by P D Miller
“There’s no way around asking three times?”
“Eloping if you can get the girl away from everyone long enough.”
“No other way?”
Gonzalo shifted uncomfortably. “Getting her in a family way which would be the worst thing to happen. Man, the last two options are both unacceptable, especially at our house. Why are you asking this?”
“Just curious.” Ben shrugged. “What I really want to know—is Eduardo around enough to know when you’ve got loads lined up, what’s wrong with your trucks and so on.”
“I suppose. I mean we don’t think about whether he’s there or not when we talk about things. Yeah, I guess he probably does know what goes on pretty much. You suspect him?”
“Why not? I have to suspect your brothers. His dad owns a rival company.” Ben made a steeple of his fingers and rubbed it against his forehead. “What are the names of the companies you were running for when you got hit?”
“Bowling and TexIt.”
Ben stood and stretched. “I’ve got to disappear for a few days. Got some things to do.” He turned to face Gonzalo. “Here’s what you do. Have your brothers make an inventory for repairs to get you back in running order with all six trucks, and you hunt for a place where you can lock the trucks away. As soon as the money comes in, rent the place, move the trucks inside, start on repairs, and get the trucks running. Make sure they do it right but do it as fast as they can. You’re going to have some orders lined up before you know it.” Ben stretched again and opened another beer.
“And it’s all you’re going to tell me?”
“Yeah, but I want to be able to call you each day while I’m gone, and it has to be a phone where we can talk. I don’t want to use cell phones. Where and when?”
“I don’t know.
Ben rubbed his neck. “Look, I’ll keep the room. How does this sound? You come here every day and I’ll call you here while I’m gone. ”
“Yeah sure. What time?”
“Five thirty or six. Which is best?”
“Probably six.”
“Okay, and if for some reason I can’t call, I’ll leave a message on the phone.” He picked up his key cards and tossed one to Gonzalo. “You might tell anyone who asks, you have to check on some things I left.
Gonzalo took the key. “Sure. Is there any more?”
“I don’t like the way Eduardo hangs around. Missy doesn’t need his kind.”
Gonzalo glanced at Ben with a smile. “Look, you don’t have to worry about Eduardo. Pop doesn’t like him either, and Pop isn’t anxious to let Missy go. He doesn’t think she’s ready for marriage.” Gonzalo bit his lip. “In fact, he was telling me he thought maybe in another four or five years she could—”
“Four or five years?” Ben shook his head. No way were they going to keep her single so long. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
At eight the next morning a florist pulled up to the Sanchez house while they were having breakfast. When Mrs. Sanchez came back with a mile wide grin carrying a long flower box and handed it to Missy; Gonzalo put his head in his hands. Charger, damn him!
Missy opened the box and stared at a dozen red roses. The card said, “Had to go out of town. Will miss you. Ben.” Missy and Mrs. Sanchez cried.
The Sanchez men rolled their eyes toward the ceiling, got up and left for work. As instructed, Gonzalo told his brothers to look for any signs of foul play and needed repairs on the trucks and to make a list. He called places until he found a warehouse where they could secure the trucks. When the guys went home for lunch, they were surprised to find a sleek Cadillac sitting in front of the house. Inside, Missy and Mrs. Sanchez were still crying, and a man in a suit sat across from them with a lap full of papers.
Half an hour later Gonzalo dropped on the sofa and closed his eyes. Missy’s tenth grade math teacher, Mr. Ozuna, right year even, was so saddened she dropped out of school he willed everything to her? Moreover the man was a nut about counting—loved to count his money rather than use it, so after his bills were paid he left $100,000. No teacher ever made so much money! And since he’d moved away when he retired, it took the attorney a year to find her. Gonzalo knew Ben was behind it, but how the hell did he come up with a dead math teacher, attorney and even the money in such a short time? Gonzalo looked up and saw Eduardo’s pale face. He glanced at the mantle which now had red, yellow and pink roses! When the attorney finally smiled and stood, Gonzalo led him to the door in a daze. He turned back to face two women’s tearing faces.
