by Reeni Austin
Ramon let out a sarcastic chuckle. "No, she hates me, I can tell. And let me guess. She wants to go back to New Jersey but you've talked her into staying here so you can look after your poor, helpless brother 'cause he can't—"
Armando stepped forward and yelled, "Why the fuck have you been lying to us about Henry? That's why I'm here! We know you talk to him all the time."
Ramon's stomach lurched, but he kept his face and voice calm. "That's bullshit."
Victor said, "No. A few days ago I spoke to Yesenia, Elsa's daughter."
Ramon's body suddenly felt numb. He lowered to his chair. "How'd you find her?"
Armando said, "What's it matter? You lied to us. And for no good reason, from what I can tell."
Ramon pressed his lips together and stared at his desk.
Victor said, "Elsa told her Henry calls you at least twice a week. Sometimes more."
Ramon shrugged and quietly said, "So? Maybe she's the one lying."
"No," Victor said. "Your cell phone records prove it."
Ramon's neck tightened and his heart pounded erratically. "How do you know anything about my cell phone records? You hack into my account?"
Victor didn't answer.
Armando chimed in with, "Why would you hide this? Do you know how long I've been waiting to talk to Henry and find out what he's been hiding from us?"
Ramon shook his head at Armando. "Even if you talk to him on the phone, it doesn't mean he's gonna tell you anything."
Armando glared at him. "Well, what the fuck has he told you? Because you obviously know something."
Ramon said, "I don't know anything." He reluctantly added, "He won't tell me. I've asked."
In a loud voice, Armando asked, "Why the hell should I believe you? Why didn't you just tell us you bought those ranches from Mrs. Perry? You hide the dumbest shit!"
Ramon looked at Victor. "What's he talking about?"
Victor hunched forward, fingers laced together between his knees. "Look, we know you're paying for Mrs. Perry's medical expenses, and…"
Ramon was too furious to concentrate on the rest of the words coming out of Victor's mouth. He interrupted his brother with, "Did Marcy tell you about that? Is she how you got my cell phone records?"
Victor flinched and looked at Armando. In a calm tone, he said, "Look, we all just wanna help you. You need to let us."
Ramon stood, then rushed past his brothers to the door.
As they followed, Victor said to Armando, "I told you not to do that!"
Armando said, "So, we're just gonna tiptoe around him forever?"
Victor rolled his eyes and hurried after Ramon.
In the kitchen, Ramon found Marcy and took her by the arm. In a voice that was quiet, but obviously angry, he said, "We need to talk."
Marcy looked at everyone with wide eyes as he led her out of the kitchen.
Victor blocked their path, fists on his hips. "Let her go."
Ramon smirked at him. "What? I'm not hurting her. Just wanna take her someplace where we can talk in private." Then he let her go, staring down his nose at Victor. "Don't look at me like that. I'd never hit a woman."
"Oh no," Marcy said in a hushed tone. She glanced at Victor, then her eyes went to the floor.
Ramon focused only at Marcy, ignoring the chatter from the cluster of people around them. "Did you tell anyone what you saw in the office today?"
Marcy gulped and brought her hand to her stomach.
"Wow," Ramon said softly as he looked away. "I can't trust you at all."
Marcy gazed up at him, pleading. "I was only trying to help you."
Ramon snorted as he stomped down the hall. "I don't need anyone's help." All day, he thought about how amazing Marcy was. How much she'd already helped, and it seemed like she could do anything. And at times, it felt like she read his mind. He should've known it was too perfect. Never get your hopes up, he told himself. He balled up his fist, wishing he could smash it through a wall.
His house had been taken over by people who treated him like a child.
And one of them had just broken his heart.
Ramon changed direction and headed back to the foyer where they all lingered, watching him. Looking at no one in particular, he said, "Y'all need to get outta my house. Now."
They all groaned at once. Armando spoke up. "You're overreacting."
"No! I've had it!" Ramon raised his arm, pointing at the door. "All of you, get outta my damn house!"
Everyone's eyes then flew in the direction of Isaac's voice yelling from the living room, repeating Ramon. "Get outta my damn house!"
