Living Without
Part Twenty-Five
Saturday, Sept 9th 2:00am
"Gracie, what's wrong? You sounded urgent on the phone," Michelle was
saying as Graciela hastily pulled her into the room.
"You weren't followed, were you?"
"No...what's going on? You're starting to scare me..."
"Are you sure no one was behind you?" Graciela asked as she peered out the door and then shut it.
"I didn't see anyone and I left Danny upstairs like you asked," Michelle answered, turning around to face her. "Why are you so worried about who may be behind me? Did those men come back?"
"No, they didn't. It's nothing really," Graciela waved a hand. "How's Daniel?" she asked while tugging Michelle towards the couch.
"He had been in a lot of pain, but he's okay now," Michelle explained as she took a seat. "I don't know how I managed to get that bullet. I can't even describe what happened in there."
"You were scared."
"Yes!" Michelle exclaimed. "Of course, I was! Wouldn't you be?"
"Of course," Graciela replied quietly. "It's only natural to be scared..."
"Not the way I was," Michelle cut her off. "My hands wouldn't stop shaking. I'm not supposed to shake! I'm supposed to be calm and in control."
"That rule goes out the window when you're dealing with people you are close to," Graciela remarked. "Reason why doctors aren't allowed to operate on family members..."
"Well, Danny is no family of mine," Michelle told her. "I should have managed just fine!"
"Honey, why are you beating yourself up about this? You got the bullet out of my nephew's arm, and I am very grateful. I know Daniel is too," she said, giving her a smile, but she instead turned away from her and stood up from the couch. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked.
"No, you didn't."
"Then this has to do with Daniel," Graciela said as she came to her feet and approached her. "Did you two have another argument?"
"No argument," Michelle turned to her. "We actually had a real conversation. No, I'm not kidding," she smiled at the astounded expression the older woman wore. "And we got somewhere."
"That's good, right?"
Michelle's smile disappeared and she slipped into a different seat. "He told me some things about his bride-to-be," she spoke. "Some things I didn't expect."
"If he said he loved her, he's lying!" Graciela was quick to assert.
"He's being forced to marry her, Gracie," Michelle said as the woman settled next to her. "This guy Escobar has something on him that could destroy both him and me."
Graciela deeply groaned at the mention of the name. "He was behind the shooting. ¡Esa mierda del caballo!" she angrily mumbled to herself. "What does that snake have on Daniel?"
"It has to do with me, but I can't say any more than that," Michelle replied and Graciela gave her a disbelieving look. "I'm sorry, but I can't."
"You don't have to tell me," Graciela sighed. "I think I already know. I won't even bother speaking of the forbiddance," she said and she noticed that Michelle had drifted. She placed a comforting hand on top of hers and Michelle was brought out of her dream to be greeted by a soft smile.
"Don't you worry about a thing. No one will allow any harm to come to you or the children. Daniel will see to your safety. He looks out for his own."
"I'm not his anymore, so I guess I have to watch my own back," Michelle remarked while turning away.
"Nonsense!" Graciela exclaimed. "You're the mother of his children. He'll always look out for you."
"I don't think so..."
"Well, I know so. Danny wouldn't let anything happen to you. He cares too much for you."
"He cares so much for me that he'd have me kidnapped," Michelle spoke. "And he and his friend would make me so sick that I'd almost die. He'd make all kinds of false accusations and call me..." she held her tongue. "Oh, yeah, Danny cares so damn much for me!" she carried on sarcastically. "He cares so much that he'd hold a gun to my head. He cares so much that he'd be ready and willing to pull the trigger whenever the hell he wanted to because he was on this vendetta to avenge the murder of his precious cousin!!" she screamed out her rage in one breath and she held her head in frustration as she stood from the seat.
"I'm sorry, Gracie," Michelle said after a long pause. "I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from."
"He did that to you?" Graciela asked following another silence. "Daniel did that to you? He thought you killed Diego?"
"I don't want to go back to that, okay?" Michelle remarked while wiping away her tears. "All I can say is that Danny is a true chameleon. One minute he has me believing that he'd do anything for me, and the next he's saying that I never meant a thing to him."
"He didn't say that..."
"He actually said that he doesn't love me anymore. Not that I'm surprised or even care."
"He didn't mean it, Michelle."
"You can't speak for him, Gracie."
"No, I can't, but I know him and I know his heart..."
