"I have you for two weeks...." Javier had whispered into her ear as they walked back to La Rosa Negra.
Katey turned to him and gave a faint smile that faded quickly, "only two weeks..." Katey sighed, "And then what?" she bit her tongue for bringing up the matter again.
Javier looked away from her, down the street, keeping his eyes focused on some distant point.
"And then....we will see..."
Katey squeezed his hand, and looked down at the pavement, "no matter what, Javier...after two weeks, I will have to go back to America."
He gave a distinct nod, "but maybe you and Rosa will return" he stole a quick glance at Katey's face, "and stay, forever"
Katey shrugged, "or perhaps you will be on that plane with me...."
Javier looked ahead of him again, "perhaps" he said flatly.
Katey's heart sank.
They reached La Rosa Negra, which had quieted down since this morning.
Only Iago stood behind the bar, placing bottles on the shelves and one waitress lethargically wiped down the tables.
"Do you have a lot of work to do?" Katey asked as she and Javier stood in the doorway.
As she spoke, the waitress's head shot up and her dark round eyes landed on Javier. She was a good-looking Cuban girl, with signature olive skin and flowing raven hair, tied back at the moment in a loose bun.
"Si..." Javier began, the thought causing his brow to furrow. "But do not worry... I can..."
Katey raised a hand, "no, it's ok. You do what you have to do, and I'll try not to get in the way"
Javier gave a soft smile, "I will try not to be too long" he said, reaching for her hand, "I have a lot of questions to ask you..."
Katey gave a slight nod, and leaned in to kiss him softly.
"Ahem!"
Katey pulled back before their lips had a chance to meet.
The young waitress was staring at them, hands on hips, her head slightly cocked to one side.
"Usted me introducirá?" she snapped.
Katey cleared her throat, "mi nombre es...." She began.
"I speak English" the waitress spat, taking a few steps closer to Katey and Javier.
"Oh... well, my name is Katey. And you are...?"
Before the girl had a chance to answer, Javier gripped Katey's hand a little tighter, "Adela, this is Katey...Katey this is Adela"
"Nice to-"Katey began, but Javier tugged her along before she could get the last word out.
"Iago!" Javier called out.
The bar-tender turned, and smiled when he saw Katey.
"Mr. Suarez" he nodded at Javier, wiping the smile from his face.
"Iago this is..."Javier began, but Katey interrupted him; "We've actually already met, this morning".
Javier looked from Iago to Katey and back again, "oh" he said, clearing his throat again. "Tengo que pasar algunas cuentas. El wil I solamente sea una hora o así pues, puede usted entretener por favor Katey mientras que im que trabaja?"
He spoke quickly to Iago who nodded and eyed Katey, wondering if she understood what he had just said, but he needn't worry.
Katey understood; Javier had a few bills to go over, and he asked Iago to entertain her for an hour or so.
"I promise I will only be an hour, ok?" Javier said, turning to Katey and kissing her affectionately.
Katey sat on one of the bar stools and watched Javier duck behind a door towards the far-end of the room.
Iago went about polishing drinking glasses and stacking bottles of alcohol underneath the bar. He looked up for a moment, passed Katey, and let out a huffy sigh.
"Never mind her" he said.
"Who?" Katey asked, and as she turned around, she saw Adela duck her head down quickly and busy herself with a cloth.
Iago gave a quick chuckle, "she is just a silly school girl with a silly school girl crush..."
Katey raised an eyebrow for a moment, "Javier?" she asked, and Iago nodded, smiling.
"You should see her when Mr. Suarez does a spin around the dance floor..." he sighed as he polished another glass, "always hoping he'll pick her out and dance with her...."
Katey turned around, spying a quick glance at the pretty young girl- though she wouldn't admit it; Katey felt a pang of jealousy.
"She's very beautiful..." Katey whispered, turning back to Iago, who shrugged.
"She is a pain in my neck!" he huffed, "walking around with those dog eyes..."
Katey's own eyes widened at this cruel remark, and then she realized his mistake. "Puppy-dog eyes?" she offered, and Iago huffed again "Si, si...puppy-dog eyes....she is such a lazy worker..." he continued muttering, more to himself than to Katey.
