Easter's Lilly (44 page)

“
If any of you are struggling with drugs or any other personal issue, I hope you will understand how non-judgmental I will be. If you think what you have done is unforgivable…” He paused. “I have done worse, I assure you. Come to me, and let me share God with you.”

He got off of the pulpit and some of the youth got up with a few guitars and started playing music. Diego sat beside Max and Max hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Wow man,” he said. “You’re really good at that.”

“
You mean it?” he asked.

“
I really do.” I was moved. He put his hand to his heart in a joking gesture. “Seriously though,” he said. “You had Lilly in tears. You did well.”

“
Even I thought so,” Hector confessed. “Who would’ve guessed?”

Diego got up and sat beside me. “Tears, really?”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, just like Max did. “I stand in awe.” He hugged me tight enough to draw attention and then let me go.

“
Thanks Lilly, that means a lot to me.”

“
Don’t you mean Blanca?” Max asked in a whisper. Diego put his finger over his lips and let a gentle “Shhh” slip by us.

We headed for the door when it was over. Elizabeth was draping herself all over Hector and he looked as though he was in heaven. Max had little Diego’s hand and I had the stroller. As we got closer to the door an old Mexican man grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. “You’ll burn in hell for what you’ve done!” The crowd began to gasp and accelerate their pace out the door. Max and Diego went into protection mode. Max pulled the man’s hand off of my arm and he released his grip. Diego ran up from behind and grabbed the man by the shoulders.

“
Who are you, old man?” Diego asked. The man spat in his face. Max pulled his gun out and stuck it in the man’s back. People began to scatter. Diego pulled a cloth out of his jacket pocket and wiped his face with it. “That was a mistake,” Diego assured him.

“
Check his wallet, Diego,” Max instructed. Hector was standing behind him with Elizabeth. Diego looked into the man’s face as though he needed to see some recognition. He handed the wallet to Max and he grabbed it with his other hand. “Hector Montiago? What?”

“
Tio?” Diego asked. “You look like you’ve aged a hundred years.”

“
I hope you all burn in hell!” he said again. “How could you betray Jorge like that after all he’s done for you? How could you hang around with these half-breeds? And showing up in church with white girls…” He hesitated. “Blasphemy!”

Max handed the wallet back to Diego. “Technically, the white girls are with us,” Max said. “So, he’s off the hook.”

“
Shut up you smart ass!” he shouted. Hector and Max laughed. I think they were a little surprised. “I always hated that about you; always a smart ass. The other half-breed too. No respect.”

“
Do we have an uncle Hector?” Max asked Diego.

“
Papi’s brother.” He paused for a minute. “Polo’s dad.”

“
Polo?” Hector asked. “I remember him. He spent a lot of time at Jorge’s house.”

Diego suddenly got a disconcerting look on his face. “Hector, sweep the car.”

“
I thought he was dead?” Max answered.

“
In jail somewhere in Mexico,” Diego replied. “Boy, no one tells you anything.”

“
Repent!” he said to me. “Repent before it’s too late and you live in Satan’s den forever!”

Hector took his jacket off and handed it to Elizabeth. Then he started loosening his tie as he headed for the car. “What’s he doing?” she asked. “What does sweep the car mean?”

“
That’s one of Hector’s specialties,” Max said rather casually. “He can find a bomb or a bug anywhere.” He shot a look at Diego and Diego gave him a half smile. The man stood there with his hands in the air.

“
Can’t he get blown up like that?” she asked. Hector blew her a kiss before he got under the car.

“
BOOM!” The old man shouted as he began to laugh. Max dug the gun into his back. “Shut up moron.” Hector stood up and held up what looked like dynamite sticks all wrapped together. Max got on the phone and called the FBI and told them about the bomb. By now the parking lot had pretty much cleared.

“
Take Elizabeth into the sanctuary, Lilly.” Max looked at me for an obedient answer.

“
No, I’m not leaving you here.”

“
Go Lilly,” Diego added. “I won’t leave him alone.”

“
Yes sir,” I said angrily. I took the baby, Elizabeth picked up Dieguito and we headed inside. Chris was sleeping soundly and little Diego had his arms spread wide while he pretended to be an airplane flying through the pews. Elizabeth was rocking back and forth in the front pew. She looked like she was in shock. “Are you all right?” I asked.

“
This is your life?” she asked. “Every day you worry about one of you getting blown up or shot?”

“
This is the way it is,” I told her.

“
Are they worth it?” she asked. “Is the way you distract yourself from all of this by running back and forth between the two?”

“
I am
not
running back and forth,” I answered, uncomfortable with that comment.

“
I am in no position to judge,” she continued. “I don’t know what I would do if I lived with the two of them. Married to one, sleeping with the other and then…” She paused. “Switch.”

“
I don’t understand,” I said. “I love my husband.”

“
I saw you kiss Diego in the kitchen.” I could feel the blood rush to my face and I felt a little nauseous. She was not my friend and if she told Max or Hector, Max would not forgive me another indiscretion. “Don’t worry, Max didn’t see.” She looked around. “I won’t say anything. I don’t know what I would do. They’re both beautiful.”

“
He kissed me. I did not kiss him back,” I responded.

“
Whatever,” she said dismissively. “Can you deny that you are living in a house full of gorgeous men?”

“
That’s not it,” I said.

“
It helps,” she continued. “Look, you do what you need to do to keep your sanity. I always look out for myself. That’s how I got where I am today. Just be careful. They may be playing straight and narrow right now,” she looked around again and leaned into me, “but Mob is in their blood. Did you see Diego’s face when that old man spit on him? I thought that man signed his own death warrant.”

