Dances with Monsters

by D. C. Ruins

  "There it is," Drew said suddenly, pointing down the street. Heath nodded his thanks and pulled up to the curb in front, then turned off the engine. He almost seemed nervous, so Drew squeezed his hand and smiled reassuringly.

  "You're about to change their lives," she said quietly. "This is an amazing moment."

  "I know," he replied. "I just haven't seen them in so long—it feels weird being here. Without Joaquin."

  "Oh, he's here," Drew said. "He's definitely here." She pulled on his hand. "Let's go."

  She followed him up the driveway and onto the porch while Heath knocked on the door. He cleared his throat and stood still, waiting for the door to be answered. He still looked nervous, so Drew rubbed his back as they waited.

  Finally, the door opened, and a pretty, petite Hispanic woman peered out at them. For a moment she looked utterly confused; then recognition dawned in her eyes and she cried out, her hands going to her mouth the instant before she threw herself at Heath and hugged him fiercely. Heath staggered slightly from the force of Aida's enthusiasm, but he embraced her back as she began to sob.

  "Hey, P," he said softly. "It's good to see you."

  With a sniffle, Aida pulled back from him, wiping her hands across her cheeks and shaking her head. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I don't see you for a couple years and this is the hello you get. Seeing you is like seeing Joaquin." She dried her eyes and smiled up at him, then glanced at Drew.

  "Hello," Drew said shyly, suddenly feeling like she was intruding.

  "This is Drew," Heath added. "My girl."

  "Oh, hi," Aida said enthusiastically. She looked at Heath and smiled proudly. "You finally found one," she added teasingly.

  Heath smirked. "I did."

  "Come on in, you two," Aida said. "Sorry. I'm so flustered right now. What are you doing in L.A.?"

  Drew followed Heath into the modest home, noting with amusement the toys scattered around. It was very clear that two children—a boy and a girl from the photos—were the center of the universe of this household.

  "Oh, just hanging out," Heath said vaguely, catching Drew's eye for a moment. "Thought we'd drop by. I wanted to see you, and introduce you to Drew."

  "Well, I'm glad you did," Aida said warmly. "Would you guys like some lemonade?"

  "Yes, please," Drew said.

  "Where are the kids?" Heath asked.

  Aida smiled and pointed to the backyard before she went into the kitchen. Drew craned her neck and saw a little boy who looked like he was about eight years old and a little girl who might have been six, playing on a swing-set in the fenced in yard.

  A moment later, she heard a screen door open. "Kids," she heard Aida call. "Come see who's here."

  The two children came into the kitchen and then into the living room. "Heath!" the little boy shouted, and ran toward him. Heath laughed and grabbed the little boy, tossing him into the air.

  "Hey, little man," he said. "You been good?" The little boy nodded and grinned. Heath held his arm out to the little girl, who seemed shy but happy to see him. "C'mere, you." She came to him and he folded her into a hug, giving her a loud kiss on her head. "How have you been, Lettie?"

  "Good," the little girl replied.

  Heath glanced up at Drew. "Drew, this is Joaquin, Jr. and Lettie. Can you guys say hi?"

  "Hi!" Junior shouted.

  "Hi," Lettie said quietly.

  They were both adorable, Drew thought, and she loved the smile they brought to Heath's face. Aida came back into the living room with a tray holding a pitcher of lemonade and three glasses, and invited Heath and Drew to take a seat. She poured out the beverages.

  "So, what are you guys getting into while you're here?" Aida asked.

  "Not too much," Heath replied. "We're just here until tomorrow morning."

  "When did you get here?"

  "Yesterday afternoon."

  "Short trip," Aida said, her brow creasing quizzically.

  Heath exchanged a look with Drew, then gave Aida a half-smile. "We came to see you, actually."

  "Just to see me?" Aida repeated, seeming confused. "Why?"

  Heath leaned forward, glancing at the kids who were playing with some of their toys in the corner. "To make a long story short, I fought in another big tournament last month. And I won."

  "That's great," Aida said. "Congratulations." She still seemed a little confused.

  Heath reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "I won a lot of money, Aida. Enough to where I could do some things for you and the kids. Some things I promised Joaquin I would do."

