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Hurricane Ch. 01

By: c8er2u



Authors note: This story was supposed to just be a one hitter quitter, but it ended up being a bit more than that! It was just one of those stories that would not leave me alone until I wrote it all down. so here it is! Let me know what you think! vote! comment! all that good stuff!

C8ER2U

*

"The hurricane came and took my Louisiana home, and all I got in return was a darn country song." --Weezy .F Baby

"You're mine you know that?"

"Heard you twice the first time."

"And I'm yours."

Sean stirred and re-stirred her pre mixed drink. She stared down into her drug of choice; rum and coke. She could feel his dark eyes staring intensely at her. She didn't want to be here at all. Not with him staring at her like that anyway. Especially not with the direction her thoughts were swirling. 

"Did you hear me?"

She swivelled on her bar stool and looked at him; the Spaniard. That's what she called him to everyone else. He was just too good to be true and she was completely taken aback when he'd hit on her a few weeks after Katrina hit. She'd fooled herself into thinking it was love at first sight, which happens to be the absolute scariest thing that ever happened to her. Naturally she ran from him like a bat outta hell but he wore her down with his charm and his Spanish. Not to mention he was the type of gorgeous you couldn't keep to yourself, you had to share him with the world. Maybe that was the problem. He was too much! Too beautiful, too charming, too everything she'd ever wanted in a man. 

"Yes Alexander I heard you," she said with as much sarcasm as she could muster.

"I fucking hate when you do that, ay dios mio, my name is Alejandro! How would you feel if I called you... Bob?"

She gave him a face. "And just why would anyone call me Bob?"

He gave her the same look right back. "I don't know Sean!"

Sean turned away again and clenched her jaw angrily. 

"Why is everything a fight with you? Since the second we met it's been a constant argument!"

"I ain't gonna apologize to you for who I am!"

Sean grabbed her purse and threw a handful of cash on the bar.

"I ain't changed one bit! I'm still the same damn Creole girl from Shreveport you fell in love with five years ago!"

She was standing now, dressed in her usual black cocktail dress, ready to walk the fuck out of this place and leave his ass there. He reached out for her and held her back.

"Please, don't go," he pleaded. His dark gaze fixed upon her and for a moment she was glued to the hard wood floor beneath her.

"I don't want to fight with you mi amour. I just want whatever this is between us, this thing that has begun to come between us to go. And never come back. I just want you; I want to be with you, without all this animosity between us."

His plea was earnest and so damn true. There definitely was something between them and she was tired of it too. They'd lost a closeness they'd once shared. Their love seemed to grow out of nowhere, the perpetual rose that grew out of swirling wind and rain, floods, waterlines, and mold. He sincerely loved her, and she without a doubt loved him from the very beginning, if only things had stayed that easy. 

"Lee I know how you feel; I mean you don't think I feel the same way?"

Sean yawned and grabbed her coat off the back of her bar stool. 

"Can we not have this conversation here?" she whispered to him. 

Alejandro gave Sean a curt nod and signalled to the bartender to pay his tab. He stood and helped Sean into her jacket and they headed for the door where they bumped into a co-worker of Lee's. One that Sean particularly hated.

"Hey now! Where y'all goin the party's just startin!"

Sean rolled her eyes heavenward at his failed attempt for a Louisiana accent. 

"Hey, lemmie ask you a question," he slurred to Sean, and she knew immediately what the question was. The same damn thing he's always asking. She could feel her temples pulsing in time with her clenching jaw.

"Why is it you're always wearin black? You look like a funeral director! Are you gonna embalm somebody?" he laughed. 

Sean abruptly walked away and left Alejandro to deal with his 'friend' because she just had zero patience for idiocy. She knew people wondered why she was always dressed in the color of death. Come Christmas or her birthday she could count on her family to buy her beautiful, colorful clothing but she just couldn't bring herself to wear any of it.

It began when the hurricane hit. They'd lost everything, the house she'd lived in since her family moved to New Orleans at the age of nine. They lost family photographs, heirlooms passed down through generations, and countless other things that were just priceless, but what left a larger mark on her was all the death. After Katrina hit all she had was the clothes on her back; an old pair of faded black jeans and a black tank top. She had nothing else. And she vowed then that she'd wear black every day from then on to honor the dead, family and friends she'd lost to the storm. But she also wore it for New Orleans. The city that had its spirit broken, its heart ripped out by the gnashing winds of a natural disaster and then drowned when the levees broke.

Now some five years later, she had a closet full of black dresses, and black shoes and she just couldn't explain that to someone who'd never seen the destruction, someone who never saw the floating bodies, the homes underwater, the violence, the starvation, the anger. How do you sum that up in a few sentences?

Sean was walking quickly in her three inch heels towards home. She knew her feet would be crying by the time she got home but she just couldn't call a taxi. She was stalling for time. She knew the conversation she had to have when she got home and she was avoiding it. She'd been avoiding it for months now. 

"Wait up!" 

Sean turned to find Alejandro running to catch up with her and she realized then the distance she'd walked from the bar. She watched him run to her; watched the easy way the muscles in his thighs flexed as he jogged. He almost looked like some misplaced James Bond, dressed in a three piece Italian suit that was tailored to perfection just for him. His large broad shoulders, full lips, medium length black hair, eyes so dark they could almost be black were what caused the moisture to gather in her panties.

But what made her love him were those intangible things that make up a man. Alejandro Estevan Montez Delgadillo was born and raised in Barcelona. He moved to the U.S. five and a half years ago, to become an actor; his life's dream. He had a natural knack for it too, did a few big auditions in New York, worked on a few commercials, shaving and selling Pepsi, but when the opportunity came up to work on a series in Louisiana he jumped at it. 

The auditions themselves were in New Orleans but the show would have been filmed in Jean Lafitte. It was some historical drama about the man himself. But as fate would have it, the auditions were scheduled for the week after the hurricane, and by chance or some strange force of serendipity, Alejandro flew in a week early to prepare. 

The day they'd met Sean was wandering the streets trying desperately to find her sister. She saw him first, asking random people questions, holding out a piece of paper to them and Sean wished she had a shower and clean clothes. She turned the opposite direction and walked quickly away from him but he spotted her and ran to catch up.

"Excuse me, could you point me in the direction of the ninth ward?"

She noticed his accent immediately and she found herself watching his lips as he spoke to her. She said nothing and turned to walk away from him when he reached out for her arm. It was that touch that changed her life. She felt his touch spread over her body like wildfire leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

Sean stared up into his eyes and began stuttering a response.

"It, it ain't no more Ninth Ward. It's... it's all under water now."

He was still holding her arm just above the elbow, and she pulled herself free of him. She needed to get away from this man. She needed to find her sister. 

"Well have you seen this little boy? A friend is trying to find her son and she hasn't seen him since the levees broke. She's very afraid and I am as well. Please, if you could just look at the picture-"

"You know what?" Sean interrupted. "A lot of people are tryna find someone. Shit, I'm tryna find my sister right now and I ain't got time to be lookin fo nobody else's children. I got my own family to worry about! Now how about that? You seen a tall caramel colored woman with hair like mine?"

Sean pointed to the thick curls piled atop her head. A few weeks before the hurricane, she went and got highlights put in her natural mane, in copper auburn and honey. She looked damn good, a few weeks before the hurricane. Now she looked every bit the refugee the six o clock news had portrayed the people of New Orleans to be. Her hair was matted and knotted, dried out and barely contained by the headband she'd stolen from someone. Her honey colored skin which used to be buttery soft and covered in freckles was now ashen, dirty, and dull.

"I, well I mean I don't-"

Sean walked away again and began scanning the crowds for her sister's face.

"Wait!"

She looked behind her only to see him jogging towards her and she pulled away from him before he could touch her again. 

"Okay, I won't touch you," he said with his hands held up so she could see them. She folded her arms across her chest and watched him.

"Why don't we work together? Two head are better than one no?"

And he smiled at her. Her instincts told her to turn and run; to get away from this handsome stranger that she was quickly developing feelings for before it was too late. But her ever irrational heart kept her there in the middle of that street ready to dive head first into this man. And she did. 

It was Alejandro's calm voice that brought her out of her reverie in into the here and now. 

"Home is this way, did you forget?" he said with a smirk.

She realized she was about to walk clear past the place they shared. He held open the front gate and held back a stray branch from an overgrowing bush for her to come in. As they walked up the eight thousand or so steps to their apartment, Sean felt a heaviness taking up residence in her body. She wanted to blame it on fatigue, but she knew better. It was the guilt of the conversation they had to have, the knowledge that tonight is going to be their last night together and the acceptance that this is the only way for him to truly be happy. 

"Ladies first," he said with a smile as he held open the door to their shoebox apartment. She walked into the living room/kitchen and went directly to the bedroom. She stripped off her jacket on the way and kicked off her pumps. She didn't hear him come up behind her, just felt his strong arms slip around her small waist from behind. Sean basked in the feel of him for a moment, running her hands along his forearms, before she spoke.

"We need to talk," she whispered.

"Aren't you tired?" he asked turning her in his arms to face him. "It's been such a long day. I know you're tired."

He stroked along her cheekbones down the line of her jaw taking in the freckles he found dusted across her skin. She stared up at him, her hazel green into his midnight brown eyes and repeated herself.

"We need to talk."

He dropped his arms from her and sat on the large bed. 

"Okay, let's talk," he said beginning to untie his shoes in true Mr. Rodgers fashion. It distracted her momentarily until he cleared his throat beckoning her to speak.

