"Katey, I love you so much…. I, I can't believe that we are together again. I have dreamed about this for so long"
"I love you too Javier, but you won't leave Cuba. You love Cuba more then you love me….. " Katey is starting to sob and Javier tries to comfort her, but she pushes him away. Javier feels a pang of guilt and sadness in his heart for causing the love of his life so much pain. He wants to stop her pain, he wants to so much. But he must stay in Cuba, that doesn't mean he loves Cuba more then he loves Katey. Javier had to make her understand….
"Katey… no that's not it, I—" Javier tried to talk to Katey but his voice couldn't be heard over her loud and painful cry of desperation. She let out a cry that never seemed to stop, Javier wanted her to stop; he didn't want to be away from her anymore. The cry dragged on and on for what seemed like a lifetime… but still it kept on going. Javier tried to talk to Katey but the cry just became louder and louder until…..
Just then Javier sat bolt upright while drenched in a cold sweat of a magnitude that he had never had before. He was still shaken by the vividness of the dream, of how beautiful Katey looked in it… and how she screamed out in pain for so long. Javier winced at the thought of Katey in pain, even though it was only a dream. He wanted to be with Katey right now, to hold her once more, but she had already left Cuba. She had already gone out of his life just four days ago, even though it seemed like an eternity knowing that she wouldn't be back anytime soon. Javier wanted to believe that he would see her again someday, but what were the real chances of that? She would probably go on in life without him and become something great and fulfill her dreams. Katey would forget about him and marry a good man who could give her what she needs. Javier had a hard time accepting this last thought, he had never wanted Katey to be held by any other man but him. But circumstances being what they are, Javier had no choice; he had to let Katey go.
Javier got up from the floor where he slept and got dressed in his usual ensemble. As he headed downstairs he noticed no one was up yet and Javier concluded that it must be before 4 in the mourning. He was relieved that no one was awake yet because it gave him time to think about Katey. That was all he did now that she was gone, he just thought about her and how spectacular their reunion will be when it finally happens. He loved thinking about her pale creamy skin and her gorgeous blonde locks. There wasn't a woman in Cuba that looked half as beautiful as Katey did; there also wasn't a woman in Cuba that had gorgeous blonde hair either. Javier smiled at this, he knew he was selfish when he asked Katey to stay here in Cuba where she would be hated and in constant danger. Javier liked to think about Katey, but hated to think about his final goodbye to her, but somehow, that was always the memory that popped in his head. And it was doing so yet again……
"We only have 10 minutes to say goodbye Javier, I don't know how to do this." Katey looked into Javier's eyes and it was plain that she was silently begging him to come with. He was fighting his every urge to do just that. He wanted to go with Katey more than she ever knew, but he could not abandon his family, especially after what his brother told him.
Javier tenderly stroked Katey's cheek and smiled at her as he saw a tear stroll down her face. "I told you there is no need to cry, we will see each other again." Javier was trying to sound casual and lighthearted but inside he was dying. He couldn't bear to have Katey leave when they were meant to be with each other for the rest of their lives. Katey's cries soon became full out uncontrollable sobs so quickly and Javier gave up trying to be carefree as he pulled Katey's shaking body towards him. He held her in his arms and angled her head towards him so that her crying eyes met his as he said, "I will always wait for you Katey, I promise I will never be with anyone else in my life. I will wait forever if I have to; I would do anything for you." Katey gave Javier a weak smile and gave him such a look with her adoring eyes that gave Javier's heart such pain. He cupped Katey's face in his hands and stared into her eyes until he couldn't stand to see there pleas any longer. Katey's sobs weren't dying down and Javier needed them to stop, he hated to be the cause of Katey's heartache. He ran his hands through her hair over and over again and let his hands roam around her for one last time. He gave her tender quick kisses on her trembling lips.
"I will wait too…" Katey replied suddenly as Javier's lips left hers. She looked at him heartbroken and continued, "I couldn't imagine being with anyone else but you." Javier smiled at Katey and knew that with this promise, that was a guarantee that they would definitely see each other again. With this promise, they would always belong to each other.
