Black Lotus

"Thanks, Mike. For everything."

"See you around. Drive safe." Mike headed back to the hotel without another word.

Danny climbed in the cab of his truck and sat there a moment. At last, he turned the key, fired it up, and started back for Tucson.

#

Raul shook his head and took a swig from his beer, then picked up his controller again. "Man, that is some fucked-up shit, hermano."

"Tell me about it." Danny sipped at his own drink. They'd been over it five times in the last week and Danny was still no closer to understanding it all. He thought Raul just enjoyed the part where Joel got his ass kicked.

They still met at his apartment. He had not been to Raul and Tia's place for weeks. He hadn't seen Tia since Superstition Con, the previous weekend. He wanted—no, he ached—to talk to her but he had no idea how to even open such a conversation. He'd asked Raul, who said his sister made it home and seemed to be okay, aside from being sad all the time. The thought of Tia moping around her day-to-day life was a depressing one but Danny had no idea how to address it.

"I went to Cool Cactus Thursday night," Raul said. His eyes didn't leave the television as he steered Link across the screen and fought his way through a pile of monsters. "Didn't see Joel. Or Simon."

Danny snorted. "Go figure."

"Are you gonna go to Wizard's Tower tomorrow?"

"Haven't decided." In truth, Danny didn't know what to do. He still loved Magic. He'd gotten to know the regulars at the local tournaments, and considered some of them friends, especially Mike and Liam.

But it won't be the same without her.

His phone rang. "Hello?"

"Danny?"

He sat up straight. In an instant, his heart was in his throat. "Tia?"

Raul hit PAUSE and swiveled his head toward Danny.

"H-hi, Danny. Can ... can I come over?"

"Uh, sure."

"Be there in a few." She hung up before he could say anything.

Raul peered at him. "That was Tia? She's coming over?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." He hauled himself to his feet. "I'm gonna go then."

"But—"

"I'll walk right past her on the way to our place. If she wants me to come back with her, I will. Otherwise, I'll give you two some time." He glared at Danny. "She knows she fucked up, so try not to be a complete pendejo to her, all right?" Raul let himself out, closing the door behind him.

Danny stared at the wall, wondering what was about to happen. What would he feel when he saw her? Anger? Sadness? And what could she want to talk about?

A knock sounded. Danny stood, took a deep breath, and opened his door.

Tia stood outside. Her brown eyes bore a sorrow he had never seen and her normally-smiling face was downcast. She stared at him and her lower lip began to quiver. Her voice was low. "Hi."

"Hi." As he stared at her, the love and adoration he'd had came roaring back. His eyes wandered lower. She'd worn a t-shirt with the words, "Beam Me Up Scotty" emblazoned across the chest. The sight of it made him smile. "Cool shirt."

A small half-smile lit her lips, though her voice remained soft. "Thanks."

"Come in." She did. "Want something to drink?"

"No, thank you." She pointed at the screen. "Legend of Zelda. That was always one of Raul's favorites."

"Yeah."

They sat, him on his ratty couch and her on the recliner. Danny forced himself to be still. In truth, he could not take his eyes from her.

Tia sat upright, her spine and shoulders stiff. "How are you, mi amor?"

An automatic frown came to his face. "I'm not sure you should call me that anymore." He regretted it the moment he said it.

Tia flinched and looked away. "No. No, of course not." She took a deep breath. "Danny, I'm sorry for not believing you. I let Joel play on my biggest fear and I overreacted. All I thought was it was Keith and me all over again. If I had listened and not been angry, none of this would have happened. Raul told me what happened in the hotel parking lot. Did Joel really send Susan back there that night to set you up?"

"He said he did. Mike heard him admit it too."

She lowered her head. "I'm a fucking idiot sometimes."

"Tia—"

"No, Danny, let me finish." She gazed at him again. "I wish I had listened. I've known you forever and you've always been honest. I should have known you'd never do anything like that. I ... I wanted you to know I started talking to someone at school—a counselor. It's a free service offered by the university. I thought it might help me get a hold of my temper and work out my issues over Keith. She's been very helpful so far."

He nodded. "Good, Tia. I hope you find some answers."

