Easter's Lilly (21 page)

“
If you hadn’t fallen in love with me, would you have left me there?” I asked.

“
I was in love with you within the first five minutes I saw you,” he answered. “From the moment your pretty eyes met mine. We were locked in, remember?”

“
Of course I do.” I smiled. “I saw your… yes I remember.”

He laughed a little. “So, there’s no doubt, you were destined to be stuck with me.” I reached over the seat and grabbed his hand. “I would never say stuck,” I answered. “I can’t wait to…” I paused. “Be alone again.”

“
Still in the car,” Hector said. “Leticia and I are still here.”

“
I can’t wait either,” Max responded. “But it’s a long drive to Arizona.” Hector picked up the phone and called, of all people, my dad. “Mick, is Olivia there yet?” Let me talk to her.” He began a long conversation in Spanish and then started talking to my dad again. “It went just like you wanted. We’re clear and we’ve got Lilly, the baby and Leticia.” He hung up the phone.

“
Okay, not my dad,” I said. “He’s the chief of police for Sedona.”

“
Yes he is,” Max answered. “He is also in charge of narcotics for the FBI. You’re going to find this very amusing, I’m sure,” Max continued. “But he’s our boss.” I was floored. “I have to say that I’m a little mad at him for not introducing me to you sooner,” Max continued. “Didn’t he know what a great couple we’d be?”

“
Your boss?” I was still in shock. “So many things are starting to make sense now,” I said. “Like when my mom died and my dad sort of
turned
to you. I always thought that was strange.”

“
Hey,” Max said in his usual smart mouthed tone, “I am quite charming.”

“
Always the clown,” Hector added. “Always the clown.”

When we got to Sedona, Dieguito and I were sound asleep in the back of the car. Leticia carried the baby inside and when I opened my eyes, Max was trying to carry me out of the car. “You’re so cute,” I said. “You could just wake me.”

“
You are too beautiful when you sleep to disturb.” He helped me out of the car and we started for the front door. My dad opened it and hugged me first and then Max. Hector was already in an embrace with Olivia inside the living room. My dad put his hand on my stomach. “Oh no… why didn’t you tell me what that filthy dog did to my baby?”

“
No, no, Mick. The baby’s mine,” Max confessed. “I hope you’re okay with that.”

“
Are you sure?” he asked. “I mean, really sure?”

“
I’m pretty sure that you don’t want the details, so let me just say,
yes
I am very sure,” Max answered. He hugged Max and kissed me and said, “I am so happy for you. What a wonderful day!”

“
You don’t mind that I’m having a baby with a man who I’m not married to?” I asked.

“
This is just a temporary situation,” my dad stated. “Right Max?”

“
I’d marry her today if Diego wasn’t an issue. Lilly is everything to me.”

“
I know that,” my dad answered. “I’m just messing with you.” He patted Max on the back. “I think I knew you were in love before you did.”

“
Not possible,” he responded. “I fell in love with her from the first moment I met her.”

“
Lilly, Dieguito is getting restless. I’m going to take him for a walk if that’s okay,” Leticia asked me.

“
Thanks, Leticia, that would be great.” The two of them left and I must admit that I was a little relieved. One less thing to worry about.

“
It’s time to tell Olivia,” Dad said. “She doesn’t know.” He looked at Max. “Does Lilly know?”

“
We told her in the car,” he answered. “The FBI in the parking lot tipped her off.” He laughed.

“
Are you angry, sweetheart?” he asked me.

“
No, dad, I’m not angry.” I thought about it for a minute. “Maybe at you for keeping this a secret for so many years.”

“
I know, I am truly sorry.” He took my hands. “Keeping you safe has always been a priority.” He sighed. “Then you got all mixed up with Johnny and here we all are.”

“
I’ll take care of her, Mick.” Max looked very sincere. “She’ll be fine.” We all sat down in the living room and Olivia looked at me curiously. “What’s going on?” she asked. “What are you not telling me?”

Hector pulled out his badge and showed it to her. She got up and smacked him across the face. “How dare you!” she shouted. “How could you not tell me something so important? I had no idea you were having them all arrested.”

“
I knew bringing her here was a mistake,” my dad added. “She’s not on our side.”

“
You’re damn right, I’m not,” she answered. “I have to be loyal to my husband and Diego.”

“
What?” Hector asked. “Since when?”

“
Since you threw them both in jail,” she replied. “You had them arrested tonight, didn’t you? It was you!”

Just then my dad’s phone rang. He picked it up and went into the kitchen so he could be out of earshot. When he came back in, he sat down. Then Olivia’s phone rang. “It’s done?” Max asked him.

“
Done,” he repeated. “They are asking for their wives.” My cell phone began to ring just after Olivia’s.

“
Don’t answer it,” Max told me. But Olivia picked up hers. She walked off with it but Hector followed her, to make sure she didn’t give them up just yet. My phone rang and then beeped that there was a message. I looked at it as though it was going to burn me if I picked it up. “Go ahead,” Max, said. “Check the message.” I put the phone on speakerphone and hit messages. “Lilly,” he said. “Someone ratted us out to the FBI and Jorge and I are in jail. I need you to call my lawyer. The number is in the top drawer by the coffee maker.” He paused. “Make sure you call Max and Hector and let them know. All the leaders are in custody. It doesn’t look good. I love you.” Max closed the phone.

“
They don’t know what happened yet.” He looked over as Hector and Olivia walked back into the room. “It’s just a matter or time.”

“
She gave us up,” Hector blurted. “She wants to leave.”

