Once a Marine (18 page)

“Pour me some, sugar lips. That’s just the way I like it.”

BD poured cold coffee into the screw-on cup of the bottle, made a face, and handed it to him. “Remind me how much you like it if I ever get cold and bitter.”

He gave her a sensuous once-over with his dancing black eyes, but said nothing. Just sipped coffee and winked.

* * *

Rafi’s fair-skinned sister, Elena, had mahogany dark eyes like Rafi’s. A few strands of gray threaded in and out of tumbled cinnamon curls resting on her shoulders. Her small hands fluttered with excitement when she spotted her brother at the airport. She hugged him and then slapped his shoulders. “About time you showed up here, you big rat! We never know if you’re dead or alive.”

BD knew the feeling.

Rafi’s dad greeted him at the car door as soon as Elena parked in front of her parent’s house. “Rafael, shame on you, son. You need to come more often, your mama misses you.”

The two men embraced in a mighty bear hug, Rafi the physical image of his father. BD suspected his dad missed him as much as his mother.

Rafi pulled BD to his side. “Papa, this is my girl, BD James. BD, meet my dad, Antonio Cruz.”

“Call me Tony.” He swept her up in his arms in a strong hug and set her on her feet. “We’ve been waiting a long time to meet you, BD.”

Peering up into his gleaming white smile, she cocked her head in confusion. “You have? How long?”

Tony laughed, winked at Rafi, and said, “About ten years, I think.”

“Ten years? But I’ve—”

Rafi squeezed her to his side. “What Papa is trying to say, Beautiful, is that I’ve never brought a woman home to meet them. Isn’t that right, Pop?”

“He’s right. We’ve been waiting for
you
.”

Jumbled emotions churned in BD’s head and heart. She felt a rush of pressure and confusion. What did this mean? What did his family expect of her? Did they assume that she and Rafi were—

Rafi and his dad turned her toward the house. Rafi waved at the woman who ran to him, her arms outstretched. “Here’s Mama.” He dropped his hand from BD’s shoulder and opened his arms to the diminutive woman with a mass of auburn hair.

BD tried to remember the last time any adult ran to her with eager open arms. That was easy. Never.

Rafi picked up his mother and swung her around in a big circle. Her feet back on the ground, she placed her hands on his cheeks and planted a resounding kiss on his lips. He picked her up again and hugged her until she squeaked.

“Rafael,” his dad shouted, “don’t break your mother!”

Rafi beamed a smile into his mother’s face. “Mama, this is BD. BD, my mom, Rita.”

Rita reached for BD’s hand. “You can’t imagine how happy I am to meet you, BD.”

Her fair skin, freckled face and clear blue eyes startled BD.

“Yes,” Rita said in response to her expression, “I really am his mother.”

Tony put his arm around Rita. “Let’s go inside and meet the rest of the family. The women just put dinner on the table.”

BD held back a moment when the others started up the front walk. She tugged Rafi’s arm. “What did you tell them about me?”

“I told them you were my girl.” He swept her off her feet and carried her to the front door. His face in her neck, he whispered, “You still are, aren’t you?” Inside he stopped at the entrance to the dining room.

“I—oh, look at that table, Rafi. Are they expecting a delegation?” The table, actually a collection of tables of varying sizes placed end-to-end, had settings for at least twenty people.

Rafi’s dad shouted an order. “Come on, everybody. Let’s eat.”

Surrounded by smiling faces, approaching from every doorway, BD couldn’t catch her breath between greetings and handshakes. Rafi led her to a seat halfway down the far side of the long table and pulled out a chair for her.

Every seat was quickly claimed. The rest of the evening at Rafi’s parent’s home was a blur of food, introductions, food, laughter, food, music, and food.

Large plates circulated clockwise. As each dish reached them, Rafi leaned close to her ear, so only she could hear him explain what each one was.

“Empanadas.”

“Fried plantains.”

“Arroz con pollo. That’s chicken and rice.”

“Fried meat-stuffed potato balls.”

“Vegetarian paella.”

“Salad.”

She shook her head and laughed. “I think I could figure that one out for myself, Marine.”

The rest of the meal was a blur. Surely she’d seen something like it somewhere. Someplace. Some movie.