"Your father called earlier today," she said walking over to the answering machine and pressing play.

"Son, it's your father. I didn't want to have to say this over the machine but you leave me no choice."

Sean turned back to watch his body stiffen at the sound of his father's voice. The man usually only hollered words in Spanish that Sean couldn't understand but this time he left a message in heavily accented, yet perfect English. That only meant one thing: he wanted her to hear the message too. 

"Your mother and I feel as though you've backed us into a corner. You don't return our calls, when you do you yell and scream at us. We're your family!And you've chosen this filthy woman, a swamp rat, over your family!"

Sean watched him visibly flinch at the few choice words his father had for her. He was staring directly at the machine as if he could see his father's expression through it. She walked back over and sat down beside him on their bed. She hesitantly reached out for his hand, not sure if he wanted to be touched by her or not. He welcomed it and laced his fingers through hers.

"So, because you've chosen this woman over us, we're forced to turn our backs on you. We're severing all ties to you and your... girlfriend. We wish you the best and this will be the last time you hear from us. Goodbye my son."

The machine clicked and asked if they wanted to hear the message again. Sean couldn't bear to hear the message a third time. She was at home when his father called. She heard what he'd said as he said it. And twice was definitely enough. She stood again and turned the machine off. She reached for the hidden zipper on the side of her dress and unzipped it. She watched Alejandro closely, watched the expression on his face as he stared into the little black machine which had only moments ago broken his heart. 

Sean watched his eyes fill with tears and thought twice about what she had to say. She didn't want to add gasoline to the flames.

"It doesn't matter," he stated suddenly jumping up and advancing on her. 

"If they cannot understand my happiness, if they cannot understand us then fuck them. They don't need to be here for us. I make enough money working for the local news station; I haven't needed financial assistance from them since I turned 20. I don't need them. More importantly, we don't need them." He said all of this into the top of Sean's head, clutching her small body to his.

"You know you don't mean that. Besides, who else will keep you draped in designer suits? " Sean asked looking up at his watery eyes.

"If they mean it, then so do I! The only thing I need in this world is in my arms right now."

He tightened his grip on her and she almost just kept her mouth shut and stayed there in his arms but her better judgement kicked in and she pulled back from him.

"Sit down," she said lightly pushing him down into the bed. She began to pace the floor in front of him, chewing nervously on her bottom lip as she walked.

"Okay baby, now I just need you to listen and not interrupt me. I need to get this off my chest and I don't want you to twist my words. Not that you'd twist my words, I just mean that you'll look at me in that way and I can't think straight okay?"

She watched him lean back on the bed and prop himself up on his elbows to watch her. 

"Okay, so this has been something I been thinkin bout. About why you're here. When you came down to New Orleans, you weren't supposed to stay. You were sposed to go on to California when you were done, you member that? You were sposed to go to Hollywood and become a big time actor and instead, here you are in this shack of an apartment with no money, no family, a few friends and a closet full of designer suits!"

"What exactly are you trying to say to me Sean?" he asked sitting up straight again. Sean threw her hands up in the air and stopped pacing in front of him. She kneeled down on the floor between his thighs and took his large hands in her own. 

"What I'm trying to say is you need to spread your wings! New Orleans is too small for you now. You've done all you can do here but you need to go on out into the world again, try again, go to Hollywood! Take the chance!"

He wrenched his hands from hers and stood up. 

"Is this a breakup? Is that what you're trying to do here?"

Sean stood again and she could feel the emotion gripping her throat and she reached for him.

"I'm trying to love you!"

"Bullshit!" He said dodging her outstretched arms. "You don't love me, that's what you're really trying to say si? no puedo creer esto! No puedo creerle!"

He was just yelling at her in Spanish now, and this was just about what she expected to happen. She wormed her way into his arms and held on tightly.

"I love you! I love you so much! That's why I'm doing this, why I'm setting you free! So you can realize your potential baby!" she was all out crying now, heart rattling around in her chest.

"If you love me," he said cupping her face in his hands, "then come with me. We'll go to California together. I need you mi amour; I'll never make it without you." He was placing soft kisses where her tears had cascaded down her face. She reached her hand up and wiped away his tears with her thumb, as she studied his face. She studied every slope of his nose, jaw and cheeks. She loved how even at 31 his face still held a boyish quality to it. He will do well in Hollywood; all she had to do was convince him the same. 

"Honey, I can't go. New Orleans is my home! And I'll be living with the same regret you would if you stay here in Louisiana. I don't want to go but baby you do. You can't look me in the eyes and say you don't."

She stared and waited. He hung his head and tried to pull away from her. She wouldn't let him go; she tightened her arms around his waist and held him to her. 

"I love you Alejandro! You are the love of my life, I will never, ever love any man the way I love you. And that's why you have to go. I would hate myself if you stayed here in this city and were full of unhappiness and regret over what could have been. I'd love for you to stay here with me forever, but not at the cost of your individual success. At the cost of your personal happiness."

"But you make me happy! How can you say you want my happiness and tell me to leave you?"

Sean reached her hands up to stroke the stubble growing along his jaw.

"Because that's what you do when you love someone as deeply as I love you. You sacrifice your own happiness to make them happy. I'm thinking only of you. "

"What about all the plans we've made?" he asked pushing her hands away from his face and backing her against the near wall. "What about the house we were going to buy together? The children we'd have? All that is thrown away for a dream of what? Palm trees and movie stars? No! I won't do it. I won't go. You hear me?" he said shaking her in his arms. "I'm not going anywhere so you can get this nonsense out of your head!"

Sean slipped from him and sunk down onto the bed. She then turned and pulled him down to sit beside her. Her heart was so heavy and she hated being the bad guy in this situation, but she had to do this. She saw his expression those times when he thought he was alone. That longing he felt for something better than a shoebox with no dream. The regret that he'd felt was so palpable; it was becoming another person residing in their already too small apartment. 

"You want to go Alejandro-"

"No! I-" Sean held up a hand to quiet him.

"Let me finish," she said. "I know you want to go. I've seen it in your eyes; the what if. What if I had of gotten that part, or what if I hadn't come to Louisiana, what if I'd gone straight to California? I know you're thinking these things because I've been thinking them too."

He looked up at her at that moment and she saw it right then in his eyes. All the fear and uncertainty, stifled dreams, the doubt and the hidden resentment. But what she also saw was five years of love. She watched as tears flowed freely from his eyes and she'd never felt closer to him than in that moment. He scooped her up in his arms and held her so tightly she could barely breathe and yet she wanted more.


Hurricane Ch. 01



"I don't want to leave you," he cried into the crook of her neck. She hiked her black dress up over her thighs and moved to straddle his waist, which ultimately brought her closer to him.

"You don't have to baby," she whispered placing kisses on his neck and stroking his ink black hair. "Not tonight."

Sean felt rather than heard his sobs as they shook both of their bodies. She held onto him, trying to calm him and realized he wasn't the only one crying. She watched her fingers tremble as she ran them through his hair and saw her tears run down her cheek and onto his neck. 

"I don't want to let you go," Alejandro said. 

Sean could feel her nose threatening to run. Her eyes felt puffy and they were without a doubt bloodshot. She lessened her grip on him and held his gorgeous face in her hands. Her eyes darted back and forth between his as she stared.

"Then don't."

She kissed him softly along his stubbly jaw until she reached his full lips and she hesitated. The thought crossed Sean's mind that she may never be able to kiss his lips again and she claimed his mouth in a desperate kiss. She felt his body relax that little bit more as he began to kiss her back. His one hand buried itself in her thick curls, cupping the back of her head and pulling her deeper into the kiss. The other worked its way into her dress through her open zipper and teased the length of her spine. 

Sean hungrily sought out his tongue as she swiftly undid his suit jacket and went to work on his pale green shirt. His hands slid to the hem of her dress which was now bunched at her waist and tugged the garment over her head. She cooperated, lifting her arms above her. He paused, taking inventory of every curve and dip of her body in her strapless bra and panties.

He slowly began to run his hands down her sides and she went back to work on his shirt. When she finally got the thing open it took every ounce of her strength to not rip it off of him. She eased it off his shoulders, down his arms and looked at him. The difference in their skin tones spoke volumes about them. His was a more olive tone thanks to his Italian grandmother and hers was a buttery caramel color with freckles everywhere. They couldn't be more opposite, and yet they were so right for each other it was scary. 

She explored every inch of exposed skin with her hands and claimed his mouth once again. He reached between them and undid the belt on his slacks and Sean felt her stomach tremble. She wanted his hands on her again, and so she stopped him and placed his hands over her breasts. She made him knead the tiny mounds of flesh as she took over on his belt. She grabbed hold of the buckle and pulled, freeing the belt and tossed it as she began to undo the zipper. 

Her heart was pounding and her hands were shaking as she yanked open his pants. Her need was overruling her sense and she was frantically trying to get his slacks over his narrow hips, which was impossible with her sitting on him. He offered no help, his mouth was firmly fastened to hers, his left hand was kneading a breast and his right was working on unfastening her very tight bra. 

Sean could feel his scorching heat emanating through his pants and her hips began to rock against his. She reached down between them, running her finger along the groove of his abs, letting it dip into his belly button and then go lower still, tracing the trail of dark hair that disappeared into the waistband of his underwear. She let her fingers tease him, slipping just under the elastic band and tugging on the coarse hair she found there. 

"Mmmmm, pare la cogida que me embroma," he whispered into her mouth. She hadn't a clue what he said, but her nether parts began to throb and she couldn't stop herself from slipping her hand into his boxer briefs and wrapping her hand tightly around his thick shaft. 

