Trouble, with a capital T. - Nestor Oceteva

17 April 2019

I could feel the tension in the SUV as we rode in silence. Libby had fallen asleep again, blissfully unaware of us adults. I could barely stop myself from shaking with anger. Although I never spoke bad about Nestor in front of his daughter, internally I hated him. Now that I knew all the reasons I had hated him were lies, I felt an all consuming rage for what we had missed out on. He missed Libby's first step, first word, first day of school, first everything.

I must have pissed the big guy off big time in a past life. I still couldn't believe Nestor worked with my father, the very reason I ran away as soon as I could. I knew I couldn't keep Libby away now that he knew about her but I didn't want her growing up in this life. I pondered whether anything would have been different if I had have told Nestor everything years ago. At the time I didn't see any good coming of telling him details of my childhood just snippets of information here and there.

"Where are we going? Shouldn't we be heading across the boarder?" I was confused, Jose Galindo based his compound in Mexico but we had passed the Calexico crossing. "We are based Stateside now. After Jose died his son moved everything here since he lived this side." I nodded, I didn't know Jose had died but it made sense to move it if Miguel didn't want to uproot his life. "He's coming home early with his son, should be there when we get in."

The sun was setting as we pulled in to the property. It was a beautiful home but was expected when you ran a drug empire. I had papi carry Libby in so he could put her straight to bed. The front door opened as we were getting out of the car. "Lucy, it's good to have you home." I heard a familiar voice that had deepened in the many years since we last spoke. "Whatever Miguel, you won't be saying that when I get you in trouble again." "You know Mickey?" We both looked at Nestor who was shocked.

Why the hell doesn't anyone use their real name anymore! All the stories of Nestor's friend Mickey came back to me and I looked at Miguel with new eyes. "Fucking hell. I need a drink." I walked past the group and patted Miguel shoulder as I walked past him.  As I entered the large space I saw a stocked bar in the corner. Before I could look through the labels I heard Miguel and Nestor both say "bottom left" then look oddly at each other. Yeah, a strong scotch is definitely needed.

I found my favourite bottle on the bottom left shelf and poured a full glass of the amber liquid, a double would not be enough. I poured Nestor and Miguel smaller glasses of bourbon. I grabbed the bottle and my glass while they their glasses and Miguel lead us to the chairs poolside. I was getting a headache from the strangeness of this whole situation. Nestor and Miguel looked like they were having conversations with their eye and Nestor nodded my way and Miguel's eye brows shot up.

I don't know who was expecting who to talk first but we all decided to speak at the same time. I waved for someone else to start and Miguel gestured at Nestor so it was decided. He took a sip and looked my way before clearing his throat. "I met Nadia in the Navy, she was a smart arse from the start, you can thank her for loosening me up. We are actually married." Miguel looked at me. "Nadia? Not Lucia?" "Changed it on my 18th. Told you I would do it." Miguel looked at Nestor wide eyed. "The ashes?" Nestor nodded. "For fucks sake, I'm not dead. It's a long story but we were both lied to. Can we  just bury it or toss it out and move on?" Nestor nodded again. We are going to have sore necks by the end of this.

"Miguel and I have known each other our whole lives but only in very limited situations. Usually when there were threats made or followed through. They would send me to compound in Hermosillo on lockdown. Miguel here would save me from boredom by stealing Jose's scotch and sneaking into my prison." Hell would have broken out if our parents knew about the 19 year old sneaking into my room when I was 15. It was only platonic, he had been through it all so he knew what I was feeling. "She never treated me any different but seriously Nestor she was trouble, with a capital T."

"Mickey used to talk about his friend Lucy. I thought he must have had an imaginary friend since I never saw her." Nestor looked at his friend and laughed. "I'm glad you are not crazy, amigo. Though a lot more of your stories make sense now." Miguel smiled and laughed and his eyes flicked to mine before going back to his friend. "I wouldn't repeat those if I were you." Well, now I am very curious, I'll have to get them out of Nestor later.

"Nestor and I have a daughter too." Miguel choked on his drink and coughed a bit. "Really, I thought kids freaked you out." "Oh they do, but this one is alright, I guess." It was easy to fall back into joking with them. "I only found out about her a few hours ago but she's an amazing girl, my wife did an great job." I melted under his intensive stare and all I wanted to do was to lock the world away and spend time with the man I had missed. I couldn't deny as much as I hated him for leaving, I had still missed him dearly.

I knew I had been staring at him too long when Miguel cleared his throat. "Hmm what sorry?" The man just chuckled but didn't repeat himself. "I am going to head in to town for dinner with my wife and Cristobal. I'll take Enrique, you have the night off Nestor. I'm sure you two have some catching up to do." He wiggles his eyebrows at us provocatively. I slapped his arm as he walked pass. "I'll leave a sock on the door don't worry!" I yelled just before he disappeared from sight, his laugh echoing behind.

"I still can't believe you know Mickey and fuck me! Romero's my father in law!" I laughed at his face as he ran him hand down it. "I like the hair, it suits you long." I hopped off my chair after another glass of liquid courage and sat on his lap. I felt him freeze under me and I stood back up. "Shit, sorry. Do you have a girlfriend?" He grabbed my arm and pulled me back down to his lap, wrapping his arm around me. "No, querida. It's only ever been you for me. I'm just still unsure if this is a dream or not."

I could've leant in and kissed him, I probably should've. Instead, I pinched him hard on the nipple through his shirt. He hissed as me and I nearly fell of his lap. "Fuck was that for?" He said as he rubbed the spot. "Now you know you're not dreaming." He stared at me a moment longer before he pulled me down for a long kiss. "Jesus Christ, I was wondering when you would come up for air." We jumped at Miguel's voice beside us and he laughed. "I forgot my phone. I'll see you love birds tomorrow."

As soon as Miguel had left again Nestor picked me up bridal style and ran through the house to where his room was at the back. I couldn't help but laugh as he tossed me on his bed before taking a sock off and going back to his door. "Is this going to be Rosarito all over again?" He ran his hand up my leg as he climbed up the bed. "I would love nothing more than a week locked away with you but I would like to spend time with my whole family." Ok, very good reason to turn me down. I can forgive him for that.

He bent down to kiss along my chest when I caught sight a the box and flinched. He looked up at me with a confused look until he followed my eyes and frowned. Mumbling to himself quietly in Spanish, I watched him stand up and press down on his noticeable erection. "I'll be right back, don't move." He grabbed the box and disappeared out of the room for a few minutes.

He practically ran back into the room, slamming the door behind him and started unbuttoning his dress shirt. I sat back against the headboard and shamelessly watched him. He had a lot more tattoos covering him than the last time I saw him and his body was still raw muscle and man he was still the finest specimen I had ever seen. "Te necesito Nestor."