by Ginger Sharp
Nick snickers. “Yes, I am very lucky. I can plant and prune by the way. We have a garden back in New Jersey.”
“Sure! Would you rather be out at the beach?”
“Fuck no. There are no women here. I do not know how you all live down here. Crazy as shit. Only thing to do is drink.”
I stare over at him as I put the truck in gear to leave.
I glance over at his smugness. “You’re a cousin to Katie. You both grew up together?”
“Nope, we did not hang out that much as kids. My grandma didn’t like Katie. Katie and I started hanging out more now that Uncle Ryan knows who my real father is. Mom and Olivia kept him in the dark fearing that he would go insane.”
“Why, what is wrong with your real father to make Ryan mad?”
He laughs. “I think you met him. He was here visiting Olivia. Chris, her best friend and the most awesome guitarist ever.”
I look over at this Ryan clone in disbelief. “The crazy big guy with all those tattoos and matted hair.”
“Yup, that is my dad. He is cool as hell. Quiet though, complete opposite of Uncle Ryan and my mother.”
I pull up to my house and Nick looks over at me.
“You live on a plantation not a small farm. Katie is on crack for telling me small farm. Who else lives in this house?”
I glance over at him while getting out of my truck. “Just my son and I. What is crack?”
He laughs, hitting me in the arm as he follows me into my house. He stands there in my kitchen, watching me start to cook.
He puts his hands to his chest and yells out, “It smells like sex in this house.”
I stare up at him and the bedroom door pulls open. Katie stands there with my blanket draped in front of her.
She shakes her head. “Oh, it is you Nick. I thought Daddy was here. You scared the crap out of me you asshole.” She lunges forward, slapping at him.
He bear hugs her to stop her belligerent arms. “Yeah and if he would had seen his naked virgin daughter running out of this guy’s bedroom. He would have mutilated Pedro and took you away. Uncle Ryan is going to know soon that we are both up here. I would go shower and get Pedro’s scent off of you. You know your father, Katie. He knows sex hair when he sees it.”
She touches her hair. “You are right. Pedro, can I take a shower?”
“No, Katie. I want to send you home with my scent on you.”
She bites her lip looking at me seductively.
I shake my head. “I am kidding, Katie. Go shower, you and Nick are helping me in the fields today. I have a lot of work to get done. If you help, maybe I can get Paolo to watch Ramón tonight, then we can hang out at the Cantina.”
Katie looks at me awkwardly. “Sure, Pedro. I will help, but I have no clue what to do.”
Nick laughs. “Katie does not know how to do a damn thing. Heaven forbid if she gets her nails dirty. Worse yet would be her father finding out she did manual labor. Not his princess. He already has her studying for the State bar exam when she still has another two and half years to go at Harvard. She is going to be just like him and leave us all in the dust at the restaurant.”
Katie tilts her head. “Nick, you do not have to work at the restaurant. Mommy’s got your back and so does your father. You went to college for music and restaurant management. You could have been more and worked hard like Daddy to get out of the family business.”
Nick shrugs. “Yeah, now I am in the other family business. Working as your mom’s assistant. Woo hoo.”
I shake my head. “Katie, please, I have work to do.”
She smiles and stalks off to the bathroom.
I smile over at Nick. “So, do you cook like Ryan does? He is amazing, you know.”
Nick chuckles. “Hell no. Ironic though how Uncle Ryan ran away from the restaurant because he hates it, just to be back in the kitchen down here.”
My eyes dart to the door as Paolo, Kimma and Lasaro walk in.
Kimma stares at Nick. “Who are you?”
Nick chuckles. “Just a day laborer that Pedro hired.”
She tilts her head. “You look like that crazy man from town.”
He smiles. “I am his nephew.”
Her head jerks to me. “That girl is not back here, is she? You promised that you were done with her after she stomped all over you heart.”
Paolo grabs Kimma’s arm. “Stop it, Kimma. He loves her.”
The bathroom door opens and Katie walks by in nothing but a towel. She sees as all in the kitchen then runs off in to my bedroom.
Lasaro smiles. “Hot damn. I see that we will not be getting much work done around here today.”