"Oh fuck!"

She felt him jerk in her hand and it was all she could take. Sean tore her mouth from his and stood. She expertly unclasped her bra and threw it, then tore her panties down her legs and kicked them off. She then grabbed hold of his pants and unceremoniously yanked them off. And when she finally had all articles of clothing removed from the both of them, she let her eyes pour over every single inch of him. It was exquisitely painful, like someone had punched her in the stomach knocking the wind out of her and she couldn't breathe. She wished she could burn this image onto the back of her eyelids so that every time she closed her eyes... she'd see him like this. Body relaxed, stretched out and languid, eyes fixed on her yet, like a panther stalking its prey he was waiting for his moment to pounce. It absolutely amazed her that while he could look so damn refined in a three piece Hugo Boss, out of his clothes he looked almost twice his normal size and his primal nature emanated from him.

Sean continued to stare, taking in the rigid tranquility he exuded. He was something that should have been carved in stone, an idol for mankind to worship. She felt so conflicted, because on the one hand she wanted to fall at his feet and thank the lord almighty for creating someone on this earth who is just for her, someone beautiful inside and out, and most importantly, someone that undoubtedly loved her beyond all reason. Then on the other hand she wanted to yell a thousand curses because this was not a forever love. 

This was one of those 'limited time only' type of deals, so she memorised everything. Every mole and scar, the way his top lip was slightly fuller than the bottom one, the spot on his chest where his pecs met his abs that she loved to kiss, his ken lines, his big strong firm hands, but most of all it was the way he looked at her. His dark penetrating eyes seemed to look directly through her, sometimes more than that. After five years they knew everything there is to know about each other. They both knew all the right things to do, to make the other squirm but this time was almost like the first time again. Maybe because they both knew it was the last time, they took the time to explore again. To relearn their lovers' bodies and as their first time together was a greeting of sorts, this time was a farewell. So, because this was goodbye, Sean memorized everything in the vein hopes that it will get her by for the rest of her lonely life. 

He must have grown impatient waiting for her to make her move, so he made it for her, pulling her down to the bed and laying her down beside him. She watched as his eyes roamed her body, and where his eyes landed his hands quickly followed, avoiding her breasts and coming agonizingly close to her sex but detouring at the last minute. He instead let his fingertips brush against the soft skin of her breast as he traced her rib. Her back was arched, offering all of herself to him one last time and this time he took it, capturing a nipple in his mouth. An unexpected moan fell from her lips as she held him there, trapping him against her chest. She pulled his hair, and squirmed as he bit down on her sensitive nipple. 

When he switched to the other, she felt that familiar tension building in the pit of her stomach and emotion gripping her throat tightly.

"Turn over," he said looking up from the valley of her breasts. She slowly turned over onto her stomach which was no easy task with him lying directly on top of her. When she was fully turned, he got up; sliding a knee between her legs he spread them wide bringing her knees up to her hips. This position left her open and vulnerable. The bed shifted and she felt him looming over top of her. He placed a hand over hers and then grabbed the other. She was trapped underneath his strong, hard body and she loved it. He took both her wrists in one hand and lay on his side to look her over again. With his free hand he stroked the bottom of her hairline and began to move lower along her spine just barely touching her. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, touching her in this way. He ran his fingertips down the valley of her spine and made his way further meeting the cleft of her ass. He continued, tracing along her freckled flesh. 

He continued lower until he met the dripping opening of her sex. Sean shuddered as he lightly pinched and plucked at her nether lips teasing her like crazy. She wanted to scream. He was deliberately torturing her, but she took it and soon she was rewarded. Suddenly, and without any warning he pressed two thick fingers into her and Sean called out his name in reckless abandon.

Slowly he began to pump his fingers in and out of her. His thumb found her clit and was stroking it like crazy. He began to kiss down her neck following the same path his fingertips left. Sean's conflicting emotions were threatening to overtake her and all she wanted was more. She began rolling her hips into his hands trying to meet his thrusting fingers.

"Stop that," he said spanking her pretty hard and then resuming the task at hand. Sean bit her lip and sincerely tried to stop her body from writhing, but she no longer had any control over it. His soft kisses along her spine, his hands expertly touching her in ways meant to send her in one direction only, they were all sending her straight towards her orgasm. She was panting now, her back arched as she writhed trying to stimulate her overly sensitive breasts against the sheets below her, and her hips bucked against his hands as his fingers slid in and out of her. She was close, just about ready to explode, her heart pounding in her chest, her breath coming out in excited bursts, she was almost there when he suddenly and rather crudely removed his wonderful hand from her sex and left her hanging on the cliff that was her orgasm.

"What the fuck are you doin?" she snapped, the excitement of an orgasm that wasn't to be completely washing away leaving only pure sexual frustration. He still held her hands above her head and she couldn't move. 

"Do you want to cum?" he whispered in her ear, his husky voice reviving the tension in her stomach and causing her to throb with new found excitement.

"Yes!" she cried into the pillow.

"Turn over," he said releasing her hands. She obeyed and once again flipped, spreading her thighs wide and completely exposing herself to him. He watched her intently, not moving at all so Sean decided to take matters in her own hands. She slowly slid her hands down her body, pausing to tease her nipples and then they went lower still past her stomach to bury themselves between her thighs. When her hands found their target she couldn't stop the moan that escaped her lips and heard him moan as well. She turned to him and he was staring directly into her eyes a look of longing in his eyes. She immediately grabbed for him, turning on her side to pull his body flush against hers and kissed him. She could feel him diamond hard against her stomach and craved nothing more than to have him inside her. She slipped her leg over him and pulled him on top of her. He snapped out of his trance and grabbed her hands again trapping them over her head. 

She snuck them from his grasp and shook her head no. she wanted to touch him. No, she needed to touch him, every single inch of his beautiful body and she wouldn't be held back. Her hands went everywhere, running the length of his back down to his ass and then back up again. Sean just couldn't seem to touch enough of him, to kiss enough of him. She just wanted to lick every inch of him. She licked along his shoulder, up to his neck and bit him lightly. She knew he loved that, and his hips ground into hers in response, his hardness putting pressure on her clit and she almost lost it.

"Please, don't tease me anymore baby. Just give it to me please!" Sean moaned into his ear and he needed no more begging. He lifted her hips slightly and positioned himself at her entrance. He looked up at her and his eyes mirrored hers, with a mixture of anticipation and sorrow. She pulled him back down onto her and spread her legs wide, imploring him to take her open invitation. He did, slamming his thickness deep within her and she moaned her praise. She loved the way he filled her, it was beyond anything she'd ever had before and now was something she'd most likely never experience again. 

He began to move, withdrawing all the way to the tip and then diving right back in. he watched her closely, whispering Spanish words to her as he slowly fed his length to her hungry body. Sean never wanted it to end. He really ignited something deep within her, something deeper than the act of fucking. No, this was something much more visceral than two people getting off together; this was what her mama had meant when she explained what sex was. She'd called it "a complete expression of love for someone, an expression of absolute trust and a bond with someone that may be entirely unexplainable to everyone else." That's what she'd felt the very first time Alejandro was ever inside her. Like he'd finally come home, like that missing puzzle piece that makes the picture make sense, or like Christmas on her birthday or something cheesy like that. The fact was, he made her immeasurably happy, and she may never, ever feel that way again. 

"Sean," he moaned to her. 

She wrapped her legs tightly around him in response and kissed him.

"Baby, you feel so good! Ohh, honey do you feel me?" he whispered into her neck. Oh she definitely felt him alright. Every single inch of him. He was grinding his length into her and her hips were moving in tandem with his matching every thrust he gave with the same intensity. She wanted to give back everything he gave her tenfold. She wanted to give him every ounce of her love so that he'd never forget the woman from New Orleans that loved him more than life.

Her body began to tense and she was inescapably close to cumming. She wanted to stop it, because the longer she prolonged it, the longer they'd be together but it was no use. Every time he pushed his exquisite length inside her, he was hitting that sweet spot inside of her and grinding against her clit. She began to chant his name in a range of octaves and begging him not to stop. And when she finally did cum, it was as if an explosion had gone off within her and she flooded him with her juices. 

He'd stopped moving entirely, waiting for her orgasm to subside, still rock hard within her. Once she seemed to catch her breath, he began to move again, this time at a much faster pace. He was stoking the embers of her last orgasm and she couldn't breathe again. She needed to change the pace and slow things down, so she tried to change positions but he stopped her, holding her beneath him. 

"No, I want to look into your eyes. I need to see you more than anything right now. Please, just look at me," he pleaded. She obliged him willingly and gazed up into his dark eyes.

"Hi," she whispered, finding herself once again lost within him.

"Hi," he returned, his voice thick and husky. 

The extremely sexy sound of his voice caused her body to clench him tightly within her and he cried out, his gorgeous eyes boring into hers. He suddenly surged into her and she moaned his name. Her eyes began to close and he stopped, demanding her to look at him again. Her eyes flew open and she realized she'd do anything to keep him moving inside her. As he began to enter her more vigorously, she began to claw at his back completely surrendering to him. She just didn't want him to stop. He was alternating, sawing in and out of her body, and then grinding himself against her in tiny circles. He was driving her crazy; she didn't know how much more she could take. She was beginning to near her orgasm once again but decided to take her lover with her under the waves of passion. She could tell he was nearing as well, his controlled, methodical strokes had become erratic, his breathing quickened and she could feel him swelling within her. 

