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So what are you going to name him? Shae asked plopping down on the couch beside Alex.
“I think I’ll name him Frankfurt.” Alex replied.
“Frankfurt?” Lance questioned from the kitchen.
“Yeah! Frankfurt. Do you gotta problem with that.” Alex stuck her chin out defiantly and pretended to glare at Lance. He put his hands in front of him, palms out.
“No, no problem lady.” Lance feigned fear.
“Can I call him Frankie?” Shae held out a piece of beef jerky for the puppy sitting in Alex’s lap.
“Shae, you can’t give him that! He’s not old enough! He’s just a baby.” Alex scolded.
“Oh my god Lex! You’d think you were a mom!” Shae teased.
Justin’s head snapped up to see a flash of pain cross Lex’s face before she had time to cover it up. Alex pretended to ignore the last comment. “Yes, you can call him Frankie. I think it’s very fitting.” She set the dog on the floor and moved into the kitchen. “How does soup and sandwiches sound for lunch?” She asked JC, Lance and Chris, who were playing lambsy divey rummy at the table.
“Sounds good.” Chris replied without looking up from his cards.
JC threw his cards on the table. “I’ll help! I’m losing miserably.” He rummaged through a few drawers to find a can opener, opened a few cans of soup and dumped them into a pot on the stove. “Phew, this is hard work slaving in the kitchen for hours like this.” He wiped his forehead with a dishtowel. I think I need a rest. He walked over to the couch and stretched out.
“Good one Jace.” Joey laughed.
Alex opened the fridge and started stacking sandwich stuff on the counter. "Is there anything that anyone doesn't want on their sandwich? I'll make a whole bunch but if you don't speak now, you're all getting the same thing whether you like it or not!"
Shae grinned, "Are you kidding? Have you ever seen Joey eat? I don't think he even tastes the food going down!."
"Very funny." Joey mumbled from behind his book in the living room.
"No mustard on mine please." Shae's eyes twinkled.
"Oh no!" Lance jumped from the table towards the stove. "I didn't know you could burn soup!"
Tomato soup was bubbling down the sides of the pot and all over the top of the stove. "Uh oh!" Alex gasped. She whirled around to reach the paper towels, nearly colliding with Lance. He threw his hands in the air to get out of her way. Alex flinched and then cowered away from him. "Hey, no one is going to hurt you here." Lance soothed, not sure of what had just taken place. Justin, concerned, moved behind Alex and put his hand on her waist. She jumped at his touch, turned on her heel and ran out the door.


10 minutes later, Shae came out to the deck where Alex was sitting on the rail. "Hi"
"Hi" Alex smiled timidly
"Ghosts?"
"Yeah. Once I burned soup for Greg. He threw me across the kitchen and cracked three of my ribs."
"He can't hurt you any more."
"I know, sometimes I just need to be reminded."
Shae put her arms around her friend. "Let's go eat. JC finished making the sandwiches."
"Are they safe?"
"Hey! I heard that!" JC yelled from the kitchen.
"I'll be a minute, you go ahead Shae."
Lance, JC and Justin were silent when Shae returned. "You heard that entire conversation didn't you?" She could tell by the look on Justin's face. He closed his eyes and muttered under his breath. His hands gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles white.
Lance frowned. "I didn't mean to -"
"I know," Shae interrupted, "and so does she. She's just… haunted. She is the only one who can exorcise the demons from her past. We can only love and support her when she needs it. And be patient." She added looking at Justin.
"She's lucky to have you." JC smiled and hugged Shae.
Alex chose that exact moment to re-enter the cabin. "Hey, no one hugs here without me!" She ran over to Shae, wrapped her arms around her and JC and pulled Justin towards them by the front of his shirt. "Awwwww I wuf you guys. Come on group hug, Ooooh group huuuuuug."
Chris shot her a crazed look from the table. "You are so cheezy." He said to Alex.
"Hey! What can I say? Fromage is my middle name!" She grinned. "Now let's eat. I want to go swimming."
"Lex! You've been swimming three times already just this morning!"
"What are holidays at the lake for?" Alex asked in disbelief. “I’m going to teach Frankfurt how to backstroke.”

