Now here he was, parked in front of her house. He got out of the car with the roses in his hand, walked up to her front door, and rang the doorbell. A few seconds passed with no answer so he pushed the doorbell a second time.
“Coming!” he heard Mel’s voice yell from inside the house.
“Take your time, Mel!” he hollered from outside.
She answered the door a moment later. She was wearing a red blouse and glossy black pants. The kind that hugged her hips and had sequins running down each side. She wore a necklace, hoop earrings, and high heels that still didn’t make her quite as tall as the sheriff.
“Wow, you look stunning, Mel. Just stunning,” he said as he handed her the flowers. “Got these for you.”
“Thank you so much! I’m not joking when I tell you it’s been years since I’ve gotten flowers. Last year I tried to hint to Mason, right before Mother’s Day, that I wanted flowers. I even gave him $20 to get them. And instead he used it to buy a video game and made me a handwritten card instead.”
“Oh, now that is funny,” Zeddman said as they both laughed. “Never underestimate how self-focused kids are.”
“And thank you for the compliment on my outfit, Sher – Antwan. I don’t often go out. And these days I’m usually just wearing my diner outfit.”
“And you do a damn good job in that too,” he chuckled.
“Please, come in,” Mel told him. He stepped into the house, looking around at the old antique flower paintings and vases. He looked into the living room and saw paisley sofas, an old polished wooden table, and a tv – the only modern-looking thing in sight.
“Wow, what a classic home you got here,” Zeddman told her.
“Thanks. My mother left it to me. Her mother left it to her. And her father left it to her. Basically no one ever changed up anything or did any rearranging for several generations. I did want to do a little renovation but that can be pretty costly.”
“Oh, of course. Even on a sheriff’s salary I can barely manage to renovate my place,” he chuckled again.
“But, Antwan, the flowers are so beautiful. I really love them,” Mel said as she placed them in an empty vase near the front door. “I’ll water them when we get back. Let’s get outta here!”
“Your kids still here?” he asked.
“Oh, Mason went to the arcade with some of his friends. He’s always hanging out with Alex and Ben and a few others. They’re good boys. And Hailey is upstairs listening to music and whatnot. Whatever they do at that age. Journaling, right?” Mel laughed nervously as she walked outside with the sheriff before shutting the door behind her.
“Fine lady, your chariot awaits,” he smiled.
“You drive a silver Range Rover!” she gasped. “Wow, it’s amazing.”
“Correction,” he laughed. “I occasionally drive a Range Rover. Otherwise it’s a sheriff’s cruiser with blue lights on top each day.”
He hit a button on his keychain and the car started up. Mel gasped again, she hadn’t seen a car that fancy in a while. And she let him know. He walked over to the passenger seat, and opened the door for her.
“Chivalry is not dead!” he grinned and pointed as she stepped into the car and took her seat. He closed the door, walked around, and got into the driver’s seat. Moments later they were off down the road.
“I’m glad I called you earlier today,” Mel said during the car ride.
“Me too,” he laughed. “Leave it to you to think up a good time that works for both of us.”
“Any time. When you got two kids in grade school, all you learn to do is schedule. Dinner, doctor visits, dentist visits, school meetings, you name it.”
“Can’t be easy being a single mom,” he said as he took a left turn out of the neighborhood and onto the main road.
“But I manage… so, where are we headed?”
“Well Corpus is limited in its fine dining establishments as I’m sure you’ve come to realize. But there’s this one place called Fifties Fire.”
“Well that sounds interesting,” Mel said.
“It’s themed like the… as you can guess… 1950s.”
“Like Steak ’n’ Shake back home in the Carolinas. I just love those sorts of diners,” Mel smiled.
“But a bit more fun and fancy,” he winked.
Soon thereafter, they’d arrived. The Sheriff did his gentleman’s routine of opening her door, as well as the door leading into the restaurant. The Fifties Fire was just like he described. It was like something out of a Tarantino film.
