Guitar Love - Resonance of Hearts Part 2

8 The House That Music Built

         With Jay back among the living the tour took on new life.  He always returned from his musical wanderings lighter of heart and full of mischievous energy.  Daffy picked up on his roguish mood and the pair were soon so deep in high jinks that Ollie finally lost his temper and ordered them to find something more constructive to do with their energy - clean the tour bus.  He only had to go in twice - once when they got distracted with a jam session and once when the bus started to rock and he had to break up a scuffle over who "got" to clean the bathroom.  After that things generally calmed down other than a spirited prank or two.

         Not everything was fun and games.  Daffy and Sara had fallen in love while Jay was lost in his music and normally-easygoing Daff no longer wanted to share with his friend.  Sara was torn between them - the time she had spent with Jay had been amazing but she was seriously falling in love with Daff and didn't want to lose him.  For his part Jay wished he could get her back but didn't want to jeopardize his close relationship with the friend he considered to be a brother.  The big man had made it clear that he was totally gone on Sara and wanted her for keeps.  Jay reluctantly agreed to keep things friendly.

         The tour continued in streaks and swirls around the country.  Sometimes they played in favored nightclubs with a more intimate setting.  During the summer months they played a lot of festivals and outdoor venues where there was plenty of room for the crowd to get into the music.  In colder weather they preferred the halls and auditoriums, playing in the heat of the stage lights.  On one stop they found themselves performing at a rib festival that had been booked by mistake, but the folks there enjoyed themselves, the food was terrific and they had surprisingly good sales of cd's and t-shirts.

         August turned into September, which became October before anyone noticed and they were five months into the tour. Daff began to think about life after the tour and how much he wanted Sara to share it with him.  They were due for a week's stopover in their hometown of San Mateo, in the San Francisco Bay area.  Daff was looking forward to showing Sara his home when they arrived and making her feel a welcome part of it.  He was also eager to get back to his neighborhood as one of his acquaintances - a long-ago casual girlfriend - and her husband had a small boutique where they made and sold unique jewelry.  He was a regular customer and was sure he could find the perfect ring there.  He was completely in love with Sara and couldn't wait to give her her the perfect ring and ask her to marry him.

         The bus pulled into San Mateo in the wee hours of the morning while everyone was still asleep.  Their driver knew the routine and didn't even bother to try to wake them, just pulled into the clubhouse garage and turned off the lights as he went out.  The snoring horde would make their way home whenever they woke up.  Most of them currently had homes or apartments nearby and those who lived farther afield would often crash at Daff's place overnight if they pulled into town too late to drive home.  His house was only a short walk from the clubhouse backyard to his own in a quiet, roomy neighborhood on the edge of town.  Ollie "The Old One" woke up first as usual and like any big brother poked and deviled the rest of the gang awake and sent them on their way.  His own new home was only a block away and he enjoyed the scenic stroll, stopping for a coffee along the way.


         Daffy led a sleepy Sara through the gate in the back fence and into his own backyard.  There were lemon, lime and orange trees growing along the back fence, almonds and hazelnuts along one side of the yard as a screen from the side street and plums, cherries and apricots dividing his yard from the neighbors' on the other.  The lawn was well-kept, encompassing a sprawling house of 2½ stories that looked out over a headland across the street to the glistening bay below.  Sara was stunned by the beauty of the place.  It hardly looked like the place to find a dyed-in-the-wool rock guitarist.

         He shrugged sheepishly at her stupefied expression.  "I kinda inherited this place about ten years or so ago.  It was in pretty bad shape then and not worth much, but at the time it was like a castle compared to the dirty little apartments I had grown up in.  I've been fixing it up ever since then, a bit at a time as money and our tour schedules allow.  At first it was just a coat of paint in a couple rooms, tore out the carpets and a used fridge and bed.  I lived in the kitchen/dining area until I had time and money to do more. 

