Read Online Easter's Lilly by Judy Serrano - Free Book Online Page A

by, and I had my baby in late November. Max was the only one with me when I went into labor and Diego didn’t even come to see me in the hospital after the baby was born. Diego insisted on naming him Diego Jr., so we did. He treated me like a guest in his home and never seemed to notice the inappropriateness of my relationship with his brother. Max called me “baby girl” and often referred to himself as “daddy.” I never even saw Diego look up from his coffee when we were playing inappropriately at the breakfast table. In all these months Diego had never laid a hand on me, nor did he ask to. Max and I were totally platonic, although I must admit that I was crazy about him. The line was very clearly drawn. Whatever feelings we may have had or not had, Diego was my husband and Max was my bodyguard and best friend.
    Time went on. I had been living there almost three years and never heard a word from my parents. Johnny had become a distant memory. With the baby named Diego I hardly gave Johnny a second thought. We ended up calling him Dieguito, which means little Diego. It became very confusing with two Diego’s in the house. Max kept me busy for the most part. My baby called him Uncle Max and Leticia was very helpful. Max cooked me breakfast every morning and the cook made dinner every night. We spend hours upon hours at the creek. Max read me poetry by the water at night. I put my head in his lap and he would stroke my hair as he read. Yeats, Keats, Marvell and Donne, to name a few of the poets he shared with me. Every day I grew closer and closer to my husband’s brother.
    It was two days before Easter when I got the phone call from Sedona. My mom had been shot in her own living room and the funeral was Easter Sunday. Everything always seemed to happen on Easter. We left the baby with his nanny, Leticia, and Diego, Max and I headed for Arizona. The anticipation was overwhelming. I hadn’t seen or heard from my dad in years. I assumed he knew I had married the high profile criminal but he never sent a note, a gift or any recognition at all of the blessed event. When we got to the house, my dad didn’t even acknowledge Diego. “Max,” was all he said.
    “ I’m sorry sir, for your loss,” Max said as he hugged him. Diego went to hug him and my dad rudely walked away.
    “ I’m sorry, Diego, he’s just devastated,” I said as I tried to make excuses. Diego said nothing and headed into the kitchen. Max poured my dad some Irish whiskey and the two of them went outside onto the patio together. It was weird. We sat through the funeral and went to the gravesite. My mom and I did not speak for the last few years of her life, so I was a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t asked to speak, so I didn’t.
    I looked over in the distance and saw in the fog a hooded figure walking through the trees. At first I thought I was hallucinating, but then I realized that it was a man. I could see long brown hair falling around the hood and I realized… Oh my gosh! Could it be Johnny? The figure disappeared and I looked around to see if anyone else had seen him. Max looked at me and shook his head in disapproval. So I remained where I was and we went back to the house. I knew Max saw the hooded figure. Could Johnny still be alive?
    My old friend Candy showed up for the reception. She used to work for Johnny and we lost touch after his death. “I came as soon as I could,” she said. “Lets help out your dad and go to the store for some more food.” She kissed my dad on the cheek and told him where we were going.
    “ Sure,” I said. We headed out the door. We passed the supermarket and I looked at her curiously. “Where are we going?”
    “ You’ll see,” she answered. She drove us straight to John’s old house. “What are you doing?” I asked. She pulled into the driveway. My heart was pounding. She opened the door and Johnny was standing in the kitchen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.
    “ Johnny!” I shouted. “I