November

"Valentina, I talked to him yesterday." I crossed my arms over my chest and watched her cook, "He said that as soon as he secured Cali that he and Rome was coming to Cuba."

She wiped her hands on the apron, "Nonsense do you know how long it took for Renaldo to take over Cuba, damn near three years," She stirred the contents in the bowl, "I mean I'm not saying that it's going to take three years, but I want grandbabies," Lifting her hand up before I can say anything she said, "Yes I know I'm just his auntie but that's my baby at least I raised him like it."

I choked on the wine and started coughing profusely, "Grandbabies, Valentina we're not even married yet."

"Why does marriage have to come first, I want my grandbaby and I already see you as my daughter, Renaldo sees you as his daughter, and Mateo already sees you as his wife so why do we need a ring on your finger and a piece of paper." She took a breath from stirring.

I laughed, "Because that's how it is, and Mateo and I have never even talked about getting married or having kids."

"Well when he comes back, which we don't know when, then I want my grandbabies." She pointed her spoon at me.

I poked my finger into the bowl before she had the chance to slap it away, "I mean I would have to talk to Mateo."

"Hey, usted puede enfermarse desde que mija." She scolded before stirring the batter, I licked the brownie batter clean from my finger. (Hey, you can become sick from that)

"I'm hungry and you're torturing me by having food being dangled from my face." I pointed at the different pots of food.

"How about this you give me a grandbaby this food is magically going to be sitting in front of your face." She grabbed an oiled down pan.

I snorted, "You're going to have to feed me anyway."

"Pruebe conmigo mija." (Try me)

December (Christmas)

"Chicito I swear to God if you take off this costume one more time it's gon be me and you." I hissed putting on the costume again.

Renaldo pat his head, "I swear sometimes I have to remember that this is your dog and not your child."

Standing up I placed my hands on my hips, "I guess he is like my baby in some ways."

"Speaking of babies," I groaned, and he laughed, "Have you talked to Mateo or Rome."

"Not since last week, have you?" I shook my head.

He shook his head as well, "Dig told me that he was able to secure San Diego and Los Angeles, without having any troubles with the locals but other than that nada."

"Wow he is working shit like-"

Putting both hands in his pockets he raised his eyebrows, "Like he has somewhere to be?"

"Yeah you took the words right out of my mouth." I laughed looking down at Chicito.

"Because he does, in no time he is going to be knocking on that door mija." He gave me a side-hug and kissed my head before turning to leave, "Merry Christmas mija."

I smiled at him, "Merry Christmas Renaldo."

March

"You spoke to him when!?" Valentina yelled sitting her purse down on the sofa, "Ese tonto ha perdido la cabeza!" (That fool has lost his head)

I followed her to the kitchen, for some reason every time she was in distress she would cook I mean for me it was amazing but for her I didn't understand, "Calm down Valentina it has only been a month and he warned me before we hung up that he was going to be very busy."

"He has taken over almost all of California and you're telling me that he doesn't have time to talk to my grandbabies' mother, no me gusta!" She started pulling stuff out of the fridge. (I don't like)

"But Valentina there are no grandbabies."

Shutting the fridge with her foot she gave me a pointed look, "Yet."

"I know that you're concerned but what else should I expect it's California and he's a busy, busy man."

"Don't make any excuses for that pendejo, he should always have time for you." She began cutting up the celery, "Just let me get ahold of him and I will get his ass back into shape, because I was the one that got him straight." She made a whip sound, "Every time he said something slick or do something stupid I would do just that, oh mija you should have heard the way that belt cut through the air."

"Valentina, I would be pissed at him if he came back and he still didn't have all of California, I am big girl I can handle it."

She stomped her foot, "I need my grandchildren."

"You're something else." I shake my head.

She pouted before going back to cutting up celery.

May

"Chicito you better not," Chicito stared at me ears down and put down my shoe, "Good boy." He wagged his tail and came between my legs and laid down on his belly, I cooed, "See I'm happy that you put that five-hundred-dollar shoe down because if you didn't mommy was going to have your head hanging over that fireplace."

Chicito not understanding what I was saying he showed me his teeth, "Let's get you a treat." I got up from the ground and walked into the house.

"So that's where you were." Luda grinned, he wasn't in his usual suit and tie, but in a casual shirt and jeans, "And I should have known that's where Chicito would be as well you know he can't stray far from you."

"Well it gets kinda boring to be in this big mansion by yourself, did you know that I counted how many beds this place have, twenty-eight, by the way." I grabbed one of his toys and gave it to Chicito, "He keeps me company since Valentina and Renaldo can't come every day."

"When was the last time you spoke to him?"

I shrugged, "About two months ago, he texted me saying that he was going to have to get rid of his phone since shit was starting to get hot."

"You know he isn't doing it on purpose right."

"Of course, he isn't, I just miss him that's all."

July (July 8th)

"Valentina says that if you burn those burgers, Renaldo Jr. is going to be on there next." I sat the hamburger and hot dog buns on the table, that was about to be spilling over with food in a minute.

