Welcome to Last Chance

by Cathleen Armstrong

  Matthew leaned out of reach as Fayette tried to cup his face with her hand. “Oh yeah, way ready. It’s okay. Really.”

  Fayette laughed and dabbed her eyes with the lace handkerchief Elizabeth had tucked into her sleeve for something borrowed. “Well then, let’s go get married.”

  Rita popped back into the crying room. “Time to go! Lainie, you first. Don’t forget to walk slowly. Fayette and Matthew, you wait till I give you the signal.”

  They got to their feet and moved to the door of the crying room. Fayette slipped her hand into the crook of her son’s left arm, and as Lainie stepped out of the room to begin her slow walk down the aisle, she noticed him cover his mother’s right hand with his own.

  “I do not believe it. Tell me my husband is not fixing to play horseshoes. Not at a wedding!”

  Lainie, sitting with Juanita, Elizabeth, and Patsy Baca under the elm trees in back of the church, looked up to see Russ, with a couple horseshoes hanging from each hand, amble from the church toward the horseshoe pit where three other men waited for him with their jackets removed and sleeves rolled up.

  “There goes Rita after him. I almost feel sorry for those boys.” Elizabeth lifted another bite from the plate she balanced on her lap.

  They watched as Rita marched up to Russ and stood with her hands on her hips. She was too far away for them to hear what she said, but she didn’t look happy. Russ stopped, bent his head and placed his hand on her shoulder, then straightened, gave her shoulder a friendly pat, and turned and pitched his horseshoe. The clang of his ringer echoed across the grassy field where wedding guests gathered in groups of clustered lawn chairs eating lunch. Rita watched them ignore her for a few more minutes before she turned and stomped across the field toward Juanita.

  “Don’t waste your breath, Rita.” Juanita held up a hand before Rita could speak. “If I told that man to leave a burning building, he’d stay inside just to show me I can’t tell him what to do. They’re not doing any harm. Just leave them be.”

  “But horseshoes at a wedding? I worked so hard to make everything just perfect.” Rita sounded about to cry.

  “Perfect’s not family, Rita. And this is family. Just look.” Elizabeth gestured at the gathering on the shady field. Sounds of conversation punctuated with laughter floated on the warm air. “Look at those kids chasing each other. Do you want to tell them that you’re not supposed to do that at weddings? Anyway, you’ve done a magnificent job. It’s too bad we don’t get more weddings here in Last Chance. You could just close down the motel and do this full-time. I think you’d probably be the only wedding-planning mayor in the state.”

  “Go get a plate, Rita. Come join us.” Juanita patted an empty lawn chair next to her. “It looks like the fellow who bought the Dip ’n’ Dine is doing just fine with the catering.”

  “Well, they’re going to cut the cake in a bit. I need to see about that.”

  “I don’t think they’ll be cutting the cake for a while yet. Look.”

  They looked where Juanita directed to see Fayette and Ken standing hand in hand at the horseshoe pit. While they watched, Ken took off his jacket, handed it to Fayette, and accepted the horseshoe Les Watson handed him.

  “Good night, nurse! I don’t know why I even try.” Rita dropped her clipboard onto the empty lawn chair and stormed off toward the buffet.

  Lainie tried to look at her watch without anyone noticing. There were still hours left of the reception. A dance floor and stage had been set up at one end of the field for the band that would arrive later, and the Japanese lanterns strung from the trees would be lit when it got dark. She should probably wait till after the cake-cutting, but after that, no one would look for her for hours.

  “Oh no, somebody hide me. Here comes Manny with the kids. And they don’t look happy.” Patsy Baca put her plate on the ground beside her and waited for Manny to reach the group. The baby, in a pack on Manny’s back, slumped against his shoulder, and a cranky, whiny little girl hung from each hand.

  “Hey, everybody, anyone want some kids? Give you a good price. Pay you, even.”

  Patsy sighed and moved to get up. “I guess we should get them home. They are way past ready for a nap.”

  “I think Lito’s already out, right?” Manny turned so they could see his pack.

