn’t mean I’m looking at it.”
“Do you know why I don’t want you to?”
“Because I’m too young.”
“You are, but the main reason is that it skips the part about how it’s a special thing between consenting adults... I don’t think you should look at it until you understand more about what sex is—and isn’t—first.”
She sighs. “’Kay.”
He stands and walks toward the bathroom. “And you’re not eighty-one yet. Once you’re eighty-one, you can do whatever the hell you want.”
She closes her eyes and grits her teeth. “I’m not trying to have sex, Dad. I’m trying to not lose my mind.”
Skip swallows and dips his head. “June, I’m sorry… I’ll go take that shower.”
After his scalding shower, where he scrubbed halfway to raw, Skip dresses and finds June alone in the living room of the suite. “Where’s Eddy and Minnie?”
She motions with her head to the other bedroom. “Hiding.”
“Do I still smell bad?”
&nb
sp; June looks at him. “You look really red, like you burned yourself. Are you alright?”
He nods. “Do I still smell?”
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Dad, it was… I don’t even know.”
He walks over and touches her shoulder. “I don’t understand, but I’ll try as best I can to help.”
She holds his hand to her shoulder. “Thanks, Daddy. And I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” He gives her shoulder a little squeeze, then hears Minnie giggle from the other bedroom. “Do you think I should let them out?”
June releases his hand and nods.
Skip walks over and knocks on the door. “You can come out now; it’s safe.”
The door opens, and Eddy pokes his head out. “You sure?”
Skip sits to put on a pair of socks. “Sorry if we got a little loud. June and I needed to talk.”
Eddy leads Minnie and sits with her on the couch. “Oh, it’s okay. We finished a set of problems and counted the trees we could see out the window.” He leans over to June and stage-whispers, “There’s a lot.”
Skip moves next to Minnie and picks up the lesson book. “Ready to learn some more about geography? Did I tell you it’s my favorite subject?”
Minnie sniffs and shakes her head. “It’s my fourth.”
Skip shakes his head with wonder. “What are your top three?”
“Art, Math, and Snack.”
Eddy chuckles. “Yup, that’s my sister.”
-Knock, knock-
Eddy walks over to the door and opens it. A bellman hands Eddy a bundle wrapped in a blanket. “Your dog, sir. Your father asked me to bring him up in the mornings.”
“I suppose it’s technically still the morning.” He takes the bundle and opens it. Rusty is asleep in the blanket. Eddy looks look up at the bellman and shows his confusion.
“A guest noticed him sleeping in the bushes against the side of the building.”
“Ha! Nice.”
“Please tell your father that I wish to speak with him.”
“Eh, okay. Will do. Thanks again.”
The bellman leaves, shutting the door behind him.
Skip coughs. “Everything alright with Rusty?”
“Yeah, he’s just tired. Must have had a wild night.” He carries the bundle into the bedroom and sets the blanket with Rusty curled-up inside in the corner, behind the chair near the window. Eddy walks out and shuts the door behind him, then he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket; he has a notification through the Infinite Vampire app. He swipes to the notifications and clicks on the banner. “Oh, June, I heard back from the Bernardi guy.”
Skip cocks an eyebrow.
Eddy notices. “He’s an artifacts expert. I wanted to ask him about some crazy legend.”
June stretches her feet out. “What’d he say?”
Eddy reads. “He wants to have lunch, today in Chinatown. He says he can meet me at the metro there.”
Skip frowns. “What do you know about this guy? Would it be safe to go and meet him?”
Eddy shrugs. “Only one way to find out.”
Skip scowls. “Make sure you tell your parents what you’re up to; I was not put in charge of you.”
“Hey!” Minnie shouts up at Skip. “I’m in charge of my own destiny, and don’t you forget it.”
Skip tries not to laugh at Minnie’s grumpy face. “I won’t forget, sorry, Minnie.” He looks at June and makes a face. Sheesh!
Eddy grabs the laptop from the table. “June, want to come with?”
Skip returns his face to a serious one. “I think you should stick around the hotel today, June.”
She nods. “I probably could use a quiet day... I could use a new book to read, though.” She bites her lip and looks at her dad. “Think it’s okay if I went to the bookstore?”
Hmm. Forcing her to stare at the walls isn’t going to help any... He sighs. “Only if you’re feeling up to it.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Minnie pulls on Skip’s sleeve and uses Valentine’s floppy arm to point at the book. “We’ve got places to learn about, Mr. Skip.”
He chuckles at her and shakes his head. “Duty calls.”
Eddy texts his dad and maps his route to meet Lorenzo Bernardi. To meet him at noon, I need to catch a train in...ten minutes. “Oh, I gotta go!”
