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Theres a Dairy Queen coming up in Camp Verde and I need a Blizzard. Leo was

always up for a snack. The two men had only be driving for about half an hour and were

barely forty miles south of Flagstaff.

Sounds good. I could use some refueling. Clayton was instantly craving onion rings.

Camp Verde looks like a town thats trying really hard to be overlooked. People go there

to be unavailable or fly below the radar. There were a lot of mobile homes that werent

going anywhere, disassembled trucks and stray dogs wondered around sniffing for food.Leo eased off of I-17 and slowed as he entered the community of Camp Verde. The

Dairy Queen was a drive thru but Leo parked and they walked in side.

Clayton scanned the lit up menu hanging from the ceiling over the register girls head.Her aggressively bleached hair and three inches of irregular black roots and she was

gnawing a fingernail spotted with the remnants of red polish. He ordered the onion rings,

a double bacon cheese burger and a coke, and when he paid he asked her for change for

the payphone. She gestured with a limp hand towards the hall and said, Its by therestrooms. Clayton smirked at her and hurried to the hallway while Leo debated the

Blizzard choices.

Claytons curiosity about Ben had lain dormant for nearly 24 hours. He now had to know

if he was in a jail cell or made it home. He needed the solid ground of information to

launch his next move. He was calling Bens apartment to see if he was there. He reallyhad no plan after that, but it would help him form one. He shook the change in his

cupped hand and lifted the receiver with the other and put it on his shoulder as he feed the

coins and dialed. After four rings he was tempted to hang up when Ben answered.

Clayton smiled. He was relieved and also terrified. He would have hang up but he heardthe bored girl at the counter call his order, and he hesitated, then said, Ben. Well

Clayton? You sonofabitch. Ben spoke low and clear. He was clenching the receiver

and gripping the bedspread with his other hand.

Yeah, youre right. Shit. Clayton hung up and walked to the counter and got his bag of

food. The grease had already bled through the side of the bag and Clayton was careful to

keep it from touching his coat. Leo was sucking on the straw of his Oreo Blizzard, deepin concentration. He looked up and said, I need a bigger straw, then opened the lid and

got a spoon.

Lets eat here. Well make Phoenix in an hour and Im in no hurry. Said Clayton.

Fine. Said Leo and he sat to mine his milkshake for Oreo chunks with his spoon.

The van was powder dusted with fresh snow by the time they were ready to resume their

southern journey. By the time they reached New River, they had descended to a lower

elevation without a trace of snow. The valley of the sun in winter was snow bird paradise

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and Clayton couldnt wait to leave as soon as he arrived. During the hour drive from

Camp Verde he had made a mental check list to visit his Opal, terminate his business

with Ben, gas up his RV and head back east to Albuquerque and a fresh start. He didntneed a business partner any more.

His RV was parked in a vacant lot north of Scottsdale out by Fountain Hills. It wasrumored to soon to be developed as a golf resort but for now had horses and a funky old

cowboy bar call Greasewood Flat. Most of the desert valley was rumored to be one huge

golf course in the next ten years. That in itself was enough to make him move back toNew Mexico.

Bens heart was jack rabbiting in his chest after the call from Clayton. He got up went to

the kitchen for the last Ding Dong. The plastic freezer door wouldnt latch, so he left itopen. . It was officially time to defrost the freezer. He pulled the plug from the wall and

left the door open. He unpeeled the Ding Dong and wadded up the foil and threw it near

the trash can. If Clayton had the balls to dial his number it meant he was going to show

up, which meant he wanted something. The only thing Ben had that was rightfullyClaytons were his boots and the carry on. Ben wasnt finished with the Milagro novel

and was going to keep it. Clayton would have to get another copy.

Mela thought they wouldnt make it to the hospital in time, and was very nervous drivingwhile Dharma was curled in the back seat and not wearing a seatbelt. The snow was

starting to stick as the sky lightened and Mela drove slowly and carefully with her lights

on and her gloved hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Her Volkswagen hatchbackwas barely big enough to fit the three of them and the overnight bags and felt extremely

unsafe at the moment. Mela thought for a moment as they were waiting at a light that

with the new baby she should get a new safer car. Something bigger with room for a carseat and a stroller. The light changed and she pulled up to the emergency room door andwaved down someone who looked doctory and told them to get a wheelchair. Dharma

had miraculously unfolded herself from the backseat and the dula was holding her bag.

Ill park and be right in, panted Mela.

Mela sprinted the parking lot as fast as was possible when wearing thick wool socks and

Birkenstocks. She shuffled in through emergency room door shouldering Dharmasovernight bag and a nurse waved her down the hall and another motioned her to head into

a delivery room. She stopped at the door and composed herself with two deep breaths

then crossed the dimly lit room and washed her hands at the sink. She took her place at

Dharmas head and kissed her cool sweaty forehead. The doctor was checking her andsaid, shes almost fully effaced and can push when she feels ready.

Dharma pushed and rested for nearly an hour. Mela and the dula coached and took turnswith hand holding and knee bracing. The waves of energy were concentrated, frightening

and energizing. Dharma moaned, shrieked and cursed, and was soothed by her birthing

team. Mela felt protective but left the Mom in her outside and focused everything oncomforting and encouraging Dharma and letting the dula and OB nurse do their job.