  Aida's eyes suddenly watered and she brought a hand to her mouth. Heath handed her the envelope, looking at her earnestly. "All you need to know is in there, but the short version is that the kids have college funds, enough to where they can go wherever they want when they get to that age." Aida couldn't keep in a sob as she clutched the envelope, her eyes huge and glued to Heath. "And they've also got trust funds set up for when they turn eighteen."

  "Heath," Aida sobbed, trying to keep her voice down. "You didn't have to do –"

  "I wanted to," he interrupted. "I had to. For you, for them. For him."

  "It's too much," Aida said, shaking her head. "Too much."

  "It's not enough," he replied. "And I didn't forget about you—there's a check in there for you too. You should be comfortable." He nodded at the envelope. "Go ahead. Open it."

  Aida sniffled and opened the envelope. There was paperwork regarding the college and trust funds neatly folded, and she pulled out the check that belonged to her. Her eyes widened when she saw the amount and her mouth fell open.

  "Ay, Dios mio!" she exclaimed. She looked at Heath and began talking at him in rapid Spanish. Drew knew just enough to understand that Aida was both thanking him and also scolding him at the same time, while tears coursed down her cheeks. She suddenly felt that maybe she needed to give them a moment alone. She caught Heath's eye and gestured to him that she wanted to take the kids outside. He immediately caught her drift.

  "Hey, kids," he called. "Take Drew out back and show her that swing-set that your dad and I put together for you."

  Junior and Lettie rose to their feet and Drew followed them outside, hoping it would be long enough for Heath and Aida to talk. She walked out into a sprawling backyard and eyed a shoddily constructed swing-set. She bit her lip to stifle a laugh.

  "You guys want a push?" she asked, and both children nodded eagerly and moved to sit on the swings. As she began pushing them, Junior turned to look over her shoulder.

  "Not too high," he cautioned, and Drew smiled at his very responsible manner. "Dad and Heath didn't have time to put the cement around the poles so if we go too high, it makes a whomping sound and tilts up."

  "What was that sound?" Drew asked with a grin.

  Junior smiled toothily. "Whooooooooooomp!" he shouted and Drew chuckled.

  "Okay. Not too high." She pushed the kids lightly and they pumped their legs to gain more momentum. She watched carefully to make sure the swing set didn't topple over and then glanced over her shoulder at the house, wondering how things were going. She knew that today was a life-changing day for them both; it was a lot to process and handle.

  She spent the better part of half an hour with the kids, playing with them and listening to their stories about school and their father. They were both very young, but old enough to recall him vividly and relay their favorite memories of him. Lettie remembered the way he would always make heart-shaped pancakes just for her every Sunday morning after church and how he would always play doctor when her stuffed animals got "sick" or hurt, never failing to make them all better. And Junior remembered the way they would play tag in the backyard and even when it seemed like he could never catch his fast-moving father, somehow, he always did. Several times, Drew found her eyes burning with moved, unshed tears and had to widen them slightly and blink rapidly to contain them, as her throat grew tight and burned. She already knew that Joaquin had been a great friend to H
eath; now she knew he had also been an excellent father and husband, as well. Her heart ached for his children; she couldn't imagine what it would be like to grow up without a father. She had her own very special memories of her father and couldn't possibly fathom what it would be like to have only eight years to look back on, instead of almost twenty-eight and counting.

  Finally, Heath opened the back door and all three turned from where they were sitting together on the grass. He smiled at Drew and walked out to them.

  "Your mom says it's almost time to go to your grandma's," Heath said to the children, kneeling down next to them. "She said she wants you to go get your backpacks and get ready to leave." The children got up to hurry into the house and Heath held his hand out to Drew. "You ready?"

  "How'd it go?" Drew asked, taking his hand as he helped her up to her feet.

  "Good," Heath said. "Really good. She's a mess." He chuckled slightly. "I feel like I just completed a mission or something."

  "You did," Drew replied, hugging his side.

  They walked into the house as Aida was finishing getting her kids ready. She looked up at them apologetically.