The hostess, dressed like a female Elvis, seated them at a booth near the center of the restaurant. Honkytonk music was playing from the speakers. Waiters and waitresses wore short sleeve dress shirts and bowties. On the wall were real photographs of random couples and families from the fifties.
It felt as if the entire restaurant had been designed by Norman Rockwell and Elvis Presley.
“This is pretty funky,” Mel laughed. “And I mean that in a good way.”
“I do love a good doowop,” Zeddman admitted as he held up his menu. Mel checked out her menu before a waiter with slick, greasy hair greeted them.
“I’ve never been here before,” Mel admitted. “What’s the best thing you got?”
“The Honey Spice Double Bus Burgers are delicious,” the waiter said. “It comes with sweet potato fries and coleslaw.”
“Oh, that sounds amazing,” Mel said. “But why do they call it a Double Bus Burger?”
“It’s a play on it being similar to a double decker. Y’know, because those old British buses have two decks,” Zeddman told her.
“Yeah,” the waiter said. “It’s our way of avoiding a lawsuit for calling it a double decker burger. That term is already trademarked. So, we serve Double Bus Burgers,” he snorted.
“Well that’s what I’ll take,” said Mel.
“And to drink?” the waiter asked.
“A strawberry milkshake,” she answered.
“And you sir?” the waiter asked. “Wait a tic, you’re Sheriff Zeddman, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sir. That’d be me!”
“Wow, well it’s nice to see you here, sir. I’ve heard you on the radio often and everyone talks about you. Thanks for keep the streets free of crime. I wasn’t old enough to vote in the last election, but I promise you can count on my vote for the next one.”
“Well that’s very nice of you, son. I really do appreciate it. As for me, I’ll take a Cajun Crunch Steakburger. Plain fries. A side of onion rings. And a coke – you know what, cancel the coke. I’ll take one of those milkshakes like the young lady here is having.”
“Yes, sir,” the waiter said as he politely took the menus from them. “I’ll place your orders immediately. Your food should be ready shortly. Enjoy your night at The Fifties Fire.”
The waiter strolled away when Mel picked up the conversation.
“So, Antwan. How’s working going?”
“Well,” he spoke hesitantly, not willing to give much away. Especially not the most recent events. “I saw something strange lately. Something that doesn’t really belong in this town. We’re going to exterminate the problem tomorrow. Just like we always do in this town.”
“Corpus is such an interesting place,” Mel said. “Frankly, once I left after high school I rarely ever thought about it. I certainly never thought I’d find myself living back here. But here I am. It’s nice. It’s quaint. A population of less than 750 people. But it’s not without its issues. There’s sometimes a little… tension.”
“You mean the folk stuck so far in the past they think racism is still completely acceptable?” he asked.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean,” she chuckled.
“The population has actually declined over the past few decades. People move away and never look back, like you did. As far as the sentiment, small town doesn’t have to equal small minded but there’s plenty folk in Corpus who will go to their grave believing a black man should never be in charge of anyt
hing.”
“But you won the popular vote,” she said.
“By fifteen votes,” he laughed. “So, cheer’s to that. Despite the occasional animosity, the average person here just wants to live quietly. As long as they aren’t be stoked by some conspiracy theorist nutjob on the radio. Those people can screw off. But besides them, I’ll go to my grave protecting Corpus.”
The waiter returned with their milkshakes. The strawberry milkshakes were served in tall clear glasses. There was whipped cream and a cherry served on top. After one sip Mel went back for a second. And a third. She expressed amazement at just how good it was. Perhaps the best she’d ever tasted. This wasn’t the sort of milkshake you could find at a chain restaurant.
“It’s so good. So good!” she exclaimed. “As for you… as Sheriff you’ve got dozens of deputies looking up to you. And all the kids in the town who see you as the face of a hero.”
