Welcome to Last Chance (28 page)

“You are such an idiot!” the puffy-eyed girl with the tied-back hair hissed at her from the mirror. “Why are you acting like a teenager? Ray was history when he walked out months ago.” Lainie stared back at the face in the mirror until it softened a bit. “It's been a rough day, but the worst is over.”

Lainie was surprised at how quickly she was able to pack up everything and how few containers it took to hold it. Her new suitcase and a few cardboard boxes held her life. For a while, as she had allowed roots to begin sinking into the sandy soil of Last Chance, it had been hard to tell where she left off and Last Chance began, but now the boundaries were clear. They consisted of a few pasteboard enclosures and the click of a suitcase lock.

She turned away from the dresser and looked around the room that had been home to her for nearly a year. In a few days Fayette would be staying there, then after the wedding it would revert to Elizabeth's guest room. Lainie picked up a cardboard box to carry to the sewing room. “Thanks for giving me the guts to go, Ray. This could have been hard.”

Saturday morning, the door to the sewing room cracked open and Fayette peeked in. When she saw Lainie awake, she came in and sat cross-legged at the foot of the daybed.

“This is the day! Can you believe it? I'm really getting married.” Wild, springy blonde hair framed Fayette's scrubbed and freckled face, and her happy grin made her look like a little girl. “The
kindest, gentlest, strongest, most wonderful man in the world is in this very town, over at the Last Chance Motel with my son and half the city of Albuquerque, and in just a few hours, he's going to marry me!”

Lainie flipped the hem of Fayette's flannel pajamas. “Has he ever seen you looking like this?”

“I should say not!” Fayette sat up straight and pushed her hair from her face. “There's no way he'd ever see me first thing in the morning until after we're married. You know that!”

Lainie pulled her robe out from under Fayette's leg and put it on. “Smart move.”

Fayette's face fell into another grin, and she grabbed Lainie in a hug that nearly knocked her off her feet. “Go ahead, try to throw cold water on my day. It's not going to work” She planted a big, noisy kiss on Lainie's cheek. “Because I know you're just as happy as I am. And you might as well go ahead and smile, because trying not to is about to kill you.”

The smile Lainie had been trying to suppress burst through, and Lainie returned Fayette's hug. “Of course, I'm happy for you. I couldn't be happier. Ken is one lucky man, and I hope he knows it.”

Fayette slipped her arm around Lainie's waist as they headed to the kitchen. “You know, he does think he's lucky, at least that's what he tells me. Can you believe it?” A soft smile played around her lips. “I never thought I'd find what I had with Bud again. I mean, I knew everyone in town and all the good ones were married. Come to think of it, even the downright peculiar ones were married. Ray and old Mr. Calhoun were the only single men in town.”

Lainie was silent, and Fayette gave her waist a squeeze. “Well, that was real sensitive, wasn't it? I'm so sorry. I guess I have bride brain.”

Even Lainie could hear how false her cheer sounded when she
turned a bright smile on Fayette. “And why shouldn't you have bride brain? You're entitled.”

Fayette faced Lainie, placing both hands on her friend's shoulders. “Seriously, how are you? You could have blown me over when he stopped in to see Matthew on his way to Santa Fe. Of course, he wouldn't tell me anything, but whatever it was that broke you two up, I'm sure it was his fault.”

Lainie shook her head. “No, it was pretty much all me. He could have listened, and maybe I could have explained, but I think he was done with my explanations.”

Fayette muttered under her breath. “Well, he always was a jerk.”

Lainie smiled. “You are such a friend. He's not a jerk and you know it. He put up with more this last year than anyone could be expected to—from Steven, and from me too, I guess. He just got done.”

Fayette slipped her arm around Lainie's waist again. “Well, I think you're being way too easy on him. Remember, I've known him all his life. Have you seen him since he's been back?”

Lainie nodded. “Yeah, he came by to see Elizabeth when he got here last Sunday, and of course I saw him at the barbecue at the ranch Thursday, but not to talk.”

“Well, all I can say is you two need to get together and work this out.”

