Vegas heat

by Michaels, Fern

  "Sunny, do you have a minute?"

  "I have lots of minutes, Birch. Sit down."

  "How are you feeling?"

  * 'Is that one of those polite questions to make conversation or do you care?"

  "Jesus, Sunny, every time I talk to you you have a burr in your undies. I care, or I wouldn't have asked."

  "I feel like a pregnant woman. You didn't stop in here to ask me how I am. What's up?"

  Birch told her.

  "Wow! Where is she?"

  "In the private dining room. Do you want to meet her?"

  "Surely you jest. One minute you want me to stay hidden because of my big belly and the next you want me to walk out on the floor where customers can actually SEE me. Or do you want me to go down through the garage and come up by the service elevator? If Dad sees me on the floor in the monitor, this place will be in flux for three days." This last was said so bitterly, Birch cringed. He pretended not to see the tears in his sister's eyes.

  "I want you to walk with me. That means at my side. I don't much care what Dad does or says these days. I'm doing my job just the way you're doing yours. God, Sunny, how did you

  handle your estrangement from Mom when you two went at it? It's killing me."

  "You were wrong, Birch, just the way I was wrong. Mom taught us to take responsibility for our actions. That was the hardest lesson I ever learned. I chipped away a part of her heart. I don't think I can ever repair the damage I did to her. I hold back now because I don't ever want to see that awful look in her eyes again. You sold out, Birch."

  "I didn't know, Sunny. Dad lied to me."

  "That was my excuse, too. It isn't good enough. Have you spoken to Sage or Billie?"

  "I call, but they don't call back. I'm not going to force myself on them."

  4 'Do what I do, get in their face and go on from there. Refuse to accept their attitude, and if that doesn't work, beat the shit out of Sage."

  Birch snorted. "Jesus, Sunny, you have to stop talking like a truck driver. Sage would deck me. Billie would kick my ass all the way down the mountain."

  "You deserve both. Betrayal is a serious business, and no I will not intervene."

  "I didn't ask you to."

  "You were thinking about it. I know you, Birch. Do you ever think we'll be a real family again?" Sunny's voice was so wistful, Birch put his arm around her shoulders.

  "I like to think so, but I wouldn't bet the rent on it."

  "What's he been doing?"

  "I have no idea. I try and stay out of his way. He's up to something, though. He's got more schemes than a wizard. I gotta tell you something, Sunny. I'm scared shitless about that sixteen million dollars. I think we both know where he got it. When the other shoe falls I hope I'm not around. I pray to God every day that he can keep all those deals he cut straight in his mind. Another thing, he's got everyone in the world looking for Uncle Simon. It's like he dropped off the face of the earth. Guess he had it with this family, too."

  "He's part of this family. Don't think for one minute Uncle

  Simon isn't hurting. He's out there somewhere thinking of us every hour of the day. That's the way he is. I don't know what happened between him and Mom. If ever two people were neant for each other ..."

  "Dad said ..."

  Sunny vvas a whirlwind. She was out of her chair and across the room, backing her brother up against the wall, her face almost touching Birch's face, her eyes spewing sparks. "When in the damn hell are you going to learn you can't believe anything he says? When, Birch?"

  Undaunted, Birch blustered, "Uncle Simon had all the right breaks. He's not in a wheelchair."

  "Uncle Simon made his own breaks. All he ever did was give. He never took."

  "Except Mom."

  "Yeah, Mom. Not until it was all over between her and Dad, though. You have a long way to go, Birch, before you belong in my little circle. I've had enough of this crap. All we do is spin our wheels. Let's go meet the charming Lily Bell. Let's see what she has up her sleeve. Everyone wants something."

  "And you have the nerve to say I'm cynical!" Birch snorted. 'She said she doesn't want anything."

  "If I told you that, would you believe me?"

  "Coming from you, yeah, I would."

  Sunny smiled. Her grip on her brother's arm tightened. It was her way of showing approval.

  "What's she like?"

