Must Wait (15 page)

We head out the door getting in the trucks splitting up.
We work for a few hours planting new trees. Nick and
Katie keep pushing each other around acting like the
immature bunch that they are. I laugh at them, shaking
my head. Nick throws dirt at Katie and she screams out at
him. She grabs a fistful of dirt dropping it down the back
of his shirt. He pulls off his shirt as he jumps up chasing
her. Lasaro shakes his head at me while I laugh.

Nick catches Katie and pulls at her hair. She swats at
him trying to hit him.
Nick grabs Katie by her wrists. “You are not so
tough, Katie.”
She fights him some more as he pulls her down to
the ground. She is laughing, as she swears at him.
Nick sits on top of her, tickling her as he banters,
“Who is your favorite cousin? Huh, Katie? I can’t hear
you, Katie. Who?”
She is laughing and screaming out at the same time
as he has her pinned in the dirt tickling her.
I stand up walking over to them. I pull Nick up off
of her. “Enough, get back to work.”
Nick stands up looking down at her. “This is not
finished. I will drown you in the sea later after you get all
liquored up.”
She is all breathless, as she still lies on the ground.
She sticks her tongue out at Nick. “Promises, promises,
Nick Junior.”
I put my hands on my hips shaking my head staring
down at a very dirty Katie. She smiles up to me as I
extend my hand to her to help her up. She stands and her
hair is a wild mess. I try to push her hair back, but there is
no helping her. She pulls her hairband out, shaking the
dirt from her hair. I watch her as she pulls her blonde hair
back as she places the hairband back. She steps closer to
me, grabbing my shirt as she leans up on her toe to kiss
me. She pulls away from me smiling.
I stare into her eyes. “You are very dirty, Katie.”
She winks at me. “That is what I aim for, Pedro.
Being very dirty naughty for you.”
Nick calls out to us, “Enough, you horny dick tease.
You’ll never give it up. Why tease him? And Pedro, get
back to work man. I need tequila and I want to go party.”
I nod going back to planting and Katie plops herself
down drawing in the dirt. I hear a truck pull up. I glance
over my shoulder to see Ryan’s Range Rover pull up next
to me truck.
I look back at Nick and he opens his mouth yelling,
“Yo, Uncle Ryan is in the house.”
Ryan walks over to us, looking at what we are doing.
“That does not look like fun.”
I look up at him towering over me. He looks like he
just woke up. His shirt is unbuttoned, shorts hanging low,
hair a mess and it does not look like he shaved in a week.
I look closer at his chest and I can see red blotches.
He looks down at Lasaro then back over to me. “Hi,
Pedro.”
He walks to Nick, watching him put plants in the
ground. Nick smiles up at him. “Want to help, Uncle
Rye?”
Ryan chuckles. “Fuck no. Not my thing, you know,
Nick Junior. Do me a favor, kid? Stop getting Livi and
Katie all liquored up. I can’t keep up. I am so fucking
hung over it is not funny. Every muscle in my body
aches.”
Nick laughs. “Um, is it not what nephews are for?
Getting the cousin drunk.”
Ryan shakes his head. “I will let you get back to
planting, you Grandma freak. You are just like her with
your gardening skills.”
Nick starts laughing uncontrollably.
Ryan turns and looks at Katie, shaking his head.
Katie smiles up at him and she points to Nick. “Nick
did it. He tackled me and tickled me.”
Ryan steps closer to her. “What the hell, Katie? You
are just like your fucking mother playing in the dirt. You
are filthy dirty honey. I would take you back with me, but
I do not want you in my truck. Have Pedro bring you
back later. Dinner tonight and Pedro can come too.”
He turns around walking back to his truck when
Katie speaks out, “Filthy dirty, just like Mommy, huh?
Pedro would you agree with that statement.”
Ryan stops short not turning around. He shakes his
head. “I do not think he agrees with you, Katie. He is my
friend. Aren’t you, Pedro? See you all later.”
My eyes open really wide as I watch him get into his
truck. I look over at Katie. “Why did you say that Katie?
You are going to get me hurt.”
She starts laughing. “He does not have it in him
today to fight you. Look at him all sore.”
Nick chuckles too. “He is having a hard time with
Aunt Olivia’s trial costume runs. We got liquored up last
night as he snapped then he raged. He doesn’t want men
looking at her.”
Katie giggles. “Yeah, I can see Mommy won that
battle just by his disheveled appearance. He is going to be
sore for days with those bites all over his body and just
look at the way he was walking. Poor, Daddy, he had a
rough night figuratively speaking.”
They both laugh in unison.
Nick laughs. “I sure wish I could video that: Aunt
Olivia beating Uncle Ryan senseless.”
Katie scowls. “Eww, Nick, that is gross. Why would
you want to see Mommy and Daddy naked?
Nick laughs. “No, I do not want to see that. I just
want to see Aunt Olivia slap that wicked smile off his
face.”
Katie smiles. “Yup, and I can’t wait until some girl
beats the same smile off your face.”
I glance over at Katie. “How do you know what
happens between your parents, Katie?”
“Pedro, I am their daughter. I have lived with them. I
know what makes them tick. What sets my father off into
jealous rages and how my mother controls it to her sexual
advantage. How my mother ties him up, whipping him,
beating him and hurting him until he screams. I know
what he does to her too. We are a pretty open family, you
know.”
Lasaro stares into my eyes. “I think you have trouble
on your hands with this girl. Trouble that I would like to
be in.”
Katie yells out, “Shut up, Lasaro. At least Pedro
participated and did not hide in the jungle like you. He
was man enough to join in with Noelia and me.”
I yell, “Katie, enough out of you.”
Lasaro eyes open really wide. “Wow, Pedro, I did not
know that you had that in you to have two girls at once. I
didn’t think you would even know what to do.”
I smile down at the plant in my hands. “I even
surprise myself sometimes.” I glance at Katie to see that
she is smiling at me.

