May It Please The Court E-Book

Daniel Maldonado

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

After a Sweet Sixteen ceremony, Reyna Clifton - the mother of the birthday girl - is found severely injured at the bottom of the grand staircase of the Regal Phoenix Resort and Spa.

The Clifton family blames the resort for Reyna's fall, and sues for negligence. Daniel Mendoza and his firm are called in to defend the lawsuit, but when Mrs. Clifton is found dead in her hospital room, Daniel's suspicions arise.

With the help of his legal team and a private investigator, Daniel is determined to find out what really happened to Mrs. Clifton. But who would have wanted to murder her, and is there some other foul play involved?

Leseprobe

MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT

DANIEL MENDOZA THRILLERS BOOK 1

DANIEL MALDONADO

CONTENTS

Content Advisory

1. Sweet Sixteen

2. Late Flight

3. Father-Daughter

4. Buffet Line

5. Comfort

6. The Grand Staircase

7. Found

8. Hospital

9. Litigation

10. The Flight Home

11. Strategy Session

12. The Resort

13. Comfort

14. Early Meeting

15. The Second

16. Inspection

17. Icu

18. Announcement

19. Hearing

20. Deposition

21. Co-Counsel

22. Witnesses

23. Testimony

24. Argument

25. Layla

26. Property Manager

27. Interview

28. Dr. Coen

29. Assignment

30. Settle, Settle, Settle!

31. Investigation

32. The Fifth

33. Admission

34. Confession

35. Client

Bibliography

Thank You

Next in the Series

About the Author

Copyright (C) 2020 Daniel Maldonado

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2020 by Next Chapter

Published 2020 by Next Chapter

Edited by Fading Street Services

Cover art by CoverMint

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

This book is dedicated to my friends, family, and coworkers who encouraged me to turn back to my legal roots and write novels that reflect this genre. Thanks for all of your support and encouragement.

Content Advisory: This book is intended for mature audiences and contains graphic violence, explicit language, and disturbing imagery.

1SWEET SIXTEEN

Scottsdale, Arizona

Present Day

“Mija, this is your special day, but you don’t have to be rude. Your Tía is just trying to help. I taught you better than that. Now apologize.” The stern, female voice pierced the room, dominating every other boisterous sound. Everyone in the cramped dressing room stopped and glanced up, taking heed of what Mrs. Clifton would say or do next.

Reyna Clifton was known to be a strong disciplinarian given her parents’ upbringing on the east coast. Her parents hailed from New York like their parents before them. The family grew up there before they moved to the mid-west when their kids were infants. Although they no longer lived in Spanish Harlem, Reyna’s parents raised her and her sister the same way. Despite the hectic atmosphere in the dressing room, Reyna, like her Puerto Rican parents, always demanded civility, especially from her children. Alejandra, Reyna’s oldest child, knew that.

When Alejandra instinctively twirled around in angst to unconsciously direct a piercing glare at her mother, she quickly stopped herself such that her floor-length, periwinkle blue dress suddenly jerked back. The diamond-studded, silver tiara on her head unexpectedly began to slip. Before it fell off, the nimble Tía Esperanza stood next to her holding it in place.

Alejandra’s eyes slightly welled up. She knew what was coming and did not want a verbal lashing from her mother before her sweet sixteen ceremony. This would embarrass her, especially in front of all of her girlfriends and female cousins who were her damas. She braced herself.

“Reyna, it’s nothing. She’s just nervous. That’s all.” Esperanza straightened the askew tiara. “There. That’s better.”

Esperanza’s calming voice disarmed Reyna like it frequently did since their childhood. The sisters were many years apart in age, but the younger Esperanza was always mature in ways that evaded Reyna. Somehow, despite the age difference, they were still close.

“Doesn’t your daughter look beautiful?” Esperanza now sounded muffled as she stuffed a couple of bobby pins into her mouth so that both of her hands were free. She stepped aside so that Alejandra was in full view.

“Ay Dios mio. Yes, you’re lovely, beautiful. That dress is amazing. I’m glad you picked it.” Reyna stopped herself from saying anything untoward. The first dress that Alejandra selected was hideous according to her mother. But that seemed ages ago. There was no point in mentioning it now and dampening the mood even further.

Reyna walked towards Alejandra to hug her. As Mrs. Clifton walked closer to her daughter, Porsha, Alejandra’s dama de honor, followed with a set of earrings in her hand. Porsha had known Alejandra since the sixth grade when they were seated next to each other in Ms. Hittson’s class. They were inseparable since that day. Like Esperanza, Porsha was adept at keeping people calm and focused. The two classmates were also like sisters.