  'She kind of reminds me of Mom. The way I remember Morn when we were growing up. She's pretty. Her smile is nice. I liked her." Aahhh." Get off it, Sunny. Smile. We're on camera."

  Sunny stuck out her tongue as she let go of her brother's arm to do a deliberate duck walk, her stomach protruding for all the world to see. In spite of himself, Birch laughed aloud. He reached for Sunny's arm and for the benefit of the customers

  watching, said, "We're getting married this afternoon." Sunny howled with laughter.

  "That's going to make him nuts for a whole week. I'm glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor."

  "Okay, we're here. Try not to be obnoxious, Sunny."

  In his office, his eyes on the monitors, Ash seethed with rage. He buzzed Security, barking his order,' 'Bring my daughter and son here. Now! They're headed for the private dining room. I want to know who they're meeting."

  The head of Security raced down the hall toward the private dining room, reaching it just as Birch was about to open the door. "Sunny, Birch, hold on. Your father wants to see you right away." The head of Security's voice was flat. His eyes looked worried.

  "Tell my father we're both too busy to join him right now." For the benefit of the security camera, and Neal Tortalow's job, Birch jabbed a finger in the man's chest to make his point.

  "He isn't going to like this, Birch."

  "Ask me if I care, Neal."

  Birch closed the door behind Sunny, and locked it. In the blink of an eye he had his jacket off. He tossed it over the security camera attached to the wall overhead.

  "Well-done, big brother."

  "I'm Sunny Thornton Ford, Birch's sister," Sunny said, holding out her hand. Lily Bell's handshake was every bit as firm as Sunny's.

  "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Ford. Do you want me to tell you why I came here?"

  "Birch told me. I'd like to see the picture. Growing up we only knew one grandmother. Oh, yes, I can see the resemblance. I don't know how Mom is going to take this, Miss Bell. It's been so long and she never knew . .. her brothers, my uncles might remember."

  "Brothers?"

  ' 'Uncle Daniel and Uncle Brad. My grandfather is still alive,

  too, but in frail health. I don't understand, didn't she tell you any of this?"

  "No. She doesn't know I'm here. I made up my own scenario and checked it out as much as I could. I don't know this for sure, but I suspect, from things she said from time to time, that she didn't feel she had any right to appear in your mother's life. During her last operation she did a lot of muttering when she was coming out from under the anesthetic. That's how I was able to piece things together. There was this article in the paper about your mother and the elder Mrs. Thornton. Harriet kept it, and I saw her reading it many times. She almost wore out the paper. It didn't say anything about your uncles." Her voice was fretful now, the cornflower blue eyes sad, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

  "Let's have some lunch!" Sunny said. She pressed a buzzer and spoke quietly. "A double pastrami on rye, two pickles, a glass of mihc and a side order of potato salad. Birch? Make that two. Miss Bell?" She nodded. "Three of everything. Hurry up. I'm starving. Oh, bring it in from the side door."

  "Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?" Lily Bell asked politely.

  "It doesn't matter."

  "Your baby will make Harriet a great-grandmother."

  "What's she like?" Sunny asked.

  "She treated me like a daughter. She was there for me when I needed someone. My father loved her, and she loved him. My own mother died shortly after I was born. Together, my father and Harriet had a son and d
aughter. They didn't want me to come here. Maybe I shouldn't have, I don't know. I was at the hospital sitting there for my shift with Harriet, and I thought about all the nice things she'd done for me, and I decided maybe, just maybe, I could ..."

  "What will you do if my mother and uncles don't want to ... meet her?"

  "I'll go home and put this behind me. I'll know I tried. I'll tell Harriet about the visit. She hates lies, so I'll tell her the

  truth. I wish I could tell you why she left her family, but I can t.

  "Leaving three little kids for a man to raise is pretty shitty in my opinion," the outspoken Sunny said. Birch nodded in agreement.

  "I agree with you," Lily Bell said.

