by Clay, Verna
"Oh crap!" Parker was climbing out of his car. Pilar rushed to close Willie's door. He was sleeping peacefully and she had no intention of allowing his father near him—ever. Pulling her old housecoat tighter and tying the belt, she stepped outside just as her former husband lifted the latch to her gate and stepped inside the tiny enclosure. She couldn't see his expression, but just his presence angered her all over again. She rushed forward to stop his approach.
Speaking low, she hissed, "You can just hop back in your car and leave. My phone call covered all the bases." She couldn't resist adding sarcastically, "Pun intended."
The storm had moved on and the moon shone brightly. She was close enough now to see Parker's face. She sucked a breath. He looked terrible. His hair was uncombed, his clothing askew, and his expression morose.
Parker said, "I'm so sorry, Pilar. I called the sheriff's department to see what had happened and they wouldn't give names, but they told me about the rescue." He ran a hand through his hair, which made it stand on end. "Oh, God, I don't know what to say. I promise nothing like this will ever happen again. I love Willie. You know that."
Pilar was taken aback by Parker's obvious turmoil, but refused to allow pity into her heart. The fact that he felt guilty was glowingly obvious, but she wanted him out of their lives. Without regard for his feelings she said, "I meant what I said. I'll fight you with every resource I have to deny your visitation rights. Your negligence almost cost Willie his life–"
"Please, Pilar, listen to me. I said it will never happen again. I admit that I'm an asshole. I admit that I'm a terrible father, and I was a terrible husband, but I won't let you take my son from me. We both know that you'll never win a court battle. Can't we–"
"Dad?" said a quiet voice behind them.
Pilar jerked around to see Willie standing on the small landing just outside their front door.
She started to order him back inside but Parker rushed past her and scooped Willie into his arms. Her ex was actually crying when he said, "Willie, please forgive me. I promise I'll make everything up to you. I'm so sorry for letting you down."
Movement on the other side of her fence caught Pilar's attention. Max stood silently watching the unfolding drama. The moon was still beaming down and she locked gazes with him.
Parker's beseeching brought her attention back to Willie. Although she wanted Willie to reject his father, she wasn't surprised when her son threw his arms around him and said, "I forgive you, Daddy."
Tears welled in Pilar's eyes and she lifted the back of her hand to her mouth to contain a sob. Her son was the most forgiving person she had ever met. While she watched the tearful reunion of father and son, she felt a strong arm encircle her shoulders. Max had joined her. She leaned against his strength and croaked, "What am I going to do?"
Max laid his lips against her hair. "I think that's obvious. You and I are going to learn about true forgiveness and mending fences from Willie."
Pilar turned into Max's solidity and wanted to disappear inside him. After a long moment, she stepped back, approached her son and Parker, and said, "Why don't we go inside?"
Parker looked over the top of Willie's head at Max. He said, "You saved my boy, didn't you?"
When he didn't respond, Pilar said, "He did."
Parker rose, stepped toward Max, and extended his hand. "I can never thank you enough."
Max shook the man's hand. "You have a great kid."
Parker nodded and his face crumpled, like he was about to cry again.
Pilar repeated, "Why don't we go inside?" She clasped Max's hand and he wrapped his fingers around hers. Entering the trailer, father and son disappeared into Willie's bedroom and Pilar closed the door to give them privacy. Their muted voices drifted into the kitchen where Max took the initiative and started brewing a pot of coffee. Pilar sat tiredly at her table. Willie's sudden laughter brought her gaze to Max's and she heaved a sigh. "I'll never forget this day."
"Nor will I."
"Max, without you, Willie would be drowned, and me alongside him. I wish there was some way I could thank you."
Max tilted his head, lifted an eyebrow, and gave her a wicked smile.
She chuckled, "You are incorrigible, Ruthless Rutherford. In two months you'll be gone and holding the reins to a billion dollar company and doing what you do best."
Max cocked his head to the other side and with a knowing expression, asked, "And what is it that I do best, Pilar?"
Pilar blushed and looked away. "Max, stop teasing me."
