Cultural Diffusion Ch. 07

"What the hell do you mean?" She asked, latching onto his forearm. He turned around and gave her a hard stare.

"You need to fucking leave. Carmen called the cops. Just get the kids." He said. His words sent chills down her spine. She felt like she was in a movie. Alejandro would be put in jail if the police caught him.

"When are you coming back?" She pleaded. His eyes softened just the slightest amount and looked above her head momentarily; scanning for anyone suspicious. He tenderly put a hand on the back of her neck and used his thumb to rub it lightly. Kat covered his hand in hers to savor the feel of his touch. The next time she'd feel it again was looking uncertain. He pecked her lips lovingly but Kat was unsatisfied. She cupped her hand behind his neck and pressed on it gently. He took her signal and bent his neck for her lips to reach. She took his bottom lip in hers and sucked it in her mouth. She tried to memorize his taste and the feel of warmth radiating from his body.

Police sirens in the distance filled their ears and Alejandro broke the kiss. Kat's heart raced a little in her chest and she stroked his hair one more time before sprinting back to the car. She peeled off into the street, straight in the direction of the police officers. They zoomed past her and Kat said a prayer for Alejandro as she watched them head to Carmen's house.

***

"Thanks Abella."Kat whispered. She had arrived back at the apartment complex and went straight to Abella's house to retrieve the kids. It was around 12 o'clock, and they were in a deep sleep. To avoid any questions about where their father was, she wasn't going to wake them.

Diego was in her arms, snoring lightly while she carefully walked him to bed. She laid him down and pulled the covers over his frame. She went back into the hall and left the door wide open behind her. She glided right back into Abella's bedroom to scoop up sleeping Maribel. Kat then closed the apartment door behind herself and placed Maribel into bed.

Once those two were settled, she herself tried to fall asleep. But being in the large bed alone, with no one behind her was difficult. She felt so vulnerable. So she stayed up for a few more hours, just recalling the day until the fear exhausted her.

***

Kat had woken up at 6 oclock in the morning, made the kids quick cereal, dressed them and took them to school. She applauded Alejandro. It was not easy to take care of 2 kids on your own and still make sure you get to work on time. So immediately after teaching she bypassed the office and headed straight for the car. She headed to pick up Diego and Maribel. When she went into their small school and signed them out she dropped Maribel at ballet. Kat had never done any of the parenting type of things with the kids, she just had fun with them. As a result, it was hard to just wake up one day and take on the full responsibilities. She hoped Alejandro would come home that night.

When they were finally home for the night, Kat went to work in the kitchen. It was nearing 8 o'clock and the kids needed to get to bed soon. She hadn't done any of the cooking throughout the entire time of her visit so looking through the cabinets was definitely not helping her decide on what to cook. She did see some pasta, meat sauce and ground beef. Alejandro probably wouldn't have used those 3 ingredients to make spaghetti but she was doing it tonight. Just as she was putting the noodles into a pot, Maribel walked in. Kat flashed her a glance before she returned her attention.

"Where's daddy?"Maribel asked. Kat was expecting the question earlier that morning, but they didn't say a word about his absence.

"He'll be back soon. He just had to do some things."Kat replied in a pleasant voice. Maribel stood behind her quietly and Kat's heart ached for her. She and her bother obviously missed their father.

"Come stir this for me."Kat told her, engaging her in something to get her mind off her troubles. She casually stood beside Kat and strained to reach her hands over the counter. Kat internally sighed and leaned against the counter for a moment.

At around 9 o'clock, Kat figured Alejandro wasn't coming home that night. That was clear. Hopefully he'd be home tomorrow. Kat hardly had time to grade her papers; her time was unusually occupied. A hard knock at the door had Kat raising her eyebrows and swiping her hands over her jeans. She casually strolled to the door and checked the peep hole.

2 officers stood on the other side and Kat checked behind her. Her heartbeat sped up a little and she took a deep breath to calm herself. The kids weren't around so she quickly opened the door and stepped outside. They back away a little to let her stand before them. She cracked the door and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hello, is there something I can do for you two?"Kat asked politely yet in a hushed voice. The men got the idea not to be so loud and followed her lead.

"We're looking for an Alejandro Ortiz. He lives here."Kat tried not to let any sort of emotion cross her face.

"I haven't seen him in a few week or so; he hasn't come home."To herself, she seemed pretty convincing. After a few seconds of staring her down, they nodded their head and pivoted themselves toward the end of the hall.

"Alright. Goodnight miss."They replied. She waved them goodbye and went back in the house, having lied well enough. It was officially safe for him to return home, but she had no way of telling him.

******

3 DAYS LATER

"Since when are you driving yourself?" Luis asked, enjoying lunch with Kat. She shrugged her shoulders and continued to look down into her binder. This was the only time she had to grade papers and she also didn't have enough food in the house to make herself lunch. She needed to go grocery shopping soon.

"Everything okay? You look a little... drained." Kat was drained. Her short nap hours and early waking mornings had her slowly falling behind on her sleep schedule. That paired with the daily running around she had to do was enough to have her lids dropping lower than need be.

"I'm alright. Just somewhat tired." She explained in a hushed voice. Kat brushed a strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

"You feel like talking about it?" He pressed. Kat sighed inaudibly.

