Trifecta (32 page)

"When that assassin took a shot at Julia," Tony
was saying, "I think it was a diversionary tactic to keep the police from examining
the fake Quijada too carefully.  He probably intended for the police to respond
and start a real shootout, so he could sneak away when it was over.  But Quijada's
guy on the roof couldn't get organized fast enough when Julia shouted they had the
wrong man.  That's the only reason I can think of for such a suicidal and stupid
attempt on her life.  The guy must have been prepaid an enormous sum to take a chance
like that, with the house totally surrounded.  I guess they didn't expect the helicopter."

"Scared me to death," Robin said.  "I really
thought she was hit."

"I can imagine.  The attempt on Julia's life is really
what's going to put Quijada away.  The assassin was already insisting on a plea,
in the car on the way to jail.  And he made sure we knew that he didn't mind spilling
his guts about who ordered the hit in return for some judicial favors."

They stopped talking when they heard the laughter from
above and smiled at each other.  "I was holding my breath.  Close one that
time," Tony said with relief.

"Sarah's a wonderful person," Robin said.  "I
didn't know how you felt about her, Tony.  I would have bowed out years ago.  You
should have told me."

"We're making up for lost time.  I'm glad you finally
found Julia, though.  I would have been waiting on the sidelines till my hair turned
white."

The doorbell rang and an army of people started rushing
about the house, as the caterers had arrived.  There were several cooks, preparing
an elaborate dinner in the kitchen.  In the back yard the tables were being set
up for an enormous banquet.  There were waiters and bartenders shouting orders at
each other in a frenzy as they set up bars in the living room and the backyard.

Julia and Sarah hurried about helping with the preparations. 
Robin saw Julia in the kitchen, preparing an appetizer with one of the cooks and
he couldn't resist going up and kissing the back of her neck for a moment.  Julia
smiled at him and returned the kiss, but he could tell she was preoccupied.

Robin went outside to prepare the truck, Make-My-Day, for
presentation to his father.  It took a while and when he finally came back inside
he gazed around with approval and satisfaction.  There were baskets of extra flowers
being arranged in the living room.  Balloons were hanging from the stair banister. 
Then he looked up, and felt his heart do a hard double beat.  His face drained of
blood completely.

"Goddammit, Julia!," Robin shouted.  "What
are you doing?"

She was balanced precariously on a ceiling beam, tying
the 'Happy Birthday," sign up near the cathedral ceiling, which was a good
twenty feet from the floor.

Julia gave him a brilliant smile and waved.  She wobbled
a little and had to grab hold with both hands again.  "I'm the smallest person. 
So it's best for me to do it."

"Maybe you're the lightest," Robin shouted, running
so he could position himself under her in case she crashed to the floor.  "That
beam might not break under you.  If you're lucky.  Is everyone here crazy?"
Robin asked, looking around furiously.  "She could kill herself."

"I'm always climbing on things to take pictures, Robin,"
Julia said calmly.  "I'm perfectly safe."  She started crawling along
the beam to tie up the other end of the banner.

"I can't watch this," Robin said, shaking his
head with trepidation when Tony came up to him. 

"She'll be all right.  There are ten men under her
and a man on the ladder right next to her," Tony said soothingly.

"They're all looking up her dress," Robin complained.

"Do I detect a little jealousy in that tone?"

"You don't understand," Robin said.

Tony was laughing, "Yes I do."

Julia was taking pictures as the guests started arriving. 
She was positioned on the stairway balcony, to the side and above the entrance hall,
kneeling so she could shoot below the chandelier.  Robin had told her he wanted
her to relax and enjoy herself, but Julia felt more comfortable with a camera in
her hands.  She recognized famous actors and writers, politicians, and even some
rock musicians and singers along with Robin's friends and neighbors.  Finally everyone
had arrived and they all trooped into the back yard to hide before Robin's parents
arrived.

 Robin pulled the draperies across the sliding glass doors
so the backyard was hidden from anyone coming inside the front door.