“Guess we’re back in business.” Missy smiled through tears and shoved the check at him. “Gosh I’ve never cried so much in my life.” She raced upstairs to her room.
Gonzalo fought emotions of his own. Where the hell had the money come from? DEA? And why all the flowers? If Ben ever hurt Missy, he’d kill him!
In the afternoon Gonzalo took his father and Missy to the bank, learned the check was genuine and opened an account. Gonzalo sent Missy home with his dad, went back to the office, rented the storage warehouse for the trucks and ordered supplies for repairs. Half of his brothers started moving trucks to the warehouse while the others went to pick up parts and supplies. By the time they closed shop, the trucks were secured and everything was ready for the trucks to be repaired. Gonzalo stopped in the motel room and dropped in a chair. He grabbed the phone on the first ring.
“How’s it going?” Ben sounded as cool as a cucumber.
“Where did you get the money, man? Do we have to pay it back?”
“What money?”
“Charger—”
“I take it everything’s going as scheduled? How soon can you start some runs?”
“We can get one or two trucks tip-top by tomorrow.”
“Good, stand by your office phone for orders. How’s Missy?”
“Crying you—”
“Good, she needs a good cry. Guess I can’t expect you to understand.”
“Charger, if you hurt her I’ll—”
“Yeah, I know. You’ll kick my ass from here to China.” Ben laughed.
“Charger, I swear—”
Ben just laughed. “Has the idiot Eduardo come to ask a second time?”
“No.”
“Was he there when the attorney was?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. He’ll be there later I’m sure. Run the damn guy off.”
“What the hell—”
“Talk to you tomorrow, same time.”
“Gonzalo yelled at the receiver but heard only a dial tone. Angrily he dropped it. What the hell was Ben up to? He went to the closet and spotted the briefcase on a shelf. He opened it and saw all the money still there. He hadn’t used DEA money? Damn Charger! When he saw him, he was going to strangle him! Putting the briefcase back on the shelf in the closet, Gonzalo locked the door as he left.
When he arrived home, Gonzalo glanced at the mantle when he walked in. He could swear the number of roses had doubled. Yeah, TWO dozen red, yellow and pink. What was Ben doing? He dropped on the sofa and looked across to see Eduardo sitting stiffly beside an uncle. “Man are you always here?”
“I come to ask for Melissa’s hand.”
“Why? Because she came into some money?” Where the hell was Missy?
“Gonzalo—” Mrs. Sanchez blinked.
“No Mom, he’s got a home. Can’t we have some privacy around here once in a while?”
“Enough!” Mrs. Sanchez jumped up. “We will be polite.”
“Oh hell!” Where the hell was Missy? Gonzalo jumped up and raced upstairs. He opened Missy’s door and saw her sitting on the side of her bed holding a dozen white roses. She glanced at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. “I talked to Charg—” He willed his mouth to stop but it refused. “He asked how you’re doing.” Damn! His damn big mouth! Missy sobbed louder. He sat on the bed beside her. “Melissa, what’s wrong?”
She held up the card sent with the roses. “Missy, four years ago I made a promise. White is for wedd
ings. Love Ben.”
“What does this mean?” Gonzalo held it up. “Charger—he said when I grew up he’d marry me.”
“He what? How?” Gonzalo jumped up.
“In one of his letters.” Missy reached in her nightstand and pulled out a package of letters. She shook as she pulled the one on top out of an envelope and handed it to Gonzalo.
“Missy I had no idea—if I’d known—” Gonzalo forgot to say Melissa.
“Missy died; three years now she died.” She shook all over.
“Damn!” Gonzalo pulled her into his arms, then pulled back so she could see him talk. “Melissa—oh baby—no one died—you were just hurt—nothing’s changed—we still—all of us—oh baby we still love you the same.”
“No you don’t. I’m different now.”
“No.” He hugged her, then pulled back and looked at her. “You’re still Missy my baby sister whether you want to believe it or not. I still love you like I did before. Everyone loves you like before.”
