Healing Old Wounds

Chapter Three: Explicaciones

Marianna paled, "Javier she thinks you and I… God I should have known better than to… Look I'll go explain to her what's wrong just wait here a moment."

"No Maria, I'll go," Javier said as he pushed open the door, "You need to get dressed for your first night back. I'm dragging you to La Rosa Negra, we can leave Ramon with Mother."

Maria nodded at Javier and gave him one last hug, "Go get her!"

Javier nodded and then turned to go into Katie's room, "Oh and Maria? Carlos will be there."

Maria paled slightly then smiled, "Just go do what you have to do Javier, never mind me and my lovesick foolishness, it's been eight years."

Javier smiled softly, "Not too long… not too long."

Smiling to herself Maria walked slowly down the hall to her old bedroom where she'd put all her suitcases, "It is so great to be home…" Then opening one of the old boxes she looked through her mother's old clothes for something to where to La Rosa Negra


"Katie?" Javier whispered as he entered the dark room.

Katie looked up, her eyes red from crying, "What is it Javier?"

"We need to talk," He sat down next to her, "About what happened downstairs."

"You don't need to say anything Javier," Katie shook her head, "I understand. You love her and she loves you, that's enough. She said you two had parted on bad terms, I'm glad you're happy again."

Javier laughed, his side ached and he had to hold it, "Me and Maria?" He shook his head, "Didn't you hear what I called her today?"

"Hermana más joven?" Katie shrugged, but she was feeling better because of his reaction. Her cheeks flushed pink, "I thought it was an endearment of some kind."

"It was," Javier grinned, "It means 'younger sister' it's also what I call Chabe sometimes."

"But… I don't understand," Katie couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, "I thought that the two of you…"

Javier shook his head, "No Katie, I don't love anyone but you."

She smiled, "Then why did she say she loved you?"

"And here I thought you were learning more Spanish," Javier chuckled, "Must have been Maria who was teaching Ramon. She didn't say she loved me. She said she loved him."

"What?"

"She said," He fluttered his lashes and dropped his shirt like that day those years ago when he was impersonating a girl, "'I love him Javier, but does he love me?'"

Katie laughed so hard she was crying again, "God I feel so stupid!"

"Just try to learn more Spanish ok?" Javier winked, "Or ask Ramon to translate hey?"

"So who was this him?" Katie raised a brow

"Well as you know she left on bad terms with my family," Javier said slowly and Katie gestured for him to continue, "She and… well the him was Carlos."

Katie's jaw dropped open in disbelief, "What?"

Javier nodded, "Yes."

Katie laughed, a happy joyous sound, then she leaned into Javier's embrace and kissed him softly, "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, we should have spoken in English in case you came back," Javier shrugged, "It was just a misunderstanding."

Katie nodded, "So would you like to do something tonight?"

"Actually I'm busy."

Katie's face fell, "Working?"

"No," He smiled, "Taking you and Maria to La Rosa Negra."

Katie winked, "Let's see if you still have it hey?"

Javier just smiled, then he stood and lifted Ramon into his arms, "I'm going to take Ramon to my mother's, she'll watch him while we're out. I'll also make sure to drag Carlos with me when we go. We'll meet you there tonight ok?"

"Ok, we'll be there," Katie smiled at her son, "Ramon sweetie, Daddy is going to take you to Grandma's house now ok?"

"Gramma house in Cuba?" Ramon asked softly, "No Sent Loo-ee?"

"No Ramon love, Daddy's taking you to Grandma Suarez's house so you can meet your Aunty Chabe and Uncle Carlos," She kissed him, "You can practice your Spanish ok?"

"Ok Mommy," Ramon whispered slipping quickly into sleep again, his thumb drifting up to his lips.
"He looks so much like you Javier," She smiled softly kissing him, "He's all that kept me sane in America."

"He does no?" Javier grinned, "But he has your nose."

Katie's hand shot up to touch her nose and shelaughed, "Get out of here!"

Laughing as he left the room, Katie turned her attention to what she would wear.


Marianna knocked softly on Katie's door, "Katie…?"

She waited apprehensively for a moment, afraid Katie would still be angry, "Katie are you in there?"

"Yes one minute!" Katie called back, she realized why Marianna wasn't bursting in as usual and flushed. She swallowed hard and tried to push back the guilt she was feeling as she opened the door.

"Ummm…" Marianna said quietly, "I…"

Katie wrapped her arms around Marianna in a tight hug, "I'm so sorry Maria, I totally misunderstood what was going on. I'm so stupid, do you forgive me?"

Marianna grinned, "Of course! So… there are showers down the hall and I have clothes you can borrow if you need something to wear…"

"Showers?" Katie's mouth split into a huge grin, "God bless you Maria!" And then she was off down the hall shutting the door loudly behind her.

Maria laughed to herself and called down the hall, "Don't use all the hot water Katie or I'll skin you alive!"


(so whatcha think?)