“Yeah, right. That'll happen.”

When they entered the kitchen, Elizabeth turned from the stove and sang “Here Comes the Bride.” Fayette grabbed a dish mop and held it in front of her like a bouquet, handing Lainie a spatula as she half-stepped across the kitchen floor. “Come on, maid of honor, let's have a wedding.”

Lainie took the dish mop and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table just as the phone rang. “As maid of honor, my first duty of
the day is to tell you to eat your breakfast and then go start getting ready. You've got a lot of work to do.”

“Get the phone, would you, Lainie?” Elizabeth didn't even turn around. “I'm up to my elbows in pancake batter.”

“If that's Ken, tell him I can't talk to him before the wedding. No, let me talk to him.” Fayette pushed away from the table. “No, tell him I love him, but I'll see him at the church.”

Lainie waved her back into her chair and picked up the beige receiver of the kitchen wall phone.

“Lainie? Is that you?”

“Yeah, this is Lainie. Who is this?”

“It's Lindsay. Listen, I need to talk to you.”

Lainie stretched the curled cord around the corner into the living room and dropped her voice. “Lindsay? How did you get this number?”

“Oh, Steven gave it to me when you were here. I was supposed to call him, but it got buried in my purse somewhere. I just found it last week.”

“Steven's not here anymore, if that's why you're calling.”

“No, there's something else. I've been going back and forth and back and forth. Sometimes I think I should call you, but then I promised not to. I just didn't know what I should do.”

“Lindsay, what are you talking about?”

There was a long pause, and then Lindsay blurted, “Nick called again.”

Lainie felt her knees slowly give way, and she found herself sitting on the floor, back against the wall, knees under her chin.

“Before you say anything,” Lindsay continued, “you need to know that he still loves you. He's never given up trying to find you.”

She waited briefly for Lainie to say something before plunging on. “He told me that girl you saw him with wasn't anyone, just a
girl he knew, and if you had only waited, he could have explained everything.”

Lainie found her voice. “What did you tell him?”

“Well, at first I didn't tell him anything. You've been my friend a long time and if you ran out on Nick, I'd say you probably had a reason. But all he could talk about was how much he loved you, and how long he'd been searching for you, and how much he wanted you to forgive him.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Lainie, he even cried. I didn't even know Nick knew how to cry.”

“Lindsay, what did you tell him?”

“I told him you had been living in Last Chance. Are you mad?”

Dear Elizabeth,

Yes, I've gone. I hope you forgive me not saying good-bye, but I found out this morning that Nick knows where I am. That means he'll be here soon, and for your sake as well mine I have to go. I'm so sorry. Tell Ben Apodaca that Nick is not quite six feet tall, real muscular, and has a tattoo of a panther on the left side of his neck—so he can be watching for him. I hope I can come back someday, but with Nick out there, I don't know if I can. Meanwhile, I want you to know how much living with you in Last Chance has meant to me. No one has ever loved me like you do.

I love you,
Lainie

Lainie finished her note and looked around the sewing room for a place to leave it where Elizabeth would be sure to find it. All the belongings she had accumulated during her stay in Last Chance and everything she had brought with her were packed and ready to go. All she needed to do was find a moment to slip away from the reception, swing by the house to grab her stuff, and she'd be gone before they missed her.

She put the note on top of the sewing machine cabinet, trying not to think about what Elizabeth would think of her when she found it. On impulse, she dug around in one of the boxes until she pulled out her Mickey Mouse snow globe and set it on top of the note. Elizabeth knew how much she cherished the memento. Maybe she would understand how hard it was for Lainie to go.

“Lainie, honey, are you about ready? We need to get the bride to the church.” Elizabeth tapped at her door.

“Coming.” Lainie took a last look at her image in the full-length mirror on the wall next to the sewing machine. The pale yellow dress Elizabeth had made for her floated around her like summer itself and made her eyes look even bluer. Squaring her shoulders and pasting what she hoped was a festive smile on her face, she left the sewing room, firmly closing the door behind her.