"It is time to go Katey…" came Mrs. Miller's voice which seemed very distant and far off. These words made the pit of Javier's stomach feel like it was tied in a knot. It was time for Katey to leave, now. She was going to leave his life, right now. Javier couldn't understand this realization, he had known that Katey was leaving, but now it was official and really happening right in front of him. Katey started to turn away, but he grabbed her elbow and spinned her back around and pulled her so close to him, that Javier could feel Katey's uneven and labored breath. He couldn't let her leave without something to remember him by. He hungrily pushed his quivering lips to hers and they kissed lovingly for a beautiful moment. Javier could even feel Katey's body melting into his.
It was so perfect and so wonderful, but taken away so quickly when Katey pulled away and spoke with difficulty, "Oh Javier, don't make this harder." Javier started to see more tears streak down her face as she turned and quickly trotted up the stairs to the plane. Before she entered she turned back one last time, hoping, praying, that Javier would run to her and say that he would come with, but he did not do that. He was just standing there letting the tears fall freely down his face as he watched the hopeless Katey get in the plane and fly away.
Javier was crying yet again at this painful memory. He regretted his decision to stay so much, but he couldn't leave now. He had no choice but to stay and hope that some day he would be free and holding Katey in his arms. It killed him inside that he had the chance to be with Katey but decided that Cuba was more important. How could anything, let alone a place, be more important to him than she was, That damn dream my father had; I lost my whole world to that damn dream. Javier couldn't help having these bitter thoughts when things were so bleak for him.
After Katey's plane took off some of the Cuban guards had asked him why he was with the American people; with people that were enemies of the revolution. Javier had tried to explain to them who his father was and how he had worked for that family in a hotel and fell in love with their daughter, Katey, but they didn't listen. They kept on saying that he was against the revolution and that he was trying to stop it. Those guards kept on saying over and over again that Javier was an enemy and he had to be taken care of. He tried so hard to make them understand but they completely ignored him and insisted that he was a foe. They wouldn't listen to him and that is why he was here, being held hostage in a dingy and dirty old building. He knew that the guards couldn't be that stupid to not know who is father was and what his brother was doing for the revolution. There had to be something else that they weren't telling him; they wouldn't kidnap him for befriending an American. If they were so against it, they would have killed him already.
"Hey, you skinny traitor, what are you doing awake?" came the voice of one of the Guards.
"Couldn't sleep…." Javier said trying not to sound worried. He had seen what the guard had in his hand and he did not want it to be used on him.
The knife shined maliciously in the crack of light that came out of the boarded up window. Javier was staring at it now trying to convince himself that it would only be used to scare him, not kill him. The guard noticed Javier's stares at the weapon and he smiled viciously at him, "I see you notice my little tool in my hand….. and I bet your wondering why I have it….. and if I am going to hurt you or not." The guard looked into Javier's eyes to see if his accusations were correct and Javier guessed that his suspicions were confirmed by the gaze because the guard smiled nastily at him and continued, "and I am very happy to say that yes, I am going to have the pleasure of torturing you until you tell me what I need to know."
Javier was pissed off by this. If the god damn guards wanted information why didn't they just ask him privately instead of abducting him and keeping him there without food for 3 days? He would gladly tell them anything to get out of there and get to Katey. The one good thing about being kidnapped by those Cuban gaurds was that Javier finally realized that he needed to stop holding on to his father's dreams and that he had to be with Katey forever. "There is no need to torture me you fool; just ask me what you want to know and I will most definitely tell you if that means you will let me free."
The guard was slightly taken aback by Javier's confidence, but he quickly regained his composure and replied, "Very well, Javi, since you are so eager to cooperate, where is your brother?"
Javier was puzzled by this question, what did his brother have to do with anything? "Last time I checked he was at home"
"Not any more; It seems that your big brother isn't liking the way the revolution is going and he took it upon himself to try and change that. We need to find him and stop him. Now where is he?!?"
"Well seeing as you took me three days ago, I couldn't possibly know where he is now. He was safely at home playing with his son when I left to say goodbye to my girlfriend and that is the only place I could think of where he would be." Javier was getting agitated now. He couldn't believe that his brother was the reason why he was here. Javier knew his brother had spent so many years trying to make the revolution happen, and now that it did his brother was trying to stop it? What was worse was that Javier had no idea that his brother had problems with the revolution already, after not even a week of it taking into effect. He wouldn't be able to tell the guard anything, and that meant big trouble for himself. For some reason though, the guard seemed pleased with the information that Javier had given him because he was smiling. Javier didn't like the way that smile looked at all. "What are smiling about, I didn't even tell you anything?"