“Well, damn, Mel. I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“You have to be the type of person who always does what’s right. No matter how difficult that is. No matter how many racists are shouting you down from the radio.”
He lamented this for a moment. “Have you ever questioned what you thought you knew? Imagine finding out that things just aren’t what they appear to be. That in the pocket of a world that should be quiet is the chaos of immense noise. Would you do anything to extinguish that noise? Would you break the rules even?”
“I suppose I haven’t really thought much about something like that,” Mel admitted, taking another sip of her milkshake while the sheriff waxed existentially.
“Imagine having to take the law into your own hands, even if you were the law. Because you know that you cannot allow evil, not matter how powerful it may seem to appear, to run savage in a world that requires law and order.”
“Oh!” Mel said, looking up wide-eyed from her milkshake. “That’s um, a lot to digest.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to lay all that on you like that. I’ve just got a lot going on at work right now. So, let’s get back to the lighthearted stuff. Tell me – what’s your favorite tv show? Let’s see if we have any crossover appeal.” He laughed as they continued talking.
The food later arrived and the night went spectacularly. There were no more mentions of daytime jobs. Only discussions of kids and food and hobbies. It was the kind of dinner date in which a couple remains at a restaurant long after the meals have been eaten and the deserted ordered. Mel loved it. The sheriff loved it. Things were going quite well between them.
***
It had long been nighttime as Hailey ended her phone call with Madison. The long discussion consisted of many things, most notable was Hailey’s current displeasure at Tara. Still irate that Tara was interested in the one boy who liked her most, Hailey put their new Californian acquaintance on full blast over the course of her phone call with Madison.
To Hailey’s chagrin, Madison took no side and insisted it wasn’t a big deal for Tara to be attracted to a cute guy. It was just a simple crush, Madison told her. “Nothing to be alarmed about.”
Hailey was tired. Tired of arguing her side. And just as tired of hiding what she had with Percy.
“I can’t do this anymore,” Hailey said aloud to herself as she sat alone in the bedroom of her empty house. The quietness was meditative. Hailey thought of Percy, and of no longer wanting him to be a secret.
Soon she heard the front door of her house opening. She walked out of her room and leaned over the banister. It was only Mason.
“Hey sis,” Mason said, looking up to the second-floor balcony. “Is mom here?”
“No, she’s still out on a date,” Hailey told him.
“Oh okay. Well I just got back from the arcade all night,” he shrugged. “Tired. Going to sleep. Night sis,” he said as he dragged himself up the stairs.
“How do you get that tired at an arcade,” Hailey asked.
“Well, y’know… sometimes life just doesn’t go the way you planned. And it’s a long bike ride. Legs tired too,” Mason said drearily as made it up the stairs and drudged himself down to his bedroom.
“Er… okay,” Hailey said. She walked back into her room and promptly shut her door. Then locked it. “Weirdo,” she chuckled.
She dived onto her bed. Staring at her window seal, she sighed. “Guess he’s not coming.” She removed her pants and lied back down, realizing there would be no knock upon the glass pane of her window tonight.
She closed her eyes, disappointed, and drifted slowly to the solemn sounds of bristling branches swaying just outside of her room. Had Percy already forgotten her? Could he be as into Tara, as Tara was into him? Would anything ever work out for her, Hailey thought to herself before falling asleep.
Several doors down, Mason shut his television off and kicked his shoes off, feeling more dejected than ever. He tossed his phone on his bed and walked over to his cracked window. He was tired of hearing those stupid bristling tree branches.
He reached for his window, gripping it from the top of the sliding pane – and that’s when he saw it. A whirling of mist. Now, it wasn’t out of the ordinary to see mist at night. But this fog-like mist was moving speedily toward a window several rooms down from his window. It was headed for Hailey’s room. And in it went.
Mason’s mouth dropped. “Since when has fog ever behaved like that?” he asked himself in a tone that was both angry and cataclysmic. “It’s gotta be him,” he said aloud.
