*ring* *ring* *ring*
Paloma snapped out of her thoughts as the sound of her ringing phone pierced her ears. She lifted it up to see whom the call was from, and when she recognized the number she quickly answered.
"Hello?" She asked, "Miguel?"
"Yeah," His voice was rasped and tired, "mana, I need to talk to you."
Paloma's mind raced as the sound of her brother's troubled voice filled her ears. He was clearly distraught over something.
"Of course, Guelito," Paloma nodded, "Where are you?"
"I'm at Book Café." Miguel sighed, "You still remember where that is?"
"Miguel," Paloma smiled, "nothing's changed in this town. I'll be right over, just wait for me there."
"Thanks." Miguel shifted in his seat and hung up the phone. He stared back into his steaming cup of coffee and drummed his fingers lightly on the table.
************************************************************************
"Your brother okay?"
Paloma turned to the owner of the voice and remembered where she was. Nicky Crane was seated beside her and for the last ten minutes the two sat in silence, engrossed in their own thoughts.
"Oh," Paloma shrugged, "I don't know. He didn't sound too well. He asked me if I could meet him to talk."
"I see." Fox's eyes fell.
"How about you and I continue our conversation another time?" Paloma patted his arm, sensing that he was upset.
"Yeah." Fox nodded, "I'm sorry, Paloma. I won't keep you any longer."
"Why don't you walk me over to meet him?" Paloma smiled, "That is, if you want to."
Fox was tempted to say 'duh?', but he fought the urge. He simply smiled as he stood and offered his arm to his friend. Paloma stood from her seat and smoothed her hair behind her ears before easing her arm into Fox's and smiling up at him. "What?" Fox cocked his head to the side when he couldn't place the look she had on her face.
"Nothing." Paloma turned her head to smile. "Nothing at all."
"Well, Shall we?" Fox cleared his throat and motioned for them to walk.
"We shall."
************************************************************************
"Miguel?"
Miguel looked up from the table to see the face of his younger sister. He could tell that she was worried about him, and he tried hard to smile when he felt her place her hand on his shoulder. He noticed the man that walked in with Paloma and his forehead wrinkled in confusion as to what his sister was doing with this man, then he suddenly felt his head getting warm.
"Mana." Miguel whispered, "Fox."
"Hey Miguel." The older man nodded, "I better let you guys talk. I'll see you later, Paloma. It was nice running into you."
"You too, Nicky." Paloma smiled at his handsome face and watched him walk toward the counter to order a drink.
"I'm not going to ask." Miguel shook his head.
"Good," Paloma smiled, "Because I wouldn't have answered."
"Mana." Miguel's mind brought itself back to the reason why he had called his sister, "I'm so lost right now, I don't know what to do."
"Miguel," Paloma took her seat across from her brother and stretched her hand out to hold his own, "what is it?"
"I went for a walk this morning," Miguel started, "You know, to clear my mind of everything that's been going on."
"What do you mean?"
"The whole thing with Antonio got me thinking a lot about life." Miguel took a sip from his, now lukewarm, coffee before continuing, "And, well I went out for a walk to try and figure some things out, until I saw her."
"You ran into Charity?" Paloma's eyes grew wide.
"No."
"Then who?"
"Kay."
"Oh," Paloma sighed and ran her thumb across her brother's hand in a gesture of comfort, "I see. Tell me what happened."
"Well, when I was walking down the street, I saw Kay walk into the clinic, and I followed her in." Miguel breathed a deep sigh. "She was there for her first appointment, mana."
"You didn't know?"
"No," Miguel ran his hand through his thick hair and closed his eyes, "I mean, she tried to tell me the other night about it, but I just brushed her off."
"Miguel." Paloma's spoke with a disappointed tone.
"I know," Miguel nodded, "I know. It was just that I was talking to Charity when she approached me to talk, and I wasn't thinking."
"Miguel," Paloma sighed and looked her brother in the eye, "I'm not going to be quick to dismiss whatever it was that you and Charity had."
"Have, mana, have."
