Easter's Lilly (14 page)

“
Get her out of here,” Diego whispered. “How many…?” He was having trouble speaking.

“
We’re not leaving you,” he said. I grabbed his hand.

“
Lilly,” he gasped. “I love you.” I squeezed his hand and looked at Max.

“
Still giving me a hard time,” Max added with his usual attempt at levity.

Hector came back. “I got them all, and they’re down.” Then Diego said, “Lilly… Max, Lilly…” Max and Hector looked at me.

“
Oh no!” Hector blurted. “She’s bleeding.”

Max looked up, and I saw blood coming from my side. Hector reached over and grabbed the credit card that Max had pressed against Diego and Max took off his shirt and pushed it up against my side. “Where’s that ambulance!” Max yelled. We heard sirens shortly after that and I think that is when I lost consciousness. All I knew was life was never going to be the same after that day.

Chapter 13

The Baby?

When I opened my eyes Max and Hector were asleep on separate chairs in my hospital room. “Max?” I said in a weak tone. He looked up at me and smiled a calm smile. He walked over and took my hand. “Well querida, I have good news and bad news, which do you want first?”

“
Good,” I said, “always good.”

“
You didn’t lose the baby.” He took my hands and kissed them.

“
Baby?” I asked. “There’s a baby?” Tears came to my eyes, as he looked at me so contented.

“
Please tell me you haven’t been with Diego in the three weeks after we made love.” He was almost holding his breath.

“
No daddy, just you,” I answered. “I was only with him the morning he got shot,” I continued. “That was the only time.” He bent down and hugged me.

“
We’re going to have a baby.” He was very excited.

“
Half-breeds two, Mexicans zero,” Hector added.

“
What’s the bad news?” I asked.

“
That son of a gun is still alive and kicking,” he answered. “You were grazed by the bullet on your side before it hit him,” he continued. I looked at my side. “You probably saved his life by slowing down the bullet.” He smiled playfully.

“
I think it was you trying to stop him from bleeding to death,” I answered. “Why
did
you save his life?” I asked. “That was confusing to me.”

“
I have come too far Lilly, he is not going to die on me now.” Hector laughed.

“
The truth is that they have a weird relationship,” Hector confessed. “You think they hate each other with all the gun pulling and the competition but there is some real devotion there.”

“
Well, they
are
brothers,” I added. “I can see how you wouldn’t want him to die.”

“
It was weird,” Max, added. “I was running on instinct. I didn’t even think.”

“
What is up with the credit card?” I asked.

“
Let’s just say that wasn’t our first rodeo,” Hector answered.

“
We’ve been down that road before,” Max clarified. “A baby…” he said again.

“
Max, you can’t tell Diego.” I began to panic. “Is the nurse going to tell him?”

“
I already talked to the staff and told them that these are your records and your business.” He smiled wide. “I also told them that your husband has a bad temper and might hurt you if he found out about it.”

“
So basically you told the nurse that the baby wasn’t his,” I added.

“
Well…” Max said. “It seemed to get the point across.” He looked around the room and bent over to kiss me.

“
Careful brother,” Hector said. “The beast is in the waiting room.”

“
Jorge?” I asked.

“
Jorge,” he answered.

“
Watch your step, baby. If he wants you to try to have a baby with him, just agree.” I made a face. “If he thinks the baby is his, you guarantee your safety.”

“
Fine,” I answered. “I always do what you tell me,” I said in a defeated tone.

“
I wish Olivia was more like you,” Hector added. “She never does what I ask her to do.” Just then Jorge walked in. We all got quiet and you could feel the tension in the room.

“
Get away from my brother’s wife,” he said to Maxwell. “I hate that every time I walk into a room, the two of you are together.”

“
She was shot, Jorge.” Max replied. “Try to have some sympathy.”

“
Diego is awake and he wants to talk to you,” he said to Max. “I think he wants to thank you, or something.” Max looked at Hector and Hector nodded.

“
I’ll be right back,” he said to me. When he left Jorge said, “Hector, go find something to do,”

“
No,” Hector replied and quite abruptly. “Whatever you have to say to her, you can say in front of me.”

“
Come on, Hector. What am I going to do to her in a hospital?” He looked over at him with pleading eyes but Hector didn’t budge.

He looked at me with an angry face. I felt as though I was staring down the devil. It didn’t take him long to switch moods. “How long have you been sleeping with Max?” he asked.

“
We don’t have a physical relationship,” I answered. Hector had a watchful eye on Jorge.

“
Diego only believes that because he doesn’t want to admit to himself that his wife is a whore.” I was startled and sat up a little. Hector stood up and walked over to my bed.

“
Get the hell out of here,” he told him. “You can’t talk to her like that. Diego wouldn’t want you to.”

“
I’m taking him,” Jorge told me. “After Hector and Max take care of Johnny, your other lover, I’m taking Max with me to Mexico.”

I didn’t say anything. I needed to process the information. Obviously Max doesn’t know of Jorge’s plans. If I fight him, I will give us away.

“
Did you hear me, Lilly?” he asked. “I’m taking him.” I still said nothing. I looked at Hector for a cue.

“
He’s too soft for Mexico, you know that,” Hector added. “He’ll get killed in the first few weeks.”

“
You’re staying here and he’s coming with me. You should have thought about that before the two of you set your sights on our wives.” He continued. “Max is mine now. Have you found Johnny yet?”

