Vegas Sunrise (47 page)

It was close to the dawn of a new day when Fanny and Ruby climbed the mountain to the ridge to gratefully accept a cup of coffee from Iris. “I can swallow, but I'm too tired to chew,” Fanny said stretching out on the ground. “All I can see are the whites of your eyes, Ruby.”

Ruby gulped at the coffee. “My blisters have blisters. I didn't think you got blisters when you wore gloves. The wind is shifting, Fanny. It's going to take the houses if it gets any stronger.”

Fanny bolted upright. “Iris, is there anything in the house you want to save? Tell me now, and Ruby and I will get it out. The wind's shifting.”

“Sallie's rocking chair. The kids took their treasures with them. I gave Jake the photo albums to take with him. We can live without the rest of the stuff.”

“You should leave, Iris. All this smoke can't be good for you. Do you think you can talk Chue into going with you? He's too old to be fighting a fire.”

“Try telling that to him. He'll never leave, Fanny. His life is this mountain, and he has the right to try to save it. He's working like a Trojan.”

“We'll get the chair and put it in the trunk. Promise me you'll leave right away.”

“I promise.”

“Fanny?”

“Yes.”

“Stay safe. I don't want anything to happen to you.”

Fanny nodded. “The wind is picking up. Where's your car, Iris?”

“In the courtyard. Fanny, save that picture of Jake and Ash that's on the mantel. I forgot to give it to Jake.”

“Will do.”

Thick gray-and-black smoke swirled across the road as Fanny and Ruby raced to the house. Minutes later they had the rocking chair in the trunk. Ruby clutched the gold-framed picture to her chest as Fanny peeled away from the courtyard, gravel spewing backwards. Both of them leaped out of the car the minute Fanny came to a complete stop, the tires squealing.

“Go, Iris, and drive carefully. Go, honey. We'll tell Sage where you are. We'll take care of him. The kids need you.”

“I'm going, I'm going. Take care of yourselves.”

“Go, Iris, the smoke is getting worse.”

“God, Ruby, what are we going to do? There is no way to save the mountain.”

“Stop it right this minute. You don't know that. The whole damn town is on this mountain trying to save it. That means something.”

Fanny reared back, her head stretching on her neck. “Ash, where the hell are you?” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “You always have the answers to everything. Tell us what to do. If there is nothing we can do, tell us that too. I need to know, Ash.”

“I am a little busy, Fanny. There is a lot going on here. What do you want from me?”

“Tell us what to do?”

“You
can't win
this
one,
Fanny. The
wind
shifted
. Sparks
are
hitting
the roof of Sunrise. Chue's back porch is on fire.”

“Don't tell me something like that. Blow it out, Ash! You have more hot air in you than one of those balloons. God, what a stupid thing for me to say. If it's all going to go, why are we out here killing ourselves trying to stop it?”

“That fire is going to cross the road. If you trench it, there won't be anyplace for it to go. The asphalt is melting big time. Start digging, Fanny, and put some muscle into it.”

“Will that save the houses, Ash?”

“Sage is hosing off the roof. Chue's doing the same thing. Move on it, Fanny.”

“I'm going, Ash. Ruby, we have to dig a trench along the crest. I'll start. See if you can find someone to help us. Be careful on the asphalt. It's hot and sticky.”

It was midafternoon when Fanny leaned on her shovel to stare at Ruby. “You look awful, Ruby. Are you as tired as I am?” Fanny asked.

“I could fall asleep leaning on this shovel. Your eyebrows are gone, Fanny.”

“So are yours. The fire hasn't crossed the road. We should be thankful for that. Look at it this way, Ruby, we gave up our eyebrows to save Chue's house.”

“I'd do it again, too,” Ruby said smartly.

“Me too. I love that old man. We stopped it for the moment, Ruby, but to me the flames are higher and the heat more intense. The fire marshal wants us.”

“He wants us to leave is what he wants,” Ruby fretted.

“I'm not going anywhere. I have a deed that says this mountain is mine, and I'm staying! So there.”

