Antonio bowed with true gratitude and affixed the stem through the buttonhole in his lapel. “Am I dashing?”
Trixie clapped her hands together. “Oh yes!” She hugged Max again tightly as he came up besides her. “Doesn’t Daddy look amazing? He’s so handsome.” She looked up at Max, smiling. “Maybe Antonio will hire you as a butler, Daddy. You could have a real job…”
Max grimaced, and he and Antonio shared a pointed look.
Antonio said, “I think your father already has the best job in the world.”
Trixie pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, nose wrinkled. “Playing cards?”
“Being your father,” said Antonio.
“And speaking of doing my job,” said Max, reaching into the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket. “Happy Birthday, my love.”
Max handed Trixie an envelope that she immediately ripped open in order to remove the contents. She scanned the printed tickets and squealed. “Brandon’s concert at Twilight!” She twisted and grasped Max tightly around the midsection. “Oh thank you thank you thank you!”
Max removed her sunglasses and kissed her on top of her head. “Thank Antonio too.”
Trixie turned and squeezed Antonio. “Thank you thank you thank you!”
“You are quite welcome.”
Trixie clasped the tickets close to her heart and sighed. “I can’t wait.” She looked up at Max. “We have forever until the concert…what am I going to do?”
Antonio held up a hand. “If you don’t mind, I have an idea.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
At BackusHospital the driver of the town car stayed in the car while Antonio opened the rear door for Trixie and Max.
“If you don’t mind waiting,” said Antonio, “this will be considered an extension of your airport trip.”
The driver nodded. “I’ll be right here when you’re ready to go.”
Antonio had phoned ahead to make arrangements, and as instructed escorted his two guests to a private elevator used by the Medical Director. He punched in the code and they rose quickly to the third floor. A gentleman in a white lab coat, blue shirt and Yale tie waited for them at the top, a metal clipboard under his arm. His white hair was in disarray and his mustache was extravagant.
Antonio greeted the Director with a handshake. “Dr. Richfield. It’s been some time.”
Dr. Richfield’s moustache curved with his smile. “Me and the wife were on a cruise in Alaska.” He winked. “There was a small casino on the boat.”
“And how did you fare?”
The doctor shrugged. “I’m luckier with a scalpel then I am with dice.”
Antonio introduced Max and Trixie.
“You’re a beautiful young lady,” said Dr. Richfield.
“Thank you,” said Trixie. “Is your moustache real?”
“It’s a disguise. People don’t trust handsome doctors, so I have to hide behind this bushy thing.”
Trixie giggled. “You’re funny too.”
“Only around pretty girls.” He turned to Antonio. “I have your guest in a private birthing room that was vacant. No one saw her come in, and so far, no unauthorized visitors have tried to see her. We have her in the system under the female alias we use for celebrities.”
Antonio nodded. “Excellent. May we see her now?”
“She’s waiting for you. Her boyfriend and his manager are coming to pick her up in about thirty minutes.”
“Thank you very much, Dr. Richfield. When can I expect to see you again?”
The doctor pretended to think about it for a moment. “How about next weekend?”
“Your usual accommodations will be ready for your arrival.”
Dr. Richfield shook Antonio’s hand a final time and said, “Max and Trixie, good to meet you both.”
Outside the birthing room door was a hospital security guard reading a magazine in a metal chair. “Hi Antonio. You can go right in.”
Trixie leaned over and whispered to the guard, “Who’s in there?”
The security guard put a finger to his lips. “Can’t tell you. Top secret.”
Antonio knocked on the door and said, “Its Antonio and friends. May we enter?’
From inside the room came the answer: “Yes!”
Antonio opened the door and said to Trixie, “After you, young lady.”
When Trixie entered the room she stood immobile at first, simply staring at the woman sitting on the bed. “You look just like my favorite actress…”
Shannon Moon, looking less glamorous but naturally beautiful in a pink Native Sun Casino baby doll t-shirt, a white skirt, her hair in a loose knot with curls caressing a shining face scrubbed clean of make-up. “I must look like Miley Cyrus!”