*************************

“Alex,” Shae whined, “Why won’t you tell us anything? Where are you taking us?”
“You’ll see, have patience. We are almost there.” Alex smiled at Shae in the rearview mirror. After a full day of swimming and relaxing, Alex had made them all shower and change and get in her car. The rest of her plans she hadn’t told, only that she was taking them out. Five minutes later, they pulled up in front of a large building in the middle of a huge gravel parking lot. Only six other cars were parked along the front. Above them, a pink neon sign blinked Tiny’s.
“Oh my God.” Chris groaned form the back seat. “This looks like Porky’s revenge!”
“Oh relax, Chris,” Alex scolded. “I used to work here, it’s a great place. Only regulars come here and it’s really fun. I just thought I’d give you guys a glimpse of my past life.” Alex turned off the engine and got out of the car. Reluctantly, everyone else did the same. She walked up to the giant, rough cut wooden door and pulled on the handle. The door didn’t budge. It was locked up tight.
“Well gee, can’t say we didn’t try.” Lance shrugged and turned towards the car. Alex’s hand shot out and caught him by the shirt sleeve.
“Not so fast Lance.” She let go of his sleeve and timidly knocked on the door. No answer. Alex balled her hand into a fist and pounded on the door. The noise resonated behind the door making the building sound hollow. After about a minute the door opened to reveal a young girl with red curly hair and freckles on her nose. “You must be Andrea. You’ve sure grown” Alex bent down to the girl’s eye level.
The girl nodded. “We don’t open ‘til eight o’clock. You hafta wait.”
JC groaned, “That’s not for an hour yet! Alex, let’s just go back to the cabin.”
“Shh JC, just give me a minute.” Alex turned back to the little girl. “Is Tiny here?” The girl nodded and disappeared back into the bar. Alex stepped in the doorway and shooed everybody into the entrance. Joey jumped when the door fell shut behind them.
“Why do I get a bad feeling about this?” He whispered to Justin. The room was a bevy of activity. The centre of the room was a sea of tables and chairs. Six girls wearing black hot pants and neon pink tank tops were cleaning chairs and wiping tables to get ready for opening. To the right, at the front was a large stage. Three guitars, a drum set, a keyboard and several microphones were being set up by a guy in a black, iron maiden t-shirt. At the back of the room, straight across from the stage, on the other side of the seating area, a large bar lined the wall. The young red headed girl had gone behind the bar and climbed up a long flight of stairs to what looked like a DJ booth. Seconds later, the door opened and she came out of the room. Justin’s eyes widened at the sight of the man that followed her. He was a huge, hulk of a man as wide as he was tall. He was slightly balding and had a large tattoo on his bulging bicep. Justin thought the creaky stairs would collapse under the weight of the man. The little girl jumped off the third last step and pointed to the group standing at the doorway. “We’re not open ‘til eight! You’ll hafta wait outside.” The man bellowed in a thick Irish accent. Lance drew in a sharp breath and tried to convince someone to leave with him before the large man made his way across the room.
“Tiny, you big bastard! Get your ass over here!” Alex yelled back.
“That huge ogre is named Tiny?” Chris squeaked incredulously.
“That’s it, I’m outta here.” JC fell in behind Lance and reached for the door.
The large man padded his pockets and then bent down and whispered something to the little girl. She scurried back up the stairs and into the room at the top. “The only person who has the guts to talk to me like that left here a year ago and hasn’t called or written since.” He wove his way through the maze of tables and chairs towards Alex. Shae was giggling at the guys, who were acting like scared little girls ready to run away at any second. The little girl returned from the DJ booth and followed the man back to Alex. She slipped a pair of glasses into his hand. He thanked her and put them on. “Alex!” He grinned a huge toothy smile and held his arms open.
“Tiny!” Alex walked towards him and returned his hug.
“I heard you were back in these parts.” He looked back the girls cleaning the tables and yelled. “Kalya!” When there was no response, he asked the little girl to go retrieve someone named Kalya. “Yes Daddy.” She giggled and skipped away.
Chris, JC, Joey, Justin and Lance all stared in stunned silence. Not only was his name Tiny, he was also a someone’s Daddy!
“Tiny, these are my friends, Joey, Chris, JC, Justin, Lance and Shae.” Each mumbled a wide eyed greeting as Alex said their names.
Tiny soon had them sitting at a table with a round of drinks in front of them. Alex and he were laughing and catching up on the last year. At eight o’clock the doors opened and people started to spill in. After forty five minutes, there wasn’t a seat to be had in the entire place.
“Who ya got playing tonight?” Alex asked Tiny.
“Lexington Avenue.” Tiny replied with sly smile.
“Lexington Avenue? Really? Omigod, no way. I thought they’d be on their way to the big time by now.” Alex sounded surprised.
“They would be but they lost their original lead singer. They haven’t been able to find someone with as much talent as she had.” Tiny said with a sly grin. “I’ll think they will stay with us a little longer.” Alex’s expression changed.
“Lexington Avenue is a really great band .” She explained to the guys and Shae. “Your ears are really in for a treat tonight.”
Little Andrea reappeared with a beautiful young woman in tow. The older girl, about 19 years of age, was a mature version of the younger. When she saw Alex she squealed. “Alexandra! I can’t believe you’re here!” Alex stood up to give the girl a hug. “Wait till I tell the rest of the girls, They’ll just die!”
“No Kal, don’t tell them. I’m just here for a visit.” Alex sat back down between Tiny and Justin.
“I’ll be hearin’ none o’that nonsense.” Kalya responded with a wave of a finger.
“No really, Kal,” Alex pleaded. “I’m on holidays and I’m not going to work tonight. Besides, I don’t have my uniform.” Alex smiled, thinking she had put a stop to the conversation and had made her point clear.
Kalya bent down and whispered something in Tiny’s ear that made him laugh out loud. He grinned mischeviously and looked at Alex.
Alex threw her hand out in front of her and started to protest. “No Tiny! Don’t even think of it. I’m not-“ Tiny stood up, pulled Alex’s chair out and threw her over his shoulder. Alex yelled and giggled at the same time. She looked pleadingly at Justin and then to Chris.
“Don’t look at me,” Lance said to her. “Have you seen the size of that guy?”
Tiny laughed more and carried Alex through a door behind the bar. Kalya turned back to the shocked expression on Shae’s face and smiled. “Don’t worry, Daddy loves Alex like another daughter. He’s not going to hurt her.” She laughed and turned to Little Andrea. “Come on munchkin, you hafta get outta here before the band starts. You’re not old enough yet.” The two girls quickly disappeared through the door that Tiny had just taken Alex.
Shae broke the stunned silence that followed at their table. “Whoah, tough break for Alex, making her work when she didn’t want to. Look at this place. I can’t imagine serving drinks and waiting on tables in this crowd.”
All five men nodded in agreement.
Twenty minutes later Kalya returned with another round of drinks for the group. Joey pulled out his wallet to pay her. “No, Daddy says don’t worry about the bill tonight. Any friend of Alex’s is a friend of ours.” She winked at Joey and pointed to the bar. Tiny was standing behind the bar laughing at them and waved. There was no sign of Alex. She must be waiting on tables at the other end of the bar, Justin thought. This place was huge, it would be easy to go the whole night without seeing her.
Moments later, the crowd quieted a bit as the lights dimmed. Tiny walked across the stage to the microphone. “Live tonight! Just back from a mini-tour of the Maritimes, it’s Lexington Avenue!” The lights flashed red, yellow and orange as band members took to the stage. The band started to play a vamp as one of the guitar players spoke into the mic.
“How you feelin?” He yelled in to the crowd. The crowd clapped and cheered. “The first song we’re gonna play for you is an oldie, but you all know what it means!” He started to play his guitar and sing. The song was Girl, you really got me going. When he got to the end he repeated the chorus twice and then yelled at the crowd again. “She can’t hear me alone. If you want her to come out on stage you all have to sing with me!.” He played his guitar and sang the chorus again.