"Are you close baby?" Sean asked still staring. He just nodded his reply as he moaned against her mouth.

"Then don't hold back, give me everything baby," she said between kisses.

Her words broke the last of his resolve and he came, exploding within her and she welcomed it. He stared into her eyes as he came and lord have mercy the look in his eyes said much more than his words could ever say. Her eyes filled with tears and she knew her eyes were reflecting the same thing. He pulled her tightly to him and squeezed her in his arms. She began to sob brokenly and he held her body as close as he could while it shook with the force of her tears.

************

Sean awoke while the sun was still trying to peek over the horizon wrapped tightly in Alejandro's arms. She took a deep breath breathing in the raw male scent of him and nearly wept. She placed a soft kiss on his chest and carefully got up from the bed, trying her best not to awaken him. She crept quietly across the room to put her underwear on, and as she was snapping up her bra she heard him stir. She froze in the middle of the room holding her breath until she heard his soft even breath signalling he was once again asleep. She moved faster then, grabbing her black dress and taking it to the living room to change. She put the dress on with lightning speed and then went to the small closet near the door. She pulled out her two pre-packed suitcases and opened the front pocket. She pulled out the plane ticket, one way to Los Angeles departing in three days. She'd planned it all this afternoon right after his father called and left that final message on their answering machine. She just couldn't' be responsible for him losing his family, or his career. So she made the hard decision, one that he'd most likely never ever make himself. 

She took all the money they'd saved together. The money they planned on buying a home together with, spending the rest of their lives together with, and she bought a one way plane ticket. She packed her bags and the rest of the money, all sixteen thousand of it, she deposited in his account. So he wouldn't have to worry about a thing once he got to Hollywood. 

Sean thumbed the plane ticket in her hand. She saw a drop fall onto the ticket and realized she was crying again. She crept back into the bedroom trying her best to keep quiet; keeping an eye on him to make sure he was still sleeping. He was lying towards her on his outstretched arm sleeping peacefully and she wanted so much to just climb back in bed with him. Instead she held the plane ticket to her lips and kissed it repeatedly. She then placed it back in its envelope and placed it on the nightstand. Just as she was turning to leave, he reached out and grabbed her arm, just above the elbow. She gasped, surprised by the touch, and felt goosebumps break out all over. 

She looked at him, at those dark eyes staring at her with so much hurt and betrayal, and she hoped against all hope that maybe one day he'd understand. She slipped her arm from his hand and held it within hers. She kissed each of his fingers, one at a time and then kissed him directly in the palm of his hand. She placed her cheek in his hand and looked back into his eyes. Her wiped her tear with his thumb which only caused more to flow. She wanted to say something, but what? Everything had already been said. She watched a tear run over his nose and she wiped it away. She placed one more kiss in his palm and closed his hand over it. 

She stood then and held his eyes as she backed out of the door. She put her pumps back on and grabbed her suitcases. She took one last look at him, stretched out in the same position but watching her. She could tell even in the dim light that he was still watching her and it was the hardest thing she ever did walking out the door, but she did. And when she got on the street and saw the sun rising on New Orleans she let a wail come from her soul and she wept. For New Orleans, for the house she lost, for the people never found, for the pain she was still holding onto, and most of all for the love of her life.




Hurricane Ch. 01



"I'll always be yours," she whispered to the morning air, finding the words she couldn't only a moment ago. 

"I'll always be yours."



Hurricane Ch. 02



Authors Note: Well guys, it's only been two years in the making! I first of all have to apologize to anyone who was waiting for a follow up. School, work, faulty computers and life in general all seemed to conspire to get in the way of my writing! But, without further ado, here's chapter 2 of Hurricane! Saturated with my blood sweat and tears! Enjoy it and tell me honestly what you think! Comment! Vote! Subscribe! all that good stuff!

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"Look what this girl done did to me, she done cut me off from her good good love. 

she told me that those days were gone.

Now I'm sitting here going half crazy, cuz I know she still thinks about me too.

And it ain't no way in hell, that I can be just friends with you." - Trey Songz

So much had changed in the almost three years since Alejandro Delgadillo moved to Los Angeles. Thinking back, he could actually pinpoint the exact time his life had been altered. It was the moment he stepped off the plane. The airport was way too crowded for his mood at the time, and he found himself glaring angrily at everyone. They were all too happy or else faking it well, with their spray tans, bleached teeth and bleached hair. He longed for things to go back to the way they were before when he and Sean were nothing but happy. Back when all they had was each other and that was more than enough. 

He wanted to sleep. He wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball in his hotel room and never leave. Just sleep until he became a new person. He hadn't slept in days and out of sheer exhaustion he almost did on the plane, but that too was thwarted by the loudmouthed couple sitting behind him. They proceeded arguing about any and everything they could think to argue about. At one point they argued about the air-conditioning and who it was blowing on, then they argued about the leg room and whose legs were longer. 

The only thing that had him even slightly intrigued was the fact they were speaking in Spanish. And not the American or even south American Spanish, proper Spanish like back home. He found himself becoming nostalgic, and missing his family even though they were partly the reason he was on this plane. So when everyone de-boarded the plane in Los Angeles and he found them at the ticket agent arguing yet again, this time over their connecting flight, he decided to help. 

"Alguien que hable Ingles!" the man yelled, clearly frustrated that no one was understanding him. 

"Si!" he called to them as he made his way over. Repeatedly he asked himself why he was doing this. He took a good look at the tall and skinny man with thin hair, graying at the temples. His thin tan colored v -neck sweater was carefully rolled up to his elbows, showcasing forearms that looked strong yet he could tell from his cream linen slacks and matching loafers that this was a man who was meticulous about his appearance. Typical of most spanish men he knew. He didn't even bother looking at the woman; after his ordeal in New Orleans he couldn't bring himself to look any woman in the eyes. The only thing he did see was long flowing hair and a backless sundress and turned away.

"Thank you! They're saying we aren't even on the flight list, stupid fuckers! We paid for first class seats! And this is what our money gets us!" the man yelled in Spanish. 

Alejandro turned to the ticket agent who was turning redder and redder by the moment. 

"I speak perfect Spanish!" she fumed. "I know exactly what they said about me, and I'm about to refuse them both!"

Alejandro took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. He was too tired for this. 

"Are either of them on your list?" he asked as patiently as he could muster. 

"Yes, they both are! I never once said they weren't but they are not in first class! There is no first class with this airline! Everyone flies coach, they're not going to Honduras for vacation or something. They're flying right into La Macabre!" 

Alejandro turned his tired, heavy, sleep deprived head and looked at the two spoiled brats and suddenly remembered why he left Barcelona. Because of pompous buffoons like these. 

"There is no such thing as a first class, so there's no way you paid for it. Just shut up and take the damn seats they've provided before they too are no longer available to you!" 

He turned and walked briskly away. As much as he'd missed speaking in his native tongue, he regretted that conversation immediately. Rich assholes like them had no idea what the world was really like. Looking back, he realized the reason they angered him so much was because they were a mirror image of himself ten years ago. He didn't know why they were flying into Ma Macabre and he didn't care, he just hoped they got the reality check they deserved when they landed. 

*******

"Hey!"

Gregory Daniels waved Alejandro over and rose from his seat in the directors chair with a smile. 

"Come on over and take a look. What do you think?" 

Alejandro took a seat and watched the playback for his last last take. He had to admit; it looked fantastic. He couldn't believe his own eyes; that was him running through all those explosions, narrowly escaping death,and in Ferragamo shoes no less. He didn't know he had the cojones, he never ever dreamed he'd be here. Okay that's a lie, he'd always dreamed he'd be here but never thought that dream would come to fruition. 

Now here he was, on the verge of superstardom. 

"Its amazing!" Alejandro cried, eyes glued to the tiny screen in front of him. 

"Absolutely fantastic!" he said turning to his director who was smiling just as hard as he.

Alejandro slowly eased himself out of the director's chair and walked to his marker. He knew without asking that they were going to try for one more shot. Even though the last one was as near perfection as it probably could get, he knew Greg would want absolute perfection. So he steadied himself, evened out his breathing in an attempt to calm his racing heart. He waited quietly, eyes closed and patiently tried not to think about how he was risking his life for a stunt. He tried not to think about the pre-laid explosions awaiting his heavy footsteps to go off once again and attempted to empty his mind. 

It was always then though, in the quietest and calmest moments that she would come to his mind. It was more like she dominated his thoughts at those times. It would start with a single image of her opening her eyes in the morning and smiling at him, or her stretching as she got out of bed and looking over her shoulder at him. He'd see her laughing, dancing, zipping up her black dress, putting on her earrings in the mirror as she looked up at him, slowly sliding off her pumps letting it glide along the arch of her foot until it finally slips from her hands onto the floor, her slowly unzipping her black dress as she walked to him and finally letting it fall to a heap at her feet. All of it was too much. He tried his absolute best to keep her out of his head. He'd usually thwart any and all thoughts of her before they even became one because they'd only lead to self destruction. His life was way too good now, on the verge of becoming something exceptional if he let it. He had no intentions of going back down that well worn path, so he'd close her off and reserve thoughts of her to times of self reflection. Now it was like she consumed him like a flash fire and he was powerless to stop it. He was being ridiculous; it had been nearly three years since that night; nearly three years since he watched her leave. Her suitcases dragging behind her. Nearly three long years since he closed off his heart and vowed to never, ever let another woman have so much of him because there was nothing left over in the end. 