"Can we just not talk about this anymore and get to the reason why you called me down here??" Michelle asked in an elevated voice. "I know it wasn't to talk about your nephew."
"No, it wasn't," Graciela said following an intake of air. "It's about his children. Your children."
"What about them? Are they okay?"
"Yes, they are. They're in the next room," she replied. "I need you to help me get them to the airport."
"What?? I am not helping you send them back to Springfield! No way!"
"Michelle, it isn't like we have a choice!"
"They'd be walking right into their graves if they go back there! No! No!!"
"Michelle...Michelle!" Graciela tried to calm her. "I understand your fears and I know where you're coming from. Sweetheart, I've been there! But as much as I despise Carmen, your children are safer in her house than anywhere else. Carmen is the only one, besides you and Danny, who I know of that loves those two unconditionally. The woman would do anything to keep them safe. She would give her life for them. They are her pride and joy just as they are for Daniel. She would turn the world upside down if the slightest scratch were to be found on their skins."
"I don't trust her, Gracie..."
"I wouldn't trust Carmen with my enemy's fish, but the woman does get my vote when it comes to protecting her family. Especially her nietos," Graciela spoke. "I know this isn't what you want, but you have to help me. It's for everyone's good. Your life and theirs depend on this."
"Danny put you up to this?"
"Daniel doesn't know."
"He doesn't know??"
"He will be informed. He won't object if that's what you're thinking. Daniel knows this is what has to be done," Graciela replied. "It's his only option at the moment."
"So where do I stand?" Michelle asked. "If my babies go back to Springfield, I will never see them again. Carmen won't allow it and if she has her way, they will never hear or see from me again because I'll be dead," her voice broke.
"Don't think that way! Stop it!" Graciela ordered. "You are going back to Springfield with them," she said and Michelle was confused. "Juan has taken care of everything."
"I don't know..."
"Please, Michelle. If you don't go along with this, your children and yourself will lose your lives. I know that's what Escobar has on Danny. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out," she said as she wiped Michelle's falling tears. "I'm begging you to please do this. If not for yourself, do it for Danielle and Michael."
**
3:40am
The Santos family was escorted from the chauffeured vehicle to the base of the stairs that lead up to the jet's door. Two husky men walked ahead of them and two behind as they all ascended the steps. A wary Michelle held a sleeping Michael while Graciela carried Danielle.
They finally reached the jet and they stepped in, Michelle proceeding slower than before as her eyes surveyed the private aircraft. Graciela noticed that Michelle wasn't following her anymore and she turned around to see that she was standing not too far from the door with a contorted visage and distant eyes.
"Michelle," Graciela came over to her after sitting Danielle down. She touched Michelle's arm and her eyes slowly came to look at the elder Mrs. Santos.
"I don't want to let them go," Michelle honestly spoke, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I just got them back."
"You're not losing them," Graciela said. "You're saving their lives..."
"I know. That's what you say, but what if Carmen's best isn't enough? What if she can't protect them from this guy?" Michelle whispered.
"I don't have an answer for you," Graciela replied. "But the kids have a better chance of survival with her. No one would dare touch them unless they were looking to start a war."
"That's not comforting, Gracie."
"I said I didn't have an answer, particularly not the kind you are looking to get, but right now the only answer I can give is Carmen. Michelle, they will be fine with her. They've made it this far, haven't they?" she asked and Michelle closed her eyes and exhaled.
"I'm never going to see them again."
"You will," Graciela assured her as she put an arm around her waist. "You will. I'll make sure Danny sees to it that you do see them. Now trust me when I say that everything will work out in everyone's favor," she spoke while escorting Michelle to a seat. "It may not seem like it now, but it will. God works in mysterious ways."
"That He does," Michelle agreed.
"You take a load off while I go make a call," Graciela directed her to the seat next to Danielle and then disappeared behind some curtains.
Michelle successfully sat down into her seat without disturbing her sleeping son, and she then slowly adjusted herself and him so they'd both be comfortable.
She stared down into his angelic face as he slept, intently watching him. All the while her mind mentally took pictures of the amazing little boy in her arms. He was so handsome: from his miniature feet to his cute fingers; his thick curly mass of dark hair to those sparkling brown eyes that resembled his daddy's when he'd be asleep.
Michelle smiled to herself. He indeed was a gift. Of the hours she had spent with him, she felt as if she had been with him forever. Like she had never been away from him.
