Mackenzie Legacy, The (4 page)

“Is she a doctor or something?” the driver asked.

“Oh… She’s something alright,” Calvin said solemnly.

The man insisted that he take the fawn with him, saying that he knew of a local vet that did wildlife rehabilitation. He felt that it was the least he could do, and Caledonia could tell he was sincere. They sent him on his way with the little bundle, watching with relief as he pulled back out onto the road and drove away.

Calvin poured water from a bottle while Caledonia did her best to clean her hands by the roadside. “You’re amazing,” he told her.

She shook her head no. “I was just at the right place at the right time.”

~

When they checked into a room and settled down for the night Calvin was brooding, having a hard time relaxing. He was disturbed, and his troubled thoughts created a midnight blue cloud that hovered all around him.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, imagining that he was still thinking about his father. She propped herself up on one elbow to wait for his response.

“We could have been killed today.”

She smoothed the hair back from his forehead. “But we weren’t… We’re okay.”

“I almost dumped the bike.”

“But you didn’t. You’re a really good driver.”

He couldn’t stop worrying. “It’s too dangerous… traveling this way.”

She laughed a little and kissed his cheek. “Coming from someone who didn’t even wear a helmet.”

“I had nothing to lose back then,” he said.

She rolled over on top of him, sitting up to straddle him. She took his face in her hands, and looked deep into his warm dark eyes, “I love you.”

She bent down to kiss him softly, her hair falling all around them, encompassing them both in a soft golden cloud. She smiled triumphantly when his colors changed to a rosy reddish pink, sweeping them both away on a rising tide of richly hued passion.
  

~

In the small hours of the night, they lay in each other’s arms, pleasantly exhausted.

“Calvin?”

“Hmm.”

“I know what I want to do now.”

“What?” he asked.

“I’m going to work with animals.”

~

Chapter Five

VEGAS

~

She stood on brick steps between two white pillars on the porch of a large house, beckoning with a wave of her arm. Russet curls peppered with grey tumbled onto her shoulders, and the hem of her dress fluttered in the light breeze, making the flowers in the print look almost as if they were dancing. She smiled warmly, opening her mouth to speak…

~

Caledonia woke up alone, the smell of roses lingering in her nostrils. She looked over to see a note left on Calvin’s pillow telling her that he’d be back soon, and her strange dream was soon forgotten. She cracked open her latest book and settled down to wait for him.

He returned before she knew it, bursting into the room bristling with anticipation, “Hey there sleepyhead.”

“What?” she asked him, sitting up. “What’s going on?”

He smiled with amusement, knowing she could see how excited he was, “Pack up… I have a surprise for you.”

They checked out, and Calvin took her hand, leading her from the lobby to where a brand new truck was parked, his motorcycle securely mounted in the bed. He turned to look at her, a blaze of anticipatory tangerine.

She looked at him in shock, “You bought a truck?”

“Do you like it?” he grinned, vibrant with hope. “Check it out!” He opened the passenger side door, and she climbed into the cab, looking around inside. He raced around to the driver’s side and slid in next to her. “Well?”

She returned his smile, patting the seat. “It’ll certainly be a lot more comfortable.”

“And safer. Do you like it?”

“Ye-es… But how much money did it cost?”

He shrugged, “Almost all of it. But it’ll be worth it… This thing is solid.”

She sighed, disappointed at the thought that they were back to square one. She was looking forward to being finished fixing horse races once and for all.

His face fell, “What’s wrong?”

She turned to look into his earnest dark eyes, not wanting to disappoint him. “What about the money we saved for Jarod’s shop?” She set her jaw resolutely. “I guess we need to keep going to the races… huh?”

He took her hand. “I know you’re sick of it… So I’ve been thinking… What if you were making me win, instead of a horse, would it bother you any less?”

“Are
you
going to run?” She couldn’t help but smile at the mental image of Calvin lined up in the starting gate.

His dark brown eyes were serious. “Listen– What if you don’t have to change anyone at all? What if you just let me know what people are thinking?”

She looked at him reproachfully. “You know I can’t read minds.”

“I know, I know– I meant tell me what they’re
feeling
… Like if someone is lying or not. Could you do that?”

“Uhm… Yeah. I guess so…” she said, wondering what he was driving at.

He leaned over to kiss her and started up the truck. “Put your seat belt on.”

