Easter's Lilly (27 page)

“
NO!” I yelled and I ran up behind him and grabbed him by the arm. “This is just what happened with Johnny, please don’t go.”

“
What are you talking about?” He turned and faced me.

“
When John left, we had only been together a few times. Then I never saw him again. Max…” I put my hands on
his
face this time. “We’ve only been together a handful of times. What if this is the last time I see you? What if something happens to you?”

He kissed me tenderly and I kissed him back. We began to feel the heat of our longing when John said, “You know, she’s pretty persuasive about the ‘one more time’ thing, so why don’t I take Dieguito to the playground down the street and give you the house to yourself.”

Max smiled at me and I turned to John. “Thanks Johnny.”

“
You can make as much noise as you want,” he continued. Max threw a towel at him when he said that. Then Johnny and our son walked out the door.

Max carried me romantically into the guest room. “I have no idea how I am going to get through a day without you,” he said to me as he lay me down on the bed beside him. “Lilly, you are my whole world.” He kissed me and began to undress me. I got instantly aroused and I could feel him do the same. He brought me to that sacred place over and over again until we both collapsed breathless, two hours after we started. When we walked out of the bedroom, Johnny and Dieguito were on the couch in the living room playing video games.

“
You really need to work on that, Lilly,” he said.

“
I thought you were at the park,” I said in response.

“
Two hours, man?” John said to Max. “Seriously, two hours?” He laughed as Max’s face flushed a little. “What are you made of anyway?” Johnny laughed a little. “No wonder she’s so crazy about you. I can’t compete with that.”

Max laughed and grabbed my hand. “That’s good to know.” He smiled at John and winked at me.

Just then a man walked through the door. “Max? I’d recognize that Beamer anywhere.”

“
Hey, Paul!” Max said as he walked over to him and hugged him. “I didn’t know you were on Johnny’s team.”

“
Yeah, he’s loads of fun.” They both laughed. Johnny looked at me and rolled his eyes.

“
I’m on my way out, but it’s good to see you.”

“
Oh come on,” Paul urged him. “Let me take her for a spin?”

“
I think he means the car,” John said facetiously.

“
I
know
what he means,” Max added, obviously annoyed. He reached into his pocket and tossed him the keys. “Make it quick, man, I have to get back to Arizona.”

“
Thanks, Max, you’re the best.” He ran out the door almost dancing with excitement.

“
I think he means the car,” Max uttered under his breath at Johnny. “What’s wrong with you?” They both laughed. We heard the car start and Max’s face changed. “Get down!” He yelled it out like it was his last breath. We heard a loud “BANG!” and then an explosion. Before I knew what happened Max was on top of me and John was on Dieguito. The window in the front of the house shattered all over us and I heard John yell, “Max, where’s Lilly?”

Max got up when the dust settled and John got up off of little Diego and dusted him off. “Lilly…” Max grabbed my hands to pick me up off of the floor.

“
Max,” John said. “Oh my God, you took a hit.” I looked up and put my hands over my mouth. His whole left side was covered in glass and blood. He had a large piece of glass lodged in his head above his eyebrow. “Are you all right?” John asked me. He looked me up and down and touched my blouse on the side. “Not being fresh,” he said. “Looking for glass.” He walked over to Max who appeared to be in shock. He grabbed his arm and walked him into the kitchen. “Sit on this stool, Max.” Max sat down. “Lilly’s fine,” he said. “I’m just going to pull that piece of glass out of your face. Grab this towel. He handed him a washcloth. He took some tweezers and pulled the glass out and blood squirted everywhere. Max put the towel on his face. “Push hard,” John said. “Come on Max, come back to me.”

Two men came running through the door. “What the hell happened, John?”

“
Max’s car blew up. Paul was in it.”

One of the men picked up a phone and called the fire department and the other one called some kind of doctor. “You have to get out here now. Max Montiago is here and covered in blood. His Beamer exploded with Paul inside. The front window blew. Thanks, get here fast.” They were all congregated in the kitchen and I was holding Dieguito rocking him in the living room. The fire trucks came and put out the fire. Then some more FBI came inside and said to Max, “He’s gone.”

“
Just think,” Johnny said. “If Lilly didn’t distract you for two hours…” He stopped himself.

“
That should have been me,” Max acknowledged.

I ran to his side and grabbed the hand that wasn’t injured. “If it
was
you, I would be sitting here covered in glass and the baby… what about the baby?”

He looked at me as though he was coming back to life. “I really loved that car.”

“
And… he’s back!” Johnny said, laughing to himself. Then he went to Dieguito and said, “How about you and I go play some video games in the bedroom?”

“
Okay, uncle Johnny.” I made a face of disapproval when he said the ‘uncle’ word. They disappeared down the hallway. I was grateful for that.

Max squeezed my hand. “Are you all right?” He looked into my eyes with a sadness I hadn’t seen for while. “John said you are all right.”

“
I’m fine,” I said. “Thanks to you, not a scratch.”

“
When you’re done stitching me up,” he looked at the doctor, “I want you to examine her. She’s five months pregnant.”

“
You got it,” he said. “Just a precaution,” he said to me.

Max looked over at one of the FBI agents. “Why?” He stopped and shook his head. “Why did it explode now and not when I first turned it on before we got here?”

“
There was a trigger on it,” he told him. “The person who planted it wanted it to go off,
after
you dropped Lilly off, not before.” He looked outside at the smoldering car. “It was set to go off the second time the ignition was triggered.”