When Katey turned around again she saw Adela wandering idly out the door, apparently finding something more interesting to do outside rather than wiping down the tables.
She turned back to Iago, who was still muttering away.
"She can't pour drinks...I don't know why we keep her on anymore...."
"Does Javier have many pretty young girls chasing after him?" she asked, raising an eyebrow mischievously.
Iago stopped mid-sentence and looked up at Katey with his large hazel eyes.
"Mr. Suarez?" he scoffed and Katey nodded.
Iago shook his head, "No, sorry Señorita, I cannot talk to you about that...."
Katey's brow creased, "Is it that scandalous?" she asked, a worried quiver entering her tone.
Iago looked at her for a moment, noting the obvious concern in her eyes. He let a small smile creep across his face as he shook his head again. "No...it is not what you think..." he said, picking up another glass to polish, "...but I cannot talk about my boss this way..." he finished.
Katey gave another mischievous smile as she watched Iago, "So..." she started, "...he does have lots of women fawning over him?"
Iago's head shot up, "Perdón?....I never said that...."
"A new women every week?" Katey continued nonchalantly.
Iago spluttered, "Wait a second....I never told you that..."
"I'm just coming to my own assumptions..." Katey sighed.
"I have never seen Mr. Suarez with a lady in the two years I have been working here, least of all every week!" Iago suddenly blurted.
Iago opened his mouth, about to say more, when Katey flashed him an easy smile.
"Never?" she inquired.
Iago shook his head, "No, no...I have said too much..."
Katey didn't say anything, she simply continued to smile her dazzling smile, which Iago couldn't help but gaze at from the corner of his eye.
"Never seen him with a lady?" Katey said again.
Iago slowly shook his head, "not until you arrived...."
Katey felt a tinge of excitement ripple through her body.
"...He sometimes flirts with the customers..." Iago shrugged, "but that is only business and it is usually the old fat ladies who are regulars, the ones that come in on Bingo night..."
Katey let out a breathy laugh. "That's nice to know..." she whispered, more to herself.
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That night, while inside La Rosa Negra a room full of bodies twisted, turned, gyrated, dipped and swayed to the booming music, Javier and Katey sat together in a specially arranged table outside.
They both gleamed with sweat underneath the moonlight, and panted softly.
"I missed dancing...." Katey sighed whimsically.
Javier smiled as he watched her eyes close as she listened to the beat of the music coming from inside, her hands gently tapping on her knees in time with the playing drums.
"Do you want to go back inside...?" He asked.
Katey gently shook her head as she opened her eyes and slowly stood, and held out her hand to Javier who took it and stood too.
She stepped into him as he raised his hand with hers and placed his other hand in the small of her back; slowly they swayed to the music.
"I missed dancing with you..." Katey breathed as she leaned her head against his chest.
Javier breathed in Katey's scent; a mixture of her sweet sweat and vanilla perfume. Beautiful.
"What is she like....?" Javier whispered.
Still swaying with him, Katey lifted her head up to look into his eyes.
"Rosa" he said simply, "What is she like?"
"She's..." Katey searched for words. But, where to begin? There were a million and one things she could tell Javier about how wonderful his daughter was....
"What sort of things does she like to do...?" Javier urged.
Katey bit her bottom lip for a moment, and then smiled to herself, "She loves to read"
Javier smiled too.
"She just loves to hear and read stories...all kinds of stories...."
"What is her favorite?" Javier asked softly.
"Cinderella..." Katey replied, "....Cinderella is her favorite" Katey let out a small laugh, "Because she says that Cinderella and the Prince fell in love after dancing in each other's arms...with just one dance, they knew that they were meant to be together forever...."
Javier chuckled aswell, and then he fell silent.
"Javier?" Katey whispered.
"These are things a father should know...." He said softly.
Katey leaned into him again, resting her head against his chest.
"I have missed so much" he added.
Katey opened her mouth, about to say something, when the entrance doors to the club swung open and Iago stood before them.
Katey and Javier both spun around.
"Cuál es él?" Javier asked.
"Two police just came in..." Iago blurted.
Katey felt Javier's grip on her tighten. "What are they doing?" he asked.
"I am not sure; they just walked in and took a seat at the bar!"
"Javier-" Katey tried, but he turned to her and she silenced herself.
