Cultural Diffusion Ch. 08

"Wait one minute please." She said, opening the door and putting a leg out. The driver's voice cut into her movements.

"Not uh, leave the bags." He said. Kat roller her eyes. She unzipped her carry on and took the diamond right out of the box and slipped it on her finger. She sighed deeply, with her head cocked to one side as she examined the gorgeous ring.

She refocused her attention and jogged down Alejandro's hall toward his door. She knocked on it 6 rough times then put her ear against the wood. There was silence. She sprinted back to the cab and sat inside. She would check Eduardo's house.

Eduardo's car no Alejandro's car was there. Then she realized it was Sunday.

When she pulled up to the church, she practically threw money at the driver and ran up the familiar stone steps. Kat threw the large doors open and behind it stood a large group of people. Her eyes scanned over the people, and her arms politely shoved them aside so she could further search. She finally saw him, listening intently to the girl Bianca who seemed to be speaking so philosophically to him. Kat could only guess it had something to do with her. She smoothed her shirt out, ran some fingers through her hair a took languid steps toward them. Alejandro had such a miserable expression on his face but it was obvious he wanted to hide it from everyone.

"Hi Bianca." Kat said, taking her place beside Alejandro. He wasn't surprised to see her. Somehow, he felt her presence as soon as she stepped into the crowded hall.

"Hello Kat. I thought you left?" She asked, giving her a menacing stare. Kat ignored it, then turned to Alejandro.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Can we talk outside?" Kat whispered. Alejandro stepped around her and she tried to keep up with him while maneuvering around the people. He stood at the bottom of the steps and Kat took in the wet air, signaling some rain in the near future. He waited for her to speak.

"I love you, and I want to stay here." She told him. He didn't seem impressed, and he scanned behind her while clenching his jaw.

"Why couldn't you say that yesterday?" He asked. Kat put her hand over her forehead and took a rough breath. She broke eye contact and stared at the concrete.

"I don't know—I just don't." She wasn't liking where this was going at all. The worst scenario seemed to be coming true.

"Well, I don't think this is what you really want." It began sprinkling but Kat didn't notice. Her stomach was churning.

"It is Alejandro. I want you, and the kids. This is what I want." She said, taking a step closer to him.

"There's your da—" Eduardo said, stopping in his tracks when he saw the intensity of their body language. He held the hand of each twin beside him.

"Can you take them dad, I'll be by in a few." Alejandro said coldly.

"Kat!" Maribel exclaimed, reaching her other hand out for her. Kat gave her a weak smile and took a few steps toward her. She bent to her level and landed a quick kiss on her cheek then one on Diego's.

"Go ahead with your grandpa." She whispered while Eduardo wisped them away to his SUV. Kat watched him load them up and then turned back to Alejandro.

"You didn't mean any of the things you said to me that night? At dinner?" Kat asked incredulously. Alejandro gave her an annoyed looked and exhaled.

"Of course I did. I still do—"

"So what is it? Are you weighing out your options with Bianca first?" Kat asked, waving a hand back toward the church door. He chuckled in an devilish way.

"It's the wrong fucking time to start getting jealous." He said, turning his back on her and starting to stroll back to his car. Kat followed him toward the driver seat and watched while he jumped in. Kat's tears began mixing with the rainfall and she watched as he started his engine. She knocked on his window once, then harder the second time. But the sound of the diamond ring's band hitting the window made more noise than the actual knock. That got his attention and he stared at her finger in amazement.

Kat stepped back so he could open his door enough for himself to step out, and he grasped her hand into his. Alejandro examined the ring on her pretty hand and loved the thoughts that clouded his mind. Seeing her pregnant and in her own classroom while she waited for him to pick her up for lunch. Maribel and Diego lying under her breast during a storm while he cradled all 3 of them in his bed. Making love to her for the rest of his life.

"Does this mean you'd—"

"Yes, absolutely. Especially since I missed my period today." Kat smiled. Alejandro kissed her passionately, pushing her body up against the nearby car. His hands wandered down her forearms and laced between her fingers. That was the moment that Kat realized she'd be perfectly comfortable with being here. She was always so afraid of change because it had never been for the better. But that didn't seem to be the case now. Her new life was starting then.