Max laughed and she met his gaze again. He said, "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. You're beautiful when you're flustered or mad, and since I just saw you mad, I went for flustered."
Chapter 28: Bingo Bash
Pilar couldn't help the smile plastered across her face when Max gave the bingo cage a spin and then opened the trap gate to retrieve another ball. Pinky had informed Pilar that the bingo caller she'd lined up for the Bingo Bash had phoned her that morning barely making his words intelligible. Seems he had laryngitis. Max had agreed to take his place. In his beautiful baritone he called, "G11."
Her smile started to fade when she remembered that he would be gone in two months, and the thought of never seeing Max again made her smile vanish. Seated beside her, Willie shouted, "Mom, look! You've got a bingo!"
Pilar jerked her eyes to her card and yelled, "Bingo!"
Willie whooped and a few of the hardcore players grumbled. Max repeated the winning numbers and Pilar's bingo was made official. With a flourish, he handed out her prize, a gift card worth fifteen dollars at Dottie's Dime Store. Willie whooped again, no doubt thinking he might get some baseball cards out of the deal.
After the "Bash" the group lingered around cake and coffee. Mrs. Hightower and Pinky had baked three chocolate cakes, a strawberry one and a vanilla one. Desert Princess Diner provided the coffee.
Desi sipped his brew and asked Max, "So, son, looks like you're on the downhill slide to your tenure with only a couple of months remaining. What are your plans when you leave us?"
Pilar forced a bite of cake past the lump in her throat.
Max responded, "I'll be contacting my grandfather to see if he wants me to drive to New York or back to San Diego, or maybe another city. I'm assuming he'll assign me to one of his acquisitions and my life will resume where it left off."
"Are you going to miss us?" Pinky asked loudly.
Max's grin made Pilar's heart race. He said, "I'm going to miss each and every one of you." His eyes locked on Pilar's.
Goody interjected, "Well, you know where Oasis is. If you get a hankerin' for the desert, you're always welcome."
Everyone in the group chimed in and agreed with Goody.
Mr. Howard, or Howie as he preferred being called, had arrived a few days earlier from Canada to spend the fall and winter in Oasis. He asked, "Does anyone know when Princess will be home?"
Max said, "She called me a couple of days ago and said she'd be back before I left. That's about as specific as she got."
Pinky said, "She sent me some postcards from her travels."
Several other residents spoke up and said that they'd also received postcards.
Willie, who had been munching on cake and drinking cold chocolate milk, changed the subject when he said with his mouthful, "My dad is taking me camping next weekend!" His excitement was contagious and everyone wished him a happy time.
Since Willie's rescue, his father had cancelled all appointments that conflicted with him and Willie spending time together. He'd taken Willie to a baseball game that very next weekend and asked Pilar's advice on activities he should plan with his son.
Pilar patted Willie's head. She'd never seen him so happy. As much as she hated the reason for Parker's change of heart, she was ecstatic about the outcome. Through the years, she'd wondered if she would feel jealous if Willie developed a relationship with his father, but she didn't. She'd mentioned that fact to Max, and he'd placed his hands on her arms, turning her to
face him. "Love is never jealous. You only want the best for your son."
Placing her hands in his chest, she'd replied, "Thank you, Max, for everything." On the verge of kissing him, she'd quickly walked away. She knew she'd never stop with just one kiss. She wanted him in her life, in Willie's life, and in her bed.
As the Bingo Bash came to a close, Pilar helped with cleanup but left as soon as she'd done her part. Better to avoid Max.
The next month went by too fast for Pilar. On the last Friday, the event planned by Lilac, Vera, and Goody, had the biggest turnout yet. They named it the Pizza Puzzle Party, with the object being for teams of six to be the first to complete a jigsaw puzzle of a pizza with a gazillion tiny pieces. Of course, real pizza was served to everyone. The winning team received, not surprisingly, pizza certificates from the town's only pizza parlor. As it turned out, Hank had been doing jigsaw puzzles for years, but so had Vera. Their teams ran neck and neck to the finish, but Hank beat the competition by five seconds. Max's team came in last and everyone jokingly gave him a bad time. The party was a success and an adrenaline rush, but Pilar's mind never strayed far from the fact that Max would be gone in another month.