"Alright," Paloma shook her head at her brother's stubbornness, "HAVE. But, Kay is pregnant. And I know that you are more responsible than that."
"I know," Miguel groaned, "When I saw her I was so upset that she hadn't told me about the appointment, but when she said that she tried, I felt like kicking myself in the head for being so stupid."
"Understood."
"And, I begged her to let me go in with her to see the doctor."
"But, since you're here," Paloma sat back and crossed her arms over her chest, "and NOT in the clinic, I'm going to assume that she didn't let you go with her."
"This is KILLING ME, mana!" Miguel clenched his fists, but soon loosened them. "I don't know what to do."
"What you SHOULD do, Miguel." Paloma's voice softened, "is find Kay, and tell her that the two of you need to talk. It's obvious to me, and I'm sure everyone, that you guys have a lot of unfinished business to talk about. You are going to be a father, Miguel. And whether or not you like it, you and Kay are forever going to have some kind of connection."
"I know all this."
"Don't assume that you know everything," Paloma leaned in, "Miguel, you have no idea what's going on in Kay's mind. God knows what she could be going through right now. I know that you and her haven't been on the best terms lately, but just try and imagine what she could be feeling right now. She's pregnant, living in a home with the girl that YOU love, and she feels alone."
"How do I let her know that she's not?" Miguel's eyes pleaded for Paloma to offer a solution.
"Women who are pregnant are more emotional than those who aren't," Paloma said matter-of-factly, "so, I'm sure you can imagine that Kay is going to be pretty emotional for the next few months or so. She needs someone who understands her, someone who knows her, someone who can get her through this. Miguel, Kay needs YOU."
Miguel bit his lower lip and hung his head. His sister was completely right. Even though Kay had tried to break him and Charity apart, she didn't land in her predicament alone. He was partly responsible for the fact that Kay was pregnant. And, she was alone. Miguel and Kay hadn't been talking much lately, but he'd known her since they were kids, and he knew when something was troubling her without having to be told.
"You're right, mana." Miguel sighed, "You're absolutely right. I've been such a jerk to her lately, I'm not surprised that she didn't want me to be a part of her pregnancy. I've treated her like crap these past few months. I never wanted to be a father so young, and I know that she had much bigger plans for herself too, but I'm not going to let her think that she's alone through this."
"There's the Miguel that I know." Paloma smiled as her brother was having his revelation.
"Mana," Miguel stood from his seat and walked over to his sister, "you were always the best at giving advice."
"You don't have to remind me, Guelito." Paloma smiled, "the three o'clock in the morning phone calls to me in Spain pretty much assured me of that."
"I am sorry for that." Miguel pouted, "Thank you, thank you so much! I have to go find her."
Miguel bent down and placed a kiss on his sister's forehead before straightening up and gabbing his coat from behind his chair. He pulled a few dollars from his pocket and laid them on the table to pay for his coffee, and with a smile he walked out of the coffee shop on a mission to right his wrong.
Paloma watched as her older brother walked out the door with smile on his face and a skip to his steps. A warm feeling overcame her body and a smile graced her face when she realized that she had just had a heart-to-heart conversation with Miguel. She was able to play the part of the advice- giving sister, and it felt so amazing to be able to do that again. Paloma shook her head, and slowly looked up to say a little prayer for her brother, that he would eventually become a wonderful man and father.
************************************************************************
"You really are great at giving advice, aren't you?"
Paloma turned in her chair at the sound of the voice. She had to smile when she heard the owner's footsteps nearing where she was seated.
"Nicky Crane," Paloma rolled her eyes with a smile, "You're still hanging around here? I'd think that you didn't want to mingle around with the common folk for more than five minutes."
"Please," Fox put a hand up at Paloma's joke, "I'm rather enjoying being in the company of the average joe's."
"Why?" Paloma watched as he took a seat across from her, "So that you can feel more superior?"
"That's not it at all, Lo." Fox too his seat and leaned both elbows on the table loving how the back-and-forth between him and Paloma had now taken a more sarcastic-joking tone, "I've just come to the realization that the common folk, as you put it, are my kind of people."