Girl, you really got me going,
You got me so I can’t sleep at night.
Oh yeah, You really got me now…..

Shae and they guys were completely enjoying themselves, caught up in the hype and energy of the people. Justin looked around for a quick glance of Alex but he could only see Kalya. She smiled, waved at him, and continued singing along with the band. The crowd grew louder and louder, chanting something that Justin couldn’t quite make out.
A tall woman appeared on the stage and the crowd got louder still. She was wearing a neon pink and green, micro-mini kilt and a tight white tank top similar to the one’s the waitresses had on. Joey wiggled his eyebrows at the cleavage she was showing. She had black patent leather 3 inch platforms on which tied all the way up from her ankles to her thighs. Her hair was a short blunt cut bob style that was dyed frosty silver pink. She wore thick sparkle-green eye shadow, long glittery eyelashes and bright red lipstick. She picked up a guitar and laid out a lick. Inching closer to the microphone she smiled sweetly. “Awww, did you miss me?” The crowd went wild as she launched into a heavy version of Bif Naked’s Spaceman.
The rest of the night went quickly. The band played for about an hour and a half. Shae even managed to get Justin to quit pouting about Alex not being there and to dance with her. Joey flirted with Kalya as much as possible whenever she came to refill their drinks. Chris sat at the table and listened intently to the band. He really liked their style and sound. He thought they might make a nice addition to his many side projects.

The crowd thinned out quickly after the band was done playing. Tiny sat and talked with the group until Alex re-appeared from the door behind the bar. Alex hugged Kalya and waved at Tiny. “I’m exhausted guys! Let’s get back to the cabin.”
Tiny called after them, “I’ll see you tomorrow night!”
Alex looked at Chris quizzically. “What?” He asked her.
“Are you coming back tomorrow?” Alex questioned him.
“Yeah, I really liked that band. How come you never told us that your full name was Alexandra?”
“You never asked.” She replied. “I told you you’d be surprised with the band.” Alex grinned wide.
“I was thinking that maybe I could use some of my connections and get them a contract. Or at least get them talking to some record companies. Alex, how well do you know the band? Do you think you could introduce me to that lead singer? She has an amazing voice.”
“Yeah,” Joey agreed, “And maybe you could get me her phone number. She was hot.”
Alex’s smile quickly faded and was replaced with a scowl. “Is this some kind of joke? It’s not funny. Lexington Avenue has worked very hard to get where they are. They don’t need you to make fun of that.”
Chris’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “No – I..”
“Why don’t you just stop talking.” She interrupted. The rest of the drive was in a confused silence.