Trixie laughed. “Noooo.”
Shannon screwed up her face in exaggerated thought. “Oh I know! Selena Gomez!”
Trixie shook her head. “Shannon Moon!”
“Oh my goodness!” Shannon put a hand to both her cheeks and said, “You think I’m that ugly?”
Antonio said, “Trixie, I would like you to meet Shannon Moon.”
Trixie said, “Oh WOW!”
Shannon’s next expression was genuine. “You’re Trixie?” She looked at Max. “She’s Trixie?”
Max smiled. “My eleven-year-old daughter.”
Shannon recovered quickly. “Happy Birthday Trixie…can I have a hug?”
Trixie ran over to her and they embraced.
“You smell awesome,” said Trixie. “Just like a movie star!”
“Trixie your hair is gorgeous…I always wanted short hair. Do you think it would look good on me?”
“Oh yes!” Trixie’s smile was radiant. “Do you want the number of my hair stylist?”
The adults erupted with laughter.
While Trixie and Shannon were in the middle of a detailed discussion regarding playing the part of a princess in a real castle in England, there was a knock on the door. Antonio checked that it was whom he expected, and opened it just enough to receive a package in bright wrapping paper adorned with a silk bow.
He extended this formally to Trixie. “Happy Birthday, from your father.”
Trixie asked Shannon to help her open the gift. Beneath the paper was a white box, and within, a 5”x7” silver framed blank piece of paper behind glass.
“A picture frame,” said Trixie. “It’s…very nice, thank you.”
Antonio withdrew an ink pen from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to Trixie. “And this is from me. Happy Birthday.”
Trixie took the pen and studied it. “Uhm, thanks Antonio.”
Shannon laughed and said, “Maybe I can help, sweety.” She took the back off the picture frame and removed the blank piece of paper. “May I borrow your pen?” She thought a moment, then wrote a note on the paper and signed her name with a flourish. She then put the paper back into the frame, affixed the back, and handed it back over to Trixie. “Happy Birthday, kiddo.”
Trixie read the note and hugged the frame to her chest. “I LOVE IT!”
Antonio said to Max, “I couldn’t find the original. Lost in the shuffle, I assume.”
Max shook Antonio’s hand. “Thanks, Tony.”
Antonio stared at him. “Of course there is a chance that I am an ex-Navy Seal and my involvement is classified.”
Max said, “Thanks Antonio.” He looked at Trixie. “I heard he carries a knife.”
Antonio said, “Trixie, would you join me in the hallway for a moment? I wonder if any of the nurses might have a camera phone we could use to snap a photo of you with Shannon.”
“Do you think they might?” Trixie turned to Shannon. “Would you?”
Shannon nodded. “Anything for the birthday girl.”
Antonio arched an eyebrow at Max. Max wiggled his eyebrows in response. Shannon executed a formidable eyebrow arch in agreement.
Trixie used her forefingers to push her eyebrows upwards. “What are we all doing?”
Antonio patted her on
the shoulder and opened the door. “Let’s go find a camera phone we can borrow.”
“Okay. Where do you carry your knife?”
As the door closed Shannon patted the space next to her on the bed. “Come here.”
Max sat down took her hand. “I’m sorry about my chocolate.”
“It was the nuts that almost killed me.”
“I’m sorry about my nuts.”
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “This weekend was nothing like I had planned, but it still turned out pretty amazing. Thank you.”
“Just doing my job, Miss Moon.”
“So, Trixie is your daughter.”
“The biggest jackpot I ever won.”
“I thought she was your ex-wife.”
Max laughed. “Oh no…guess I didn’t explain that very well.”
“She’s beautiful, seems like a great kid.” She sighed and smiled, staring at him mysteriously. Finally she said, “Brandon came to visit me in the hospital.”
