"What? Leave her here alone?"
"That's what I was thinking..."
"I apologize for the wait but I just can't take the yelling anymore, it's pissing me off. How about Fernando here show you all around?"
"Um no, I don't wanna go look around this big ass place, I wanna go home."
"Great, you and I can wait here until they get back."
Stefano glares at me as if I had said something insulting, "No offence, but there's no way i'm leaving her alone with you man."
Lina has a smug look or her face, "Ha, hope you have a better plan than that, jackass."
"Nando, take Melvin here to the bar, and yes, it's self serve. Joauquin, I knonw you like cars so I set up a personal tour for you to check out the cars in the parking garage, and last but not least, Stef, the upstairs gym is open to all. Oh also, there's a smoothie bar in the gym."
They all exchange glances and then look at Lina, "Sorry sis, you're on your own."
"You assholes are really just gonna leave me like this?!"
"Ah c'mon. You understand, right kiddo?"
"Yep, bye-bye."
Nando leads them out of the room, leaving Lina and I all alone.
"Looks like your stuck with me now, chica."
"If you wanted to just talk with me, why invite all of us?"
"Because there's no way in hell you would've showed up."
"True, but making all of us come here just to wate time is wrong."
"And what's so wrong about showing my best workers, or dare I say close friends, around in my home?"
"Fuck this man. I don't gotta tell you shit."
"You're exhausting, Lina. I don't wanna be in here anymore than you do so lets both, as you said earlier, 'cut the shit' and just talk like civilized adults."
"Even if I do tell you where she is, there's no way she'd want to come back here. She's different from before."
She stares at the floor with a blank look on her face, as if she were remembering something.
"Different how?"
"She's just not the same anymore."
***
"And this is his favorite place to sit back and watch the game."
"Damn, he's really come a long way without Ricky."
"Yeah, I almost feel bad for the guy."
"Um, Mr. Hernandez made the choice to leave him head of the company then left, so no reason to feel bad for him."
"No, not him. I'm talking bout Carlos, he must hate being in this ginormous house all alone."
"Uh-huh, weren't they both like super close too?"
"Er uh, yes they were. I guess it never crossed my mind that he must feel that way."
"Well he's a big boy, i'm sure he can handle himself. Now about that bar..."
"Oh of course, right this way."
***
"But I thought she was pregnat when she left...how would that even make sense?"
"I uh-" She coughs awkwardly then taps her fingers against the table, "I think you should ask her yourself."
"Bullshit...there's no way she'd-"
"Stop saying that. The old Kaz you grew to love is gone. It hurts to say it aloud but it wouldn't be right to let you have any false hopes."
"But she left saying that she needed to work on her mental health and if what you said is true, then wouldn't that be doing the complete opposite?"
"That's not how I see it, I think that she's getting it all outta her system so she can start over. Listen, we've been talking for hours and to put it nicely, i'm sick of hearing your voice. Can we be done here?"
"Well that's not up to me."
"Then who the hell's it up too?"
I grab my phone and dail Nando, "Yo, ask the guys if they're ready to head back home."
"Uh sure, hey, boss asked if you three want to go home yet?"
"No way in hell man! We love it here."
Lina rolls her eyes and shoots me the bird, "I'm glad you all are enjoing yourselves, why not stay the night?"
They all cheer and thank me, "Nando, when they're ready, take them to the guest house down by the garden. Use the one has enough rooms for all of them."
"Got it."
I hang up the phone and shove it back down into my pocket, "Now where were we?"
She slams her hand down on the table and stands up, "Why are you suddenly interested in finding her?! It's been so long and she's doing perfectly fine without you!"
"You think that I wanted any of this? To be abondoned by my best friend and have my little sister so shaken, that she felt like her only option was to leave her husband and disappear? The only reason why i'm not six feet under is beacuse I still believe that they're coming back...they have to come back."
"Well you're wrong,"
She walks over to me and gets so close to my face that I can smell the gum she's been chewing on, "I know that they were important to you but they're gone, and they won't ever come back."
She yanks a handful my hair and as much as I want to hate it, I can't honestly say I do. "I mean who would want to come home to some wanna-be Scarface loser who's so sad and lonely that he buys big houses and big cars to feel less empty inside? If I were them, i'd stay far away from here too."
I shove her hand away from me, "No, you're the one that's wrong. I was handed onwership of this company, I was handed the big houses and the the big cars! Everything was laid out for me and when everything's just given to you, nothing seems important anymore! So excuse me if I want the only thing I ever had to work for back. They may not be here now, but I still have hope."
"Why can't you see that you're the only one who's still suffering, Carlos! Kaz isn't the only one i'm trying to keep safe!"
"What? What are you talking about? Who else are you keeping safe?"
She turns her back towards me, "Can we please be done here now? I wanna go."
"Catalina, mírame."
(Catalina, look at me)
She slowly turns to me and I notice that her face is covered in tears. "Dime qué está pasando realmente."
(Tell me what's really going on)
"I..." she starts to cry even harder.
"Okay okay," I walk over and pull her into my arms, "Please don't cry, i'm here, just talk to me."
"I just wanted to protect everyone...I really did."
"Protect who from what?"
"I want to tell you, but I can't. I've already said too much."
She burries her head in my chest, "Well I can't help you if you won't tell me what's going on..."
She lifts her head up and looks me in the eye. Her cheeks are a bright red and my hand is resting in the arch of her back. She stands on her tippy-toes and kisses me. The sweetness from her gum combined with the saltiness of her tears is one hell of of a taste, I can't help but want more but fight my cravings and break off our kiss.
"Shit, i'm sorry. I should probably go find my brothers."
She goes for the door but I grab her wrist, "No hay forma de que te vayas ahora, chica. Tengo demasiadas preguntas."
(There's no way you're leaving now, girl. I have too many questions.)