Mexican Hospitality

Ana walked into the motel and kissed Marcus on both cheeks, "Where's Angie?" he asked. She giggled, "She's with her father."

Jordan was just finishing getting Angie dressed when she looked up at him. "Daddy, can Ana stay with us every night? I like her with me."

Jordan blushed and coughed away the emotion. "I don't know. We will have to see."

Ana looked over all the new guests they had and smiled at Marcus, "Awesome!" she said as she hugged him. "Did breakfast get served?" Marcus laughed, "Stop worrying I took care of business." She smiled, "What would I do without you?" she asked. Marcus winked, "I don’t know; what would you do?"

Jordan picked Angie up and headed over to the small dining area where breakfast would be served, at least according to Ana. The morning was pleasant, but it threatened to be another hot one. The dining area was open air so he took a chair in the shade with Angie seated next to him.

Ana smiled and decided to go get some food for herself. She walked in and saw Angie and Jordan. She snuck up behind Angie and tickled her, "Boo!" Angie giggled happily. Anna kissed her on the cheek and cast an eye to Jordan.

Jordan winked at Ana, "So, do you have any plans for us today?" He knew if it was up to him he would just hang around the motel, considering he didn't know anything or anyone around.

She shook her head and sat down, "Nah," she said. Someone placed a plate in front of her pile high with breakfast. She rubbed her hands together and picked up her fork, "I figured we could go to the beach."

"That sounds nice. Though I didn't bring a suit with me." The thought of Ana in a bathing suit or even better, a bikini, flew through his mind. He looked over at Angie and she was nodding in that childish way that makes their head look like it was about to fall of. Chuckling he looked back at Ana, "looks like it's a date."

Ana nodded along with Angie. "Good," she said, "As for a swim suit you can just wear a pair of shorts. As for Angie I have a swim suit for her."

"You'd make a great mother. Always prepared." He didn't have to think about why Ana would have a suit for Angie, they seemed to play a lot together. They really got along. Not quite like mother/daughter, more like sisters.

Ana grinned and poked Angie who giggled and poked her back, "Is it the one with the butterflies?" Angie wanted to know. Ana grinned, "the one and only," she told her. "Cool!"

As Jordan worked on his meal, he noticed that he kept looking at Ana, not dreamily, but just with that look of what might be if he didn't mess it up like he did with his ex.

Ana pulled Angie's hair back and braided it. She then went back to her breakfast. Angie began putting all her toast on Ana's plate and Ana began feeding Angie pieces of egg or bacon from her own plate. Angie giggled.

Jordan finished his meal and sat back in his chair with his coffee, watching the girls. "Angie, you like Ana, don't you?"

Angie nodded as she chewed a piece of egg from Ana's plate, "She is really nice to me." Ana blushed and chewed a piece of buttered toast from Angie's plate.

Jordan nodded but didn't elaborate content with just watching them. He hadn't come to Mexico to find a woman, except for his daughter, but wasn't upset with the outcome so far.

When Ana's plate was empty except for a piece of toast she handed Angie her glass of orange juice and watched as she drank. When Angie handed her the glass back Ana looked up to see Jordan watching her. "What?" she asked.

He smiled as he was caught staring. He spoke in that adult voice that children just tune out. "Nothing, just admiring; thinking of this morning."

"What about this morning?" she asked confused.

He leaned forward. "The bathroom?" He asked not as if he didn't know, but to jog her memory.

Ana blushed and looked away from him, "What about it?"

"I enjoyed it." Jordan left it at that and took a sip of his coffee. "How long have you been in Mexico? All your life?"

She smiled, "Yah," she said, "All my life. Never left it. Always been here." She turned to Angie and said something to her in Spanish. Angie nodded and kissed Ana on the cheek hugged her dad and bolted out the door.

Jordan watched Angie take off. "I'm amazed how much she picked up in six months. Her mother really never taught her any that I know of before. What did you say to her?"

"Go see Marc," Ana said, "She loves him more than anything I have ever seen."

"That makes me feel good." He tried not to let the sarcasm out, but he figured some would. Nothing against Mark, but wasn't the father figure thing his department?

"Don’t get offended," Ana said, "Marc is just a really cool uncle to her. That’s why she calls him Tio."

"Yeah, I guess. Just a little upset that I missed so much of her life, six months is a long time when you are only four."

