La Mujer de Lalo (Lalo's Woman)

Slip of the Tongue

Early the next morning, Ana and Lalo showered together and spent the rest of the day walking around the forest up and down along the stream. He taught her how to catch a fish from the running stream. They built a small fire and cooked the fishes they caught for their breakfast. Lalo even collected some wildflowers and made a lovely bouquet for Ana.

They packed around noon and started back home. Once they came out of the rocky sand roads, Lalo made Ana sit in the front and taught her how to ride. Her feet hardly touched the ground, yet Lalo managed to balance the weight. He leaned front and placed his chin on her shoulders and his hands over hers. After few unsuccessful attempts, she finally managed to put the bike in gear and gently released the clutch to its biting point as she raised the throttle. And voila! The bike moved!

He let her drive for a few minutes, till they reached the highways. She insisted on driving all the way back home. But he was hesitant.

"No, lo siento, querida. It's dangerous." Was his blunt reply.

She finally gave up and sat behind him. She was so upset that she decided not to rest on him like she did yesterday. Hell, she didn't even hold him for grip. As he sped up, she got scared. But she held tightly onto the grill on the sides. Her hands hurt as she held them tightly. But it didn't deter her.

Lalo easily sensed that she was upset with him. But he knew he was right. Plus, with no valid license, if they got caught, it would be a problem for them both. Especially, Jorge de Guzman. He increased the speed past 80 miles an hour. Poor Ana, how long could she pretend to be angry and not hold onto him?

He saw a truck driving in the front, he didn't slow down. He went straight for it. He knew he'd get to stop pretending.

"What are you doing?... Lalo!!... slow down." She screamed.

He was inches away from the truck when he hit the brakes hard and the bike slowed down as Ana was propelled forward and her muscle memory kicked in and she hugged Lalo with a deadly tight grip. As they stopped on the side of the road, Ana's eyes were still shut.

"I thought you didn't want to hold me, eh muñeca?" Lalo spoke in a casual manner.

He never got a response from her. She was still sitting with shut eyes and her grip around his waist hadn't loosened.

"Muñeca, hey."

He only heard soft cries. Shit. His little stunt had scared the crap out of her. He let out a big sigh as he tried to pull her hands away. She still wouldn't let go.

"Ana, come on, it was just a silly stunt. I didn't mean to upset you. Hey... Hey!"

Her cries became louder. He forcefully pulled her hands and kissed them. He had no clue what to do to console her.

"Sweetheart, please get down."

She got down and he followed. He removed his helmet and removed hers for her. He wiped away her tears and embraced her.

"Why are crying? Nothing happened." He spoke trying to get her to talk.

She started hitting him. And unlike her usual casual punches, this one was actually meant to hurt him. Well, not that it caused him physical pain but, it did surprise him.

"What is wrong with you?" The words came out harshly from her gentle lips.

"Ay, you're hurting me now." He dunked her next punch and caught her wrists.

"I'm sorry that I can't take this playfully like you. What if you hadn't stopped on time? Or if something had gone wrong and the bike didn't halt or..."

"Shhh... shhh... I know what I'm doing, Chiquita. I wouldn't put your life in danger ever. Knowingly or unknowingly. Never." Came his reply.

"I wasn't scared for me. At that moment all I could think about was you. You! And for a split second, I felt like I might loose you and it scares me. I've watched the people I love die right before my eyes. It still haunts me everyday and every night. I just prayed that the same wouldn't happen to you. I... I can't, Lalo. I can't even imagine it." Her words slurred as her lungs tried to catch more air.

Lalo felt stupid. He didn't think it would affect her. But what she told him made sense. And for a sensitive person like her, it almost seemed to be a traumatic experience.

He apologized over and over again, till she stopped crying. The fact that she hadn't cared about her life, but rather his life and the thought of loosing him had caused her to panic. He didn't know how she could put him before herself. But it made him happy. Heck, his stomach was filled with butterflies as he realized how much she loved and cared for him. His eyes watered. But nothing came out.

"It's getting late, Chiquita, please let's go home. I promise to drive carefully here." He somehow convinced the poor girl.

As they arrived home it was almost dinner time. Lalo ran a hot water bubble bath to calm Ana down and help her relax. He to joined her and still had to console her for his rash behavior. It actually felt great to him, to finally find someone who cared so much about him. After lots of hugs, kisses and a nice sensual massage from Lalo, Ana was returning back to normal.

The cook had laid out a nice hot meal which they enjoyed, post which Lalo played a soothing love song and brought Ana over to the floor to dance with him. She hesitated at first, but Lalo wouldn't budge. She knew how adamant he was and finally caved. After almost forty minutes of dancing, Ana let out a big yawn.

"Mi bebe esta cansado?" (Is my baby tired?)

Ana nodded and rested her head on his chest. It was her favorite thing to do, to lie close to his heart. She could hear it beating, and it always made her feel at home. Feel loved. Feel special. The things that she had yearned from her childhood.

Lalo stopped the player and carried Ana over to their bedroom. He gently lay her down and covered her.

"Stay. I want you here with me. All night. I don't want you to leave me alone. Ever" She spoke with a sad tone.

"Ay, Chiquita, as you wish. I'd do anything for you my love."

That night Lalo never moved away from the bed. His hands wrapped around Ana and patting her all through the night. She too held onto him, like a little girl.

"I'm sorry to have made you sad. Please forgive me, Ana." He slowly whispered and kissed her forehead as she drifted off into a deep slumber. She heard him though. And as spontaneous as cotton catches fire, her mouth moved and gave a reply. Her subconscious mind was talking back to him.

"Ok. I just want you safe. Safe from everything and everyone. I want to protect you."

"Si, si. But protect me from what?" He asked in a surprised manner.

"Gus." Came the reply.

His face lost the big smile that was drawn on it. It became deadly serious. His eyes bored into the girl lying asleep on his arm. How did she know his name? Question after question ran through his mind trying to decode how she his name. Lalo didn't sleep that night.

Later that night, he got out of bed and took her phone from the night stand next to her side. He started going through her call list. Nothing much that he could get form there. He checked her messages. And sure enough he found something.

It was Ana's messages to Marcus. What the hell? She texted him and met up with him when he was not in the country? At this time? Wait, a club? What did she want that desperately that she had to go and meet him during a police mission? Something didn't sit right. He kept the phone back and went to bed. What was she hiding from him? Why hadn't she told him anything? He sighed and closed his eyes but all he could think of was what had happened between them in the club.