All the familiar characters belong to J.E. However the story line and original characters are mine. I don't own them and I'm not making any money from them, I'm just playing with them for a little bit.
Authors Note:
Thank you all for your reviews, comments, favorites and follows and your continued support. You really have no idea how much I really do appreciate it. It means the world to me.
Thank you also for hanging in there with me, I don't really have any good reasons other than RL going on. I'm hoping to start updating semi regularly now that things are somewhat settled for me.Sorry this isn't as long as my normal ones but I wanted to get it out to you and it seemed like a good place to stop the chapter.
Again thanks for all your support.
Spanish conversations are italicized.
On The Jimenez Island
A Little Over a month after Estefania and Osvaldo Disappeared:
Estefania was sitting on the beach with her legs pulled up into her staring out at the water lost in her own thoughts, so much so that she didn't notice that someone was yelling her name or when they sat down next to her mimicking her position.
After he sat down Osvaldo gently nudged his shoulder against hers and asked "My princess, what's weighing so heavy on your mind?"
She jumped a little getting startled out of her thoughts. She turned her head to look at him and smiled. Then she leaned her head against his shoulder, sighed and replied "Just thinking about home."
He wrapped his arm around her pulling her side so she was a little close to him and kissed the top of her head.
He said "I've been thinking about that too. Estefania, I believe, it's finally time that you and I had that discussion about what's been going on."
She said sadly "Do we really have to?"
He replied "Yes, I decided when we first got here not to pressure you and let you come to me, but you haven't so far and if I know you, you've been trying to avoid it. Now we are getting closer to the point where we will be able to go home and I need you to tell me what's been going on."
She sighed but before she could say anything, he continued "I've heard some stories from both Tomas and Franco concerning your relationship with Diego and it has me worried. Now I need for you to tell me the truth about what's really going on."
She let out a small nervous laugh and said "You know if it wasn't for the fact that I know they are concerned and that's why they said something I'd call them both nosy bodies and yell at them. Sometimes they can really be pains in the butt."
She paused to see if he would say something about her calling them nosy bodies and pains but he just sat there and waited for her to continue, so she sighed and said "First I'm going to start out and say I'm pretty sure I know what they told you and why it bothered so much. I'm sorry they made you worry and I know that you're hurt that I didn't tell you anything but if I'm being totally honest they don't know everything that's been going on either. I know it's time for me to tell you truth about it all, so I'm going to tell you everything."
He nodded his head and quietly said "Thank you."
She left her head sitting on his shoulder and said "Just remember that everything I tell you at this point may not even matter because I'm not sure if things will be the same after we get home. Before you say anything I know I wasn't supposed to talk to anyone after I left the University but Izzy called me the night before we left to come here and I answered the phone."
She paused and raised her head to look at him while she waited for him to react. He finally looked down at her and angrily said "I told you not to answer your phone, in fact it should have been turned off. We've talked about how people can track us by our phones."
She moved her head down so she was looking at her lap and said "I know and I'm really sorry but I forgot to turn it off and when it rang and I saw that it was her I felt that I needed to answer it. Like something was going on and she had to tell me."
Understanding how she gets those feelings about things he just nodded his head and said "Continue."
She lifted her head back up and looked him in the eye and said "Izzy said she thought Diego was going to cheat on me that night. She said that my friend Carlos brought a date and she seemed real interested in me but then started cutting me down and then according to her after Carlos stood up for me Diego took a big interest in the girl. I told her that I was OK and that I didn't know if it mattered anymore."
She broke down and started to cry a little "I lied to her because it does hurt. Even with everything that's happened. I thought I was in love with him and I was willing to overlook some things, but with this it's like he betrayed me. How could he do that to me? I know that I've been hanging out with Carlos and that I know there are feelings for him that I'm trying to figure out, but I could have never done anything like he did to make it seem like I would cheat. I wouldn't ever do that to Diego no matter what's going on."
She calmed down some and continued "I know Diego cares about me in some way. We've known each other and have been together for far too long for him not to."
Osvaldo interrupted and said "I'm sure he does, my dear. Do you think Isabella was possibly mistaken?"
She shook her head and said "No, I know that she was telling the truth. Carlos was with her and she handed him the phone when he asked to talk to me. He told me the same thing and he apologized to me. He actually said that was the only reason he was glad that I wasn't there."
Osvaldo asked curiously "Why was Carlos with Isabella?"
Estefania thought about it, shrugged her shoulders and said "I'm not really sure, neither one said what was else was going on beside that girl with Diego. Although, I didn't ask either and then I told them that I couldn't talk and had to go. They could have still been at the club."
Then she took a deep breath and continued "Like I said what happened at the club hurts but it doesn't surprise me. I've been seeing changes in Diego the past couple of months. It's become more about the power that he thinks he's entitled to by being connected to me than anything else. People tell me that even when I'm not around he pretty much demands and expects the same treatment that I get. I've heard that he yells at those who don't give him what he wants and says that if he they don't give it to him that he's going to have you take care of them. I'm told that when he does that he usually gets what he wants because no one wants to cross you."
She hesitated for a second then continued "But that's not all of it. Things have also changed between us. When we're at home he constantly talks about us getting married and what it should be like and who should be invited. He talks about how both are families can't wait for it to happen and says over and over how we shouldn't make anyone wait anymore and how he wants to do it within the year. When I mention that I won't be done with school he says that doesn't matter because once we're married my job will to be to cater to him."