“
So Diego and Jorge knew I was dropping her off somewhere,” he said almost in a question.

“
They must have figured that you were going to go after them together. John came out of the bedroom. “Turn on the television.” He pointed to the television in the living room. One of the agents grabbed the remote.

“
BREAKING NEWS,”
was flashed on the screen.

“
This just in from channel 9 in Taos New Mexico. Wife and brother of notorious drug lord Diego Montiago were found dead moments ago in a car bombing.

“
What?” Max became alarmed and got up from the stool.

“
The two were on their way home back to Las Vegas after visiting Mrs. Montiago’s father in Sedona Arizona. Lilly and Maxwell Montiago had the son of known syndicate leader, Diego Montiago in the car with them when the car exploded. Lilly was five months pregnant.”

“
Hector!” Max cried as he grabbed his cell and started dialing.

“
I’ve been dead twice already,” John said. ‘It’s not so bad.”

Max started talking quickly in Spanish to his brother. “We’re alive, we’re fine and both Dieguito and the baby are fine too,” John translated for me.

“
A little glass in my face and arm but I’ll make it,” he translated some more.

“
Max!” John yelled. “English is easier to eavesdrop on.”

“
Oh, sorry,” he said to me. “Everything is fine. You’re going to have to come and get me when you get out. Man I loved that car.”

“
Told you,” John said. “He’s totally fine. “Mr. Two hour man…” he mumbled under his breath.

“
You ought to try it sometime,” I whispered back.

“
Is that an offer?” he asked. “You gonna teach me?”

“
Too close,” Max said, glaring at Johnny. “Back up now…” John moved away from me slowly.

“
No, you idiot!” I said. “I’m just saying that it wouldn’t hurt you to give a little more and take a little less once in a while.”

“
Here’s my chance,” he said. “I’ll try to pay Max back for caring for you all this time.” I looked at him suspiciously. “Really,” he assured me. “I will keep my distance.”

Max came over to us after they finished stitching him up and sent me into the kitchen. I left him and Johnny alone on the couch and Max’s face was dangerously close to John’s. The doctor looked me over. “Remarkable,” he said. “Max was very good at protecting you.”

“
He always is,” I answered. “I’m very lucky.”

“
It looks like the FBI planted the story to make it look like we were dead to Diego and Jorge. This way, they won’t look for you and I will have the element of surprise on my side,” Max said to us.

The room cleared and the four of us were left alone in the house. Max took me into his arms and said, “I guess I’m stuck here until Hector comes to get me.” He kissed me. “This will give me a chance to evaluate your current relationship with this guy.” He leaned his head toward Johnny, and made an unfavorable face.

Dieguito and John were sitting on the couch together. “Uncle Max,” Dieguito asked.

“
Yes, son…”

“
Why are you going to bring daddy home?” Johnny flinched uncomfortably when he referred to Diego as daddy.

“
I’m not bringing him home, exactly,” he told him. Then he looked at me for some sort of approval. I nodded.

“
Your daddy did some bad things and then he ran away.” Max knelt down next to him. “I just want to find him and bring him back, so he can pay for his actions.”

Dieguito looked at Johnny and whispered, “My daddy is a monster.”

“
Dieguito!” I said in shock. “Where did you hear that?” Max stood up and walked back over to me.

“
Everyone says it,” my son continued. “Everyone at the house says he is a monster. That he makes you cry.”

“
He won’t make mommy cry anymore,” Max responded.

“
Will you hold me like you used to until I fall asleep if he does?” he asked Max.

“
Max…” I said in surprise. “What’s he talking about?”

“
I used to hear you cry at night when you and daddy were in bed.” His little eyes got dark and sad. “I would sneak into uncle Max’s room and sleep with him until I fell asleep.”

Max picked Dieguito up into his arms and hugged him. “Your daddy isn’t a monster.” He looked over at Johnny.

“
What did you tell him?” I asked Max.

“
You were sad because you wanted to be with me,” he answered.

“
I pray every night that you will want to be my dad,” Dieguito said. “Why can’t you be my dad?”

“
Some day I’ll marry your mom and I
will
be your dad.” He kissed his little cheek and put him back down on the sofa beside Johnny. “But I could not love you more if you were my own flesh and blood. To me you are my son.”

“
You and mommy are together now, right?”

“
Yes baby.” I grabbed Max’s arm and hugged him.

“
So when are you going to get married?” he asked anxiously.

“
First I have to find your dad,” he said. “Then I have to ask your mom to marry me.” I smiled and Dieguito smiled an adorable boyish grin. It was funny how he and Max were not related by blood yet he had somehow learned to imitate Max’s smile.

“
What if daddy finds us before you find him?” He began to sound frightened.

“
I’m the best in the business, little guy. No one can beat uncle Max.” He gave him a high five.

“
I can sleep with mommy and make sure she is safe,” he said. I was charmed by his protectiveness.

“
And make sure uncle Johnny isn’t keeping mommy company like that, okay?” Johnny laughed at that comment.

“
I just got through telling her, I will be a good boy.” John reached for Dieguito’s hand. “Can I spend a little time with him?” I looked at Max for an answer.

“
I guess,” Max answered.

“
Do you want to try to beat me in a video game?” he asked him.

“
Yeah, uncle Johnny, I’m really good ya know.” Johnny grinned and I watched them disappear down the hallway.