The child possessed the most brilliant smile and a heart so full of compassion. Michelle was amazed by his sweetness and the honest concern that he showed her through the day. Michael couldn't be any more precious than he already was.
Michelle only wished Danielle would be a tad responsive to her as Michael had been. The girl had steel walls erected all around her. The girl would easily shut down the moment she felt threatened in any way: she'd either ignore your presence or she'd use that incandescent tactic of speaking another language.
It was hard to get to her, to see what she was really about. No matter what key was being used on that lock she hides herself behind, Danielle would not open. The whole thing was frustrating, but Michelle understood and she wasn't going to push it. She just wished her daughter could get past this stage at a rate faster than it was now and embrace her for who she truly was. Her mother.
Danielle sat quietly in her seat, her attention completely rapt by her Chiquita, a doll Graciela had given her as a belated birthday present before they left the Santos estate.
"That's a very pretty doll you've got there," Michelle began, needing to break through the silence. "Do you like her?" she asked and Danielle eventually came to nod in response. "She's very beautiful. What's her name?"
"Fairy," Danielle replied in a near whisper.
"Fairy? Really?" Michelle remarked and she nodded again. "Like the princess in your story?"
"Yes."
"Fairy must be a really nice person to have you name your doll after her. Is she a superhero?" Michelle asked and Danielle shook her head. "Have special powers? Kick bad guy butt?"
"She's special," Danielle said simply as she smoothed over the doll's head.
"What makes her so special?"
"She changed the bad man," she replied. "He didn't want to be bad anymore, but his bad mother wouldn't let him go with the fairy princess."
"How did Fairy change Mr. Bad?"
"They fell in love," Danielle answered.
"Oh, I see. So then what happened?"
"The bad man wanted to do everything to make Fairy happy, so he tried to change for her. But Daddy said that wasn't a good idea."
"Why did he say that?"
"The bad man wasn't being himself and he was trying to be what Fairy wanted him to be and Daddy says that we shouldn't change for anyone. Either people love you for who you are or they don't."
"He told you all of that, huh?"
"Umm hmm."
"Well, he's right. You shouldn't change for anyone," Michelle told her. "So what happens next? Do they live happily ever after?"
"No," Danielle responded with such disappointment in her voice. "The bad man's bad mother keep causing a lotta problems and so Fairy left. The bad man looked all over for her, but he couldn't find her," she spoke, suddenly becoming saddened.
"Where did she go?" Michelle asked and the girl shrugged.
"She just disappeared. She left him. The bad man cried all week. He wasn't happy anymore, so he started being bad again."
"That's...that's sad."
"He used to smile," Danielle yawned. "He smiled a lot when Fairy and the Angels were around."
"The Angels?"
"Yeah! They were Fairy and bad man's children!" Danielle stated as if that were common knowledge. "They always made him happy," she added and stopped her narrating when she heard a familiar voice. She got up from her seat and stood on it to see who else was boarding the jet.
"Daddy!!!" she yelled and she jumped down from the chair and rushed towards him.
"Whoa there," Juan swept the child off her feet just as she was about to grab Danny. "Not so fast, Miss Santos."
Michelle peered over her seat to see them standing at a distance, her attention only on Danny who had his arm in a sling. He was obviously exhausted. It was only then that he indeed looked like he'd been severely beaten down. He looked worse than he had before she left to be with the children.
"You're finally here," Graciela spoke as she approached the men. "How did it go?"
"I've fared better choking down glass," Danny remarked.
"He was drugged," Gustavo answered. "We both were. We didn't feel a thing."
"He feels plenty now," Juan chuckled. "The anesthetic is wearing off."
"If I didn't feel so bad right now, I'd bash your face in!"
"Danny!" Michelle exclaimed, directing his attention to their daughter who was in their mist.
"Come with me, Cristina," Graciela said as she immediately took the child from Juan. "It's way past your bed time and you don't need to hear anything else that may unexpectedly slip off your daddy's loose tongue," she spoke while eying her nephew.
"Daddy, are you still hurt?" Danielle asked, her head laying against Graciela's shoulder.
"Baby, I'll be okay," he said to her as he kissed the side of her head. "Go on with Tía. I'll see you later."
Danielle reached for him and when he was close enough, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug and a big kiss on the cheek.