He'd begun constructing himself slowly but surely again to try and find the man that flew into New Orleans and try and remember his dreams but that man was gone. A completely different person was what remained and he just had to learn to deal with who he was now. He could still feel her burning in his veins, and he waited for his need for her to subside, for her to fade. She didn't. It was almost like he could smell her now in the desert air, the spicy sweet scent of her. 

Something told him to open his eyes and he hesitated, listening to the sounds of the crew setting up the charges for the next shot. He needed to get it together, and stop thinking of her so damn much. Three fucking years? And you still can't stop thinking of her? He thought back to the day in the LAX airport. He just wanted to get to his hotel. He wanted to close out the Californian sun, he wanted to buy a very large bottle of Jack Daniels and not leave until he could form a thought that didn't end in her. A sentence that didn't revolve around her. An anything that didn't have to do with her. He was walking briskly towards the baggage pickup bumping into people here and there; he didn't give a damn. This was her fault! She discarded him like yesterdays news, paid him off, gave him one last piece of ass and disappeared. How could she be so heartless? Like everything they shared together was nothing? And the last little bit about her not wanting to break up his family? She knew! She knew there was no family to break up! His parents cared more about public image than him. And a son who gave up the opportunity to become a very rich business mogul to follow his "dreams" didn't fall into the image they were trying to portray. The relationship was broken long before a hurricane. And long before a fucking voicemail was left. 

"Excuse me!"

Alejandro turned to see the man in the tan get up, rushing towards him. Shit! He turned and began to jog away from him. He could honestly only take so much. If he had to go another round with him he was sure he wouldn't be able to contain himself, he'd had his fill of pomposity for the day. 

"Wait! Please, just wait a second!"

His hand was now on his shoulder. He was apparently a lot faster than he looked. Alejandro shrugged out of the strange mans touch and turned back to face him. He was smiling a pleading smile and Alejandro let out a defeated breath. 

"Yes?" he asked in English. 

"This may sound like an absurd question, but are you an actor?"

The first thought that entered his mind is that no one was who they said they were. The confusion must have been written all over his face because he smiled again and put his hand up in explanation. 

"I had to be sure it was you, I mean you are Alejandro Montez Delgadillo right?"

His eyes turned to saucers. How the hell did this man know his name? His father? He was obviously from Barcelona, and judging from the Gucci shoes he wore he was apparently not hurting for money. 

"Okay before you start thinking up some grand scenario in your head about me, I shall explain all. But first I need a drink." 

He began to walk towards the airport bar, realized that Alejandro wasn't following and turned back. He looked at him for a moment like he was going to say something, waved him on instead and disappeared into the bar. Alejandro thought about just checking into his hotel, but his curiosity led him into the hotel bar. 

It wasn't until after he gulped down the cheap whiskey and had another one placed in front of him that the strange man who identified himself as Ramón Arroyo, explained that he had been looking for him for a few years and couldn't believe his luck when he just got on the same plane as him. He'd written an entire film with him in mind. It was called Esperanza, and it was about a man who drives across South America to rescue his wife from kidnappers. The film was to be as much about South America as it was about the kidnapping and he planned to both showcase the beauty of the countries as well as the danger. It was perfect for him; he got to get even further away from here, star in a film, and to make it even better, the part was written just for him. 

"It looks as if you've made up your mind then," Ramón stated.

He shook his head.

"One more question before I do this," Alejandro paused and finished his drink. He could feel the warmth of his first drink spreading through him. He wondered if he'd be allowed on the plane if he continued to drink at this pace. 

"You said you were looking for me?" he asked pushing away his empty glass and sliding two twenty's on the bar. 

"Yes, I asked your father about you but-"

Alejandro put his hand up to silence him. 

"Say no more."

******

"You ready to go again cowboy?" 

The sound of the thick southern drawl brought him directly out of his reverie. He opened his eyes and surveyed the red markers signifying the explosives. 

"This is all the bomb juice I got left so you better make it good sugar." 

He stared at Vicky as she walked away. She turned and winked when she saw she had his attention. He grinned at her, knowing what his grin did to her and turned his attention back to the task at hand. As soon as he did his mind was flooded with images of her. Again. It was her damn perfume. Someone here was wearing her perfume and it was making him insane. 

"Alejandro are we ready?" Greg called out bringing a collective hush to the crowd. He nodded his consent. 

"Okay, roll playback!"

He took a deep breath and steadied himself, once again trying to banish her from his mind. Focus. He had to focus. Just focus.

"Action!"

******

"Cut! Cut! Beautiful baby, beautiful! That is a wrap guys!" 

Loud cheers broke out all around him but he couldn't take part. That last take had almost been the end of him. They moved the charges and didn't tell him. He almost ran directly into it. Fucking imbeciles! His heart was beating so fast he felt like it could leap right out. 

Gregory came up and clapped him on the back in congratulations. 

"Great job man, great fucking job! That was the take I was looking for," he turned around to the crew, "We are wrapped People!"

More cheers and hollers. Alejandro walked away from them towards the trailer because if he didn't someone was going to get a mouthful of his fist. 

And that's when he spotted her.

His eyes had to be deceiving him. That last explosion must have knocked his brain around a little or something was loose because he was hallucinating. He closed his eyes and counted to five. 

One.

Two.

Three. 

He was going crazy.

Four. 

Five.

He opened his eyes again and there she was. Except this time she was walking towards him. She looked completely different. First her hair; that long thick curly hair that he loved was all gone. It was straight and styled in a really short cut that suited her face so well; he wondered why she'd never done it before. The short pieces were swirling upwards in a sleek yet sexy way and left her face completely open. She wore no make up at all and he was sure she had never looked more beautiful than she did in that moment. She'd put on weight too. A good 15 pounds of it and God it went to all the right places. But he had to say the most striking thing about her was color. She was wearing color for the first time since he'd laid his eyes on her that day in Louisiana. It was a bright yellow dress that tied at the waist and stopped just above mid thigh. She looked like sunshine, as tired and cliché as it sounds. She was pure sunshine. 

He couldn't move, and he couldn't contain his heart that was once again drumming the samba in his chest. There she was in the flesh; the only woman he'd ever loved and the only woman he'd been completely open and honest with. The only one he'd ever given his everything to and the only woman who'd broken him. She'd destroyed him, left him as less than half a man, took everything of worth and gave him a plane ticket in exchange. And now that he'd finally put together some semblance of a life, now that he'd become a success here she is. Knocking the air out of him again. 

No.

She was less than ten feet away, and he could smell her; Ginger and honey. He steeled himself. He wouldn't let himself fall into her trap again. He couldn't fall for her again, she was bad news. Bad news in a '67 chevy convertible. This was like the synopsis for a terrible movie: bad chick, baaaad car, bad news. Except he already saw how this movie ended. The guy just gets his heart stomped on; end scene, roll credits, that's it. The good news is that guy no longer had to be him. He'd changed just as much as she did. Maybe not physically, but on the inside he was a completely different man than the one that boarded a plane from New Orleans almost three years ago. That man was long dead and the man that stood before Sean Williams today was a stronger, wiser man. One that wanted to know where the fuck she gets off showing up like this out of the blue, trying to disrupt the serenity in which he lived his life. 

"Hi." 

Her greeting was barely a whisper and she wrung her hands nervously as she approached him. He made no move. He didn't extend his hand, didn't shift his weight, just stared. She looked away from him at the now setting sun. She swallowed long and then turned back to him, a look of anguish on her face. 

"You look..." she looked down at her toes and then back up at him. "You look so, good Alejandro. I... I hope life is treating you well?" 

He continued to stare. He couldn't give her the small talk she was looking for, the 'how've you been' song and dance. All he could give her was a single nod. 

"That's good! I'm glad. I uh... I came here to see you-"

"Why?" he asked abruptly, finally finding his voice. 

She looked down at her toes once again and chewed her bottom lip. The dimple in the bottom left corner of her mouth became more pronounced. She was trying not to cry.

"Cause... because I needed-" She turned away and sucked in a breath. Alejandro started daggers into the back of her neck. She must've felt it because she began to massage that exact spot trying to regain her composure. If she thought for one second that she'd find sympathy here she was dead wrong. That ship had long sailed and he had nothing but hard feelings. 

"I needed to see you, that's... what brought me here. I needed to see you for myself. I needed to know if you... damnit!"

She was crying and Alejandro wanted to slap her. The nerve! Coming back here after all this time and for what? To see if he still looked the same? Felt the same? Well of course he felt the same! He had the same burning anger in him, that same hurt she left him with. 

"Save it."

Alejandro walked past her in the direction of the trailer. Fuck her and the horsepower she rode in here with. He needed a shower, but more than that he needed to get a clear head and as he stalked off, he realized there was no chance in hell of that happening. 

*******

He stayed in the shower well after the water had turned cold and only left when it became painful. He wiped away the remaining steam on the mirror and stared at his reflection. He had no clue what he was going to do. How long was she here? A week? Two? Could he put up with her for that long? God she looked good! No, she looked beautiful but what did that change? He still spent almost three years nursing his broken heart because of her. What did she expect coming here like this? That he'd greet her with open arms? Too many questions were left unanswered. The one question that kept popping in his head was the most important: what was he going to do? Did he still have feelings for her? He looked down at his left hand, the hand her tears fell onto as she kissed him goodbye. He closed his fist and stared at it. Of course he still had feelings for her, but he couldn't allow himself to go back there. To try and find the depth of those feelings again because if he did she would surely be his undoing. 

His thoughts were interrupted by his cell ringing. He rummaged though his pockets until he found it. 