  Their lunch arrived at the same moment Ash Thornton banged on the dining room door. "Open the goddamn door, Birch!"

  Birch bit into his sandwich as did Sunny. Both pretended they heard nothing. Following their cue, Lily crunched on a pickle. "Let's not mention this to you know who," Birch said as he gulped at his milk.

  4 Tm way ahead of you,'' Sunny replied as she trundled over to the service door to lock it. "This is a good sandwich. I'm going to have heartburn all afternoon."

  "That means your baby is going to have a lot of hair," Lily said. "What's your mother like?"

  "One of a kind," Birch said.

  "The best," Sunny said.

  "I'm looking forward to meeting her. I'd like to know all about her in case she decides not to go with me to California. I want to be able to tell Harriet what a wonderful daughter she has."

  "No thanks to her," Sunny blurted. "I believe she's the person she is because my grandfather Logan and my uncles raised her. If your Harriet had a hand in it, I doubt she'd be who she is today."

  Birch kissed the top of Sunny's head.' 'You don't know that, Sunny. Stop being such a hard-ass."

  "Your sister is probably right, Mr. Thornton. Harriet often said she wasn't the same person she was in her youth. But then, who is? Isn't that what maturity is all about? I'm also certain Harriet shouldered all the blame. If it were otherwise, she would have gone back to her family in the later years in an attempt to make things right."

  "I'll have Security break down this door if you don't open

  it this damn minute," Ash Thornton bellowed from the other side of the door.

  "I think, Miss Bell, this might be a good time for us to leave."

  "If you aren't going to finish that sandwich, can I have it, Birch?"

  "Take it with you, Sunny. You look tired. I'll give you a ride home."

  ' * Very good idea. Tyler can drop me off tomorrow morning."

  ' 'If I were you, I'd take a few days off. With pay of course."

  "I like that idea, too."

  Lily Bell's face flushed at the ripe curses filtering through the door. She allowed herself to be ushered out the service door and didn't question why they were going through the kitchen to an alley leading to Birch's reserved parking space.

  "I'd say that was a very clean getaway," Lily said.

  "I'd say so," Birch said, volunteering no other information.

  "I'll take care of things, make a few calls," Sunny said as she got out of the car in front of her apartment building ten minutes later. "Take as much time as you need, Birch. It was nice meeting you, Miss Bell."

  "You too, Mrs. Ford. I hope you have a little girl that looks just like you."

  "That's what my husband said. With my luck it's going to look like Birch. He's quite good-looking when he's spiffed up. He's a twin, you know."

  "You can go in anytime now, Sunny. Don't you have to take a nap or something?"

  "Birch, give Mom a hug. A really big one. I know for a fact she has a whole box of cherry Popsicles in the freezer. She's dying for us to ask for one."

  "No kidding! How do you know that?"

  Sunny smirked. "I was with her when she bought them. She said she was getting in practice again for when this little guy of mine makes his entrance. Ask for one, Birch."

  "My dad always gave me a licorice stick. It made all the bad things go away," Lily volunteered.

  Birch smiled from ear to ear. He was starting to like this young woman.

  "Nice meeting you, Miss Bell," Sunny said. She offered up a jaunty salute in her brother's direction.

  The ride up the mountain was made in companionable silence. From time to time one or the other would say something that brought a smile to the other's face.

  Birch thought he was being devious when he blurted, "Are you and your half sister and brother married with families?"

  "No. I came close once, but he wanted different things from life than I did. My sister is engaged. Paul says he's going to remain a bachelor. He's a forest ranger, and he loves the outdoors. Young women want bright lights and people. Anna will probably marry in a year or so. They want to save money so they can buy a house and not have to pay rent. I have a good job, and I inherited my father's house. We all have a nice life. I want you to know that so you understand we don't want anything from your family. How about you, are you married? Your sister said you had a twin. Are you look-alikes?"

  She wasn't married. She had a good job. The urge to reach out and touch her hand was so strong, Birch's knuckles grew white on the steering wheel.' 'You're going to like my mother." The words blurted out of his mouth so fast, Lily smiled.