"Is that so?"
"It's is, Lo." Fox nodded and grabbed a piece of Paloma's muffin and popped it in his mouth.
"Nicky Crane," Paloma slapped his hand as it made another attempt to steal a bite from her breakfast, "no matter what you say, you will never be an Average Joe."
"No?"
"No," She shook her head with smile, "but I'd rather keep you the way you are."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Paloma leaned forward just as he leaned in as well, their faces were just inches apart and Fox's eyes began to sparkle. But before Fox could speak a word, Paloma leaned further in and whispered, "that way, I can brag to all my friends that I've got a Crane tied around my little finger."
"Ouch." Fox sat back with a laugh. "Lo, so you finally admit, you're using me?"
"That is my master plan, Crane." Paloma sighed.
"Well," Fox nodded, "I'm a sucker for beautiful brunettes, so that's a plan that I'm willing to be a part of."
"Good," Paloma stood from her seat and slipped her coat around her shoulders, "as long as we both agree that this whole friendship between you and I is just to feed my ego."
"I am at your disposal," Fox looked up into her brown eyes, "you're wish is my command."
"Ah, since you put it that way," Paloma placed her hand on her hip, "you and I are going to do a little shopping. I didn't get the chance to send my family any presents for Christmas, so I thought I might use today to see what this town has to offer."
"As you wish." Fox stood from his chair and bowed to Paloma.
"Nicky?" Paloma placed her arm in his as they walked out of the Book Café.
"Yeah?"
"You know I was just kidding bout that whole using you thing?" Paloma looked up into his smiling eyes.
"Just like I was just playing around with the whole 'you-wish-is-my-command- thing'." Fox laughed.
"Aw," Paloma pouted, "I was kinda hoping that part would be true."
"In your dreams, Little Lo." Fox laughed as they stepped out into the snow and made their way down the street, "In your dreams."
************************************************************************
*A/N* SORRY this took so long to post. Hope you guys like it! Feedback please and suggestions would be great! =) Thanks!!
Paloma snapped out of her thoughts as the sound of her ringing phone pierced her ears. She lifted it up to see whom the call was from, and when she recognized the number she quickly answered.
"Hello?" She asked, "Miguel?"
"Yeah," His voice was rasped and tired, "mana, I need to talk to you."
Paloma's mind raced as the sound of her brother's troubled voice filled her ears. He was clearly distraught over something.
"Of course, Guelito," Paloma nodded, "Where are you?"
"I'm at Book Café." Miguel sighed, "You still remember where that is?"
"Miguel," Paloma smiled, "nothing's changed in this town. I'll be right over, just wait for me there."
"Thanks." Miguel shifted in his seat and hung up the phone. He stared back into his steaming cup of coffee and drummed his fingers lightly on the table.
************************************************************************
"Your brother okay?"
Paloma turned to the owner of the voice and remembered where she was. Nicky Crane was seated beside her and for the last ten minutes the two sat in silence, engrossed in their own thoughts.
"Oh," Paloma shrugged, "I don't know. He didn't sound too well. He asked me if I could meet him to talk."
"I see." Fox's eyes fell.
"How about you and I continue our conversation another time?" Paloma patted his arm, sensing that he was upset.
"Yeah." Fox nodded, "I'm sorry, Paloma. I won't keep you any longer."
"Why don't you walk me over to meet him?" Paloma smiled, "That is, if you want to."
Fox was tempted to say 'duh?', but he fought the urge. He simply smiled as he stood and offered his arm to his friend. Paloma stood from her seat and smoothed her hair behind her ears before easing her arm into Fox's and smiling up at him. "What?" Fox cocked his head to the side when he couldn't place the look she had on her face.
"Nothing." Paloma turned her head to smile. "Nothing at all."
"Well, Shall we?" Fox cleared his throat and motioned for them to walk.
"We shall."
************************************************************************
"Miguel?"