“Put these on. Frank will love them. They match your tiara.” Porsha smiled as she handed the diamond earrings to Alejandra.

“Tía Esperanza, can you do it? I’m shaking so badly.”

Her aunt dotingly complied.

Alejandra’s long, bronze neck was daintily revealed above the princess scoop neckline, giving the young woman an air of aristocracy uncommon for her age. She was pleased. Months of preparation had paid off.

There were the four dance rehearsals with Alejandra’s court as well as the rehearsals with her father, Anthony Clifton. Her party planner, Mariposa Aponte, choreographed the entire affair including Alejandra’s upcoming entrance. Every last detail of the sweet sixteen party was meticulously planned and paid for in advance. Her family spared no expense for the special occasion. Next would be her prom, her graduation party, and, of course, her wedding. But those events were far off and out of her mind. Today was Alejandra’s sixteenth birthday.

Even though her sweet sixteen party was not in her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, Alejandra was still pleased. Her Aunt Esperanza insisted that the festivities be held in Scottsdale, Arizona where she lived. Esperanza relocated to Scottsdale after her parents sold the small, family home in Chicago. Of course, her sister, Reyna, obliged at the request because Esperanza and her husband insisted on paying the bulk of the expenses. Twenty years ago, Esperanza married a wealthy plastic surgeon, Efron Martinez. They treated Alejandra, her first-born niece, as one of their own because they were also Alejandra’s godparents.

Despite the sweltering Arizona summers, Alejandra visited her aunt and uncle every summer for several weeks to a month. Sometimes the entire summer. That allowed her to become close with her cousins, Clarice and Elisa. They were only a year or two younger than Alejandra. Trips to Sedona, San Diego, Rocky Point, Hawaii, Europe, and even their native Puerto Rico made the trio inseparable. Clarice and Elisa were two of Alejandra’s seven damas. Esperanza never insisted upon that as a condition of paying for the ceremony. She took for granted that her niece would ask her daughters as well as two of their high school classmates, Jennifer and Sequoia. Alejandra eagerly selected them without prodding. Two of Alejandra’s girlfriends flew in from Vegas to attend and to also participate as part of her court. Their parents gladly chaperoned.

All of the damas were frantically putting on their evening dresses. Swathes of matching but lighter, periwinkle blue filled the room like a symphony of clothing floating effortlessly in the air. Giggles could be heard along with fits of anger from trying to squeeze into their clothing. Some had too much to eat when their nerves got the better of them during the past week or so. But in the end, nothing was more important to each girl than to be supportive of Alejandra on her birthday.

“Alejandra, we’re ready.” A loud knock at the door was heard before Mariposa cautiously entered. Mariposa saw the majestic Alejandra smiling and pleased with her dress. Without hesitation, Mariposa then sternly spoke into the microphone of her headset, “Cue the band. Superstar is ready.”

Superstar was the name Mariposa used to refer to every one of her sweet sixteen clients. That way her staff did not have to remember the various names of the family members, only the titles used to refer to their respective positions. Mariposa was different from her staff. Every client was memorable. She treated every event as special, as if it was her first and learned everyone’s name by heart.

Alejandra faced the door and gleamed after taking a deep breath. “I’m ready too.” She turned to Porsha. “Can you find Frank? I’ll need help with my dress.”

“No worries, Alejandra. That’s my job. I’ll have one of my guys bring him here,” Mariposa interrupted before Porsha could consent to the request.

“Thank you, Mariposa. You’re the best.”

“Hank. Can you bring Lancelot to the Superstar’s dressing room?”

A husky male voice responded in her headphones in the affirmative.

“I told you she is the best party planner. Worth every penny,” Esperanza gleefully whispered to Reyna and squeezed her arm.

They originally disagreed about hiring a party planner located in New York, but Mariposa came highly recommended and her references were impeccable. Esperanza promised that she would spare no expense. That included paying Mariposa’s hefty fee along with paying to fly her entire entourage in from New York. Reyna relented like she always did to Esperanza’s wishes.

The seven damas left the dressing room for the ceremony along with Reyna and Esperanza. When Frank finally arrived, he held up Alejandra’s dress while she walked so that it wouldn’t drag on the ground and get dirty. She walked briskly from the dressing room across the lawn towards the Grand Ballroom to avoid the newly arriving guests from accidentally seeing her. She wanted her dress and her entrance to be a surprise.