  "I am really sorry to rush off like this," she said. "If I had known you were coming, I would have made other plans so we could all go to dinner, and you could spend more time with them." She gestured to Junior and Lettie.

  "Don't worry," Heath said. "That's why it was a surprise. We're going to come back out here again soon once my schedule slows down a little; we'll come see you then. Take the kids to Disneyland or something."

  "That would be very nice," Aida said with a smile. "I'll make you some home-cooked Mexican, the real stuff." She winked at Drew.

  "It was nice to meet you," Drew said. "And the kids." She grinned at the children. "I'll miss you guys."

  "We'll miss you," Lettie said shyly, hiding her face in her mother's hip.

  "You better come back!" Junior added threateningly, putting his hands on his hips.

  "Whoa," Drew said in mock fear, raising her hands. "All right, all right. I promise!"

  Aida laughed and rubbed her son's head. "They'll come back soon, all right, Junior? C'mon, you guys. Abuelita is waiting for us."

  They all walked outside and Heath leaned down to hug each one of the children in turn. "You guys be good for your mom," he said softly to them. "I'll be calling you soon to check in."

  "You'll come back, Heath?" Junior asked in a small voice.

  "Yep, I promise, little man," Heath replied. "In fact, when I call you, I'll tell you exactly when we'll be coming back. Okay?"

  "Okay," Junior said, and threw his arms around Heath's neck again.

  Aida turned to Drew and smiled warmly. "It was very nice to meet you," she said sincerely. "I'm really happy Heath has found someone like you. He's like a totally different person since the last time I talked to him." She squeezed her arm and laughed a little. "Sorry I was such an emotional wreck today. Next time will be different."

  "Don't worry," Drew replied. "Today was a big day. I know it meant a lot to him to be able to do this."

  "It means a lot to me," Aida said softly. She glanced upward briefly. "And to Joaquin. I know it."

  Heath rose from his crouched position on the ground and turned to Aida. "See you soon, okay?"

  "Yes," Aida said with a smile. She reached out and embraced Heath, and put her face against his. Drew heard her murmuring something to him, but she couldn't make it out. She suddenly felt bad for unintentionally eavesdropping and walked a few paces away, waving at the kids in the car.

  After a moment, Heath joined her, placing his hand on the small of her back and guiding her down the driveway.

  "See you soon," Aida called, waving to them. They waved back and climbed into the rental, as Aida got behind the wheel of her own car and pulled out of the driveway to take her children to their grandmother's.

  "You good?" Drew asked lightly, squeezing his hand. Heath smiled and nodded.

  "Good."

  "What'd she say to you?" Drew asked, ashamed of her nosiness but unable to contain her curiosity.

  Heath laughed. "Nosy as hell," he muttered, then grinned. He tugged on her hand to bring her closer, and gave her firm kiss before pulling away from the curb.

  "She said you're a keeper."

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Drew stretched out on her sofa lazily, Heath sprawled on top of her. She had her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders, and they were both dozing in and out of sleep. Their bags were still on her living room floor. They'd gotten back from the airport a couple hours ago, and had done nothing other than feed Rocky before collapsing on the couch.

  "That time difference is a real bitch," Drew murmured sleepily, unable to open her eyes.

  "Mm-hmm," Heath replied, nuzzling her stomach. As if on cue, it growled loudly. He sighed. "Does it never stop?"

  "Hey," Drew said defensively. "I'm a growing girl. I have a big appetite."

  "You haven't grown since you were like, thirteen," Heath said, his voice muffled in her flesh. "I saw the pictures. You just like to eat. It's cool. I can appreciate that in my women."

  "Your 'women'?" Drew replied, opening her eyes fully and lifting an eyebrow at him. He lifted his face from her belly and grinned at her.

  "Now that I have your attention," he said, "let's go get some food. I can't deal with hearing your stomach gurgle all night."

  She laughed and swatted his head. "Well, you said the magic word. Food is definitely the way to my heart."

  "And also your –" He stroked his hand between her legs and she let out another laugh, this one somewhat more breathless than the first.

  "Don't start," she warned. "I'm cranky until I've been fed."

