On Another side of the Watermore Estates

After the morning huddle, everyone went to work. Servers were delivering meals, housekeeping was cleaning rooms, the front desk was checking people in, and the chefs were running around like crazy preparing food for the day.

“Paola!” A young man calls from down the hall where he’s wheeling a cart full of trays.

“Leo, I can’t really talk right now. I have a lot to do today,” Paola says pushing her housekeeping cart down the hall.

“I have a busy day ahead of me as well. I just wanted to say hello. You look sad, is something wrong?” Leo questions his hazel showing his general concern.

Paola wipes away a tear, “I’m sorry. It’s my daughter, we had a fight this morning at breakfast.”

“Giselle?” he asks running a hand through his short brown hair.

She shakes her head. “No, not her, my other daughter, Nicolasa. She’s your age,” Paola sighs. “We had a fight; she got angry and stormed out of the house.”

“I’m sure you’re daughter is fine,” Leo says in his crisp, soothing voice.

“This time I’m really afraid she’ll leave for good. And she and Giselle have been so distant with each other. They used to love each other and now they can’t stand to be in the same room,” Paola explains.

“She’s not gonna leave. And even if she does leave for a few days she’ll be back. She’ll realize how hard it is out there,” Leo assures her. “I know that I struggle to survive and have since I was 16. I’d give just about anything for a family who cared about me.”

“Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?” Paola queries. “Nicolasa started a new job and we had planned to celebrate with a special dinner.”

“I don’t want to intrude or anything,” Leo says.

“You’re not intruding. God has blessed us to have enough food on our table and we’re sharing some of our blessings with you,” Paola tells him.

“But if your daughter’s upset, I don’t wanna make her mad by showing up,” Leo states.

Paola smiles, “Thanks for the concern but it’s alight. It would really make me happy if you came over for dinner tonight.”

“Alright then I’ll be there. Give me all the details at lunch about your address. I’ll get cha something good for lunch from the kitchen. Where are you headed now, anyway?” Leo asks.

“Penthouse. Mr. Harrington fired his housekeeper and until his wife hires another one it’s my job to clean their home. It means I have less hotel rooms to clean but I’m working just as hard on making their home spotless.”she says.

"I think the position as their housekeeper pays more," Leo says. "You should think of applying."

She sighs. "The extra money would be nice."

“I’ll catch ya later,” he says before heading to his next room.

At the Ramirez home

Giselle was busy squeezing lemons.

“Maria, when you’re done bag those strawberries so we can freeze them,” she tells her daughter who is busy at the kitchen table sorting strawberries into different bowls.

“Grandma’s gonna be so happy. Where did you get these anyway?” Maria asks.

“Well a special friend gave me these lemons, strawberries, apricots, blackberries and bananas as a gift. This friend knows someone who owns a farm. However if grandma asks I got them from a woman at church. I haven’t introduced her to this friend yet,” Giselle tells her.

“We should sell some of these fruits,” Maria suggests.

Giselle laughs. “Now that’s an idea. Even a little extra money would help cut tension around here.”

“Nikki was really mad earlier,” Maria recalls.

“Yeah well Nicole is bitter. There’s a lot she doesn't know. She’s still angry about papa being gone but she doesn't recall how he treated mama.”

Maria is silent upon hearing her mother’s words.

Giselle shakes her head. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t be unloading on you. You’re a child, a very mature child but still a child.”

“I’m gonna check on Valerie,” Maria says standing.

There is a knock at the door.

“You do that, baby. I’ll be up in a few minutes,” Giselle watches her head upstairs.

She opens the door and lips immediately connect her with hers. She pulls back and looks at the man in front of her with his deep tan skin, jet black hair that was slicked back, the stubble on his chin, his short stature; he stood only slightly taller than her.

“Angel, what are you doing here?” she asks.

He wraps his arms around her waist. “I needed to see you again.”

“I told you to stay away. If my daughter sees you she’ll end up letting it slip to mama. And then mama will be making judgment about our relationship,” Giselle tells him.

“Because I’m 10 years older than you?” he asks.

“Not just that. Because you give me gifts and I don’t know what you do for a living. My last few relationships didn't end well so she thinks I need someone to hold man hand every step of the way.”

“You’re a grown woman, your mother can’t tell you who you can and can’t date,” Angel says.

“No but she and my bitchy younger sister will anyway.” Giselle replies. “I’ll come over later after they are asleep.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t want you wondering around at night by yourself like some streetwalker. How about you tell them you have a date tonight and I’ll pick you up and drop you back off?” he suggests.

“No, we’re having dinner to celebrate my sister’s new job. I can’t do that.” she says.

“But I want to be with you,” he spins her around so that her back is against his chest. “I want to give you a day you can just relax. I can cook for you. I make a mean Cochinita Pibil. And I can give you a massage.”

“I like massages but rain check. I have to hold my family together. We’re all mama has since Papi left us,” she says.

“One day, I’ll take you and your daughters away from this place and give you the life you deserve,” he promises.

They share another hot kiss before Angel leaves.