* * *

When all of the guests were finally seated after arriving from an earlier Mass at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, the announcer, Hector Perez, stood up and announced the first two damas as they entered the Grand Ballroom.

“Please clap for Melissa and Claudia.”

The two Vegas damas and fellow classmates of Alejandra entered the room in tandem as they swayed their arms to the rhythmic music played by the band. They walked to the front of the ballroom on the matching periwinkle blue carpet runner placed in the middle of the wooden floor. After reaching the end of the carpet, both girls turned to opposite sides of the ballroom and walked along the side of the room towards the back and lined up on opposite sides of the carpet runner facing each other.

“Next up, Jennifer and Sequoia. Clap, clap, clap, everybody.”

Hector mimicked how he wanted the audience to clap. They heartily obliged for the local girls.

The girls entered to rousing applause with the same rhythmic swaying of their arms. They stopped half-way into the room, shifted their hips in opposite sides, and placed their arms on their hips, making an arch with both of their bodies.

“Make some noise,” Hector yelled into the microphone so that the audience could cheer again.

A professional photographer took pictures of both girls as they continued up the ballroom and then back around towards Melissa and Claudia, forming two separate lines on both sides of the periwinkle blue carpet. All four girls swayed in unison to the music.

Two more damas, Alejandra’s cousins, Clarice and Elisa, entered the ballroom after Hector announced them. They twirled around after entering and then pointed both arms to the front of the ballroom.

“Oh yeah, nice,” Hector exclaimed.

When Clarice and Elisa formed a line with the other four girls, all six girls twirled in unison.

Porsha was announced and entered by herself. She walked daintily up the carpet swaying her arms to her side.

“Next up, ladies and gentlemen, Alejandra’s parents. A resounding applause for Anthony and Reyna Clifton.”

The parents entered nervously, holding hands, then separated to join the other damas lined in a row.

“I think they deserve a bigger round of applause, ladies and gentlemen. Don’t you agree?”

The large crowd filling the Grand Ballroom of the Regal Phoenix Resort and Spa clapped louder at Hector’s urging.

“Next up, Wilhelmina.”

Hector’s voice echoed as a shy, seven-year-old girl walked through the door. Her mother, Josephine McIntyre, escorted her. Wilhelmina carried Alejandra’s changing shoes on a periwinkle blue, kneeling pillow. The little girl walked carefully so as not to accidentally drop the shoes.

“Ladies and gentlemen. How many of you are eager to celebrate Alejandra’s sweet sixteen? Make some noise.”

The crowd cheered and then suddenly became quiet.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Damas y Caballeros. It’s my pleasure to present to you, celebrating her sweet sixteen birthday … Ladies and gentlemen, a big round of applause for Alejandra, Alejandra Clifton…” Hector said her last name louder and longer. “Accompanied by Frank.”

The double doors to the Grand Ballroom opened. Alejandra wearing her periwinkle blue, evening dress walked on the left side holding Frank’s hand. Frank, Alejandra’s Caballero de honor or escort, wore a white tuxedo with a periwinkle blue tie, cufflinks, and handkerchief. When they reached the middle of the ballroom, Frank stopped and bowed towards Alejandra, while she smiled. He then walked backwards towards the damas lined in a row on the right side of the ballroom. He walked to the back of the line near Melissa. Alejandra continued walking towards the front of the ballroom, both hands slightly lifting her dress.

“If you think Alejandra looks beautiful, then I need you to make some noise for me, ladies and gentlemen.”

Alexander nervously smiled as the crowd roared.

She walked towards a white throne and turned around, standing in front of it.

“Everybody, repeat after me. Happy Birthday, Alejandra.”

Alejandra sat on the throne. Her parents were on each side of it. Standing next to her mother, Reyna, was Frank. They clapped as the crowd wished Alejandra happy birthday. Mariposa looked on in amazement, happy that the grand entrance was a success. She walked to the back of the ballroom and spoke something unintelligible into her headset.

After the photographer took pictures and the videographer recorded the entire family and court, Alejandra and her damas sat down at the head table near the front of the ballroom. Periwinkle candles were aglow. Arrangements of flowers were scattered around the head table. Frank sat next to Alejandra and poured her a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon from Maldonado Family Vineyards.

The room was silent as Reyna Clifton walked to the head table with a microphone in her right hand and a piece of paper in her left hand. Mr. Clifton was not too far behind his wife. Reyna stopped in front of her daughter, tears streaming down her cheeks. She briefly glanced at the paper but then spoke from the heart.