She bit her lip. "I also want to apologize for the tournament. I ..." Tia choked back a sob. "I knew how much it would hurt when you saw those cards. If we hadn't played, I would have found you and thrown it in your face. I wanted to hurt you, so you'd feel what I felt." Fat tears dripped from her eyes. "But when I saw it, when I saw the pain on your face the second you realized the truth ... it was awful. I had badly hurt someone I love and I didn't feel avenged. I felt horrible. I felt dirty. Even as they handed me the prize check, I wanted to die." Tia nodded to herself. "In one of those James Bond movies, the lead female character wants to kill the man who killed her family. Bond told her, 'Before setting out for revenge, first dig two graves.' I didn't get it then. I do now."

Danny sighed. "I'm sorry too, Tia. I never wanted you to feel that way."

"That's not the worst part," she said. Her luminous eyes swelled with tears. "I cheated on you."

He clasped his hands together in his lap. Danny had dwelt on the same thought for a while. The longer he did, the more the logical part of his brain intruded on his emotions, stating that they had split. He'd fought against it, wanting the citadel of righteousness, of having been cheated on ... but in the end, Danny had to admit to the truth. "Not really, Tia. We broke up. You were a free agent."

"Maybe in reality. In my mind, we were still together and always would be. I still considered it cheating and I did it anyway." She sniffled. "That's pretty messed-up, isn't it?"

"Sure. But you've always been a little loco, you know?"

She smiled through her tears. "Okay, that's fair."

Danny smiled too for a moment. It faded as he considered his next words. "So, what now, Tia?"

Tia rolled her shoulders. "Whether I can have it or not, I know what I want."

"And that is?"

"I want us together again."

"After this?" Danny's fingernails dug into his palm. "It's just supposed to be that easy?"

"No," she said. Tia sat up a little straighter. She wiped her eyes and gazed at him with enough determination to give him pause. "I know it won't be easy. Yes, I know what I threw away, and I'm going to keep working on why. The counselor is helping me deal with my anger. Will I still have moments of temper? Probably. Will I ever act like a stupid puta again? Not like this, Danny. Give me another chance and you will never, ever regret it."

"You sound awfully sure of yourself."

"I know what I stand to lose."

Danny shook his head, amazed at the surreality of the conversation. "Did you talk to Mike before you came over here?"

Tia blinked. "What?"

"Never mind. And if I can't get over Joel?"

Tia stared at the floor for a moment. "Even if you don't give me another chance, you have to let that go, for your own sake. You already kicked his bitch-ass, and five minutes of a bad blowjob done out of anger doesn't compare with the hours I've spent worshiping your body. Don't let that asshole win by living in your head. Like I told you that first day at Wizard's Tower, you're a better man all the way around." Their eyes met. "Never forget that."

They lapsed into silence. Tia's gaze settled on the wall.

Danny's mind whirled. What the fuck do I do now? Take her back? Kick her out? Admit it, stupid: you still love her. No, you're still in love with her. But can I trust her? He rubbed his chin.

Tia sighed, heaving her shoulders. "I should go. I'm sorry I bothered you."

They stood at the same time. Not knowing what else to do, Danny hooked his thumbs in his jean pockets. "Look, Tia, I—"

She stepped forward and placed a single finger on his lips. Danny quieted.

"You'll always be mi amor, whether or not you want me to say it out loud." Tia smiled through her tears. She moved her hand and gave him a soft, slow kiss on the cheek. Her lips were soft and warm as ever. She whispered, "I love you, Danny Carmichael. Don't you think otherwise—not even for one second."

One second ... second chances ...

Tia turned toward the door.

Danny grabbed her hand and yanked her back. Tia's surprised squeal was quickly drowned out as Danny pressed his mouth into hers. Their lips wrestled, their tongues dueled. Tia wrapped her arms around his head. His arms slipped behind until his hands rested on her magnificent ass, pulling her close. He held her against him, savoring the warmth of her body against his. Her rapid heartbeat, like that of a small caged animal, pounded against her rib cage, and her fingers stroked his hair.

At last, they broke apart. He said, "Don't go."

"You still want me?"

"Yes."

More tears. "I'll make it worth your while, mi amor."

"No. Just be you, Tia. That's all I want."

She raised an eyebrow. "Anger and all?"

"Okay, maybe a little less than your normal self."

Tia giggled and Danny joined in. Between her tears, she said, "Deal."

They kissed again.

