Disclaimer: We do not own Ten Inch Hero.

*This chapter was written by LadyWallace.

Unwrapping Life

Chapter Twelve

Tish watched Priestly leave for the restroom with no small amount of regret. Having him there was like a wall of protection, without which she wasn't sure she could put up with her family.

Bettina seemed to know exactly how she was feeling though because she put down her fork, and touched the back of Tish's hand. "I'm going to go freshen up,"—of course their mother always insisted they say it like that—"Come with me, Tish?"

"Sure," Tish replied gratefully and reached for her purse to join Bettina.

However, when she looked up at her sister who had started to move down the aisle toward the bathroom, she realized she had stopped because Brad was standing right in her path.

Tish was instantly on her feet, hurrying toward her sister. "Hey," she said, anger flaring up. "Get out of the way, Brad."

The blond man smirked, his eyes grazing Bettina from head to toe. "I don't mean any harm. I just couldn't help but notice that this young lady shares your looks, Tish. I'm gonna guess little sister?"

Tish glared at him. "Yes, now move. Come on, Bee."

She grabbed her sister's arm and tried to shove past Brad, when Bettina gasped and Tish felt her pulled backwards. She spun around to see Brad had grabbed her sister's arm.

"Let her go!" she demanded.

"I just want to talk," Brad said, still with his slimy smile. "Just see if she has a better temper than her sister."

"Hey, you heard her, let her go."

Tish looked up at the sound of the cold voice and was surprised and relieved to see Priestly there. His hand was wrapped none-too-gently around Brad's wrist, as the blond man still gripped Bettina's arm.

Brad sneered at Priestly. "What? You a hero all of a sudden, freak? How about we go out back and I make you for the coward you really are?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Priestly said, his voice level as he squeezed Brad's wrist harder. "If you can still make a fist."

Brad's face was starting to show his pain as Priestly kept squeezing. Tish's eyes widened and she could almost imagine she heard Brad's bones creaking. But finally Brad let go of Bettina and Tish pulled her sister back several steps, arms around her as she could feel Bettina shaking.

"It's okay, Bee," Tish told her.

"Now," Priestly said in a low voice, still keeping his grip on Brad. "You're gonna walk out of here and go to wherever you go, and if I ever see you around my girlfriend or any of her friends and family again, I will break your arm, and any other bones in your body I feel like." He shoved Brad hard and the other man stumbled, clutching his wrist against his chest as he glared back at Priestly. But he didn't say anything else either, nor did he look at Tish and Bettina. He just spun on his heel and ran off.

Priestly stepped over to Tish and Bettina then, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Hey, are you alright? Bee, did he hurt you?"

"N-no," she replied and Tish rubbed her back comfortingly. "I'm just a little shaken up. I'll be fine in a minute though."

"Thanks, Priestly," Tish whispered and reached out to clasp his hand. He gave hers a warm squeeze.

It was then that Tish's parents finally made their way over to them.

"What on earth was that all about?" Jane demanded, looking around as if worried that people were watching them.

"You alright, honey?" William asked Bettina, a worried furrow in his brow.

"I'm fine, Daddy, but it's a good thing Priestly was there," Bee said and smiled slightly at Tish's boyfriend. Tish squeezed his hand briefly, grateful to her sister for at least trying to gain their parents' respect for Priestly.

"Well, that encounter was positively mortifying. I've called for the check so we can leave," Jane hissed under her breath. "I cannot believe you would allow something like that to happen, Platisha."

Tish opened her mouth to protest but Priestly squeezed her hand and cut in. "Mrs. Madison, it wasn't Tish's fault. Brad's been giving her trouble for a while. He's just a…jerk."

Jane looked nonplussed, huffing slightly. "Well, Platisha, that's all that you can expect from a string of shady ex-boyfriends."

"Mother!" Bettina protested, looking shocked.

"Brad wasn't ever my boyfriend," Tish snapped, shuddering inwardly at the memory of the whole Tad and Brad fiasco. Priestly put his arm around her shoulders.

Jane straightened, looking around again. "This really isn't a place to have this conversation. I cannot believe we can't even take you out into civilized company, Platisha. You have become so common."

"Jane," Tish's father said quietly to calm his wife. "Why don't the rest of you go outside. I'll pay the bill."

Tish felt tears pricking her eyes as her mother pulled Bee from her side and hustled her out to the parking lot. Priestly bent to kiss the top of her head.

"Don't worry, I don't think you're common. And I promise to make this all up to you later."

Tish leaned against his side gratefully, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Thanks, Priestly."

As they headed toward the front of the restaurant, Tish saw her father up paying the bill and decided to wait for him inside, not wanting to be out there with just her mother.

"Thank you," William Madison said as he turned around and spotted Tish and Priestly. He smiled at them briefly, before he frowned, pressing a hand to his chest.

"Daddy?" Tish asked, stepping forward to go to him, leaving Priestly's side. "Are you okay?"

"I think I'll be okay in a minute, honey. Let's go collect your mother before she has a conniption." But even as he said that, he stumbled, grunting in pain. Tish grabbed his arm and Priestly was right next to her.

"Mr. Madison, maybe you should sit down," Priestly told him, worry in his eyes.

Jane and Bettina came back in then, probably to see what was taking them so long, but as soon as she saw her husband she frowned.

"William, what's wrong?"

