Chapter 2 - The Hurt in Silence
Javier proceeded Carlo into the kitchen a few minutes later. When his eyes landed on Katey he was unable to beat a hasty retreat thanks to his brother pushing him into the room. At a single look from his mother, Carlo sat down across from his baby sister, leaving the only open seat across from Katey. Javier stared at the chair as if it had offended him just by it's placement.
Without so much as a glance at the young woman at the table, Javier spoke in Spanish, "No thank you, mother, I'm not hungry tonight."
Before he could make two steps, his mother replied in kind, "Sit down, Javier." Her tone strong.
Like a good little Cuban boy, he listened to his mother, but that didn't mean he had to like it. What was Katey doing there? Peeking up at just her stomach, he saw what Carlo meant by his American not being far enough along for the child growing in her womb to be his. Six months had passed since their night on the beach, and not that he really knew much about pregnant women, but he thought she couldn't be more than two to three months along.
A bark of laughter boomed through his mind at his next thoughts. Oh yeah, this rich American girl is going to be demanding support from her poor Cuban ex-dance partner. This girl, woman, had grown up in high society while his own father was murdered by Batista's secret police. They should never have even met, their social and life statuses so different, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it.
Javier poked at his food as his nephew and little sister tried to engage everyone in some attempt at speaking, even child ramblings. Carlo speaking to his mother and grandfather. Only Javier and Katey sat in silence, too distracted by their own minds to pay attention or eat.
The evening was progressing awkwardly smooth until Carlo decided to address Katey for the first time since her arrival, "So Katey, what brings you back so soon?"
Her head snapped up as soon as Javier slammed his hands on the table and pushed his chair back. She followed his movements until he had stalked out of the room.
Setting aside her napkin, Katey turned towards Mrs. Suarez who was berating her oldest son, "It's alright, Mrs. Suarez, I should really be going. Yolanda will be here soon."
Angelica rose from her seat and pulled Katey into a tight hug, "You come back anytime you need." She rubbed Katey's belly, "and abuela will be here."
Kissing Mrs. Suarez's cheek, she made her way to the front of the house. Katey admired the decor as she walked quietly towards the front courtyard. As she grew nearer, the sounds of bickering and rapid fire Spanish were heard. Recognizing the voices of Yolanda, who must have come early to retrieve Katey, and Javier almost instantly. These were the moments where she wished she had taken Spanish instead of French because although her Spanish was improving, there was no way she could keep up their argument.
(POV - Javier)
Javier had been content to wander the streets of Havana lost in thought, but as soon as he left the gate of his home, he spotted Yolanda strolling down the road in his direction. He stopped just in the shadows and waited for her. She had been with Katey last night at La Rosa Negra, it must have been her idea for all of this.
Yolanda slowed her steps as she approached the gate and Javier knew he'd been seen. Grabbing her by the elbow, he dragged her into the shadow of the wall just like he had done to Katey that day in the garage right after he was fired for walking her home.
Yolanda yanked her elbow out of his grasp and spoke with a mock smile, "Hola to you, too, Javier." Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
Rolling his eyes, Javier took a deep breath before he started speaking, "What have you done, bringing her here?" He couldn't bring up the baby.
It was Yolanda's turn to roll her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest and spoke in a harsher tone, "What's the matter, Javier? I thought you might like to see your handiwork." She stared up at him in challenge.
Javier stared at her for a long moment before he scrubbed his hands over his face, wiping away the sweat from the humidity, sighing, "What are you talking about, Yolanda? Carlo said -"
The older woman cut him off with her hands on her hips, "I don't give a damn what Carlo said to you last night or any other time." She raised a hand to poke him in the chest, right over his heart, "You still love her, admit it."
Ever the young man, she denied it, "No, Yolanda, I don't. She left-"
Exasperated she shouted over his rambling, "Because she had to, you bastard!" Yolanda took a deep breath to calm her nerves, and if she wasn't still so angry, she would have laughed at the shocked look on Javier's face.
The silence seemed to stretch and she almost thought their interaction was over until he spoke again. Javier was already soft spoken so Yolanda had to strain slightly to hear, "But how? Why?" He was scrubbing his face with his hands again. A new nervous habit it seems.
Calming slightly Yolanda spoke, "I think you know how, Javier." She squeezed his upper arm and turned to enter the small courtyard only to see Kately standing just outside of the house with a look of betrayal and hurt.