#

Fifteen Years Later

#

Danny opened the door from the garage, stepped inside, and nearly tripped over the pink backpack lying by the door. His feet tangled in the straps and only the good grace of his hand landing on the door jamb saved him from tumbling to the floor. His nostrils flared and he shouted, "Consuela!"

He heard a pitter-patter of feet and a moment later, a nervous face framed by a wealth of curly dark hair peeked around the corner. Large brown eyes stared at him in trepidation.

He wanted to be angry but looking into that face melted him. Danny bent and hefted the backpack. Gently, he said, "Connie, what have we told you about leaving your backpack lying on the floor?"

She shuffled a little. "Sorry, Dad."

"Do you have homework?"

"Yes. I did some of it. Can you help me with algebra?"

"Go get Bobby and Elsa. You all set the table and take the trash out. I'll help you while dinner's cooking."

She flashed him a smile. "Okay." Connie turned back to the living room, where her little brother and sister watched cartoons, gathered them up, and dispersed to their chores.

"Afternoon." An older woman entered the kitchen.

"Hi, Mary. They give you any trouble?"

Their babysitter smiled. "They never do. I'll see you tomorrow." Mary left, returning to her house next door.

He placed the tray of lasagna he'd prepared the night before in the lower oven and chopped a quick salad. Then he sat with the kids. At eight and six, helping Bobby and Elsa with homework was more about keeping them on task and reminding them they needed to do their work. He guided Connie through her algebra assignment, pleased at how fast she picked up the concepts. Looking at his three kids, his heart swelled.

The rumble of the garage door announced a new arrival. He glanced at the clock, gauging his dinner prep. Perfect timing, my love.

A moment later, the door opened and a woman in a tailored business skirt suit stepped into the kitchen. She was almost Danny's height, with dark curly hair. She wore it a little shorter than she had when she was younger, and she'd put on a few pounds over the years but to Danny's eyes, she was still the same beautiful creature he'd seen step from his best friend's car, so many years before.

Her eyes fell on him and she grinned. "Hello, mi amor."

Danny stood and embraced her. 'Hey, baby." His lips sought hers. They engaged in a long, soft kiss, eliciting squeals of dismay from the kids.

"Ew, Dad, stop it!" Bobby said.

Connie scoffed. "Yeah, get a room."

He gazed into his wife's eyes. "Later?"

Tia's lip caught between her lower lip and her eyes shone with hunger. "Yes, later."

They enjoyed dinner with the kids. While Danny cleaned up, Tia spent some time with them. As he listened to the chatter from the other room, he smiled and—not for the first time—reflected on his marriage, his family, his life.

Tia had been as good as her word. She'd made sure he never regretted taking her back and demonstrated her love for him every day. Even as she graduated and moved into the corporate world, she always prioritized him and the family. She'd given them three children and would have quit working, without reservation, to take care of them had they not been blessed with Mary's presence. She'd even managed to corral her temper; there were times when Danny saw Tia's face redden and her body tense but she always closed her eyes, counted to ten, and then spoke in a controlled voice. It had gotten so his wife was less temperamental than he was.

Thoughts of Joel were few and far between. He'd heard Joel ended up marrying Susan Prestridge, as more a marriage of convenience between families than out of any love—which had lasted two years before a messy divorce and resulting family animosity that had been the talk of the Tucson social circles. Mike had told him Simon left town after his temper finally cost him his job.

Danny didn't spare the men any more thoughts than necessary. Even so, every now and again, when his thoughts lingered on Joel, he felt the tendrils of anxiety reaching into his soul, hating the man who had been with his wife, even slightly. He was careful not to mention it or act angry. He'd maintain a stoic facade at work and home. After a day or two, he'd get over it.

Tia, bless her, sometimes keyed in on his angst. When she did, she insisted that he lie still while she loved on him, culminating with a long sensuous blowjob, during which she'd maintain eye contact and whisper how much she loved him. When he protested the first time she didn't have to do that, Tia had only laughed. "I know that. What happened with that puta was like a medical procedure, no more. This is about love. Let me show you the difference. You'll feel better." She had, and she'd been right.

The memory made Danny smile for another reason. Tia still interspersed her English with occasional words in Spanish ... but only around him. At other times she spoke in confident, cultured tones, bordering on elegant. It was something she shared with him alone—just another facet between partners who utterly trusted they could be themselves when with each other.

