Barbara Levenson - Mary Magruder Katz 03 - Outrageous October (27 page)

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CHAPTER

SEVENTY-SIX

I slept on and off during the flight. I was jarred awake by the voice of the flight attendant announcing our landing in ten minutes in Miami. I looked out the plane window into brilliant sun. The plane was following the ocean and beach south, passing Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. I began to pick up landmarks. There was Carlos’s new condo tower, there was the endless traffic on Interstate 95. In another minute I saw downtown Miami with its cluster of office towers. I could pick out the performing arts center with its unique roof. The plane turned sharply west and we glided toward Miami International Airport.

Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to free myself from this metal box and be home again.

I grabbed my bag from the overhead compartment, almost bopping the passenger in front of me. As I came through the long walk connecting the plane to the terminal I felt the heat of midday Miami. I wanted to cover myself in it.

Once in the terminal, I heard the babble of twenty different languages and saw hurrying passengers in an array of colors from white, to tan, to brown and black skins and I knew I was home again.

As I moved quickly toward the front exit, I heard a familiar voice. “So you finally got here, little sister.” There was Jonathan waving and calling to me.

He grabbed my bag with one hand and hugged me with his free arm.

“I am so glad to see you. How is Dad?”

“I’m glad you’re here. Mom can’t wait to see you. Dad is holding his own. The doctor thinks he’s strong enough to have the surgery soon, maybe even tomorrow. We told Dad that you’d be here today. He grumbled that it was about time, but you could see how happy he was”

I hurried to keep up with Jonathan’s long strides. Soon we were getting into his car in the parking garage, and then pulling out into the traffic on the Palmetto Expressway, but I didn’t even mind it as long as the sun sprinkled my face with freckles of warmth.

“We’re going directly to the hospital, aren’t we?” I asked.

“Of course,” Jonathan said. He looked over at me. “My God, Mary, I never knew your skin was so white. We better get you some sun before people think you’re from Minnesota or Canada or something”

I pulled out my cell, turned it on and got immediate service. What a luxury.

“I need to make this call,” I said apologizing to Jonathan.

“I dialed a familiar number and in a minute I heard J.C.’s baritone voice. He sounded so much like Carlos.

“J.C., it’s Mary. I just got back in town. Carlos told me everything about the bank. I’m so sorry that you have to go through this.”

“Mary, how good you are to call. I feel ashamed that I ever got into this mess. I’ll be over at the hospital later to check on your dad,” he said.

“Listen, J.C., I will give you all the legal help I can, but please don’t talk to any law enforcement. Just tell them your lawyer, Mary Magruder Katz must be present at all interviews.”

So like I said at the beginning, I went out to dinner one night and it changed my life. I made lots of new friends, saw another part of the country, lost a boyfriend and got him back, and learned how much home and family mean to me. Now if I can just get Carlos’s dad out of trouble and my dad well again. I’ll let you know how it all turns out.