“Alejandra, it seems like just yesterday that I was changing your diapers and chasing you around the house.”

Reyna’s voice cracked. She paused to regain her composure.

“And now we are all here today, celebrating your sixteenth birthday and a new chapter in your life as a young lady. Your father and I are proud of the woman that you are becoming.”

Alejandra wiped her tears with a handkerchief as her mother spoke with heartfelt words. Several of the damas also wiped their tears.

“I pray that God will continue to guide you and protect you as you continue to walk the path of your life. I love you and I will always be here for you, my little muñeca.”

The crowd sighed when Reyna sobbed at the end of the toast and gave the microphone to her husband.

In the back of the ballroom, Esperanza watched impatiently as her older sister spoke. She turned and noticed that her husband, Efron, was surprisingly gratified at the whole display of affection.

2LATE FLIGHT

Chicago, Illinois

Earlier that Day

Dana tightly hugged her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in her arms while she rested against the stainless steel arm of the lounge seating at the O’Hare International Airport. As she stroked her dog and spoke into her headphones, stares from seated passengers awaiting their flight to various destinations glared intensively toward her. Dana could eerily feel them on her body although she was not looking in their direction. Even the young pup, Denali, could feel the uneasiness. His chestnut brown ears were alert, eager to protect his master, but restrained due to the social setting. With every stroke of his body, he was pleased with his tongue out.

A snicker could be heard a couple of seats away. An elderly woman with a snarky frown shook her head vigorously in disapproval. Her beady eyes could barely be seen through her black, vintage glasses. She stared in amazement.

“Look, Dorothy. A dog. In an airport! Of all places. You can’t go out anymore without seeing someone's pet. The grocery store, a restaurant, the mall. It’s disgusting. Humph,” the elderly woman said at a level higher than a whisper as she nudged her elderly female companion.

Her companion eagerly agreed with a nod of her head, but she did not vocalize her displeasure for all to hear.

Dana had taken pains to ignore the glares. But Dana heard the elderly woman’s comments despite her effort to whisper them to her companion. This latest comment was over the top. Dana was furious.

“Hold on, Anthony. I have to deal with something.” Dana stopped talking into her iPhone and turned her head towards the elderly women. “He’s my emotional support dog. It’s not nice that you are making fun of me.”

Denali stopped panting and gave the women a stern look. He instinctively understood his master’s concerns and sensed that she was becoming distressed.

“Oh really,” the elderly woman said as she rolled her eyes in disbelief.

“Excuse me. I don’t have to explain it to you. It’s none of your business.”

Dana now refused to show people the certification anymore to prove it when they confronted her. She stopped after the first few times because it never really made a difference in their attitude towards her. Besides, the red and black, custom-made ESD vest clearly indicated that Denali was a service dog. Dana believed that the vest should be enough to discourage people from making insensitive comments or facial expressions. Apparently, it was not.

Anthony Clifton tried not to listen to the ruckus over the phone, but Dana’s loud, stern voice was unavoidable. He had better things to do that day than to deal with airport drama.

“Sorry. These women are too much. I can’t stand how people treat me. Nobody understands.”

“It’s okay, Dana. Don’t let them get to you.” Anthony hid his exasperation as he spoke. He wanted to admit that he understood but he knew that it would not make the situation better.

Dana breathed deeply and steadied herself.

“What was I saying? Oh yes. Our flight is late. We would have been in Phoenix yesterday, but Phillip’s track meet ran late, and we had to miss the flight. He’s in the regional finals and wants to go all the way to the championship. I think he can make it this year. He’s a strong sprinter.”

“I’m sure he is.”

“Let Anthony go, honey. He has stuff to do,” Dana’s husband, Doug Jones, exclaimed. He always resented his wife’s gregariousness. She talked to everyone about anything to his dismay. Doug was used to it after his many requests for privacy over the years fell on deaf ears, but he never liked it, nonetheless.

“Hush. It’s Alejandra’s special day, not yours. Besides, I should be there right now.”

Dana stood up and plopped Denali on Doug’s lap. He reluctantly curled up to the secondary master. Although Denali considered himself higher on the family social hierarchy than his so-called male master, he relented when Dana placed him in Doug’s care. He did not want to upset her. A yelp almost escaped Denali’s mouth, but his training reminded him not to.

As Dana walked away, Dorothy coughed loud enough to alert her female travel companion. The elderly woman turned her gaze towards Dana as she walked empty-handed. She then looked over to Dana’s unoccupied seat and noticed that the dog was in Doug’s lap.