  "Don't I know," Heath replied sarcastically. He got off of her and pulled her to her feet, glancing at the time. It was shortly before six o'clock.

  "What sounds good on a lazy Sunday evening?" Drew asked with an enormous yawn. She couldn't believe how tired she felt. Food, and then bed were definitely in order. She licked her lips as she eyed Heath. What happened in the bed, and whether or not they went right to sleep, was an entirely different matter.

  "Actually, I was thinking that Elements place downtown," Heath said. "You've made me a believer. That steak I had was awesome."

  "I don't want to change, though," she whined. She was wearing a simple, loose off-the-shoulder T-shirt, skinny jeans and spiky-toed flats. It was certainly not appropriate for the upscale restaurant. "And that place is fancy."

  "Fuck fancy. I want steak. We'll get it to go," Heath said with a shrug. He tossed an arm around her shoulders and hauled her into his side. "Damn, you are a whiny brat when you're hungry and tired. You're like an infant."

  "I'm glad you know this now," she shot back. "It will save you so much grief later on."

  "Save me grief?" he repeated, amused.

  "Yes. Now feed me." She stretched up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, before pressing her lips to his indulgently. His full, soft lips moved against hers. She smiled. "And then feed me," she added suggestively.

  "Yes, ma'am," he said in her ear before nibbling it lightly. Her stomach growled again loudly, and he sighed, smacking her bottom as he moved toward the door. "Let's go. Your stomach is cock-blocking me again."

  "Some things just come first," she said with a grin, reaching up for another kiss on the way out.

  ***

  Traffic in Pittsburgh was remarkably bad on any given night of the week, but surprisingly, parking was not horribly difficult to find on a gloomy Sunday evening. Nonetheless, Heath had been forced to park a couple blocks away from Elements, the closest space he could find.

  Drew hopped out of his car and wrapped her black vegan leather jacket around herself. It dawned on her that she'd completely forgotten to call their order in on the way—now they'd have to sit and wait there while it was prepared.

  Oh, well, she thought, smiling at him as he came around the car and huggin
g his arm. I can think of worse ways to spend my time.

  As they walked down the block toward the restaurant, Drew's mood darkened slightly. They were nearing the corner where her studio—not my studio—had been. When they reached the corner, she stopped in her tracks, and tugged his arm.

  "I want to see if anything's been done to it," she said. Heath looked at her doubtfully.

  "You sure that's a good idea?" he replied, not budging though she pulled on his arm. He reached out and grasped her shoulders. "Listen, this place is water under the bridge. Tomorrow, you and me—we'll go look around at some places, okay? Don't torture yourself."

  "I just want to see," she said softly. "I guess I want to make sure that it's taken care of right." She rolled her eyes and shrugged. "It was my baby for so long I still feel protective over it."

  Heath sighed, but shrugged. "As you wish."

  Drew pulled on his hand and led him around the corner. She felt speechless, angry disbelief as she saw that not only was the Sold sign pulled down, it actually looked—worked on. Completed, in fact.

  "Damn, someone didn't waste any time!" she exclaimed, pressing her face to the window. Parallel to the window was a wall painted her favorite shade of lavender, which only added insult to injury. The wall cut off, indicating a corner, and she could just barely see a short hallway. There was a big wooden desk in the corner by the entrance, with a large calendar, something that looked like an appointment book, and some decorative items, including a very feminine lamp that she hated to admit she loved and other desk-appropriate accessories.

  Heath looked up. "Looks like there's a sign, but it's covered up for now," he said, pointing. "Wonder what this is. Like a spa or salon type thing, maybe?"

  "Maybe," Drew murmured, narrowing her eyes.

  Heath reached out and tried the handle, and to Drew's great surprise, it opened. He blinked at her. "Guess…they're open?" He nodded toward the inside. "You want to check it out?"

  Drew hesitated. On one hand, it really sucked that this place, her place, had already been designed into something, and that so far it had so many things she personally liked—from the paint on the wall to the little desk. She wondered what else there would be inside to hurt her feelings. On the other hand—she was an extremely curious person and knew she wouldn't be able to sleep unless she looked over every inch of the place, no matter how much it hurt.