A/N: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. They're very flattering and encouraging! By the way, although I've taken Spanish classes, I am by no means fluent, so please correct me if my Spanish is wrong. Also, does anyone know which keys to push for Spanish accents and whatnot?

Chapter 5: Unexpected Encounters

Maria was surprised when she looked over to see a strange man standing at the door to her mama's office. Something about him was really familiar and it was really bugging her that she couldn't figure out why. She walked over to him, intending to get a good look at him, when he suddenly backed up into her and turned around in surprise. He looked down at her strangely, almost as if he was scared of her. She was unaware, however, as she stared up at him with her brow crinkled in confusion and her little, pink tongue poking out in concentration. Finally it dawned on her as her brown eyes got wider and wider with realization and excitement. This man was the same man that her mama had been dancing with on that film of her back in Cuba! The very same film that she had been watching since she was three years old! This man was her daddy!

Javier looked down on the little girl with apprehension. After what he had just heard he was not prepared to meet and talk to Katey's daughter; especially a daughter that Katey had with another man. He couldn't help but find her adorable though, as she stared up at him with such a look of concentration; almost as if she was trying to remember something that was just out of her mind's reach. Her eyes got bigger and bigger as a smile began to spread over her face. It was his brow now that furrowed in confusion, as it seemed as if she had just had a revelation.

"I'm sorry, I was not paying attention." He apologized for bumping into her, although it didn't look like she was all that concerned about it at the moment.

"I know you," she said suddenly, catching him completely off guard. He knelt down to her eye level before replying.

"You do?"

"You're Javier. Mama's been showing me a film strip of you and her in Cuba since I was three years old." She told her daughter about us? Why? As if she had read his mind, Maria continued.

"She says that you are my daddy. She also says that bad things are happening in Cuba and that the Cubans don't like us very much right now and that's why we couldn't live down there with you. She talks about you and Cuba a lot, and usually when she's done she goes into her room and sits by herself. I never know what she does in there." Maria gave a tiny shrug before continuing.

"She made me learn Spanish. Wanna see?" Javier was too stunned to do anything but nod numbly.

"Ella me enseno espanol. She taught me Spanish. She always said 'Maria, it is important that you know a little about your father's culture. It is where you come from' or something like that," she said, mimicking Katey quite well. This little girl is my daughter. She is mine and Katey's daughter. She has my eyes, and Katey's smile. All the while Maria was talking Javier was attempting to process this new, unexpected, information. At first he couldn't believe it; he wouldn't allow himself to believe it. Then, as she was talking, he saw things about her. She had his eyes and she obviously loved music and dance as much as he did from what he could tell from seeing her earlier by the record player. And Katey had taught her Spanish. Katey had not let her grow up without knowing about me. That perhaps is what meant the most to Javier. That, knowing there was a good chance Maria would never know Javier, Katey had taken the time to make sure that Maria was at least aware of Javier and his culture, which was her culture as well. It all of a sudden just registered in his head. Sure, he definitely needed to talk to Katey, but right now he wanted to talk to his daughter and get to know her. He sat down in front of her and motioned for her to join him.

"So, your name is Maria right? That is a pretty name. Que bonita!" She smiled, all of a sudden shy, at such a compliment.

"So when's your birthday Maria?"

"September 1, 1959" was her quiet reply. Exactly nine months later, he thought. He couldn't help but think back to the night when she was conceived. It was one of the happiest and most peaceful nights of his life, even though they didn't win the competition. He still remembered it so vividly. It was the night Batista had fled the country. That night Javier and so many other Cubans like him had so much hope that with Castro in charge things would get better. He was so happy and relieved and he got celebrate by spending the night with the woman he loved. It had not even occurred to him until after that night that Castro coming into power would mean Katey had to leave. He was brought out of his thoughts rather abruptly as Maria asked him another question.

"So are you going to stay here with Mama and me? Are you going to be my daddy?" He wanted to say yes, he really did, but the truth was that he really needed to speak with Katey. He didn't want to make a promise to Maria that he couldn't keep. He still had to get a job somewhere and save up enough money to send for his mother, Carlos, and Rafael. He was saved from having to reply, however, as he heard a voice call from inside the room behind him.

"Mija, your Aunt Susie is on the phone, why don't you come and say hello!" He looked at Maria in surprise when he heard Katey's voice. He had almost forgotten that she was just inside that back room, so close to where he was. Maria wasn't paying her any attention though. She was still looking at him, obviously wanting an answer to her question before she left him.

"Maria, did you not hear me? I said your Aunt Susie is on the ph-"Katey stopped talking suddenly, and Javier turned around to see her standing in the doorway to the back room staring down at him in shock.