Kimma shakes her head in disgust. “What is with it with this family and those women?”
Nick laughs as I shrug my shoulders.
Paolo moves around the table. “We need to get working. It is going to be a hot day. Our schedule is off with those trees in zone three producing fruit early. Kimma and I will go down there to hand pick. The rest of you head to zone seven and get those new plants in the ground. Hopefully we fixed the irrigation system so we do not lose any more plants. We cannot afford to lose.”
Katie walks out of my bedroom wearing her hair up in a tight ponytail. Her tight white tank top does nothing to conceal the large silhouette of her breasts within her bright pink bra.
Paolo speaks out again, “Pedro, you better have these two kids wearing sunblock. They are going to fry their pasty white skin right off their bones.”
I laugh, nodding my head as I head to the bathroom to get the sunblock.
We head out the door getting in the trucks splitting up. We work for a few hours planting new trees. Nick and Katie keep pushing each other around acting like the immature bunch that they are. I laugh at them, shaking my head. Nick throws dirt at Katie and she screams out at him. She grabs a fistful of dirt dropping it down the back of his shirt. He pulls off his shirt as he jumps up chasing her. Lasaro shakes his head at me while I laugh.
He smiles. “They are a bunch of children.” I nod as I pat the loamy soil around the root ball. “Yes they are.”
Nick catches Katie and pulls at her hair. She swats at him trying to hit him.
Nick grabs Katie by her wrists. “You are not so tough, Katie.”
She fights him some more as he pulls her down to the ground. She is laughing, as she swears at him.
Nick sits on top of her, tickling her as he banters, “Who is your favorite cousin? Huh, Katie? I can’t hear you, Katie. Who?”
She is laughing and screaming out at the same time as he has her pinned in the dirt tickling her.
I stand up walking over to them. I pull Nick up off of her. “Enough, get back to work.”
Nick stands up looking down at her. “This is not finished. I will drown you in the sea later after you get all liquored up.”
She is all breathless, as she still lies on the ground. She sticks her tongue out at Nick. “Promises, promises, Nick Junior.”
I put my hands on my hips shaking my head staring down at a very dirty Katie. She smiles up to me as I extend my hand to her to help her up. She stands and her hair is a wild mess. I try to push her hair back, but there is no helping her. She pulls her hairband out, shaking the dirt from her hair. I watch her as she pulls her blonde hair back as she places the hairband back. She steps closer to me, grabbing my shirt as she leans up on her toe to kiss me. She pulls away from me smiling.
I stare into her eyes. “You are very dirty, Katie.”
She winks at me. “That is what I aim for, Pedro. Being very dirty naughty for you.”
Nick calls out to us, “Enough, you horny dick tease. You’ll never give it up. Why tease him? And Pedro, get back to work man. I need tequila and I want to go party.”
I nod going back to planting and Katie plops herself down drawing in the dirt. I hear a truck pull up. I glance over my shoulder to see Ryan’s Range Rover pull up next to me truck.
I look back at Nick and he opens his mouth yell
ing, “Yo, Uncle Ryan is in the house.”
Ryan walks over to us, looking at what we are doing. “That does not look like fun.”
I look up at him towering over me. He looks like he just woke up. His shirt is unbuttoned, shorts hanging low, hair a mess and it does not look like he shaved in a week. I look closer at his chest and I can see red blotches.
He looks down at Lasaro then back over to me. “Hi, Pedro.”
He walks to Nick, watching him put plants in the ground. Nick smiles up at him. “Want to help, Uncle Rye?”
Ryan chuckles. “Fuck no. Not my thing, you know, Nick Junior. Do me a favor, kid? Stop getting Livi and Katie all liquored up. I can’t keep up. I am so fucking hung over it is not funny. Every muscle in my body aches.”
Nick laughs. “Um, is it not what nephews are for? Getting the cousin drunk.”
Ryan shakes his head. “I will let you get back to planting, you Grandma freak. You are just like her with your gardening skills.”
Nick starts laughing uncontrollably.
Ryan turns and looks at Katie, shaking his head.