“Where are we headed now?” she asked.

“We’re going to Vegas.”

~

They pulled into the city just as the sun was sinking in the western sky, driving down a bustling strip lined with casinos and resort hotels. For once they were equally impressed, gawking at the grandiose buildings, glaring neon signs and spectacularly lit fountains. Cal patted Cali’s leg and she scooted closer to him, both of them instinctively feeling smaller.

Calvin had been surprised by how much gas the truck burned through, and they were back in frugal mode, mindful that they had to be careful with the little money they had left. They drove around town, and the further they ventured from the main drag the cheaper and older things got. They finally took a modest room at a run-down hotel, bringing their small bag through the once opulent lobby, its worn carpet and outdated fixtures echoes of its once glorious past.

Calvin was excited, wandering back out onto the main strip on foot, holding onto Cali’s hand firmly as they explored the grounds of huge luxury hotels in the warm evening air. They walked through impressive lobbies bursting with artwork and lavish flower displays, impressed by the extravagant decor of one casino after another.

The level of intensity in these gaming palaces was even higher than it was at the racetrack, and they were engulfed by a sea of excitement and anxiety that even Calvin could sense. He looked down to see Cali’s serious face, and tried to imagine what it must be like for her.

He squeezed her hand. “You okay?”

“Uhm… Yes… It’s just… Whew,” she said, her eyes darting around. “Look at that!” She pointed up to a crystal chandelier bigger than the truck, looming over all of the crowded gaming tables.

“That’s probably full of hidden cameras,” Calvin muttered under his breath. “They watch every move you make around here.”

Clouds of intense emotions blended and swirled all around the densely packed room, and the spaces between the people were filled with color. Calvin led Cali out of the casino to walk across the manicured grounds, strolling arm in arm around enormous glowing swimming pools surrounded by statuary. They wandered across a dizzying dreamscape of faux landmarks built to scale, winding through elegant gardens that contrasted wildly with casinos hosting carnival rides and circus acts.

Hungry, they stopped at a gargantuan hotel buffet to eat, and Caledonia was shocked by the unimaginable quantity and variety of food. Calvin watched with amusement as she struggled to balance a taste of every single thing onto her plate. She paused, reaching up to touch a sculpture hovering over a table laden with fruit.

She wheeled around to look at him. “It’s made of ice!” she exclaimed.

Calvin nodded, looking up at the giant frozen swan with outstretched wings. “I wonder how long it took them to carve it.”

“But it’s going to melt!” she lamented.

“They’ll just make another one then.”

She shook her head sadly, moving on. Some things about the modern world were difficult to understand, but food was not one of them, and soon she was distracted by the variety of offerings in the dessert section. They ate their fill and meandered back out into the warm night air, taking in more sights along the way back to their room.

They stopped to watch the crowds of tourists wandering from casino to casino in the balmy night air, stopping to sit at the edge of a fountain.
 
Caledonia looked down into the water, surprised to see the tiled bottom lined with coins. “Why is there money in there?”

Calvin smiled, “I think it’s supposed to be good luck.” He dug in his pocket for some change, handing her a few coins. “Make a wish.”

“Oh,” she brightened, “It’s like a wishing well? I’ve heard of that.” She closed her eyes and thought for a moment, finally tossing the money in to watch it flutter down to the bottom.

Calvin slipped his arm around her waist, scooting closer and resting his chin on her shoulder. “What did you wish for?”

She smiled sadly down at the water. “I want to go home… I need… I need to see if–” her voice caught in her throat.

“If what?” he asked.

She drew a shuddering breath. “I have to see it… I want to go visit the cemetery.”

“We’ll go there,” he said quietly, pressing his cheek to hers. “As soon as we can. I promise.”

She forced a smile. “Why don’t
you
make a wish?”

He didn’t know what to ask for. He already had what he wanted.

Calvin pulled her up by the hands, and they bought several decks of cards at one of the casino gift shops before returning to their room. It was time to get down to work, and Calvin pulled out a deck to shuffle it. “What do you know about cards?” he asked.

She grinned, smiling and holding out her hand for the deck. He handed them to her, surprised to see her shuffle the deck like a professional dealer. “I played a lot of solitaire growing up,” she explained.

Caledonia knew at least twenty different variations of the game, and had spent many a long rainy day playing Go Fish, Rummy, and Old Maid with her parents.