         And the yard... well, for that I have to thank the Castillos next door there." he waved a hand towards the neighbors' house.  "I'm not sure whether they took pity on me or if they just got tired of the yard here looking like an abandoned pasture.  In any case after living here for about a year or so I came home from a tour - this was my second tour with One Night Stand - and somebody had mowed my lawn for me and there was a pot of flowers on the porch.  The next day Mr. and Mrs. Castillo showed up at my door with a pot of caldo de pollo - that's chicken soup - and a deal they wanted to make me.  They promised to take care of my yard work and watch over the house while I was on the road If I'd let them plant "a few things" here and there.  We've worked it out over the years and sometimes I've payed them for things like the trees they keep planting or I've done a few odd jobs for them when I'm home.  They're a retired couple with too much time on their hands and a strong work ethic.  Mr. Castillo keeps fit by keeping the yard trimmed and Mrs. Castillo likes to fuss in the kitchen so she's always making things like jams and selling them around the neighborhood.  They can supplement their pensions if they use the fruits and nuts from my yard and sell stuff.  When I'm home I might use a bit of fresh fruit in a drink or something but they get more use and enjoyment out of my yard than I do.  They also get my mail and let me know if something important turns up.  I feel better being gone so much when I know that they're around."

         Sara beamed a smile up at him.  "Daffy, you softie you.  That's so sweet of you to help an elderly couple.  I'll bet Mrs. Castillo cooks for you quite a bit, doesn't she?"  she teased.

         He laughed.  "The Castillos aren't quite elderly yet, and they make quite a bit of extra money from what grows in the yard.  But hey, I don't have to mow the lawn and once or twice a week Mrs. C drops by with a pot of something incredible, so we both win."  They headed toward the back door of the house.

         Sara looked up at the building.  It was a lovely California-style home in a warm sandy brown stucco with tiled roof and white trim.  She tilted a look at him.  "It looks in really good shape."

         Daff shrugged again.  "Now that all the guys live in the area we take turns helping each other with stuff.  Last off-season we re-stuccoed the whole house.  My God, we were a sticky mess!" he grinned and shook his head at the memory.  Opening the door he waved her in.  "Welcome home, Sara."

         They entered the kitchen/dining area, which was done in sunny yellows with golden wood floors and cabinets.  It opened into a roomy great room of paler yellow with a curved wall of windows that showed off a view of the bay.  A clock on the kitchen wall ticked away the time with a face made of guitar parts and picks.  There wasn't much furniture, but what there was was sturdy and comfortable-looking.  The space looked exactly what it was, the home of a single young man who didn't spend much time at home but liked to relax when he was.  It was also surprisingly clean and tidy.

         Daff looked about.  "Looks like Mrs. C has been here - I can smell the lemon wax she favors when she knows I'm coming home.  I tell her every time that she doesn't have to come in here and clean but whenever I get home the place is dust-free, the sheets are fresh and there's something in the fridge that tastes like heaven.  They never had kids and she likes to have someone to fuss over.  I don't have the heart to tell her not to."  his ears turned a bit pink at the tips as he led her through the rest of the house.  The rest of the downstairs area included two bedrooms, a full bath and a two-car garage as well as a wide covered porch that was partially screened.  Gleaming wood stairs led both up and down from the central part of the house.

         "There's an entertainment room downstairs with a small wet bar and bathroom - most of the rest is storage space.  We have the clubhouse nowadays that we use for practice and stuff but half the time everyone still ends up back here afterward because I have so much space and Mrs. C is always sneaking food in here while we're practicing.  It's easier for anybody who wants to crash to sleep upstairs when all the entertainment equipment is down in the basement.  Before we went in together to buy the clubhouse, which was a closed-down library at the time, most of our practice sessions happened here." he led her up the stairs.  "The house had a master suite with a view of the bay, but it's a huge room with a fireplace that was way too big to sleep in - it gave me agoraphobia.  The upstairs has been fiddled with a bit but nowadays there are four bedrooms and three bathrooms upstairs and two bedrooms downstairs, so there's room for everyone.  There's been a time or two, back before things really took off, that everybody did live here because we didn't have money to spread out then.  Mr. and Mrs. C have taken the lot of us under their wing and have been like parents to us all these years.  We would have gone hungry most of the first years we were here if it wasn't for them."  he hugged her to him as they reached the top of the stairs.

