Kimber Chin

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“Eduardo!” A little boy shrieked as they entered the school yard. He dropped the soccer ball he held and ran full tilt at them.

Eduardo released her hand, set down her tote, and crouched, widening his arms. “Paz.” He rocked as the boy hurled himself into them, and then straightened, swinging the child around, murmuring low and deep words only they could hear.

“Who is she?” Dark eyes peered over Eduardo’s shoulder.

“She is the friend I told you about. Remember what you promised to do?”

“Yes.” The boy leaned back to gaze gravely into Eduardo’s eyes. Stacy swallowed her gasp. A long, thick scar marred his baby cheeks. “I remember, Eduardo.”

The big man slid the child to the ground, paused, and then released him. They turned to face her, Eduardo’s hand cupping the top of Paz’ head. “Stacy, I would like you to meet Paz.” Eduardo held himself stiffly as though bracing for bad news. The little boy fidgeted. “Paz, this is Miss Stacy, your new teacher.”

Temporary teacher, Stacy should have corrected. “Hello Paz.” The boy looked down at his feet, a hand over his scar. “Do you play soccer?” She used the English word, not knowing the Spanish equivalent.

A crease formed between the boy’s eyes. He looked up to Eduardo.

“Football. Where Miss Stacy comes from, America, they call football soccer,” he clarified. Stacy inwardly groaned at her mistake. She knew that.

Paz’s hand dropped, the scar forgotten. “Why would they do that?”

Eduardo shrugged.

“Because we already have a game called football,” Stacy explained. “We changed the name so we didn’t get all mixed up.”

The child’s dark head tilted as he pondered that. “I would do the same, change my name.” He nodded. “If Eduardo already had a boy called Paz. So he didn’t get all mixed up.”

As though he would. Stacy met Eduardo’s gaze. The boy was adorable. The school bell rang, the children rushing for the entrance. “I should go in.” Charlie was already in the classroom, she had insisted Stacy sleep in this first day. Her first day. A different school. A different country. Stacy let out a long breath. She could do this.

“You’ll be okay?” Eduardo took her hands.

“I’ll be okay.” She lifted her chin.

He gave her what she needed, to bolster her courage, a solid connection, lip to lip. “Paz will see you in, won’t you, Paz?”

“Yes, Eduardo.” Another nod from the boy. “Are you scared, Miss Stacy?” Little fingers curled in her hand.

“Why would I be scared?” Stacy walked with him, looking back over her shoulder at Eduardo. He watched them, an intense yearning on his face.

“Eduardo says it is okay to be scared on your first day of school but you mustn’t show it. He says you have to be strong and not cry. You won’t cry, will you?” Brown eyes peered up at her with trepidation.

She smiled. “Not if you’re by my side.” Eduardo was clearly the boy’s idol.

“I am to take care of you, Eduardo says. Like Eduardo took care of me. So you won’t be scared. It is scary being all alone. Are you an orphan too, Miss Stacy? Is that why you’re alone?” He finally took a breath.

“My parents are in America. That is far away.”

“My parents are in heaven. That is far away too.” He stared up at the sky, his expression pensive. “I am an orphan, just like Eduardo is. Many boys have dead mamás and papás. That is nothing to be ashamed of, Eduardo says. I’m not ashamed, Miss Stacy. I’m proud because Eduardo chose me. Of all the kids, he chose me.”

“That’s wonderful.” How could he have not chosen Paz?

“It is wonderful, very, very wonderful.”

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Read Part 13 September 29th

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Charlie checked her phone.

“Is that Eduardo?” He’d texted Charlie that he was on his way but he wasn’t here yet. Had something happened?

“No, honey, someone else.” Charlie handed her dainty china plates. “You sure you only met Eduardo a day ago?”

Stacy’s cheeks heated as she set the plates on the table. “It was a long day.” The school teacher pursed her lips and she rushed to clarify, “We are good friends.” As she hoped she was fast becoming with Charlie.

She got a sure-you-are glance. Pancakes were flipped. Silverware was passed. “Eduardo is a good man. The children love him.”

“Children?” Who were these children of his heart?

“He helps with the school. An administrator of sorts. He is our go-between with Mr. Santos. He handles enrollment and other administrative tasks. Currently he’s looking for another teacher so we can split the class into two.”

It would be a challenge, an exciting challenge, to teach children of all ages. “You are looking for a primary school teacher?” Stacy fingered the elaborate leaf design on one knife. If they needed a primary school teacher she’d help, but the children needed more than music and languages.

“We would settle for teacher. Period.” Charlie laughed. “Though I had no formal education in teaching before I started so even that is negotiable. All I need is someone friendly and hard working. If she has those attributes, I can train her.” She passed the drinking glasses.
They were hand painted in bright colors, at odds with the rest of the table setting. Daniel would call them tacky. Stacy thought them charming.