“My, don't you look a picture.” Elizabeth, in her cornflower blue dress with a matching lace jacket, took both Lainie's hands and leaned back to admire her. “That is just your color. Let's go find our bride and see if she needs any help.”

Lainie swept her into a long, tight hug that Elizabeth first accepted, then struggled slightly against. “Mercy, honey! Is everything all right?”

“Everything's great. I just get all gooey at weddings, that's all.”

Elizabeth nodded, already distracted, and headed down the hall to Lainie's old room where Fayette was getting ready. “Mmm-hmm. Go get the flowers for Fayette's hair out of the refrigerator, will you? We need to be at the church in twenty minutes if we're going to get her out of sight before the guests start arriving.”

“How's it going in here?” Rita popped into the crying room off the vestibule where Lainie, Elizabeth, and Matthew waited with Fayette. “Good news, Fayette. The groom turned up.”

Fayette's early exuberance had long since faded into hand-twisting nervousness, and she answered Rita's teasing with a weak smile that Rita didn't even notice.

“Well, it's standing room only in there now, so come on with me, Elizabeth. Time to get you seated, then I'll be back for the rest of you.” She popped out again, leaving nervous silence in her wake.

“Tell me I'm doing the right thing.” Fayette spoke to no one in particular.

“Mom, you are so doing the right thing. Ken's awesome.”

Fayette's eyes filled with tears. “Are you sure you're okay with this, Matthew? For so long it's been just you and me. Are you ready to let someone else into our life?”

Matthew leaned out of reach as Fayette tried to cup his face with her hand. “Oh yeah, way ready. It's okay. Really.”

Fayette laughed and dabbed her eyes with the lace handkerchief Elizabeth had tucked into her sleeve for something borrowed. “Well then, let's go get married.”

Rita popped back into the crying room. “Time to go! Lainie, you first. Don't forget to walk slowly. Fayette and Matthew, you wait till I give you the signal.”

They got to their feet and moved to the door of the crying room. Fayette slipped her hand into the crook of her son's left arm, and as Lainie stepped out of the room to begin her slow walk down the aisle, she noticed him cover his mother's right hand with his own.

“I do not believe it. Tell me my husband is not fixing to play horseshoes. Not at a wedding!”

Lainie, sitting with Juanita, Elizabeth, and Patsy Baca under the elm trees in back of the church, looked up to see Russ, with a couple horseshoes hanging from each hand, amble from the church
toward the horseshoe pit where three other men waited for him with their jackets removed and sleeves rolled up.

“There goes Rita after him. I almost feel sorry for those boys.” Elizabeth lifted another bite from the plate she balanced on her lap.

They watched as Rita marched up to Russ and stood with her hands on her hips. She was too far away for them to hear what she said, but she didn't look happy. Russ stopped, bent his head and placed his hand on her shoulder, then straightened, gave her shoulder a friendly pat, and turned and pitched his horseshoe. The clang of his ringer echoed across the grassy field where wedding guests gathered in groups of clustered lawn chairs eating lunch. Rita watched them ignore her for a few more minutes before she turned and stomped across the field toward Juanita.

“Don't waste your breath, Rita.” Juanita held up a hand before Rita could speak. “If I told that man to leave a burning building, he'd stay inside just to show me I can't tell him what to do. They're not doing any harm. Just leave them be.”

“But horseshoes at a wedding? I worked so hard to make everything just perfect.” Rita sounded about to cry.

“Perfect's not family, Rita. And this is family. Just look.” Elizabeth gestured at the gathering on the shady field. Sounds of conversation punctuated with laughter floated on the warm air. “Look at those kids chasing each other. Do you want to tell them that you're not supposed to do that at weddings? Anyway, you've done a magnificent job. It's too bad we don't get more weddings here in Last Chance. You could just close down the motel and do this full-time. I think you'd probably be the only wedding-planning mayor in the state.”

“Go get a plate, Rita. Come join us.” Juanita patted an empty lawn chair next to her. “It looks like the fellow who bought the Dip 'n' Dine is doing just fine with the catering.”

“Well, they're going to cut the cake in a bit. I need to see about that.”