Hurricane Ch. 02



"Yes?" He said, his voice betraying his agitation. 

"Well that doesn't sound like the voice of someone who just wrapped on a blockbuster, now does it?"

Alejandro released a deep sigh. It was Winston Montgomery his agent. He, of course, was about as caring as a hornet's nest. 

"Tell that to Greg and his faulty bomb squad. They nearly killed me Win, and that does not make a very happy client."

The phone went silent.

"Don't worry about that I'll handle it. You just make your way down town; meet me at red by nine. I have a car service on the way to get you, before you make any excuses."

Alejandro smiled. This man knew him well. 

"There is no need for a car service. I'll meet you there no problem I have a ride waiting outside for me right now. Until then my friend."

He hit end and tossed the phone on the bed. Quickly, he dressed himself in a white t-shirt and jeans. As he passed the mirror, he realized he had changed. Jeans three years ago? Not on your life. Today? He wore what made him feel good. 

He walked out of the trailer past the rambunctious staff celebrating the film they'd all worked so hard on. Someone had burst out singing "Alejandro" by lady gaga and he took that as his cue to leave. Not much good came from sleep deprivation, alcohol, and Gaga; nothing good at all. He was making a beeline to Sean reasoning to himself that he was just going to hitch a ride back into the city with her and that it didn't mean anything. It's not that he couldn't find another way back in, Winston had only seconds ago offered a ride, but he felt like he had to investigate this situation that had been presented to him. When would he ever get the opportunity to explore this any other time? To ask the woman he once saw his life with, why she didn't feel like fighting for it? Or maybe it was just the fact that they were both seemingly brand new people. Maybe he had to find out why he couldn't release her. Why even after so much had changed, after his life had completely changed she was still a part of it. No matter how hard he tried to dispel her. Was it because he didn't get the closure he wanted? Was it because it was too abrupt? 

He needed answers and the only person who could provide them was leaning against that gorgeous car, the flare of her hips exaggerated by her relaxed position making them appear even shapelier. Her hands, however, twiddled nervously betraying her true feelings about being alone with him and as he strode towards her he wondered if he should be feeling the same. 

"Keys," he stated. His hand was stretched out towards her and he could feel the hard expression on his face. 

She paused and seemed to consider it. He again remained in the same position; hand extended to her until she reached around and retrieved the keys from the ignition. She placed the keys in his hand careful not to touch him and that angered him further. 

"Move," he said sounding like a caveman even to himself. She again complied rounding the vehicle to the passenger side. As he opened the door he took a deep breath to calm himself. Big mistake. Once again her scent bombarded him and relentless memories of times long gone flooded his mind. He sat and tightly gripped the steering wheel as he looked off into the distance at the almost setting sun. Collecting himself, he slammed the door and revved the engine getting a feel for the car. He could feel her watching him. Her curious eyes pouring over him and he refused to give in and meet them. Instead he peeled out towards the main road, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. Her head snapped back against the head rest and she gripped the seat in trepidation. She never spoke a word but he knew she was scared and a satisfied grin crept over his face. He shifted gears and sped up even more. 

He was entering dangerous territory but it was as if someone else had taken control of him. He could see she was afraid, it was pouring from her in waves and he was waiting. He geared up again and the speed increased on the deserted two lane stretch of road. He glanced at her and saw her jaw clenched. She was staring straight ahead and he considered drifting into oncoming traffic. He looked at the speedometer and saw he was doing 165 in a 90 mile zone. 

"Please stop this Lee."

It was a whisper and he was surprised he'd heard it over the cars' engine but he had. His hand was on the gear shift and he was slowing down without even realizing it. 

***********

As the twosome entered Red, Alejandro pondered how to introduce Sean. He couldn't exactly call her a friend when he held nothing but contempt for the woman. He really didn't want to call her his ex because he felt it was giving her a power she didn't deserve. Or maybe it's because they never really had closure. Either way he knew there was little more than civility between them and although they most definitely weren't together or anything close to it, there was something about knowing she was the woman that created the womanizer he was today. That's why he's kept her around becau-

"Who the hell is this?"

Winston interrupted his thoughts effectively pinning him against a wall with his question. 

Alejandro watched as his agent regarded Sean for the briefest of moments before returning to his conversation on his ever present blackberry. He knew without a doubt that this man had in mere seconds undressed, fucked, married, divorced and fucked Sean again for good measure. 

He turned to Sean and watched as she regarded the opulence that was Red. White linen on every table, dark wood flooring vaulted ceilings with a mosaic of artwork so stunning Michelangelo himself would be envious. All of this had become second nature to him in time gone by and in recent times as well. As they approached the table he almost pulled out her chair for her. Old habits die hard. He sat across from Winston giving Sean the opportunity to plop her behind wherever the hell she saw fit. He tried not to watch her. Not to notice how she slid into her seat with such grace and shuffled her seat forward to the table on her own. He wished she hadn't worn that damn perfume and exactly why the hell was she back again?

"Excuse me José, most people find it rude if you stare. By the way I've introduced myself to your friend here during your little intermission."

The way Winston spoke was an art form. He somehow managed machine gun speed with clarity. 

"Sean."

There was something about the way he said her name as if there was some familiarity, and entitlement. He couldn't help the bristling reaction even as he chastised himself. Winston said everything with a sense of entitlement, names included. He glanced at Sean and saw her polite half smile and watched her jaw twitch. A telltale sign she was uncomfortable. Good. What the hell was she doing here in the first place? Alejandro could feel Winston's eyes darting back and forth between the two of them as if he were watching a high intensity tennis match. 

"How exactly do you two know each other? You know what, never mind. Doesn't matter. What matters is that you've wrapped this project and we're gonna move full steam ahead to the next. I got screenplays stacked on my desk like Tony Montana had cocaine."

Alejandro cocked an eyebrow.

"Have you read any of them?"

"Are you kidding me? That's what interns are for! They find the good ones, and I have them read em to me while I burn calories."

He watched as his agent glanced suggestively at Sean.

"Tell you what you wanna burn some calories a little later I got a room at the Ramada inn sweetheart, all the sausage you can take. Excuse me bud," Winston said as he waved over the bus boy clearing a nearby table. "You mind taking our order here? I'm starving!" 

Alejandro glanced to Sean who was all out mad and biting her tongue. He decided to speak up.

"Winston, watch your damn mouth. You're a happily married man for Christ's sake!"

"Married yes, happily? That's up for debate. What about you? Flaunting your southern hospitality when you know how Rosalinda gets."

There it was. The true evidence that he'd moved on. He wondered how she'd took the news, and as he'd once again glanced at her out the corner of his eye he spotted the topic of their conversation making her way over to them. He felt his heart beat loudly in his chest as he wondered how this would play out. Strangely, even through the hurt he felt fear and apprehension and he realized it was because deep down he didn't want to hurt Sean. Rosalinda had her eyes locked on his and yet he knew she was still innately aware of the stares and looks she was getting as she crossed the restaurant. 

Rosalinda was a 5'7 Hispanic goddess with legs for days. She was a model, walking the runways for some of the most prestigious fashion houses like Fendi, Gucci, Dior, Channel and Marchesa just to name a few. She was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever laid eyes upon. She was also one of the most self centered, insecure, narcissistic people he'd ever met, and he'd met a lot of egomaniacal assholes in his time.

"Mi Corazon," she breathed as she reached the table. She leaned into him and he knew she was going to put on a show for Sean's benefit. Even though she never once took her eyes from Alejandro he knew she had silently sized her up as competition. As her red lips descended upon his, her hand lost itself in his hair. Nails scratched against his scalp as she devoured him with her kiss. He wasn't kissing her back with the gusto he normally would, he was just going through the motions with her, the way he was in their 'relationship' if you could call it that. She sensed the difference in him and moaned, to play up the kiss, entirely for Sean's benefit he was sure and that's where he called a halt. He pulled away from her slowly as his lower lip was caught between her teeth and cleared his throat. 

"Rosalinda, always a pleasure," Winston stated with a grin.

She straightened and greeted his agent with civility. 

"Winston," she said as she slid into the seat opposite Sean. When Alejandro looked back at Sean it was as if the color drained from her face.

"Oh, don't be like that!" Winston said trying to thaw the cold front she was sending his way. "I thought we were friends? Matter of fact I was just about to introduce you to-"

"Excuse me," Sean said abruptly rising from the table. "I-I'm sorry, I'm really not feeling well. Probably still jetlagged from my flight this morning." She forced a smile and Alejandro continued to stare. 

"Winston it was nice to meet you," she said as she snatched her keys off the table. She backed away from the group and almost bumped into a waiter with an arm full of dinner plates. Turning, she manoeuvred her way around the fumbling waiter and made a bee line to the door. As Alejandro watched her retreat he wondered at his whirlwind of ever changing feelings. 

"Nice to meet you too!"

***********

"I'm going to miss you, are you sure you can't come with me?"

Alejandro lay in the rumpled sheets of his bed listening to the sounds of Rosalinda preparing to shower. She was leaving for Paris in a very short while and he couldn't wait. It's fashion week which means she will be preoccupied with runways and parties and champagne and not him. He shifted away from the open window and shielded his eyes from the sun. He hadn't heard from Sean since she ran out of the restaurant three days ago. He had absolutely no luck finding which hotel she was staying in which left him waiting for her to just show up again. If she ever did. 

There was a string of Spanish curse words coming from the bathroom and Alejandro decided it was time to get up. He strode naked to the ensuite bathroom connected to the master bedroom. Rosalinda was rushing frantically around the huge bathroom tearing open cupboards and knocking their contents all over the spacious bathroom. Everything was everywhere and he wondered how he ended up with so much of her belongings in his house. 