She gave a little laugh and said "Then he starts with how once we're married you are going to bring him into the business and take him under your wing. Since he'll be your son-in-law and family, you'll have him learn every aspect of it and completely involved in everything. He's fully expects that when you are ready to retire that you will automatically name him as your successor."
Osvaldo told her "I'm not sure if you are aware of this or not but he's been trying to talk me into letting him into mybusiness since he was like 10 and even IF the you of two get married I would never allow him to be a part of it, let alone leave it for him to run. You do know that right?"
She smiled and said "Yeah I know that but he doesn't. He can get delusional sometimes."
Then quietly added "Especially when he starts drinking too much, then he tries to take what he thinks he deserves or is entitled to."
Osvaldo didn't like how that sounded so he quickly turned Estefania's around so she was facing him and held her face in his hands so she had no choice but to look at him.
He growled and said "What do you mean by that Estefania?"
Understanding what he was asking she got very serious and she said "No Papi, he never took, you know, advantage of me in that way. At least it hadn't come to that yet, but he was starting to apply a lot of pressure to me wanting me to do that but I kept telling him that wasn't ready yet."
She gently moved his hands and then turned away from him and made him put his legs down and then climbed in his lap like she used to do when she was little. If she was going to tell him everything then she was going to need his strength surrounding her.
She took a deep breath and continued with what she was saying "Sometimes when we'd be in one of our rooms kissing and such, he'd try to take it further and I'd tell him that I didn't want to. He'd get mad at me and yell at me about how it was our right to be together like that. Then he'd say how I should be the proper wife to him and give him what he wants. When I would remind him that I wasn't his wife yet, he'd huff and say that it would only be a matter of time and that I should get use to obeying him now."
He pulled his arms tighter around her, not liking where this was going.
She let out a breath and continued by saying "The worse of it started happening when Carlos and I became friends. He didn't like that and a few times he got really drunk and pulled me into his room. He'd demand that we have sex. He'd say that if I wouldn't do it out of duty as his wife then it should because as your son-in-law it was his job to impregnate me so that he could provide you with a family heir. When I'd still say no is his temper mixed with the alcohol would get the best of him and he'd get really angry. Those were the times that I'd just agree with him and then tell him I had to go to the bathroom real quick. Once I left the room I'd run straight out of the house to Tomas and Franco's house and stay there until the morning. When I would go back home, he'd never remember what happened and I wouldn't dare say anything."
With anger in his voice said "Why didn't Tomas and Franco ever do or say anything about this?"
She turned around wrapped her arms around him and then kissed his cheek and said "They never knew because I never told them what happened. I'm sure they often wondered why I would just show up really late and stay the night there but they never asked why. They did always ask me if I was OK."
She knew that once they found out what was going on they would be mad at her for never telling them about it but them not knowing was better for everyone at the time.
He held her tighter and then kissed the top of her head and said "Oh my princess I'm sorry you had to go through that let alone do it by yourself. I wish you would have said something, we would have never allowed that kind of behavior to continue and I for one would have made sure that he would never have touched you or came near you again. You know that the boys are going to be furious when they find out."
She nodded her head and said "I know that Papi, but I didn't want anyone to know. I never even told Izzy and I normally tell her everything. One because he's her brother and even with what he did it was manageable for the most part and his outbursts weren't too often."
Then she turned around to look out to the ocean, she saw a dolphin jump and she gave a small smile and said "When Carlos and his cousin started coming around things and Diego saw them he would try to pull his macho act on them, but they weren't afraid of him like all the others so they didn't back down and I know that bothered him. He didn't like that Carlos and I became fast friends and liked hanging out together. Diego thought that Carlos was only out to break us up. He thought Carlos wanted to claim me as his, so he could to take his spot in your business that Diego always thought belonged to him."
Osvaldo took Estefania's hand and she turned her head to look at him and he asked "What do you think about Carlos and his cousin?"
Estefania sighed and said "Honestly, I don't know. I don't get a bad vibe from them and I feel that they both have good souls but I'm kind of scared of Carlos."
Osvaldo asked "Why are you scared, do you think he would hurt you?"
She laughed really loud and he smiled to see her lighten up a little.
Then she said "No, I'm not scared of him hurting me, I'm scared because like I said I feel things for him that I never felt for anyone else and I don't know how to handle it or where to go from here. I don't even know if he even would be interested in being with me or how I would even handle things with Diego to break up with him."
Osvaldo leaned down and kissed the top of his daughter's head and said "Don't you worry about Diego. I'll take care of him, but as far as Carlos goes you need to talk to him and honestly tell him how you feel."
She looked up at him and said "How will you take care of Diego?"
He quickly said "You were always a curious child that asked too many questions. Don't worry your beautiful head about it, OK?"
Knowing she wasn't going to get any answers she just nodded her head and she scooted off his lap and over to his side so they were back to their original positions when he first sat down beside her.
Then she turned to look at him and said "Papi I wasn't sure that I ever wanted to go home and that's really what I was thinking when you first sat down beside me but now I think I'm ready to go home now. I have a few people I need to talk. How soon do you think we'll be able to go home?"
He laughed at her and said "A little anxious my princess?" She nodded her head and he said "Hopefully it will be as soon as next week, but I'll know more after my call tomorrow morning. Now I think that it's time for us to head back into the house because you have a lot of explaining to do to two certain people and it's almost dinner time."
Understanding that he meant that she needed to talk to Tomas and Franco she just nodded her head.
Then Osvaldo stood up and reached his hand out to her to help her up which she immediately grabbed. Once she was standing she moved to him and gave him a big hug which he returned. After she stepped away from him she grabbed his hand again and they walked up the path towards the house.