“Hey girlie! You wanna spend the night with ‘ol Haun?” He demanded more than asked. He slipped his free hand behind her waist and pulled her close. She tried to push away the hand snaking around her body. “Hey Monroe, Lawrence, you want me to share with you?” Haun asked his two companions.
“Let go!” she said firmly, in a slight Latin accent, not indicating fear. As she spoke, she shoved her left hand into his face, which he caught with his right. His breath, heavy with cigarettes and wine, hit her full in the face, making her turn her head in disgust. Haun’s eyes filled with impatient anticipation of his wanton pleasures. The same evil eyes suddenly filled with pain. A groan mixed with suffering and shock came from his lips. The arm behind her waist jerked away, and Haun released her.
When the small woman saw this, she also felt the gentle but firm pressure of another arm. She was ready to retaliate against the new intruder, but as she turned to meet this new antagonist, she found piercing blue eyes, a smile, and a wink. She stopped and decided to wait. He was definitely the lesser of two evils.
The vice-like grip remained on Haun’s wrist as Beau pulled the auburn beauty behind him. “Sorry I’m late. Hey Haun, thanks for watching my girl. I can manage now,” he said, releasing Haun’s wrist and backing away from the surprised trio of drunks.
They walked a few feet away when Beau asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, sticking her chin in the air and again the slight accent was evident. A reddish-brown, almost auburn red mane of natural bouncing curls surrounded the striking green eyes, which were accented with long dark eyelashes and set in a round olive complexion. The small mouth and thin lips were clenched tightly. She was well-proportioned and barely over five feet in height. Some curls fell across her face and she brushed them back. The beautiful auburn hair radiated a fiery personality that bolstered her independence.
Entranced with her beauty, Beau noted she was small and petite like Ruben’s wife. If only Sunday could see her, he thought with a smile.
“What are you grinning about? I want you to know I can take care of myself,” she said, sticking her straight slender nose up in the air.
“I could tell,” Beau said and chuckled half aloud.
She dropped her head and looked away as she tried to regain her composure but failed to do so. “Stop,” she said, touching his arm as she spoke. Trying to maintain a serious demeanor she said, “It’s not funny.” Then she too burst out laughing and squeezed his arm.
Momentarily he gained control. “Where were you headed?”
She pointed to the phones. “I was about to call my father to see if he and my son are back at the hotel.”
Beau noticed the accent almost completely gone when the anger dissipated. “Well then, let’s go call them,” he said, moving her in the direction of the phone.
“You don’t need to bother.”
“It’s really no problem. Are you with someone?”
“Yes, I’m with some of my friends in the back.”
Beau was sorry to hear that. “Make your call and I’ll walk you to them.”
She started dialing the numbers, and then she turned to him. “You needn’t wait.”
“My friends have waited a long time; a few more minutes won’t hurt.”
Their conversation was interrupted when her father answered. Beau could tell when she was talking to her son, and heard her promise they would all spend the evening on the beach. All the while she talked, she surveyed Beau with her entrancing green eyes. Then she put the receiver back on the wall. On the return trip past the bar, they made a wide berth of Haun and his friends.
Almost sheepishly she asked, “Are you with anybody?”
“No. My friends want to introduce me to one of their friends. She’s probably short and ugly,” Beau said, turning red after he had finished. “No offense, I mean—”
“What? Ugly or short?” She interrupted with a wry grin that relieved his discomfort. “I guess you want someone that is tall with long legs and blond hair. Doesn’t every man? I’m sure if I could grow a foot you’d be happier.” Then she laughed at the situation in which Beau had placed himself.
“You are an exception. You’re very pretty and your hair — it’s… beautiful. No one could go wrong being with you,” Beau said with all sincerity, feeling the sudden warmth creeping up his face as he stumbled over his words.
“Well thank you,” she said. “Tonight I have a blind date. Nothing worse than a blind date. But I promised. He’s probably never had kids and won’t understand my situation.”
“If he doesn’t like kids you sure don’t want to be around him,” Beau added, a little saddened she was with a date.
“You must have kids.”
“A son,” Beau responded. He changed the subject. “What is your name?” he asked as they stepped through the doorway into the restaurant at the rear.
“Krystina Socorro.”
Instantly Beau spotted Ruben and waved. “I see my friends.”
“So do I,” she said sadly. “Now to meet this pilot my friend keeps talking about.”
“Pilot? Krystina, are you a doctor?” Beau asked, already guessing the answer.
“Yes, I am. You’re not Beau?” she quizzed.
“Of course, Krystina — Krysti!” This time they both laughed and failed to notice their friends approaching.
Ruben scratched the back of his head. “Do you know each other?”
For a moment they composed themselves, looked at each other and answered simultaneously, “Yes.” Again they started laughing. Sunday grabbed Beau about the neck and squeezed till he thought it might break. Everyone turned to watch as she and then Sully’s wife, Natasha, stole kisses.
Beau said, “Hell Sunday, I think you’re prettier than I remember.”
She blushed and acted angry. “You shouldn’t have stayed away so long. And I’m still mad you didn’t write more.”
Beau didn’t answer; instead he just pointed to her round stomach. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yes, I’m pregnant.” She blushed. “Due in—”
Beau interrupted. “Ruben, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Are you crazy Beau?” she snapped. “He was so excited about you coming back it was all he talked about when he found out. Now maybe we can get back to normal.” Maria, or Sunday, as her close friends called her, was only four feet eleven and for her size she had always managed to keep trim, except for her present condition. She still cut her black hair short. High cheekbones, set in an olive complexion with a thin straight nose, only accentuated her round black eyes.
“Come on you two, let’s go eat,” begged Ruben. They walked to where the others waited. Ruben pulled a chair away from an unoccupied table and placed it at one end for Beau. To his right sat Krysti, next to her Sully, then Natasha and Deberg. On Beau’s left was Ruben and beside him Sunday, then Fitz, Pickett and Kipp. At the end of the tables, facing Beau, Warren sipped on a margarita. Ruben introduced Beau to Pickett and Deberg.
This was the first time Beau had met the two men, and the reception from both was warm and friendly. Pickett had no accent and gave no indication of being from Canada. His eyes were the first thing Beau noticed. A vertical slit in his pupils gave him a strange appearance and yet cast the warmth of a pet cat.
“It’s so good to have you back,” said Natasha, with a slight Russian accent. She had worked as a model after coming to the United States and was slightly taller than her husband, Thomas. Her silky blond hair hung to the middle of her back, and she still looked like she could adorn the front page of any fashion magazine.
“I saw my brothers’ truck outside. Where are they?” Beau asked.