“Emotional support dog my a—,” the woman thought to herself.

Dana ignored the obvious look of disgust from the woman and every other person watching her as she walked away.

When Dana reached the gate caddy-cornered near the back of the concourse, she found a quiet place to sit down. An airplane had just departed that gate and the seating area was nearly empty with a few early birds awaiting the next flight.

“I’m serious. I’m happy for you and Reyna, but you know how I truly feel,” the conversation continued. “You have a great family but … what if…” Dana hesitated. She knew that she had expressed her feelings towards Anthony many times before, but it never seemed to go anywhere. She feared that her declarations today would also be ignored.

“Dana… Dana… I know. We had our chance already, years ago.”

“That’s not fair, Anthony. You know why. She took advantage of the situation. I only meant to take a temporary break during the summer. I didn’t know that she would swoop in and steal you away.”

“Reyna didn’t steal me away. She was there when I needed her, when I needed someone. You weren’t there for me. You were distant. So upset about me studying with my lab partner.”

“Lilly had the hots for you. Don’t deny it. But I didn’t mean to force you into another woman’s arms. I just wanted you to appreciate what you had.”

“You left for Switzerland. What was I supposed to do? Wait for someone who didn’t want to talk to me? You didn’t even let me know you were going. I found out from Lorraine. She only knew because your sister told her. You didn’t bother to tell any of your friends, not even me and I was your boyfriend. You just left.”

“I was going to tell you eventually.”

“When? You never called. Not once. It’s as if I didn’t exist to you. But that was so long ago, Dana. We were just kids in college. There’s been too much water under the bridge. You’re married. I’m married. We both have our own family.”

“I know that you still love me, Anthony. I see it in your eyes; the way that you looked at me when we were at last year’s reunion. Even Doug noticed it. You stare at me all the time. And then there was the…”

“I was … I shouldn’t have. I had too many shots of tequila that night. That’s all.”

“You didn’t have any hard liquor to drink, just champagne. Don’t lie about it. Be honest.”

She knew that Anthony was making excuses for his behavior. He always did. He didn’t want to admit to her that he still had feelings for her. It only made him feel guilty.

Dana was slim and fit despite having the same number of children as his own wife, Reyna. Anthony was undeniably still attracted to Dana’s petite, blonde looks. Her vivaciousness, love of life, and smarts won him over as a teenager and still tugged at him, despite the passage of time.

Reyna wasn’t heavy-set or fat, but she became a little chunky over the years. Her auto-immune disease wreaked havoc on her sleep patterns as well as her ability to exercise; it was a struggle at times. Despite these issues, Anthony still considered his Latina wife to be gorgeous. That was partly why he married her.

But it was Reyna’s willingness to be there for him when his father passed away the summer of their sophomore year at Loyola University that ultimately made him fall in love with her and see her as the wonderful woman that she is. She was tender, attentive, and understanding even though she knew that he was very much in love with Dana at the time and still hurting from her sudden and unexpected departure.

It was happenstance that Reyna ran into him that summer night at the library. To occupy his mind after Dana fled to Switzerland, Anthony took a summer class in political science for fun. He made that decision before the fateful news about his father. Anthony buried himself in his studies even more so after his father’s funeral. Late nights at the library were common.

Reyna was in his college group of friends at the time. They all originally attended high school together. Efron, Dana, Doug, Johnny, and Lorraine were also part of the high school clique. The group befriended Winfred and Josephine during their freshman year at Loyola.

So, it was not out of the ordinary for Reyna to speak to him that night despite not having a class of her own that summer. Someone told her that Anthony was distraught. She took the opportunity to comfort him and went looking for him. Anthony never knew that and just presumed that Reyna was at the college library for some other reason.

But over the past two decades together, Reyna and Anthony grew apart as husbands and wives normally do when children enter the equation. Reyna was a stay-at-home mom. Now that Alejandra and their son, Ashton, were older, Reyna spent more time running the two kids to different sporting events, social clubs, and other activities. It occupied her entire day and night, especially on the weekends. With Anthony’s working late every night, the couple rarely saw each other. Although Anthony was used to being alone, he secretly longed to feel the attentiveness that attracted him to Reyna in the first place. But it was not forthcoming.

Anthony felt ashamed that he resented his own children’s ability to spend time with their mother. With Alejandra’s sweet sixteen party occupying most of Reyna’s time for the past few months, Anthony welcomed the time that he was able to spend with Alejandra, practicing for the father-daughter dance. It brought them closer than ever. But it wasn’t the same as the female companionship that he longed for.