"Iago, take Katey upstairs!" he barked, gently pushing her towards Iago.
"Take her up through the back door!" he added, as Iago took her hand and pulled her along.
Iago and Katey went through the kitchen at the back of the club, and from there he took her to a side door which opened to a staircase, which lead to the balcony in the upstairs apartment.
When they finally got into Javier's apartment, Katey had broken out in a cold sweat, and was letting out shallow breaths.
Iago ducked into the bathroom and came back with a glass of water, handing it to her. "Here" he said, and motioned for her to sit on the bed as she drank with shaking hands.
"What are they doing here...?" Katey asked in a quivering whisper.
Iago shrugged, "I do not know...but it is better to be safe than sorry".
His tone was deliberately calm, but Katey noticed his wild eyes as he looked down the hall to the locked door.
"What would happen if they found me?" Katey asked, steadily.
Iago turned to her then, laying his eyes on her, "Do not try and think about it..." he muttered.
"I've walked around freely in the streets with no bother...what is the worst that could happen?"
Iago let out a small sigh. "We do not normally have police come into the club; Mr. Suarez pays them to stay away, so it is strange that they are here now...."
Katey's eyes widened. "You think somebody has told them that I am here?"
Iago said nothing, merely glanced at her over his shoulder. That was enough.
"But I was walking the streets of Havana this morning.... Anyone could have seen me..." she spluttered.
"You can never be too careful...." Iago said again, and Katey fell silent as the door handle in the hallway began to rattle.
Katey quickly sucked in some air and Iago raised his hand for silence as he stood, watching the door handle slowly turn.
"Quién es él?" Iago shouted out.
No answer.
"Quién es él?" he shouted again. Who is it?
Still no answer as the door slowly creaked open.
Katey couldn't bear it. She quickly stood and went to stand with Iago, watching as the door opened, and Javier stood before them.
Katey let out a hefty sigh.
"You had better get back to work..." Javier eyed Iago, and motioned to the door.
Iago turned to Katey, gripping her shoulder and squeezing it, "See? No problem Señorita!" he winked, and walked to the door, closing it behind him as he left.
Katey let out another sigh as she slumped onto the bed, leaning forward and holding her head in her hands.
"They were just hoping to flash their badges and get a free drink..." Javier explained, leaning against the door frame.
Katey didn't look up, but concentrated on letting out even, smooth breaths.
"Lousy cops...." Javier muttered, watching as Katey gently ran her fingers through her tousled hair.
"I am sorry to frighten you.... But I couldn't be sure..." he started.
Katey gave a slight nod, without looking up.
"I wouldn't let anything happen to you..." he whispered.
Now, Katey slowly raised her head, and let her watering eyes connect with Javier's.
"I know...but how can you promise?" she asked, her voice betraying her and cracking as tears began to fall.
Javier stepped into the room, taking a seat beside Katey on the bed. He reached out for her hand, squeezing it; "I wouldn't let anything hurt you...." He started again.
"Javier, this place is still dangerous... how could you promise safety for me..." she drew in a quick breath, "for Rosa, if we decided to stay?"
"Things are getting better here...." He started.
Katey shook her head, "Javier, you once told me that you had to believe that things would get better...."
She reached for his other hand, and clutched it tightly as she stared furiously into his eyes, "This isn't really the Cuba you wished for, is it?" she let out a quick breath, "this isn't the Cuba you and you're father believed in, is it?"
Javier pulled his hands away, and stood, "Maybe not...but it is still my home..."
Katey opened her mouth to say more, "can we please stop talking about this?" Javier suddenly snapped.
"We will eventually have to decide, Javier...sooner or later, I will be leaving...with or without you is your decision..."
He turned to her, "but please don't ask me to make it now, I do not want to spend the rest of my time with you thinking of how this may very well be the last time I see you...."
Had he already made up his mind? Deep down, Katey knew that he had.
She slowly nodded, "Alright, I won't mention another word about it...."
"Thank you"
He reached out and took her hand, "Let's just dance tonight, and forget?"
Katey took his hand and stood, forcing a smile across her lips. But inside Katey wanted to cry; she knew that Javier had already made his decision.... And he hadn't chosen her.
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