call him.” I paused to make a point. “On the phone.”
“Oh aye. That’s the thing to do.”
“I would’ve thought taking care of that awful hobby-lobby thing would’ve changed the way he’s regarded.”
“Hobknobbit. Aye. You’re right. I should’ve thought to invite him.” She shrugged apologetically. “Old habits.”
Fearing I may have made my concern sound like a rebuke, I said, “Thanks for doing this. It’s wonderful.” I knew that including the vampire in social gatherings would be a change for the locals, but I’d made up my mind that he would be a regular fixture at luncheons until he was thought of as ‘one of us’.
After stepping into the master, I found my phone where I’d left it on my closet island and called John David’s landline. He might’ve gotten a mobile phone, but I hadn’t talked to him for a few days.
I was both surprised and relieved when he answered after seven rings.
“Who’s calling?”
I made a mental note that we needed to scrub the rust off his social skills.
“It’s me. Rita.” Deciding to give as good as I got, I added, “Who else would be calling?” I was immediately sorry for being petty. “Listen. I’m having a few friends over for an impromptu housewarming. Right now. And it’ll be over in forty-five minutes. Can you make it?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Well. Good. I’ll hang up now.”
He beat me to it and ended the call before I did.
Twenty minutes later I heard,
Don't turn around, oh oh
(Ja, ja)
Der Kommissar's in town, whoa oh
It was a song that never failed to make me smile even though I had no idea what it was about. Another thing Maeve must’ve pulled out of my ‘messy’ head.
“Was that my doorbell?” I asked Olivia while trying to make the world’s best donut last.
“I believe so, Mistress.”
Okay. I saw in our future, Olivia’s and mine, a sit-down about what I could stand to be called.
“Huh,” I said. “Thinking it was weird, but not disliking it.”
I opened the door to John David and a me-sized statue of Eros sitting on the porch.
“Happy New House,” he said.
I looked at the statue and laughed. “You brought me the statue I made you buy? John David, you’ve got a sense of humor.” He gave me the enigmatic smile I would’ve imagined is a vampire staple. “Did you hate it that much?”
He stepped back a few inches and regarded the love god. “Actually, I was growing fond of it. What sort of person would I be if I gave you something I dislike?”
Well, that was charming.
“That makes me treasure it. Thank you. And please come in. We’re having homemade donuts.”
For the second time I mentally crossed myself in case inviting vampires in really was a horrible idea. I’m not Catholic any more than Maggie, but as she says, sometimes it’s good to appropriate things that just fit.
“Look, everybody, my friend John David is here.” The noise stopped abruptly like that old stockbroker commercial and everyone stared. It was clear that a social punt was called for. “Did you know that John David saved us all from certain ruin last week?” Clearly, they hadn’t all heard. “He disposed of an artifact that was up to no good. He’s the only one of us who could do it unharmed. So,” I looked at each of them with a schoolteacher’s warning face, “we owe him a debt of gratitude.”
The least likely attendee got the message and came forward.
“John David, “Esmerelda said. “I understand you buried that abomination in salt?”
He looked as pleased as is possible for a socially-challenged vampire. “Yes,” he said. Then without further prompting, he went on to explain all the steps he’d taken beginning with digging out a special cellar in the floor of his basement.
By the time he was finishing the story, most of my guests had gathered around to listen. I hoped that was a breaking of the ice both around John David’s heart and around the socially-closed population of Hallow Hill.
“Almost perfect,” Esmerelda said. She turned to the little crowd, “I saw the thing. It was nasty.” Turning back to John David, she said, “If you’re open to it, I’d like to come by and seal the site. Just to be sure.”
John David looked as stunned as if he’d been struck by lightning. When it seemed that he was unable to speak, I rushed forward.
“He’d love that, Esmerelda. As we all would.”
“I want to come,” said Lily. “I’ve always wondered what that big house looks like on the inside.”