Blood & Water

Chapter 1

Hearing the front door open and Angel's heavy footfalls on the hardwood, Carrie's stomach did flip-flops. Still, after all that time, he gave her butterflies.

"What are you making?" He asked, slipping up behind her as she stood in front of the stove swaying.

She smiled to herself, stirring the pot, and glanced over her shoulder at him. "Just a bolognese."

"Thought you were by my dad's shop," he said, his hands gripping her hips and swaying with her, "Thought I saw a couple steaks in the fridge."

"Oh I was and I did but that doesn't mean they're for you," she snickered. "You smell like pennies," Carrie said, shooing him away from her.

"Copper bid today," he said by way of explanation.

"Go shower," she suggested. "It's not ready yet anyway."

Angel kissed her cheek before heading up the stairs, his eyes skimming over the family photos hung on the wall. He stopped to take a longer than usual look at the wedding photo, before hurrying on his way to clean up.

Returning in less than thirty minutes, Angel found Carrie at the dining room table, on the phone, while doodling on a notepad.

"Uh huh," she said absentmindedly. "Sure."

He grabbed two beers from the fridge and sat across from her. "Who?" He scribbled on the page.

"KJ." She jotted down.

His face soured a little as he popped open his beer and took a long swig. The call ended soon after and she pouted a little. "What?"

"Nothing," he said with a harumph. "Visiting mom?"

"Yep," she nodded. "And look, now you have me all to yourself for two days."

"Day and a half," he corrected her seconds before she kissed him. "Got a club thing, came up last minute."

She played it off. "EZ going?"

"Yeah," Angel told her. "Bishop said it's time."

"You agree?"

"I guess," he didn't seem sure. "Why you so interested in my little brother?"

"Once you get too old I can move on to the youngest Reyes."

"Not gonna happen," Angel chuckled. "Kid's still got it bad for Emily, after eight damn years," he shook his head.

"That's not too crazy," Carrie laughed. "Shit, I had a crush on you for years before we first hooked up."

"What was that, Christmas? 12 years ago?"

"Thanksgiving," she corrected him. "Right after I got engaged, your mom invited us."

"Mom," he said wistfully. "She pulled every distant relative down here from all over."

"She did," Carrie smiled, remembering Angel's mother fondly. "I miss her."

"Me too," he said, his expression changing quickly. "I'm fucking starving," Angel said, switching the subject as quickly as possible.

"We're eating soon," she assured him.

"You keep saying that but I'm still sitting here waiting and hungry," he joked, pulling her down to his lap. "You picked the wrong cousin, amada mía," Angel whispered, almost mournfully, before kissing her.

—

The weekend ended too quickly and before Carrie knew it Monday was just a few hours away. She was asleep, at least that was what she wanted him to believe when her husband returned home with their son. Angel was gone, out on his run, but there was still a twinge of anxiety when Kevin came home. Had she cleaned up well enough? Were there any remnants of her weekend with Angel? Would her husband know?

"Hey," he gently shook her. "Carrie."

"What?" She grumbled.

"I'm home."

"Okay," Carrie said sleepily

"Anyone come by this weekend?"

She rolled over, her forehead creased as her concern grew. "No, why?"

"Just checking," he shrugged.

Carrie sat up. "Baby in his crib?"

"Yeah, he didn't even notice when I got him out of the car," he explained.

Carrie nodded. "He's a good sleeper, I'm not surprised. I'm gonna go see him." She tiptoed down the hall to the nursery and scooped the baby out of his bed. Sitting in the glider, Carrie cuddled him close and rocked back and forth, not moving from the spot until the sun rose hours later.

--

"I'm meeting a client for lunch," Carrie said as the passed the office receptionist.

"Okay," the woman said. "Have a good one."

Carrie didn't go to lunch. She went down to Santo Padre to meet with Felipe and EZ at the butcher shop. She beat EZ there, as usual, so she and Felipe chatted as casually as possible until the youngest Reyes arrived.

"Kevin is anxious," Carrie said immediately after they said their hellos.  "Why?"

EZ looked at his dad who grumbled something in Spanish but left them alone to talk. "We had a protection run a couple nights ago, got hit, lost everything. Galindo is pissed."

"Does he know?"

"No, but he knows something is happening," EZ explained. "I tell him as little as possible until I have to."

"Keep it that way," Carrie sighed. "When he mentioned this deal I knew it was a bad idea. He's not a bad man, EZ, but the bureaucracy, other agencies, and his bosses are a different breed. It's not fair."

"You think I don't know that?" EZ scoffed. "Look what they did to me!"

"I know," she stammered quickly. "Just please, be careful."

EZ nodded. "He know you're doing this?"

"Which he?" She asked, frowning.

"You know what, I don't want to know," EZ sighed.

The sound of a Harley brought Felipe out from the back. "How are we going to explain this?" He asked, gesturing toward the door as Angel swung it open.

"This a family reunion?" Angel asked with an overly dramatic huff. "Shit I knew I was the odd one but this hurts," Angel joked. He sauntered by Carrie with a smile to greet his father.

"I should go," Carrie hurried toward the door.

"You ain't getting anything?" Angel asked, looking at her questioningly.

Carrie stopped and turned. "Thank you, Angel, I almost forgot."

"The roast?" Felipe said, already opening the refrigerated case.

"Please," Carrie said with a polite smile.

Angel and EZ said their goodbyes in passing and quickly left the shop. EZ noticed Angel's stare and wondered nervously if he was suspicious of Carrie's visit to the shop. Had EZ been aware of the years long affair he'd know Angel was suspicious but not for any reason that had to do with his little brother.

"Can't believe she married Kevin," Angel remarked as he got on his bike and turned the throttle.

"Her dad did a lot of time," EZ mused. "Maybe she wanted the opposite."

"Yeah maybe," Angel shrugged and chuckled. "Chicks man, who knows?"