GRINGA (49 page)

    
             
I glance around the room and see the look of horror on my family’s face.  

             
I’m so busted.

    
             
‘Aw come on you guys!’ I cry a little too lightly. 

     
             
Depp, who has been taking notes all the time, freezes with his note taking and stares hard at his notepad, while Agent Grey’s eyes bore into me.

             
Oh, I get their strategy now - My family serves a purpose here – they are here to confront me about my intimate relationship with Diago and remind me what a bastard he is while the Feds say nothing. I suppose just now the Feds will start the “Good Cop” routine with me.

    
             
‘That’s disgusting!’
Paris
cries. ‘
He’s
revolting.’

    
             
Before I can stop myself, I find myself glaring at her.

    
             
Austin
turns to Grey. ‘Can I have a word with her? Alone?’

    
             
‘
Austin
please,’ I protest, ‘there’s no need for us to ta …’

             
Grey motions us into an adjoining room. ‘‘Over here.’   

    
             
‘Why can’t you talk here?’
Paris
demands.   

    
             
Austin
ignores her, grabs my arm and steers me roughly into it.

             
‘Why can’t you talk here?’
Paris
repeats.

             
‘You’re hurting me!’ I cry, as his fingers dig into my flesh.

             
Paris
runs up to us. “
Austin
!’

    
             
He shuts the door on her face and glares at me. ‘He’s a fucking criminal, Payton. He shot you and threw you over a fucking cliff for Christ’s sakes! How can you forget that?’

    
             
‘I’m not forgetting any ...’

    
             
‘This is the FBI you’re fucking with. They’ll throw your ass in jail if you cross them. You wanna do
time for the prick? Huh Payton? Ever been to a Mexican jail? Huh?’

  
             
The thought of prison makes me want to throw up. ‘
Austin
look, you’ve like, got it all wro ...’

    
             
‘Save it. I know you, okay? Stop shitting me.’

    
             
I purse my lips.

    
             
He holds my shoulders, looks at me and shakes his head. ‘Payton, I care about you, okay? I’m scared and I’m worried because I
give
a fuck, okay?’ 

    
             
‘Okay, okay, okay.’ I step away from him. ‘You have to leave me alone and I’ll like, sort this out myself, okay? I need space to get my head around this  ...  this crazy shit,
Austin
. It’s hard and ...’ I look at him and sigh loudly. ‘He’s not that bad,
Austin
.’

    
             
‘He’s not - what the fuck does that mean, Payton? He’s a fucking cop killer! He’s going down soon. Where the fucks your head? How could you let him screw with your brains like this?’

    
             
‘I don’t know! I don’t know! It just happened, okay?’

    
             
‘So what - you in love with him now? You’re in love with the prick? The scum of the earth? The hairy monster of
Mexico
? The ... ’

    
             
‘Shaddup Austin! You don’t know him, okay? So shaddup up! And I’m
not
in love with him.’

    
             
He shakes his head in disgust.

   
             
‘You know what – I’m outta here,’ I say and brush past him towards the door. ‘I don’t appreciate you calling him all those names
Austin
and frankly, your hostility is really pissing me …’ 

    
             
He grabs my arm, swings me back and I slam into him.

    
             
‘
Austin
!’ I shove him in the chest, but he grabs both my arms. 

    
             
‘You’re obsessed with
me
. You love
me
, not him.’

    
             
My laugh is small, nervous. ‘What?’

             
‘I know you’re nuts about me.’

    
             
‘
Was
,
Austin
. I’m over you now.’

    
             
‘Impossible!’

             
‘
Austin
,’ I say, lowering my voice, ‘look, the past – it belongs there. I’m in such a bind right now and my heart – gosh
Austin
, I could really use a friend now. How ’bout just being one, eh? For old times sake, huh?’ I smile at him.

    
             
‘You’re right,’ he says, his voice sheepish. ‘I’m sorry.’ He gives me a big hug.

    
             
‘That’s better,’ I say, hugging him back. His body feels familiar but strangely, it doesn’t feel like it did in my dreams. In my dreams, he was perfect – handsome, sweeping and romantic and I was looking at him with intense love.

             
Now he feels more like a brother. Come to think of it – I haven’t thought or dreamt of
Austin
in a while. Could Diago’s have changed my feelings – replaced
Austin
in my life?

             
Gosh!
             
For a moment I fall silent and just stare at the ground. Hooray!

             
‘What? What you smiling at?’

   
             
‘Eh, nothing. We should be get back to Sculley and Mulder,’ I say, eager to get out of this embrace. ‘Though I’m not sure which one is Scully and which one is ... ’

    
             
Austin
stays put. ‘When you give me that smile …’ He shakes his head. ‘Know why I didn’t want to leave
Mexico
?’

    
             
I shrug. ‘The villagers, Jack ... ’

     
             
He shakes his head. ‘You. Didn’t want to leave without you.’

    
             
‘Really?
Me
?’

             
‘The contract means Jack to me.’

             
‘You serious? 

    
             
He nods slowly, then suddenly swoops down and kisses me hard, sliding his tongue into my mouth.

    
             
Eeeewww!

   
             
I get over my surprise and jerk away. ‘What the fuck
Austin
?’ I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. Yuck. He’s just shattered another one of my dreams by doing that. 

   
             
‘Payton, I love you,’ he says. ‘I’ve always did.’

   
             
Before I can digest what he’s saying or responds, the door bursts open and
Paris
enters
,  her eyes flashing with anger, her face flaming - out of control, bush fire flaming. ‘What the fuuuuck Payton?’

  
             
‘How …?’ I ask.

             
‘The fucking vents!’ she snarls. ‘Everyone in the next room heard everything you said.’

             
‘Fuck!’ I slam my palm to my forehead. 

             
I’m not sure if this is a deliberate ploy of the part of the FBI or a genuine mistake. Either way, it’s damaging to everyone.
Armageddon is here.
 

  
             
I look at
Austin
. He’s frighteningly unfazed
.

    
             
Paris
steps towards
Austin
and slaps him
across the face
. ‘You bastard!’ she cries. ‘How could you say those things to her when she treated you like crap? Where the fuck is your sense of pride, huh?’

  
             
Treated him like crap?
Me
? When? I did not treat him like crap.

             
Austin
touches his cheek gingerly and steps back. No sorry, no apology.

  
             
‘You stay in this Godforsaken place because of
her
?  And ... and you lie to me about the contract, the men, their jobs - when all along you’re staying because of
her
? What about our child? Did you care about him? Me? Anybody else, besides her? You rotten son-of-a-bitch!’

  
             
Austin
does not respond. He’s just stares at me.