Easter's Lilly (29 page)

“
I didn’t tell you sooner because I wasn’t sure you would understand. But Johnny wanted you to know.”

“
Why didn’t you come for us?” he asked John sadly. “Do you know what Diego did to my mother?”

John was distressed. It didn’t occur to me that Dieguito might be angry about having to live there. We were very wealthy and he never wanted for anything. But my marriage, especially towards the end, was outwardly painful. I was unaware until that moment how painful it must have been for Dieguito to watch me suffer.

“
Diego is a powerful man,” John answered. “He told me that he would hurt you and your mother if I ever tried to take you.” He paused and took his hand. “Not a day went by that I didn’t think about you.”

“
Besides,” I cut in, “if he didn’t leave us with Diego, I never would have met Uncle Max.”

“
Are Uncle Max and Uncle Hector still my uncles?” he asked. He looked like he might burst into tears if I gave him the wrong answer.

“
Uncle Max and Uncle Hector would be very sad if you stopped calling them uncle. They will always be your uncles, baby.” I thought about that for a moment. “Uncle Max has been more like a father to you than anyone else has. He was the only one there the day you were born, you know.”

He smiled at me. Then he looked back at Johnny. “I’m glad you’re my daddy. My other daddy is not a nice man.”

“
I know.” John looked deeply saddened.

“
Should I call you daddy or Uncle Johnny?” I could see how the lines were beginning to blur for him.

“
I want you to call me daddy… when you are comfortable doing that.” He gave him a big hug. “But until you get to know me better, you can call me whatever you want to.”

“
Thanks,” he said. “Can I go now?”

“
Yes,” I said. I laughed a little. He ran down the hall on his way to video game heaven.

“
Thank you,” he said. Johnny put his hands on both sides of my face. I could see he was searching for a trace of a memory somewhere in my eyes. Then he leaned his face in and I pulled back.

“
Remember Max’s first rule?” I asked. “He’s been gone five minutes and you’re trying to kiss me. Give me some credit.”

“
Lilly,” he paused and cleared his throat, “you were the love of my life. I’ve never stopped loving you. Not for one minute.”

I stood up right away. “Are you crazy?” I asked. “We are so done. I am beyond madly in love with Max. He is everything I have ever wanted or needed. He is my best friend.”

“
We were madly in love too… once,” he replied. “I know it was a long time ago but…”

I cut him off, “But you couldn’t keep the trailer trash out of your bedroom.”

“
I was using back then, Lilly. If you’d just give me a chance…” He reached for me again and I went into the kitchen. He followed me. “I can try to please you like he does, Lilly.”

“
I am not having this conversation with you,” I told him. “No one is going to get near me like Max does. Max is the best and I saved him for last.”

“
Fine, I’ll let it go for now,” he continued. “But you might be here for a while. You could change your mind.”

“
Whatever,” I blurted. And from that moment on I prayed for Max’s quick return. But it didn’t happen.

Every morning Dieguito and I would wake up to the wonderful smell of gourmet breakfast. Bacon and eggs, waffles, pancakes… you name it, he prepared it. Dieguito slept in the same bed as me apparently due to orders from Max. Max knew that before his footsteps were cold from the bed, Johnny would be trying to keep
me
warm. He is so intuitive that way. I thought he was being jealous. What did I know? When I came into the kitchen, Johnny was happily singing and preparing food. “You know your mom can’t cook,” John said to Dieguito. He laughed.

“
Uncle Max won’t let her in the kitchen,” he said.

“
I was glad to hear both Max and Diego cook,” John said. “At least I knew you’d be eating well. Sit down.” He put a plate in front of me and one in front of Dieguito. It was truly amazing.

“
You know your daddy used to be a chef in a restaurant back in Arizona,” I told him. “Did Pierre ever come back?” I asked John.

“
Yes, he did,” he answered. “He came back and asked all kinds of questions about you. When he heard your name was Montiago, he stopped asking questions.”

“
I don’t blame him,” I answered. “I was just wondering if he ever got his life back.”

“
Miss him?” he asked.

“
As much as I missed
you
,” I answered sarcastically. “And Bobby? What’s he up to?” I wasn’t sure he would really know.

“
Drinking, dancing and partying with young girls.” He smiled. “Nothing different than before.” We heard a knocking at the door. I went to get it and it was a man and a woman. They showed me their FBI identification.

“
You must be Lilly,” the woman said. “I’m Miranda. Max assigned me here to help make you more comfortable. This is Steve.” She pointed to the man beside her and he shook my hand. “I know how hard it can be to be around all these men all the time. Especially while you’re pregnant.”

“
Leave it to Max to think about that,” I said.

“
Is there something you need that would make you more comfortable?” she asked me.

“
I guess, maybe some food for the baby and I could use a few things.”

“
Make me a list,” she said. “You too John,” she called over.

“
Sit down and have some breakfast,” John suggested.

“
Thanks,” Steve said, “but we actually have some news for you.”

“
I hope it’s good news. What’s going on?” I asked.

“
They found your father last night,” she answered. “He was in Arizona.”

“
Oh no,” I replied. “Diego and Jorge are in Arizona somewhere? Where did they find him?”

She paused. “Lilly, sit down.” I sat back down at the kitchen table in front of my breakfast. “He was waiting for Hector in the new house we had settled you all into.”