"Good night, Daddy," she told him as she pulled away from him and returned her head to Graciela's shoulder.
"Good morning, princess," Danny rustled her curly mane.
"It's not morning! It's still dark."
"My mistake," he smiled weakly as Graciela started away with his girl. "I love you," he added just as the two disappeared behind the curtains.
"You better find yourself a seat, son," Gustavo patted him on his back and Danny flinched in pain. "You wouldn't want to stand the entire flight back to Springfield," he said as he went by his nephew.
Danny thought about tucking his daughter in, but decided to take his uncle's advice instead. The instant Danielle saw him, she'd be grabbing and jumping all over him and right now, he didn't need that. He needed to sit down and maybe try to shut his eyes for a few minutes.
He gradually made his way down the aisle and he got to where Michelle was sitting just as she was standing up with Michael. They nearly collided into each other, but that doesn't happen, for both simultaneously retracted from one another as if they were stepping away from a blazing inferno.
"I'm sorry," Michelle apologized. "I didn't mean to get in your way."
"You're not in my way..."
"I just wanted to take Michael in to be with his sister," she went on.
"Good idea," Danny said as he stared at her and Michelle pulled her eyes away from his to look down at their son. "I'll be here waiting for you," he told her, lifting her chin so he could see her face. "We have a lot to discuss," he said and Michelle nodded in agreement before continuing past him with Michael.
*
Danny sat in his daughter's former seat staring out the window at nothing in particular, his mind preoccupied with a slew of thoughts; questions that have yet to be answered; riddles to be solved; words in need of reclaimation.
He turned away from the darkened window when he felt Michelle settle into the seat next to him and she smiled slightly upon seeing his eyes.
"They both asleep?"
"Yeah. Finally," she replied.
"They'll be okay after a few hours," Danny was speaking to himself.
"Are you okay?" Michelle asked him. "Graciela told me that you were taken to the hospital."
"It was more like I was bound, gagged and dragged to the hospital," he corrected. "Don't put it past Juan Carlos to be the mastermind behind that brilliant plan! He and my uncle came up with that sensitive idea of stuffing me in the back of a van."
Michelle stared at him for a while and adjusted herself as she looked away from him. "I would've done the same thing if I could," she spoke. "Not in that manner, but...you know they only had the best of intentions."
"I suppose."
"I heard Juan say something about you being in pain?"
"I'm good," Danny replied. "I just wish all of you would stop worrying about me."
"You don't have to act like you're not hurting, Danny."
"It's not that bad," he insisted. "It just feels like a little sting."
Michelle didn't bother questioning any further. If she still knew him, he wasn't going to back down from his argument. He'd relentlessly insist that he was fine, even when he wasn't, and so there was no reason for her to prod on about his condition. She dropped the issue and they became cloaked in a momentarily blanket of silence.
"A Chiquita," Danny remarked as he picked up the doll from where it lay between the seats. "Danielle is crazy about these things."
"Graciela gave it to her earlier," Michelle told him.
"Pilar used to have every last one that came out," Danny said. "Her room was filled with them and she'd have a name for each and every one. I wonder what our daughter named this one."
"Fairy," Michelle answered and Danny looked up at her.
"She told you that?" he asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yeah. She opened up a little," Michelle replied. "She told me a bit about this Fairy. She's the character in that story you tell them, right?"
"She's you," Danny said matter-of-factly as he toyed with the doll.
"And the bad man is you??" Michelle asked incredulously. "From what I got from Dani, you made it sound like Mr. Bad was nothing without Fairy."
"He wasn't. He died the moment she walked out on him," Danny told her and Michelle was mum as his intense staring bored into her. "He was lost without her," he softly said as his eyes rapidly moved, desperately searching to find some unknown in hers.
"Danielle said that he had his Angels," Michelle barely spoke. "They kept him afloat."
"He'd have nothing to look forward to if it weren't for them. Nothing to laugh about, to smile for. Nothing to hold on to."
"Danny, you existed before you met me," Michelle argued. "You were someone before me..."
"I was no one!" he interjected. "I was nothing to be proud of. I had nothing to be proud of. Not until you...until you graced my stage with your presence and lit my darkened heart with your radiant soul," he spoke as a true poet. "I couldn't bear to wake up another morning and not be greeted by your kiss. I couldn't take going back to Crystal Springs because your signature lined every inch of it. Whatever made me love you then, I couldn't stand now."