"Daddy?" Bettina asked, hurrying behind her.

William suddenly cried out and collapsed. Tish and Priestly barely caught him before he hit the floor. The hostess from the restaurant hurried over to see if she could help.

"Someone call 911, I think he's having a heart attack!" Priestly yelled, and Tish felt her breath leave her body as all she could do was stare down at her father, knowing there was something she should be doing, but not able to remember what it was.

"William!" Jane said, actually kneeling on the floor beside her husband and taking his face between her hands. "He's not breathing!"

"An ambulance is on its way," the hostess said, then turned to the guests in the restaurant whose attention had been attracted by the commotion. "Are there any doctors in here?"

"Hold on," Priestly said and took Jane's arm, nudging her gently. "Move over. Please," he added and, stunned, she did as she was told.

Tish watched, holding Bettina tightly, as Priestly stretched her father out on the floor and started to perform CPR on him. She was instantly glad that her boyfriend was able to think more quickly on his feet than she was. A few months ago, Trucker had insisted they all learn CPR after a guest nearly choked to death, but right now Tish couldn't even remember what to do.

She heard the sirens before too long, and soon the paramedics were rushing into the restaurant with a gurney and took over from Priestly.

"How long have you been resuscitating him?" one of them asked.

"I got through two rounds," Priestly told him, sounding tired. He went to put his arm around Tish.

"We'll get him to the hospital, you do know where it is?" the paramedic asked as his teammates loaded William onto the stretcher.

"Yes," Priesly told him.

"I'll go with you, I'm his wife," Jane told the paramedic and he ushered her out into the ambulance.

"We'll follow," Priestly said as he turned to Tish and Bettina. "It'll be okay, come on."

"Thank you, Priestly," Tish said shakily. "I—I couldn't even remember what to do. I hope he's…"

"Hey," Priestly told her, and stopped briefly to take her face between his hands. "I'm sure your dad is gonna be just fine. But let's get to the hospital. Your mom is gonna need you two right now."

Tish nodded and pulled Bettina with her over to Priestly's car, knowing she wasn't fit to drive just then. She decided that once they got to the hospital, she would call the Grill and see if someone could pick her car up from the restaurant.

She got into the backseat with Bettina and Priestly drove the few miles to the hospital where they went in through the ER and found Tish's mother in the waiting room, looking flustered and frightened.

Tish and Bettina hurried over to her. "Mom? Is Daddy okay? Have you heard anything yet?" Bettina asked worriedly.

Jane shook her head. "No, they still haven't come to talk to me yet. I just…" She looked beside herself and Tish quickly took her arm and pulled her mother over to one of the chairs.

"Why don't you sit down, Mom? I'm sure they'll let us know what's going on soon."

Jane slumped into the chair and Bettina took up a seat beside her. Tish and Priestly sat on her other side and fell silent. Tish was worried about her father, it was horrible to not have seen him for so many years and then now he was in the hospital. But it was almost even odder to see her mother so distraught. Of course Tish had seen her mother flustered and being dramatic, especially toward her, but she didn't think she had ever seen her truly scared, and it made her more…human somehow.

Priestly reached over for Tish's hand and she turned to him with a grateful smile, placing her hand into his large palm. It was good to know she had someone so dependable in her life. Someone she could actually rely on to be there when she needed them. She knew for a fact that Tad never would have done that.

It seemed like an eternity before the doctor came out.

"Family of William Madison?" he asked.

"Yes," Jane said, as they all stood up. "Is my husband alright?"

The doctor smiled reassuringly at her. "His prognosis is good. He had a small heart attack, but from the x-rays we took, it seems to be the result of only a small blockage in the arteries so he should make a full recovery."

Jane breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank heavens."

The doctor turned to Priestly then. "Were you the one who gave him CPR?" he asked.

Priestly shifted beside Tish, slightly nervous. "Yes, sir."

"Well, I think you saved his life," The doctor told him sincerely. "It might have been a lot worse otherwise."

Tish looked up at her boyfriend who had a stunned look on his face and felt gratitude and pride sweep through her. She turned to the doctor. "When can we see my dad?"

"We're getting him situated, but once he's set up you can come and visit him for a few minutes. We'll keep him here for observation for a few days. I'll come get you when he's ready for visitors."

Relief washed over the group as the doctor left to see to his duties and Jane turned toward Tish and Priestly. Tish tightened her fingers around Priestly's hand.

"It's gonna be okay, Mom," Tish told her mother.

Jane nodded, taking a breath and managing somehow to compose herself again. "Yes." She turned to Priestly then, and for the first time actually looked him in the eye without disdain. "I believe I owe you an apology."

Priestly shook his head with a small smile. "No worries, Mrs. Madison."

"You saved my husband's life," Jane said firmly. "And you protected my daughter when that man was threatening her. I—I think I may have misjudged you."

Tish smiled at her mom as Jane reached out her hand and Priestly took it with a smile. "I think you're probably very good for Platisha."

"I think we're good for each other," Priestly told her sincerely. "You have a wonderful daughter, Mrs. Madison."

Jane looked at Tish and nodded slightly with a small, unpracticed smile. Tish felt her eyes prick with tears. That might have been the first time her mother had actually looked at her with something akin to pride. Perhaps it wasn't too late for her to gain her mother's admiration after all.

The End

*Thanks for reading! Epilogue to follow.