Ana smiled, "I know what you mean..." she went silent.

"You say that like you've been through it. Something happen?"

"No,” she said, "Nothing happened."

He leaned forward and put his arms on the table. "You don't sound very convincing. Sure you mean that?"

"I'm sure," she said, "You wanted to talk to me about something... what was it?"

"I did?"

"Nevermind," she said getting up, "It’s going to be a long day."

Jordan rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, I guess you're right. A day on the beach will do me some good... soon as I find some sun block."

"Ok," she said and walked out of the hall. She made her way to her car and sat in the passenger seat. She was looking for her keys. "Where did I put them?"

~Wonder why she ran off? Beginning to feel like my ex-wife.~ He chuckled and went over to find Marcus.

"I know I had them there somewhere," she said, "I wonder where I left them." she continued to search. She finally found them. She got out the car and went to find Angie. "Listen girl I'm going to head hom fin find my swimsuit," she told Angie. "Can I come?" Angie asked looking up from a bowl of Oreos. "Ask you father."


Jordan saw that Angie wasn't with Marcus anymore and saw her talking to Ana. Soon she was running over to him. "Daddy, can I go with Ana to find her swimsuit?" Jordan smiled. "Sure. Just be careful."

"YAY!" Angie yelled and ran back, "Daddy said yes Daddy said yes!!" Ana grinned and walked Angie to the passenger side of her car. She opened the door, let Angie get in then put on her belt. She then walked back to her side. Soon the two were singing Britney Spears at the top of their lungs going down the street.

Jordan watched them drive off. While they were gone, he walked over to Marcus. "Hey. How are you sir?"

Marcus looked up from the computer he was using, "I'm good, you?"

"Not too bad. How's business?"

"Good," he said looking back at the computer, "Real good."

"Great. Hey, if you’re busy, I'll come back later."

"Nah, nah," he said, "Just finishing up some last minute stuff, what’s up?"

"Not much, just hanging around Ana took my daughter to find get a swimsuit." Jordan was trolling for info, but he didn't want to seem like it. "Does Ana own this place, or does she just manage it?"

"Oh," Marcus said, "She's gonna get the one with the butterflies on it?" he asked, "Oh and yah, she got this place after the asshole she called a husband left her. She filed for divorce and he had nog elg else of value so the judged figured she had suffered a lot and needed to be compensated."

"Well, that's good I guess. How long ago was that?"

Marcus scratched his head, "Lets see here," he said thinking, "A year I think."

Ana walked Angie into the house and Angie immediately went to find her swim suit. Ana found a two piece and they packed a quick lunch then headed back to the motel.

"Huh. Well, it’s a nice place. The guys must be busting down the doors to date her I bet."

"Yah," he said putting the computer to sleep and walking around to sit with Jordan, "But she never took an interest."

"Why not? She's got everything, great personality, looks, and she's a business owner." He smiled a little at the last comment, but it was the truth.

"I don’t know," Marcus said, "If I was into girls like that I would definitely go for her. But she just seems to stay alone. She may be gun shy."

"Well, I can't blame her. Wouldn’t want to get into the same mistake she seemed to get into." Jordan thought back to his ex. "Oh, wait. I did." He laughed at his jok
Ma
Marcus only shook his head, "You two seem to know how to pick eh amigo," he stood up as he heard a car. Then saw Angie running through the door with her swimsuit in her hands. He smiled. Ana came in afterward with a basket and her own suit.

Jordan stood up from the table. "Well, hopefully we have both picked better this time.

Marcus nodded to him, "You ae boe both," he said and kissed Angie on the nose before heading back to the desk.

Jordan walked up to Ana. "So, what did you pick out?”

"Me to know and you to find out," she said handing him the basket, "Hey Marc can we take your wheels?" Marc winked at her, "Sure thing catch!" he tossed her the keys. "Thanks. Let’s go."

Jordan told her he would be right there and ran to his room. He quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt. He met them at Marcus's vehicle and he hopped in. "Nice ride."

Ana said, "I know," she said with Angie in the back seat bouncingand and down in her seat belt.

Jordan sat back and waited to enjoy the ride. As they started off, he reached over and put his hand tentatively on her thigh. "So, where is this beach?"

