Easter's Lilly Read online

“You know you’re going to have to tell Hector who the baby’s father was.” I told him.

  “I know,” he said.” I just keep thinking about how I would feel if your baby wasn’t mine.”

  “I thought you said you would love it like it was your own?” I reminded him.

  “Of course I would have,” he said, taking me into his arms. “But I really wanted it to be mine.” He smiled. “Hector will certainly feel the fool when I tell him.”

  “I hate to say this out loud,” I responded. “But did you ever think that maybe he and Jorge raped her and Jorge already knew who the father was?”

  “That has occurred to me,” he answered. “I’m a little surprised it occurred to you.”

  “Jorge has expressed an interest in sleeping with me before,” I told him. “I wonder if they don’t share from time to time.”

  “He did what?” Max asked. “And you never told me before because…”

  “He never did anything about it.” I said. “But he did make insinuations from time to time. I wondered if Diego would be okay with that.”

  “You never told your husband?” he asked.

  “As far as I was concerned, Max,” I put my hand on his face, “you were always my husband.”

  “So, you never told me?”

  “I was afraid!” I answered. “He’s a scary guy.” I backed away for a minute. “He’s creepy, you know. It’s like looking into the eyes of the devil.”

  He pulled me close and hugged me. “I’ll be sure to mention that possibility to Hector. It might help… I’m not sure,” he said. “Would I feel better if they gang raped you or if you freely gave yourself?” he asked. “Probably if you gave it up.” He paused. “It would hurt that you betrayed me but I think it would hurt more that they took it from you.”

  “Okay, I do not want to talk about this anymore. If you call Johnny, I’m talking to him.”

  He laughed. “I promise, baby girl. I would not leave you with a madman.”

  Hector took a few more days to heal than we had expected. Max decided to get me out of town. He was too worried about the fact that they were missing and no one seemed to be able to find them. He went to see Hector in the hospital one more time before we left. “Hey man, what you doing still laying around here?” Max asked.

  “I feel fine,” Hector assured him. “I think it’s a plot to let our crazy brothers find me and kill me.”

  “I doubled the guards in front of your room,” he whispered to Hector. Then he leaned over and quietly said, “I’m taking her to Johnny. Then you and I will meet up and find those bastards together.”

  “I still don’t like it,” I said. “I thought I was supposed to take care of Hector while he was healing.” I was trying to get them to reconsider.

  “Max is too jealous,” Hector added. “Anything to keep us from being alone, baby.”

  He laughed and Max said, “Not funny anymore, brother.”

  “Okay, I’ll quit,” he said. “She’s just so easy to embarrass.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Max responded. “It’s bad enough that I have to leave her with her former lover. Let’s not make this any worse than it already is.”

  “I don’t know what you’re worried about,” Hector said. “She never got an…” He looked at me. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  “Shut up you two!” I shouted. “This is personal and a little humiliating.”

  “Not for you, baby girl,” Max added. “Only for him.”

  “Anyway,” I continued. “We will miss you, Hector.”

  “I’ll meet up with you when they let me out. Stay in touch.” Max leaned over and hugged him.

  “I’ll be in touch every day. Stay safe.” Then Max, little Diego and I walked out and headed on our way to Johnny’s.

  “Why didn’t you call him first?” I asked. “Don’t you think he’ll want to know you’re coming?”

  “Probably not,” Max answered. “I personally prefer the element of surprise.”

  When we got there, we had been traveling non-stop for a long time. “Where are we?” I asked.

  “Taos, New Mexico,” he answered. “We are officially in the middle of nowhere.”

  We got out of the car and looked around. There were a few trees and a small house almost alone in the street. There was another house similar in size not too far away, beside it. I grabbed my son’s hand and we headed towards the door. My hands were sweaty; I suppose I may have been a little nervous. We knocked on the door and Johnny opened it. His face glowed with joy. “What are you doing here?” he asked. He grabbed Diego’s hand and brought him inside. “Can I give him some cookies and some milk, Lilly?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I said. “He’d love that.” He started getting cookies out of his pantry. I noticed he was not nearly as skinny as he used to be. He appeared to have been working out and had gained some weight. I was assuming it was due to the fact that he was clean now. He had to be with FBI everywhere. “This is Johnny, baby,” I said to Dieguito. “He is an old friend of mommy’s.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, little man.” John reached over and shook his tiny hand. “He’s about four and a half now, right?”

  “Yes,” I said. “He’ll be five in…”

  “A few months,” John said. “I know.” Then he turned to Max.

  “To what do I owe this honor?”

  “I know you are considered a flight risk, so I’m guessing that the little house beside this one, is the FBI station.”

  “Yeah,” he said unfavorably. “Those are my jailors. Why?”

  “I need you to keep an eye on Lilly and Dieguito for a while.” Max was looking at the ground, almost ashamed to have to ask.

  “Are you serious?” he asked. “Diego took everything from me.” He looked over at the baby and then me. “You want me to take care of his pregnant wife?”

  “Yes I do,” he continued. “You know, John, you owe me.”