Katie smiles up at him and she points to Nick. “Nick did it. He tackled me and tickled me.”
Ryan steps closer to her. “What the hell, Katie? You are just like your fucking mother playing in the dirt. You are filthy dirty honey. I would take you back with me, but I do not want you in my truck. Have Pedro bring you back later. Dinner tonight and Pedro can come too.”
He turns around walking back to his truck when Katie speaks out, “Filthy dirty, just like Mommy, huh? Pedro would you agree with that statement.”
Ryan stops short not turning around. He shakes his head. “I do not think he agrees with you, Katie. He is my friend. Aren’t you, Pedro? See you all later.”
My eyes open really wide as I watch him get into his truck. I look over at Katie. “Why did you say that Katie? You are going to get me hurt.”
She starts laughing. “He does not have it in him today to fight you. Look at him all sore.”
Nick chuckles too. “He is having a hard time with Aunt Olivia’s trial costume runs. We got liquored up last night as he snapped then he raged. He doesn’t want men looking at her.”
Katie giggles. “Yeah, I can see Mommy won that battle just by his disheveled appearance. He is going to be sore for days with those bites all over his body and just look at the way he was walking. Poor, Daddy, he had a rough night figuratively speaking.”
They both laugh in unison.
Nick laughs. “I sure wish I could video that: Aunt Olivia beating Uncle Ryan senseless.”
Katie scowls. “Eww, Nick, that is gross. Why would you want to see Mommy and Daddy naked?
Nick laughs. “No, I do not want to see that. I just want to see Aunt Olivia slap that wicked smile off his face.”
Katie smiles. “Yup, and I can’t wait until some girl beats the same smile off your face.”
I glance over at Katie. “How do you know what happens between your parents, Katie?”
“Pedro, I am their daughter. I have lived with them. I know what makes them tick. What sets my father off into jealous rages and how my mother controls it to her sexual advantage. How my mother ties him up, whipping him, beating him and hurting him until he screams. I know what he does to her too. We are a pretty open family, you know.”
Lasaro stares into my eyes. “I think you have trouble on your hands with this girl. Trouble that I would like to be in.”
Katie yells out, “Shut up, Lasaro. At least Pedro participated and did not hide in the jungle like you. He was man enough to join in with Noelia and me.”
I yell, “Katie, enough out of you.”
Lasaro eyes open really wide. “Wow, Pedro, I did not know that you had that in you to have two girls at once. I didn’t think you would even know what to do.”
I smile down at the plant in my hands. “I even surprise myself sometimes.” I glance at Katie to see that she is smiling at me.
We finish up early and Nick wants to go down to the beach so I drive them down. We walk to find a good spot to swim. Katie spots her father lying on the beach and she runs over to him. Nick and I follow her as well over to Ryan. Nick drops his shirt to the ground then drops his pants. He is standing in his boxer briefs then runs out into the water. Ryan glances at him as he runs off.
Katie pokes her toes into Ryan’s side. “What ya doing, Daddy?”
He opens his one eye to look up at her. “I am lying on the hot sand soothing my muscles. Trying to get some sleep. Your mother had me up all night again.”
I pull off my shirt and sit next to him on the sand. Katie takes a step back and pulls her shirt off and stands there in her lace bra. My eyes bulge out of my head watching her stand before her father and me, as she drops her shorts to the sand. Ryan sees the reaction on my face as he turns his head to see Katie in her bra and panties.
Ryan reaches over grabbing her ankle. “Fuck, Katie, cover up. Put your clothes back on.”
She kicks him away. “No, I am going swimming and you did not say anything to Nick about his underwear.”
Ryan growls. “Katie, I am warning you, girl.”
I turn my head to see him clenching his teeth.
I look over at Katie as I yell at her, “Katie, just listen to you father.”
She points her finger at me. “Fuck you, Pedro. It isn’t like you haven’t seen me naked before.” Katie runs off to the water and Ryan tugs at his hair as he growls.
Ryan shakes his head. “She is going to be the death of me. Pedro, I would run if I were you.”
I get nervous not looking away from him. “I am sorry, Ryan.”