         Sara rested her head on his chest and held him close.  "And now you help them, and all the guys are always welcome here.  Who would have guessed that under that tough rock musician shell of yours hides such a sweetheart.  You hide it well."  she kissed his scruffy cheek affectionately.

         There were names on the upstairs bedroom doors - Daffy, Jay, Mickey and Jerry.  Ollie and Ari had homes within walking distance but occasionally crashed downstairs if the night went on too long.  He showed her the music room next.  A drum kit was set up in one corner and a baby grand was tucked into another by the balcony doors.  A keyboard/synth layout was set up by the hearth.  The walls were lined with over 50 different guitars - acoustic, electric, bass, classical, resonator, even a pedal steel for a lark.  Many looked like expensive collector pieces and they were.

         Daff spoke up from the door.  "Musicians can't help collecting their favorite instruments.  Whenever the guys get a new toy they bring their old ones here.  Some of them we keep here in the music room, some are downstairs in storage.  Jay has several guitars here and he has even more in his room down the hall.  He's more of a nomad than the others so he spends almost every other off-season living here and looking for a place of his own.  Not sure why he bothers, really, as he spends more time here even when he has an apartment than he does anywhere else."  Daff shook his head.  "I don't mind - he's an easy roommate and Mr. and Mrs. C have adopted him as much as they have me over the years.  He's like a brother to me."  Daff stroked the curve of a Gibson by the door.

         Sara came back to stand before him.  "Is there room here for me among all the guys?"  she was worried about fitting in.

         Daffy's slow smile and open arms chased away her fears.  "There's always room for you here, sweetheart."

9 Sopa For the Soul

         Jay strolled the streets of San Mateo as only a near-native could do.  He waved to the people on the street, most of whom he knew by name.  At the coffee shop down the street from the clubhouse he ordered his favorite iced mocha and waved to Ollie who was just walking up his drive.  Down the next street a short way he spotted a sign for an apartment for rent - yes, paydirt!  There was no way he was going to stay in Daff's house and watch the pair bill and coo all hours of the day and night.  It had been hell traveling in the confines of the tour bus with them making love practically next to him across the narrow aisle.  He really needed a place of his own.  Maybe then he could get over Sara and truly be happy for them.  Daff had better take good care of her, he grumbled to himself, but just couldn't bring himself to be mad at his friend.  It was his own fault, after all, and he could see they were gone over each other.  Now all he could do was try to get on with his own life.

         Lucky for him the apartment owner answered the door when he rang the bell, a streak of midnight blue paint across her forehead and a smudge of sangria red on one cheek.  The sociable older landlady welcomed him into the kitchen for a cookie to go with his coffee while she chatted animatedly about everything under the sun.  Jay took a look around while she chattered and spread more blue paint on the kitchen trim with a steady hand that spoke of easy experience.  A tiny bedroom almost the same pale blue as his eyes and an even tinier bathroom done in aquas and greens were tucked behind the cozy kitchen.  The surprisingly large living room took up the other half of the space.  Its long walls were painted a sandy tan but the end walls were the same sangria red as on the bustling landlady's cheek, making the space feel more dramatic and less stretched-out.  He got a vague feeling of being in a crayon box but he kind of liked the result.

         He strolled back into the blue-trimmed kitchen to encounter the plump rear attribute of the still-gabbing lady bent over to put the finishing touches on a wine cubby under the counter.  Jay tilted his head as he leaned lazily against the door sill and decided he was happy the dame was at least fifteen years his senior.  If she had been any younger he might not have survived as her tenant.

         He waited until she paused to draw a breath to ask "I like it, how much?"