"He has a son."
"Well yeah he doe—" Javier stopped mid-sentence for he realized what the guard was thinking. "Don't you dare hurt Raphael, you bastard!"
"Oh don't worry, we don't like to hurt the children; it is never their fault that their parents are scum. We just like to educate them." The guard smiled cruelly at him; like he knew something Javier didn't.
"What are you going to do to him?" Javier swallowed hard. He would never forgive himself for helping these people harm his nephew. He was no better then the guards for doing this to his own family. He hated himself for putting Raphael in danger.
"I told you, we are going to educate him, that is all. Now, I still need a couple answers from you, but I am afraid I am going to have to use this knife for these questions." Javier was no longer scared of the knife; he knew that this was the way it had to be. He had to protect his family no matter what. If that meant death, then, shut up and take it, he told himself.
At that exact moment Katey was walking the streets of New York, her family's new home, in turmoil. She was heartbroken still, by Javier not coming with her, but she was trying to be brave and carry on. She kept telling herself that it was only a matter of time until they would be reunited, and that same idea was the only thing that kept Katey functioning from day to day.
She was walking to her new school; her family had left so suddenly that she still had a little bit of school to finish. Katey couldn't wait until she was done with high school, all she wanted was to get away and go to college. She was always alone in her new school and that was the way she wanted it to be. She only wanted Javier and no one else; she didn't need anyone else but him.
"Katey are you even listening to me?" asked Suzie who was surprisingly not yet annoyed by Katey's depression over losing Javier.
Finally acknowledging that Suzie was walking with her and talking to her Katey sheepishly replied, "Oh, I'm sorry, Suzie. I was just thinking that's all."
"Well I was just telling you that Carlos is right there, you know Javier's brother. I wonder what he is doing over here in America. Didn't you tell me that he was all for the revolution?" Suzie wondered aloud and then turned to Katey, only to find that she was no longer beside her. Katey was running towards Carlos; she had to know if Javier was here too, or if something was wrong. Carlos being here was crazy and not right; Katey had to find out what was going on.
"Carlos, what are you doing here?" Katey breathed as she stood in front of Carlos. She was a little out of breath from sprinting across the street, but she didn't have time to catch her breath, she wanted to know now. When Carlos looked up he did not look happy to see her at all. In fact, he looked kind of scared. He quickly grabbed Katey, looked around to see if anyone was watching and dragged her into the nearest building.
Katey was so confeused and she was about to open her mouth to say something when Carlos started to viciously whisper, "If anyone heard you, I swear I will kill you. Katey, you are such a stupid American now go away before someone sees us talking."
Katey was shocked and appalled at how Carlos was treating her. She knew that he had never approved of her, but to flat out insult and threaten her, this wasn't what she expected out of Carlos. "I can't believe you, I just came over to find out if there was something wrong or if Javier was here; you didn't have to drag me in here and threaten me."
"Well he is not here and it is none of your business if something is wrong." Carlos answered in an agitated voice as he then slipped into his native tongue. He was speaking so fast in Spanish and he was looking so shaken, that Katey thought it best not to anger Carlos any more. She started to walk away from him when he called back, "Wait, I am not done talking to you yet!"
"Sorry, Carlos, I am done being insulted." Katey said but regretted it right away. Carlos was being extremely rude, but he still was Javier's brother. She didn't want to be on bad terms with any of Javier's family members, but Carlos would have been on bad terms with her whether she was offensive to him or not. Katey continued walking and had her back turned towards him, and that is why she didn't see him running towards her with that wild glint in his eyes.
