“Come on Dad,” Ezekiel says, “I’ve been inside all day.”
“Nothing good happens at night in the dark,” I reply. “We’re in Mexico. The cartels in Mexico. There’s news almost every day about tourists going missing or getting killed over here.”
“Paranoid much, “ Mike states.
“Listening to my instincts have kept me alive so far,” I say. Slowly despair begins to grow inside me. A fear I’ve never felt before rears it’s ugly head. I’ve been scared before, but it didn’t compare. This was real fear. The fear a person must feel when they know they are going to die.
I interrupt Ezekial as he’s putting his shoes and jacket on, “nope, nope nope…you are not going anywhere young man.”
“But Dad,” Ezekiel says.
“No buts. Go brush your teeth, get your PJs on, and I’ll be in soon to tuck you in.” I see the disappointment in my son’s face, but he listens and heads to the bathroom. As Ezekial closes the bathroom door the hotel room door opens.
“Welcome back,” Mike says to our wives.
“”Let me help you two beauties with that,” I say as I grab a grocery bag out of my wife’s arms,” Did you find everything you were looking for?”
“Most of it and what I couldn’t find there was a product close enough to what I wanted. They don’t sell American made products in this village market,” Bitty explains.
“There was one thing we couldn’t find,” Mike’s wife adds. “Alcohol. It was nowhere to be found.”
“Did you ask?” Mike asks.
“Didn’t even cross our minds to ask,” Mike’s wife pauses for dramatic effect. “Yes, we asked. The shop owner, she was gorgeous by the way, said there’s no place in the village that sells alcohol, but the next village over does.”
“We’re just dropping off what we got here and heading back out,” Bitty says. “Where are the rental car keys?”
“Oh no you’re not going back out. It’s too dangerous,” I say to my wife.
“That’s right because we are, “ Mike adds. “We’ll go get whatever you need us to get. The alcohol. Primarily, the alcohol,” Mike chuckles.
An empty darkness grows inside me as I contemplate leaving the safety of the resort to run an errand in the darkness of the Mexican countryside. I have never feared much, but this I fear. I close my eyes and images come to my imagination. They come and go quickly, but seem to last an eternity. I see Mike to my left behind the steering wheel of the rental and myself in the passenger seat. I’m slowly coming down from my anxiety as we listen to music and joke around. Suddenly, through the misty darkness, I see two men cross the street. Pearing closely, I think I see rifles in their hands. Panic strikes me immediately. I scream at Mike, “go left, go left…damn it go left!”
“Our ladies are waiting,” Mike says, handing me my sandals and jacket.
“I don’t think this is a good idea. How about we go out tomorrow morning and we can party the whole day tomorrow?” I cringe as I say this knowing that everyone is ready to relax and let their hair down. I survey the room to see what the reaction is to my objection. I am met by two different reactions. Mike’s evil eye which is telling me that if he doesn’t get any alcohol tonight he’s not getting any and the ladies are making puppy dog eyes.
Against my better judgment, I give in. “Fine.” I slip on my sandals, Jacket, and remember that I told Ezekial that I was going to tuck him into bed. “Give me a second Mike,” as I head towards Ezekial’s room.
My boy’s room door is cracked open and I peer in. I see Ezekial sitting in his bed, flashlight on, and a book spread open on his lap. “Whatcha reading?”
“One of my I survived books. This one’s about surviving a shark attack!” He says.
“You’ll have to tell me all about it in the morning.” I lean down and give Ezekial a kiss on the forehead. “Love you my boy.”
Ezekiel says, “I love you too Dad,” as he wipes at his forehead. “Can you leave the door open a crack tonight?”
“Will do.” I smile at Ezekial and leave the room. Jokingly, I close the door all the way. In my head I count…one thousand one…one thousand two…one thousand three…I suddenly jerk the door open and scream, “BOO!” Ezekiel and I both burst out laughing.
“Nice try Dad,” Ezekiel says sarcastically. “I’m too old to be scared by that anymore.”
I smile, remembering Ezekial as a younger boy and all the joy he has brought to my life. Again, a sudden darkness develops in me. I see images of Ezekial alone, in despair, and crying as he clutches to the jacket I have on now. There’s something different about the jacket. I try to look closer…Is that blood?