         Immediately she became all business.  "Well I like you, handsome.  You look like a capable young man, although I'm sure you have a rascal streak that runs deep - I've a weakness for rascals" she winked at him coquettishly.  "I like to indulge myself in between renters by playing with paints and things, so as long as you can live with the place as is I'll be generous with the rent - $1000 a month will cover the rent, electric and water.  The building has cable, internet and satellite but those will be up to you.  This is a nicer neighborhood, which is why the rent is a bit on the higher side.  Normally I ask for $1500-1800 but you're just too cute and laid-back to be mean to."  she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

         Jay pursed his lips in thought.  She was actually asking for less than he had expected, but he couldn't resist trying a little charm.  "Well that sounds almost reasonable, ma'am, but you see I spend most of my time out on the road, and the place will just be holding my stuff until I get back.  My friends live in the neighborhood and we have a clubhouse down the street where we practice and hang out, so I'd mostly be using the apartment for showering and sleeping in.  If you could see your way to coming down to $900 a month I'll be sure to keep you informed of when I'm going to be here - you can turn off the water while I'm on the road and save yourself quite a bit in monthly charges that way as I'll be gone at least six months at a time.  I'm not loud, any partying will take place at the clubhouse or my buddy's house down the way, and I really like what you've done to the place.  What do you say?"  he used his most engaging smile, the one that warmed his eyes and melted women in every crowd.

         She whooped with laughter.  "Boy, you are a rogue, aren't you.  Too bad I'm not ten years younger, I'd give you a run for your money.  Alright handsome, you've got a deal.  And Call me Chrissie, will you?  I think we're going to be good friends."



         Jay badgered Ollie until his friend helped to carry his bed from storage to his new apartment.  Daff and Sara were nowhere in sight so he ducked in for two of his favorite guitars and a bottle of good scotch he had put aside for special occasions.  Today felt like a good day for it - he had just signed on a new apartment and he was going to forget about Sara even if it killed him.

         He sat slumped on the edge of the bed, the bottle next to his foot, and communed with his music.  Without an amplifier only he could hear the sound, but for now it was enough that the strings made their music and the instrument felt comforting in his hands.  As the burning sun went down so did the fiery liquid in the bottle.  Night crept into the room, curling gently around him as he lay sprawled across the bed, guitar still clasped to his chest like a talisman against bad dreams.

         In his dreams she rose above him, moonlight stroking her body, dancing in her hair as she rode him slowly.  His hands moved lovingly over her smooth skin, caressing and teasing as she arched her back, circled her hips.  She moved faster, and he was helpless to do more than hang on for dear life as he shattered beneath her.  Over and over she stole into his dreams, a thousand times he lost himself in the heaven of her body.  Every time she slipped away as he begged her to stay.



         The afternoon sun was an obscene slap on his raw senses when he finally woke.  He was face down on the bed, lying full on his guitar with his face pressed against the strings.  His first semi-coherent thought was that that was going to leave a mark.  He rolled off the guitar, fearful that he had broken it, and cracked his head on the empty bottle still lying by his hand.  When he could see again he was relieved to find the Gibson still intact but in need of some TLC.  He managed to stagger to the bathroom, guitar in hand, without incident.  He decided this was not a story he was ever going to share with the guys.

         A bit later he sat on the bed with the clean guitar next to him and his dripping head in his hands, trying to piece together what to do next.  There was no food in the kitchen, no clean clothes in the closet, no soap in the shower and no towel to dry his pounding head with.  And there was no woman to cradle his pounding head and soothe his hurts.  He was a sorry mess.  He decided there was only one thing to do when life knocked you so low.


         Marcela Ercilia Ramona Castillo was in her kitchen preparing a feast.  Her boys had come home yesterday and she always fixed their favorite dishes the next day.  She had left a big pot of cocido in in the refrigerator when she had freshened up the house for their arrival.  Her Patito had called to let her know he would be bringing his novia home with him for them to meet and Marcela was thrilled.  He had asked her not to call him her "little duck" in front of his bride-to-be, but that was just her boy being silly.  She smiled at such foolishness as she stirred the sofrito sauce simmering in a huge stockpot.  Her boys loved to eat when they came home.