  "I'm sure I will."

  "Thanks for not asking about that ruckus back at the casino."

  "Do you want to talk about it? I'm a stranger, and I never betray confidences. Sometimes it helps to talk."

  He wanted to unload, to confide, more than anything in the world, knowing instinctively this young woman wouldn't judge him. "It's one of those family things that doesn't bear repeating. That's just another way of saying this, too, will pass. Tell me about you."

  "I live in a world of books. Growing up there were no children my age in the neighborhood, so I read a lot. Books became my best friends. I was a librarian for a few years until I opened my own bookstore. There's a small cafe attached to it. No one was more surprised than I when I made a profit.

  Not right away, of course. I like being independent and not having to account to anyone. Do you know what type book sells the most?"

  'Thrillers?"

  "Yes. Mysteries, high-tech thrillers. I read them all. They're my favorites. Do you read?"

  "When I have the time. Sage, my brother, is the real reader in the family. When do you plan on returning to California?"

  "Tomorrow morning."

  "If my mother decides to go with you, I can fly you in the company plane. I think I might like to meet my grandmother. I wish I could tell you Mom will go, but I really don't know. If she decides not to go, I will."

  "That's very nice of you, Mr. Thornton."

  "Can we be Birch and Lily?"

  "Sure. What do you do at the casino? I had no idea what a gambling casino was like. I just don't understand how people can gamble away their money. I could never do that. I work for my money."

  "You sound just like my mother. She feels like you do. We grew up in the gaming profession. To us it's like any other business. Some days it gets away from you, but it works out in the end. We have thousands of employees who make sure things run smoothly."

  "I don't know if I could work in a room with canned air all day. I like to look out a window. I read somewhere that people who handle money all day get sick a lot. Is that true?''

  Birch laughed. "I'll have to check that one out. Off the top of my head I'd say our absentee level is about normal. We're almost there." Again, he had the urge to reach out for her hand. "Will you have dinner with me this evening?"

  "Well... I didn't plan ..."

  "You have to eat."

  "I didn't bring any ... I just brought my overnight case. I don't have anything fancy to wear."

  "I'm not into fancy myself. What you have on is beautiful, and it will fit in anywhere I take you. I like to go to out-of-

  the-way places where the food is good. Places
the tourists don't know about. Are you a meat or fish person?"

  "I like everything. Yes, I would like to have dinner with you. It doesn't matter where. I adapt."

  "Ah, a girl after my own heart," Birch said lightly. This time he did reach out to touch her hand. He withdrew it quickly, a huge smile on his face.

  "That's Chue's house on the right. My grandmother Sallie brought him and his sister up to the mountain when they were children. Chue looks after things here and is responsible for the hanging gardens at the casino. Su Li, his sister, is a famous doctor. She's retired now, though. We consider them family." Birch slowed the car at the bend in the road so his passenger could admire the gardens Chue had planted.

  "It's lovely."

  "My grandmother lived in a little house right in the middle of the garden. She had it built specially so she could take care of my grandfather. When she died, my mother burned it down. At my grandmother's request. Her ashes are scattered over the mountain. Look. There's Daisy." Birch slowed the car again and opened the door. Daisy hopped in and snuggled in Birch's lap. "Here comes Mom!" He turned in time to see a startled expression on Lily's face.

  "She looks just like Harriet." Her breath exploded in a loud sigh of relief.

  "Mom, I brought someone to see you." He hugged her and whispered in her ear. "Hear her out, Mom, this isn't as crazy as it sounds. Mom, this is Lily Bell. She came from California to see you." His whispered voice dropped even lower. "I like this girl, Mom."

  "Miss Bell," Fanny said, offering her hand to the young woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Why don't we go into the studio and have some coffee?"

  "Why don't I make the coffee while you and Lily talk?"

  Puzzled, Fanny agreed as she led the way to her studio.