“
No, he’s in hiding,” Hector responded. “We’ll find him. I have all kinds of men looking for him.”

“
See that you do and fast,” Jorge answered. “I am ready to go home.”

“
And we’re ready for you to leave,” Hector added. Jorge left the room. “Good job,” he told me.

I gasped. “Max can’t leave me, I’ll die!” I grabbed Hector’s shirt in panic. Max walked in right then, pulled my grip off of Hector and hugged me.

“
Why would I leave you?” he asked. “We’re having a baby,” he said, happy as a little boy with a new toy.

“
Max, we need to find Johnny,” Hector said. “Jorge wants to take you back to Mexico.”

“
What?” he asked. “I can’t go to Mexico.”

“
I think he’s serious,” he said. “He wants to switch us out.”

“
This will slow us down,” Max answered. “I’d better make a phone call.

He pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial. “Hey,” he said. “Lilly’s fine and Diego’s still alive. It’ll take more than a bullet to take that guy out,” he continued. “Listen, Diego will be out of the hospital tomorrow. Can you be here sometime after noon? Where’s Johnny?” He laughed and said, “This is so perfect, and I can’t believe how well this is going to work out.” He looked at Hector, and Hector looked at him curiously. “Hey listen, you may have to stay in touch with Hector for a while. You have his number, right? Jorge wants to take me to Mexico and they’ll probably take away my cell phone so that I can’t call Lilly. I’ll be fine. Hector and I will just switch gears, that’s all. I’ll make sure he keeps an eye on Lilly. Okay, see ya later, bye.”

“
What’s up?” Hector asked.

“
I’ll tell you later. I don’t want her to have to lie for us,” he added.

“
Okay, who was that?” I asked.

“
I love you, Lilly,” he answered. He and Hector sat with me until a doctor came in to check on me. The doctor cleared me to go home and the boys checked me out. I went to see Diego before I left.

He looked surprisingly well for a man who was just shot in the stomach. He smiled when he saw me and reached out his hand. “You’re all right?” he asked.

“
Just a graze.” I answered.

“
I was so scared that something had happened to you.” He took my hands and put them to his face. “Go home, Lilly and get some rest. I will see you tomorrow.” I kissed him as a dutiful wife is supposed to do and he was pleased. “Max, you and Hector wait to go after Johnny. I want you to stay with Lilly until I can be there myself. Just in case.” We knew he was serious since the last thing he would ever do would be to ask Max to ‘watch me’ for him. “And thanks again Max, I owe you one.”

“
You sure do,” Max answered. “When I get shot I expect the same act of kindness.” They both laughed. Leave it to Max to make a joke like that.

“
Don’t say that,” Diego answered. “I may hate your guts sometimes, but I don’t want you dead.” The three of us left and Jorge and Olivia stayed with Diego. I was relieved. Jorge made me very nervous. Jorge and Olivia spent the night in our house, I am sure to insure our faithfulness for the evening. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to spend the night in Max’s arms.

In the morning Jorge knocked on my door. It was about 8:00 and I was still sleeping. I opened the door and he said, “Let’s go pick up my brother from the hospital.”

“
I don’t think he’s even ready to go yet,” I answered. “It’s too early.”

He grabbed my arm and said, “Get dressed, your boyfriend can’t help you now.”

“
Let go!” I cried. “I’ll be down in a while, I have to get dressed.”

“
I’ll be waiting right here for you,” he told me. I took a shower and got dressed and when I opened my door he was standing there. It was creepy. He grabbed my arm and started hurrying me down the stairs. When we got to the door Hector and Max were sitting on the floor in front of it. “What the hell…?” Jorge started.

“
Did you think we would let you take her in a car alone with you?” Max asked. “We’re going too.”

“
Do you think Diego wants to see you at all?” he asked Max.

“
Hey, I saved his miserable life. He’ll see me.” We all got into a limo and headed out to the hospital. When we got there Diego looked well and happy to see us.

“
Max, bring me my beautiful wife.” Max put his hand on my back and walked me over to him. He was standing up putting on his shirt. He hugged me and put his hands on my face. “I have missed this,” and then he kissed me. Max turned away and the four of them started speaking in Spanish. I always hated that.

The drive home was awkward. We sat in the limo as Diego put his arm around me and held my hand. I was very uncomfortable. When we got home we headed for the kitchen and as usual, Max started preparing food. The doorbell rang and Hector said, “Wait here, I’ll check it out.” A few minutes later we heard, “Diego, it’s Lilly’s dad.”

“
My dad?” I asked in great surprise. “What’s he doing here?” We all went out into the foyer except for Jorge. “Dad,” I said and I ran to hug him. “What are you doing here?”

“
I came to try to talk your husband into turning over states evidence.”

“
I run a property management company Mick, what are you talking about?” Diego said with a smug look on his face.

“
Come on Diego, roll over on your brother and I’ll keep you out of it.”

“
I have no reason to roll over on anyone,” he said again. “And even if I did…” he paused, “my loyalty lies with him first.”

“
Johnny is rolling over on you,” my dad continued. “He’s in witness protection right now, in case you’ve been looking for him.”

“
That little drug addict is nothing but a little pain in the ass,” Diego said. “What exactly does he think he has?”

“
Enough to put you all away,” he answered. “Think about it Diego.” He started to walk away. “You too, Max.”

After he left Max said to Hector, “That’s why we couldn’t find him. I’ll bet I know where he is now.”