We finish up early and Nick wants to go down to the
beach so I drive them down. We walk to find a good spot
to swim. Katie spots her father lying on the beach and
she runs over to him. Nick and I follow her as well over
to Ryan. Nick drops his shirt to the ground then drops
his pants. He is standing in his boxer briefs then runs out
into the water. Ryan glances at him as he runs off.

Katie pokes her toes into Ryan’s side. “What ya
doing, Daddy?”
He opens his one eye to look up at her. “I am lying
on the hot sand soothing my muscles. Trying to get some
sleep. Your mother had me up all night again.”
I pull off my shirt and sit next to him on the sand.
Katie takes a step back and pulls her shirt off and stands
there in her lace bra. My eyes bulge out of my head
watching her stand before her father and me, as she drops
her shorts to the sand. Ryan sees the reaction on my face
as he turns his head to see Katie in her bra and panties.
Ryan reaches over grabbing her ankle. “Fuck, Katie,
cover up. Put your clothes back on.”
She kicks him away. “No, I am going swimming and
you did not say anything to Nick about his underwear.”
Ryan growls. “Katie, I am warning you, girl.”
I turn my head to see him clenching his teeth.
I look over at Katie as I yell at her, “Katie, just listen
to you father.”
She points her finger at me. “Fuck you, Pedro. It
isn’t like you haven’t seen me naked before.” Katie runs
off to the water and Ryan tugs at his hair as he growls.
Ryan shakes his head. “She is going to be the death
of me. Pedro, I would run if I were you.”
I get nervous not looking away from him. “I am
sorry, Ryan.”
“She is just like her mother. She doesn’t listen to a
word I say. You seem like a nice guy, Pedro. If I were
you, I would run and steer clear of her. She is going to
drive you fucking mad with her head games.”
I glance out to the water. “If you could do it all over
again. Would you still have chosen Olivia to be your
wife?”
Ryan props himself up on his elbows. “No doubt in
my mind. She’s the one for me. She does drive me mad
though, but I get over it. There is not a woman out there
that I could love as much as I love Livi. She’s got my
heart.”
“Then why wouldn’t you want the same for me if I
am a nice guy? Don’t I deserve to be loved?”
He turns his head and stares at me. “I pity you,
Pedro, and I can see that she has already stolen your
heart. Katie is a rollercoaster of emotions for you. You
think you love her. Just protect yourself and your son.
That is all I can tell you to do. She is my little girl, but I
do not think she will ever commit to you. Her mother
was not as wild as she is. Livi was very respectful, not
Katie.”
I turn my head from the water to look at him. “She is
like you. Saying what she wants and having no regard for
any other.”
“I guess you have me figured out. Remember that I
like you, Pedro. You are very honest and caring, but do
not cross that line with her. I do not care how much she
begs you to. Stand your ground with her. That is the only
way you are going to get out of this with your heart still
beating in your chest. I told you one taste and you will be
hooked.”
“Yes, I know.”

Dinner is not what I expected. We are at Olivia’s
house and not the neutrally safe Cantina. I am nervous as
Katie keeps running her mouth and pissing off her father.
Nick would join in on the banter too as Olivia shakes her
head at them. Henry pushes a laptop in front of Ryan
from time to time and Rosalie stares at me.

