Chapter 36

She was wearing her special bra and only that. I was wearing my usual skivvies and only those. Well, the visual stuff was better presented with those things on than off.

Her lips and tongue tasted real good, so did the other parts of her that she presented to me. A lot of touchy-feely stuff went on, and overall, our first serious tests of the new relationship went pretty damn well.

I had to wonder how long it would be before the busybodies would be looking to find out how we were getting along. I was hoping it would be forever, but knowing the crew in Laughlin, as I did, I figured my hopes were pretty much vain hopes.

But Marian and I were launched.

I did get a visit from Candace three days after Marian moved in.

We hadn’t even had a chance to go down to Phoenix and get Marian’s stuff moved out of the Shangri La. The good news there was that Candace offered to drive down with us and help out.

We did take Candace up on her offer, and she enlisted Bea in the objective too. I figured that to be a good deal since we had to take two cars anyway, and that way neither driver had to be single-o.

I had been worried that we might be getting questions about our, well, sexual compatibility sooner rather than later from the Laughlin crew. We got none. I was pretty sure they wanted to ask, but had decided it would be less than a good idea to do so. If so, they were right.

Over the next almost two years, it was now summer 1999, we did pretty good. We kept my place at the Dust Devil: it had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small patio, and a not ridiculously small kitchen. And the rent was low enough that my woman didn’t have to work.

We did get visits from all in sundry. Read, the entire population of Laughlin, Nevada. I bit my tongue and it hurt, but nothing untoward was asked of us or even worse, offered. But then it was.

I don’t know why the other Willis clan couldn’t get it, but it was clear that they just couldn’t seem to. More’s the pity. The bad news was that my woman was on their side.

It’d been Candace that had gotten me to be okay being around the bad guys in spite of what I’d heard at the Blue Boar when we were supposed to meet and talk but instead I only heard!

It was like my daughter could talk me into anything. Well, truth told, I guess she in fact mostly could, and did. I know my brother knew it too.

“I was talking to Candace,” he said. “You know, our daughter.” I nodded. We were sitting in a booth at the Sand Bar. I was off duty and he was sitting across from me pinning me.

“Okay?” I said. “So?”

“She’s of the opinion that you should take the money,” he said.

“Me too, my half?” I said.

“Too much,” he said.

“Then we are done talking about money,” I said.

“Julian, be reasonable,” he said.

“Did you actually say that to me?” I said.

“Julian, what you are looking for is revenge not money. I know it. Ava knows it. Hell, anyone who knows the story, and there are a few of us now, knows it. Twenty million, no strings! How about it?” he said.

“No,” I said. “Not even close. And revenge? I don’t know if I would characterize things that way. I sacrificed everything for the woman, and you; and Candace too though I didn’t know about her at the time. I figure I’m entitled to what I’m asking for.”

“Julian...”

“No, and don’t ask again. Candace got me to talk to the two of you again, that even after I swore to myself that I never would. But, that’s the limit of my tolerance unless I get what I think I deserve. I know I’ve got no say in any of that, but I can just cut the lot of you out of my life an get on with being as happy as I can without you. Understand!” I said.

“I guess,” he said. “But, you’re being unreasonable. There is way more to what you are asking for than you imagine. Believe me,” he said.

We talked and he continued to press me more or less indirectly, but with less intensity than he had been. Then he was gone.

“He spit on the money, didn’t he,” said Ava. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“Yes, and please do not let it out that I offered him money. I’m sure he believes it would break him and her up if she found out about it,” said Blake.

“But didn’t you already mention it to Candace? I mean she might let it slip if only by accident,” said Ava.

“Yes, well, not exactly, but I will have a talk with her,” he said.

“No, Dad, I didn’t tell her about the money, mainly because I didn’t know how much you might offer my other dad if anything,” said Candace. “But...”

“But?” said Blake, suddenly worried.

“I did tell her that you wanted to talk to him about some important things,” she said. “Nothing specific, just things.”

“Oh, shit,” he said. “She’s going to ask him what about!” Now Blake Willis had something specific to be worried about.

“Well, now, I guess we’ll find out what a verbal tsunami is like,” he said. “Candace, if you see your dad, your other dad...”

“Daddy, I already know what I’m going to say to him, and it has nothing to do with Marian Carton, not directly. But, if things work out the way they should, maybe she will benefit from the result. And, so will Dad,” she said. Her daddy gave her a look. She was indeed something special, oh my yes, he thought.

“Yes, it’s me,” said Candace. “Is Marian around?”

“No, she’s shopping since you ask,” I said.

“Good,” she said.

“Candace! I mean what... ?” I said. “I’m on my way to work.” I glanced at the clock on the wall and I was due at 9:00 a.m. it was 8:44 a.m.

“I know,” she said, “but I need to talk to you, kinda just in case. I don’t want you going off the deep end because I was careless.”

“What? Deep end? What?” I said.

“You asked Dad not to mention to Marian the money that he offered you. He hasn’t, but I might have clued her by mistake, sort of,” said my Candace.

“Huh?” I said.

“I told her, before you talked to Dad really, that he wanted to talk to you about something important. Marian might have interpreted that as meaning he was going to pressure you to take a gift of money. I mean I don’t know, and Marian didn’t say anything to me that would indicate that that’s what she thought, but, well...” she said. I was nodding.