Chapter Fifteen

For eleven months, Ed and Jillian Deline spoke not a word to each other. Once the coroner had removed the body of Joey, Jillian went through a rage and began to throw Ed's belongings out of the bedroom window. Neighbors watched as clothing, shoes, golf clubs, books, CDs and other materials fell from the sky and landed in a heap on the grass below.

Loading everything into his car, Ed drove to the first store he came to and purchased a small set of luggage and packed everything up and headed for the airport, his destination was still yet unknown to him.

As he stood staring at posters advertising various spots in the world, he made his decision and purchased a coach ticket to Havana, Cuba, where he lived under the name Walter Mathis. Knowing that the decision to change his name would seem ridiculous to some, Ed knew in his heart and soul that the only way he would deal with the tragic suicide of his son was to simply push Edward Deline out of his mind until he was able to at least get rid of a lot of the cloudiness that was in his mind.

Once the plane had touched down and Ed made it through customs, he drilled it in his head what his new identity was. Keeping to himself for the first three months of his self-imposed exile, Ed finally walked into the condo he was renting and went to grab the phone. Sighing deeply, he sat down and ran a hand over his face, his fingers coming into contact with the stubble of a beard he was growing. Turning on the phone, he dialed the number of Jack Keller.

"Jack," he said, once the other man had picked up the phone, his voice was gravelly and thick with smoke from the Cuban cigar which he held in his mouth.

Blinking in surprise, Jack sat up in his chair, "Eddie?"

Jumping right to the point, Ed simply asked, "How are they?"

Knowing immediately who 'they' was, the dark haired man simply sighed heavily, "Devastated, Ed. According to your neighbors, Jillian moved out of the house shortly after you left. She had some people buy tarps and she just threw them over the furniture and left. Rumor has it, she's got a suite at the Bellagio and has all her meals sent up to her."

Ed nodded, softly, "Yeah, she always was a classy woman." Sighing deeply as he rubbed his forehead, Ed asked, "And Delinda?"

"She appears to be doing okay," Jack responded, "I see her every once in a while, mostly around the Montecito though."

"The Montecito?" he questioned, "What are you doing there?"

"After you left," Jack explained, "Brunson offered me a job, it's temporary, Ed. As soon as you come back, I'm out of there."

"You are damn right you are," Deline agreed.

"Where are you, Ed?" His friend asked.

Shaking his head, Ed said, "I'm not ready to say yet, Jack," pausing, he added, "and before you get your equipment out, I've made it so you couldn't trace this call, no matter how sophisticated your equipment is."

Sighing, Jack nodded, not at all surprised, "You want me to give your family a message?"

Feeling the strings of his heart being tugged, the other man simply shook his head no. "No," he said, "however, keep an eye on them for me, okay?"

Keller nodded, "You bet, Ed, I have been since you left."

"I appreciate it. Look, I'm going to get going now. Take it easy," without further elaboration, Ed hung up the phone. Tossing it beside him on the couch, he stood up and went over and stood on the balcony, overlooking the ocean.

Minutes later, the door opened and he smiled. Remaining where he was, it wasn't long before he felt a pair of slender arms encircle him from behind.

Jillian rolled over in bed and stared at the empty spot where her husband would normally sleep. Sighing, she swiped at a tear that made its way down her face and got up. Squinting at the clock, she groaned when she saw that it was nearly three in the afternoon. Walking over to the windows, she pulled back the heavy drapes and winced at the sudden beams of the hot afternoon sun that streamed into the no longer dark room.

Walking into the bathroom, she turned the light on and smiled softly when she saw the ivory marble flooring and elegant burgundy walls. Walking over to the large Jacuzzi bathtub, she turned it on and stepped back as steam from the water came filtering up. Heading out of the room, Jillian picked the phone up and punched in a number, "Yes, this is room 1312, can you please send up the halibut tonight?" Smiling softly as she listened to the other person on the line, she said, "Yes, add it to the account. Tell your man that if he doesn't get an answer to go ahead and leave it in the room." Hanging up the phone, the woman shed her clothes and went in and stepped into the bathtub. Settling deep under the hot water, she reached over onto the side console and pushed the button and grinned, hearing the jets in the tub beginning to whir, and soon she felt the blasts of water hit her body.

After the suicide of her surrogate brother, Nessa flew back to Vegas, dropping out of school, much to Jillian's dismay. Kicking herself for not being there to hopefully change the outcome of everything, the woman lived with the guilt daily, but didn't voice it to any. Heading to her car, the woman drove off towards the cemetery.

Pulling in through the gates ten minutes later, she slowly drove towards where Joey had been buried a few months prior. Stopping when she saw a champagne colored car pulled over on the side, Nessa shut her car off and got out and walked up the small knoll and sat down on the bench next to the young woman and took her hand, "Hey."

Delinda smiled as she looked over at her, "Hey," she greeted quietly.

Giving her a soft smile, Nessa reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind Delinda's ear, "You doing okay?"

Sighing heavily, the woman nodded, "Yeah," she said, "I think so. I just wish Daddy would call."

Nodding in agreement, Nessa said, "Yeah, me too. I just hope that he's okay." Pausing, she added, "Have you seen Jillian?"

Delinda shook her head, "No," she said, "I did call her though and managed to talk to her. Mom's in her own little world right now, I think she sort of shut down when Dad left."

"Makes sense," Nessa said logically, "On the one hand it was unfair of Ed to leave, however, Jillian didn't give him much of a choice when she was throwing his belongings out of a three story window."

"True," Delinda agreed with a soft laugh. Looking at her friend, she said, "Come on, let's grab some chick flicks, lots of ice cream and go to my place."

Smiling, Nessa nodded and stood up, "Sounds good. You get the movies, I'll bring the ice cream. I want to stay here for a few minutes."

Casting a look at the tombstone of her brother, Delinda nodded quietly as she stood up and headed to her car and drove off. Once she was alone, Nessa walked over and kneeled at the granite headstone, "You asshole," she said quietly. Confusion over everything that happened building in her, Nessa merely shook her head as she spent a few quiet moments of solitude visiting the grave of a man who tore her family apart.