CASINO SHUFFLE (41 page)

From within Max shouted, “Who is it?”

“It is Antonio.”

The door swung open.
 
“I’m still afraid to look through the spyhole.”

“Understandably so.
 
You’re wearing your butler attire?”

Max brushed the front of his jacket with his hands.
 
“It’s a special occasion.
 
Plus, I won’t have to change before the tournament.”

“I think that you’re becoming comfortable in a tuxedo.”

“They do make me feel kind of cool.”

They took the elevators down to the lobby level and strolled across the Absolute Black marble of the lobby.

Max gestured towards the ten thousand gallon aquarium behind the front desk.
 
“You’ll never believe what I heard about…”

“It’s better not to give credence to gossip in the casino, Max.
 
There’s an abundance of it, each tale more fanciful than the next.”

They reached the glass doors to the porte-cochere just as the town car was rolling to a stop.
 
The driver exited the vehicle, came around to the rear passenger door, and opened it.
 
A brunette with an elfish and whimsical short hair style, oversized pink sunglasses, a flowing pattern dress, a compact leather purse tucked under her arm, and a smile flashing brilliantly in the afternoon sun stepped out and ran towards Max as he came through the glass doors and opened his arms.

Antonio stayed a respectful distance and enjoyed the heartfelt reunion.

Trixie kissed Max on the face once, twice, and reluctantly released him only to rush towards Antonio.
 
“My favorite butler!”

Antonio wrapped his arms around the beautiful girl and indulged in one of his infrequent displays of affection by kissing her chastely on the cheek.
 
“Happy eleventh birthday, young lady!”

“Daddy is freaking out because I’m almost a teenager,” she said, giggling.
 
“Oh guess what!”
 
Trixie pulled a clipped red carnation from her purse.
 
“I saw these at the airport and I thought of you, Antonio!
 
I could just see one on your lapel – like you see the gentlemen wearing them in old black and white movies!
 
Don’t you love it?”

Antonio bowed with true gratitude and affixed the stem through the buttonhole in his lapel.
 
“Am I dashing?”

Trixie clapped her hands together.
 
“Oh yes!”
 
She hugged Max again tightly as he came up besides her.
 
“Doesn’t Daddy look amazing?
 
He’s so handsome.”
 
She looked up at Max, smiling.
 
“Maybe Antonio will hire you as a butler, Daddy.
 
You could have a
real
job…”

Max grimaced, and he and Antonio shared a pointed look.

Antonio said, “I think your father already has the best job in the world.”

Trixie pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, nose wrinkled.
 
“Playing cards?”

“Being your father,” said Antonio.

“And speaking of doing my job,” said Max, reaching into the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket.
 
“Happy Birthday, my love.”

Max handed Trixie an envelope that she immediately ripped open in order to remove the contents.
 
She scanned the printed tickets and squealed.
 
“
Brandon
’s concert at Twilight!”
 
She twisted and grasped Max tightly around the midsection.
 
“Oh thank you thank you thank you!”

Max removed her sunglasses and kissed her on top of her head.
 
“Thank Antonio too.”

Trixie turned and squeezed Antonio.
 
“Thank you thank you thank you!”

“You are quite welcome.”

Trixie clasped the tickets close to her heart and sighed.
 
“I can’t
wait.
”
 
She looked up at Max.
 
“We have forever until the concert…what am I going to do?”

Antonio held up a hand.
 
“If you don’t mind, I have an idea.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

At
Backus
Hospital
the driver of the town car stayed in the car while Antonio opened the rear door for Trixie and Max.

“If you don’t mind waiting,” said Antonio, “this will be considered an extension of your airport trip.”

The driver nodded.
 
“I’ll be right here when you’re ready to go.”

Antonio had phoned ahead to make arrangements, and as instructed escorted his two guests to a private elevator used by the Medical Director.
 
He punched in the code and they rose quickly to the third floor.
 
A gentleman in a white lab coat, blue shirt and Yale tie waited for them at the top, a metal clipboard under his arm.
 
His white hair was in disarray and his mustache was extravagant.

Antonio greeted the Director with a handshake.
 
“Dr. Richfield.
 
It’s been some time.”

Dr. Richfield’s moustache curved with his smile.
 
“Me and the wife were on a cruise in
Alaska
.”
 
He winked.
 
“There was a small casino on the boat.”

“And how did you fare?”

The doctor shrugged.
 