“Charger—he—expected someone different. And I was waiting for him before I got hurt. I used to dream, to plan—now—” Feeling nothing but shame, Missy’s eyes shot toward the floor. “Oh Gonzalo, I loved him—I always loved him. What am I going to do? He thinks I’m still—Gonzalo you have to tell him what happened.”
Gonzalo pulled away to look at her. “No, there’s no reason for us to tell anyone.”
“No? Eduardo knows what happened. Do you think not? I can see in his eyes how he knows—knows he’d be able to throw it up to me later. I don’t want to marry him or anyone.”
“Melissa, Pop won’t make you marry Eduardo. None of us likes him, so don’t worry about him. I’ll tell Pop to run him off if you want.”
“Good. And the next time you talk to Charger, you’ll tell him the truth and run him off too!” She glared at her oldest brother. “I’m not a baby you know.” She crumpled the card, dropped it and tossed the roses across the room as she jumped up. “All of you make me sick!” She turned, suddenly furious.
“We make you—”
“Sick, sick, sick! Trying to protect me! I’ve got so many damn brothers worrying and watching over me; it’s impossible.”
“Melissa—”
“Next time you talk to Charger, tell him the damn truth! Tell him I’m not the same, Missy’s dead, Melissa is deaf and can’t hear a damn thing. I’m not worth bringing all the way home, he needs to stay away and not come back anymore—I hate him! I’ll always hate him!” She kicked the roses strewn on the floor and turned to Gonzalo. “Tell him I never want to see him again!”
“Melissa—” Gonzalo waved his hands in desperation.
She pounced upon him with tears streaming down her face. “Will you tell him?”
“If it’s what you want, but Mel—”
“Yes, exactly what I want.” She stomped with satisfaction. “To hell with him and everyone else!” She folded her arms against her chest. “Tell him I’m too busy to think about him, or Eduardo, because I’m going to go to college and learn how to teach others like me. Tell him I don’t need him or anyone—not even you.”
“No one?” Gonzalo was amazed by her sudden change.
“No one, dammit! I can take care of myself. There’s nothing wrong with me.” She shoved her head up high. “I can think like everyone else. Now, since we have some money, there’s no reason why I can’t go to college and become a teacher.” She glared. “Is there?”
“No Melissa, no reason.”
“Good then when you talk to Charger, you tell him I don’t need him or Ben or Eduardo either. I can manage perfectly without them.” Her eyes flashed. “Do you have some problem?”
“Huh?” His mouth dropped open.
“Are you going to sit on my bed all night or are you going to let me get some sleep?”
“Oh.” Gonzalo jumped up in a daze. “Yeah sure, I’m sorry, I was just going.”
“Thanks for listening.” Missy smiled a huge smile. “And don’t forget—tell Ben.”
“Yeah, I’ll tell him.” Gonzalo went downstairs with total confusion on his face.
“Everything all right, son?”
“I don’t know.” Gonzalo glanced at his parents. “Missy’s upset. She told me to tell you to run him off.” Gonzalo pointed at Eduardo. “She’s tired of him coming to see her.”
“Oh?” Eduardo jumped up.
“Well now—” Mr. Sanchez smiled. “Maybe you’d best go.”
“But I—my uncle came to ask—”
“Looks like Melissa has her own opinion and said no.” Gonzalo smirked.
“Is this your answer to my nephew’s proposal?” Eduardo’s uncle rose.
“If it’s what my daughter wants. Guess you’d best leave.” Mr. Sanchez grinned.
Everyone watched Eduardo and his uncle leave in a huff. “Care to tell us what all this was about?”
“Missy’s remembering things. Doesn’t want to marry him. She doesn’t want to marry anyone.” Gonzalo shrugged. “Said she wants to go to college.” He raked tired fingers through his hair. “Look Pop, I have to check on something.” Dazed, Gonzalo left the house, got in his car and drove to the motel. When he got there, a message was on the phone. Still in a daze he dialed the number from the message.