“Mama liked to play cards. It took her mind off of things for a while,” she explained.

“Have you ever heard of Texas Hold’em?” he asked.

He was surprised by how fast she learned, picking up the subtle nuances of the game with lightning speed. Calvin explained bets and checks, flops and raises, busted hands and river cards. He taught her the complexities of poker, something he’d been well schooled in, growing up around Jarod’s motley crew of friends.

“There are really only four hands,” he explained. “The hand I’m holding, and the hand they
think
I’m holding–”

“The hand they’re holding,” she smiled, “And the hand
you
think they’re holding.”

“Yes,” he was starting to get excited. “The thing is, the cards I have don’t even matter if I can convince them to fold before they even see them.”

He only had to tell her something once and it stuck, pointing out again just how different from him she really was. Caledonia immediately grasped the intricacies of betting, and realized she would be able to give Calvin a tremendous advantage. “So… You want me to let you know when to raise and when to fold.”

“I wish you could be the one who plays,” he said, impressed.

“Why can’t I?”

“You have to be twenty one,” he told her.

She was confused, “But you’re not.”

He pulled out his wallet, handing her a copy of Jarod’s driver’s license. The handsome brothers looked enough alike that Cal could pass himself off as his older brother fairly easily. “I bought the truck in his name,” he explained, “And no one said a word.”

“Does Jarod know you have this?” she asked.

He laughed, “He made an extra for me so I could buy beer.”

The two of them sat and played cards together for a while, and Calvin outlined his plans to her. “I’m pretty good at poker, but I’ve never gambled with really good players before, so I’m going to need a lot of help. It wasn’t all that hard to take Jarod’s friends for their money, but these guys… I don’t know.”

“In the big casinos there’s always a game going on, and if we can win enough to buy into a high-stakes tournament, we can make back all the money for Jarod in no time. Do you think we can do it?” he asked.

She nodded emphatically. “Yes.”

“I think we can do better than just win money for Jarod. We can get money for a place of our own too,” Calvin said thoughtfully.

She shrugged, “Once I turn eighteen, I want to get a job. I was thinking I could work at a vet clinic or an animal shelter.”

He took her hand. “Yeah, but what if you didn’t have to work so hard? What if everything could be easy and we never had to worry about money?”

“I suppose that would be nice.” She smiled wryly at the thought of an existence with no worries. Her life had been nothing but one worry after another, interwoven with fear and punctuated by sorrow.

“It would,” Calvin said. “And I think we can make it happen. You could go to school to be a vet or something.”

She arched an eyebrow at him. “And maybe art school for you?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe.”

For the first time in years Calvin was thinking seriously about the future. He wanted security for Cali, and to him, that meant money. He needed to find a way to keep her with him, because deep down inside he was afraid that she’d only stick around as long as she needed his help.

To be honest, girls like Caledonia just didn’t end up with guys like him. Calvin had been with plenty of pretty girls, but Cali was beautiful and smart– so smart that it shocked him sometimes. He’d spent the summer watching her learn about the world at an accelerated pace, and she was growing more and more independent every day.

He knew he was going to run out of new things to show her before too long, and it scared him. He’d never felt so vulnerable before, so fearful that he might lose something he needed. She saw his fear, and mistook it for anxiety about their ability to pull off the plan. “Don’t worry,” she spoke soothingly, “I’m pretty sure we can pull it off.”

So the arrangements were made. They chose a poker room at one of the smaller casinos, and decided to try their plan there. They devised a system for Caledonia to signal to Calvin, and settled on a series of random movements. He would face each player, and she would signal whether or not they were showing any signs of deception. She’d scratch her nose, tug on her earlobe, or twirl her hair to let him know whether or not his opponents had a good hand or a bluff.

He kept trying to unravel the mystery of how she saw the world. “How does it look to you?” he’d question her, struggling to grasp her perceptions, “How can you tell when people lie?”

She tried her best to explain, getting frustrated when she found it difficult to describe, “It depends on the person… on the situation.
 
One person might feel bad… guilty, while another person gets, I don’t know… kind of excited that they’re tricking people.”

“And you can tell the difference?”

“Yes.” She tried to explain how it seemed to her, but it was hard to put into words. “It’s like when you see a dog wagging its tail… And you just know it’s happy.”