The Entertainment

The Entertainment Chapter 20-1 © 2011 by SheaRyhai

The Man She Knew

“We need to lose him for a couple hours,” Xavier whispered against Salina's ear, nodding over her shoulder to where Gavin paced by the car on the phone.

“Why?” Salina asked surprised.

“There's somewhere you need to be today, and something I need to show you. Don't worry, I got it all planned out,” Xavier explained with a conspiratorial wink. Slipping his hand around her good arm, he indicted for them to walk towards the back of the building.

“Wait, Xavier-” Salina hissed, pulling to a stop when they rounded the corner out of Gavin's line of sight. “I can't do this.”

“Can't do what?” Xavier looked at her perplexed.

“This. Going where you tell me to go, no questions asked,” Salina fumed.

“No one said you can't ask, just might not be answered,” Xavier joked playfully.

“Give me one reason why I should trust you any more than Gavin,” she pressed pointedly. The humor quickly left his face as he turned to face her squarely, invading her personal space with his usual intimidating stare.

“You mean aside from what you already know about him?” Xavier asked with an arched eyebrow.

“I don't exactly know a lot about you either,” Salina pointed out meekly. 'Except that you're gay, according to your half sister.' Some how bring that up now didn't seem the wisest of choices.

“Fine, what do you need to know. We both have the same enemy, who we both want to destroy,” Xavier answered looking faintly irritated. “I told you I would help you do that, and I mean to keep my word.”

“Okay,” Salina let out a deep breath as he stepped back giving her space. “So where are you taking me – does it have anything to do with Connor?”

“No,” Xavier gritted through clenched teeth. Salina frowned.

“So why should I go with you than?” she demanded.

“Because it's today, isn't it?”

Salina squinted up at him confused, and for a moment he smiled at her sympathetically.

“Salina, your Dad died today. When's the last time you visited his grave?” he asked curiously.

She almost chocked, eyes widening as she slowly remembered the month and day. 'How did he know? And how – had she forgotten?'

“Two – years,” she answered, throat clamping up against the grief.

“Then you need to stop wasting time and come with me,” Xavier said confidently, taking her good wrist and pulling her towards the back entrance. A car waited, the driver pulling away, while Xavier and Salian ducked in the back seats as they drove past the entrance where Gavin was still pacing.

A few minutes later they were boarding a private jet, courtesy of Arthur Hughes, and on their way to Arizona. Salina sat wordlessly beside Xavier, who made a quick call home to tell Mrs. Hughes he would be missing dinner. The conversation was brief and cold, confirming her guess that he didn't really get along with most of his family.

Fidgeting with the cast around her wrapped wrist, Salina tried not to think of the last time she'd been in Arizona. She wasn't sure if it was the trip or her nerves, but her stomach felt uneasy for the rest of the flight. They touched down less then forty-five minutes later. Xavier escorted her down the steps where his familiar black motorcycle waited.

“If you'd rather take the car,” Xavier gestured to a waiting limo. She grimaced at the thought of driving through her old neighborhood in that, and shook her head. Slipping the helmet over her head, she fumbled with the straps until Xavier captured them and adjusted it comfortably around her neck. When she climbed behind him on the motorcycle he clenched her good hand against his jacket tightly, as if worried she might fall off.

The kinder he acted to her the weirder it felt. 'Where exactly did the jerk I know disappear too?' She wondered as he pulled off slowly, guiding the motorcycle through the nearly empty streets towards the edge of town and its waiting cemetery. Hughes security team followed behind in a civilian jeep, keeping a safe distance behind them.

It was about 5 PM when they slowed down to pull into the cemetery. Salina was about to offer directions but Xavier seemed to know where to go. They parked, the jeep pulling up beside them. One of the men stepped out with a batch of red roses which he passed to Xavier.

“To leave behind,” he explained, taking her elbow and leading her up the path.

The cool evening breeze could not erase the warmth of the passing day. Salina tried not to look at all the well kept grave stones, surrounded by fresh flowers and ornaments. Guilt pricked her, wondering if her focus on revenge had blinded her too much. Recognizing the old okay tree ahead, her steps slowed while her heart beat increased. Mixed feelings, buried feelings seemed to be at war in her chest. Unconsciously she reached down to grasp Xavier's hand tightly. He glanced her way but said nothing as they approached the third to last row.

'Four slots over. The ground freshly dug, while the casket rested neatly over the open earth.' She remembered the simple headstone she had chosen, spending 300$ for her father's finale statement felt wrong but it was all she could afford with the move to L.A.

Four slots over a different headstone stood out in sharp contrast to the ones around it. Two angels with crossed swords knelt while crying over the white marble headstone. A white vase built into the stone platform below held wilting roses.

'This can't be right..'

Her eyes narrowed in on the words carved elegantly against the smooth shining surface.

'Here lies my noble brother, gone from his loving family too soon. May he rest among the angels in heaven who deserve his love better than I did. Our parents await you dear brother. I hope you can forgive the stubbornness and pride that kept us apart for so long.'

Below this read: 'Johnny DiNapoli – Beloved Brother and Father'

“You weren't the only with something to hide,” Xavier spoke softly, breaking the silence that was suffocating her frozen mind. A broken lap worked its way past her lips.

“This has to be the wrong grave,” she looked at Xavier, hope faltering at his stone expression. Releasing her arm he knelt in front of the tomb, pulling a small rusty case from behind the marble vase. Standing, he held it out to her.