"Javier!!! Wake up my darling boy, please. Not you too, please God, not you too." Javier could hear distance sobs that seemed to be above him but try as he might he couldn't think of who it was. He wanted to open up his eyes and see the bawling person, but he just couldn't regain complete consciousness. Javier kept on trying to wake up because maybe, just maybe, that was Katey that was crying over him. He would be so happy if it was, then him and her could be together again. Oh how he missed her, everything about her too. He loved the way she laughed, danced, smiled, cried; he loved everything. He would give anything, to go to her and have his only love back in his life. Now Javier was seeing things fuzzily and they were slowly getting clearer. Even in the unclear vision, Javier discovered that it was not Katey who was crying over him, but his mother. Wait, his mother? Where was he and how did he get here? What happened? Suddenly a light bulb went off in Javier's mind, oh yeah… the Cuban Guards. Javier shuddered when he thought of what happened in that dark hopeless house. The way he could hear his own screams so evidently, it was deafening. He quickly pushed the memory of that out of his mind and opened his eyes fully.
He found that he was by the gate to his house and his mother had her arms around his torso. Javier looked at her and she screeched with happiness. "Ahh, Your alive my son! I thought I had lost you forever, oh thank you God." Javier was still a little dazed, why wouldn't he be alive? He looked down and saw the wounds he was endured from those guards, there were so many. "I must take you to the hospital, my child… you are all I have left, with everyone…..taken." And that was the last thing that Javier heard before he yet again lost consciousness.
"Raphael is gone, don't you understand?"
"Why?"
"Oh damn that Carlos!"
"Yes, I fear he has gone mad. The revolution didn't turn out as his father had planned."
"Well, tell me if you have any more news."
Javier was finally awake as he listened to his mother's disturbing phone call. Now Javier vividly remembered what had happened, he had told the guards about Raphael unintentionally and now Raphael was probably going to die because of his stupidity. This made Javier wish he really did lose his life in that lifeless house, but that would not have been any better of an outcome. "Hello mom" Javier said simply.
"Javier? Oh my! You're awake already?"
"Uh yeah, I guess…… um where is Carlos?"
Javier realized that his mother did not seem to be thrilled to hear of Carlos and that his mother was just as angry at him as Javier was. Carlos had betrayed his own beliefs as well as his father's. And he had almost got Javier murdered, which Javier kept on telling himself, was unintentional. Javier's mom pursed her lips as she replied shortly, "He ran off."
"Do you know where? Or what he was planning? The Guards that took me said that he "didn't like the way the revolution happening" and that he was taking it upon himself to change that. Did he ever hear him say something like this or hear a plan of any sort?" Javier stopped his questioning for a moment to take a breath and to not bombard his mother with so many inquiries.
"He never spoke of any plans; he only mentioned that this was not the revolution that your father dreamed of."
"Well the guards took me because they knew that he was planning something…. We have to find out what that is." Javier said more to himself then to his mother.
"Well he is hiding out in America right now, so that would be just impossible." Javier's mother said this so carelessly, like it was no big deal.
Javier quickly jumped up from the bed with wide eyes at his mother, only to fall down on the floor immediately. He needed to go to America and find Carlos to stop him. Maybe if he could stop Carlos, he could convince the guards to return Raphael. And while in America, he could always visit……
"Oh Javier, here I am getting you all excited. Ugh, just lay back down now. There is nothing you can do; I fear Carlos has gone insane." Javier was going to protest, but he knew that there was no way he could get up now to go and find Carlos, he had to wait until he was better.
"Carlos, what do you have to gain from keeping me here?" Katey sputtered anxiously.
"Oh everything, my dear, everything. You ruined my old plan so now I made a new one. You are going to help me create the perfect world for Cuba." Carlos happily stated with a twinkle in his eyes. Just then Katey realized that Javier's brother was insane; Carlos was an insane psycho that was probably going to kill her. The idea didn't frighten her as much as she would have thought it would. Katey had to talk some sense into him; she didn't have time to be scared. She had been scared enough when Carlos grabbed her from behind and tried to drag her upstairs. Then when he just clobbered her head with the gun, she had been knocked out. The thing that really alarmed Katey the most though, was that even though people saw what was going on, they did nothing. How could people just watch her be dragged around and knocked unconscious then do nothing? Carlos' voice penetrated Katey's thoughts before she came to an answer however. "You should be grateful to be apart of this, Katey. You are going to help make mine and Javier's family very happy because you are going to kill the new leader. He is bad, very bad. We need him to go away, you see."