He laughed and took another sip of his beer, "Que la mujer puede ser aterradora como el infierno." Luda, Richard and Lardo laughed when he said this. (That woman can be terrifying as hell) "Es como si a veces ella me tiene por las cojones" He flipped the patty (It is as if at times she has me by the balls), "Mija tell her that these burgers are in good hands."

I laughed and went back to the kitchen, "He says that the burgers are in good hands." I leaned against the counter.

"Athena, we were talking about how much of a good catch you are." Valentina glazed the cake and Jimena and Mariana nodded.

"Thank you." I smiled.

The place was filled with people and no one was talking about business Renaldo had made it very clear that no one was supposed to work on the day of the cookout. "How long did it take for you to learn Spanish?" Mariana nudged me.

I glanced at Valentina and she gave me a slight shrug, "I started learning at a very young age."

Valentina chipped in, "Ella es muy inteligente." (She is very intelligent)

"She is exaggerating but I just made sure to keep my head in the books." I shook my head.

"Mateo is a very lucky man when are you two going to have kids?" Jimena raised an eyebrow.

I groaned and Valentina began going on her very familiar rant.

December (Christmas)

"Mommy just turned twenty-four and you're really telling me that I can't find my fucking keys." I was beginning to grow agitated, try to imagine you losing your keys in a twenty-eight-bedroom mansion. Chicito followed behind me and I liked to think that he was helping me find them, "I mean damn you would think with age comes with some type of stability, first I can't find my keys and now your daddy and I barely talk." He whined, "Yeah I know right am I the only who thinks that damn near ten months of not talking is very bad."

The only response I got was his nails clicking against the marble, "I have a fucking key holder for this, Renaldo is going to tear into me when he finds out I lost my keys again."

The doorbell rung, and I groaned, "See Chicito that's probably Richard right now, I swear your granddaddy knows me like the back of his hand."

I walked down the stairs and hesitated before I opened the door, pulling it open Mateo met me, "Hey babygirl."

I jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist, I kissed his lips repeatedly, "This is real, you're here?"

He shut the door with his foot and squeezed my ass, "Yes babygirl, I just dropped Rome off at Renaldo's... I told you I was gon come back for you."

"I love you and you have no idea how much I missed you," I slapped his chest, "You should have called me I was worried about you."

"I got some shit in line but I'm here babygirl." He looked down and noticed Chicito and looked back up at me with a grin. "You got the dog in a damn costume?"

"I made it a tradition he loves it." I laughed.

He chuckled and then he stared at me, "I missed yo ass with every fiber of my being."

I kissed him, and he walked us upstairs and into a room I didn't know which room and I frankly didn't give a damn, "Mateo I missed you so much." I moaned as he sat me on the bed.

He broke the kiss to take off his shirt, I sucked in a breath and noticed that a tattoo was covering his heart, it was my face, the same picture I sent to him when I was at my first Cuban restaurant was on his chest and my full name was underneath it, "Mateo it's beautiful." I put my hand on his chest.

"I told you I was gon put something important over my heart." He muttered kissing my neck. I moved my hands from his chest to my shirt to pull it off, he left a trail of kisses down my neck to my breasts, "Damn babygirl I see tía been taking care of you." He grinned looking up at me. He took off his pants and I could tell just how happy he was to see me shimmying out of my pants I closed the distance that was between us, "I can't wait babygirl."

Before I could even question him, he crashed into me causing me to scream out in pure utter pleasure, "Mateo!"

He brought my knees around his waist and went deeper, "You feel so much better than I remembered." He groaned, pulling back out he thrusted into me, "Now say my name babygirl."

10:30 pm

I traced my face for the millionth time, "You want to know how many times Valentina has said the word grandbaby."

Laughing he said, "I am guessing somewhere in the thousands."

"Now why are you being generous?" I laughed looking at him.

"I just thought she would let up, she has been wanting grandbabies since I first mentioned you."

"That's crazy I mean not that crazy." I shut my mouth and then opened it again, "I mean we haven't talked about kids since, you know, the situation."

"I mean we can't have kids." He muttered lifting off the bed.

I moved out of his grasp sat up on my hand frowning, "What do you mean?"

He bent down over the bed and shuffled to get something with his back to me for a minute until he turned to me, "I mean we can't have kids until you marry me."

I looked down and a velvet box met my vision, "Wait Mateo are you propos-"

"I mean I was gon do it at Renaldo's, but we got a little bit derailed," He chuckled kissing me, "I love you Athena Luck and I would love yo ass even more if you was dressed in white and your name being changed from Athena Luck to Athena Santos." Opening the box, I gasped, the ring was more than gorgeous it was breathtaking, "Now will you marry me Athena?"

I looked from the box to him and with no hesitation I said, "Yes."
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12:15 pm
7.24.2018
Welp that was the last chapter to The Bay, it has been so fun to write this book and reading your reactions to my ol writing. I will have a Chit Chat Corner later today to discuss some things that I have been having trouble with.

P.S. this is y'all finding where I'm at and making me post the sequel to The Bay 😂

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