In November, after the weather turned cold, Princess returned toward the end of the month. The residents who saw her old Jeep driving through the entrance, soon alerted the entire park. Everyone rushed toward her trailer and some even beat her to it, Pilar was one of the first to arrive. With a grin that radiated warmth, Princess climbed from her Cherokee and said, "Well, howdy, ya'll."
The group loudly reciprocated her greeting just as Max reached the trailer. Princess saw him and called, "Hello, Max. You got this place lookin' right spiffy. And looks like you're none too worse for the wear in the doin' of it. Matter o' fact, you look a might happier than you did when you got here."
Max grinned. "I love a challenge."
Princess countered, "As do I, Max. And when you first arrived, I knew you'd be a challenge."
Max laughed loudly.
Princess turned her attention to Willie. "Young man, I heard from one of my snitches that you jus' 'bout bought the farm."
Willie looked confused. "Ma'am, me and my mom are still living in our trailer. We don't have a farm."
Everyone laughed and Pilar bent to Willie's ear. "I'll explain later."
Willie shrugged and grinned at Princess.
Piggy decided he needed attention and raced forward, barking and nipping at Princess's heels. She bent to pick the mutt up so she could get some dog kisses.
Chapter 29: Farewell Party
Two days after Princess's return, Max walked to the diner with Goody. Piggy was on a leash and he strained to break free. Max laughed at Goody's efforts to train the dog and Goody shook his head. "This is the most loveable mutt I've ever owned, but the dumbest." He secured the leash around a pole and Piggy turned dejected eyes on his master when he realized he wasn't being allowed inside.
Pinky and Vera had agreed that the gathering for November would be a Thanksgiving dinner party at Desert Princess Diner, with everyone chipping in to pay the cost. Since the park was in the black, Max had made a nice donation from business funds, and except for money needed to get him to his next destination, he'd gifted the remainder in his personal account to the park. He'd also left instructions that his Bounder was to be given to Pinky.
Now, he glanced at all the cars in the parking lot. "Looks like a great turnout."
Goody said, "Yep. Looks thataway." He held the door open for Max.
Max's heart felt heavy as he entered. He was leaving in the morning. Six months ago he'd been pissed about being forced into the desert, but now he dreaded leaving. He'd come to love the residents of Desert Princess Trailer Park and the townspeople of Oasis. Mostly, however, he didn't want to leave Pilar and Willie. But Pilar had made it abundantly clear that they weren't "couple material." They're lifestyles and aspirations were as different as the moon from the sun. And, as difficult as it had been, he'd respected her wishes that they keep their distance from each other. Countless times, he'd wanted to pull her into his arms and make passionate love, followed by sweet love, and every other kind of love to her, but more than anything, he wanted her respect, so he'd abided by her wishes.
Now, entering the diner, he was shocked to see a crowd standing and shouting his name. A banner stretched above the bar and painted with red lettering proclaimed, "WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU, MAX!" Another banner below that one with green lettering declared, "WELCOME HOME, PRINCESS!"
Max glanced around the room at all the people who had become dear to him. Princess stepped forward. "I was just as surprised as you, Maxie. Looks like we're havin' a party!"
Princess's use of the nickname his father used to call him put a lump the size of a baseball in Max's throat. He nodded because he didn't trust himself to speak.
Hank called, "Over here, you two, we got a table just for you!"
Over the next two hours, the residents of Oasis dined on turkey with all the trimmings, gorged on apple and pumpkin pies, and then toasted and roasted Max and Princess. Lastly, they presented them with gifts.