“He visited me too, at the door to my suite.”
“I heard about that. I’m sorry. Told ya he was a little crazy.”
“Antonio saved the day.”
“He has a way of doing that. Listen, Brandon and I had a long talk. He has done some really shitty things to me – but then again, I’m not exactly innocent, am I?”
“You make a pretty convincing princess in the movies.”
“But I’m just an actress, Max. Sometimes I don’t even know if what I’m doing is real or acting.”
“I have a confession to make. I’m not a real butler.”
She leaned back, her eyes roaming over him. “You look like one to me.”
“Antonio says that tuxedos are usually worn for a moment of truth. I guess this is mine.”
“So we were both playing a part.” She reached up and straightened his bowtie. “Brandon and I are going to try and work things out. He apologized for everything. And even though it sounds crazy…when he goes nuts and does stupid things, like waving the gun around outside your door? I kinda like it. It’s cinematic…heroic even.” Her hands trailed from his bowtie to his chest. “We’re going back to Hollywood where everything is fake anyways. Maybe we’ll find a way to pretend our lives make sense.” Her smiled at him. “But real life with you, Max, was pretty wonderful.” Shannon suddenly took his face in her hands and kissed him passionately, her fingers running through his hair, around his ears, down his back. She pulled away, her nose touching his nose, her eyes flashing.
Max took a moment to recovery. “What was that?”
“That was your moment of truth, cowboy.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Max was the chip leader and the last player limping along on their table had folded and was guzzling a rum and Coke, crunching ice angrily. Sadiya winked at Max.
Cash called out from the sidelines, “Beat her ass, Max!”
Craig Sheffield hushed him loudly. “Do the words live television mean anything to you?”
Max’s hand was junk. The flop was Ace, Jack, Five. Sadiya looked happy. She was probably holding two-of-a-kind or had trip Aces. He doubted if she had the trip, she wasn’t making sexual comments which means her hand wasn’t locked in yet.
The dealer flipped a ten of diamonds on the turn.
Sadiya licked her lips and pushed in chips. “Twenty.”
The dealer called out, “Twenty thousand to the pot.”
Max didn’t study his cards. He wanted her to think he was calculating what card he’d get on the river. He looked at the card shoe to the dealer’s left. He looked over Sadiya’s shoulder at Trixie, who was standing just beyond the velvet rope, still wearing her Brandon concert t-shirt.
She waved at him and then blew him a kiss.
He tipped his white ten-gallon hat, and made the biggest decision of his life.
“I’m all in,” he said.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The evening had been well-ordered, with no unusual requests or instances that had required his direct attention. Antonio’s BlackBerry had been receiving emails, all containing straightforward information regarding arriving and departing guests. There had been a few calls from individuals on his staff seeking minor guidance on ordinary matters. He had caught up on the operational information he’d missed from that morning’s meeting and reviewed the weekend’s attendance records. All invoices and inventories that required his signature had been dutifully confirmed and signed and sent to their various administrative assistants for filing. He had enjoyed a light dinner, indulged in a shoe shine on the casino concourse from the masterful polisher known as Lucky, during which Antonio caught up on the latest gossip, all of it involving him. He tipped generously.
He was sitting at his writing desk, a cooling cup of tea on his blotter, as he studied the upcoming week’s VIP arrival report.
Mark Ford entered the office and sat down opposite him. “I’m bored.”
“As am I, and thoroughly enjoying the experience.”
“Some guy downstairs at a blackjack table unzipped his fly and took a piss. The dealer’s shoes got wet. She turned around and barfed on the Pit Boss. The lady sitting next to the guy stands up and slaps him. He throws his drink in her face. Her boyfriend smacks off the guys sunglasses and spits on his shirt. By the time I got there it looked like a Jerry Springer rerun.”
“Did you find an opportunity to use your new baton?”
“That’s just for special occasions.”
“Your description of the battle on the casino floor certainly doesn’t sound boring.”