"Talking about what?" She asked.

"What's been bothering you. You don't seem the same." Kat chuckled and tried to give him a reassuring look.

"I said I was fine. There's nothing bothering me—I swear." She said. He dropped the subject and continued to eat his food.

"I forgot to ask you; how was your club night?" He grumbled. Kat continued grading but a small smile lifted her cheeks while she remembered that night. It was the most fun she'd had in awhile, but definitely not something she'd but comfortable with doing on a regular basis.

"It was great, I had a lot of fun."

"That's good. Alejandro was okay with that?" He asked, obviously knowing he wasn't. Luis wasn't even entirely okay with the idea. But it wasn't his place to be concerned.

"Of course not but..." She shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well." She laughed.

The bell rang and Luis robotically cleaned up his lunch. Kat closed her binders and prepared to see her class once again.

"If you need to talk about anything, I'm here." Luis called, taking languid steps toward the door. Kat smiled and nodded in response.

*****

"Can you carry this one?"Kat asked Diego. He held the grocery bag of boxed pasta and seemed like he could handle it. Kat closed the trunk of the car and led them to the front door. They all waddled down the hall and she put her bags by her feet to find the key.

But the door opened itself and presented them with a clear view of Alejandro. The kids dropped their bags too and ran right into their father with screams and joyful cries.

Kat on the other hand wasn't as excited. She gathered all the heavy bags and strode past the reunion toward the kitchen. But when she walked by, the strong scent of liquor radiated off of Alejandro. Her careless ways turned into just the opposite; she was filled with rage. She put the food into the cabinets and tried to center her thoughts.

4 days of taking care of his kids, using her own money to buy his kids food, cleaning his house, their laundry, no sleep—that's what she endured. It was more than selfish of him to leave all those duties on her for 4 days without warning. Then to have him return, smelling as if he'd been at a hot club.

"What's wrong?" He suddenly asked, making Kat jump in front of him. His entrance wasn't noticeable until he spoke.

"Nothing." She said quietly. His shoes on the floor thumped slowly behind her and she didn't stop putting away the food.

"You aren't happy to see me?" He asked sexily, attempting to coil an arm around her waist. Kat latched onto his wrist before it would make its way around her hip.

"Hang out with the kids, they missed you." She mumbled. Alejandro took the hint and wearily stepped out of the kitchen toward the living room.

Dinner of steak and chimichurri sauce was probably the best Natasha could make. So after dinner, she thought she'd let Alejandro resume his rightful errands as a father. Starting with games, baths and tucking the kids in while Kat lounged in the bedroom.

She was dozing off when the bedroom door slowly creaked open. Soft, deep steps moved around slowly in the room and ruffling sounds filled her ears.

Alejandro stripped to his underwear and laid himself alongside Kat. He snuggled up to her warmth and breathed in her scent which he was beginning to forget. Kat staid motionless and hoped he'd get the hint she wanted to be left alone.

But Alejandro propped himself up on his forearm. He pushed a lock of Kat's hair off her neck and placed a supple kiss in its spot. Kat couldn't deny that his touch felt so damn good. His tenderness was just what she needed but she had some questions.

"Where have you been?" Kat asked, her soft voice breaking the silence in the dim room.

"I wanted to make sure the co—" He started. Kat's strong sigh of annoyance cut his sentence in half. She leaned off the bed to stand in front of the window. Her hands across her chest.

"Wherehave you been?" She tried again, a little more authority in her voice.

"I don't want to argue Kat."

"I didn't say we were going to. I just want to know where you've been, and who you've been with." She replied.

"That sounds like something a wife would ask and I had no idea I had one." He said, getting a little defensive. Kat chuckled. She felt angry, yet she wanted to cry her eyes out.

"Have you been sleeping around?" She decided to get right to the point.

"Why would it matter?" He inquired, simply trying to see what reaction he would get out of her. But the question was somewhat serious.

Kat's eyes stung. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her nerves for when she spoke again.

"I've been taking care of your kids for almost a week by myself. I didn't birth them. I didn't help make them. I didn't want the responsibility of being a full time mother. But I did it. So you come home smelling like liquor, practically saying you've slept with other women—I don't deserve this." Alejandro slowly made his way towards Kat. Her eyes were welling up with water and when she heard him approaching, she used her knuckle to pat the tears away.

Alejandro stood right behind her but she made no attempt to face him.

"Kat look at me baby." He whispered. She slowly turned around to face him but her eyes were focused beyond him to the hole still in the bedroom wall.

"I've thought about you everyday I've been gone. I'd never hurt you like that, do you understand? I'm thankful you watched my kids for me. I just needed some time to myself. You probably don't understand, but I never felt like such a failure in my life before that day. I... I was supposed to protect them. They trusted me to protect them, and I didn't. I just needed time." He pleaded, kissing Kat for the first time in 4 days. The kiss was urgent, and rough.

"Forgive me baby." He whispered, capturing her legs and wrapping him around his waist. She placed her hands on his jaw and leaned in for much more needed kisses. He dropped her onto the bed and looked into his brown eyes, searching for acceptance. Acceptance into her legs and back onto her good side.

"I forgive you." She replied.