They all gasped at once.
Instantly, Ramon's anger deflated. Under his breath, he whispered, "Oh… shit…"
Cara rushed past him to Isaac in the living room, her eyes shooting daggers at Ramon. "Thanks," she said.
"I'm sorry, Cara," Ramon said. "I thought he was upstairs." He took off after Cara, stopping at Isaac in the middle of the room.
Before Cara could protest, Ramon knelt down in front of the pouting boy, with Cara standing beside him. Softly, Ramon said, "Listen to me, hombrecito."
Isaac's eyes peered sternly into Ramon's.
Ramon frowned at him. "I know you're going through a lot, but you have to be good, okay?" He put his hand on Isaac's shoulder. "I did a bad thing just now. I said something in front of you that I never should have said. Do you understand me?"
Isaac shrugged, mumbling, "I don't know."
Ramon sighed, then clearly said, "I made a mistake. I was angry and stupid and I messed up. But you have to promise me you'll be a good boy, because if you're not, your mommy won't let us be friends anymore." He suddenly felt tears stinging his eyes. Sniffling, he took a deep breath, then continued. "I'm gonna go away for a while, and when I come back, I better hear you were nice to everyone. And no yelling. Just be good. Okay?"
Isaac stared at him with no response.
As Ramon stood, a tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away but not before he could prevent Cara from seeing.
Cara's eyes were full of sympathy, but she was silent.
Ramon stared at her, hoping she wouldn't tell anyone she saw him cry. He whispered to her, "I'm really sorry." Then he put his head down and blinked rapidly as he pushed past everyone on his way to the back door.
He heard footsteps following him to the porch, and then outside, but he kept going.
"Ramon!" Marcy shouted. "Please turn around! I'm sorry!"
Ramon ignored her and walked faster.
"Come on!" She broke into a sprint. "You have to talk to me. I didn't mean to upset you!"
Ramon spat out over his shoulder, "Be quiet. The guys'll hear you."
Marcy muttered under her breath, "Damn those long legs of his," huffing as she picked up her pace.
Ramon started running. He was thankful to see Joe way off in the distance, oblivious to his plight. And far away from Marcy.
He rushed up the steps to the trailer and opened the door. He breathed a sigh of relief that the ranch hands hadn't locked it up for the day and he didn't have to waste time fumbling for the key. He opened the screen door, then the main door, just as Marcy's feet hit the wooden steps.
He quickly closed the screen door and stood there, looking off in the distance like he couldn't see or hear her.
Marcy stood on the porch, staring up at him. "I could probably reach through that screen, you know."
"Tell everyone they can stay in the house. I'll be out here till you guys leave."
"No! Don't do this. You're totally overreacting."
Still looking away from her, in an icy tone, he said, "You betrayed me."
"I did it for your own good. Victor begged me. He said he wanted to help you."
Ramon snorted. "I'm sure he did. You still betrayed me."
"I was only trying to help you! Why do you hide things? It doesn't make sense."
"It doesn't have to make sense to you. Don't you understand that?" He looked in her eyes, nostrils
flaring. "If I tell you to keep a secret, you either keep that secret or I can't fucking trust you again."
"Yes you can, Ramon. Don't be ridiculous." She put a hand on her hip and gave him a flat stare. "Victor's concerned about you, and maybe he should be."
Ramon let out a frustrated sigh, trying to process his anger without screaming. "Holy shit. I can't believe you think it's okay." He let out a cold laugh and said, "It pisses me off when my brothers try to get in my business!" How many times have I already told you that?" He glared at her, his angry eyes the widest she'd ever seen them. "I thought I could trust you and you did the worst thing you could've done to me."
Marcy's mouth fell open. "Seriously? That's the worst thing I could've done to you? It was done in kindness. You're acting like I tried to kill you or something. You're ridiculous!" She folded her arms over her chest, tapping her foot. "I see you struggling and all I wanna do is help! That's all any of us want. Especially your brothers."