"You know I cannot come with you," he stated. "What the hell are you looking for?"

"My other make up bag, I left it here after the Tony's last year. It has my favourite international lipstick in it. I cannot go to France without it!" 

His expression was tired as he walked past her into the shower. He turned the water on hot, just under scalding and stepped under the spray. Vaguely, he heard a high pitched "found it!" and ignored it, cocooning himself within the protective barrier of the steam surrounding him. The shower door suddenly swung open, tearing him from his safe haven and he turned to see Rosalinda now sporting soft pink lips.

"I must go now, leave me with a kiss?"

He leaned against the shower door, water running down his sculpted chest in rivulets. 

"You said it backwards, I should be the one asking to be left with a kiss; I'm the one left behind."

The gravity of his statement hit him and once again he was back in Louisiana, his tears running down his arm, her tears on his palm and plane tickets on the nightstand. He shook the memory from his mind and took Rosalinda's face in his hand. He did care for her, more than he admitted to himself. As egotistical as she was and for all her flaws, she cared deeply for him, he knew that to be fact. She'd told him she loved him on many occasions but when he was completely honest with himself he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he did not love her. Not the way she claimed to love him and not one iota close to the way he felt for Sean. He leaned his wet forehead against hers and vowed that once she returned from France he would end it with her, once and for all. 

As he leaned away again he looked into her dark eyes. He could see in that moment that she loved him and even though his conscience was telling him he should tell her now, a bigger part of him didn't want to send her on a plane with the same broken heart Sean had left him with. Instead, he kissed her softly and sweetly. She moaned and returned his kiss with passion that just could not be faked. 

"I love you," she breathed as she broke the kiss. "And I'll be back before you know it!" she said rushing again. She grabbed her bags and ran out the bathroom leaving it a complete mess. Alejandro sighed and went back to his shower.

*************

Alejandro was wandering his house again. He left the mess in the master bathroom for the maid to clean, changed into linen slacks leaving his chest bare and was once again wandering his spacious and modern home. There was glass and marble everywhere, it was sleek, it was stylish, and it was him. He was proud of himself, this house and everything in it was his. With no help from his family, or Sean. He'd transferred her money back to her account and ended all dealings with that bank altogether so she wouldn't try anything like that again. He'd even transferred the money for his ticket as well. He wanted nothing from her. That was a lie; he actually wanted everything from her. Starting with why she came back into his life in the first place. He was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock at the door. As he bent to open it he paused momentarily feeling a modicum of hope bloom within him that it was Sean. 

He wasn't disappointed.

There she was. A vision in blue this time around. Her sky blue dress clung to her bust showing just how much fuller it now was. The dress loosened at her waist and fell to her toes. Such a simple dress, simply cut, no designs or logo's but absolutely beautiful. He caught the words before he said it them aloud. 

"Hello Sean." He drank in the sight of her once again like water in a desert. 

"Hi," she returned, her eyes roaming his body. "Can I come in?" she asked. 

He moved from the doorway and ushered her in. He heard her gasp, and watched her eyes roam over every surface in his house. Without realizing it he hoped she would like his house, like what he'd done with it. He silently hoped she was jealous, of what he had, who he'd become. He hoped she was regretting letting him go. 

"Your house is..." she trailed off taking in the 12 foot ceilings, and this was just the entryway. 

"It's lovely, I hope your happy here Lee."

She turned to him and he could see the sincerity in her eyes. It upset him. He nodded in response and led her through the dining area, past the large glass dining table with seating for twelve that had never been used. Past the spotless stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, out through the French doors to the large back yard. He pointed to the wicker lawn furniture and she took a seat. 

"Did you want anything to drink?"

She shook her head no in response and he took a seat next to her. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours and Alejandro agonized over what to say. The angry part of him wanted to just snap at her, yell scream, but the bigger part of him, the hurt part of him wanted answers and he knew he wouldn't get them 

"Why Sean..." He started, trying to find his words. "After all this time why? Why come here? To me?" he finally spoke breaking the tension. 

She stared out at the expanse of green earth in front of them, a rueful smile hinted on her lips. 

"I asked myself that same question over and over. Why? Why go back and stir up a disastrous pot. It's not like I don't know how you're doing. Not like I ain't followed your every move since you left the French quarter, left New Orleans, left Louisiana." She paused, seemingly considering her next words. 

"I followed your career like a bloodhound you know that? I sought out anything I could find on you. After you left, I saw and heard nothing from you for almost a year. I was so worried. Worried you'd given up on your dreams. Then one day I flipped on the TV and there you was. Doing a damn Colgate commercial!" 

She grinned then nervously chewed her lower lip. "The second my eyes landed on you my heart stopped beating. For almost 15 seconds I didn't breathe, didn't move a muscle; just stared. The uh," she paused to clear her throat. 

"The commercial was popular and aired all the time. Each time that ad came on, I had the same reaction. That same breathless feeling took me."

She shifted in her seat and leaned her head back staring up and the clear blue sky.

"A few months after that you were on an episode of CSI, you remember? Playing a widower whose wife was killed by debris from a plane crash. You were excellent. And I'm not just saying this to you because I'm biased. I mean that. Other folk must've seen it too cause your career just took off. After that I started hearing buzz about a small independent film called Esperenza, about a man who drives across South America to rescue his wife from kidnappers." She smiled genuinely, staring out into her own memories. "It was a huge success at Sundance and there were even whispers of an Oscar nomination." She paused again, emotion gripping her as she tried to speak once more.

"I could not have been more proud of you!" she whispered, he voice thick with emotion. "When I watched Esperenza I cried uncontrollably the entire time; it was that good. I loved everything you did, from the little guest spots to the big ones. Like the movie, this movie you're working on. This huge blockbuster you're doing, it's going to be big Alejandro. Your star is about to take off, you're about to be a-a mega superstar baby! I knew it. Knew you were going places."

Alejandro just stared, waiting for her to continue reading his resume. 

"Baby, do you know how big it is to be nominated for an Oscar on your first film?"

"There's no official nomination as of yet," he stated, her terms of endearment not lost on him at all. She turned in her seat to face him, her face streaked with tears she probably hadn't noticed shedding. 

"But even the mentions, the fact that people are saying you deserve an Oscar for this role! Do you understand what that means?"




Hurricane Ch. 02



"Of course I do Sean," he stated quietly. "It's what I've wanted my whole life. What we worked so hard for on that film."

He waited, once again for her to continue. 

"I just..." she trailed off burying her face in her hands. Finding her voice again she continued. 

"I saw you, doing an interview. You were on a talk show or something talking about Esperenza..." she trailed off frowning. 

"You were different. Your body language, your tone was completely different. I remember, they asked you if you'd ever been....been in-in love like that. I remember I watched waiting and hoping. For what? I don't know. It ain't like I expected you to say my name or anything but I just... I-I guess I just hoped you'd say something good. Instead you said 'love like that does nothing but bring a world of hurt.' said you thought you loved someone like that but it turned out to be the opposite. Do you really believe that? You can't honestly think that. Because I know I have never, ever in my life loved anyone the way I-"

"So you flew across the country to make sure I was... adjusting to single life?"

"No! I flew out here because I can sense a change in you Alejandro. You have so much success in your life, so many doors open to you now but are you happy? That's.... kind of why I'm here, I just need to know that you don't regret leaving. That you're happy with the way your life turned out!"

"Are you fucking kidding me? You mean you're here to clear your guilty conscience! You have a lot of nerve coming here after you threw me away like trash! After my parents disowned me for being with you! You decide to add gasoline to the fucking flames and you leave me! Well look how well this trash bag has done for himself! All of this was without you! Without your money, without your support!"

She looked like she'd been slapped. Fresh tears filled her eyes and threatened to spill over. He felt his blood boil.

"I... I guess you're right; it is a bit of guilt. I mean I feel guilty over the way things ended. Because it was so... abrupt neither of us had a chance to come to terms with it. I just always hoped and prayed you'd know that I loved you. And what I did wasn't because I didn't... I mean I love you so much. Still."

Her words hung heavy in the air around them as he sat fuming. She was openly crying now, her sobs forcefully interrupting her.

"I just want you to be happy baby. I-I-I wanted your dreams to come true! I wanted you to have everything! Everything your heart desired and more! Everything I could never give you! I even-" 

Her sentence was interrupted by her own sobs again and she wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt at self consolation. 

"I wanted you to love again!" she cried. "I wanted you to find someone who was worthy of you! Someone who was right for you, better for you than me! Someone you could bring home to your family! Not a-a swamp rat!"

It's funny how things can change in an instant. Your life, and the way you live it can change at the drop of a dime. Everything can change in a split second. Her words, his father's words all of it was bouncing around in his head on a loop making him understand in an instant. None of this was due to any lack of love for him. Although he tried to convince himself otherwise, he knew innately that none of this was easy for her. It must have been hard for her hearing his father cut him off like that. It must have been hard to be the reason. But that wasn't true at all. He had never gotten along with his father and at that time she was just an excuse for his father to cut all ties. The man was an overbearing, controlling sadistic power hungry asshole. But that had nothing to do with Sean. How could she not know that? He'd called her a swamp rat that day. It was the only message he'd left in English and the meaning behind it wasn't lost on him. Except it was, up until today. He realized by leaving he gave his father exactly what he wanted. 