Ana looked down at his hand but she didn’t pull away, "About half an hour," she said as a shiver went down her spine to the tip of her toes.

He squeezed her thigh. "Wrfulrful.” Looking over his shoulder, he called out. "How ya doing back there Angie?"

"Good Daddy. Are we there yet?" She giggled at him, knowing that they just left.

Jordan smiled at her and then looked at Ana. He lowered his voice a little, but still in a friendly tone. "You sure you want a piece of that?" He asked, meaning being with Angie all the time.

Ana giggled, "I wouldn’t change it for the world!"

"Neither would I." He spent most of the trip with one handAna Ana and two eyes out the side of the vehicle. He hadn't seen land like this before and the scenery marveled him.

When they pulled up to the parking lot she turned the engine off. She turned to Angie and helped her out of her car seat, "Ok lady lets go change," she said, "Daddy can wait here."

Jordan nodded. "Don't get lost you too. You know what they say about leaving dogs in hot cars." Angie giggled and ran off with Ana.

The two changed and Ana wrapped a towel around her waist. She took the bags with her cloths and Angie's and walked back, "You ready?" she asked Jordan.

Jordan turned and looked at Ana. He almost started panting like the dog he was alluding to. The outfit looked wonderful on her. "Yeah, I'm ready." He got out and walked along beside them to the beachfront.

Ana spread a large blanket out and placed the things on it. She dropped the towel and ran with Angie towards the water; the two stepped in. Angie squealed and jumped on Ana and wrapped her arms around her neck. Ana giggled and called to Jordan, "A little help, please?"

"You look like you re doing fine." Jordan waded into the water with them. Instead of helping, Jordan reached down and scooped them both up, Angie lying on top of Ana who was in his arms. "Ready?" he gave them a swing but held on. "Set?... Go!" With a forceful toss he threw them both into the water, but with a deft reach, he caught the back of Angie's suit to help keep her out of the deep water


"HEY!" Ana called, "That was evil," she said and splashed them both, "evil!"

Angie and Jordan both laughed. As Angie stayed back, Jordan went out and helped Ana out of the deep water. "Oh come on now, you know you liked it."

She smacked him but giggled, "Maybe."

He walked with her back to Angie. As he looked up the beach, he swore he recognized his ex-wife up on the ridge. He pointed her out to Ana. "Hey, isn't that Katherine?"

"Oh no," Ana moaned, "I guess it was too good to be true...That's her."

"Keep Angie here. I'll take care of it." He could feel the blood rush to his cheeks and forehead with anger and he started plodding his way through the water to the beach.

"Jordan?" she called after him.

He turned around, a mask of fury on his face, but as soon as his eyes fell on Ana, it softened some. "What?"

"Don’t do anything stupid," she said simply as she pulled Angie into her arms.

He nodded and turned back around heading up to Katherine. As soon as she noticed him coming, she left the ridge. By the time he made it up there, she was nowhere to be seen. Aggravated he punched a wooden sign, splintering the plywood and walked back down to the beach. He tried to hide his anger from Ana and Angie. "Angie, can you go play for a little while?"

"Sure," she said. She ran off to where their things were to dig in the sand. Ana turned her attention to him, "What's wrong?"

He took han hands in his, not noticing that his left hand was bleeding from the sign. "We can't stay here much longer. Katherine is just looking for a chance to snatch Angie again, I know she is. If we go home, she won't follow. Will you come with us.... with me?"

Ana nodded without hesitation, "Yah," she said, "Sure... But how do you know she won’t follow?"

"She is wanted in the States; I don't think she will come back, well at least not to my state. I want to feel safe with you and Angie, and aside from killing Katherine, going home is the only place I can feel that way."

Ana looked away from his eyes. They were too appealing. She looked at Angie then back at him,"Alright."

He squeezed her hands. "Thank you." He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I don't want to loose you."

"You wont," she said and hugged him, "You want to go now?"

"Tomorrow, lets not let her interrupt this day. She won't be back now that I've spotted her. Besides, we need to get you some papers so you can move to the States. That may take a day or two."

Ana nodded, "Come on lets go make a sand castle," she took his hand and led him over to where Angie was trying get her castle to stay up. "Daddy it won’t stay up," she pouted.

"That's We We can rebuild from shattered castles... or dreams." He sat down on the sand with Ana next to him helping Angie make a wonderful castle.