“
That means there are still dirty cops out there,” I said in disbelief.

“
That’s why Max insisted on going with Hector himself,” she answered.

“
Was dad surprised to see Max alive?”

“
Apparently so,” she answered. “Max shot your dad.”

“
Oh,” was all I could say. “Is he… dead?” I wasn’t sure how to react to that.

“
Not even close,” she answered. “Mick had a gun on Hector. Max was just slowing him down. He’s in the hospital and after that he will be sent to prison awaiting trial.” She paused. “Max didn’t tell you that he replaced your dad in the FBI, did he?”

“
He got promoted?” I asked.

“
I don’t know why he didn’t tell you. Maybe he thought it might scare you. Higher risks and all,” she laughed. “He gets to give more orders to more people. That’s a plus, right?”

“
I miss him,” I said. “Did dad give up the whereabouts of my husband and Satan?” I asked.

“
Not yet, but we expect him to.” They started out the door after stealing a few pieces of bacon. “Get me a list, you two,” she yelled as she closed the door behind her.

“
Wow,” John said. “Max shot Mick. That’s gotta sting a little, no?”

“
He didn’t kill him,” I said, annoyed at his glee about this whole thing.

“
But he still shot daddy,” he said.

“
That’s what mommy calls Max,” Dieguito laughed.

“
Shhh,” I said to him, laughing a little myself.

“
Ugly secrets coming to light,” Johnny said.

“
Thanks for breakfast, uncle Johnny,” Dieguito shouted as he bolted back to his bedroom.

“
I don’t call him that,” I said. I could feel my face flush.

“
Yes you do,” he argued. “I heard you call him that before he left.” He shook his head in disapproval. “You never called me that.” He laughed.

“
You didn’t call me your
baby girl
either,” I answered. We both smiled. I helped him clean up in the kitchen. I could feel the tension between us, as we got closer together. He handed me the last dish to dry. “You really are beautiful,” he said. Then he walked out of the kitchen. I felt a little uncomfortable and I was a little embarrassed about it. I glanced over at him in the living room. He smiled a crooked smile at me. My stomach turned as I contemplated what he was probably thinking. I must admit that it made me a little sick. I put the dish away and grabbed my book. Then I sat at the counter in the kitchen and opened it.

“
You don’t have to hide from me,” he said. “We can talk about this.”

“
There’s nothing to talk about,” I answered. And I thought I put this conversation to rest.

—

We began to spend a lot of time at the park. Although it was small, there was a tiny lake where we would let Dieguito feed the ducks some old bread. The challenge was getting Dieguito to actually feed the ducks and not eat the bread himself. It was fun but a little weird. Everyone there thought we were married. I wouldn’t let John hold my hand. I felt in some odd way that that would be a betrayal on some level. Months went by. I was nine months pregnant. Max had stopped calling and I became very anxious that something had happened to him. The FBI was very close mouthed and I got little information about his whereabouts. All they told me was that he was deep undercover and was not allowed to make contact.

“
It’s strange, isn’t it?” John asked one day as we sat beside the pond.

“
A little,” I said. “How long have we been playing house now?” He didn’t like my euphemism.

“
I think about four months.” He reached over and touched my stomach. “At least I get to live through a pregnancy with you. Even if it is not my baby this time.”

“
Okay,” I answered, “it’s weird.”

“
I realize that this is all my fault,” he said. “If I had just left you alone…”

“
I might be married to Pierre,” I interrupted. Then I laughed.

“
At least your life wouldn’t be in danger,” he added.

“
You know he raped me,” I told him. “Diego beat me and raped me.”

He didn’t look up. He threw a few pieces of bread in the water. “I should have been stronger,” he said. “I remember that night.” He looked up at me for a moment and then back at the ground. “It was Jorge, Diego, Felix and me. We were partying in Elena’s husband’s room. We were… dipping our hands in the candy jar, as Max would say.” He looked at me again. “I heard that he hurt you that night. I was sick about it.”

“
Felix?” I remembered Felix and Miguel guarding our room the night Jorge put a hit on Max and Hector. “Felix was with you?”

“
Yes, he liked to party,” he answered.

“
I guess it’s water under the bridge now,” I offered. “Max was there. I went to him. I begged him to make love with me but he refused.”

“
You know, Lilly,” he looked almost pensive for a minute, “you did okay with him.” He took my hand. “He is a really good man. He could have taken advantage of you a hundred times, but never did. How could he continue to resist you?”

“
He was afraid it would confuse me. He didn’t want me calling Diego, Max or having to switch back and fourth all the time. He said he didn’t want our first time to be any way connected to a rape.”

“
I almost love him myself,” he laughed. “Do you know he shot my brother?” he asked. “Did he tell you?”

“
No,” I said. “Hector did. And while we’re on the subject,” I started to get angry remembering that he never told me the truth either, “why didn’t you tell me Pat was your brother?”

“
I didn’t like to publicly announce my family connections. Leverage, you know.”

“
You do know that Pat raped Darla?” I asked.

“
Yeah, I heard Max’s version. But I don’t believe it.”

“
I heard she was a mess. Wasn’t there evidence?” I was confused about his denial.

“
They were in love once. How could he have raped her?” He looked at me with total assurance of his convictions.

“
Is that what you were thinking when you came after me at Diego’s house?”