Chapter 11

Rafael watched as Amanda disappeared into the bedroom. He opened the door to see his mama standing there, he smiled and hugged her. "Hola mamá, ¿cómo estás? te ves muy bien. Entra, entra en".

"Gracias, gracias. Siempre te ves tan grande Rafael" she said

"Gracias la mamá. No es que me importe, pero ¿por qué estás aquí, que normalmente llamar para que yo pueda tener todo listo para usted" he replied

"Así que ahora tengo que llamar con antelación para visitar a mi hijo, no puedo simplemente darle una sorpresa?" she said

"No mamá, por supuesto que puede. Usted sólo me sorprende que es" he replied.

Usted tiene la compañía, Rafael? ¿Quién es toda esta comida para? She asked.

Rafael looked away. For the first time in a long time his mother saw her son become uncomfortable.

"Rafael, ¿hay algo que tienes que decirme? ¿Estás saliendo con alguien? Es eso que cocinaba el desayuno? ¿Está aquí ahora?" she smiled at Rafael

Rafael smiled and nodded yes. "Oh Rafael, que es fantástico. Estoy tan feliz por ti. ¿Dónde está ella? Me encantaría conocerla" she replied.

"Un momento de la mamá" he replied and headed towards the bedroom. Knocks on the door to see Amanda dressed and ready to leave.

" So my mum wants to meet you Amanda, you are an important part of my life. I know it's quite sudden but maybe we should take this as a sign, a good sign" he smiles. "It'll be okay, I'll be right there with you" he took her hands in his.

"What if she doesn't like me Rafael" she asked.

"Trust me Amanda, she will like you. I like you Amanda, so will she, okay?"

"Mamá, esto es Amanda" said Rafael.

"Muy bonito conocerte Amanda" she replied and smiled.

Rafael interrupted mid sentence. "Amanda would you like some coffee? He asked, she nodded yes. "Mamá, ¿le gustaría un poco de café o té? He asked

"café, por favor" she replied. Rafael headed into the kitchen to make the coffee, leaving Amanda alone with his mum

"So Amanda" she said with a very heavy accent". "You are in love with my son?" she asked

Amanda stumbled for words. "Mrs Barba, I care for your son, this is so new we are still working everything out, but we are together and moving forward together" she smiles grabbing onto Rafael's hand. "Do you understand what I am saying Mrs Barba"

"Sí Amanda, entiendo" she replied. Amanda nods.

"Rafael, al contrario de lo que podría estar pensando. Me gusta Amanda, creo que es muy bonito. Sólo quiero que seas feliz. Puedo ver por la forma en que la miras que está y que se está cayendo por ella. Es sólo que no quiero verte sufrir. Todo lo que estoy tratando de hacer es mirar hacia fuera para usted. Tú eres mi único hijo, y yo quiero que seas feliz." She says

Rafael simply responded to his mother "Estoy feliz mamá" as he reached over and squeezed her hand.

'What did you just say to her?" Amanda asked Rafael

Rafael looked at her"I told her that I am happy with you"

"Felicitaciones, Ahora se encuentra la familia" she said as she hugs Rafael and Amanda. Amanda looks at Rafael to help with the translation. He whispers "Congratulations, you are part of this family". She smiles. It felt strange for Amanda to be considered part of his family, since she had lost sight of what it meant to be a family a long time ago, but at the same time it felt like the best thing in the world.

Over the next few hours, Rafael's mother sat with Amanda, wanting to find out everything about her. She had asked about where she was from, her family, why she had decided to become a pólice officer, what prompted her move from Atlanta to New York, how she met Rafael. Rafael was so happy that they were getting on really well.

"Now, I know you two haven't know each other long and I am sure you have questions about Rafael hmmmm? She asked Amanda. Amanda raised her eyebrows but before she could answer, Rafael intervened. "Maybe that's something we can ge into later yes" looking at Amanda she would sabe him. "Mamá, tal vez eso es algo Amanda y yo podemos hablar más tarde?" he asked his mum.

"Rafael, que es justo, me preguntó Amanda todas estas preguntas es justo que ella se entera de que, Comprende" she says

"What did she say?" looking at Rafael. She said you can ask her anything you want about me" he smiled.

"Well how about I ask you both together? " asks Amanda. Rafael translates; Amanda va a pedir tanto de nosotros acerca de mí mamá, es que está bien? Okay she says.

The next couple of hours, were Rafael telling her how he is a first generation Cuban American, that he grew up in Miami, he told her all about growing up as a Cuban kid in Miami, and then they moved into the Bronx, how he found friendship with Alejandro and Eddie- 2 other Cubanos. He moved up and out of the neighbourhood, leaving Alejandro and Eddie behind in the Bronx, he went off to Havard, and ended up in the Brooklyn DA's office before requesting a lateral to Manhattan. After finishing up hearing all about Rafael.

"Mama can I talk to you a second? "Si, Rafael uno momento." She turned to Amanda and said "It was so nice to meet you Amanda. I hope to see you again soon and I hope my hijo makes you as a happy as I see you make him" she smiles. " He does" she smiled, and she hugs Rafael's mum.

Mrs Barba walks over to Rafael. "Hijo, te quiero. Era tan bueno verte, tienes que venir a Miami más a menudo te echo de menos. Ahora Rafael, sé que te hace feliz. Ella me dijo que la haces feliz.

"Ella lo hizo?" he replies, she nods her head.

"Hacerla feliz Rafael, Comprende" "I will Mama" he smiled as he put his arm around Amanda she asked him what his mum had just said. "That's for me to know Amanda" he smiled and winked. She smiled as she walked Mrs Barba to the door. "Have a safe trip back Mrs Barba, it was very nice to meet you.

"I'll be back in a second Amanda, I'm just going to walk Mum down and hail her a cab" he says as he kisses her. As Rafael walks his mum downstairs her phone rings and she sees Melinda phone number flash up. Amanda thought to herself Melinda couldn't have got DNA back that fast. Amanda answered the phone" Rollins".

"Amanda it's Melinda, can you talk?" she asks

"Yeah sure, you got some results back?" she queries.

" Yes I got fingerprints from inside the envelope" she says

"So that means whoever's fingerprints are on the inside of the envelope, is the person who put the photos in there" she said

"Yes"

"Did you get a hit?" she asked

"They belong to a Detective Nick Amaro" "Do you know him Amanda?" "Amanda?"

"Sorry, yes I work with him, he must have forgotten to put who they were from". "I've got to go, but thanks Melinda" she hangs up the phone.

She couldn't believe it. Nick had sent those photos. Someone she trusted. Someone she had been intímate with. She felt physically sick. Okay, okay so Nick had sent the photos, but what does he want, what is he planning to do with them. Okay that's tomorrows problem, she just wanted to enjoy the rest of her day with Rafael.

Rafael came back upstairs. "Did your mum get off okay" she asked

"Yeah" he replied. "Are you okay you look a little flushed" he asked

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little overwhelming that's all, you know meeting the parents" she replied.

He smiled "I know she can come one a little strong. I'm her only son….."

"It's all good Rafael, right now, I just want to be here with you" she said as she layed back into him on the couch. But she still couldn't get the fact that Nick had been spying on her and Rafael out of her head.

Chapter 12 to come