"I am not going to kill anyone you mentally disturbed murderer! I want Cuba to be safe and perfect as much as you, but this is insanity, Carlos!" Katey needed to get through to Carlos, he was sounding more psychotic by the minute.
WHACK
Carlos had slapped Katey clear across the face, "Don't call me insane. I know what I am doing and yes it is insanity, but insanity is bliss."
Katey had no idea what in the hell Carlos was talking about but she dare not interrupt him. God, she prayed, please save me.
Javier tried to stay calm during his flight to America, but he had never left Cuba before and he was going all alone. It was the right thing to do though and he knew his mother should stay home to lower the suspicions of the guards, but he just wished it didn't have to be this way and that he didn't have to do this alone. He swallowed hard as the plane started to decline and head towards land. He was landing in Miami and was having a meeting with a "friend" of Carlos' and Javier hoped to find out where Carlos was and find out quickly.
The second the plane landed, Javier had pushed Katey fully out of his mind so that he could concentrate on the task he had ahead. He had to find Carlos. And that is exactly what Javier did. After meeting with Carlos' confidant, Javier found out that Carlos was in New York in a hotel building run completely by those who wanted to start a second revolution. He arrived in Miami so quickly, and was leaving it just as fast. Within a day, Javier was in New York and headed towards the hotel that he knew Carlos to be in. He never suspected however, that Katey was his hostage, and that Carlos' sanity had slipped away.
Carlos' knife was right at Katey's throat and he was muttering in Spanish, but even though Katey didn't understand Spanish, she knew that he was angry. He wanted to kill her, but for some reason he was keeping her alive. Why? What could he possibly have planned that could start a second revolution? She did not want to have to find out though. Katey kept on praying to God that Suzie was looking for her or that someone had called the police to help her. She knew that these were false hopes, but without them, Katey would be too scared to carry on. "Now gringa, my plan is that we are flying your pretty little self over to Cuba and into the same office as that damn dictator. And don't worry we will take lovely pictures of this visit. America will see that you have been kidnapped by the new Cuban government which is known for hating the U.S. and they will have no choice but to try and get you back."
Katey wrinkled her brow as she listened to Carlos' "plan" and it was the most idiotic plan she had ever heard of. There was so much that didn't make sense but she dared not utter a word to Carlos about it. He was sitting there with a knife at her throat and Katey wanted to keep her neck slit-free. Carlos must be seriously mentally ill if he thought that this would work. For one, if the Cuban government didn't really kidnap her, then they wouldn't hesitate to give her back to the U.S. government. And then the Americans wouldn't have to invade or fight to get her back and "cause a second revolution". Then, secondly, how did he intend that he just drop her off into the office of a powerful dictator? The place was said to be heavily guarded to say the least! But the fact that this plan was guaranteed to fail, was Katey's only hope. She had to make it sound like she was scared and thought that this crazy idea was actually going to work. "Can't you please get someone else, this can't work, I mean no one would start a revolution just because of me." Katey knew this wasn't convincing, but what was she supposed to say to a madman?
Carlos pressed his knife dangerously against Katey's pale skin, "You have so many doubts, when you should be the one who believes this will work the most. I am sorry Katey that you will have to be hurt in the process of making Cuba the perfect country, but it is for the greater good."
"I don't have to be hurt in order for this to work!" Katey cried desparately.
"Oh yes, it is the only way." Carlos exclaimed in a fiery tone. He had removed the knife for Katey's neck, only to place it right into her leg. Katey screamed, louder than what ever seemed possible. She was screaming more from emotion then pain, even though her wound was extremely agonizing. She screamed because she was scared that she was going to die, and by the hands of the brother of the man she loved. She screamed because she knew that she was going to have a huge part in helping this psycho, and that is the last thing she wanted. And she screamed because she was frightened that she would never be able to set eyes on Javier ever again. Carlos, however, didn't care why she was screaming, he just knew that it wasn't good for the new revolution and hit Katey harder then he had ever hit a woman before. Carlos picked up the knife again and waved it menacingly in front of Katey's face.
