“Told you she was smart,” Moses cackled. “Let’s have a cigarette to go with this dee-licious coffee.”
“Don’t try to butter me up. You know your limit’s five, Moses. You’re not supposed to be smoking at all. Well, how many?”
“Two,” Moses lied.
“One, that’s it.”
“One’s good,” the old man said. It was a process they went through at least a dozen times a day. Left to his own devices, Moses would chain smoke. With Maggie guarding the cigarettes, he had no choice but to obey because it was for his own good.
“You go ahead now, son, and tell us everything from the git-go. We’re goin’ to sit here and listen and won’t say a word, till you’re all done. Maybe we’ll give you some advice and maybe we won’t. You can trust us both. Ain’t that right, Maggie?”
“Whatever you tell us will go no further.” Maggie agreed.
Dallas talked until he grew hoarse. When he wound down he looked at Maggie and Moses expectantly. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until it exploded from his mouth like a gunshot.
“I was a schoolteacher for twenty years before we moved out here to the desert. I can tell you where to go and what to do. Your Sara sounds like a very smart lady. It’s obvious to me you feel inferior to her because of her education and her being a doctor. You love her, don’t you? At the same time you’re afraid to admit it. So you played it cool. Isn’t that the way young people describe it today?” To Moses she said, “It’s a way of saying something to save face in case something goes awry later on.” Moses nodded sagely.
Maggie held up her hand. “You love your brother, and that’s the way it should be. Moses and I know what it’s like not to have children. Yet you resent him, and that’s understandable given your circumstances. What happened to you, Dallas, happens to many children. You were allowed to slip through the cracks. It’s unforgivable, but it’s in the past. We can’t get yesterday back. We have today and all the tomorrows yet to come. I know many people in the education field back in Los Angeles. If you want, I’ll make some calls and set things up for you. I think you need to hear with your own ears from someone in the know that you are not retarded. And speaking of hearing, just how bad is your hearing?”
Dallas felt his jaw drop. “How did you know? I barely hear out of my left ear.”
“I watch you read lips. If Moses or I say something to you when we’re behind you, you don’t hear us. Hearing aids are wonderful things. They’ve perfected them to the extent they’re almost invisible. It can be fixed, Dallas. The television gave your age as thirty-eight. That probably means you should have reading glasses at the very least. Do you have trouble seeing?” Dallas nodded. “That can be fixed, too. Why did you wait so long?”
“I just gave up. Things were going from bad to worse with Adam. Then Billy died. I met Sara, and things started looking better, but I didn’t know where to turn. I wanted to be . . . like Adam. For her. I didn’t want to be Dallas Lord anymore. I wanted to be Joe Schmo. What I wanted was to be goddamn normal. Half my life is over. Do you have any idea how much I missed?”
“Of course I know. Unfortunately, you cannot unring the bell. Yesterday no longer matters. You are normal, Dallas Lord. You have to believe that. Think of it like this—you are going to go back to school with a teacher who will give you one-on-one instruction. If that’s really what you want. Are you clear in your own mind about the consequences of what will happen to your brother, your estate, the band, all the things that made up your old life?”
“My brother will take care of all that. Everyone is financially set. Adam saw to that. Sara has her profession. Sandi Sims is the only one who concerns me. She has a mean streak in her. She might try to manipulate Adam, but he’ll see right through her. I worry that she might try to steal ”Sara’s Song” from Sara. She’s the only one who wasn’t provided for.”
“Why?” Maggie asked bluntly.
“She was new to the band. I had . . . we had . . . it didn’t work for me. I knew she was using me. It was easier to go along with certain things. I told you, I mentally closed up shop. I’m not proud of it. It was what I had to do at the time.”
“Can you really give up all the fame, the money, the notoriety, and adoration?”
“In a heartbeat.” Dallas touched his chest. “I have to find out what kind of person I am once the playing field is leveled. If I have to become Jack Piper to do it, then I’m Jack Piper. The only thing that bothers me is Adam and Sara. When someone like an artist dies, his pictures become more valuable. I saw a documentary on television, so I know how that works. I don’t know if Sara will keep the song private. I don’t think she would ever try to sell it for money. If what the documentary said was true, that particular song will be priceless in the music field. Sandi doesn’t have any . . . ethics. I’ll have to work on that.”