“You left this behind for him, didn't you?”

'The old Christmas box filled with momentous that reminded her of him. Photos of his last birthday, the pocket knife he carried with him on every trip, his lucky two sided Canadian coin, a single wilted rose bud, and the electric shaver she had bought the week before he died.'

She recognized the box, it was a gift from Ethan's girlfriend, once filled with home made chocolate chip cookies. Raising her cast helpless, she shook her head. Understanding, Xavier opened the box with some difficulty, holding it out for her to confirm. 'They were all there.'

“But, that's not his name,” she mumbled confused staring at the stone.

“A name can be changed,” Xavier reminded her gently.

'He was right of course. She had plenty of experience with that. But why had her father never mentioned any of this? Another name? A brother she'd never heard about?' Judging by the size and quality of the headstone they had plenty of money. Salina tightened her left fist. 'This was all too ridiculous.'

“They moved his grave – this – It can't be him,” she grasped at all the possible explanations. “Someone wanted this spot so they paid to move him-” 'Yes, that made sense. Rich people could be very picky.' Content with this, she moved to search the rest of the row. Then the one above it. Then the one below. Xavier finally caught her arm pulling her to a stop.

“Salina, I know this is a shock. But you have to accept this. Does this help explain why Mr. Kennedy and whoever he's working for went out of their way to help you?”

“No. I don't understand. I don't understand any of this!” Her voice sounded strangely high pitched, like she was gong crazy. 'Of course I'm going crazy. What the hell am I supposed to do?' Before she could come up with an answer Xavier pulled her into a gentle hug. “Who am I?” Salina whispered aloud.

“If you really want to know, I'll tell you. But it's very complicated, and I'll warn you now – you probably won't like it.”

'This is too much.' Salina pressed her face into his shirt, wanting to push all these uncertain thoughts away. It was bad enough becoming and actress, pretending to be someone she wasn't was tearing away at her sense of identity, but now – even her father wasn't the man she thought he was.

“Salina?” Xavier whispered. She shook her head.

“I don't now – I don't. Please, can we just go back,” she pleaded. He patted her back gently, nodding yes against her head. When he pulled away, she watched him carefully remove the wilted roses and fill the vase with the fresh batch of scarlet bulbs. She stared at the strange name written above her father's grave one last time before they both walked towards the parking lot.

Salina took the car back, and Xaiver sat beside her quietly. The plane trip was brief and quiet as well. Another classy car waited at the private air port. Before they left, Salina was given back her purse and cell phones. Then another quiet drive to Salina's hotel.

“I'm sorry,” Xavier spoke breaking the silence. “If I could have told you another way – I didn't think you'd believe me without seeing.” A weak smile flickered across her face as she looked out the window.

“I don't know what to believe,” she answered, watching the darkness slowly light up with city lights again. A few more moments of silence passed.

“Salina,” Xavier sighed. “What ever happens, I'll be looking out for you. If you're in trouble you can come to me. Okay?”

'Strange, but right now the only face she was thinking of was Gavin's.' The realization didn't make her feel any better.

They pulled up in front of the hotel. The door man stepped forward to hold an umbrella above their door. Salina hadn't even noticed the light rain, crossing her left hand over her right to open the door she pushed when Xavier gently gripped her shoulder.

“I should probably walk you up,” he suggested looking worried.

“No,” she said simply, shaking her head. Pushing the door out, she stepped underneath the umbrella that shielded her all the way to the doors.

Pressing the button for her floor in the elevator, Salina stared at the closing doors, at her reflection.

'Johnny DiNapoli, who was he?'

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Salina stepped out, fumbling through her purse for the keys. Two hands grabbed her from behind and pushed her roughly against the wall. Unable to block its impact, Salina twisted so that her shoulder, and not her face, slammed into the wall. Before she could recover she was spun around and a large hand, connected to a bulking man with balding hair, wrapped itself around her neck pinning her to the wall.

“And just where have you been Missy?” the gruff menacing man demanded. Blinking past tears and struggling for air the third time that day, Salina stared at her attacker, feeling numb fear.

“What, not going to answer me? You ungrateful lit-”

The hands released her abruptly as an arm wrapped itself around the mans neck, and squeezed. Salina sank to the floor, swallowing down deep breaths, while trying to crawl away from the mans flailing legs. Dazed she stared at Gavin, his expression dark and cold, as he slowly and deliberately suffocated the man. Just as her attackers face was turning purple, Gavin released him, kicking his body down to the floor, where he placed his foot on the back of the man's neck.

“Touch her again Frank, and I'll kill you before Carlos gets a chance too,” Gavin growled. Then his enraged eyes turned on Salina, and she flinched fearfully.

“My apartment. Now!” Gavin ordred pointing towards the open door.

She tried to stand up but her body seemed unable to comply. Before she could protest, Gavin picked her up and marched over Frank's body into the room, where he kicked the door closed. After setting her down on the couch, he pulled a kitchen chair over and sat in front of her. Then he picked up her purse from the floor and dumped its contents on the coffee table. Both cell phones fell out and Salina, dropped her gaze, afraid to look at him.

She heard him turn the cell phone on, and click the buttons to search its memory. As much as she wanted to feel grateful about deleting all messages and phone numbers, she knew that wasn't going to save her now. He tossed the cell phone in her lap, forcing her to look up at him.

“You – are going to tell me – everything!” Gavin spoke with enough anger to make her shiver.