He resisted the typical temptation to flirt with the younger women at work. There were several eligible women at his office who could have eagerly given him the love and companionship that he needed. The late-night hours didn’t help. But for some reason, when he thought back on his life, the only regret that rose to the fore was the beautiful, Dana. His first love.

They met in a history class in their sophomore year in high school. She sat in the seat adjacent to him. Every day, when Mr. Buckles called for volunteers to answer his questions, Dana would quickly raise her hand. All of the guys in the class would stare at her in awe, not just because she knew all of the answers, but because she was indescribably beautiful for her young age. She wasn’t a cheerleader or a member of the thespian club. She didn’t play sports and wasn’t in any popular groups in school. Her only passion besides studying was journalism. She wrote for the high school paper. Being a student journalist gave her easy access to other students, teachers, board members, community activists, and the like.

So, when she turned and smiled at Anthony before answering a question about Napoleon and the Confederation of the Rhine one day in class, something snapped. Anthony realized that he had feelings for her; stupid, teenager feelings, but feelings, nevertheless. The rest was history so to speak. The two started dating shortly thereafter to the amazement of upperclassmen who previously tried to approach her for dates. But she rebuffed all of their efforts. Why she liked Anthony was always a mystery to him.

When she returned from the summer abroad while in college and learned about Reyna and Anthony’s relationship, Dana was devastated. After that, she rarely participated in the study group activities especially Thursday study nights because it only reminded her of Anthony. It was a surprise when Doug and Dana announced their engagement near the end of their senior year. Many said that it was a desperate attempt to be engaged before college graduation, but no one really knew Dana anymore. Doug, ecstatic and known for his playboy ways, never told anyone about their relationship until after the engagement. Even Anthony was surprised.

“Dana, it’s Alejandra’s birthday. It’s not about you or me. I’m her father. My attention should be on her and not anyone else.”

“I’m not asking you to avoid your responsibilities. I just want a few moments together, alone. Just to talk. Nothing more. We deserve that.”

“I… I… I’m not promising that anything will happen. I’ll be busy, front and center. I’ll have everyone’s attention besides Alejandra and her mom. Everyone will expect me to be by their side. I don’t think it can happen.”

“It will. I know it will. Just let it happen. Don’t resist. Okay?”

“Dana…”

The announcement that the flight to Phoenix was now boarding interrupted the conversation.

“I have to go. I’ll be there in a few hours. Kiss Alejandra and Reyna for me. See you soon.”

The call abruptly ended.

Anthony stood outside of the male, dressing room at the Regal Phoenix Resort and Spa. As he paced near the front of the door, a tall male with a headset on quickly approached him.

“Have you seen, Frank?”

“He’s inside, Hank.” Anthony instinctively pointed to the door.

“I’ve got Lancelot,” Hank announced into his headset after he saw Frank in the distance.

3FATHER-DAUGHTER

Scottsdale, Arizona

The Same Night

After the two-hundred-plus crowd of family members and friends calmed down with Hector’s encouragement, the ballroom floor emptied. Stragglers sat down to watch with the rest of the crowd as Mr. Clifton confidently and resolutely walked to the head table. His smile beamed for all to see. When he reached the table, his right arm stretched out to summon his daughter, Alejandra, to dance the first dance of the evening.

The chair behind her was pushed back as Alejandra rose from the head table to meet her father in a traditional waltz which they had practiced many times before. The live Puerto Rican band began playing once Alejandra met her father’s hand with her outstretched arm. Mr. Clifton bowed to his daughter, his left arm neatly and respectfully tucked behind his back. After rising, he continually turned his body to the left, while Alejandra spun in a wide circle around him on the dance floor. Her outstretched arms seemed regal as she gazed into the crowd while her diamond-studded tiara glistened as she turned.

When Alejandra completed a full circle and was facing her father again, he twirled her once in a small, tight circle. The crowd whistled as Alejandra approached her father and they began to dance to the music. Just then, unbeknownst to both Alejandra and her father, the seven damas, led by Porsha, left their respective seats and encircled father and daughter while they danced. Each dama held a sparkler that glowed in the darkened ballroom. Alejandra’s event planner, Mariposa, was pleased that both parents and the Superstar of the show were pleasantly surprised by this added touch. Mariposa looked at both the photographer and videographer to ensure that they both captured the moment. Luckily, they did.

