Andi and the children mixed ingredients and talked about school and puppies and trucks. And she listened to the
other conversation going on in the room with her other ear. Not sure the summation of her character that Cassie had
given was the one she wanted getting spread to the family but also aware it could have been much worse. Hector's
possessive claiming of her helped the knots in her stomach a great deal though.
"Yes, we had quite a few dogs when I was growing up. My favorite was Mopsy. She only had three feet and she used
to chase our goats." She answered Josh's question.
"Three feet?" Marcella's eyes were stuck on 'wide' but it was an adorable look and Andi had to resist the urge to kiss
her forehead each time she did it.
"Oh yes." Andi agreed, moving the bowl in the nick of time as a slightly distracted Josh tipped the measuring cup so
that the flour fell into the bowl. "She had a hurt foot when we found her so they had to take it off." Explosives would do
that to an animal. "Once she felt better she got around even faster than our dogs that had four feet."
"Did she hop?" Josh wanted to know and Andi gave him a grin as he mimicked it by tucking up an arm.
"Just so." She agreed with a quiet laugh and ruffled his hair. Which already had flour in it so she wasn't too concerned
about adding more. "Now," she directed. "Stir that very, very good both of you and when I get back we'll start making
elephant pancakes."
It provoked more giggles and Andi got down the plates and started to set the table. On the way back, she stopped
next to Hector and slipped her arm around his waist. Her long hand resting softly and completely over the bullet scar
wasn't incidental nor was the edge of warning that flickered briefly in her eyes as she looked at his sister. Then the
look was gone but the hand lingered.
"They feed him enough quantity but it’s terrible food." She commented. "I'm trying to teach him that it’s safe to eat
food without hiding it in tabasco sauce. My evil scheme revolves most around cooking foods that you can't honestly
put that sauce on. Hence - " She glanced back at the children but they were eating more of the mix than getting it
elsewhere so she left it for the moment. Looked back Cassie, so obviously Hector's sister and not just in facial
features either but in expressions too, she offered a smile. "How many pancakes would you like me to make for you?"
"I'm fine." Cassie said, and realized it might have sounded harsh. "Unlike some people...." She gestured to her brother
and her kids. "I have a normal metabolism. I swear I fed them before we left." Though her eyes did flare a bit before
she could stop it. She noticed the hand and the warning look, and as far as Cassie was concerned, Hector was her
brother, so she could poke him all day if she wanted. Made up for the torture of being his little sister a.k.a. tackling
dummy when they were children.
"Normal's overrated." Hector said with a laugh. "And they're always eating. I'd wager they got that from Danny more
than me. Danny's her husband." He said for Andi's benefit.
"And look where it's getting him." Cassie said with a roll of her eyes. "So, how long are you here for this time?"
"Don't know." Hector said. "We're playing it loose and fast."
"Going to call Dee now?"
"Gonna have to. If I don't, you will."
Andi understood the not wanting to share food with her but in actuality she was grateful. It would give her an excuse
not to eat either and with her stomach the way it was she wasn't sure she could have forced herself to if she'd needed
to. Now she could just use the excuse that it was too early in her 'day' for her to eat and her stomach wasn't awake
yet. So she was grateful Cassie wasn't going to eat. As for the looks exchanged... she wasn't backing down on that.
There had been deep tissue and muscle damage. Digging at the scar now - well, that wasn't allowed. Period.
She had wondered about the children’s father. Hector had never mentioned any of his sisters’ husbands or
boyfriends. And Cassie had come here alone with the children. Andi wouldn't have minded another man. Men never
seemed to have much of a problem with her. She didn't register as dangerous or threatening to them. She wouldn't
have minded another buffer.
She caught Cassie's subtle push to get Hector out of the room. As well as catching the fact that he'd used 'we' instead
of 'I' when it came to future plans. It made something inside her soften helplessly and she couldn't have stopped the
soft smile or the way her body relaxed against his if she'd wanted to.
"Tell me what you want on your pancakes and I'll have a stack waiting for you when you get back." She offered him.
Touched the tip of his nose lightly and teased: "Something other than hot sauce, please? You remember what Cara
said about insulting the cook before you get your food."
"You just haven't learned the joys of tabasco sauce yet." Hector said.
"Apparently it's because you haven't managed to destroy her sense of taste yet." Cassie said dryly. Hector rolled his
eyes.
"You people are weak. Josh." He said, getting the boy's attention. "What do we say about tabasco sauce?"
"There's no such thing as a food that couldn't use a splash of it. And it’s not bad for you. And it has no calories." Josh
recited in a sing song voice as he and his sister continued stirring and eating the batter.
"Good boy." Hector said. "Okay, looks like I have to make the phone calls." Hector said with a roll of his eyes. Knowing
if he didn't, his sister would speed dial everyone as soon as she got to her car. "Be back." He said and kissed her
before dragging Cassie out to the living room, grabbing the portable phone on his way out. "Could you have been any
more rude?" Hector asked as soon as the kitchen door was shut.
"I wasn't rude, I was protective and suspicious." Cassie said. "I mean, she's a strange woman you've decided to bring
home and hoist on all of us."
"No. I didn't." Hector said. "You've decided she needed to be hoisted. I planned to keep her all to myself." He dialed
Diane's number as he glared at Cassie. "Hey." He said and waited for the surprise of hearing from him on the
telephone to pass. "Yeah, I'm back for a bit. Don't know, a bit. Christening, yeah, sounds like it’s about time. The kid's
only gonna be able to walk down the aisle." He chuckled. "Yeah, oh I almost forgot." Not likely, but it was a good way
to break it to her, even as Cassie watched with a careful eye. "Set another plate. Yeah, I brought my girlfriend back
with me. Her name is Andi. And be nice!" He admonished. "She's important to me, so if you love me, you'll try to love
her."