Blood boiling, Ramon pressed his forehead against the screen and looked in her eyes. "For the last time, I don't want your help! Now get the hell outta here."
He stepped back, and just as he was about to shut the main door, Marcy said, "You wanted my bookkeeping help though. Do you wanna take me with you again tomorrow?"
Ramon snorted. "I don't make the same mistake twice."
Marcy's face fell. Her voice was soft. "Fine. I'll just stay here and clean. After all, I'm just the maid. That's what you told everyone at the restaurant the other night. 'She's my live-in maid.'" She looked down at the floor. "I'll go back to the house now and be the maid."
"Fine." Ramon shut the door and stayed there, listening to her footsteps as she left. In that moment, something rose up in him that made him want to run after her and tell her she was so much more than "just the maid." But his anger quickly took over again and he went to the bedroom, unlocked the door, and collapsed face first on the bed.
He couldn't decide if he was angrier with Marcy for her betrayal, or with himself for trusting her so quickly.
CHAPTER 18
Marcy trudged into the house, determined not to cry. No man was worth any amount of begging and pleading… and they certainly weren't worth her tears.
But oh, how she wanted to go to her room and sob into her pillow.
Whatever their relationship was, it was over. Ramon made that perfectly clear.
Marcy headed to the stairs before anyone could see her. She heard the clanging of dishes and silverware in the kitchen, and the echoes of heated discussions in the living room. But she wanted no part in any of it. She ran up the stairs and directly to her room where she intended to send Patty a text message to let her know she wasn't coming downstairs to dinner.
But she realized she left her phone in the kitchen.
"Damn it!" She started out of her room in a huff, heading down the hall. Then she gasped as a man suddenly appeared before her, coming up the stairs.
"Sorry," Armando said as he stepped into the hall. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's okay."
He nodded and gave her a thoughtful look. Then he leaned casually against the wall. "Did he talk to you outside?"
Marcy's eyes welled up, but she looked down at the floor until she could talk without crying. "A little. He said we could all stay in the house, in case you were wondering."
Armando laughed, softly. "Good. So I guess he's gonna be out there, huh?"
She shrugged. "Seems that way."
He nodded. "Very well, then. Victor and I are gonna wait a day or two before we try to talk to him. It's best to let him cool down for a while."
Marcy felt tears pool in her eyes again. "Wish I'd thought of that."
Sighing, Armando took a step closer to her. "Listen, it's my fault. I'm sorry. I lost my patience with him. That's what really set him off."
Marcy sniffled and reached into her pocket for a tissue, unable to hold back her sadness. In a weak voice, she said, "It's okay. He would've figured it out anyway." As she wiped her eyes, she added, "All we're trying to do is help. What a jackass."
Armando let out a sad laugh. "I know. He can be a jerk sometimes. But please, don't give up on him."
Marcy blinked her eyes and wiped her face, feeling her tears dry as she looked in Armando's eyes. "What?"
His eyes narrowed in sympathy. "Look, I know you just met me and it's not my place to give you advice. And this is gonna sound creepy, but Katie and I were watching you and Ramon get out of his truck earlier and—"
Her eyes widened. "From the window? He said he thought he saw someone."
Armando's face reddened a little and he looked away. "Yeah, that was us. Sorry. We'd heard about you and just wanted to see what was going on." Then he met her eyes, a nervous grin flashing across his lips. "Pretty immature, huh?"
Marcy giggled, unsure what to think. "I don't know."
He nodded. "Yeah. Sorry, but I've hardly ever seen Ramon with a girl. Not since high school, anyway."
"Really? That's weird."
Armando shrugged. "It's my fault. I haven't been around him as much as I should've been. He used to mention women he was dating once in a while but I haven't heard him talk about anyone in a long time. I was kinda worried about it, honestly. But of course, I could never tell him that." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, he looked happy with you. I don't think I've ever seen him smile like that."
Marcy's heart soared, but only for a second. She smirked at Armando. "But I'm just the maid. That's how he thinks of me. I'm convenient for him to…" She bit her lip as her voice trailed off, realizing how slutty it made her sound.