“She is just like her mother. She doesn’t listen to a word I say. You seem like a nice guy, Pedro. If I were you, I would run and steer clear of her. She is going to drive you fucking mad with her head games.”
I glance out to the water. “If you could do it all over again. Would you still have chosen Olivia to be your wife?”
Ryan props himself up on his elbows. “No doubt in my mind. She’s the one for me. She does drive me mad though, but I get over it. There is not a woman out there that I could love as much as I love Livi. She’s got my heart.”
“Then why wouldn’t you want the same for me if I am a nice guy? Don’t I deserve to be loved?”
He turns his head and stares at me. “I pity you, Pedro, and I can see that she has already stolen your heart. Katie is a rollercoaster of emotions for you. You think you love her. Just protect yourself and your son. That is all I can tell you to do. She is my little girl, but I do not think she will ever commit to you. Her mother was not as wild as she is. Livi was very respectful, not Katie.”
I turn my head from the water to look at him. “She is like you. Saying what she wants and having no regard for any other.”
“I guess you have me figured out. Remember that I like you, Pedro. You are very honest and caring, but do not cross that line with her. I do not care how much she begs you to. Stand your ground with her. That is the only way you are going to get out of this with your heart still beating in your chest. I told you one taste and you will be hooked.”
“Yes, I know.”
Dinner is not what I expected. We are at Olivia’s house and not the neutrally safe Cantina. I am nervous as Katie keeps running her mouth and pissing off her father. Nick would join in on the banter too as Olivia shakes her head at them. Henry pushes a laptop in front of Ryan from time to time and Rosalie stares at me.
Rosalie touches my shoulder. “Could you help me get the food out of the jeep please?”
I nod and follow her outside.
She turns looking at me. “How are you doing, Pedro? You look very nervous.”
I shrug. “I am. What did I get myself into with Katie and her family? Do you hear the way they talk to each other? Ryan touches Olivia in front of us all like we are not even there and in front of his daughter and nephew.”
Rosalie laughs. “I see, Pedro. Yes, that is normal for them,
Pedro. Do you see how Henry’s and Katie’s eyes light up when Ryan plays around with Olivia? They are happy to see two people who completely love each other. Olivia and Henry are more reserved like you and I. We are affectionate people, but we have a tendency to do it move privately. Ryan has no problem showing his love. It is beautiful, Pedro.”
Henry comes out the door walking behind Rosalie. He wraps his arms around her then kisses her shoulder.
He smiles down at me. “Is everything alright out here?”
Rosalie smiles up at him. “Yes, Pedro has issues with public displays of affection. I guess that was my fault allowing his father to keep me tucked away.”
My eyes shot to Henry expecting him to be mad but he is still smiling.
He rubs Rosalie’s hand. “Pedro, if you are going to be a part of this family. You are going to have to get used to it. We are all here now and we are not going anywhere. Do you understand?”
I nod up at him but I’m shocked by his words. “Part of your family?”
He smiles big. “Aren’t you going to marry Katie someday?” He pauses as my draw drops. “Well, that is what Katie tells me, that she is going to marry you. Go back inside and hold that girl’s hand. Do not let her father get to you. I know how to control him. I have been doing it since he was eighteen year old.”
I nod and walk away back into the house.
I see Katie poking at her father as she looks up to smile at me. I sit down beside her as Ryan pushes a glass of wine in front of me. I sip it down as I place my hand on Katie’s knee. She places her hand on mine entwining our fingers. I sit there as happy as I can be, letting Henry’s words repeat in my head. I am thrilled that Katie wants to marry me and stay with me here in Costa Rica.
After a few hours, Henry stands up and walks behind Ryan. “I think we all should call it a night. Maybe Ryan can get some sleep tonight, so he won’t be so cranky tomorrow? Right, Olivia?”
She smiles up at her father. “No way, not going to happen.”
Henry laughs as he leans down pecking a kiss on Olivia’s cheek. “That is what I thought.”
Henry looks over at Katie and me. “You two better run off now.”
Ryan jerks head up to look at me. He starts to get up and Henry pushes him back down in the chair, holding his shoulder.
