Chapter 17
“Mr. Vargas, the hangar had some storm damage last week and the construction crew is almost finished with the repairs. It’s kind of crowded over there. We can swing around to a gate and I can let you guys off and then Tom and I can taxi it over to the hanger and see if we can get this jet locked up…. or you can go with us but that might take a while, sir.”
“Jorge, no problema. Just take us over to the south gate and let us off there.”
“Will do, sir” he replied as the jet taxied off the runway.
“Problems with the plane?” Marti asked.
Nick shook his head, “No, just too much commotion at the hanger. They’ll let us off at the gate, the car should be waiting. I’ll have someone grab our bags, and we’re on our way home.”
He was nervous, bringing Marti home for the first time, but he was happy to be home. He would call his family and explain what happened, especially his mama. She would be crushed that she wasn’t at the wedding. Hell, he was barely there himself. Oh well, this is all moving very fast and he would have to make it up to her.
Grabbing her brand new tote, she stepped down the steps. The dry Vegas heat was heaven compared to the humidity in Memphis. Hand in hand, they walked across the tarmac into Memphis International.
“You scared?” he asked, smiling at her.
Her hair was disheveled. She quickly threw it up in a bun. “A little…this is really weird. A few weeks ago I was in my boring job at the school and now I am married to a millionaire I just met. Bit nerve wracking.”
He snaked his arm around her neck as they walked past security and a reporter jumped in front of them, camera flashing.
“Are you Nicholas Vargas, the owner of Vargas International? I heard you got married, Was it a private - ?”
He was stunned. “Wha - ? Who are you? Go away.”
Marti was blinded by the lights flashing from all around them. She grabbed Nick and buried her face into his chest. “What’s going on, who are these people?”
“I don’t know, Peach, I don’t know what’s going on. Just hang on to me.” They walked through a wall of reporters yelling out questions, Nick smiling “No comment” followed by another “No comment” then “No, I am not going to comment on that at this time.”
His limo was waiting right outside and he scooped Marti into it. He slid over to her and the driver shut the door. The reporters were just the other side of the glass, taking pictures, still asking questions.
“Jimmy, take us home. Now please. I don’t know what this is all about, but get us out of here.”
“Yes sir. We’re on our way,” as he maneuvered the long limo through the crowd.
“What’s going on, Nick? Who were those people?”
“I really don’t know, but I am about to find out.” Quickly pulling out his phone, he dialed and spoke. “Ellie, what the hell is going on?”
He exhaled, looking like he was about to collapse. “Okay, I’ll turn it on; we’ll be there in about thirty to forty five minutes…Okay, okay, just figure it out!”
He reached over and turned on the TV in the back of the limo, searching for the five o’clock news. “What the - ?” Pictures of Marti and him walking through the airport flashed across the screen, he reached over to turn it up.
“Nick Vargas, the owner of the Vargas International shipping conglomerate and the most eligible bachelor of the year, has finally married, twenty years after the fatal accident of his fiancé, Maria Del Santos…”
“What? We’re on the news? Nick! What is goin’ on? Fiancé? Fuck! What is happening? Oh my God!”
“Calm down, my secretary is figuring this out right now. I really don’t know. The Forbes issue isn’t due out for two weeks and I have no idea why these news agencies think we are so important. I don’t know. I really don’t know...”
His phone rang. “Shit! My mom is going to flip!” he pressed ‘Ignore’. He didn’t know how to deal with her quite yet.
“Your mama?” she pulled out her phone, there were three missed calls. “I gotta call my mama real quick. This news is live isn’t it?” punching the number into her phone.
His hand reached over and pushed her phone down. “Apparently, it is live…don’t call anyone yet. Let’s get home and let me figure this out. Fuck!” Sighing, he closed his eyes, leaning back on the headrest “Let me figure this out.”
Staring at him, not knowing what to do or say, she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest, feeling his heart beat through his shirt, putting her full trust in him that he would work it all out.
***
“Tommy, come here! Marti is on the news!” Annie yelled. “Look! Come quick!” Tommy ran into the living room, spatula in hand.
“What’s up? What did she do?”
“She got married to some millionaire. Some Nick Vargas, from Memphis, ever heard of him?”
“What the hell? She just barely left… Vargas…. the name sounds familiar, some trucking guy…”
“I’m gonna call her right now.” She ran to the kitchen and grabbed her phone and started to enter the number.
“I got it! I know who he is. There was a big to-do about him a few years back. His fiancé got in a terrible accident and died. He must be old, like 40-50 years old. We were just kids when all that happened. Do you remember? It was all over the news. My daddy used to know them.”
“No, but she won’t pick up her phone. Jesus! What has got into her?”
Tommy stared in amazement at the TV. God, Marti what did you do now?