Occasionally looking down at his feet, Mr. Clifton focused on the box step that the choreographer taught him in the preceding months. He stepped forward and to the side and then backward, leading his daughter appropriately and effortlessly. Alejandra smiled. She appeared happy and radiant as the father and daughter danced together. Although she mainly looked at her father while dancing, she couldn’t help glancing at the audience at times; noticing that they were admiring her and taking pictures of their own. It was the spotlight that she waited for since she was a young child and attended other sweet sixteen parties waiting for her own someday.

Mr. Clifton stepped back and then pivoted as he led Alejandra in outside spins to the far left of the ballroom dance floor. When they reached that part of the dance floor, Mr. Clifton executed a series of lifts that twirled Alejandra back into the middle of the dance floor. The crowd was ecstatic. The two continued waltzing until Mr. Clifton stopped into a bended-knee position. Alejandra rested on his knee, one arm wrapped around her father. The left arm stretched out towards the crowd.

“Give them a round of applause,” Hector’s voice echoed from the speakers placed throughout the ballroom.

Father and daughter tightly embraced after they both stood up. The most anticipated moment of the evening ended in roaring applause with a few whistles and cheers from ardent supporters of the family.

After the father-daughter dance was over, Alejandra danced with her escort, Frank Colon. The young couple only started spending time together when Alejandra was in her freshman year. Frank was several years older and now a senior at Bishop Gorman High School. Alejandra was not allowed to date at her age, so they were not officially boyfriend and girlfriend. Frank was optimistic after being selected as her escort. He took that as a sign that he meant more to Alejandra than just a male friend. Now that she turned sixteen and could date, he hoped they could formally announce their relationship shortly thereafter.

Once Frank and Alejandra began dancing, the entire dance floor was opened for all to dance.

* * *

Anthony Clifton proudly walked to the table where his wife, Reyna, and their son, Ashton, were seated. Esperanza and Efron were also seated at that table, facing the dance floor.

“Honey, you did a great job. I’m so proud of you.” Reyna cordially kissed her husband on the cheek while he sat in the seat next to her.

“Yes, you did,” Esperanza added.

He grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat from his brow.

“I was nervous. A little. But Alejandra was perfect. She’s so beautiful in that dress.”

“I can’t wait to watch it on video.” Efron smiled as he spoke. “These will be memories that last a lifetime.” A deep sense of pride engulfed him as he spoke.

“Yes, they will. I am so thankful for all that you guys have done for us. We couldn’t do it without you and Esperanza.”

Anthony sipped some water to relieve his parched throat.

“Ash, why aren’t you asking one of these lovely girls to dance?” Esperanza nudged her nephew and stealthily pointed to several available girls his age throughout the ballroom.

“I don’t know any of them,” the young Ashton shyly responded.

“It’s okay. They will be eager to dance with you. Just approach any of them. They will say ‘yes’ to such a handsome young man.”

“Okay, Tía.” He reluctantly stood up and walked to a cute girl seated quietly in the back of the ballroom. Ashton had been eyeing her since she entered earlier with her parents and a few girlfriends.

Once he was not in earshot, Esperanza spoke again, “I’m surprised Dana and Doug aren’t here. They were supposed to fly into Arizona last night.”

Reyna’s ears perked up at the mention of Dana’s name, but she resisted the urge to say something smart at the time.

“She called me earlier. They will be here in a little bit. Their flight was delayed,” Anthony added awkwardly.

“I wonder why she didn’t call me rather than Anthony,” Reyna wondered. Instead, she said, “Well, that’s good. Ever since she was promoted at the newspaper, she no longer has time for anything. I’m surprised that she is coming at all. She doesn’t even have time for her kids.”

“It’s not like that. She was just telling me that they were watching Phillip’s track meet yesterday.”

“Oh really. You believed her?”

“Yes, I do. Dana and Doug are great parents. You can’t deny that.”

Anthony looked away towards the dance floor to watch Alejandra as she danced with another boy from her high school who also flew in from Vegas. He was a little overprotective as fathers normally are. Luckily, the boy was respectful in how he danced with Alejandra. He was a good distance away from her. Confident that his daughter was in good hands, Anthony then turned his attention back to his wife.

“You’re always defending her,” Reyna voiced her opinion indignantly.

“What? I do no such thing. You’re cra—” Anthony stopped himself before completing the obvious denigrating comment.

“Yes, you do. Everyone knows it. Don’t you see it, Esperanza? Efron?” She looked at her sister and brother-in-law for tacit approval.

