Bronzeville || A Superhuman Tale - 2

Chapter Fourteen

"You think it'd be okay if we call Sam dad?" Lydia asked, leaning back in her seat.

Philly grew uncharacteristically quiet and looked the other direction in symbolic deference to Tommy. Their bus was still about ten minutes out from Alhambra, and several minutes before, Tommy had finished preparing Lydia for the night's festivities. (The telltale little puffs of smoke coming from the kid's ears were a sure sign she'd had enough.)

"I think he'd like that a lot," Tommy answered. "If he starts crying, don't let that put you off ... but, doesn't Celia know that?"

"Nah ...," Lydia said. "She promised she wouldn't look in people's heads anymore."

"Except yours?"

"Yeah," the girl said with a broad smile.

"Doesn't it make you uncomfortable having someone rattling around in your noggin all the time?"

"Nah, it's like having an extra set of arms and legs."

"For kicking my ass in the gym?"

"Nah, that was all her," she said and laughed loudly.

Tommy looked at Lydia, his curiosity piqued. "So, what's it like being off on your own?"

"It's alright. It's nice to explore new things. But I can't wait to get back home, after." She hesitated. "So, what if no one wants to talk to me tonight?"

"You're a lovely young woman," piped in Philly. "People will talk to you. Trust me."

"And even if they don't," continued Tommy, "all you have to do is watch and listen ...."

"... and remember anything I hear about Fleener or that other guy, and tell you after," she responded by rote. "Always stay close, watch my drink, stay conscious of where I am, if I see a gun ... run, and if anybody touches me in a way I don't like, don't hurt them too bad ... oh, and if I see any more people from The Range, let you know."

"I think you got it down," he said.

They arrived at their stop about two hours before dark. He'd noticed crowds frequently changed in bar-restaurants between dinner and party time, so they'd arrived early. He wanted a proper view of the place. Still, he had no intention of staying late, fully meaning to have Lydia in a cab back home no later than 11:00 pm.

Alhambra was busy again, but they opted to wait for a table rather than sit at the bar; with no prompting, the hostess placed them in a small booth with a clear view of the room and at least three large televisions. It was perfect.

Philly almost immediately excused herself to have a look around. Tommy knew she worried about being surplus. Her Gift, the ability to move about unnoticed, had failed her the previous year when she'd most needed it. It simply had grown rusty from neglect. She'd trained with it daily since and at various times had told both him and Sam that she would never again let them down. It was a silly notion in his view. Her aid and friendship were beyond calculation.

When he cast about, there was no sight, sound, or recent scent of Paloma or any of the men they'd followed the previous day. But he did catch a rather strong scent of the driver of the '71 Charger, who he knew to be Paloma's brother Cesar. The man soon showed himself, occasionally moving in and out of the kitchen.

Not long afterward, a server arrived, and an enthusiastic Lydia ordered virtually the entire menu. She then began to query Tommy on the various sports that were on the screens. 

He let her yak and fielded her questions patiently. The youngster's understanding of pop culture was limited, and it was important for the evening's success that she feel at her ease. Tommy's Gift was a magnet for women and men both, but Lydia had little practical experience in social settings. This evening was about more than collecting information; it was also a lesson in social interaction that he hoped she would share with her sister.