“I could help with the classes.” Eduardo had plans to show her Belize, plans he had shared with her last night, but to be able to teach in another country where kids truly, desperately needed her skills, that would be such an opportunity. “For the two weeks I’m here, until you find someone.”

“It’s hard work, honey.” Charlie handed Stacy the pancakes. She carried the eggs and bacon herself.

Stacy set the platter on the table. “I’m not afraid of hard work.” She was trained to handle a classroom full of rowdy kids. She hadn’t been trained for getting shot at and trekking through the jungle, yet she had managed. “I’d like to help.”

“That would be terrific.” Charlie beamed. “We’ll mention it to Eduardo. See what he says.”

“Mention what to Eduardo?” The man himself wrapped an arm around her. “Stacy.” He kissed her on the lips. “Charlie.” The older woman got a wink. “Yummm… Pancakes.” The Windsor chair creaked as he sat down.

He looked tired. But then she must look tired also. They hadn’t slept long last night, talking and laughing for hours.

“How did the meeting with your boss go?” What Charlie had told Stacy of Eduardo’s boss, this Tavos Santos, hadn’t eased any worries. He protected the village yet he was, what Eduardo would call, a bad man.

“Okay.” He stuck his fork into the pancake stack. Stacy had thought there was enough food on the table to feed the village. Or, she watched as Eduardo transferred four more pancakes to his plate, one very large man. “What did you want to mention to me?”

“Charlie was telling me how she needs help with the village school.”

“Was she?” Eduardo’s fork froze midair.

“I told her it is very hard work, but so rewarding,” Charlie jumped into the conversation. “It is interesting that I badly need help with the school and here Stacy is, another teacher.”

“It is hard work.” His head bowed over the pancakes. “And Stacy is on vacation, Charlie. We can’t ask her to give that up.”

She was needed. Stacy slid forward in her chair. “You don’t have to ask. I’d love to help. I could shadow Charlie for a few days and then we could split the classroom into two and I could take the younger children.” Charlie had suggested that.

“She’s staying with me. I live close to the school.” Her new friend added. “When the school day is over, you can show her Belize.”

“And on weekends. I’ll need her weekends free.” Eduardo considered her. “Are you sure, Stacy?”

“I’m sure.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed.

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Read Part 12 September 22nd

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“You made trouble with fuckin’ Gomez?” The Boss was in a fury, pacing in front of him, juggling his knife between hands. “Got yourself caught in the middle of a fuckin’ gang war, almost getting yourself fuckin’ killed? Are you a complete jackass?”

“I would not let him hurt Stacy, Boss.” Eduardo straightened his shoulders.

“And who is this Stacy? Do you even fuckin’ know?” The Boss was very careful about who he let into the village.

“Her name is Stacy Walker, Boss. She is a teacher.” And everything he had ever dreamed of in a woman.

“A teacher?” The Boss picked up speed. “Fuck. Is that what this is all about? A teacher? You found out she was a fuckin’ teacher and took her?”

This wasn’t about her being a teacher. He would have taken her even if she had been a prostitute. But she wasn’t a prostitute. She was a woman of honor, particular about whom she kissed. Eduardo liked that. She would now only kiss him, not the half man, not anyone else.

“When I said you could hire another fuckin’ teacher, I said hire, not kidnap. Fuck.” The Boss continued with his rant.

Eduardo opened his mouth to tell him she wasn’t the new teacher and then shut it again. Why couldn’t she be the new teacher? She would choose him, she would be the new teacher, they would marry, fill their home with many, many children.

“What a fuck up.” The Boss raked his fingers through his hair. “You get her fuckin’ details to Jack so we can see how big a fuck up this is.” Jack would do the background check. Eduardo wasn’t worried. She would pass it, Stacy was as innocent as a child. “Where is she now?”

“With Charlie, Boss.”

“In the village? Fuck. At least you knew not to bring her here, putting my entire fuckin’ family at risk. But next time, you fuckin’ tell me if you’re bringing a stranger to the village. I am responsible for those fuckin’ lives also.”

As was Eduardo. “I need two weeks off, Boss. Until I’m sure, I don’t want her alone.” Until he was sure she was so deeply in love with him, he’d be her only choice.

“Fuck.” The Boss stopped pacing. Dead eyes examined him. “Are you fuckin’ the new teacher?”

Eduardo glowered. “I am not.”

“Fuck. But you want to.” Nothing got past the Boss. “You get two fuckin’ weeks to sell her on staying in Belize. Don’t fuck up. I don’t want to lose another fuckin’ bodyguard.” The Boss strode off, the interview done.

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Read Part 11 September 15th

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