Rafi watched BD’s face, her expressions and responses to his raucous extended family. He had to give her credit—she hung in there like a trooper. He didn’t doubt that she’d pepper him with a barrage of questions later. Blindsided by his family’s behavior toward her, and their assumptions, she was sure to pounce on him once they got to their hotel.

Once dinner had been cleared from the table, and the big crowd polished off rich chocolate cake smothered in dulce de leche, the music and dancing began. Rafi laughed at BD’s astonished face when he and Elena got up and did a lively merengue. His parents and cousins joined in. Elena’s husband reached for BD’s hand.

Rafi chuckled at her timid protest, barely audible above the loud music.

“I don’t know how to do that.” She was wide-eyed and hesitant. “Really, I don’t.” She shook her head vigorously.

Bobby wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you. I never did it before I married into this family. Rafael and Elena used to win dance competitions when they were in high school. It’s easy. Come on.”

Rafi grinned when Bobby tugged BD to her feet.

They never got to a hotel. His sister and brother-in-law insisted they stay at their place. They had two empty bedrooms available, because their four girls doubled up in anticipation of their uncle’s visit. He and BD would sleep in separate rooms tonight. So much for loving and cuddling Beautiful all night long—or even a chance to talk to her alone.

It was after eleven when they got to Bobby and Elena’s house. They offered BD the courtesy of the first shower in the hall bathroom, and Rafi showered in the master bath. By the time he dried off and put on a clean T-shirt and boxers, BD had already gone to bed.

The house quieted down past midnight. He crept down the hall and tapped lightly on BD’s door. “Hey, Beautiful,” he whispered, “open up.”

Elena’s voice carried from the end of the hall. “Not in this house, Rafael. Go back to your own room.”

“Shit!” he grumbled.

“I heard that!”

Rafi heard Bobby chuckle, and the muffled reply from his sister. That’s the way it would be for tonight. He dragged his bare feet back to his bedroom like a chastened boy to the accompaniment of his nieces’ giggles.

BD listened to the exchange with mixed emotions. While she would have welcomed Rafi to her bed, she was exhausted. She had a zillion questions to ask him. She hoped she’d get at least half a dozen answers.

Saturday went by in a flash, and Sunday morning was a flurry of activity after breakfast. Elena hustled her family to get ready for mass. She told BD they went as a family every Sunday.

“I don’t think Rafael’s been inside a church for ten years.” She tapped the back of her hand against BD’s shoulder and sighed.

“You could be right. I never heard him speak of it.”

“Does your family go to church?”

BD shook her head. “We don’t go. There’s only me and my brother now. Our parents were Presbyterians, I think.” She felt a light embarrassment at her own inadequate answer. “We’re not against it. We just don’t go.”

Elena patted her arm. “Don’t worry. We’re not religious fanatics or anything like that. I only try to keep up some of the family traditions. Mama and Papa will meet us there. Would you like to come?”

“Oh, I don’t think so. The only clothes I have are these.” She gestured toward her jeans and white shirt. “I think Rafi would have said something if he planned to go.”

Elena’s smile put her at ease. “Another time then. I’m sure you and Rafael will find something to do. We’ll be gone for about an hour. Everybody will come over for an early backyard barbeque lunch, so you two will have plenty of time to get to Kendall for your departure this afternoon.”

BD finished her coffee and browsed the
Miami Herald
. Rafi must have been sleeping because his door was closed and she hadn’t heard his voice amongst the hubbub of Elena’s family earlier. After about ten minutes she went down the hall and tapped on his door. When he didn’t answer she turned the knob slowly and peeked inside.

The curtains were open, his bed neatly made, and his duffle sat open on the floor. He’d propped a note against his pillow.

Beautiful,

Go out the front door and walk two blocks to the left. You’ll come to a canal. I’ll be down about a hundred yards on the right. It’s a favorite old fishing spot. I’m rustling up some catfish for the barbeque later.

Kiss, kiss, R.

P.S. Wear sunglasses.

The big stinker had probably left early, before she got up. Rafi was a regular escape artist. Lightfoot, indeed. If she attached a GPS device to him maybe she could track his movements.

When she turned at the canal, she spotted him in the distance. He was bare-chested, his pants rolled up, and a beat-up straw hat sat on his head. An insulated cooler sat near his bare feet. She watched as he made a perfect cast. Jack loved fishing. She’d tell Rafi. Maybe they’d go together some time.

