The Cuban

by Kim Rodriguez

  Rafa straightened his back and shifted in the chair, and figuring he had to be uncomfortable with me sitting on him so long, I went to get up, but once again he extended his arm over my lap to let me know he wanted me to stay put.

  “I know that in the age of technology and your world of yachts and private planes all of this must seem ridiculously primitive, but my only response to that is to ask you to remember how most of the world lives, what little they have access to, and how faith helps them survive even the most horrendous circumstances. For centuries, and even today in desperately poor countries, food, animals and blood are the only things of real value people can offer in exchange for desperately needed help. It’s not bloodlust. I can’t even begin to tell you the unspeakable things the medical community believed in less than a hundred years ago, but they’ve modernized, and I intend on doing the same.

  “I also don’t want it to be a secretive practice anymore, because it doesn’t need to be. The days of religious persecution, in the way that it once existed, is no longer a threat, and ignorance only breeds contempt and fear. Santería is just one of many ways to believe in something greater than ourselves and help others. Some people say it’s all in the mind, and I don’t argue, but I personally believe the people who loved us in life don’t just die and disappear as if they never existed. They change forms, but they still want to watch over us and make sure we’re safe and happy, just as they did when they were with us, and we should do the same for them. For me, it’s a comfort. It means that even if you’re alone, someone who loves you is never far away.” Glancing up at me with his hypnotic blue eyes, he added, “It also means that we should enjoy physical pleasures while we can. In fact, the muertos love to come back every once in a while and—” He stopped abruptly, obviously censoring himself around a friendly but skeptical group. “Well, it’s just like your favorite poem, Amada.”

  My body responded to Rafa again, and horrified at the idea of losing even the slightest bit of composure in front of my brother, I hopped off his lap and asked Kieran what they were doing today. Rafa let me go this time, giving me a little wink as I arranged myself casually beside his chair. After a measured pause, my brother set aside his intellectual curiosity and accepted that the conversation was over for now.

  “We’re going out on the boat,” he said, “and we’d love it if you’d join us.”

  “Don’t you two want to be alone?” I asked. “It’s your honeymoon.”

  “That’s right,” said Rafa. “Congratulations.”

  Ken and Kieran beamed as they showed him their rings and insisted we come along.

  “Come on,” said Ken. “We ordered a ton of food and we’ll be back by five or six at the latest. Besides, Kieran says there’s four staterooms on board. Plenty of privacy if needed.”

  “Can’t you stay one more day?” I begged. “That way you can come to Rafa’s party tonight.”

  “I wish we could, but it’s Ken’s son’s birthday tomorrow. We can’t miss it.” Turning to Rafa, Kieran mused, “I have to say, I like talking to you. I do hope you’ll spend the day with us.”

  Kieran and Ken went out back to board the boat while Rafa and I went upstairs and grabbed some essentials. He sat on the bed and called Sandro and several vendors to place orders for tonight’s event, and I heard him leave a message for a friend he clearly liked named Sal. I threw in several changes of clothes for each of us, a couple of swimsuits, and our phone chargers. I really couldn’t think of anything else, since there was already food, water and linens aboard.

  “Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, mamita,” said Rafa, looking up briefly from his phone call. “You’re not baking in the sun again. Dramamine, too, if you have any.”

  In less than ten minutes we were out back at the dock boarding the Coy Mistress. She was a gorgeous seventy-seven foot 2017 Riviera Enclosed Flybridge yacht that my brother had custom ordered. She’d only been delivered a few months ago, but he’d already taken her out several times, and even though the cost to maintain her was ridiculous, Kieran loved her. He ordered the largest yacht the neighborhood association would allow, otherwise he would have had to keep her at the country club marina.

  “You named her,” said Rafa as we boarded, his hand caressing my behind. “Is your brother driving?”

  “No, he pays a professional captain and his crew to maintain her and take us out. You won’t even see them on such a short trip. We’re just going to Key Largo and back.”

  “I have no words,” he began, as he surveyed the boat. It was utterly decadent, and even I could see that. My brother had exquisite taste in all things, and his new yacht was no exception. On the lowest level, she featured a state of the art engine room and four fully fitted bathrooms and cabins, two with four bunkbeds each, the queen size stateroom, and the king size stateroom. On the main level was a medium sized aft deck, a well-appointed U-shaped gourmet kitchen, one outdoor dining area, one indoor dining area, a living room large enough to entertain a dozen people or more, and a larger forward sundeck, all surrounded by spectacular 360 degree views of the ocean.

  A teak spiral staircase led to the third level, the location of a very comfortable bridge with two leather captain’s chairs, a seating area for at least six people, another small alfresco aft deck, a small outdoor eating space, and a even a twin bed sized couch beside the control panel in which a captain and a small crew could command the yacht in complete comfort and privacy. All of the floors and woodwork were clear-stained teak throughout, and she boasted the highest quality bourbon-colored quartz counters in the kitchen and all bathrooms. Each bedroom was carpeted and outfitted with the best mattresses and linens money could buy; Kieran had truly spared no expense, and it showed.