“I’m luckier with a scalpel then I am with dice.”

Antonio introduced Max and Trixie.

“You’re a beautiful young lady,” said Dr. Richfield.

“Thank you,” said Trixie.
 
“Is your moustache real?”

“It’s a disguise.
 
People don’t trust handsome doctors, so I have to hide behind this bushy thing.”

Trixie giggled.
 
“You’re funny too.”

“Only around pretty girls.”
 
He turned to Antonio.
 
“I have your guest in a private birthing room that was vacant.
 
No one saw her come in, and so far, no unauthorized visitors have tried to see her.
 
We have her in the system under the female alias we use for celebrities.”

Antonio nodded.
 
“Excellent.
 
May we see her now?”

“She’s waiting for you.
 
Her boyfriend and his manager are coming to pick her up in about thirty minutes.”

“Thank you very much, Dr. Richfield.
 
When can I expect to see you again?”

The doctor pretended to think about it for a moment.
 
“How about next weekend?”

“Your usual accommodations will be ready for your arrival.”

Dr. Richfield shook Antonio’s hand a final time and said, “Max and Trixie, good to meet you both.”

Outside the birthing room door was a hospital security guard reading a magazine in a metal chair.
 
“Hi Antonio.
 
You can go right in.”

Trixie leaned over and whispered to the guard, “Who’s in there?”

The security guard put a finger to his lips.
 
“Can’t tell you.
 
Top secret.”

Antonio knocked on the door and said, “Its Antonio and friends.
 
May we enter?’

From inside the room came the answer: “Yes!”

Antonio opened the door and said to Trixie, “After you, young lady.”

When Trixie entered the room she stood immobile at first, simply staring at the woman sitting on the bed.
 
“You look just like my favorite actress…”

Shannon Moon, looking less glamorous but naturally beautiful in a pink Native Sun Casino baby doll t-shirt, a white skirt, her hair in a loose knot with curls caressing a shining face scrubbed clean of make-up.
 
“I must look like Miley Cyrus!”

Trixie laughed.
 
“Noooo.”

Shannon
screwed up her face in exaggerated thought.
 
“Oh I know!
 
Selena Gomez!”

Trixie shook her head.
 
“Shannon Moon!”

“Oh my goodness!”
 
Shannon
put a hand to both her cheeks and said, “You think I’m
that
ugly?”

Antonio said, “Trixie, I would like you to meet Shannon Moon.”

Trixie said, “Oh WOW!”

Shannon
’s next expression was genuine.
 
“You’re Trixie?”
 
She looked at Max.
 
“She’s Trixie?”

Max smiled.
 
“My eleven-year-old daughter.”

Shannon
recovered quickly.
 
“Happy Birthday Trixie…can I have a hug?”

Trixie ran over to her and they embraced.

“You smell awesome,” said Trixie.
 
“Just like a movie star!”

“Trixie your hair is gorgeous…I always wanted short hair.
 
Do you think it would look good on me?”

“Oh yes!”
 
Trixie’s smile was radiant.
 
“Do you want the number of my hair stylist?”

The adults erupted with laughter.

While Trixie and Shannon were in the middle of a detailed discussion regarding playing the part of a princess in a real castle in
England
, there was a knock on the door.
 
Antonio checked that it was whom he expected, and opened it just enough to receive a package in bright wrapping paper adorned with a silk bow.

He extended this formally to Trixie.
 
“Happy Birthday, from your father.”

Trixie asked
Shannon
to help her open the gift.
 
Beneath the paper was a white box, and within, a 5”x7” silver framed blank piece of paper behind glass.

“A picture frame,” said Trixie.
 
“It’s…very nice, thank you.”

Antonio withdrew an ink pen from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to Trixie.
 
“And this is from me.
 
Happy Birthday.”

Trixie took the pen and studied it.
 
“Uhm, thanks Antonio.”

Shannon
laughed and said, “Maybe I can help, sweety.”
 
She took the back off the picture frame and removed the blank piece of paper.
 
“May I borrow your pen?”
 
She thought a moment, then wrote a note on the paper and signed her name with a flourish.
 
She then put the paper back into the frame, affixed the back, and handed it back over to Trixie.
 
“Happy Birthday, kiddo.”

Trixie read the note and hugged the frame to her chest.
 
“I LOVE IT!”

Antonio said to Max, “I couldn’t find the original.
 
Lost in the shuffle, I assume.”