Rosalie touches my shoulder. “Could you help me
get the food out of the jeep please?”
I nod and follow her outside.
She turns looking at me. “How are you doing,
Pedro? You look very nervous.”
I shrug. “I am. What did I get myself into with Katie
and her family? Do you hear the way they talk to each
other? Ryan touches Olivia in front of us all like we are
not even there and in front of his daughter and nephew.”
Rosalie laughs. “I see, Pedro. Yes, that is normal for
them, Pedro. Do you see how Henry’s and Katie’s eyes
light up when Ryan plays around with Olivia? They are
happy to see two people who completely love each other.
Olivia and Henry are more reserved like you and I. We
are affectionate people, but we have a tendency to do it
move privately. Ryan has no problem showing his love. It
is beautiful, Pedro.”
Henry comes out the door walking behind Rosalie.
He wraps his arms around her then kisses her shoulder.
He smiles down at me. “Is everything alright out
here?”
Rosalie smiles up at him. “Yes, Pedro has issues with
public displays of affection. I guess that was my fault
allowing his father to keep me tucked away.”
My eyes shot to Henry expecting him to be mad but
he is still smiling.
He rubs Rosalie’s hand. “Pedro, if you are going to
be a part of this family. You are going to have to get used
to it. We are all here now and we are not going anywhere.
Do you understand?”
I nod up at him but I’m shocked by his words. “Part
of your family?”
He smiles big. “Aren’t you going to marry Katie
someday?” He pauses as my draw drops. “Well, that is
what Katie tells me, that she is going to marry you. Go
back inside and hold that girl’s hand. Do not let her
father get to you. I know how to control him. I have been
doing it since he was eighteen year old.”
I nod and walk away back into the house.
I see Katie poking at her father as she looks up to smile at
me. I sit down beside her as Ryan pushes a glass of wine
in front of me. I sip it down as I place my hand on
Katie’s knee. She places her hand on mine entwining our
fingers. I sit there as happy as I can be, letting Henry’s
words repeat in my head. I am thrilled that Katie wants to
marry me and stay with me here in Costa Rica.

After a few hours, Henry stands up and walks behind
Ryan. “I think we all should call it a night. Maybe Ryan
can get some sleep tonight, so he won’t be so cranky
tomorrow? Right, Olivia?”

She smiles up at her father. “No way, not going to
happen.”
Henry laughs as he leans down pecking a kiss on
Olivia’s cheek. “That is what I thought.”
Henry looks over at Katie and me. “You two better
run off now.”
Ryan jerks head up to look at me. He starts to get up
and Henry pushes him back down in the chair, holding
his shoulder.
Henry grips him tighter. “Now, now, Ryan. It is
Katie’s last night here and she is going to stay up at
Pedro’s house tonight. You let them be. Go ahead,
Katie.”
We stand up and say goodbye. Katie leans down
kissing her father’s cheek. I walk past him, and Ryan
growls at me. Henry grips Ryan’s other shoulder.
Ryan calls out to me, “Remember, Pedro, that you
are my friend. Remember what I said.”
Katie laughs and looks up at me as we leave out the
door. “Do not let him intimate you, Pedro.”

Ryan is right. She is begging me to make love to her.
She pleads with me reminding me that this is her last
night here. That we will not see each other again for a few
months until I fly up to Corpus Christie with Rosalie. I
keep staring at her shaking my head no. I went as far as
putting my shorts back on after we devoured each other
with our mouths for hours. We lay in my bed as I hold
her naked body so tightly. I do not want her to leave me
tomorrow. I want her to stay with me. I run my hands
through her hair as I stare at her beautiful face.

Pedro. Classes are starting again.”
“Katie, your grandpa says that you want to marry
me.”
“Yes, when I am done with school.”
I kiss her lips. “Then you will come to stay here with
me?”
“No, Pedro. You and Ramón will come and live with
me.”
“You mean leave my farm and my brothers? What
will I do there?”
She smiles. “Anything you want. School maybe. I will
be able to support all three of us with my salary.”
“I see you have figured all this out.”
“Yes, Grandpa will help us sort out the details when
the time comes. Just like he did for us tonight with
Daddy.”
I kiss her again. “Yes, no more hiding. He knows
that you are here with me.”
Katie runs her finger down my chest. “Yes, he
knows. So then why don’t you make love to me, Pedro?”
“No, I promised him that I wouldn’t and you
promised me that you would wait until you get married.”
“That might be too long for me to wait. We should
get married immediately then.”
“No, Katie, stick to your plan. We must wait.”
She snuggles into my chest as I breathe her in. I need
to remember how she smells to get me through until I see
her again.