Chapter 2.42- Something So Deep

          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?”

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          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.

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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. ;)