Julia went reluctantly into the back yard.  She realized
she would have to meet Robin's friends sometime and steeled herself.  She was an
outsider and prepared herself for cold shoulders as she slipped through the draperies.

The evening weather outside was balmy and beautiful with
a gorgeous sunset over the ocean in the distance.  There was a group of musicians
already playing popular songs on a platform that had been erected next to the pool. 

Julia was suddenly surrounded by a crowd.  They had all
heard about the fabulous ring and they all wanted to see it and meet the woman Robin
bought it for.

Julia was happily overwhelmed by the friendly welcome she
was receiving.  She met so many people she couldn't possibly remember all the names. 
She was shaking hands and received three luncheon invitations and a couple more
for parties later that month.  Robin stood beside her with an arm around her shoulders
and helped with the introductions.  Someone had opened a bottle of champagne and
a toast was proposed to celebrate the engagement.  Glasses were handed around and
the large group all held them up to Julia and Robin.

Jay banged on his glass with a fork for silence.  Then
he climbed upon a chair, so he could be above the crowd, and gestured dramatically
at Robin.  "This poor little rich guy wanted a woman who would love him without
all the trappings; like career, wealth, famous relatives and wonderful friends like
everyone gathered here tonight.  He staged the Cinderella story in reverse.  Julia
truly believed Robin was a mechanic when they met, and he kept up the charade. 
Tony and I made a bet that he could never win the fair Julia.  But he did.  Then
Robin gave Julia a ring she believed was fake diamonds.  He was afraid she would
toss it away.  But Julia proved true and loved him through it all.  I toast two
truly wonderful people, Robin and Julia."

There was much hilarity from the good natured happy crowd.

More toasts were proposed to a successful prosecution against
the drug lord, Aaron Quijada, which Tony and Jay would be handling from the District
Attorney's office.

Julia was suddenly famished.  This pregnancy was going
to make her horribly fat, she thought.  She was just picking up a cracker with salmon
and chives, when Tony got on a chair and waved his hands for silence.

"Julia came to California to meet her brother, Brian,
who was writing Quijada's autobiography.  She found Brian in the hospital, almost
beaten to death.  Brian was only twenty-five years old when he died.  Julia heroically
went to work for Aaron Quijada to find out the truth about what happened to her
brother." 

Julia froze when everyone turned and looked at her with
sympathy.

Tony went on, "Julia obtained the material that will
put Quijada behind bars for the rest of his life.  The recent drug arrests you have
all read about in the newspapers occurred because Julia gave explosive material
about Aaron Quijada to the District Attorney's Office."

"Now everyone," Robin said, holding up his hands
for quiet, "my parents don't know about our engagement.  And I want to tell
them in a special way.  So I'm asking you all to not say a word until after I make
the announcement."

There were about seventy-five people in Robin's back yard
and they all promised solemnly not to utter a word about the engagement.

Sarah slid through the crowd over to Julia.  "All
these people want to be your friends, Julia.  You'll really have a wonderful life
here."

"I could be a toad," Julia said laughing. "It's
Robin they all like so much."

"They trust his judgement," Tony said, coming
up beside Sarah and putting an arm around her shoulder.  "Not even mentioning
his taste in beautiful women."

If only Robin's parents would like her, Julia thought,
the party would be perfect.

Several couples were dancing on a large hardwood platform
that had been placed near the end of the pool, next to the live band.  Robin came
up to Julia.  He had been looking at his watch anxiously, but he said, Let's go
dance, and the two couples went to the dance floor. 

Julia felt like she was in a happy dream with Robin's arms
around her.  She closed her eyes and wished this moment would never end.  She had
never felt so happy and content, startled again by how much she loved Robin.  She
had denied her feelings for so long that she felt profound relief to be free to
love him for the rest of her life. 

Robin stopped dancing.  Julia opened her eyes and looked
up at him.  He was gazing at someone behind her.  Then Julia heard a familiar voice.