He stood suddenly in the grass, feeling it beneath his bare feet as he stepped towards her and scooped her into his arms. She went willingly and it was as if something snapped inside of him. As soon as he touched her; as soon as she was in his arms he felt it. The feeling of smoking embers turning into a roaring inferno. It burned him from his heart outwards seemingly engulfing them both and he couldn't stop himself. He tilted her chin up to his and he kissed her as if his life depended on it. She faltered a bit, her knees giving out on her but he was there with a steady hand to catch her. He held her soft and pliant body tightly to his unabashedly pressing his apparent hardness against her stomach. His kiss was urgent and needy, passionately capturing her lips and stealing entry into her mouth with his tongue. Sean weakly returned his kiss and in the back of his mind he noted her trying to pull away from him. He wouldn't allow it, pulling her even closer if possible, never once pausing in his kiss. Her hands moved to his bare chest and he growled. It had been so damn long since she'd touched him like this. His hands moved from her back down her waist to the exaggerated flare of her hips to finally cup her full and very plump ass. Dear God. It took everything in him not to rip her dress off and make love to her there in his back yard. 

It was then that he realized that Sean was forcefully pulling away from him, pushing against his chest in earnest. He slid one hand up her back to pull her back in close to him. The other stayed firmly planted on her backside, palming and squeezing. He couldn't let her go. His mouth continued to plunder hers as he held her in his vice like embrace. It wasn't until she kicked him hard in the shin that his grip faltered and as soon as it did she wriggled from his grasp and slapped him soundly across the face. 

He could hear her gasping for breath and sputtering, could still feel the ghost of her handprint on his cheek. He couldn't meet her eyes, didn't have an explanation.

"Rosalinda? Your girlfriend? You forget about her? Because I sure ain't!"

"She means nothing to me," he practically whispered. 

"Well she sure as shit feels something for you. And as much as I want you... just let myself go, I can't."

"Yes!" he cried holding her gaze. "Yes you can!" He couldn't believe the words coming out his mouth.

"No, Alejandro I can't. Just look at this place!" She cried gesturing towards the house. 

"Look at your life! Everything is beautiful restaurants, beautiful cars, beautiful home and an even more beautiful woman. An ex girlfriend from Louisiana doesn't fit this picture, how can I compete with that? You're supposed to have a tall gorgeous model as your girlfriend; you're an up and coming actor with his shit together. You're not supposed to be with a Creole legal aid from New Orleans! You're supposed to find someone and love her more!"

She held him briefly with her stare then went up on her toes and kissed him softly. 

"I just don't fit into your new life," she whispered softly against his lips. 

"Then I'll make room."

She sighed, releasing him and wiping the tears from her cheeks. "My flight leaves in two hours, I have to pick up my bags, drop this car off and then it's back to reality for me. Back to my real life."

She stared off into the distance again, lost in her own mind.

"Been living on memories Lee. Memories of what used to be, what was, who I thought you were, who I thought you'd become. Everything has changed, even New Orleans has changed. Transformed. There's this new liveliness, not quite what it was and it won't ever be the same again but... there's this feeling of hope. Change, everything is different but the same. I know it don't make sense, and it won't unless you see it for yourself. I'm just trying to change with it. That's what all this," she gestured to her hair and clothing, "is about. I realized I can't mourn anymore for a city that ain't dead! Can't cry no more for folk dead and gone. And most importantly I can't sit on pause waiting to feel for someone else what I feel for you. I... gotta learn how to release you."

And with that he watched her walk out of his life for the second time.

**************

Alejandro couldn't believe the way things had turned from being completely black and white to a fuzzy grey. As soon as he watched Sean pull out of his driveway he felt choked. He turned back into his home which before felt modern and sleek now felt cold, sterile and lifeless. It stood as metaphor of sorts for what his life had become. He was going through the motions, doing the things expected of him but there was no heart in it. It seemed in taking steps to become someone better he'd actually gone backwards into someone worse. Someone who led a woman on for close to a year. The first thing he did was call Winston and let him know he'd be out of town for a few days.

"You do realize that we're on the verge of building a legacy! It would be crazy to just disappear right now! No! It would be career suicide to just disappear right now! When will you be back? Cause the media blitz I have planned will have you on the tips of every tongue in America, from my 80 year old grandmother to my 6 year old niece. Everyone and their granny will know your name. You do not want to miss this opportunity my friend so you have your ass back in sunny California by Friday capiche?"

"Understood, and Win? Thanks for not asking questions on this one."

"I have a strict don't ask don't tell policy. You wanna run off and bang German hookers? That's your prerogative. You wanna go off on a cocaine binge for a week? Dive into a mountain of it like scrooge Mc. Duck? Go right ahead. As long as you've checked into Promises Rehab Facility and have been discharged by Friday I don't give a flying fuck. Just... you know... take care of yourself."

It was as close to caring as Winston Montgomery was going to get. It was almost touching. 

The next thing he did was book two flights. The first, a flight to Paris. Which would be 22 hours long with an hour long layover in Moscow. A small price to pay for not handling his business sooner. Once he finally landed in France he hailed a cab and told them to take him to the Hotel Shangri-La where Rosalinda was both staying and working. She was about to hit the runway for Alexis Mabille and he wanted to catch her beforehand. As the taxi navigated the streets of Paris he thought of his parents whom he hadn't spoken to since leaving Louisiana. As the car pulled up to the grand hotel he was at once filled with a sense of dread and purpose. It isn't often that one is put in the predicament where you have to break someone's heart. She didn't take it easily either. 

"Are you breaking up with me?" she asked staring at him incredulously. 

"Yes," he whispered.

"Why?"

"I think you know why Rosalinda."

She collapsed from where she stood onto the bed behind her.

"Because you don't love me? Not like you love her?" 

Her voice was so small and broken betraying the strong and confident front she put on. Finally he saw the flawed and vulnerable girl inside the woman. He could now see what others couldn't in her narcissism; she needed to make others see her as the person she portrayed so she could believe it too. It was sad, but not as sad as the fact that he'd taken advantage of it, manipulated it and hid behind it too as a way for him to hide from his true feelings, his true self. If he hadn't put off this break up for as long as he did, he wouldn't be here, now. Quite possibly ruining her career by breaking up with her before some of the most prestigious shows of her career. 

"This is all my fault and I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am to do this to you now. I do care for you Rosalinda and I wish nothing but the best for you. I just cannot keep up this charade any longer."

She yelled at him then screamed. Called him names he deserved to be called. Yelled in English, Spanish and Italian, which he had no idea she could speak. He stayed and took it all. Only leaving her suite when she asked him to in a defeated voice gripped with emotion. It was one of the hardest things he ever had to do but as soon as it was over he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He was free now, to do and love as he pleased and it was with this new sense of rejuvenation that he boarded a one way flight to New Orleans.

***********

It wasn't until he was sitting in the '99 Ford driving the streets of N.O. that he fully understood what Sean was trying to say. Everything had changed. It wasn't so much in the appearance of the city because even when he'd left enough time had passed to repair the damages Katrina had left. No, the change was in the city itself. It was as if everyone had come of the same collective understanding that they could survive anything and the resiliency had breathed new life into every aspect of the city. 

He decided to take his time getting to the French quarter again and tour the city he once called home. He knew her parents had a home on Governor Nichols Street but he decided to take his time getting there, it was still early and he wanted to explore. He took a trip through Audubon park, sitting for a while and people watching. He drove through the garden district, taking in the classic architecture that was unique to this city, the archways and balconies overlooking beautiful lush gardens. It was June and it seemed everywhere he looked he saw green. 

It was early afternoon when he stopped in Café Beignet and had, you guessed it; beignet's. He hadn't planned on staying long but the mixture of the music, the atmosphere, the food it held him captive for hours. By the time he was back in his car the sun was just going down over the horizon and he felt a magnetisizm pulling him to the house. As he parked in front he could faintly hear music drifting from the open windows and through the screen door. As he approached the door he could hear soft voices singing in unison. He almost didn't want to knock and interrupt them but he wanted to be invited in. Wanted to witness the music himself so he knocked on the door and waited. 

"One sec!" he heard someone call. 

He watched as a huddled figure slowly made its way down the hall. As the figure came closer he recognized him as Sean's father. He approached the screen door and went to open it but hesitated with his hand on the handle. 

"Yeah?"

"Hello Mr. Wright?"

"Yeah?" he repeated still not allowing him access. 

"My name is Alejandro; I'm a friend of Sean's? I was wondering if you could tell me wher-"

"Jes a minute," the said elderly man said interrupting him. He turned around and yelled up the stairs. 

"Sean! Yo boyfrien at the door!"

He watched as the hunched figure shuffled back down the hallway and listened to the faint sounds of the house. He could hear a child fussing, saw her sister cross the hall, and heard a woman's voice trying to soothe the child. He watched Sean's figure approach with the child on her hip. He knew the moment she recognized him, her body froze just feet from the screen door. He still couldn't see her clearly; the sunlight continued to beam directly on him, causing everything within the house to fall into shadows. She moved forward again to the door and peered out at him. 

"Alejandro?" she asked her voice uncertain. 

He smiled at her, shielding his eyes from the setting sun. She placed her hand on the screen door handle and hesitated. The child, a little boy dressed in a cowboy onesie had his face hidden in her neck. 

"Aren't you going to invite me in? Who is this handsome young ma-"

His words died in his throat as the boy turned his head to look at Alejandro. His throat went completely dry and he moved slowly up the two steps and pulled the door open to look directly at the mirror image of himself. 

"It's... He's your son."