“It’s no shark attack.”
“That is true.”
“Nobody was waving a gun around, either.”
“Normally the absence of those two things is considered good.”
Mark shrugged. “Guess you’ve spoiled me.” He looked around the office. “I see the tea, where are those little butter cookies?”
Antonio took a tin from his desk drawer.
Mark munched. “I heard Max won the million bucks.”
“That rumor is very much true.”
“I also heard he bluffed the winning hand. You teach him that?”
“He is my protégé, after all.”
“I wouldn’t want to play poker with you. The only expression you ever make is that eyebrow thing.”
“Indeed?” Antonio sipped his tea and then patted his lips dry with his handkerchief. “Do you ever gamble, Mark?”
“Not anymore, I’ve converted to bachelorism.” He wiped his sleeve across his mouth. “Any word from Liz?”
“I’ve written a detailed report of everything that occurred this weekend, if she gives me the opportunity to present it.”
“Not too detailed I hope.”
“I left out whatever seemed extraneous.”
“Like the part where I pushed Ang Wang into the shark tank…”
“I was under the impression that was accidental.”
Mark ate another cookie.
Antonio said, “If the meeting goes badly, then I have also typed out my resignation.”
“You won’t need it.”
Antonio’s phone buzzed. “Hello Max. Yes, I’ll meet you at your suite.” He stood and buttoned his tuxedo jacket. “Care to bid farewell to Max and Trixie?”
Mark put a handful of cookies into his jacket pocket. “I got nothing else to do.”
A bellhop was loading Trixie’s suitcase onto a brass cart, along with Max’s laptop and a wardrobe bag. Trixie immediately ran up to Mark.
“Where have you been?” She asked. “You have crumbs on your tie.”
“You want a cookie?” Mark said, “Guess what? We had a guy pee on a blackjack dealer.”
Trixie took a bite of her butter cookie. “Eww! Tell me all about it!”
Antonio spoke to Max. “Congratulations on the tournament. I hope the cufflinks served you well?”
“Antonio, I don’t know how to thank you for everything this weekend. It was…”
&n
bsp; “Memorable,” said Antonio. “You may keep the tuxedo and the hat, if you wish.”
Max pointed at the wardrobe bag. “It might come in handy again someday. I gave the hat back to Sonny and asked if he could get it to Shannon. A little good-bye present.”
“That was very thoughtful. Are you off to Vegas?”
“I have Trixie for a month. We’re going to take a little vacation.”
Antonio was surprised. “What is your destination? I could recommend a nice hotel.”
“She lives with her mom in Maryland. I was thinking of going there, maybe buying a house nearby.” He put his hands into his pockets, thinking. “Maybe take a break from cards, too.”
“I have a contact at the Hotel Monaco in Baltimore if you need temporary accommodations.” Antonio said, “I think this is a splendid idea, Max. I must say I’m proud of you.”
Max grinned. “Time to take a few chances on real-life stuff.”
“I am always at your service, if you should need anything.” Antonio extended his hand.
Max stared at the hand. “I’m more of a hugger.”
Antonio smiled as Max Allen embraced him warmly and thumped him loudly on the back.
Trixie joined them both, “Group hug! Come on Mark!”
“No way,” said Mark. “I know for a fact we’re being taped right now.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“Well,” said Mark. “We survived another weekend.”
As Max Allen’s limousine pulled away, with Trixie waving from the open rear window, Antonio lifted his jacket lapel and smelled his carnation. “There are many more to come.”
“Let’s go get a drink, I’m buying.”
Antonio checked his watch. “Unfortunately I have an appointment.”
“At this time of night?” Mark stared at him suspiciously. “You have a date!”
“It involves a business matter.”
A town car pulled to a stop and the driver exited the vehicle leaving the motor running. He jogged up to Antonio. “All yours. When you bring it back just make sure it’s parked over by the limo bays.”
“Thank you,” said Antonio, and handed the man a folded bill.
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