  “Yeah, he’s sound asleep.” Patsy stood and hoisted Grace to her hip. “I guess I’ll go find Fayette and Ken to say good-bye. I’ll be so glad when my life isn’t completely determined by feedings and nap times.”

  “If all they need is a nap, why don’t I take them inside and put them to bed in the nursery?” Lainie glanced at her watch again and stood up.

  “Oh, no. I couldn’t let you do that. They’re such pills right now.”

  “It’s no problem at all. We’re old pals, aren’t we, girls?” Lainie held out her hands to the whiny little girl on Patsy’s hip, and to everyone’s surprise, Grace leaned into Lainie’s arms.

  “See? I’ve got the gift.” She held out her other hand to Faith. “Want to come with me?” But Faith turned her face away and hid behind her father’s leg.

  Manny laughed and swept the little girl onto his arm. “Why don’t I come with you to get them settled? No need to wake Lito if we can help it.”

  With a satisfied smile, Patsy sank back into her lawn chair and picked up her plate, calling after them, “Make sure the girls go potty before they go to bed. I’ll be in to see how you’re doing in a little bit, and if Lito wakes up, come get me. He’ll be hungry. Oh, and stop by the buffet and bring me another glass of tea when you get back, will you, Manny?”

  The nursery was cool, and the light filtering through the nursery rhyme print of the drawn curtains softly illuminated the cribs lining the wall.

  “It’s nice in here. I could stay and take a nap myself. Here, help me with the pack, will you?” Manny turned his back, and Lainie supported the sleeping baby boy while he shrugged out of the straps.

  “Look at that. The kid can sleep through anything, just like his old man.” He gently placed his baby in a crib and stroked the little boy’s thick, black hair.

  Manuelito’s face scrunched into an almost cry before he found his thumb and settled back into slumber, never opening his eyes.

  “Come on, chicas. Mama says you need to go potty, and what Mama says, goes.” He disappeared into the hall with a curly haired toddler on each hand.

  Lainie pulled three light blankets from the cupboard and had just finished tucking one around Manuelito when Manny returned with the girls.

  “You sure you’re going to be okay?” He edged toward the door.

  “We’ll be fine. Go on.”

  “Okay, then. Think I’ll go show those guys how the game of horseshoes is played.”

  “Don’t forget Patsy’s tea.”

  Lainie grinned as Manny gave her a backwards wave over his shoulder, then turned her attention to the girls, who had found the toy chest.

  “Are you picking out something to take to bed with you?”

  Neither girl looked up.

  “It’s nap time now, but you can take one toy to bed with you.”

  “This.” To Lainie’s surprise, Grace handed her a plastic truck and scrambled to her feet. Maybe she was a natural with kids, after all.

  “That’s a great truck. How about you, Faith? What do you choose?”

  Faith, busily trying to fit a triangle in the round space of a shape sorter, ignored her.

  “Okay, girls. It’s nap time.” She scooped up Grace, gave her a kiss on her neck that made her giggle, and popped her and the truck in a crib.

  “Come on, Faith. Nap time.” Lainie bent down and took Faith’s hand. She could almost see the wheels turning in Faith’s mind as she considered her options. For whatever reason, she decided the nap would be okay and allowed Lainie to put her and the shape sorter in the crib across the room from her brother and sister.

  Lainie slipped a CD of lullabies into the player, kicked off her shoes, and settled he
rself in a rocker to consider her own options. The girls were quiet. Grace was lying down looking at her truck, and even though Faith was still sitting up, her eyes were droopy. It shouldn’t be long till they were asleep. Maybe when Patsy came in to check on them and feed Lito, Lainie could slip away. That would be the best time. The afternoon would be easing into evening, and if anyone thought of her at all, they would assume she was busy elsewhere.

  “Nighty-night pants.” Lainie looked up to see Faith standing in her crib frowning at her. “Nighty-night pants.” This time a little louder.

  Lainie went over and laid Faith back down. “Yes, it’s nighty-night time. Go to sleep now. Here’s your shape sorter.”

  “Nighty-night pants.” Faith tugged at her ruffled panties and started to cry. “Want nighty-night pants.”

  “Oh! Do you wear diapers when you go to bed?”