Efron placed his hand on Esperanza’s thigh, non-verbally signaling her not to get involved in the budding argument.

“Let’s not think about that right now. It’s a beautiful party and you guys are great parents,” Esperanza cajoled.

“I’m starving. Do you want to go with me to the buffet line?” Efron asked Anthony.

“Of course.”

When Anthony stood up simultaneously with Efron, Reyna gave him a dirty stare, but she refrained from saying anything to stop him from leaving.

After the two men walked away, Esperanza spoke up. “You don’t need to be jealous of Dana. She’s in love with Doug. They’ve been together forever.”

“I’m not so sure about that. I notice how clingy she is with Anthony. She talks to him all the time and rarely speaks to me. I know she blames me. She doesn’t say it to my face, but I can see it in her eyes. I’m so glad that she’s in Chicago. It took me forever to convince Anthony to move from Chicago to Las Vegas. He gave me every excuse in the book.”

“I don’t want you arguing with Anthony today. It’s Alejandra’s birthday. She needs her parents to behave in front of all of her friends.”

Esperanza grabbed her sister’s hand tightly.

“Anthony loves you. He always has. He’ll never forget how you were there for him after his father died.”

“I’m not sure anymore.” Esperanza showed a rare display of weakness. “He hasn’t touched me in a long time. We rarely see each other.”

“Men do that. They throw themselves into work. Efron does the same thing. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love you.”

“I know that I’m not perfect. I’m a hard woman to live with. I’ll accept my part in it. Now that the kids are grown up and are so busy with stuff, I don’t have any free time. Do you think he resents me for not working like Dana?”

“Anthony’s never been a traditional husband. He believes in equality. But that means that he supports your decision not to work.”

Esperanza was aware that her sister always secretly compared herself to Dana. They were complete opposites. At least, that’s how Reyna felt at times.

“He’s never said anything about me not working all this time. I just have my doubts. I don’t know why. It’s because we are so distant now. I think he’s going through a mid-life crisis of sorts.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, he seems to want to spend time away from me. He is talking about going on vacations separately.”

“Are you serious?” Esperanza was aghast.

“Yes. He’s never said that before.”

“Why is that? You guys have a family. It makes no sense to vacation without the kids. Or his wife!”

“It’s so frustrating. I have doubts about him. He says that he’s not cheating and there is no other woman. He just feels like he can’t do anything that he wants to do while we are on vacation because it's all about the kids. He just wants time alone to take care of himself and his happiness.”

The exasperation in Reyna’s voice was clear in the last statement.

“You guys need to go on a vacation together, just you and Anthony. Did you suggest that to him?”

“Not really. I can’t go without Ash and Alejandra. They are my heart. I would feel so guilty leaving them behind.”

“They are grown. Look at your daughter.” Esperanza turned towards the dance floor. “She’s grown now. She doesn’t need you to be with her 24-7. She’ll want her freedom now that she is a woman. Alejandra and Ash won’t mind if their parents go on a much-needed vacation alone together. They will be happy for the two of you.”

“I’m not ready to let go yet. They still need me.”

“I know, Reyna. I struggle with the same thing with Clarice and Elisa. But we have to let go. We asked our parents to let go too when we were their age. So, we know what they feel. You have to trust that you raised them right, that you taught them right from wrong, that they have grown in the Church and that the Holy Spirit will show them the way. Just like He did for us.”

“I’m trying to, but I can’t. Not right now. Not when they still need me.”

Esperanza knew that her older sister could be stubborn and unrelenting.

“So is Anthony really going to go on a vacation by himself?”

“He said that he’s not going by himself. Some guys from his job are going too.”

“Are they married too? Or are they single?” Esperanza became even more skeptical as she broached the question.

“I have no idea. He hasn’t told me who is going. Just that he hasn’t made up his mind on who to invite to the Caymans.”

Reyna paused and looked down at the table for a long time. She did not want her sister to see her this way, especially in public. She grabbed a napkin on the table and held it tightly in her hand as if to tunnel her anger and angst through it. Esperanza looked helplessly at her sister. After she gathered herself, Reyna looked up again and continued.

“That was our spot. We went to the Caymans several times before the kids were born. Anthony loved Stingray City. We would take the boat to the cove and swim with the stingrays every summer. I can’t imagine him going there and doing that with another woman.”

“You don’t really think that he is taking Dana with him to the Caymans? Do you?

“I really don’t know. But I’m sure she is up to something. I just don’t know what.”