Easter's Lilly (16 page)

“
That’s what Johnny said,” I answered. “That’s just what he said.”

“
Lilly, he
will
have to find someone else, he isn’t coming back,” Diego started and I cocked the gun.

“
Shut up you idiot!” Max shouted at Diego.

“
Max!
” Hector said in a desperate tone.

“
I know,” Max replied, “I heard it.” He reached for the gun but I moved and he stopped. “Lilly, I’m not Johnny. You’re my everything.”

“
No,” I said, “I can’t live like this anymore. You’re leaving me here and I’m pregnant with Diego’s baby. I can’t do this without you.” I put my finger on the trigger. “Its over Max.”

“
Diego, tell her she can have a few minutes with me before I go,” Max pleaded. Diego said nothing. “Tell her!” he shouted.

“
Lilly, you can have as much time as you need with him before he leaves.” Diego was scared; I could hear it in his voice.

“
Lilly…” Max’s voice was very calm and his hand was gently pushing the gun to the floor. “I’m going to take the gun away. Don’t move, Lilly.” He pulled the gun away and slipped it into Diego’s hand, who was standing behind him. “Good girl,” he said. There were deep sighs all through the room. “Come with me into the living room.”

“
No,” I said. “No, it’s over.” The truth was that I couldn’t move my legs. He picked me up into his arms and carried me into the living room. He sat on the couch and put me in his lap. Then he put his hands on my face and kissed me over and over until he thought I might be coherent again. I could see Diego, Hector and Jorge watching from the kitchen. Max lifted up my chin so I would be looking at him. “Lilly, whose baby are you carrying?” He said it almost in a whisper.

“
I don’t know,” I answered. “It’s him, then you, its him, then you…” I put my hands over my face. “I don’t remember.” I started sobbing.

“
Lilly, look at me.” I turned my face so I could see his eyes. “It’s
my
baby. You’re carrying
my
baby.”

“
How can you be sure?” I asked.

“
I’m very sure.” He reached up and brushed my hair from my sweaty brow.

“
Thank God,” I responded and I threw my arms around his neck.

“
You can’t fall apart on me, baby girl. You have to stay strong.”

“
I’m sorry, Max, but I know I’ll never see you again.”

“
I want you to pack a bag for you and one for the baby.” He kissed me and turned his head away so the men in the kitchen couldn’t see what he was saying. “I will be back in two months and we will have little time to get out, so you must be ready.” He continued, “If Diego sees the bag, you tell him it’s a pregnancy emergency bag, okay?”

“
Yes sir,” I answered. “I pack a bag for me and Dieguito and have it ready for when you return in two months.”

“
Good girl,” he said and he gently brushed my cheek with his fingers. “Whose baby are you carrying?”

“
Yours,” I answered. “I’m a little over two months now, right.”

“
I think so,” he replied. “You’re coming back to me now, that’s good.”

“
I’m okay, Max,” I answered. “I just can’t imagine being without you for so long.”

“
Hector will take care of you.” He smiled. “But don’t get too attached. I know how you get with your bodyguards.” I laughed. “Oh and one more thing,” he added. “You’ll have to stop seeing Diego when I get back. I’ll be done sharing at that time, got it.” I laughed a little more. “Okay Lilly, who’s the father of your baby?”

I smiled. “I’m all right Max. It’s you and only you.”

“
Am I coming back?” he asked.

“
Yes, in two months,” I answered.

“
Stay strong querida.” He took my face into his hands and kissed me.

“
If you
don’t
come back, I
will
end my life,” I told him, “after our baby is born.”

“
I’ll be back, I promise.” Tears started falling from his eyes. “Please promise me…” He paused. “No suicide.” He grabbed me and kissed me hard and pulled me close. I almost lost control. “Promise me Lilly, promise me.”

“
I’ll wait for you, Max,” I promised.

“
I’ll be thinking of nothing else,” he added. “When this is all over, we’ll get married and make it legal.” I kissed him again and Diego came out.

“
Okay, that’s enough,” he said.

Jorge came out and pulled his gun and pointed it at Max. “Let’s go, half-breed.”

“
No guns,” Diego told him. He pushed the gun to the floor much like Max did to me. “No guns, he’ll go.”

“
I’ll go,” he agreed. He kissed me one more time and got up. “Remember what I said.” He blew me a kiss as Jorge shoved him out the door. Hector and Diego stared at me with not a clue of what to do next. I sat on the couch feeling empty and cold.

“
Do you want me to handle this?” Hector asked.

“
She’s
my
wife, I’ll handle her.” Diego began to approach me.

“
I want Hector,” I said with little emotion in my voice.

“
Lilly let’s go,” Diego said calmly as he put out his hand.

“
I
want
Hector!” I yelled.

Hector looked at Diego for a minute and said, “Let me take care of her tonight. You can trust me with her.”

Diego backed up and said something to Hector in Spanish. Then Hector put his hand out for me to take it. “Come on Lilly.” I stood up and took his hand. “You can sleep in my room and I’ll sleep on the floor.” I realized that Diego had probably suggested the sleeping arrangement in Spanish.

“
That’s fine,” I agreed. “I don’t want to be alone.” We walked passed Diego who was watching me like he thought I might break. We walked in silence to Hector’s bedroom and he led me to his bed. I sat there motionless. He took out some covers and a pillow from the closet and laid them on the floor. Then he took off his pants right in front of me and slipped on some sweats. I was a little surprised that he was okay with my seeing him in his underwear but he seemed so at home with me just sitting there. Then he took off his shirt and revealed his marble-like chest. He put on a tee shirt and smiled. “What?”