“You’ll be able to get lost in LA, Dallas, if you keep a low profile. If Moses or I can be of any help, all you have to do is call us. On your new cell phone.” Dallas laughed.
“I know what I’m planning is wrong, but I’ll never know what it’s like to lead a normal life if I don’t do it this way. I think I walked away from that plane crash for just this reason. I think God is giving me a second chance. I can’t blow it this time.”
Maggie nodded. “Your sunburn is healing nicely with the aloe. Why don’t you and Moses take a walk so I can clean up here and get on with supper. It’s all going to work out, honey. You call us anytime you feel down. We’ll keep your secret.”
Outside, Moses fired up a cigarette. “I snitched it when she wasn’t lookin’.” He was so proud of his sleight of hand Dallas didn’t have the heart to criticize him. “Told you Maggie had smarts. You gonna go for them tests she talked about?”
“Yes. I’ll get my ears and eyes checked, too. The whole ball of wax, Moses. But, the first thing I’m going to do when I leave here day after tomorrow is get a dog. My brother has seven. That’s so hard for me to believe. He called one of them Dallas Six. Can you beat that?”
“A dog is a big responsibility. Sounds to me like you never took responsibility for anything but your music.”
“Pretty damn sad, isn’t it?”
Moses nodded. “Tomorrow I’ll take you to the pound. Lots of animals there that are lookin’ for a good home.”
“Was there a reason why you didn’t have kids, Moses?”
“It jest never happened.”
“What about Maggie?”
“Couldn’t carry a baby to term is the way she puts it. Wasn’t meant to be I guess.”
“I wanted a mom so bad when I was little. I used to cry myself to sleep. Adam did all he could, but he wanted a mom, too. More than a dad I think. Then when we started getting older we used to talk about what a father would do. You know, take us fishing, ground us when we did something wrong, go to ball games, and buy us hot dogs.”
“You want a stand-in pap, I’ll be glad to apply for the job,” Moses said gruffly. “I know for a pure fact Maggie would love nothin’ bettern standing in for your mam.”
Dallas stared at the old man for a long minute, his eyes burning unbearably. When he couldn’t stand it any longer he turned and ran to his cabin, where he howled his head off.
The old man knuckled his own eyes before he returned to the kitchen to talk to Maggie.
Dallas packed his duffel, straightened up his room, and hung up the wet towels before he headed over to Maggie’s for his last breakfast. For one brief second he thought he was in the wrong place. He felt a lump swell in his throat when he saw the couple dressed in what he knew was their finest apparel. Moses wore a three-piece blue suit that smelled strongly of mothballs and had gone so far as to shave off his straggly beard, and it looked like Maggie had given him a fresh haircut. Her own hair was crimped, her face powdered, and she wore bright red lipstick. She wore a glorious flowered dress that rivaled an English garden.
“We wanted to give you a good send-off . . . Jack. We figured if we
wuz goin’ be your stand-in mam and pap, we needed to look like a bon-a-fide set of parents. We figure this makes it official.”
“Living out here in the desert makes it easy to let yourself go,” Maggie said. “It’s hot and dry and there aren’t that many customers anymore. At our age comfort seems to matter more than looks. Moses is right, though. We wanted you to be proud of us. We’ve never been parents before, and we aren’t about to take this lightly. You can count on us no matter what. Okay, now it’s time to eat. Put that cigarette out, Moses. You know the rules.”
Dallas sat down, his eyes shining with delight.
“Now, son, what would you like for breakfast,” Maggie asked.
“Mam, I’d like whatever you’re fixing for Pap.”
“Don’t that beat all, Maggie. He sounds just like me, don’t he?”
“He sure does.”
“I’ve only known you for three days, and I love you already,” Dallas said.
Maggie yanked at the end of her apron to wipe at her eyes. Moses rubbed his eyes as he grinned from ear to ear.