         The ringing doorbell interupted her as she was putting water on to boil.  To her surprise she found her Arrendajo looking rumpled and miserable.  "Ah, mi cariño, what is wrong?"  she enfolded Jay in her motherly arms and stroked his damp hair.  "You know you never have to ring the bell when you come home!  Come in now and tell Mama Marcela lo problemas de su corazón.  You can have an empanada while I finish the paella and make the pasta."  She bustled him through the pristine house to the roomy sunlit kitchen filled with the scents of good food.  In short order she had him parked at the kitchen table with a cup of mocha and a plate of his favorite pastries.  She pulled a comb out of her apron pocket and set about combing his hair as only a mother would.

         Jay closed his tired eyes for a moment and just basked in the comfort of the woman who had been mother to him since the day they met - in fact, the only mother he had ever had.  There was no problem in the world Mama Marcela couldn't make better.  He lay his head back against her solid strength and sighed.

         "Are you ready to tell me what troubles you, mi Arrendajo pequeño?" she asked.

         He looked up at her worried face.  Her 'little jay'.  "I messed up, Mama.  I finally found a girl I could love and then I got lost in the music.  By the time I came back to myself she and Daff were totally lost in each other.  He's going to The Forge to find her a ring and ask her to marry him."  He closed his eyes dejectedly.

         "I found an apartment down the street from the clubhouse yesterday and spent my first night there trying to drown my heartache in scotch.  I should have come here to you instead - at least I'd have a full stomach instead of an aching head." he sighed.  "I think this one can't be fixed with a bowl of sopa."

         She stroked his sore head affectionately.  "Silly boy.  Sopa is for the soul - lasagne is for the heart."  She returned to her cooking.  "So you and mi Patito both love the same girl.  Have you talked to your brother about this?  Have you fought over her?" she fixed him with a gimlet eye.

         Jay held up his hands in defense.  "No no, no fighting, Mama.  When the music came I sort-of nudged them together.  You know I'm not sensible when I'm composing."  she nodded sagely at this.  "It was almost a month before I came back to myself and Daff made his feelings clear.  He wants to marry her, not share.  I can't blame him and I don't, but I realized that I love her too.  There's just no way for both of us to get what we want." he picked up the hot mug of mocha to warm his hands.

         Marcela's heart ached for her boy.  This was one problem only time would fix, though she intended to find an opportunity to have a word or two with Daffy in private to hear what he had to say.  She knew they had shared girls in the past, but never one they were serious about.  She began packing food into large crates she had waiting on the counter.  The rest of her boys would be coming soon to carry everything next door to Daffy's house where there was room for the whole gang to eat at once.  It was one one of those things they could always depend on - the day after they came home Mama Marcela always cooked a feast for them.

         "Where did you find this apartment?" she stroked his cheek as she passed by.  "I hope it's not like the last one - I was certain the landlord was going to kill you when he found his teenage daughter in your bed."  she gave him a censorious look over her shoulder.

         Jay shook his head too fast and winced.  "I had nothing to do about that and you know it.  She let herself in with her dad's key when I wasn't home and he showed up to fix a light switch just as I walked in and she came out of my bedroom buck naked." he shook his head again more slowly.  "Don't know how I got out of that one alive, but I did end up moving out the same day to make sure it didn't happen again." he grinned.  "This place is just a few doors down from Ollie's house, small, but big enough to shower and sleep in, which is mostly what I'll do there anyway" he waved his hand dismissively.  "The landlady is a bit older but seems really nice - Chrissie Summers, if I remember right."

         Marcela nodded.  "I know Chrissie.  You watch out, mi hijo, she's a nice woman but you might find HER in your bed when you least expect it.  Don't give her any encouragement." she shook her finger at him.

         He kissed her cheek as the first of the guys came in the front door.  "Don't worry, Mama, there's only one woman besides you who has my heart, and she's taken."

