Ricardo's luck varies through the weekend. He wins the first night, but loses the championship match. On Sunday, he competes against Carlito and loses, but each night's defeats or just plain aches and pains are eased when he returns to Mike's house to find Sofia waiting up for him with some food and a patient ear. Alberto is better, but still tires easily from the blood loss and shock of going through the glass window, so he's always in bed when Ricardo returns. Still shaken from witnessing his employer being so viciously handled by John, it's hard for Ricardo to be away from him so most nights, after he eats and drinks to Sofia's satisfaction, he trudges to the guest bedroom that Sofia had put Alberto in, kicking his shoes and jeans off before settling into bed next to Alberto.
The first night, he had only intended on watching him sleep for a few minutes, ensure that he was doing ok, but Alberto had stirred, rolled over and buried his face in Ricardo's chest, dropping a sleep-heavy arm around his waist and effectively holding him in place for the rest of the night. It had almost been funny at first, but it was as comforting to Ricardo as it seemed to be to Alberto so he had continued coming to visit him, Alberto reacting the same way every night. The third night, Alberto is awake and still seems inclined to be as close to Ricardo as is possible. Ricardo chuckles and strokes his hair, staring into the darkness. He wonders if this is what it was like for Memo and Alberto as children, growing up in Mexico and comforting each other through the hard times. "Did Sofia change your bandage?"
"Si, of course," he says groggily. "Did you win tonight?"
"Sadly, no," Ricardo murmurs, smiling when Alberto's arm tightens around him. "But I'm fine. Carlito is a good opponent."
Alberto nods, seeming relieved to hear that it's not eating at him like some losses do. He's not even that bothered by losing against the champion the night before. Yes, being a title holder would be amazing, of course, but his home is in Florida now and, as much as he loves California, it's not feasible for him to plan on being here more permanently. Thus he doubts that he would make a good champion. Sad but true. His title reign in Puerto Rico, short as it was, had worked out fine because he lived relatively close to it. "I still plan on going to compete in AAA's world cup," he muses, hissing out a vague laugh when Ricardo roughly pulls away, staring at him incredulously. "The doctor says I will be fine in time. Do not worry, mi hermano."
Huffing, Ricardo shakes his head. "If the roles were reversed, El Patron, you wouldn't let me out of your sight until you were confident I would be alright."
"Of course," he says quietly. "Because you are like a little brother to me, it is my job to take care of you. A role which I failed miserably at many times over."
Ricardo stews it over, thinking about his sister, how he may have handled having a brother of his own as a child. "But little brothers get to take care of older brothers sometimes, don't they?" he insists, lightly poking Alberto.
"Not often." But he's smiling, Ricardo can feel it against the crook of his arm as he settles back in to sleep. "Buenas noches, mi hermanito."
"Buenas noches, mi hermano mayor," Ricardo whispers back.
They fly back to California, the three of them, the next day. Alberto still gets minor headaches but he takes the flight well so Ricardo thinks perhaps he'll be ok this coming weekend after all, feeling content enough to go to the dojo for some training. It's tiring and, when he returns late that night, he's surprised to find Alberto sitting up for him, nodding with a sleepy smile as he pats the cushion next to him, inviting Ricardo to join him. "What are you still doing awake, El Patron?"
Alberto waits until he's settled in to push a plate of food and a soda, still chilled, towards him. Ricardo suspects that Sofia had kept the food warm, and the drink cool, until she heard his car, then gave up and went to bed, leaving the meal with Alberto to see through. Getting Alberto to rest and take care of himself elsewhere is easy enough. To do so at his own home, however, is near impossible as he refuses to make himself seem weak around his staff. Ricardo's just glad to see him sitting down with the TV remote in hand. "Sofia and I DVR'd Raw with you, there are some things that perhaps will interest you," he says, pressing a few buttons to activate the DVR screen and bring up the show. Alberto never watches Raw so this truly has Ricardo's attention.
He thinks he knows, however, when the match Alberto stops on is a diva's match. Nikki vs Naomi with Tamina at ringside. Brie's nowhere to be seen, which Ricardo is curious about, but it doesn't matter as Paige runs down and sends Tamina and Naomi scattering. But instead of helping Nikki, she attacks her and leaves her laying before posing with the Divas title. Ricardo coughs, glad to see his girlfriend back where she belongs, healthy and looking incredible, but still... what a return. He and Alberto exchange glances while he picks at the turkey poking out of his sandwich. "Well. Gracias for recording it for me, El Patron," he says, taking a bite and chewing it thoughtfully. Alberto watches him, clearly wondering what he's thinking about, and finally Ricardo puts his plate down and turns to him. "I'm not sure what she's doing, but I hope she has some idea," he says quietly.
"She'll be fine," Alberto says. "She's strong and independent... everything'll work out, I'm sure."
Ricardo nods, his eyes darkening as he thinks once more about her plans for Total Divas. "Si, I suppose they will."
He's busy training more on Tuesday and Wednesday and Alberto leaves for Mexico on Thursday to meet up with his team, begin to stategize for the World Cup. Which, in the end, Ricardo is almost happy for. Paige's latest promo leaves him a little uncomfortable with insults towards Tamina, comparing her to a man, and he could only imagine the mortification of having to shrug it off in front of Alberto or Sofia. As soon as Naomi and Tamina start to double team her, he feels nervous, especially considering she hasn't been back that long and her injuries are fresh on his mind, how weak and pale she'd been before leaving for Vancouver. How hard it had been to let her go. But then Nikki comes out and helps beat Naomi and Tamina off, just to rack attack Paige.
He winces, understanding that she deserves it on some level after Monday, but the way her body had twisted for the move... He gives her some time, waiting until Smackdown ends to actually call her.
"Hullo love," she says tiredly.
"Hola, mi fuerza," he murmurs. "Are you ok?"
"I think so. That didn't feel great, but the trainer doesn't believe anything was broken or reinjured."
He releases a breath, immediately put at ease. "That's great, I'm glad." She won't be home this weekend, needing to go handle another Wizard World event, and then having to go out for Raw, and he's reluctant to spend more time away from her, considering what's looming when Total Divas begins airing again in July, but it allows him to focus on the Florida K-Cup and his own training, in an attempt to have an even better chance at winning the thing. He wants to say something about her promo from earlier, a voice in the back of his mind wondering what AJ thought of the defamatory things Paige had said about Tamina, but ultimately let's it go. "I miss you."
"I miss you too, love," she murmurs. "I'll be home after Raw, I promise, and we can make up for lost time then."
He smiles. "Looking forward to it." And, despite everything that's been going on lately, he is, the need to see her, hold her and kiss her a steady itch under his skin that he can't quite reach.