The next
morning saw Ignacio and Layla up at their customary time despite the long hours
spent cleaning up from having so many people over the evening before.
And
despite their wakefulness it was rather obvious how tired Ignacio was by how strong
he’d made the coffee that morning. The somewhat acrid undertone to the usually
mellow aroma made Layla wrinkle her nose a bit. She didn’t complain though,
knowing she’d need the extra boost that day as well.
Feeling the
familiar tug in her jaws, Layla yawned rather violently.
“Th-tha-thanks
for passing that along,” she muttered to Ignacio as she walked to stand opposite her
husband.
Leaning
lazily against the counter behind her, Layla watched Ignacio comfortably. Their
morning routine was so familiar and cozy that she didn’t know if she’d be able
to function without it.
Both would
enter the kitchen early, before the girls were up. Ignacio usually got there
first and would pull out the beans and grind them getting the coffee maker
going so it was ready by the time Layla arrived. Then they’d sip from their
mugs while telling each other about the day they had before them.
The moment
Ignacio lowered his mug Layla got the morning chat started.
“Sally
invited us to her little boys birthday party tonight,” she said. “I’d really
like to go, and go early, so I can visit a little bit first.”
Ignacio
nodded, waiting for her to continue. “Sure,” he said. “Sounds nice.”
“So, can
you be home a little earlier today to shower?”
Layla
might have loved the taste and flavor of seafood, but she wasn’t too keen on
her husband smelling like it after a day spent out on the water fishing.
“Yeah,”
Ignacio answered. “’S’not a problem. I just might not go out today. I have an
errand I need to run this morning which would put me out a little too late to
easily find hungry fish.”
‘Oh?” Layla
prompted before taking a drink.
“I talked
to Raul last night,” the abrupt change of subject made Layla take an overlarge
drink. Her eyes momentarily bulged as she attempted to swallow the scalding hot
coffee.
Ignacio
calmly took another drink waiting for her to get to a point where she could ask
what she was burning to ask: Was I right?
At least he had this one last moment of peace.
Gaping
slightly as she brushed a few dribbles from her chin Layla finally gained her
composure.
“So,” she
asked as nonchalantly as she possibly could. It didn’t work. “So was I right?”
Ignacio
snorted slightly, rolling his eyes. If only she knew.
“And?” demanded Layla the moment he’d
brought his mug down.
“There is
something more going on,” Ignacio told her stonily. “So Mami was right.”
“AAAAAnd?!?” Layla’s eyebrows had nearly
disappeared into her hair as she tried to prompt him to tell her more.
“I told
him I was out,” he said flatly. “I left my brother to do whatever it is he’s
doing on his own.”
Lying by
omission was the way out he’d chosen here. If what Raul said was true then
Ignacio had placed their entire family in danger just for following Layla’s
demand, and the less they knew the better.
“Thank
you,” Layla tried to put as much sincerity into those two words as she possibly
could. If he wanted to keep that little bit as played down as possible, she
could play along. Ignacio ducked his head as though checking to see how much
was still in his mug.
“I think I’m
going to do laundry today,” she continued brightly, taking the cue, vowing that
she’d get the rest out of him as soon as she could. “So before you go could you
make sure all the clothes you’d like washed are in the hamper?”
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Layla was
still intently curious as to what was going on, but Ignacio had so far managed
to evade her attempts to trick him into telling her whatever it was he wasn’t
telling her… again. The last time she’d known he was hiding something she blew
up at him and it blew up in her face. She wouldn’t risk that this time. But she
still could hardly contain her curiosity.
However,
for now she’d just have to be content since it was nearly time to get ready for
them to go to Sally’s son’s birthday party. And she wanted laundry finished and
put away before that.
Spying the
open desk drawer out of the corner of her eye elicited a sigh. It seemed like
she was forever closing drawers behind Ignacio. She just didn’t get it. And while
she could put up with his irritating habit of putting his dirty clothes around
the hamper instead of in it, or putting his dishes on top of the dishwasher, or
smelling like a fish barrel for hours on end until she begged him to bathe,
this one really irked her. Something about the disorder an open drawer
suggested. It also just didn’t look right.
The drawer
was sticking along it’s runners and she had to wrestle with it to get it to move.