  “How’s that?” he asked. “I’d like to hear this one.”

  “When Lilly came to us, Diego ignored her completely. I took care of her for you. When the baby was born, I was there, not Diego. I took care of Dieguito, protected them and loved her sincerely.”

  “Yeah, about that,” John said sarcastically. “Thanks for sleeping with my girl.”

  “I waited four years to sleep with her.” Max looked back up at him and made eye contact. “Seriously, John.” He paused. “I loved her with everything I had but never touched her.”

  “Why?” he asked. “Why would you wait? And what made you stop waiting?”

  “She wasn’t mine to take,” He told him. But he did not offer any further information.

  “So, you want me to take care of Diego’s baby,” he said in a disappointed tone. Max and I exchanged glances but it did not go unnoticed by Johnny. “Oh my God!” he shouted in a voice of revelation. “You got your brother’s wife pregnant!” He smiled and Max returned his gaze to the floor.

  “It wasn’t like that,” I said. “Diego said he wanted to get me pregnant and I made Max sleep with me without protection before Diego had a chance to do it himself.”

  “Made him sleep with you,” he said sarcastically. “That must have been painful.”

  “That was our first time,” I told him.

  “Look man, it was him or me.” He paused and took my hands. “We wanted it to be me.”

  “Does anyone else see the irony in this?” he asked.

  “Of course we do,” Max answered. “You owe me.”

  “I do owe you,” he agreed. “When the baby’s born, can I name it Johnny?”

  “I had nothing to do with that,” Max replied. “I wish we could change that now, but we can’t, it’s too late.”

  “Sorry, a bad attempt at humor.” Johnny reached out and stroked Dieguito’s hair. “I suppose I can’t complain. It’ll give me a chance to get to know my… friend and her son again.”

  “No touching!” Max said and he looked at me.

  “It’s been five y
ears, Max, I think it’s over,” he said as he smiled at me. “I am so sorry, Lilly for the last time I saw you.” He looked at Max. “I’m sorry about all of it. Getting Lilly shot, trying to kidnap her…” He paused again. “I am clean and sober and I would never hurt her like that again.”

  “Just so we’re clear,” Max said. “I love this girl, and I’m trusting you with her life. Don’t disappoint me.”

  “So, give me the story, Max. Where are you going? After Diego, Jorge and Mick?”

  “So, you do get to see the news.”

  “Where’s Hector?”

  “In the hospital with a gunshot wound,” he answered.

  “Holy crap!” Johnny said. “What’s going on with you guys?”

  “My brothers,” he started. “They are in a state of unrest.” Max laughed a little when he said that.

  “Diego thinks the baby is his,” Johnny said with a twinge of nervousness in his voice. “Oh, this is bad. He’ll try to take her.”

  “Thus, Hector and the gunshot wound.” Max was looking around the house by now. I wasn’t sure if he was just nervous or looking for something.

  “Sure, I’ll take care of them,” he answered. “I could use the company. You know Diana didn’t come with me.”

  “I heard,” Max replied. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “Who is she sleeping with now to get the drugs?” he asked.

  “Do you want me to tell you?” Max answered. “Really?”

  “Are you serious?” Johnny said. It was like they had some kind of language of their own. “She is not sleeping with Ray,” he asked in astonishment.

  “Sorry man,” Max confirmed. “I wish I could tell you no. He’s in jail now though if that helps.” Johnny got upset and threw a glass across the room. It shattered in the living room.

  “Okay, rule number one,” Max started. “No touching my girl. Rule number two, no losing your temper.”

  “I know, I know,” he answered. “It won’t happen again. This is just the first I’m hearing of it.”

  “I’d be upset too if I found out Lilly was sleeping with…” He paused. “Let’s say YOU!” He pulled out his gun and pointed it at him. John lifted his hands in the air.

  “I won’t touch her man, I owe you, remember?” Max put the gun away.

  “Just checking,” he said. He took my face in his hands and kissed me. “I have to run, baby.” He went for the door.

  “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 a 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?”

  “Someday 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.

  “I’m glad you’re going to be here for a while,” I told him. “I will miss you once you’re gone.”

  “And I you,” he told me. “My heart will feel empty when I’m unable to hold you.”

  We lay in each other’s arms not saying a word. He put his arms around me and didn’t let go. His phone finally rang and it was Hector. He was on his way and would get here by tomorrow. I could feel the panic taking over my body. I began to get confused again. “I’ll see you then,” he said. “Sweep the car before you get into it.” He hung up and grabbed my chin with the gentlest touch. “I’m not Johnny,” he reminded me. “I am not afraid of Diego. I will be back for you.” I said nothing but I could feel the tears falling out of my eyes onto his shirt.

  I have really come to need you,” I said. “Sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe when you’re gone.”

  “It is that way for me as well,” he said. “I waited all of my life to find the other half of my soul.” He kissed me. We sat on the couch kissing for a while. John finally came out of the bedroom. “He’s asleep,” he said. “I want to tell him.”

  CHAPTER 22

  Who is Diego’s real father?