Miguel looked up from the table to see the face of his younger sister. He could tell that she was worried about him, and he tried hard to smile when he felt her place her hand on his shoulder. He noticed the man that walked in with Paloma and his forehead wrinkled in confusion as to what his sister was doing with this man, then he suddenly felt his head getting warm.
"Mana." Miguel whispered, "Fox."
"Hey Miguel." The older man nodded, "I better let you guys talk. I'll see you later, Paloma. It was nice running into you."
"You too, Nicky." Paloma smiled at his handsome face and watched him walk toward the counter to order a drink.
"I'm not going to ask." Miguel shook his head.
"Good," Paloma smiled, "Because I wouldn't have answered."
"Mana." Miguel's mind brought itself back to the reason why he had called his sister, "I'm so lost right now, I don't know what to do."
"Miguel," Paloma took her seat across from her brother and stretched her hand out to hold his own, "what is it?"
"I went for a walk this morning," Miguel started, "You know, to clear my mind of everything that's been going on."
"What do you mean?"
"The whole thing with Antonio got me thinking a lot about life." Miguel took a sip from his, now lukewarm, coffee before continuing, "And, well I went out for a walk to try and figure some things out, until I saw her."
"You ran into Charity?" Paloma's eyes grew wide.
"No."
"Then who?"
"Kay."
"Oh," Paloma sighed and ran her thumb across her brother's hand in a gesture of comfort, "I see. Tell me what happened."
"Well, when I was walking down the street, I saw Kay walk into the clinic, and I followed her in." Miguel breathed a deep sigh. "She was there for her first appointment, mana."
"You didn't know?"
"No," Miguel ran his hand through his thick hair and closed his eyes, "I mean, she tried to tell me the other night about it, but I just brushed her off."
"Miguel." Paloma's spoke with a disappointed tone.
"I know," Miguel nodded, "I know. It was just that I was talking to Charity when she approached me to talk, and I wasn't thinking."
"Miguel," Paloma sighed and looked her brother in the eye, "I'm not going to be quick to dismiss whatever it was that you and Charity had."
"Have, mana, have."
"Alright," Paloma shook her head at her brother's stubbornness, "HAVE. But, Kay is pregnant. And I know that you are more responsible than that."
"I know," Miguel groaned, "When I saw her I was so upset that she hadn't told me about the appointment, but when she said that she tried, I felt like kicking myself in the head for being so stupid."
"Understood."
"And, I begged her to let me go in with her to see the doctor."
"But, since you're here," Paloma sat back and crossed her arms over her chest, "and NOT in the clinic, I'm going to assume that she didn't let you go with her."
"This is KILLING ME, mana!" Miguel clenched his fists, but soon loosened them. "I don't know what to do."
"What you SHOULD do, Miguel." Paloma's voice softened, "is find Kay, and tell her that the two of you need to talk. It's obvious to me, and I'm sure everyone, that you guys have a lot of unfinished business to talk about. You are going to be a father, Miguel. And whether or not you like it, you and Kay are forever going to have some kind of connection."
"I know all this."
"Don't assume that you know everything," Paloma leaned in, "Miguel, you have no idea what's going on in Kay's mind. God knows what she could be going through right now. I know that you and her haven't been on the best terms lately, but just try and imagine what she could be feeling right now. She's pregnant, living in a home with the girl that YOU love, and she feels alone."
"How do I let her know that she's not?" Miguel's eyes pleaded for Paloma to offer a solution.
"Women who are pregnant are more emotional than those who aren't," Paloma said matter-of-factly, "so, I'm sure you can imagine that Kay is going to be pretty emotional for the next few months or so. She needs someone who understands her, someone who knows her, someone who can get her through this. Miguel, Kay needs YOU."
Miguel bit his lower lip and hung his head. His sister was completely right. Even though Kay had tried to break him and Charity apart, she didn't land in her predicament alone. He was partly responsible for the fact that Kay was pregnant. And, she was alone. Miguel and Kay hadn't been talking much lately, but he'd known her since they were kids, and he knew when something was troubling her without having to be told.