  I didn’t realize how much I would adore the boat, but now I thought that if he eventually decided to take her with him to Los Angeles, I’d have to consider ordering another one for us. I turned my attention back to Rafa, who was completely bowled over, and as he stood outside on the sundeck and gazed out on the glassy, calm waters of the ocean, he reflected, “This is a five million dollar yacht, Amada.”

  “Let it go,” I said, wrapping my arms around him from behind. A brief distance sprang up between us that could only be fixed by the feel of his skin on mine. “Please, let’s enjoy each other for one beautiful day without any guilt or sadness.”

  “You’re right,” he said, pulling me around and kissing me on the lips. “I’m very lucky to be here with you, and today there’s nothing to think about except being together.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  The idea that Amada owned a yacht was strange enough, but it wasn’t until I stepped aboard and saw it up close that the hair stood on my arms. The equally spectacular house had been difficult for me to understand, but eventually I came to view it as her security blanket, hard and cold as it was. She’d never known anything different, and to her it was simply home. I’d only seen it in photographs, but I imagined that Boxwood was Amada’s own little Versailles, a sanctuary that deconstructed was nothing more than a gilded cage, an island unto itself that kept her away from everything she feared but also everything she most desired. For as long as she wanted me there with her, we’d find the warmth we needed in each other, but the boat was a fantasy come to life, an illusion that only wealth of epic proportions could conjure. It was then I realized Amada and her brother weren’t just rich, they were billionaires. It frightened me to my core because I knew she’d never need me for anything, and if she wanted, she could disappear and put endless walls and miles of ocean between us as easily as she could snap her fingers. Even as an old woman, young, handsome men would still want her for what she could give them, while I would have to stand aside, everything I had to offer long gone. My Amada had real power, far more than I, and if she wanted to disappear from my life one day, there wouldn’t be a damn thing I could do about it.

  Her arms slipped around my waist and her face pressed against my back, a welcome sensation considering I was in a serious panic. I
’d never let her know, of course, but seeing this yacht had thrown me off balance again. She would always be richer, more desirable, more intellectual, and more sophisticated, and the day she realized the laughable inequality between us, I might have to suffer a loss I didn’t know if I could recover from. She had a dagger pointed right at my heart, and it was too late to do anything about it because I was already incapable of saving myself.

  The captain and the two crew members he’d brought along stayed on the upper deck while the four of us lounged on the large forward sundeck. The yacht was traveling at a leisurely speed, allowing us to enjoy a very relaxed, scenic journey, and as the Miami skyline receded in the background, Ken and Amada went to pour the four of us some wine. Kieran jumped at the opportunity to speak to me alone, and I wasn’t surprised. I knew it was coming sooner or later.

  “Rafa, I already like you more than most people, but I’m suspicious of everybody. I want you to know I’m having you background checked by my team, and if I find any inconsistencies between what you’ve told my sister and what comes up, we’re going to have to address it.”

  “Do what you have to,” I nodded, respecting his instinct to protect his family. “Feel free to ask me anything you want to know.” I’d expected as much from a smart man like Kieran, and I couldn’t hold it against him, because I’d do the exact same thing in his position.

  “Quickly, identify every bone in the hand,” he said.

  “Falanges distales, falanges medias, falanges proximales, metacarpianos and carpianos,” I said, pointing as I spoke. “Don’t bother asking for it English, because I don’t know, but most anatomical terms come from Latin, so it’s probably similar.”

  “OK, you passed,” he said, a wide grin on his face. “That sounds about right.”

  “It’s right.” I said, breathing in the crisp salt air. “Pretty funny.”

  “I’d think you’d be offended.”

  “No. I get it. It’s just that your sister quizzed me like that, too,” I laughed. “You two are very much alike.”

  “Yeah, people tell us that.” He leaned back and closed his eyes, but continued talking. “I bet you’ve seen some serious shit if you were one of those traveling humanitarian doctors.”

  “It’s bad enough when people become sick due to a lack of food or clean water, but it’s really hard to stomach when you see atrocities people commit during war or in the name of religion. I remember my colleague had to sedate me the first time I saw a mass grave. The absolute worst was when I had to care for a woman who was burned alive because she’d been accused of being a witch. She was in agony for four days and then died.”

  “Goddamn,” he said, opening his eyes. “Don’t ever tell Amanda about things like that.”

  “I would never.”

  “Do you know about what happened a few years ago?” he asked.

  “It took her a while to share it with me, but yes.”

  “It was a long, hard road to come back from that, and she almost didn’t. Don’t ever be cruel to her,” said Kieran. “She couldn’t take it. Losing her son almost killed her, and it almost killed me to watch her drown in grief. This family is overdue for some happiness.”

  “Your sister,” I said, sitting forward, “is the most beautiful, delicate, precious thing I have ever laid my eyes on, and I’m fully aware she’s way out of my league. If anything were to happen, I assure you it would be because she breaks it off. I’m deeply in love, and the only reason I haven’t brought up marriage is because of your family’s enormous wealth. I don’t ever want anyone to think I’m after that.”