“
How did you get to be so modest?” I asked sarcastically.

“
Sorry,” he said. “You’ve seen Diego and Max undress… what’s the difference?”

“
The difference is that I don’t get naked with you.” He laughed and threw me a pair of sweatpants that looked to be my size. “My emergency, girl pair,” he said with a chuckle. “Here’s a tee shirt. Get comfortable, I’ll be right back.” He walked out. I changed quickly so as not to get caught undressed and slid under the covers. He was oddly neat and clean like Maxwell. Everything in its place. The room almost smelled sterile. When he came back he had a pillow with him. “Here.” He put it under my head and moved the other to the side. “It’s Max’s.” I smelled it first thing and he smiled. Then he got himself set up on the floor.

“
Hector?” I asked.

“
Yes Lilly.”

“
Will you do something for me?”

“
Yes Lilly, anything.”

“
Will you hold me?” He looked at me for a minute, not sure what to say.

“
In there?” he asked, pointing to the bed.

“
Please Hector. I really want you to put your arms around me. Make me feel safe?” He thought about it for another minute. He stood up and locked the door.

“
If anyone asks, I slept on the floor… alone.” He crawled into bed with me and spooned me. He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and I let out a sigh. “Is this what you want?” he asked.

“
Yes,” I answered. “Thank you.”

“
This
so
has to stay between us, Lilly. My brother… you know the one… the psycho Iron Man?” I laughed. “He will shoot me first and ask you about it later. This is between us, okay?”

“
Between us,” I agreed. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up Hector was staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head and I was wrapped around him with my head on his chest. “So totally inappropriate,” he said nervously. “If Max knew what I had wrapped around me right now, he would totally kill me.”

“
I’m sorry, Hector, but I feel so safe with you.” I tightened my grip around his chest.

“
You feel nice,” he said. “I’m starting to see why they are both so desperate to have you.”

“
Am I arousing you?” I asked in a joking tone.

“
No Lilly, it’s just morning.” He laughed a little. “And keep your eyes up here.” He pointed to his eyes. I snuggled closer into his chest. I put my hand under his tee shirt for a second. I simply had to feel that chest. He grabbed my hand and moved it back to the outside of his shirt.

“
Lilly?” He put his fingers under my chin and pointed my face up. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

“
Sorry,” I answered. “It won’t happen again.”

“
I’m sure Max and the bronze God have just as hard a chest as I do.”

“
I don’t know,” I said. “You won’t let me touch it.” He laughed.

“
No, you can’t touch it.” He stroked my hair. “I’m only a man, you know. I’m strong, but let’s not see
how
strong.”

I moved my hand back to where it was before so that I was wrapped around him. I sighed a little as I pressed my head back down on his chest. “He’ll be back for you, you know,” he told me. “It’s not over.”

“
I know that’s what he said,” I answered. “But they all say they’ll come back but they don’t.” I was trying to discretely feel his muscles from over his tee shirt. He suddenly rolled over on top of me and put his hands behind my back. He pulled me into him and pressed his cheek against mine. I could feel his breath in my ear and it was shockingly stimulating. I moaned slightly and when I did, he pulled away quickly and repositioned me back on his chest. I was breathless. He was smiling.

“
What was that?” I asked in shock. This was not something Hector and I would ever do. I was just messing around with him but learned better after that.

“
That
, little girl is what you do
not
want to happen. So… watch your hands.” I was still breathless. “Did I get to you?” he asked.

“
Yes,” I answered bashfully. “It was both terrifying and exciting at the same time.” He peered down at me almost proud of himself. “I’ll bet you’re good at that.”

“
I’m sure I’m no better than Max,” he replied, reminding me not to get any ideas.

“
I’m just saying…” I paused. “Wow!”

“
Lilly, that is a part of me that I will never share with you.” He touched my face for a second. “At least I’m not planning on it.”

“
Well, if you don’t want to share that part of yourself with me, don’t do
that
again,” I said. He was red in the face and laughing.

“
You’re adorable.” He went back to stroking my hair. “This just feels very comfortable.”

“
I told you,” I replied. “I promise, I’ll behave. I just wanted to feel your chest.” He put his other hand on my back under my shirt. He slid his fingers up, between my shoulder blades and securely grabbed onto the back of my bra. I quivered a little. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“
If I let you touch mine, will you let me touch yours?” He had the most mischievous smile on his face.

“
Okay, okay… Max’s rule… no touching.”

“
That’s what I thought you’d say.” He let go and removed his hand.

“
Hector?” I looked up at him.

“
Yes Lilly, anything.” I smiled.

“
Thank you for making me feel safe.”

“
You’re welcome, anytime.” We lay there for a while saying nothing. He ran his fingers through my hair and I remained wrapped around him like a vine. “I think it’s time for me to deliver you to your husband.” My eyes filled with water. “I will be here for you.” He still didn’t let me go. “If you need me to hold you, I guess I can suffer through it.” He stopped stroking my hair and sat up. “I’ll get dressed in the bathroom this time.” He smiled. I pulled the covers over my head. I heard the bathroom door close and I quickly slipped back on yesterday’s clothes. He came out, took my hand and said, “Time to go.”