"If you don't be quite I will have no choice but to end your life and you know that I would hate that." He said with a mocking smile on his face. No, he would actually hate it if he couldn't end Katey's life. He was now pointing the knife at Katey's stomach and pushing, ever so slowly and softly. Katey winced as the knife started to cut through her flesh. This was pure torture to her and it would have been more bearable if Carlos would just quickly stab her instead of slowly sliding the knife into her body. Katey didn't notice that tears were starting to fall down her face from the pain until Carlos nastily told her, "Your crying, Katey. Does this hu—" Carlos never got to finish the word hurt because just then the door was busted open.
"LET HER GO CARLOS!" yelled an unforgettable voice. It was Javier, Katey knew it. He had come here to save her and be with her. All was right now, Katey was going to be freed and she was going to be with Javier no matter what.
"I am sorry brother but this is for the good of the second revolution."
"Damn the second revolution, I love her Carlos, what the hell is wrong with you?" Javier was shocked that this was really his brother kneeling in front of the tied up Katey and a bloody knife in hand.
"I thought you would help me, and go along with this, Javier!" yelled Carlos sounding hurt.
"Just give me Katey back and then I will be fine with this." Javier said cautiously and knowing that it was a lie. The most important thing was to make sure Katey was safe, then Javier could stop all of Carlos' notions about a "second revolution".
An evil smile came across Carlos' lips as he hissed, "No, you are going to try to stop me!" Then, what happened next happened so fast that Katey didn't even understand what happened until it was over. Carlos had quickly grabbed the knife and snatched it before Javier could dive for it and Carlos was right in front of Katey and he was going to stab her in the heart. But Javier would never, ever let that happen to Katey, not in a million years. Javier wrestled the knife from Carlos with difficulty and then there came a cry of pain. Katey didn't know who stabbed who, but someone had been pierced with the knife, yet neither of the brothers appeared to even have noticed because they were still fighting on the floor in front of Katey's eyes. Another yell of agony came from one of the men on the floor, but this time, they did not keep fighting. A pool of blood was surrounding Javier. Katey couldn't believe this, she wouldn't let herself believe that this was happening.
"No, Javier… please be okay, please don't die…. You should have let Carlos kill me" Tears were rolling down Katey's face uncontrollably now and she felt so numb now, she felt her life lose all its meaning.
"Don't cry, Katey, it is all for the good of Cuba." Carlos stuttered while holding his wound.
"Who cares about Cuba" Katey said, she was totally defeated. Today she realized that without Javier, she was nothing, only a miserable, lonely girl.
"WHO CARES ABOUT CUBA?!?!? You little……" Katey knew Carlos was going to hit her again, but Katey didn't care. She wanted to be hurt because if she hadn't of been stupid enough to call out to Carlos, Javier wouldn't be lying on the floor dead. Katey saw Carlos' arm raise up and she didn't know why this seemed all to be going in slow motion but it seemed like she was waiting forever for Carlos to hit her.
"How in the….?" Was all Katey heard as Javier grabbed Carlos' arm and twisted it with ease. The knife was quickly in Javier's hands and when Carlos reached for it, he was stabbed right in the chest. Katey couldn't believe that Javier was alive. He wasn't dead…….. he had saved her life. And because of her, he was forced to stab his own brother. Because of this, Katey couldn't help but cry even harder. She sobbed with so much emotion and passion that Javier was scared for her. He didn't want her to cry or to be hurt anymore. He was here now and he wanted to protect her. Now that Carlos was dead he went to Katey and held her in his ams so tightly yet tenderly. He never wanted to let her go again. He had almost lost Katey today, heck he almost lost himself, but he never wanted to have to lose her again. He stared into her crying eyes and cooed, "It's okay. We didn't lose each other today and that is all that matters." He ran is hands once again through Katey's hair and he let his lips graze her's. They looked into each others eyes and knew that they could never be apart again. There mouths gently fused together in a tender yet passionate kiss that made up for the short time they spent pining after each other. There tongues explored each others mouths with such fire that neither of them even noticed that they were hurt. When they finally pulled away for air, Javier helped Katey up and whispered in her ear, "I will sacrifice anything to be with you Katey. Our love is more important to me than a dream."
Katey smiled with such a look of happiness and they explored each others bodies like never before.