"I assume this is Robin.  The mechanic.  And that
he expects you to live with him.  Here in La La Land."  There was no mistaking
who it was.

Julia turned around, her eyes widening with stunned, happy
surprise.  Charlotte was dressed in a beautiful gown with her white hair piled high
upon her head.

"Only after we're married, Ms. Monay," Robin
said, smiling charmingly.

"Mr. Chavier, thank you for inviting me to your party,
but I must speak to my granddaughter.  Alone."

Julia looked up at Robin and he smiled and nodded at her,
giving her a little push in her grandmother's direction.

The two women went behind the pool area where there were
tables where they could sit down comfortably.  Julia wanted to hug Charlotte, but
she could tell her grandmother was upset. 

"I'm so happy you're here, Charlotte," Julia
said.  She felt a little nervous. 

"Mr. Chavier called me last night," Charlotte
said, without preamble.  "He said he was planning to ask you to marry him. 
He asked for my blessing."

Julia looked at Charlotte, amazed.  She was stunned by
her grandmother's sudden appearance and shocked that Robin had asked Charlotte to
come all the way to California without knowing the outcome of his proposal.

"I said I couldn't do that, without meeting him. 
All I knew was what you told me; that Robin was a mechanic and you didn't want to
see him again."

"At the time, it was true," Julia said, trying
not to smile.

"Robin had a courier at my home early this morning,
with a plane ticket to Los Angeles.  I need an explanation, Julia.  I can see he's
handsome as sin.  I understand how you could be swept off your feet."

Julia started explaining the complicated story of how she
met Robin and what precipitated their separation.  It took some time.

Robin eventually came up to the table.  Julia could see
enigmatic emotions passing over his face.  She could almost believe he was nervous. 
Julia smiled at Robin and stood up beside him.  She took his hand and squeezed it
as they waited for her grandmother to make a comment.

Charlotte was looking at her beautiful granddaughter and
the handsome man standing there, both gazing at her expectantly.  The fact that
Robin was a prominent defense attorney and the son of a U.S. Senator had calmed
her anxiety to a certain extent.  She could see how her granddaughter looked at
Robin.  The girl was in love.  There was no question about that.

Charlotte finally stood up and held out her hand.  "You
have my blessing, Mr. Chavier.  But only if you promise to make Julia happy.  And
you must also promise to let Julia visit her grandmother in Boston occasionally."

"We'll both come often.  In return, you have to come
here and see us, too.  You promise me."

Julia could tell that Charlotte was falling under Robin's
spell as Robin insisted Charlotte have at least one dance with him. 

As Robin turned toward the dance floor, Charlotte leaned
over and whispered to Julia.  "I think I like this man.  But I do hope you
won't be a thoroughly modern couple and put off having children for years and years. 
I would like some great grandchildren."

"I promise, Charlotte," Julia said, solemnly,
"you'll have a grandchild soon."

"I'll hold you to that promise, young lady,"
Charlotte answered imperiously.  Julia was laughing as she watched Robin guide her
grandmother across the crowded back yard.

As he stopped occasionally to introduce his friends to
Julia's grandmother, Robin was explaining that he urgently needed Charlotte's help
with preparations for the upcoming wedding.  If Julia hadn't known how sincere Robin
was, she would have believed he was a very smooth operator. 

Julia smiled as she thought of wonderful ways to show her
thanks later tonight for Robin's thoughtfulness in inviting her grandmother to the
party.  And she had ammunition to tease him mercilessly.  He had asked for her hand
before he had even proposed to her.

R
obin stood in the living room with a few close
friends of the Chavier family, waiting for the door bell to ring.  Julia had positioned
herself at the side of the entrance hall so she could take pictures when Robin's
parents arrived. 

Most of the surprise guests were hidden outside, by the
pool.  Jay looked outside and told them to be quiet.  He had just heard a car coming
up the drive.