  “Prenup,” said Kieran. “Ken signed one.” He put his hand out and I took it. “All I want is to protect her. You can understand that, can’t you?”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I said. We were shaking hands just as Ken and Amada returned with four glasses of white wine.

  “Hey,” said Ken, passing over the chardonnay. “Did we miss anything juicy?”

  “White?” asked Kieran, unable to hide his disappointment.

  “You’ll be fine,” said Ken, settling down beside his adoring husband.

  “What were you guys talking about?” asked Amada, her sweet face opening up into a big smile. “You’re right, Kieran, it is nice watching the people you love spend time together.”

  We spent the next thirty minutes or so drinking wine and talking about Tokyo and all the other places they’d visited recently. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much to contribute that would be pleasant, so I just listened. In the middle of the conversation, Amada went back into the kitchen and brought out a platter of cold cuts and cheese that she placed in the middle of the table. Absentmindedly, she started feeding me bits of meat like I was her little dog, and I found it so relaxing that after a few bites and nips at her fingers, I laid my head on her lap and shut my eyes. “Are you wearing sunscreen?” I asked groggily.

  “Yes, doctor.” I was out as soon as they switched back into English, falling asleep to the sound of the ocean waves and the exquisite sensation of her soft fingertips as she softly scratched behind my ears and all over my scalp.

  I awoke some time later when I heard Ken say, “by the way, the captain and his crew have signed a very detailed non-disclosure agreement, so feel free to be as uninhibited as you like.”

  “Yeah, that and the fact that he always brings those two cute crew members with him and never comes down,” said Kieran jovially. “I bet they have their own little three-way up there. Doubt he’s watching us.” I loved the way Amanda’s body rocked with laughter.

  Ken leaned in close and whispered in English, “We’ll be on the back deck, so that means unless you want an eyeful, you stay up front or go down below for a while, tu comprends?”

  “Oui,” she said.

  I waited until they’d cleared out to open my eyes and look up at her. She’d put on her hat and sunglasses and looked like she was about to fall asleep herself. Between the cool breeze and the soft motion of the boat, it really was difficult not to just drift off, but there was no way I was going to let her do that again. In fact, I made a mental note to check on Kieran and Ken later in case they fell asleep bare-assed in the sun, too.

  “Bed,” I said, kissing her thigh.

  Two of the bedrooms were very nice but only contained small bunkbeds, however the master suite and junior master were spectacular. She led us to the queen size stateroom and tossed her hat on the couch next to the bag she’d packed for us.

  “How long was I asleep?” I asked her, grinding my pelvis into her from behind as we stood beside the bed. I wanted her so badly, but I knew she wouldn’t have me yet.

  “Almost two hours. I had to go to the bathroom, but I didn’t want to wake you. Hold on.” She went into the lavatory and shut the door. “I thought you said you rested last night.”

  “I did,” I said, checking out the small but luxuriously appointed cabin. Even the dresser and nightstands were crafted from the same high quality teak found in the public areas of the ship, and the carpet was uncharacteristically thick and soft.

  “Rafa?”

  “What, sweetheart?”

  “Can you go in the bag and get me a—” She paused mid-sentence, so I waited, but she didn’t finish.

  “A what?” I said, rifling around to see what she might want. I took a box out of the bag and went toward the bathroom. “A tampon?”

  “Yes, sorry.” Her voice was so uncharacteristically small and awkward that it concerned me.

  “You have to stop with that,” I sighed, handing it to her.

  She didn’t answer, and within a few minutes we were on the bed together spooning. As beautiful as it was outside, it was nice to be in the cool shade for a while, and considering the long night we had ahead of us, I didn’t feel guilty about taking another little nap. She was completely relaxed in my arms, so I spoke softly in her ear the way I knew she liked.

  “Amada, what is it really about?” I was prepared to wait all night for the answer to
my question.

  “My ex.”

  Oh, now we had it. “What happened?”

  “Brent was one of those men who had to be perfect all the time. He would fluff a throw pillow a certain way, and if he came back into the room and it was different, he’d want to know who messed it up.”

  “People like that are impossible,” I groaned, reminded of a particular roommate.

  “Yep. Everything had to be just so. Material things and aesthetics were more important than comfort and people. No one was good enough to sit on his custom made furniture, and if you prepared him a sandwich, he’d find five things wrong with it. According to him, I could never pick out the right clothes for myself, and he wouldn’t even hold the baby if he was in a nice suit. He was just cold.”

  “Sounds like a psychiatric issue,” I said, thinking specifically of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

  “He made such a big deal when I had my period. Nothing ever happened and he never saw anything, but he still wouldn’t come near me, and by that I mean he literally wouldn’t even sleep in the same room. He said it was disgusting, and that any man who claimed otherwise was lying. I’ve never had anyone kiss me—intimately—until you.”

  “Amada.” I stroked her hair, thinking it one of the saddest things I’d ever heard. “I’m sorry for your sake, but I’ll be honest. I’m happy to be the only one.”