Chapter 21: An Annoying Face
Sunday morning came as quickly as Saturday night had faded, and Ethan was forced awake by the insistent ringing of his phone.
Still laying face first on the bed, Ethan blindly searched for his phone until his hand landed on it.
Without even looking at the caller ID, he answered he call and placed the phone on his ear.
"Hello?" He let out groggily, the sleep evident in his voice.
"Ethan," María’s familiar voice came through, her tone was slightly scolding. "¿Todavía estás durmiendo? You were supposed to be up by now."
Ethan blinked hard and rolled onto his back, the ceiling coming into focus. He sat up slowly, rubbing a hand down his face.
"I set an alarm..." he mumbled.
"Ay, mijo," María sighed, the kind of sigh a mother figure would make to sound disappointed. "Isabela’s flight lands in less than an hour. She’ll be waiting at arrivals. Don’t make the girl stand around like some stray."
He was already swinging his legs off the bed. "Right, I’m on it."
"Bueno," she said, then paused—just long enough for Ethan to know something sentimental was coming. "She’s a good girl. Very smart. I promised her family she’d be safe. You’ll take care of her, sí?"
Ethan’s hand paused over his keys on the nightstand. For a second, he let a soft smile settle on his face, María was as kind and caring as he remembered.