He gave her a knowing grin. "I know my little brother. Victor and I've been asking him about those ranches he bought in Kernersville for months now, but he invited you over there and he only knew you how long? A week?"
"That's because he needed my bookkeeping help."
Armando cocked a brow. "Ramon doesn't need anyone's help. Or have you not received that memo?"
Marcy laughed. "That's exactly what he told me outside. He doesn't need any help."
"Uh-huh." Armando rolled his eyes. "He's always been like this. Most stubborn person I've ever known."
"Great," Marcy said, her tone thick with sarcasm. "Just the kinda guy I need."
Armando quickly shook his head. "There's a whole lot to like about him, too. Seriously, don't let him scare you off. Just let him stay out there till he calms down. He'll forget he's mad at you."
Marcy gulped. "He might calm down but he'll never trust me again."
Armando offered a deep sigh, and in a soothing voice said, "There's a lot more going on than you know about. Give Ramon a little time. You'll see." Then he nodded down the stairs. "Come on. Dinner's ready."
Marcy took a deep breath and followed Armando downstairs. She now felt less like crying and more like being around people.
* * *
Late that night, with a scant glow of moonlight sifting in through the windows, Victor and Cara lay in bed, talking instead of sleeping.
Cara asked, "Are you sure it was okay that I didn't punish Isaac for that outburst downstairs?"
"You're asking me?" Victor chuckled. "You're the one with all the experience."
Cara groaned. "I know but I really need your help here. He's never acted like this before."
"It's only because he's going through so much, with us getting married. And he's excited about his party this weekend. I'm pretty sure it's a phase. It'll pass once everything settles down."
"Do you think I'm being too hard on Ramon?"
Astonished by the question, Victor blinked at her, his eyes adjusting enough to see her silhouette in the dark. "Um… yes. But you already knew that."
"It seems like every time I give him a chance, he does something to upset me again." She let out a pained sigh. "But I can tell he really cares about Isaac. I don't understand it."
"I know. I didn't expect them to get along so well. But I really don't think he's a bad influence. He's just�
�"
"Rough around the edges?" Cara said, sarcastically.
Victor laughed, knowing how tired she was of hearing that phrase. "I was trying not to say it, but yes."
"Do you think he's too angry to help with Isaac's party now? He stormed out of here pretty fast."
"I'll find out. In the meantime, I'll make some phone calls so we'll have a back-up plan. Don't worry."
Cara thought for a moment, then said, "Has Isaac said anything else to you about moving here? He talked about it all the way to daycare this morning."
"Yeah, he mentions it every day."
"Do you think Ramon put him up to it?"
"I don't know."
Cara smirked. "Did you put him up to it?"
With a soft laugh, Victor said, "No. I promise. I think he just likes it here."
In a weak voice, Cara said, "I'm outnumbered, aren't I?"
Victor pulled her close and kissed her temple. "No. It's not a majority vote. It's all or nothing. If you don't wanna move, we won't move." He kissed her again. "Although, I may try to persuade you."
"I don't know." She shrank away from him. "I just can't imagine living here permanently."
"It doesn't have to be permanent. And it's not like we'd be here in this crowded house forever. We can build a house close by. Far enough away to be comfortable. It'll be kinda like it was when you worked in Chicago. A lot of flights back and forth. We'll have to figure out what to do when Isaac starts school, but—"
"Oh my God!" Cara gaped at him. "You've really thought this through." She sat up on her elbows. "Why don't you just come out and say it? You want to move."
Victor winced. "I guess I was waiting for the right time."
She groaned and let herself fall to the bed, her hand against her forehead.
"I'm sorry," he said. "You've been stressed out with pregnancy hormones and the wedding. I didn't wanna add to it."
"It's okay. I figured as much. You just hadn't brought it up in a while."
"It's a major decision. I was waiting for the right time."
Cara rolled to her side, facing him. "The right time is now."
Victor took a deep breath, hesitating as he thought of how to start. "Okay. First, let me say, I know it's not fair to ask you to marry me and then suddenly try to uproot you and Isaac. That's why I was hoping you'd come around on your own."