  “No! I no baby! Want nighty-night pants.”

  “Okay, now I have to figure out what nighty-night pants are.” Lainie opened the cupboard and examined the contents. There were blankets, wipes, and diapers of every size, but nothing that could be called pants.

  She turned back to Faith. “I’m just going to go check the toddler room and see if they have anything there. I’ll be right back. Don’t worry.”

  Faith, her message finally understood, returned to her shape-sorter.

  The toddler room had a lot more stuff than the baby room did. Cupboards lined the wall, and Lainie hurriedly looked through them. She found a package that looked like it could hold diapers and from it pulled a pair of pants—thick, absorbent, disposable, and covered with pink and blue teddy bears. These could only be nighty-night pants. Pulling two pair from the package, she held them up and shook her head. “Who knew? Not me.”

  “No! Baby!” A panicked scream from one of the girls tore through the nursery. Lainie dropped the package she was holding and bolted for the baby room. Just as she reached the nursery, however, she pulled up short and ducked around the corner. Someone sat in the rocker holding little Lito, who was just beginning to howl his protest.

  “Hey, buddy. These females and all their squalling getting to you too? We guys got to stick together, right?”

  Lainie knew the voice. She didn’t need to see him to know who sat rocking Manuelito Baca. He was facing away from the door, but she had already seen the prowling panther tattooed on his neck.

  She pressed her back against the wall and stared at her bare feet. She didn’t think he knew she was there yet, but he had to be counting on her coming to check on the crying children. How long would he wait before he came looking for her?

  The door parents used to bring their children in on Sunday mornings opened onto the parking lot, and through its window she could see her car in its spot under the elms. When she bought it, Manny had given her a magnetic box to stick under the front fender to hide the spare key, and she could practically hear it calling her. What if she slipped out, drove to the closest phone, called the sheriff, and then kept right on going? How long would it take for him to get here? Or she could slip out, run around the building, alert everyone, and then leave during the commotion. She could scream and hope they could hear her. Or what if she just ran? Nick always had a soft spot for little things like dogs and kids. She was almost positive he’d never hurt them. She gave a last look at her car sitting in the parking lot, took a deep breath, and stepped around the corner into the nursery.

  “Hello, Nick. Want to hand me the baby? He seems to hate you.”

  Nick turned and looked up at her with no surprise and went on rocking Lito. His nose had a bump in the bridge that she didn’t remember, and it seemed off-center in a face marred with puckered purplish scars. He smiled a mirthless smile. “Still handsome as ever, right?” Lainie saw his hands tighten around Lito, who was working himself into a rage. “We’re doing fine here, aren’t we, buddy? It’s these crazy women that really mess you up. No wonder you’re crying.”

  “Give me the baby, Nick.”

  Nick ignored her. “So what do you think, buddy? How about you and me getting out of here?”

  “Nick, get serious.” Lainie hoisted the still screaming Grace from her crib and cuddled her as she crossed the room to slip her arm around Faith. She tried to make her voice sound stronger than she felt. “There are two hundred and fifty people out there. You’re not taking that baby anywhere.”

  Nick just rocked and looked at her. His eyes hadn’t changed. They were as cold and dead as those of any coyote lying by the side of the road. When he spoke his voice had become as dead as his eyes.

  “So what’d you do with my stuff, Lainie? Sell it to buy that pretty dress? Maybe that car out there?”

  “How do you know about my car?”

  He laughed. “I’ve been watching you a while. You know, I always thought you were different. I wanted to take care of you, to give you the things you never had. And the minute you get the chance, you turn thief and run. You’re just like the rest of them.” He held a hiccuping Lito up to gaze into his eyes. “Learn it early, son. Never trust a woman.”

  Lainie shook her head. “I didn’t steal from you. I didn’t even know it was there till I got here.”

  “Yeah? Then why’d you take off so fast and try to cover your tracks like that?”

  “Because you were becoming someone I didn’t know, and I wanted to get away from you.”

  Nick narrowed his eyes and worked his jaw. “So, if you’re too good for me, you still have the stuff, right?”

  “No, I gave it to the sheriff.”