“
I’ll call her a cab,” my dad answered. “They were going to find out eventually. I was just hoping it wouldn’t be from one of you.”

“
How could you, Lilly?” she asked me. “Diego is your husband.”

“
What about Hector?” I asked her. “Aren’t you carrying his baby?”

Max and I sat on the couch together while my dad went to call a cab. Hector and Olivia were standing by the door face to face. “It’s not even your baby, Hector.”

“
What?” he asked. “Of course it is.” Max and I looked at each other in shock.

“
No, it’s not.” she repeated. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to tell you.”

“
Was there someone else?” he asked.

“
The baby belongs to Max,” she answered.

Hector and I looked at him and my dad walked back into the room and said, “It better not be.”

“
It certainly is NOT!” Max spouted. “Olivia, why would you even say something like that? You and I have never slept together.”

“
Come on Max, its time to come clean.” She walked towards him and he quickly stood up and walked behind the couch away from her.

“
That is
not
my baby.” He looked at Hector. “Brother, you don’t doubt me, do you?”

“
No, I know you wouldn’t…” he paused, “didn’t.” He stopped. “Olivia, what are you doing?”

“
How does it feel to be lied to and betrayed?” She looked at me. “Now, you’ll never be sure if I’m telling the truth or not, will you Lilly?”

“
I’m sure,” I answered. “You’re a liar.”

“
Look, I don’t do casual sex, you know that,” Max blurted.

“
What about Darla?” she asked. “That was pretty casual.” He stepped back and swallowed hard as he looked at me for a reaction.

“
That’s why I don’t have casual sex anymore,” he said in a defeated tone.

“
What’s Lilly?” she asked.

“
Everything,” he replied. “She is my everything.”

“
The baby’s Diego’s,” she sputtered, suddenly changing her story.

“
Diego’s?” Hector asked. Now we were all really confused.

“
Diego’s?” I asked. “When did he have time?”

“
Doesn’t feel good to be cheated on, does it little white girl.” I was stunned. It was hard to watch her flip out like that. The cab came and she pushed Hector back. “Don’t follow me, policeman. We’re done!” She slapped him across the face a second time and walked out the door. Hector looked at Max and said, “What the hell was that?”

“
I don’t know,” Max answered. “Maybe she
is
sleeping with Diego. I just don’t know.” We watched her from the window get into the cab and then we heard machine gun fire. Max grabbed me and threw me to the ground before he got on top of me and covered my face. My dad and Hector also hit the floor. When the shooting stopped Hector screamed out Olivia’s name and ran out the door. “Hector, no!” Max shouted.

“
I’ve got Lilly, you go after him,” my dad demanded.

“
No,” Max said, “I’m not leaving her.”

“
She’s my daughter, for God’s sake, go after him!” My dad came over and sat on the couch beside where I was on the floor and Max went after his brother. “Stay down a little longer,” he said. “I want to make sure it’s over.” We waited and then he picked me up and sat me on the couch. “Are you two all right?” he asked.

“
Fine, dad, we’re fine.” I was never happier that my son wasn’t with me. When I called Leticia on her cell phone, she said that they were fine and playing at a near by park. Thank God.

After a few minutes Max walked back into the house covered in blood. His hands, his face and his shirt were saturated. It was obvious that he had been hugging his brother trying to get him out of the blood filled cab.

“
She’s gone,” he said. “Olivia… the baby…” he paused, “my brother is holding her body… he’s devastated.”

“
Lilly,” my dad said. “Go clean him up.”

“
Yes sir,” I answered.

“
I’ll go get your brother.” He left us and walked out the door. I took Max into the kitchen and sat him on a stool. I grabbed a towel, wet it and started cleaning the blood off of his hands. Then I put it up to his face and cleaned the blood off of his cheek and forehead. I put the towel down and started unbuttoning his shirt. I pulled it off and started cleaning off his chest. He put my face into his hands and kissed me. I kissed him back and he pulled me close. I had never seen him like this before. I was afraid he was going to try to make love with me right there on the kitchen floor.

“
Lilly,” he said. “Show me your old bedroom.”

“
Now?” I asked in surprise.

“
Right
now,” he said without hesitation. I took his hand and walked him to my bedroom. I could see a certain amount of vulnerability in his eyes. He walked me in and locked the door behind me. Then he wasted no time in getting my clothes off and making love to me. Every time I called out his name, he seemed more motivated to make me do it again. When the loving was over he collapsed beside me and we were both out of breath. “Are you all right?” I asked him.

“
We just never know,” he said, still trying to catch his breath, “how much time we have.” He kissed me. “I wanted to make sure that I was with you… one more time.”

I kissed him and pushed myself into his arms. “This was not the last time,” I told him. “We will be forever.” We held each other for a few minutes. I think this was the only time we made love in less than two hours.

He kissed me and pulled me up off of the bed. “I’m sorry it’s so fast,” he said. “But your dad will not be happy with me. Let’s go check on Hector.”

We walked out of the bedroom and my dad was just closing the bathroom door. We could hear the shower going, so we knew Hector was cleaning up.

“
I apologize, sir,” Max started. “I mean no disrespect to you or your daughter.” My dad looked at him with a look of assurance. “I guess I just…” He stopped for a minute. “I think I just lost control.”

My dad patted him on the back. “It’s okay son.” He shot him a smile. “I have lost control so many times.” He took a few minutes to collect his thoughts. “I have come back from a job where someone was senselessly murdered and came home only to take Bobby into my arms and make love to her all night.”

“
Too much information!” I told him.