Making a mental note that she needed some WD40 on this particular one she
tugged it back hoping it would give a little so she could properly get it back
in.
Something
inside rattled and she frowned down at it before the world around her gave way.
Tunnel vision kept her frozen, rooted to the spot as her stomach knotted and
twisted, the drawer contents entrancing her as a charmer did to a snake. Once
she started seeing spots in her vision though she again remembered to breathe,
one thought on her mind.
Ignacio.
(Cue
Screechy Strings Psycho Music)
“IGNACIO!!!”
Ignacio
had been cleaning hooks and reorganizing his tackle box when he’d heard his
wife shriek. Fearing the worst had already happened he’d raced toward the
sound. His feet hardly flew faster than the beat of his heart.
Seeing Layla
completely unharmed, looking only somewhat perturbed, which was nothing at all
new, made his shoulders droop. Then he noticed her pointing finger, pointing
right at…
$#!+
It took
him only moments to pull out his ‘Puppy Eyes look,’ though he had a feeling he
was still a moment too late when he deployed it.
The extra ice
she added to her death glare confirmed it. Time to switch to plan B.
He rushed forward;
bent double as if shielding his self against the verbal blow he felt sure would
come. He’d just managed to get the drawer to shut with the back of his hand
when she started.
“You do
know that doesn’t make me unsee it. Right?”
“It’s no’
supposed to make you unsee it.”
“Then what
is it supposed to do?”
The tension
he’d felt since leaving his brother’s operation behind finally got to him.
“It is to
help me protect you,” Ignacio stated. “It is to help me protect Tibi, and
Mariah and myself.”
Layla
reached down and wrestled the drawer back open.
“You do
know what your mother says she’s Seen about you?”
“That you
forced me to act upon!”
“Excuse
me?” Layla stuttered. “But I did not
force you to bring that into our home! Get it out!”
“Do I go
back to work for Raul?” He asked harshly.
“No!”
Ignacio
reached down and slid the drawer back shut.
“Then it
stays for the protection of my family,” he said quietly, his anger at finding
himself in this situation getting deeper.
The moment
Layla reached to open the drawer again Ignacio continued.
“Do you
know wha’ I did last night? To my own brother? For you? Do you realize how it’s
changed everything?”
Layla
continued to tug until the draw finally slid open again.
“My brother
is into something so deep tha’ even his
life is on the line. Has my mother Seen that? Or is she so focused on me tha’
she’s missing the bigger picture? Layla, you have no idea even, how big the
picture is. You do not know wha’ is going on. And I can’ le’ you know.”
It took
only a moment’s pause for Ignacio to slam the drawer closed once again.
“Wha’ is
in tha’ drawer is in there because I did what you wanted me to do. I did it
because I love you too damn much. And right now the best way I can show you I
love you is to make sure I protect you from the dangers out there.”
Layla
ducked her head, fists clenched at her sides. Did he not think that she’d made
her request because she loved him? Couldn’t bear the thought of losing him?
Without
another word Ignacio turned, and stalked out of the room, shoulders hunched
leaving Layla to stare at the carpet still.
He was
terrified of what was coming, but had steeled himself to fight whatever it was
however he could. He wouldn’t leave them. He couldn’t. She’d just have to deal
with it.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
I’d originally intended to show the contents of the
drawer- it’s in there. Trust me. But I forgot to get a shot that showed it
and I really didn’t feel like reshooting the scene because I Love how it looks
just how it is (Minus a few things. Lol) and decided to just go with it.
Those few things that aren’t right? Use your
Imaaaaaginations in pretending that really was a drawer that opened and closed!
I did my best with Move Objects, CASt, an OMSP and GIMP but the rest is on you.
So pretend darn it! Then there is the problem with Layla's backside and the chair. Oops. I'd intended to move it and forgot. And kudos to anyone who spots my booboo in the first scene.
You’ve got a really good eye!
Next chapter is a long one, but I do believe we’re going
to wrap up a lot of things with it after which it’ll only be a few chapters
until Generation 3 takes over. After the 9 month rein of Generation 2 I’m ready
for it!
ETA- There are new poses and an object and some accessories up under the downloads tab today as well. ;)
ETA- There are new poses and an object and some accessories up under the downloads tab today as well. ;)