“They're going to start with the chemicals. They do that from airplanes. I read that somewhere. Metaxas and Sage had their licenses lifted, so they won't be doing the flying.”

“Sweet baby, you and Fanny have to go down to the base of the mountain. That's an order now. I don't want to hear one word out of you, Fanny.”

Fanny's voice was meek when she said, “All right, Metaxas, but only to the base. I can't see through the smoke and flames very well. It's gone, isn't it?”

“Almost. I'll rebuild your mountain, Fanny. That's a promise.”

On the way down to the base of the mountain, Fanny said, “You can't rebuild a mountain. I appreciate Metaxas trying to make me feel better.”

“Fanny, look at me. If Metaxas said he'll rebuild your mountain, he will do exactly that. He never says anything he doesn't mean. I've been meaning to tell you something these past few days but keep forgetting. The day Chue carved his name on my tree was an awesome thing to see. He just stood here, looking around like he was memorizing the trees, and he probably was. He said,” Ruby's voice choked up. “He said he now belonged to the mountain. This is kind of corny, but he said his spirit will live on forever as long as those trees live.”

“Oh, God, Ruby, did they go? Did they burn?”

“Are you kidding? Chue doused them good. Sage said he used some kind of stuff mixed with other junk. He hooked the bottle onto his garden hose and prayed for hours. They were still there earlier. They didn't burn, Fanny. I mean the trunks. Some of the branches will have to be trimmed. Trust me. Metaxas will not let them burn.”

“How is that possible, Ruby, with a fire like this?”

“God? Ash? Sallie? I don't know, Fanny. Maybe Chue's Chinese gods. It doesn't really matter, does it? The important thing is the trees are still standing. I think they'll still be standing when this fire burns itself out.”

“I can live with that little grove of trees, Ruby. The day Chue carved Sallie's name on the tree she was so happy. He couldn't read or write English, so Sallie printed everyone's names for him. The letters were so neat, so precise. It's our place on the mountain. I feel like Metaxas does. Our spirits will live on here forever and ever. Devin has his own tree. Chue was so anxious over that. Philip is the one who told him Devin belonged, too. What that means is Sallie has two trees. Did you see the tree with the yellow ribbon on it?”

“It's for Iris and Sage's twins, right?”

Fanny nodded. “It's a young tree, and it will grow with them. See, Ruby, everything happens for a reason. If Chue had gone on his trip, we wouldn't have known how to save the trees. He knew though. Another crisis in my life. Have you seen Marcus?”

“Not for a while.”

“God, Ruby, I forgot to tell you about the chickens.”

“You're not giving them back. Don't even bring them up. They're yours. Forever and ever.”

“Right now they belong to ‘the girls.'”

“You mean . . . No!”

“I did. I told them their asses would be on the highway if they didn't go down to the pens and you know . . . take care of the chickens. They were quite resplendent in their teddies and feathered mules. Miz Arletta was sitting on the veranda sipping lemonade when I broke the news. I have to tell you, Ruby; I can't handle that. I'm going to ship the lot of them to Reno and Beaunell's establishment. Excuse me, Beaunell's sister's establishment. I'm not cut out to be a madam or a madam's keeper. I'm going to find a way to make that chicken thing work. It's my mission in life. I'm going to take a catnap right here on the side of the road. Wake me up in fifteen minutes.”

“I will if someone wakes me up. Do I still have eyelashes, Fanny?”

“Itsy bitsy little ones. Do I?”

“Nope.”

“I don't care, Ruby.”

“I don't either, Fanny.”

“Sleep tight, Fanny. Your mountain is in good hands.”

“Truly, Ash. Are our trees and the houses going to make it?”

“You bet. You don't think for a minute I'd let anything happen to those trees, do you? That's our family, Fanny.”

“Say something nice to Ruby,” Fanny said. A second later she was sound asleep.

“Ruby, thanks for coming and helping Fanny. I really like that guy you married. I was watching when Chue carved his name in the tree. The second richest man in the country had tears in his eyes and no dollar signs in sight. I like that. Listen, kiddo, be happy.”

“I know this is a dream because I'm so exhausted. But, just in case it isn't, Ash, will you sing to me. When I was a kid, I always wanted a brother or a sister to sing me to sleep.”