“Did you get rid of Eduardo?”
“Yeah, you expected me to call?” Gonzalo shook his head.
“Yeah. How’s Missy doing?”
“She’s doing terrible.”
“Is she unhappy about Eduardo?”
“No, but if I ever find you, you’re dead meat!”
“She’s a little upset, huh?”
“Damn, Charger, you did too much today.”
“What happened?”
“She told me to tell you she doesn’t need you or anyone,”
“Good. What else?”
“Good? Charger—”
“What else man? Lay it all on me now.”
“Charger where the hell are you?”
“I want to know what happened, what Missy said—”
“She said Missy’s dead.”
“Yeah, she told me too; now what else?”
“She—she said to tell you she’s deaf—”
“We both know it; what else is new?”
“She said to tell you she hates you.”
“Good. She needs to release her feelings.”
“Damn, Charger—if I ever find you—”
“To hell with you. I can live with her being deaf; what else?”
“Dammit to hell, she doesn’t feel the same! Look man, she was hurt and wants to forget it. She said she doesn’t need anyone including you or Eduardo. She said she’s going to college to become a teacher because she can still think. She blew her top because we baby her.”
“I want to know how she got hurt.”
“Charger—look I can’t—”
“I want to know what happened.”
“She was kidnapped and gone for two weeks.”
“And when you found her, she couldn’t hear?” Ben swallowed hard while his blood ran cold.
“What?”
“I said, after you found her was she deaf?”
“She was in very bad shape—concussion—hospitalized a couple weeks—”
“Gonzalo, when they found her, she was deaf?”
“Yeah.” Gonzalo dropped in a chair. “You’re a persistent bastard.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
“Man, you made her cry all day.”
“Crying’s good for a person. Ask your mother.”
“You had no business ever saying you’d marry her. If I’d known—”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
“She says she hates you and never wants to see you again.”
“So she doesn’t want to see me?”
“Hell no. She told me to tell you.”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Yeah, I’m coming in.”
“You’r
e what’?”
“Got a full truck I’m bringing in. Besides, you’re going to need help with all your orders and an extra truck too.”
“Look Charger, about Missy—”
“Yeah, something else? Or is it you’ve got something against my courting your sister?”
“Against what?”
“I’m going to marry Missy.”
“Like hell!”
“She’ll come around.”
Gonzalo rubbed his forehead. “You need to stop talking about marriage. I mean she’d cause you nothing but trouble.”
Ben chuckled. “Yeah, the way you said she feels I figured as much.” He took a deep breath. “Her deafness or being kidnapped doesn’t matter Gonzalo. It’s not important. The minute I saw her stalled by her car, I knew it.” Ben took another deep breath. “Look line up all your brothers and your father to beat the hell out of me if you want; I’m coming in to see Missy.”
Gonzalo dropped the receiver to a dial tone. His life would never be normal again just because of his teensy hung up sister and this giant. A giant? Oh God, what if he threw all the customs aside and came with a damn ladder? Missy wouldn’t be able to cope with anything like it! He jumped up, raced to his car and hurried home.
After three in the morning Gonzalo still sat in the living room wishing he could sleep. First thing he’d do in the morning is cool Ben’s heels as far as Missy was concerned. So why the hell was he up? Because Ben had said he was coming in to see Missy—not Melissa but Missy. Somehow he must convince Ben his sister no longer wanted Missy to exist. But was this why he was still up? Hell no, he didn’t trust the guy. Ben was liable to come with a ladder and hurt Missy more than ever, and he was probably just using Missy to get into the family because of the drug investigation. Gonzalo planned how he’d murder Ben. His head jerked up when he heard a big rig’s engine gunned. No it couldn’t be him!
When Ben hit the far corner of the block he gunned the engine and reached for the horn. Grinning as houselights all around clicked on, he honked again and slowly turned. Taking his time he rumbled down the block honking all the way. He felt as if the grin had grown permanently on his face.