“
He may have,” I answered. “I’m not really sure.”

“
Just don’t get caught.” We saw the boys come back in. She jumped up. “Hector, where’s Hector?”

“
He’s with the bomb squad,” Max replied. “They have to make sure the bomb is diffused.” She sat back down. “He’s really good, don’t worry.”

“
Your uncle?” I asked. “Why would he do something like this?”

“
Jorge,” Diego and Max both said simultaneously.

“
Jorge and Polo have always been close,” Diego added.

—

We got back to the house and Hector insisted that Elizabeth spend the night. I wasn’t really sure if he was just trying to get lucky or if he was genuinely worried that she’d be followed. But either way, she agreed. We all decided it was time for bed. It was a long day. It was sad how that old guy ruined our wonderful experience. Diego poured himself a drink in the kitchen and Hector and Elizabeth wasted no time running up the stairs. Max went into the kitchen, I guess to have a word with Diego. I approached cautiously. “Good job, man,” Max said. “I do have a question for you, though.”

“
Go on.” I peeked in and could see the exhaustion in Diego’s eyes. I know he was not looking forward to being the Hector in the family. He was suddenly the one without the girl.

“
When are you going to give up on Lilly and find yourself a girl?”

“
Never,” he answered. “Sorry, Max but I still need her.” He looked around the room but I don’t think he saw me.

“
Seriously, Diego. You are a good-looking man in your prime. Find a woman for yourself that doesn’t belong to me.”

“
She was mine first,” he reminded him. Then he caught my eye from the door and I ducked.

“
I just want her to myself for once,” Max continued. “I have been suffering forever over the two of you, please just leave her alone.”

“
You look worried,” he said. “Why so worried?”

Max walked around the room for a minute. “I’m going to be honest for a change, okay?” Max looked pretty serious. “I see her weakening. It doesn’t matter how good I might be… she’s weakening.”

Diego smiled. “I want to leave her alone, Max, but you know how it is, better than anyone.”

“
You can have any woman you want, Diego!” He started getting angry. “Why Lilly?”

“
I still love her. I want her back.” He never flinched, still as calm as ever.

“
We have a baby together.” He began to plead. I couldn’t watch anymore and I walked into the kitchen.

“
Come on, Max,” I said. “Let’s go to bed.” He smiled at me and gave Diego a look of victory. Diego winked at me and Max and I headed upstairs.

When we got inside the bedroom we started to hear sounds. We looked at each other curiously for a minute. He took off his clothes, down to his boxers and got into bed. Then we realized what the noises were. “Oh Hector, oh my God!” Max put his blanket over his face and I giggled. He pulled the blanket back off and said, “Why am I always the one in the room next to the guy doing it with the noisy, white girl?” he asked. I threw a pillow at him. “You don’t think Hector’s going to start moaning, do you?” he asked. “ I’m not sure I can handle that.”

“
Probably not,” I answered. “You’re as quiet as a mouse.” I took off my clothes and put on a pink, lace nighty. Max’s eyes opened wide. “Oh my,” he said. “Come to daddy, noisy white girl.” I laughed and crawled into bed with him. He reached under my nightgown and shifted me on top of him. This was something Diego used to do a lot. It was strange that I was thinking about that. He put his hands up my dress and slid them up to my panties and gradually slid them down my legs. I moaned a little.

“
I love that about you,” he said. “It makes it easy to please you when you tell me what you like.” He took off what was left of his clothing and secured me on top of him. I let out a moan of ridiculous proportions and he laughed. He put his hands around me and pulled me into him. He reached up and pulled my nighty off over my shoulders. I was thinking about the last time Diego did just that. Being with brothers was complicated sometimes. I actually had both men in my head. I tried to shake it. “Bring them here, he said and I leaned down over him. I ran my fingers through his hair as he caressed my breasts with his lips and tongue. I was crying out, sure the pleasure was more intense than I had ever felt. I gasped when I almost did it… I almost yelled out the wrong name. I stopped myself for a minute and Max stopped dead in his tracks. “What is it?” he asked. “Did I hurt you?”

“
No, no,” I cried. “Don’t stop what you’re doing.” He resumed and brought me to that place with such intensity that I know I woke the dead. Max grabbed me and rolled me over. “You’re a wild woman, tonight.” He kissed my neck. “I may take you to church more often.”

When I woke I looked over at Max. He was lying in bed with his hands behind his head listening to the moans and cries of Elizabeth as Hector pleasured her over and over again. He looked over and saw me watching him. “This has been going on all morning.” I laughed. “Take care of me baby, I’m almost there already.” He pulled me close and made love to me like we did last night. He was faster than usual and I was still going crazy with pleasure. When we finally made it downstairs, Diego had cooked a huge breakfast. “You’re up early,” Max noticed.

“
Like I could sleep with all that racket going on,” he said. Max kissed me and I put my arms around his neck. Diego shot the water gun from the sink at us just as Hector and Elizabeth made an appearance. “Hey!” we screamed, pulling away from each other, soaking wet. Elizabeth and Hector were laughing.

“
Cool down, you two. Have I ever done that to you?” Diego asked.

“
I think like a hundred times,” Max answered. He turned to me. “You were a wild one last night. I can’t keep my hands off of you.”

“
Oh was she now,” Diego commented. Max did not like that.

“
What are you trying to say?” Max asked. He began to approach Diego. Hector quickly got between them and ran interference.

“
Nothing Max, you’re getting way too paranoid.”

“
Are you trying to say she was thinking about you?”