“Hush little baby don't you cry, your big brother is going to . . .”

 

“Mom, it's Sage. Iris and I want you to come up the mountain this morning if you can. I know it's April 1, and no, this is not an April Fool's joke. Can you and Marcus make it? Iris is making lunch. Good, we'll see you in an hour or so.”

“Did she say yes?” Ruby dithered.

“She said yes,” Sage grinned.

“Everything is in place. We are going to blow your mother right off this mountain this morning,” Metaxas said.

“I still don't believe you can, as you put it, rebuild a mountain.”

“It's my wedding present,” Ruby cooed to the new baby in her arms. She looked over at her husband, who was holding the second baby, a look of pure fright on his face. “Actually, it's our wedding present to all of you. Metaxas said he would rebuild this mountain, and he's going to do it. What do you think is going on out there with all those men and women?”

“I never saw so many strange-looking vehicles in my life. Or so many hard hats. If it really is possible, how long is it going to take?” Iris asked.

“It will be done by the end of summer. We couldn't start till now because the ground was too hot. It's under control. This mountain will be as beautiful as it was before the fire. You have my word.”

“Miss Ruby Fanny Thornton has the hiccups.”

“Mister Metaxas Ash Thornton has something alien in his trousers,” Metaxas said, handing the baby over to Iris.

“It's great of you two to agree to being godparents. Mom was thrilled when you said yes.”

“Are you kidding? Just remember that you and Iris agreed all the kids could spend the summer with us on our new island. That means these two precious bundles. We'll have a nurse on call and a real nanny on the premises. You and Iris are long overdue for a vacation. When it's up, you can stop by our island and pick up the kids. Or, you can stay and visit.”

“Only a fool would turn down an offer like that,” Iris said.

“Is everything okay at Chue's house?”

“Yep, uncles, aunts, cousins, and more cousins arrived a week after the fire. Everything is good as new with the exception of the view. Every day he sprays our trees with that magical stuff that saved them. Boy, no one, not even the fire marshal, can figure that one out. He's got this wicked-looking hypodermic syringe a foot long that he fills with something that looks like glue. He shoots it into the ground at the base of the trunk twice a day. Then he sits down like this little fat Buddha and watches the trees. I think he's defying them not to grow. Three days ago he spotted new growth. He rattled something off in Chinese that could be heard all the way down the mountain. End of story.”

“Has anyone heard from Birch or Sunny? And how is Billie?” Ruby asked, finally relinquishing her hold on her godchild.

“The building is moving along at breakneck speed. Sunny and Harry are happy. Birch is a little testy. He was served with his divorce papers, and that put him into a funk, but he's okay with it. Their target date for completion on the casino is still the same, January 15 of next year. You will be on hand for the ceremonies, won't you?” Sage asked.

“Absolutely. Billie?”

“Billie is acing it all the way. She has a handle on it now. She's back to her old work habits. She's still seeing Adam. Have you heard from Celia?”

“Not directly. I think she's doing well. The public likes the image she presents. She bought herself a condo. The last note I had from her said she subs in a private school two days a week. She didn't ask about anyone, if that's your next question. It's best to let sleeping dogs lie. She'll get on with her life, and Birch will get on with his. By the way, how are the Kingsleys?”

“They're busy in Washington doing the political and social thing. Mom said they were going to come out this summer for a visit,” Sage said.

“Then all is well that ends well,” Ruby said happily.

“I hear a car,” Iris said. “It must be Fanny and Marcus.”

“You go out first, Metaxas. Fanny's going to be in shock. I don't think she ever quite believed that this could be done.”

Metaxas lumbered over to the door, a smile as radiant as the sun plastered all over his face. “What do you think, Fanny?”

“I don't know what to think. Are you taking out the dead trees?”

“We're taking them out along with all the burned and charred soil. We're going to grind out each and every stump, grade the ground, nourish it, and plant new trees. Big trees, Fanny. I bought a forest in Oregon. We're taking out the trees and bringing them here. We'll replant in Oregon when we finish with this.”