"Don'tbe. Everybody is entitled to a few breakdowns now and then. Considering thatwas your first and you're dating me, you are doing exceptional."
"So,what's going on with you?" He dropped the subject of him and switched tome.
"Justtired. I got a bit more sleep but had a ghostly visitor when I woke up."
Hepaled and scooted forward in the seat, wrapping both hands around his mug. "Becca?Did you lay her to rest?"
Ishook my head. "My father."
"What?"
"Sittingat my table. Dropped by to say hi."
"That'samazing? You don't have to rescue him anymore?"
"Hewas a phantom. Not really real. He's still in Tartarus."
"Whatdid he say?"
"Abandonall hope. Live my life. There was no way to rescue him, blah, blah, blah."
"Yougonna listen?"
"Wouldyou?"
Hesighed and took a sip, thinking about it. "I don't know. Maybe."
"Youjust want me safe, too."
"Yep.I'm a bastard like that."
"Youguys decide on something other than a damn cheeseburger?" Marge slipped upwhile we were talking and pulled out her order pad, shooting Chief a disgustedlook.
"Cheeseburger,"he said with a smile.
Iswear she growled before looking at me.
"TellHerb to surprise me."
"Oh,no." She rolled her eyes. "He's had twenty friggin' recipes he's hadin his head, waiting for you to say those damn words. I'llalert the fire department." She huffed and wandered back to the window. "Herb!Fatty patty for Chief, and a Cauldron Special for Dot."
"Itis time," he said and lifted hishead, grinning at me through the window.
Hehit the play button on the ancient boombox in the window and turned his hataround. The heavy beat of Eyeof the Tiger filledthe diner.
"Shouldwe run?" Chief turned his head slowly and looked at me worriedly.
Icouldn't stop myself. Hysterical laughter burst out of my chest and I sat therein the seat, wiping my eyes for a good three minutes before getting it undercontrol. Every worry, doubt, and crappy feeling that had been weighing me downvanished with the gigglefits. Laughter truly was the best medicine.
Chiefhad sat back to watch the show, joining me in a few of my more raucous cackles.Sometime during my display, Nana and Mother had entered the diner, grimaced atmy hysterics, and sat at a booth along the back wall, pretending not to knowme. That just set me off more.
"Yougonna live?"
"Yes.Just give me a minute." I rubbed my eyes with one hand and held up theother.
Whereare you? Yuki'sthought stifled my laughter.
Lunchwith Chief. Diner. Isent to her. Everythingokay?
Thechime answered that question and she slipped into the booth beside me. "Thoughtyou'd still be sleeping. I cleaned up your mess." She shot me an angryglare.
"Oh,shit. I forgot about the coffee."
"Youfeeling okay?" She put her hand on my forehead.
"Yes!"I pulled away from her cold hand. "Sheesh. Everybody is my mother."
"Thatwould make the world a better place, Dear," Mother whispered from acrossthe diner. I had forgotten about her bat ears. Which was hard to do, since inentirety, she was an old bat.
Ignoringher, I looked back at Yuki. "I got up and everybody was gone."
"Candsiewent to work. Jaeren had elfly duties to attend to and went back to faerie lastnight. And Dar took Ellis to the bookstore. Said they were short on stock help."
"Candsie?"
"Candaceand Josie. Candsie sounds better than Jondace."
"Youshipped them?"
"Theyshipped themselves." She started giggling.
"Ellis?They're going to put him to work at the bookstore? In public?"
"Apparently,he's some kind of master wizard or some shit. He looked human when he walkedout the door."
"Huh.Learn something new every day."
"Heeven did Dar. He doesn't have to wear that stupid hippie looking headbandanymore."
"Hedid Dar?" I wiggled my eyebrows as the vision danced in my head.
Yukirolled her eyes.
"So,what were you up to?"
"Igot…hungry," Yuki answered embarrassedly.
"Oh,shit. Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Becauseyour blood is like doing shots of Everclear. No offense. Shea volunteered."
"Ibet he tastes like Cinnabon."
"Nope.Chocolate."
"Areyou two done?" Chief was several shades of green.
"What?"We asked in unison.
"I'mabout to eat. The thought of drinking blood…"
"Nowyou know how I feel watching you scarf down cheeseburgers." Yuki stuck hertongue out at him.
"You'rejust jealous," he answered and stuck his tongue out back at her.
"Alittle. Yeah." Yuki pouted.
"Sorry,Kid."
Yukiwas lying. That wasn't all she had been up to. I felt it during their littlebanter session. "How's George?"
Sheblinked at me in surprise before her eyes narrowed. "You can smell him onme."
"Ew.He's your cousin!" Chief had missed the point.
"Andgay, dumbass." Yuki snarled. "I went to the house to talk to him. Totalk to them."
"Who'sthem?" He let the dumbass comment go.
"Theother vampires. Amir and whoever was left at the house besides George." Ididn't take my eyes off her. Wanting to gauge her reaction.
"Don'tworry. Amir is still yours. As is George, which is the real reason I went overthere. I mean, we are talking about his father, but he's too afraid to goagainst you."
"Smartboy," Chief answered.
"No.An honest one. He's pissed at his dad for trying to take over. He thinks Dotwill really take care of the fatally anemic populationof Cedar Falls. Not use them to turn a profit."
Ifelt the low rumble from her. She was angry at all of them. Her father, heruncle, and her mother.
JuneAbernathy had struck me as sweet and timid. Her husband was an asshole. Yukiwas somewhere in between, inheriting the best of both parents. I didn't seeJune as an enemy, but I saw her as powerless against her husband's brother.Only time would tell, though.
"Herewe go!" Marge set down a Coke and a burger in front of Chief, and a coffeein front of Yuki. She sighed before she hoisted the plate off the tray and setit in front of me with a Coke to wash it down.
Istared down at the plate. There was a tiny black iron cauldron filled withguacamole over a bed of French fries splashed with hot sauce. The effect wasmeant to make it look like it was sitting over burning wood, and he actuallypulled it off. I could see Herb bent over the counter arranging each fry justright, too. The rest of the plate was taken up by a sandwich. I lifted thefluffy brioche top and inspected the contents. "What's in it?"
"Yourguess is as good as mine."
Ipoked at the neatly stacked meat. He had medium sliced fresh roasted turkeybreast and put it on the bottom.