Julia could feel her heart thumping with expectation, hard
drum beats knocking against her chest walls.  She knew Robin would marry her, even
with parental disapproval, but she desperately wanted them to like her.  She kept
repositioning the camera and licked her dry lips. 

This was an unusual situation because prospective parents-in-law
usually met the intended over a few months, or even years, and knew what to expect. 
Her own grandmother had been shocked and appalled.  Julia didn't know what would
happen.  Public figures were sometimes very different than their portrayal in the
media.  Maybe the Chaviers would be miserable, nasty people, although that was a
little hard to believe, knowing Robin as she did.  Still, she was nervous.

Robin had handed out glasses of wine and everyone held
them up as the bell rang.

When Robin opened the door, they all yelled, Surprise. 
Julia took a deep breath.  She could feel herself pass calmly into her professional
mode as she snapped pictures of the handsome couple moving inside and greeting the
guests.

Senator Chavier was almost as tall as Robin.  He had the
same electric blue eyes, a craggy gaunt face, and looked even more handsome than
the pictures she had seen of him on television and in the newspapers.  This was
the man the whole country loved, while they seemed to disprove of every other politician
now in office. 

Robin's mother was absolutely breathtaking.  She had a
youthful face and her white hair seemed a premature mistake with her glamorous appearance. 
Her beauty and queenly posture were almost forbidding, except when she smiled. 
Together they looked like a couple out of Camelot.

The senator and his wife were greeting everyone with happy
enthusiasm, genuinely pleased by the small surprise party in honor of the senator's
birthday.  Robin handed them glasses of champagne from the bar that was set up near
the fireplace, as they gazed at the decorations.  They were commenting to Robin
about the flowers and the huge banner which spread across the entire room.

"You even have a professional photographer,"
Julia heard the senator murmur to Robin, as she continued taking pictures.

Robin caught Julia's eye and motioned her over.  "Julia
is a professional photographer," he said as she came up beside him.  Robin
put an arm around her shoulder and then leaned down and kissed her cheek.  In front
of his famous parents!  Julia felt tongue tied.  She let go of the camera with one
hand and reached out to shake their hands, saying she was so happy to meet them.

"We've been looking forward to meeting you, Julia,"
Senator Chavier said with an enigmatic smile she couldn't interpret.  He was a politician,
charming down to his very bones, and Julia was definitely charmed, even as she felt
him looking her over speculatively and with intense curiosity.  His quick eyes seemed
to take her in, but she couldn't tell if the warm smile was that of a polished and
canny politician, or if it was really directed at her with genuine feeling.

"Robin kept us up on the case against Aaron Quijada. 
It was quite audacious of you, taking his records and handing them to the authorities,"
the senator said.

Julia was struck for a moment by his eyes.  They were just
like Robin's, she thought irrationally, maybe a little darker blue.  "At the
time I was frightened out of my mind.  I desperately wanted to find out the truth
about my brother.  But I implicated Robin in a dangerous situation."

"Everything worked out, though," Robin said. 
"Julia was very brave."

"Robin saved my life," Julia said simply, looking
up at him and smiling.  "Several times."

"I'm so sorry about your brother, dear," Ms.
Chavier said.  "Robin told us of his untimely death."

Her voice was so soft and sincere that Julia suddenly pictured
her brother, almost felt him standing beside her, and she wished with all her might
he could be here and alive.  She could feel tears in her eyes.  "Thank you,
Mrs. Chavier."

Robin still had his arm around her and he gave her shoulders
a tight squeeze.

Julia noted that the crowd outside was unbelievably quiet. 
The draperies were drawn, but the doors to the back yard were open.  There wasn't
so much as a cough or whispered remark to reveal the presence of at least seventy
people waiting just outside the drawn draperies.  The army of caterers in the kitchen,
who had been banging pots and pans, making an unbelievable racket, was totally silent.

