Crossing Paths With The White Wolf

Helios P o V

"Text me when you're both back." I told Gonzalo as I watched Natalia's profile drive away. She is stunning and having her behind a stunning car sends my thoughts down a dangerous path. "Are you worried about me?" Gonzalo teases.

I rolled my eyes and looked away from the car and back to my friend. I chose to ignore his quip. "Can you charter a plane for tomorrow? She and the girls have no identification. I don't want any questions at the airport." "Yes, good thinking. Are you sure you're OK? You haven't been sleeping well as it is," he asks me.

"I'm fine. I got a good nap in." Better than in a long time actually, I thought to myself.

"Oh yes, I definitely saw that," his teasing voice comes out again and I pretend to kick him.

"Go, before the change of shift comes."

"Yeah yeah. Call when you need a ride. Don't go jumping all the way back. It'll be too close to the morning commutes."

"s**t, I didn't think about that. OK. I'll shoot you a text when I'm ready." I said as I backed away from the car so he could drive back.

I went to one of the hiding spots we found with a partial view of the gate and waited. At around 5 am, I saw a few cars approaching. They look like two small airport-type shuttles. I take pictures of the plates, hoping to run them to find out what company they belong to, as there are no identifying marks on the vehicles. A set of guards comes down, in uniforms but no weapons. Another set of guards loaded into the two vans, in uniforms, but no weapons. I smile. If my estimates were correct, Theo and Sebastian were here too late to watch the shift, so they wouldn't have seen such a golden opportunity. I texted Gonzalo to come get me before I took some more pictures.

We have breakfast at the same diner and then head home to grab clothes and laptops. The chartered plane was set for 2 pm that same afternoon. I was going to settle down or a nap before we left, but Gonzalo wanted lunch, so he went grocery shopping and then we left for Mama Isabel's.

"I thought we were going to go eat?" Natalia asked as we pulled into a residential driveway.

"We are. Mama Isabel is a friend of Helios. She makes the best Mexican food," Sebastian said excitedly.

"Mama Isabel, le traigo visita(Mama Isabel, I bring you visitors)," I said as I hugged the old woman.

"Y no avisas! Que tal si no tengo comida para todos?(And you didn't tell me what if I didn't have enough food?)"

"Se acaba el mundo antes que su comida. (The world will end before your food does)" I said. She laughed and slapped my shoulder playfully. I found Mama Isabel the first week I was here. I had known her when she was younger. She had needed some help getting away from an abusive partner. I helped her leave Mexico and settle in a border town called San Izidro. She had found a husband and outlived him. We kept in touch and visited her whenever I was in California.

When I found myself in San Diego, I went to look for her and found her almost evicted. I offered to let her live with me, but she wouldn't let me. So, I set her up here, then helped out a small restaurant get out of debt and, in exchange, they provided her with a job making handmade tortillas at an above-average pay. I visit her once a week to make sure her needs are met. We made a deal that I would pay her for her cooking once a week for me and my friends. It gave her enough cash to live comfortably. I wish she would let me help more, but she was the one to tell me that living at the mercy of another's financial whim sucked and she would choose to work until she died rather than depend on me.

Our arrangement may not have started out ideally, but it gave a wonderful woman her dignity and independence. Besides, I spoke to the owners of the restaurant two months ago. She's driving up business with her homemade tortillas and they refused to take the incentive to keep her on their payroll as of last week. She'd earned her spot as an employee.

"What did you make today, Mama Isabel?" Theo asked as he put away the groceries we'd brought her.

"Guisado de puerco y fideo(Mexican pork stew and noodle soup). I have some chicken soup in the fridge if the little ones don't like the food," she said.

I looked at the girls and beckoned them over. I added some asado to some tortillas and asked them to try it. They were hesitant at first and sniffed it a few times but ate it enthusiastically after the first bite. "I think they'll be fine Mama Isabel." I laughed as I handed a sample to Natalia, who also seemed to enjoy the spiced pork.

Everyone was eating in the living room when I followed Mama Isabel for seconds. "We are going to have to be away for a little while. I am not sure how long but I wanted you to have this." I brought out a prepaid card I bought on the way back when we stopped to pump gas, along with the cash for tonight. She started to object but I put it in her cookie jar. "It's only for emergencies. You don't have to use it, but I'll feel better if you have it while I'm not here." I said, putting the cash into the cookie jar as well. I didn't want her to try to count it while we were there or she would yell at me.

Everyone was eating in the living room when I followed Mama Isabel for seconds. "We are going to have to be away for a little while. I am not sure how long but I wanted you to have this." I brought out a prepaid card I bought on the way back when we stopped to pump gas, along with the cash for tonight. She started to object but I put it in her cookie jar. "It's only for emergencies. You don't have to use it, but I'll feel better if you have it while I'm not here." I said, putting the cash into the cookie jar as well. I didn't want her to try to count it while we were there or she would yell at me.

Her face softened a little and she gave me a hug, "You are such a good man. Thank you for taking care of this old woman for so long." I hugged her back, relishing the warmth of her motherly hug.

"I hope you're right," I said quietly, and I felt her hug get tighter.

"Oh, sorry. I can come back," Natalia's voice came from behind.

"Nonsense, Helios is just humoring an old woman. What can I get you beautiful," she said, and I saw Natalia's flustered look at the compliment. Stunning, would have been a better description.

"I was hoping for seconds actually," she said shyly.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

"Of course. Helios was just getting some too. Hand me your plate."

We all ate until we burst and then sat in the living room watching TV in a food coma. We left only when we realized the flight was in 45 minutes and we sped to get to the airport.

We drove in silence for a bit when Gonzalo said, "I hid some money in the bathroom for Mama Isabel. I don't like all of us leaving at the same time."

Theo laughed from the driver's seat, "Sebastian and I hid some money in her TV guide."

They all turned to look at me and I started fidgeting. "I put a thousand bucks in her cookie jar and the prepaid had another $5000." I could feel expectant eyes still on me so I finally added, "I may have also asked her employer to send someone to check in on her on her days off." Everyone started laughing and then Natalia said, "I would ask what makes her so important, but after eating her food, I also wanted to wrap her in bubble wrap before we left."