He heads into his bedroom to grab his bag. After a minute, he rushes back into the kitchen, drains the remnants of a bottle, then stocks a full bottle for the journey; even though the train is underground, a vampire can never be too careful. “Sis, I’ll see you later. Have fun!”
“You betcha!”
He looks at June. “Bye, June.”
She responds with a soft smile. “Later, Eddy.”
He puts on his sneakers and opens the door. “See ya, Skip!”
Skip lifts his head to a closing door. “Later!” He yells back, and both Minnie and June wince and recoil. “Oh right, sorry. Superhuman hearing...”
Eddy laughs in the hallway as he hurries to the elevator.
After changing into clothes fit for going out, June leaves the suite and heads to the lobby. She asks the front desk attendant when the next shuttle bus will leave for the mall, and she’s frustrated that she just missed it. Twenty minutes until the next loop…
She sighs and walks away, then she smiles when she sees Beatrice playing chess in the courtyard. She walks out to join her. “Hi Beatrice, it’s nice to see you.”
The old woman looks at her and smiles. “June, it’s great to see you too. I missed you yesterday, unless I’m just too senile to remember!”
June laughs. “No, yesterday was crazy-busy. I didn’t have a minute to come down.”
“That’s alright dear.” She looks her up and down. “Where are you off to?”
June loops her thumb in her front pocket. “I was going to go to the mall next door, to the bookstore, but the shuttle won’t be back for twenty minutes.”
“Oh, I could use a new novel…” She glances down at the board and her notebook beside it. “Would you like to go alone, or would you like some company?”
June smiles. “I’d love some company.”
Beatrice nods. “Then it’s settled. Just let me jot down a couple notes, and I’ll be ready to go.”
“Are you just going to leave your board while we’re gone?”
Beatrice looks around. “Do you think the koi fish will make my turn for me?”
June rolls her eyes. “No, but what if someone steals it?”
“Sometimes you just have to place a little trust in people.”
Eddy buys fare at the metro station near the hotel, and he takes a train into DC. When he exits the metro at the Gallery Place/Chinatown station, he’s amazed when he reaches the street. People walk in every direction, giant screens on the building above the station flash messages and advertisements like he’s seen on TV from Times Square, a gigantic Chinese-style arch crosses over the top of one street, and traffic crowds the other street at the intersection. There’s noise, lots of noise. He checks the time and walks to a nook beside the building where it’s a little quieter. He opens his email and calls the number Lorenzo gave him.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Bernardi? This is Eddy Costanza, I’m near the metro in Chinatown.”
“Ah, bravissimo. I am just leaving my office. Which metro exit did you take?”
“Uh, the one near the big archway?”
“Mmm-hmm, there’s a good pizza place across the intersection, down H. I forget what it’s called, but it’s just up a block or so…on your right. I can meet you there in a few minutes.”
“Suuurre, what’s it look like though?”
“Oh, there’s a dining patio right before the place. You can’t miss it. I’ll see you there in a couple minutes.”
/>
-click-
Eddy puts his phone away. Alright, then.
It takes a while for the signal to let Eddy, and many others, cross H Street. Then it seems to take even longer for the second signal to let him cross 7th. Eventually, Eddy finds himself on what he believes to be the correct side of the correct street, and he starts down it.
He looks at each building as he passes. Some have Chinese lettering on the signs that he doesn’t understand, and others look like small offices. Before he gets very far, a voice a distance in front of him calls out to him. “Eddy?”
He looks. A portly man is calling him with one hand. He has his dark hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and dark sunglasses hide his eyes, but everything else is light—his suit is cream and the parasol he holds open over his head is yellow.
Eddy walks up to him. “Mr. Bernardi?”
He nods and motions to the building at their side. “This is it, let’s try their interpretation of my beloved pizza.”
Eddy laughs, and they walk inside.
Beatrice and June walk off the shuttle bus and through the mall. After stopping at a kiosk map, they hone in on their target, Books Bazillions. As they walk, June can’t help but glance all around, looking at all the faces of the people and seeing what is happening in all the store windows.
Beatrice touches her arm. “You seem distracted, dear. Is everything okay?”
“Sometimes being around lots of people makes me feel really...odd.”
Beatrice takes her hand. “Oh? Well then, talk with me until we get there. Did I mention anything to you about my husband?”
“Only that he’s, uh, like me, that’s all.”
“His name is Gerard, he’s a sort of politician.”
“Oh, so is my friend Eddy’s mother, you met him that first day, remember?”
She nods. “My husband told me something interesting that he heard in his meetings, about this new zombie vaccine they’re developing.”
June jumps in the air. “Really? I haven’t heard anything about it! They’ve made a cure?”
Beatrice shakes her head. “Sorry, no. I thought you heard about it; it’s been all over the news. They say they have a medicine that will temporarily block infection, but that’s all for right now.”