Julia could see Tony from the corner of her eyes positioning
himself to pull open the curtains, which he did abruptly and with a loud, "Oh,
look!"  Julia backed up so she would be in position to take a picture of the
senator's reaction.

Outside, the band suddenly began playing.  Everyone was
singing "Happy Birthday." 

Robin's parents were startled and she got their response
on film.  It was a poignant moment, the crowd standing outside singing Happy Birthday,
loudly and with enormous enthusiasm, swaying and holding up their glasses.  She
heard the senator laugh with surprised delight.  Then Robin's parents were moving
forward, through the doors, to greet their friends.

The band immediately went into a rousing rendition of,
"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

Robin held Julia back for a moment and watched his parents
engulfed by the well-wishers.  He took the moment to kiss her cheek again.  "I
was hoping to surprise you.  But you knew."

Julia nodded.  "It made me more nervous, if that was
possible, knowing your father is a famous senator.  Your parents were really surprised
when Tony opened the curtains."

"No they weren't," Robin said.  "They knew."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  The whole family's practically psychic.  They
expected a small party, so maybe the crowd outside surprised them a little.  It's
hard for me to shock them.  I'm sure you'll manage to give them some good ones in
the future."

Julia laughed, looking up at him, as they went outside. 
"All they'll have to do is count the months.  You kissed me, right in front
of them.  That must have stunned them.  I mean, they've never even met me before."

"It's impossible to hide how I feel.  If they didn't
guess before, and they probably did, they knew the moment they saw us together. 
They like you, Julia," Robin whispered, leaning down so no one else could hear,
"I can tell.  You seemed nervous."

"Did it show?" Julia asked. 

Robin nodded and smiled down at her.  "It was cruel
of me not to reassure you before.  But I knew they would like you even better if
they could see how much it meant to you."

"It does mean a lot," Julia admitted.  "I've
lost my whole family, except for Charlotte."

Julia took roll after roll of photographs, until dinner
was announced and everyone sat down at the banquet tables outside under colorful
paper lanterns.  The waiters served a sumptuous three course meal.  The band was
still playing traditional songs softly as everyone savored the lavish feast. 

After the dinner there were many droll birthday toasts
to the senator.  Finally Robin stood up and announced that he was giving a present
to his father.  Everyone who wanted to could come and see.  He grabbed Julia's hand
as the whole assemblage followed them out the front door.  The crowd was so large
some of the people were standing inside, looking outside through the front room
windows.

There was an enormous, amorphous lump under a huge yellow
tarp, which had been placed in the middle of the circular driveway.  A gigantic
yellow bow had been positioned on top of the strange looking edifice.

"What in the world...?" Senator Chavier murmured.

Robin strode over and stretched up, pulling off the ribbons
on top, which he threw to his mother.  She caught it in her arms.  The yellow bow
was so large it appeared as though she was holding a big bouquet of bright yellow
flowers.

Tony and Jay took a position at each end of the tarp and
grabbed hold.  The drummer from the band had come out with one of his instruments, 
There was a grand drum roll, as Jay and Tony slowly pulled the tarp off of the gigantic
yellow truck.

Julia gasped in astonishment when she saw what Robin had
done to the huge, ugly monstrosity she remembered.  It was shiny, and all the dents
had been removed.  The inside had been recovered in beautiful soft white leather. 
The chrome gleamed.  The enormous tires were polished a bright, shiny black.  From
the front, the grill appeared to be smiling brilliantly.  It wasn't pretty.  But
it was unusual, outlandish and very cute.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd.  Then a moment
of stunned quiet, followed by a burst of laughter from the senator.  He walked over
and opened the passenger door.  Everyone, following his lead, began laughing uproariously.

"I love it, Robin.  A real vintage, by the looks. 
I can hardly wait to house it with the other ancient wrecks." 

"Yeah, Dad, I thought it would fit right in with the
old metal toys," Robin said, referring to the rare collection of antiques vehicles
that the senator adored and always called his 'grand old hunks,' or 'vintage wrecks.'