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Then all at once, just as the routine was getting predictable, a wet glistening head of hair

and a squinched little purple face appeared. Everyone but Dharma was cheering with

teary exhilarated smiles, as she screamed through a contraction and pushed the shouldersthrough. And with a slurp a tightly bound bean sprout of a baby was unfurled and his wet

rubbery body was toweled and tucked into Dharmas shaking arms. Mela could hardly

see for the tears and she shivered. Dula put her arms around Mela and said,Congratulations Gramma.

The meal was over and the grown ups were finishing their after dinner drinks in the livingroom where they had started. Bea and Pablo had their coats on and Bea held out Opals

coat for her to put her arms in. Mrs. Womack had introduced herself to Bea and told her

the whole story of being saved by Opal and how surprised she was to see her again.small world. Smiled Bea. Bea had given her approval for Mrs. Womack to give Opal

knitting lessons and they were setting up a plan for when to start. Mrs. Mintz was

thanking them for coming and inviting them back any time. She pulled Opal to her for ahug and said she should come back and see the cactus garden sometime soon.

In the fancy Pablo car with the convertible top up it was hard to get away from the pot

smoke coming from the front seat. Opal decided to lie down and could stretch out fulllength on the back seat without bending her legs or turning sideways. Pablo and Bea

werent being affectionately gross or giggling, so Opal could tell something had

happened and they were waiting until she wasnt around to talk about it. Shed traveledthat road before when her father was still living with them. She was supposed to spend

Thanksgiving with him but hed never called to finalize the plans which was just as well.

Opal had a great time at Mrs. Mintzs house and was excited to see Mrs. Womack. Shewas not overly excited about learning to knit but that was because she knew shed be

terrible at it, but Mrs. Womack was interesting.

Clayton was planning on getting dropped off at Tamaras apartment and getting a ride or,

better yet, borrowing that behemoth Chevy of hers and picking up his things at Bensthen heading out of town before dinner. He could stop off quickly and see Opal before he

went to Bens. The one thing that didnt factor in to Claytons rational thinking was the

small fact that today was Thanksgiving.

Leo was relieved to see Clayton go and sad at the same time. He pulled over at the end

of the driveway like Clayton had asked him to. Its been real cool sharin the road with

you, man. Thanks for the company and funding the gas and meals and all. Good luck

with your lady troubles. Clayton smiled his salesman smile and waved, Vaya conDios, Leo. Leo turned back onto Central Avenue and was gone from view behind a wall

of oleander. Clayton could still hear the putting of the Volkswagens engine as hewalked slowly down the driveway towards the apartment complex. He opened the screen

door to Tamaras and Rommel started barking fiercely with her nosing the curtain aside.

Clayton rolled his eyes and groaned and he knocked hard to be heard over the barking.After a few minutes he heard Tamara trying to quiet Rommel and the chain coming off

the door. Tamara opened the door a crack and braced her body against Rommel. Your

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timing is amazing. Happy Thanksgiving. Tamara looked like the plain girl who sits at

home on prom night when not in work clothes.

Is it? Oh, right. Can I come in? Clayton was thrown off by the realization that it was

Thanksgiving, but recovered his charm and smiled at Tamara.

I should let Rommel make that decision. What do you think Rommel? The question

excited her and she was more enthusiastic in her announcing her hatred of men.

I would prefer that the dog sits this one out. Said Clayton. He wouldnt hesitate to put

a bullet in that dog. Lucky for Rommel, his gun was.Well, he didnt know where it

was.

You are a world class shit, Clayton. The way you use Ben and set him up for disaster?

Nobody should treat Ben like that. Did you think for a second that putting him at risk

puts all of us at risk? Tamaras cheeks flushed from the effort of scolding. Clayton was

going to have to finesse this, and spend some time getting back on her good side beforehe could work up to requesting favors of the car or a ride and this was going to put him

on the road later than he had planned. He did his time perfected guilty hound dogroutine.

I am at that. I blew it. I cant tell you how relieved I was when I got Ben on the phone

earlier today. I envisioned him in a cell and that just killed me. Leaving the pistol in thatbag was pure stupidity on my part and I take full responsibility for it. I told him so.

Clayton was almost believing it himself.

Tamara softened her glare slightly and petted Rommel behind her back to quiet her.

Keep talking. How are you going to make this up to Ben?

I dont know if I ever can, fully. I wanted to check in with Opal then go over and

apologize in person. I came to you to ask for a ride or if you would grant me the favor,

borrow the Chevy even though I am fully aware that I have no business asking.

You are a piece of work Clayton. Go visit with Opal and then well talk about a ride.

Tamara shut the door and locked the chain. Then she walked back to her bedroom to take

a shower and get dressed for the ride.

Clayton walked through the apartment complex to the back and knocked on the door ofBea and Opals apartment. This place is a dive. Thought Clayton. The short path that

led to the front door was lined with terra cotta pots filled with plump aloe vera stalks.

There was no answer and the lights were off inside. He went to the sliding glass sidedoor near the kitchen and could see the light over the stove was on but it looked like

nobody was home. Clayton took a business card from is wallet and stuck it in the crack

near the door handle so theyd know he came by. Then he walked slowly back toTamaras apartment and hoped that incorporating a visit to Opal into his routine had

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earned him some points with Tamara.