Mason swung his bedroom door open. Wearing only his socks, he tiptoed quickly through the hall and down the stairs. He rushed into the kitchen. He looked around – plates, utensils, cupboards, pans… Ah! The wooden chairs near the table!
Quickly, he turned a chair over and snapped one of its legs off. With the leg of the chair in his left hand, he rushed over to the countertop and grabbed a knife. He pushed the blade of the knife against the end of the chair, stripping the wood.
Damn, this is gonna take a while. He continued hacking at the bottom of the wooden chair leg, attempting to fashion himself a stake.
“I’m going to be prepared this time. You’re not taking anyone else with you tonight, especially not my sister, vampire dirt-bag!” Mason gleefully laughed to himself, peering all around in paranoia.
Upstairs, Hailey hadn’t been asleep for more than a half hour when she opened her eyes. There was a shadowy figure in front of her. She rubbed her eyes, clearing her vision, and the dark figure came into focus. Percy. Right in front of her.
“Percy!” she exclaimed as she moved into an upright seated position in her bed.
“I could sense something. That you weren’t feeling particularly well. So I thought this would be a great a time as any to pay you visit. You’re quite beautiful as you sleep. I could watch you for ages.”
“Yeah, but how did you get in?” she asked.
“Through the window, of course,” he smirked.
“What? I thought you had to be invited me. I didn’t invite you in.”
“Sure you did,” he stated.
“I couldn’t have. I’ve been sleeping.”
“Not this time, no. But upon my previous visit you told me I was welcome in your home. An invitation to a vampire is perpetual until it is rescinded. To welcome a vampire once into your home is to welcome them an infinite number of times. Unless you don’t want me here,” he hesitated as he spoke the last sentence.
“No, I was just curious. That’s all,” she said shyly. “I’d never want you to leave.”
“Hailey,” he said softly and sat next to her in the bed. “I can sense your apathy.”
“It’s just that… keeping a secret can be hard.”
“You really feel so?”
“It’s just… there’s this other girl. She was at the party. Her name’s Tara and she…”
“She wants… me,” he said as if he knew all along. Hailey nodded her head to which he replied, “I can assure you that you are the only girl I want. And I
promise you I’ve never wanted anyone the way I desire you. Light of my life. Plain lo, in the morning. I can’t stay away from you. Your smell, your voice. And still, I know there’s so much more to you that I don’t know.”
“I…” Hailey said, her eyes now watery as she faltered. “I’ve never had anyone feel that way about me. I don’t even know what it means to be loved like that. But I want more than anything for us to… really be together. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”
“Then you and I will be official, Miss Lane. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had a… girlfriend, as you like to be called. But I want you to know that you have a protector in me.”
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she said as she reached out and hugged him.
She released him as he told her, “I’ll be at your window, waiting for you. Always. As long as you can… obey. It is the only way a human-vampire relationship can work.”
“I can,” she asserted. “And I will. I’m all yours.” She placed a palm to his face. He reached out a hand and swept a lock of curls behind her ear. Their eyes met. Hailey felt spellbound. Butterflies rushed through her stomach.
“We’re bonded by blood. And that will never go away. That will never change. And I will never change. All I ask is your loyalty. In return I will be faithful to you always. No harm will ever come to you when I am with you.”
“I’ll do just as you say. Because no human boy can compare to you. Not now, not ever.”
“I love you, Hailey. So little time has passed since we met but if there’s one girl for me, it is you. I’ve waited and searched so long for you. So many centuries. And now here you are. My wait is finally over.”
“Should I,” Hailey hesitated. “Tell my family?”
“We’ve always preferred to remain in secrecy. Mankind has never accepted anything stronger, smarter, or more powerful than itself. And vampires are all of those things.”
“Then I’ll not tell them what you are. But everyone else can know, right? That I love you. Not Percivell, the vampire. But Percy, the boy.”
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