They Called Her Fay Wray

Chapter 5

  Luca was so improved that he was allowed to go back to the gorilla enclosure that day. And for the very first time an ape was able to be returned to its home without having to be chained or sedated first. It was quite a sight, the young silver-back, being escorted home by the little blind girl, with the handlers following close on their heels.

The only minor hiccup was the new handler, Franklin's young trainee, panicking and raising his tranquilizer gun as the oldest female gorilla strutted towards Amanda. Franklin made him lower it, however, then grinned as the new guy stood and watched in awe as the old female embraced and kissed and nuzzled and welcomed Amanda as if she were one of her grandchildren. And many of the other gorillas soon did the same.

"Oh my God," Amanda heard the new guy laugh as Luca, after a brief bit of rough and tumble with some of his same age companions, sauntered back to Amanda and pressed a small bouquet of flowers in to her hand before giving her a huge gorilla hug, lifting her a little off her feet as he hugged her.

Even Franklin was amazed by this.

"Fays got a boyfriend," Franklin lightly teased her as he drove her back to Will's house later that day. "Fay's gotta boyfriend. Fay's gotta boyfriend."

"Shut up," Amanda protested, laughing, and clutching her gift from Luca.

"Sorry, precious. I can't. I promised your brother I'd stand in for him while he was gone. And I'm sure he'd say ... Fays gotta boyfriend."

"He'd get his coconut cracked for it, too," Amanda warned her friend and driver. "But I can't do that while you're driving, can I."

Franklin made two stops, one to get Amanda a real vase for her present, and the other to buy some ice cream and cotton candy.

"All your teeth will fall out if you eat all that," Franklin warned the little girl gravely.

"I'm not gonna eat it all. I'm going to share most of it with Caesar," Amanda told him.

Franklin heaved a heavy sigh.

"What?" Amanda demanded. "Caesar likes ice cream and cotton candy."

But Franklin only tutted.

"I just don't know how I'm gonna do it," he sighed mournfully.

"Do what? Don't be weird, Robbie," Amanda demanded.

"Well, I just don't know how I'm gonna break it to Luca that you've got another boyfriend," Franklin teased. "It's gonna break his heart, you know."

"Oh, shut up, Lewis!" Amanda groaned using her older brother's name in place of Franklin's name and blushed again. She waited until they pulled in to Will's place and Franklin shut off the car before she really planted one elbow in to his ribs.

Caesar bounded out the front door with Charles close behind.

"How's it going, Mr. R," Franklin greeted Charles as Amanda handed a chocolate ice cream cone to Caesar. "This is hours. I'll split the cotton candy with you later this evening, after dinner maybe, okay?"

Caesar nodded and dived in face first to his cone.

"Hey Fay, don't run away yet. Don't forget your boyfriend's present," Franklin reminded her, handing her the few flowers Luca' gave her, now tucked away in a beautiful slim crystal vase that sparkled in the sun.

"Where's the Doc," Franklin asked Charles, who was beaming like a proud grandfather at Amanda and Caesar.

"locked in his office again on a conference call with Jacobs, I think. Want me to get him? He'll love the excuse to hang up."