I could have thrown this away, he thought. Thank you, Mike.

Mike had gone back to Los Angeles, where he worked with kids in gangs, trying to get them to move on. A few years later, Liam had joined Mike and they'd set up a partnership to help disadvantaged children. They kept in touch by email, though Danny wondered if Mike ever truly knew how much gratitude Danny had for Mike's good advice.

Soft but strong arms encircled his waist and a warm body pressed against his waist. He paused in the act of scrubbing a pot. "Hey, you."

"Mmmm." Tia's voice was a purr. "Do you know how much I love holding you?"

"No," he teased, "how much?"

"More than anything. I still thank God every day that I didn't lose you."

He turned and put his hands on her hips. "Well, that's good, because I'm thankful too." He gave her a gentle kiss. "Love you."

"Love you too." Her eyes widened. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Kristen texted. She wants to know if we could all come over this Saturday. I said probably but I'd make sure you were clear."

"Of course we can." Spending time with family was a no-brainer for Danny. Raul was his brother-in-law now and the kids loved their cousins.

"It's just a hunch but I think she's getting ready to tell us she's pregnant with number five."

Danny snorted. "She and Raul are like a couple of rabbits."

Danny finished up with dinner clen-up and preparing the next day's lunches as Tia got Bobby and Elsa ready for bed. Connie had an ostensible bedtime but at twelve, was responsible for getting in and out of bed on her own. The kids came and wished him good night. He gave them each a hug and accepted a cheek-kiss from the girls. Tia herded them out, winking at him. He flushed; she only winked like that when she wanted some.

Like I'm going to complain. He glanced around the kitchen and a feeling of deep contentment filled him. All this, from playing cards, and—

He paused for a second, recalling something he'd heard the other day and not followed up on. He put the last dishes away, climbed to their attic, and rooted around for a few minutes until he found the box he was looking for. He blew the dust away and opened it. Rows and rows of Magic cards lined the interior. Right on top, lay the binder with the Power Nine cards.

Though both remained thorough nerds, Danny and Tia had both lost interest in Magic after their near-tragedy. Tia had said Danny could throw them all out, as far as she was concerned. The collector in him was unable to toss them out. He'd put them away, just so they didn't see them and get reminded constantly. Out of sight, out of mind. But now, idle chatter overheard at work, that the game was undergoing something of a resurgence, made him dig them out.

A few moments later found him at the computer in their den. His eyes fell on the still-pristine valkyrie figurine on the nearby shelf, which always brought a smile to his face. He typed a search for "Magic the Gathering price guide" into his search engine, marveling at how far the internet had come since he and Tia had married thirteen years earlier. He glanced at the cards. Strangely, the sight of them did not bring back feelings of stress or tension.

He followed one of the guides and searched for the Black Lotus card. Joel would have sold all nine cards for two hundred. They're all still in great shape. The guys at work said there is renewed interest in the game. I wonder maybe if I can still get a few bucks, if—

Information popped up on the monitor. Danny's jaw fell open.

Nine thousand? For that one card? Holy shit.

A quick scan of the other cards revealed that he and Tia were sitting on a five-figure gold mine of cardboard and cheap ink.

Jesus.

Warm globes of flesh pressed against either side of his head and her heady scent flooded his nose. Danny's erection grew. He tried to play it cool. "You walking around naked with the kids in the house?"

Tia laughed. "I just pulled my shirt up. What are you looking at? Magic?" Her voice turned uncertain. "Everything okay, Danny?"

She stepped back, freeing his head from between her breasts. He swiveled in the chair. Tia's look was inquisitive and a little apprehensive. He smiled, stood, and took her hand. "I'll tell you in a little while. But I think we have something else to attend to first."

She shivered and gazed at him with undeniable adoration. "That sounds wonderful, mi amor."

END

Thanks for reading!

Addenda:

One: I played back in the day when Magic was a young game, when Antiquities and Legends were released. About that time, I remember a guy selling a pack of five Mox gems and a Black Lotus for one hundred dollars. At the time, they had only been out of print a year and were worth a few dollars but nothing outrageous. I think he had four sets for sale. I thought he was nuts. If I knew then what I know now, I would have gone to an ATM, come back, and bought all four sets. On writing this, I looked up the Power Nine and the prices are fucking obscene—some in the tens of thousands for a single card from the Beta print-run.