Cassie was still thrown for a loop. For years, her whole life, she and the rest of her sisters, and even Pete, had been
the center of his universe. Now it was almost like they were being pushed away from the center, and she wasn't sure
how she felt about that. She wanted her brother to be happy, had been nagging at him to 'find someone.' But now that
he had...
Andi was left blinking. Both at the pleasant surprise of the kiss and the fact that he'd dragged his sister out of the
room with him. She'd been braced for the interrogation to begin and instead she was alone with children to play with. It
was so unexpected that it tugged at that string that ran right though the center of her heart and made her throat feel
tight.
The children were snickering and shooting her looks and she ducked her head with an honest laugh as she rejoined
them. Pressing firm kisses to both of their foreheads as she wrapped an arm around each of them.
"There." She stated. "Now Uncle Hector has kissed us all."
More giggles and then she moved the chair over near the stove so they could watch what she did and she could stay
between them and the burners. There was a radio there so she flicked it on and messed with the channels until she
found a station she and the children agreed on. Oldies music and she amused them by knowing the words to 'Rag
Mop' and soon had them singing along with the easy chorus as she poured batter and let them instruct her on just
how large to make each pancake 'elephants' ears and how long the noses should be.
It was useless to wish Hector's entire family was made up of children. But she was glad that there were at least
children in it. She was terrified that she was going to create a repeat of her own family and do something irreparable
here. She was worried she wasn't handling Cassie properly and was making a mess of things. But the only mess she
had to worry about with the children was the battery kind that cleaned up with a wet cloth. And, for the moment, she let
herself relax and deal with just that.
And it was something that, without her even being aware of it, started the healing in parts of her heart and soul.
Hector chatted a bit with Diane, sitting on the couch and keeping an eye on Cassie. He drank his coffee and made
small talk, and assured his sister that he was, indeed, fine. "Okay. Talk to you later. Sure, come on by in a few days, I
got some cleaning up to do here." He ran his hand through his hair, trying to make it lay right without going to get a
brush to do it. Also, without having a mirror, he was lucky enough not to see how unsuccessful he was. His hair was
getting long, for him at least.
Then he hung up the phone and looked at Cassie. "What is the problem?" He asked.
"I didn't know there was a problem." Cassie said, folding her arms over herself and looking at her brother.
"Bullshit." Hector said. Cassie sighed and sat down across from him.
"Like I said, not used to the idea of sharing you." She said with a wry smile. "I'll get over it. Cause what are my
choices? Completely hate her and have you end up not talking to me for however long, or just suck it up and act like
an adult."
"Glad to see you're being reasonable." Hector said and toasted her with his coffee mug and drained it. "So go get me
more coffee."
"Is Hector's slave written across my forehead?"
"It will be if you don't move." He said, laughing. "Besides, you should go check on the kids, make sure they're not
tearing the woman I love to pieces."
Cassie had gotten up and was headed to the kitchen. She couldn't tell her brother no when he was being so darned
cute. But then she stopped and looked at him. The hits kept on coming. "Whoa. What?"
"You heard me, I'm going to go make some phone calls. Black, please." He said with his little boy look. Still shell
shocked, Cassie went back to the kitchen with the coffee mug and looked at Andi.
"Holy shit." She said, looking at the taller woman.
"Mommy said shit." Josh said, collapsing into giggles. First Uncle Hector is getting all kissy with Andi, now Mommy was
swearing. It was a time of laughs for the under ten set.
Andi blinked and her eyebrows went up in surprise. She was fairly sure Cassie's 'holy shit' had been directed at her
and she had no idea why. The woman didn't look angry and the tone of voice certainly didn't indicate it. In fact, if Andi
was guessing - which was about all she was doing lately - she'd think the woman looked more shocked than anything
else.
"I - um." Not quite sure how to respond, Andi handed Josh the first plate of 'elephant' pancakes and gave him a nudge
toward the table. "I'm sorry?" She finally managed. Not quite sure what she'd done and whether she should be
apologizing, going blank or going defensive.
Hector's deep voice could be heard in the other room as he called another family member, hopefully beating Diane to
the punch. But his sisters were in his speed dial alphabetically, Cassandra, Diane, Elizabeth, and Sarah, so Diane
(knowing his luck and knowing she knew that) was probably calling Sarah as he called Beth. But that was fine.
Everyone knew his system, so hopefully no one would be offended.
"Holy shit as in what have you done to my brother?" Cassie asked, still in that completely blown away tone of voice.
She'd never seen her brother like this, and it wasn't for lack of trying from the female gender!
"Mm." Andi made the noise to buy herself time. Not quite sure how to take that question. It certainly didn't sound
angry. She hoped it wasn't angry. So far it just seemed shocked. Shocked wasn't necessary a bad thing. She fought
the urge to do something useful with her hands, not wanting to appear fidgety even if that's the way she felt. One side
of her lips started to curve. Shy and barely there. Not at all sure she should be the least bit hopeful on this but -
"Which part of what I've done are we talking about?" She asked, eyes surprisingly young and torn between worried
and pleased.
"I'm used to my brother not being the most open person in the world." Cassie said. There were reasons for that, deep
in their childhood. Which made him closed off and her the fixer person. "But he brought you home." Into the vipers
nest, if anyone asked her.
She shook her head and paced a bit. "I knew there was someone. I could hear it in his letters and he let little things
slip. Like the fact that he was writing from the infirmary. Meant he was there and NOT tied down." Cassie couldn't even
focus her thoughts but she turned and looked at Andi. "Do you love him?"