"You came to hate it."
"I despised what it represented," Danny said as he broke his gaze. "So I stayed away from it all."
Michelle inhaled and sat back in her seat. No words could adequetly express how she was feeling at that very moment. She glanced over at Danny with glassy eyes and exhaled. She wished she could take everything that had happened back. She wished she could take his pain away. How she wanted to do that for him. How she wanted to do that for herself.
"Was it because of me that you returned to...?"
"My going back to the business had nothing to do with you," he answered before she could finish. "Nothing. It was just another choice I had to make to protect what's mine."
"The children?"
"Yes."
"What are we going to do about them?" Michelle asked. "Once we go back to Springfield, there's no turning back," she told him. "We still haven't explained things to them."
"I know, but we will. Eventually. For now, they need to get back home-"
"To the mother they know."
"To safety," Danny completed. "The closer they are to Alejandra, the safer they will be. I know that's hard to believe, but it's the truth. Alejandra loves them and as long as they and I am with her, Escobar will not touch them."
"What about me? What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go?" Michelle asked. "I can't stay here because they know I'm here and going back to Springfield will either land me in jail or get me killed."
"You're covered, alright?" Danny told her. "Just trust me."
"In all honesty, Danny..." she paused before adding, "I can't trust you. I'm not trying to hurt you, it's just that-" she stopped when he held up a hand.
"You can trust Juan, right? He'll get you to some place safe," Danny said, trying not to sound hurt. "No one will think to look for anyone there."
"He's not taking me back to that shack he had me in before, is he?" Michelle asked in horror.
"Shack? I wouldn't know where or what that was, but that's not where you're going," he replied.
"So where am I going?" she questioned. "What happens when I get there?"
"Juan will fill you in on everything once we land."
"And he's not going to try to drug me or have me handcuffed to steel bars just to get me to this place?"
"He won't have to do that because you won't be leaving. If you do, you'd only be endangering yourself and everyone else involved," Danny remarked, there being subtle forewarning undertones in his voice. "Just try to get some sleep," he told her and he returned his attention to the dark window.
"And how exactly am I going to do that?" Michelle thought to herself, sighing as she sunk in her seat. "By counting sheep? Goats? Counting backwards? Counting enemies? Yeah, sleep should come very easy," her voice echoed in her mind as the back of her head stiffly hit the seat.
**
Hours later: Saturday, Sept 9th, 6:20am Springfield
Danny and his sleeping children, accompanied by Gustavo and his men, walked through the airport terminal, out the automatic sliding doors, and to where their vehicle sat awaiting their arrival. The driver opened the door upon catching sight of them, and before anyone could enter, Dietz stepped out of the passenger side of the automobile.
"I don't recall requesting your assistance, Dietz," Danny said the instant he saw him.
"I'm here as a favor to the Boss," the man croaked. "She asked me to make sure that you and her grandchildren arrived safely to the house."
Danny smiled wryly. "I know my mother and I know you. She wouldn't send you here alone if she were worried about our safety. Was she expecting anything to happen?"
"Nothing of any vital importance," Dietz remarked as he directed the party into the car.
The two husky men entered first with Danny's children and they were then followed by Gustavo. Danny slammed the door shut and then pulled Dietz aside.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"The Boss heard about what went down," Dietz replied. "The hit," he added. "She wanted me to see to it that no one tries to pull another one of those here."
"What do you know about it?"
"Just that some cowards shot up your uncle's estate. The Boss thinks it may be some family trying to retaliate over that deal she closed with Rodriguez."
"Don't pull on my leg, Sammie," Danny threatened as he pulled Dietz by the tie. "I'm not buying that cock and bull story. Why are you really here?"
"Does the name Bauer ring a bell?" Dietz asked and Danny let go of him, pushing him away. "Word has it that she was down in Florida and that there was no real company emergency."
"Are you calling my uncle a liar?"
"Someone isn't exactly smelling his best right now," Dietz remarked.
"I'd take back my words if I were you," Danny stepped to him and spoke in a harsh whisper. "You wouldn't want to make the mistake of accusing any one of anything until you have the full story."
"What is the full story, Danny?" the question was asked and Danny looked up from Dietz to find Escobar Ramírez approaching with his escorts. He wore a plastered smile, he resembling the cat who just swallowed the parrot. "Why did you really go to Miami?"