Life is looking good, Dallas thought. Real good.
They gave him one last round of hugs and kisses, Dallas’s eyes smarting with unshed tears.
“You’re going to be fine, Dallas. You don’t look anything like the real Dallas Lord,” Maggie said. “Do you have the map Moses made for you?” Dallas nodded. “Promise you’ll call us as soon as you find a place to live. We have some money, Dallas, in case yours runs out. Moses and I agreed to this, so all you have to do is ask. We can wire the money to you by Western Union.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m going to pick up my dog. He was a mess, and he smelled to high heaven from the pound. The groomer said I wouldn’t recognize him when I picked him up. Big dog. Man’s dog. He licked my hand. I think it’s going to be okay. How do I say thank you?”
“Ain’t no need for thanks, son. You jest do everything Maggie set out fer you. You got all them papers and phone numbers in your pocket, don’t you?”
“I have everything. Well, I guess it’s time to go.”
“Guess so,” Maggie said. “Will you call us on Christmas Day, Dallas?”
“You bet.”
He was in the Blazer then, tears on his cheeks. He risked a glance in the rearview mirror. Moses had his arms around Maggie’s shoulders as he patted her on the back.
He felt like they were his parents in every sense of the word.
When he reached Dumont, Dallas drove up and down the business street until he found an appliance store where he ordered a Sub-Zero freezer, a refrigerator, a six-burner Magic Chef with twin ovens and a double microwave oven, and a sixty-inch Mitsubishi color television set. He peeled off cash from his roll, seriously depleting his cash reserve. As an after-. thought he asked where he could order a side of beef to go with the deep freeze.
“I can do that for you, sir. Would you like it delivered at the same time as these appliances?”
“Yes.” More money changed hands.
“That will be thirty dollars for delivery.” Dallas peeled a ten and a twenty from the wad of money in his hand.
“Where do you want this delivered, sir?”
Sir. His first true test. The young man in his thirties didn’t recognize him. In fact, he hadn’t given him a second look. So much for fame in the spotlight. Suddenly he felt wonderful. “Deliver it all to the Desert Inn Motel.”
“Will you be keeping the sales slips, or should they go with the appliances?”
Dallas panicked. Adam would know exactly what to respond to the question. When in doubt ask questions. His shoulders squared. “I don’t think I want them to know how much the appliances cost.”
“Then how about if we just give them the warranty cards and they can fill them out and return them.”
Dallas sighed. “That’s fine.” He pocketed the receipts.
“Do you want a card to go with these? Are they early Christmas presents?”
Did he? Were they? “Sure.”
“You can fill out the card,” Dallas said not wanting the salesclerk to see what a struggle it was for him to write. “Just write . . . your son, Jack.”
“Well, Jack, this is one zappo Christmas present. They must be pretty special people.”
“They are. They really are.”
“Nice doing business with you.” Dallas nodded.
“We’ll have everything out there and installed by four o’clock.” Dallas nodded again.
Back in the Blazer, Dallas’s heart took on an extra beat as he drove up and down streets till he reached a small private house set back from the road. The pristine white sign said it was the Classy Dog Groomers.
“Your dog is ready, Mr. Piper. He’s very well behaved. Whoever owned him must have taken him to a groomer. He knew exactly what to do. He likes Lorna Doone cookies. You might want to pick up a box.”
Dallas’s face went blank. “Do you sell them?”
“You get them at the grocery store. I have two boxes you can have. You’re going to need a leash and a collar. We sell those. I think red is good for a dog.”
“Okay.”
“He’s a healthy dog, Mr. Piper. I took the liberty of calling the vet you had check him out. They say he’s about four years old. If you wait here, I’ll fetch him.”
Dallas dropped to his haunches when the black dog was led out to the small office. The dog picked up his scent and-bounded away from the groomer to throw himself at Dallas, knocking him over. He licked his face, his hair, and tried to hop on his lap. Dallas laughed, the sound ringing throughout the clinic.
“Did you give him a name yet?”