  “You what? You just waltzed in and handed it over? Just like that?” Nick’s laugh was more of a bark.

  “Pretty much.”

  “And he just said, ‘Thank you very much,’ and let you walk out?”

  “Not entirely. I told him everything I knew about where it came from.”

  “Naming names, of course.”

  “Of course.”

  “Well, that answers a lot.” Nick stood up. “Okay, I think we’re done here. Grab the girls. We’re leaving.”

  Lainie offered a quick and silent prayer for courage and took a deep breath. “No.”

  “No? I’d rethink that if I were you, Lainie. You owe me big-time, and you’re going to pay. You can count on it. But these guys don’t owe me anything. You can make it easy on them or hard. It’s up to you.”

  “Why drag the kids into it, Nick? They’re just babies. Leave them alone.” Lainie put Grace in the crib with Faith and gave each one a quick hug. Slipping on her shoes, she picked up her purse. “I’ll go with you if you leave the kids here.”

  Nick hesitated only a second before putting Lito in the crib next to the twins. “Okay then. Let’s go.”

  With a last glance at her small charges staring wide-eyed from their cribs and with what she hoped was a reassuring smile, Lainie left the room. Nick put his hand in the small of her back and pushed her through the door and into the parking lot. As they reached her car, Lainie could hear the voices of first Grace, then Faith, and finally Manuelito raised in despairing wails.

  30

  Nick shoved her toward her car. “Hurry up. Those kids will have the whole town up here in a minute.”

  Lainie slid behind the wheel and rummaged in her purse for her keys. Nick grabbed her purse from her hands and dumped the contents into his lap. Snatching the keys from the pile, he threw them at Lainie, sweeping the rest of the stuff onto the floor.

  “Go! You don’t want to give me time to go back in there and grab a kid or two.”

  The engine jumped to life, and Lainie headed toward the entrance onto the highway.

  “Turn left.”

  Lainie’s mind started whirling. The highway passed right by the county sheriff substation. What if she pulled off the highway and drove right to the door? What would Nick do?

  “Turn right.”

  “What? Where?”

  “That dirt road ahead. Turn right.”

  Fear tightened its grip on Lainie’s sto
mach. She had never been on this particular road, but she knew these dirt tracks. They were little more than trails, barely wide enough for one pickup, meandering across the desert and into the mountains, useful for a purpose unknown to any but the one who made them.

  They bounced along for about half a mile before Nick spoke again. “That big bunch of bushes over there, head for that.”

  Giving the wheel a sharp left turn and trying to pick her way between the rocks and cactus, Lainie drove toward the mesquite clump he indicated.

  “Okay, stop here. Get out.”

  Lainie turned off the engine and sat behind the wheel. Nick grabbed the keys from the ignition and got out of the car. Drawing back his arm, he threw the keys far into the desert. Then he walked around the car, opened her door, and yanked Lainie from the driver’s seat with such force that she stumbled to her knees.

  “I said, get out.” He stood over her for a moment before grabbing her arm and jerking her to her feet. Her high heel turned on the gravelly desert floor, and she grabbed his sleeve for balance. For a long moment he looked at her hand on his arm, but when he turned to look in her face, she lifted her chin in defiance, and his eyes turned to stone again.

  She didn’t see the blow coming and briefly wondered why she was on her hands and knees in the gravel again with her head filled with ringing pain.

  “I loved you!” Nick was standing over her screaming. “I had plans for us. Everything I ever did, I did for you. I wanted to give you everything.”

  Pulling herself to her knees, Lainie watched drops of blood fall from her face and stain the yellow dress. She looked up at Nick.

  “You didn’t do anything for me. I told you over and over I didn’t want any part of that life. Whatever you did, it was to make you feel like somebody.”

  “Is that what you think? That last stash, the one you stole. That was going to be the beginning of something big for us. When I got home and found you and the stash gone, I couldn’t believe it. I thought someone had taken both of you. I was out of my mind. It wasn’t till I called your friend in El Paso that I found out you’d been planning on running out on me for weeks. That was bad enough, but you took my stash. Didn’t you know what they’d do to me? Or was that part of your plan?”