"You're right, mana." Miguel sighed, "You're absolutely right. I've been such a jerk to her lately, I'm not surprised that she didn't want me to be a part of her pregnancy. I've treated her like crap these past few months. I never wanted to be a father so young, and I know that she had much bigger plans for herself too, but I'm not going to let her think that she's alone through this."
"There's the Miguel that I know." Paloma smiled as her brother was having his revelation.
"Mana," Miguel stood from his seat and walked over to his sister, "you were always the best at giving advice."
"You don't have to remind me, Guelito." Paloma smiled, "the three o'clock in the morning phone calls to me in Spain pretty much assured me of that."
"I am sorry for that." Miguel pouted, "Thank you, thank you so much! I have to go find her."
Miguel bent down and placed a kiss on his sister's forehead before straightening up and gabbing his coat from behind his chair. He pulled a few dollars from his pocket and laid them on the table to pay for his coffee, and with a smile he walked out of the coffee shop on a mission to right his wrong.
Paloma watched as her older brother walked out the door with smile on his face and a skip to his steps. A warm feeling overcame her body and a smile graced her face when she realized that she had just had a heart-to-heart conversation with Miguel. She was able to play the part of the advice- giving sister, and it felt so amazing to be able to do that again. Paloma shook her head, and slowly looked up to say a little prayer for her brother, that he would eventually become a wonderful man and father.
************************************************************************
"You really are great at giving advice, aren't you?"
Paloma turned in her chair at the sound of the voice. She had to smile when she heard the owner's footsteps nearing where she was seated.
"Nicky Crane," Paloma rolled her eyes with a smile, "You're still hanging around here? I'd think that you didn't want to mingle around with the common folk for more than five minutes."
"Please," Fox put a hand up at Paloma's joke, "I'm rather enjoying being in the company of the average joe's."
"Why?" Paloma watched as he took a seat across from her, "So that you can feel more superior?"
"That's not it at all, Lo." Fox too his seat and leaned both elbows on the table loving how the back-and-forth between him and Paloma had now taken a more sarcastic-joking tone, "I've just come to the realization that the common folk, as you put it, are my kind of people."
"Is that so?"
"It's is, Lo." Fox nodded and grabbed a piece of Paloma's muffin and popped it in his mouth.
"Nicky Crane," Paloma slapped his hand as it made another attempt to steal a bite from her breakfast, "no matter what you say, you will never be an Average Joe."
"No?"
"No," She shook her head with smile, "but I'd rather keep you the way you are."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Paloma leaned forward just as he leaned in as well, their faces were just inches apart and Fox's eyes began to sparkle. But before Fox could speak a word, Paloma leaned further in and whispered, "that way, I can brag to all my friends that I've got a Crane tied around my little finger."
"Ouch." Fox sat back with a laugh. "Lo, so you finally admit, you're using me?"
"That is my master plan, Crane." Paloma sighed.
"Well," Fox nodded, "I'm a sucker for beautiful brunettes, so that's a plan that I'm willing to be a part of."
"Good," Paloma stood from her seat and slipped her coat around her shoulders, "as long as we both agree that this whole friendship between you and I is just to feed my ego."
"I am at your disposal," Fox looked up into her brown eyes, "you're wish is my command."
"Ah, since you put it that way," Paloma placed her hand on her hip, "you and I are going to do a little shopping. I didn't get the chance to send my family any presents for Christmas, so I thought I might use today to see what this town has to offer."
"As you wish." Fox stood from his chair and bowed to Paloma.
"Nicky?" Paloma placed her arm in his as they walked out of the Book Café.
"Yeah?"
"You know I was just kidding bout that whole using you thing?" Paloma looked up into his smiling eyes.
"Just like I was just playing around with the whole 'you-wish-is-my-command- thing'." Fox laughed.
"Aw," Paloma pouted, "I was kinda hoping that part would be true."
"In your dreams, Little Lo." Fox laughed as they stepped out into the snow and made their way down the street, "In your dreams."
************************************************************************
*A/N* SORRY this took so long to post. Hope you guys like it! Feedback please and suggestions would be great! =) Thanks!!