“I don't think they'll be cutting the cake for a while yet. Look.”

They looked where Juanita directed to see Fayette and Ken standing hand in hand at the horseshoe pit. While they watched, Ken took off his jacket, handed it to Fayette, and accepted the horseshoe Les Watson handed him.

“Good night, nurse! I don't know why I even try.” Rita dropped her clipboard onto the empty lawn chair and stormed off toward the buffet.

Lainie tried to look at her watch without anyone noticing. There were still hours left of the reception. A dance floor and stage had been set up at one end of the field for the band that would arrive later, and the Japanese lanterns strung from the trees would be lit when it got dark. She should probably wait till after the cake-cutting, but after that, no one would look for her for hours.

“Oh no, somebody hide me. Here comes Manny with the kids. And they don't look happy.” Patsy Baca put her plate on the ground beside her and waited for Manny to reach the group. The baby, in a pack on Manny's back, slumped against his shoulder, and a cranky, whiny little girl hung from each hand.

“Hey, everybody, anyone want some kids? Give you a good price. Pay you, even.”

Patsy sighed and moved to get up. “I guess we should get them home. They are way past ready for a nap.”

“I think Lito's already out, right?” Manny turned so they could see his pack.

“Yeah, he's sound asleep.” Patsy stood and hoisted Grace to her hip. “I guess I'll go find Fayette and Ken to say good-bye. I'll be so glad when my life isn't completely determined by feedings and nap times.”

“If all they need is a nap, why don't I take them inside and put them to bed in the nursery?” Lainie glanced at her watch again and stood up.

“Oh, no. I couldn't let you do that. They're such pills right now.”

“It's no problem at all. We're old pals, aren't we, girls?” Lainie held out her hands to the whiny little girl on Patsy's hip, and to everyone's surprise, Grace leaned into Lainie's arms.

“See? I've got the gift.” She held out her other hand to Faith. “Want to come with me?” But Faith turned her face away and hid behind her father's leg.

Manny laughed and swept the little girl onto his arm. “Why don't I come with you to get them settled? No need to wake Lito if we can help it.”

With a satisfied smile, Patsy sank back into her lawn chair and picked up her plate, calling after them, “Make sure the girls go potty before they go to bed. I'll be in to see how you're doing in a little bit, and if Lito wakes up, come get me. He'll be hungry. Oh, and stop by the buffet and bring me another glass of tea when you get back, will you, Manny?”

The nursery was cool, and the light filtering through the nursery rhyme print of the drawn curtains softly illuminated the cribs lining the wall.

“It's nice in here. I could stay and take a nap myself. Here, help me with the pack, will you?” Manny turned his back, and Lainie supported the sleeping baby boy while he shrugged out of the straps.

“Look at that. The kid can sleep through anything, just like his old man.” He gently placed his baby in a crib and stroked the little boy's thick, black hair.

Manuelito's face scrunched into an almost cry before he found his thumb and settled back into slumber, never opening his eyes.

“Come on, chicas. Mama says you need to go potty, and what
Mama says, goes.” He disappeared into the hall with a curly haired toddler on each hand.

Lainie pulled three light blankets from the cupboard and had just finished tucking one around Manuelito when Manny returned with the girls.

“You sure you're going to be okay?” He edged toward the door.

“We'll be fine. Go on.”

“Okay, then. Think I'll go show those guys how the game of horseshoes is played.”

“Don't forget Patsy's tea.”

Lainie grinned as Manny gave her a backwards wave over his shoulder, then turned her attention to the girls, who had found the toy chest.

“Are you picking out something to take to bed with you?”

Neither girl looked up.

“It's nap time now, but you can take one toy to bed with you.”

“This.” To Lainie's surprise, Grace handed her a plastic truck and scrambled to her feet. Maybe she was a natural with kids, after all.

“That's a great truck. How about you, Faith? What do you choose?”

Faith, busily trying to fit a triangle in the round space of a shape sorter, ignored her.

“Okay, girls. It's nap time.” She scooped up Grace, gave her a kiss on her neck that made her giggle, and popped her and the truck in a crib.