Gator, who had emerged to take over the role as emcee said, "Hank has something to say." With everyone watching, he lowered his head, scratched his ear, and lifted his head again. In the same body that Gator had just been in, Hank blushed and said, "Oh, I'm back. Thanks Gator." His expression and speech, no longer that of a redneck, took on the geeky quality that Princess had first encountered all those years ago. He looked at Princess and said, "I have never publicly admitted this, but if not for Princess, I don't know what would have become of me. To most people, I'm a freak of nature, and for years, even before I knew about Gator, I believed it myself. But it was Princess who allowed me to break free of labels and become who I am without guilt—Hank and Gator." His eyes misted as he said, "Thank you, Princess, for helping me to become the men I am today."
Hank then directed his gaze at Max. He grinned and said, "When I first met Max, I thought he was just another yuppy who'd give me grief." Everyone was silent as they waited for him to continue. "But just like Princess, Max treated me and Gator with respect. I never felt like a freak around him. And then, when little Willie got lost and Max risked his own life to save him, I knew he wasn't your typical yuppy. He was a yuppy with heart."
The gathering laughed and Hank said, "I'm joking, of course. In my book, Max is a hero." The crowd erupted into cheers and applauds.
Princess caught Max's eye and gave him a beautiful smile. And in that moment, Max realized beyond a shadow of a doubt that the suspicion he'd been entertaining for months, was true. He shifted his gaze across the crowd and found Pilar. She was wiping tears from her eyes and looking at him with such tenderness his heart hurt.
Gator returned and called, "Yo, folks. We got one more thing ta do, and that's give out a couple of gifts." The clapping and whooping died down as Sally Sue, Gator and Hank's girlfriend, stepped forward and handed Gator the first trophy. He lifted it high and said, "This trophy is for Princess. It says, BEST TRAILER PARK AND DINER OWNER EVER." The crowd whooped and clapped again. Another trophy was handed to Gator and he lifted it in his other hand. He called above the noise, "And this trophy is for Max. It says, BEST TRAILER PARK MANAGER EVER."
Max nodded to Princess and she stepped to receive her trophy first. In an emotional voice, she said, "I thank ya'll for this most prestigious award." Her voice cracked, "Hank and Gator, I thank the Lord for the day ya'll entered my life." She glanced around the crowd. "And I thank the Lord for each and every one of you, too. After six months away, if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that there's no place I'd rather live than right here in Oasis." She lifted a tissue to her eyes and then nodded at Max that it was his turn to speak.
Max couldn't remember a time when he'd felt so touched. He stepped forward to receive his award. He cleared his throat, started to speak, and then had to pause to control his emotions. He searched out Pilar and locked eyes with her. "I'll neve
r forget living here. When I first arrived, as I'm sure everyone is aware, I had a chip on my shoulder and wanted to be anywhere but here. But now, after six months, it's difficult to leave. I've made wonderful friends and I've come to love the desert." He didn't move his gaze from Pilar's. "I've come to love you." The room was so quiet the proverbial pin could have been heard if dropped. "Thank you." Max tore his eyes away from Pilar's and scanned the room. He repeated, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, my friends."
Hank or Gator started to clap and then the crowd joined in. Max smiled sadly and sat down.
Chapter 30: Secrets
Two months later.
Max sat at the head of the conference table in a high rise in San Diego. After fulfilling his obligation in Oasis, his grandfather had reinstated him with the same software company and returned his stepbrother to Rutherford Acquisitions Headquarters in New York.
As Max glanced around the table, he appraised the men and women waiting to do his bidding. Other than Tony, a sales manager who perpetually looked like he was about to fall asleep, the expressions around him reflected a workforce of overachievers trying to attain the illusive goal of success. With a wry smile, he called the meeting to order and made his announcement.
"Hello, everyone. I hope your weekend was enjoyable. Before we get down to business, however, I have an announcement." He pursed his lips and then said, "This will be my last week with Rutherford Acquisitions. I am resigning the company."
As he had expected, there were several gasps, but before anyone could pose a question, he continued, "As for the reason for my resignation, you could say I've decided on a career change. What that change will entail, as of this moment, I haven't a clue." He grinned. "And as for my replacement, I've asked that my brother Bertram be returned. It's no secret that he and I have butted heads over the years, but he did an excellent job managing this company during my absence."