10 Bruised Hearts

         Family meals at Daffy's house were always a chaotic and noisy affair.  They argued over the music playing on the radio, fought over the choicest pieces of food on the table.  Plates rattled, glasses clinked and the occasional roll of bread sailed through the air.  Mama Marcela didn't allow the guys all-out food fights at her meals but they had been known to break out when she wasn't around.  The dining room walls had last been hastily painted to cover up the scars from a heated battle involving scorched spaghetti sauce Daffy and Jay had attempted to make for a meal some months before.

         The current meal was progressing in a rather well-behaved manner - mostly because Marcela had threatened dire consequences if they misbehaved during Sara's first family meal at home.  No one argued with her when she wielded her serving spoon or she might swat the offender and send them hungry from the table.

         After the meal the dishes were dealt with and the rest of the guys trooped downstairs to the entertainment room.  Ollie snagged Sara as he passed, pulling her with him as he could guess from the looks that were going 'round what was coming next.

         Daffy looked at his friend "Where'd you disappear to last night?  You didn't call or come home and Sara was worried."  he knew the other man was still taking Sara's loss hard.

         Jay shrugged and picked up one of the crates to carry it next door.  "I found a little place a couple blocks from here and spent the night there.  You'll have to come 'round for coffee once I get settled in."

         Daff was shocked.  "You just moved out without saying a word to us?!  I figured maybe you had ended up at Ollie's house or something but you didn't even call to say you wouldn't be home.  What's wrong with you?!"  He was furious.  Grabbing another crate he stalked after Jay into the yard.

         The other man hunched his shoulders.  It had occurred to him after he'd seen Sara's relieved expression at his return that maybe he should have left a note or something.  "I didn't think you wanted a third wheel around last night.  Did you find the ring you wanted yesterday?" he tried to change the subject.

         Daff scowled.  "I did, but she spent most of the evening worried about you and I didn't want to drop something like a marriage proposal on her while she was upset."

         Jay nearly dropped the crate onto the Castillos' back porch and whirled around angrily.  "Well feel free to march back in there and ask her, bro.  You made your intentions clear to me a good two months ago, so I don't know what you're waiting for.  You wanted her and you got her.  I even moved out so you don't have to have me in the way anymore."

         Daff set his crate carefully on the step.  Marcela, who knew her boys inside and out became alarmed at the controlled moves - it meant the normally easy-going man was about to explode.  "Patito!" her voice was almost shrill.  "I raised mis hijos with the rule of no fighting!  If you can't talk your troubles out like grown men go back to your novia and leave the dishes.  I will have a talk with Arrendajo."  Her heart was breaking for her sons.

         Daff shook his head slowly.  "He passed her off to me when he got tired of her and spent the next month with his head in the clouds writing music.  He waited until I was in love with her and then decided he wanted her back after all.  It's too late, Jay.  I love her and I want to have a family with her.  I can't just pass her back and forth when I want her to be the mother of my children."  there was pain in his heart that was mirrored in his best friend's eyes.

         "I love her too, Daff." he said quietly.  "I'll admit that I spooked when I realized how much I felt for her and I wanted to take a step back and be sure what I was feeling was real.  I want to be happy for you, I'm trying to be, but all the same I wish I'd never let you get near her.  I knew when she told me about her dream that the other guy was you and I'd lose her to you.  I just can't be around her and not want her back."  he moved back down the steps to the grass.

         The rest of the group spilled out of the house just as the first fist flew.  Sara screamed and tried to rush between them but Ollie swung her around into Ari's arms before he, Mickey and Jerry headed across the lawn.  There was already blood on Daffy's lip and Jay had a cut that nearly split one eyebrow and spilled blood into his eyes.  Blows fell like the crashing of trees in the quiet evening air, the only other sound being Sara's inconsolable sobbing as Ari kept her back away from the action.

         The guys were just within reach to break up the fight when Mr. Castillo arrived home and rushed between them.  Enrique Ernesto Castillo was a formidable man who carried a commanding presence and quiet strength.  He grabbed both men by a forearm and hauled them apart, eyes blazing with censor.  They quieted immediately under his iron grip, though they still glared at one another until he gave them a forceful shake that had them dropping their heads like naughty children.