The senator was still peering inside and he picked up the
keys from the dashboard.  "Custom interior," the senator remarked.  He
had controlled his laughter with some obvious effort.  "This is very unusual,
indeed."

Robin handed him the pink slip.  "Now I need the keys,
Dad."

"Oh.  Are you planning to take my new truck on a little
joy ride?"

"Yes Dad," Robin said.

"You will be careful?  Not stay out too late tonight. 
Remember, son, you have a curfew and I expect you to be home at a decent hour for
once in your life."

Julia understood they were happily reenacting a scene which
had probably taken place many times during Robin's adolescence.

"You can't be serious, Dad," Robin said, in a
complaining, aggrieved tone.  "I'm grown-up now.  Even taller than you."

"I am totally serious, young man," the senator
remarked sternly, holding the keys up and waggling them under Robin's nose.  "I
want to know where you're going, and who you will be with tonight."

"It's going to be a long trip, Dad," Robin said. 
He looked  serious all of a sudden, after the hilarity with which the truck was
received.  "Probably fifty or sixty years.  And I'm taking Julia."

Julia didn't know that Robin had planned to make his announcement
in this way.  He hadn't raised his voice.  But now he walked over to her and put
his arm around her shoulders, guiding her until they stood together in front of
his parents.  Julia could feel her knees shaking.  She could hear the Chavier's
friends behind her repeating excitedly to the other guests what Robin had told his
parents.

Now the senator and his wife did look surprised.  They
were glancing back and forth at Julia and Robin.  Julia thought they might be stunned
speechless.  Nobody moved or said a word for a long moment.  Then the senator stepped
forward and enveloped her in a tight, rib cracking hug.  After a moment he loosened
his grip and looked down at her.  "Welcome, Julia.  You're a beautiful addition
to our family.  It's the best present I could ever have for my sixtieth birthday."

"Thank you, senator," Julia said, blinking tears
out of her eyes.

"My name is Alan, Julia."  He was smiling down
at her with perfect acceptance and Julia suddenly understood why everyone loved
him so much.  "My wife is Rose."

Rose hugged Julia next and said, "Welcome to the family,
Julia.  I always wanted a daughter."

"Lets take a ride," Robin said, grinning.  He
ran around the truck and leaped into the drivers seat. 

Rose Chavier had to be helped up into the gigantic truck
and she sat next to Robin.  Then Alan Chavier got in and held out his hand to Julia.

"It doesn't look like there's enough room," Julia
said hesitantly.  She really wanted to go with them.  The front was a two-seater. 
It was already crowded with three people.  There was no back seat in the old fashioned
vehicle.

"My knees are bony, but they'll have to do, Julia. 
Robin invited you along on this ride."

Damn, Julia thought.  She was going to be sitting in the
senator's lap.  She climbed in and sat down, trying not to put too much weight on
the famous person. 

Tony was standing at the passenger door and asked if everyone
was set before he gently closed it, wishing them a good trip.

"You're master of ceremonies till we get back,"
Robin shouted to Tony.

Robin took off smoothly and they could hear cheers behind
them as the enormous truck went down the driveway, through the front gates and slowly
down the road.

Robin started telling his parents about how he had found
the truck in the impound lot, where he had first seen Julia.  The story took a while
and he turned right, on Sunset Boulevard, traveling west toward the beach.

"Julia wasn't having any of me, I can tell you that,"
Robin went on adamantly, describing how he had dressed so he could negotiate for
the truck.  "She really believed I was a mechanic."

"I believed you were some sort of dangerous degenerate,"
Julia said, smiling.  "He wasn't even wearing a shirt.  I was appalled when
he came to my rescue.  Couldn't wait for him to leave, after he took me to Cedars
Sinai Hospital."

"I can see how this truck could have sentimental value,
Robin," Rose said, laughing.

"Yes it does," Robin said.  "I'm very fond
of it."