“How long have you been out here?”

He turned at the sound of her voice. “Hey there, sunshine. I’m about to pack it in. Have a look in the cooler.”

She bent down and warily lifted the lid. One of the fish flopped. “Eek!” She slipped on the grassy slope and landed on her butt. The cooler tipped over, water washed out and fish went slipping and sliding on the grass.

Rafi yelped, dropped the fishing rod and hopped around retrieving fish. Once they were back in the cooler he sat down next to her, chuckling. “You’re a regular one-woman wrecking crew, sweet cheeks.”

She punched him in the shoulder. “You didn’t tell me they were alive, damn you!”

“I’m keeping them fresh in the canal water.” He wiped his hands on the paint-spattered pants and stood. “Come on. Let’s get these puppies back to the house. I’ll have them cleaned and filleted in no time.” He stepped into an ancient pair of flip-flops, picked up the cooler, and headed back the way she’d come looking for him.

She grabbed his arm. “What’s wrong with your hand? It’s swollen and red.”

“One of those damn catfish stung me when I hauled it in.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Stings like hell. I’ll take care of it when we get back to the house. Then you can help me clean these fish.”

“Hah, don’t count on that. I don’t want to see them again until they’re sizzling away on the barbeque grill.”

“Sissy.”

“You’re so perceptive.”

By the time Rafi got the fish ready, threw Bobby’s old pants in the laundry and showered, his family began to trickle in. Most of the same crowd as last night, with the addition of a few of Rafi’s friends from school days.

He introduced BD to those she hadn’t met and grabbed several bottles of beer from the refrigerator in the garage. He handed them around and opened one for himself.

BD gave him a skeptical look. “Aren’t you flying this afternoon? Should you be drinking?”

“Like you, Beautiful—this is my one and only.” He tipped the bottle back and downed half the contents. “You want one?”

“No thanks. I’ll have a Coke or lemonade. Maybe I should go in the kitchen and help your mom and Elena?”

He took her hand and led her to a lawn chair. “Nothing doing. You’re a guest. Enjoy it, ’cause it’ll be the last time they let you off so easy.”

The last time they let her off so easy, hmmm?

Rafi returned with a tall glass of lemonade, but not before one of his old school pals had taken the chair next to her. She gave Rafi a sidewise glance and a small smirk. “Thanks.” She took the glass and returned her attention to the man next to her.

“And that’s how it happened. We’ll never let him forget that day.” He laughed and sipped beer.

Rafi gave the guy an affectionate smack on the back of his head. “Hey, quit telling my girl all my secrets. Do you want to scare her away?”

BD enjoyed the fact that Rafi actually showed a little blush on his cheeks. He sat down on the grass, cross-legged, and glared a warning at his buddy.

Truthfully, the story wasn’t that bad and not far off from some of the stupid things Jack did when he was a teenager. It was amazing that any of them ever made it to adulthood in one piece. Jack’s little boy, Chase, was hot on his daddy’s footsteps.

The early afternoon flew by in a blur. She and Rafi left amidst a flurry of hugs and kisses. He threw their bags in the back of Elena’s car. One of his nieces sat next to BD on the back seat and one behind the wheel as they pulled away from the curb.

Rafi reached up behind the girl and tugged her blonde ponytail. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing, sugar?”

BD answered her grin reflected in the rearview mirror. “Ah, quit teasing, Unkie. I’ve had my driver’s license for four months already.”

He sat back with a sigh. “Oh, well then, we’re perfectly safe.” He turned and winked at BD. “Fasten your seatbelt, Beautiful. We’re in God’s hands now.”

* * *

Rafi pushed open the door of the dark and empty apartment. BD switched on the hall light and walked to the living room, where she snapped on a couple of lamps. He carried their bags back to her bedroom and rejoined her. She stood scowling over the phone.

“What’s up?”

She shook her head, lips pursed in disgust. “Shari called about half a dozen times the past two days, but didn’t leave any messages. I don’t get it. If it was important enough to call that many times, why didn’t she leave a message or call my cell?” She shrugged and dropped onto the couch. “I’ll worry about it tomorrow. Right now all I want to do is go to bed.”