         He scowled severely at both men in turn.  "What is the meaning of this?!  I come home late for your welcome-home supper to find you behaving like juveniles immaduros, fighting in the yard like delincuentes!  What do you have to say for yourselves?!" he gave them another rough shake for good measure.

         Marcela stepped forward.  "The infantiles are both in love with the same niña"  She was white as a sheet and shaking with fury.  "They could not talk like grown men so they thought to fight for her - as if such an intelligent chica would care for such imbéciles.  I am ashamed of mis hijos.  I thought we had raised them to be good and upstanding men."  both had hung their heads in shame at this point.

         Ollie and the guys tried to hide their laughing smiles.  "What do you think we should do with these imbéciles, Mr. C?" he asked the older man respectfully.

         The censorious eyes turned his way.  "And you, Álvaro, why have you not taken your hermanos in hand before this?  You know these two must be watched at all times or they get into trouble.  We expect you to keep them in line when you are away from home."

         Ollie ducked his own head at the reprimand.  "Honestly Mr. C, they've been fairly well-behaved during this tour.  They didn't seem to have any quarrel until today.  We all thought they'd worked it out between them already."

         "This does not look like it is worked out.  Inside with you now"  he gave Daff and Jay a forceful push towards the back door.  "If you cannot behave like men you will be treated like the juveniles you are.  Sit yourselves down at the table and we will talk until this matter is settled.  Where is the niña who has you acting so foolishly?" he parked them on either side of the wooden table and looked around.

         Sara pushed forward through the men.  She and Ari had joined the others once the fight had stopped.  Enrique gave the distressed young woman a fatherly smile.  "Don't worry, chica.  These two are not yet full grown men and sometimes they get silly notions in their heads, so we must bind their wounds and try to put some sense in them.  The others have grown into fine men, but our niños still need a firm hand now and then to keep them out of trouble.  Now that you are here I am certain we will be able to make good men out of them." he smiled warmly.

         Marcela busied herself with making a large pot of cocoa for everyone.  "Sit yourself down, cariña.  Have some cocoa and relax.  Keeping these two out of trouble is a family endeavor."  she set a steaming cup of cocoa in front of Sara and pulled a box of first-aid supplies from the cupboard by the sink.  She looked over the young warriors and moved to dab antiseptic on the cut over Jay's eye, swatting the back of his head when he winced at the sting.  She passed another antiseptic cloth to Sara, who began to gingerly clean the worst of the abrasions on Daff's miserable face.

         The rest of the guys made themselves comfortable around the kitchen, Mickey playing hostess and passing around mugs of cocoa as Enrique took his place at the head of the table.  He cast a stern eye around the room, ending with the squirming pair at the table.  "Now then, who is going to speak the first words of wisdom?"

         Jay raised his hand.  "I've been an idiot, Mr. C.  I fell for Sara the moment I met her but I spooked because I've never loved anyone before.  I hid in my music until I lost her.  It hurts like hell but I should never have gotten in a fight with Daff over it.  It's just that I know he's going to ask her to marry him and I still love her.  I lost my head."  he laid his aching head on his arms on the table, Marcela stroking his hair as she would a small child.

         "What?" Sara was startled.  She looked questioningly at Daffy, whose knuckles she was salving.

         He gave an embarassed smile and winced at the sting.  "This isn't how I wanted to propose, but I bought you a ring yesterday and I was going to ask you to marry me... then I sort of lost my head." he looked across the table at his best friend, who looked up at the words.  They grinned at each other, the first steps of apology and reconciliation.

         Enrique gave a sigh of relief and laid a hand on Daff's shoulder.  "You young rascals will be the death of me yet.  Give the niña a little time to decide what SHE wants, and talk this out with your hermano.  Next time you won't get off so easily." he shook his finger at them.  The rest of the gang laughed and the mood lightened.