“His name is . . . Adam One.”
“It’s different. He looks to me to be mostly Lab. The vet agreed. In my opinion a Lab is the best dog there is. They’re smart and they’re loyal. As you can see, this dog is very loving. Both of you are very lucky to have found one another.”
Still laughing as the dog tugged at the leg of his jeans, Dallas paid for the grooming, the leash, a water bowl, and the cookies.
“Okay, let’s get you some lunch, Adam One. I threw out that bag of dog food the vet gave me. It looked like rabbit poop. We’re gonna get some good stuff.” The Lab pawed his arm to show his approval. He turned the Blazer and headed back to the main road, where he stopped at the first Burger King he came to. At the drive-in window he gave their order. “Six Whoppers, easy on the dressing and light on the lettuce. Throw on some bacon and double the cheese. I’d like two strawberry milk shakes and a large container of ice water.”
They ate in the parking lot, devouring every crumb. When the dog sat up and stared at him, an expectant look on his face, Dallas bundled up the trash. “Okay, let’s do it. Ten minutes. You go on the grass so I can scoop it up. Go!”
Thirty minutes later they were back on the road, the big dog’s head resting on his right arm. Once or twice he woofed softly. Dallas rather thought it was to show his appreciation. He fondled Adam One’s ears and talked to him all the way into LA. This was truly the first day of his brand-new life as Jack Piper, and he was loving every second of it.
“I earned this day, Adam One. I don’t know if I deserve it, but I do know that I earned it,” he whispered.
The Lab nuzzled his neck as he inched closer to his new master.
Chapter Ten
Each time the phone rang during the early-morning hours, Izzie snapped to attention. Twice she leaped from the bed to check on the pups. She also walked through the rooms, the phones ringing everywhere.
Promptly at seven o’clock, Adam’s eyes snapped open. The phone rang twice while he was in the shower. He didn’t hear it. In the kitchen he made coffee and poured juice; before he scanned his list of instructions Tom Silk had left him. Whistle in hand, he gave off three sharp blasts as he opened the kitchen door. “Everyone out, everyone does what they’re supposed to do and then you eat. GO!” If they were bigger, he would have been trampled. Izzie nudged Dallas Six, who appeared to be lingering.
The fat little pup waddled to the top step and peed a stream. Repetition and patience. Patience and repetition. Adam cleaned up the mess, washed his hands, and poured coffee. “Let’s see what went on in the world while we slept, Izzie.”
His back to the television screen, Adam listened as the Today Show’s hostess, Katie Couric, announced the latest-breaking news. Adam winced when he heard the words private airplane crash. He turned to see a picture of his brother Dallas flash on the screen. The phone rang almost immediately. His heart pounding in his chest, Adam barked into the phone. Sweat beaded on his brow as he listened to Al Cherensky’s choked voice. What seemed like an eternity later, Adam said, “Thanks, Al. I’m on my way. Listen carefully. This is what you have to do. I’ll have to charter a plane right away. I’ll see all of you in LA. Take care of things, Al, until I get there. Don’t fall apart on me now.”
Don’t think. Move. Don’t think. Dallas can’t be dead. Don’t think. Move. Wind shear. Not Dallas. Never-Dallas. Thank you, God, for giving me the good sense to call my brother last night. Don’t think. You know what you have to do, so do it. Later you can grieve. You have the rest of your life to grieve. Don’t think.
All Adam’s years of training and discipline kicked in. Phone in hand, he made calls at rapid-fire rate, dressing and packing as he did so. Two briefcases jammed to overflowing were added to his pile of luggage.
In the kitchen he looked around, panic settling on his features. God, what should he do with the dogs? Tom Silk’s number on the top of his instruction list stared up at him. He punched out the numbers. “Tom?”
“Mr. Lord. Jesus, I’m sorry. I just heard. What can I do for you?”
“You can come over here right now and go to California with me. I’ll make it worth your while. I can’t leave the dogs. I won’t abandon them. I chartered a plane. We have thirty minutes to get them ready and get to the airport. Will you do it?”
“I’m on my way.”
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